Crab also known as Old Crab and Mr. Panton's Crab (1722 – December 1750) was a British

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

racehorse. After retiring from racing he became a successful stallion and was British Champion sire in 1748, 1749 and 1750. He was owned by the 1st Earl of Portmore until purchased by Mr. Cotton and then Thomas Panton.

Background

Crab was a

grey Grey (more common in British English) or gray (more common in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning literally that it is "without color", because it can be composed o ...

colt Colt(s) or COLT may refer to: *Colt (horse), an intact (uncastrated) male horse under four years of age People * Colt (given name) *Colt (surname) Places *Colt, Arkansas, United States *Colt, Louisiana, an unincorporated community, United States ...

bred by Charles Pelham and was foaled in 1722. He was a son of

Alcock's Arabian Alcock's Arabian (foaled about 1700, died about 1733), also known as Pelham Grey Arabian and less certainly as Bloody Buttocks and Ancaster Turk, among other names, is the ancestor of all grey-coloured Thoroughbred horses,Lady Wentworth, ''The S ...

out of a daughter of Basto. He was sold to

David Colyear, 1st Earl of Portmore General (United Kingdom), General David Colyear, 1st Earl of Portmore, (c. 1656 – 2 January 1730) was a Scottish general and Governor of Gibraltar. Early life He was the elder son of Sir Alexander Colyear, 1st Baronet, Sir Alexander Colye ...

when he was young. Although grey was a fairly common color in the foundation stock of the Thoroughbred, it became increasingly rare over time. All modern grey Thoroughbreds descend from Crab through his great-great-granddaughter Bab (foaled 1787) and her great-great-grandson Drone (1823).

Racing career

Crab first race came in 1727, when he finished fourth in a 20 guineas sweepstakes at Newmarket. He was then sold to Mr. Cotton. His first intended race for Mr. Cotton was at Newmarket in April 1728 against Weaver, but Weaver's owner, Lord Milsintown, paid a forfeit and the race never took place. In the following October he beat the

Duke of Bolton Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranked ...

's Cleopatra in a 500 guineas race over four miles. In April 1729 he won the King's Plate at Newmarket, beating the

Duke of Hamilton Duke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in April 1643. It is the senior dukedom in that peerage (except for the Dukedom of Rothesay held by the Sovereign's eldest son), and as such its holder is the premier peer of Sco ...

's Victorious and Mr. Williams's Spot. The following May he became lame when running in an 80 guineas plate at Stamford and never raced again.

Stud career

As a stallion he stood for Thomas Panton at Newmarket. He became a successful sire and was British Champion sire in 1748, 1749 and 1750. His progeny included King's Plate winners Brilliant, Bustard, Grasshopper, Othello, Sloe and Spinster. Crab died in December 1750.

Pedigree

Sire line tree

*CrabHistoric Sire Lines
/ref>
/ref> **Grey Ward **Crab (Routh) ***Valiant **Rib ***Sober John **Sloe ***Sweeper **Bustard ***Dorimond ***Gamahoe **Othello (Portmore) **Allworthy **Locust **Oroonoko ***Brunswick ****Black-and-all-Black **Spectator ***Pagan ***Sulfur ***Mark Anthony **** Aimwell ***Vandal **Brilliant ***Antelope **Crab (Cumberland) ***Milksop **Crab (Shepherd) ***Lath (Protector) ****Laburnum ****Tippoo Saib **Othello (Kingston) ***True Briton ***Selim

References

{{reflist 1722 racehorse births 1750 racehorse deaths British Champion Thoroughbred Sires Racehorses trained in the Kingdom of Great Britain Racehorses bred in the Kingdom of Great Britain Thoroughbred family 9-a Individual male horses