Harry Bassett (1868–1878) was an American

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 ...

racehorse, winner of the 1871 Belmont Stakes and an outstanding racehorse of the 19th century. He also won a number of other stakes races, and was named the Champion male of his age group in 1870, 1871 and 1872. He was retired to stud duties in New Jersey when his five-year racing career ended, having recorded 23 wins from 36 starts. Harry Bassett died in New Jersey in 1878 and was inducted into the United States Racing Hall of Fame in 2010.

Breeding and early life

Harry Bassett was a chestnut stallion, foaled on 27 April 1868, that was sired by Lexington and out of the

mare A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than fo ...

Canary Bird. Canary Bird was by the imported stallion Albion and out of the mare Panola, who was sired by the imported stallion Ainderby. Canary Bird's second dam, or maternal grandmother, was the imported mare Sweetbriar by Recovery. Harry Basset was bred either by R. A. Alexander or by A. J. Alexander, both of the Woodburn Stud of

Woodburn, Kentucky Woodburn is a home rule-class city in Warren County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 323 at the 2000 census and 355 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Bowling Green, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Woodburn ...

, and was the second of Canary Bird's foals.Bruce ''American Stud Book'' 1 p. 275 He was sold at the 1869 S. D. Bruce yearling sale to trainer

David McDaniel David Edward McDaniel (16 June 1939 – 1 November 1977) was an American science fiction author, who also wrote spy fiction, including several novels based upon the television series ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' Biography David McDaniel w ...

for $315 ().

Racing career

Harry Bassett was trained by his owner David McDaniel; his jockey was W. Miller. As a two-year-old he won the 1870 Nursery Stakes at

Jerome Park Racetrack Jerome Park Racetrack was an American thoroughbred horse racing facility from 1866 until 1894. It was located in a part of Westchester County, New York that was annexed into the Bronx in 1874. Jerome Park Racetrack was the home of the Belmont Sta ...

, the Central Stakes, the Kentucky Stakes, and the Saratoga Stakes.Hogan ''Index to Stakes Winners'' p. 144 He made a total of four starts as a two-year-old of which he won three, placing third in the other. Harry Bassett won the fifth running of the Belmont Stakes in 1871 at

in a time of 2 minutes 56 seconds. He carried pounds in the race, and won $5,400 () for his owner.New York Racing Association "Belmont Stakes" ''Belmont Stakes'' The race was run on June 10 over a distance of miles (13 furlongs/2,600 meters) on a fast track. Harry Bassett won by three lengths from the second-placed finisher Stockwood; the third place went to

August Belmont August Belmont Sr. (born August Schönberg; December 8, 1813November 24, 1890) was a German-American financier, diplomat, politician and party chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and also a horse-breeder and racehorse owner. He wa ...

's By The Sea.New York Racing Association "1871 Belmont" ''Belmont Stakes'' This was the first of three consecutive wins of the Belmont Stakes by David McDaniel as both owner and trainer, as he went on to win the 1872 race with Joe Daniels and the 1873 race with

Springbok The springbok (''Antidorcas marsupialis'') is a medium-sized antelope found mainly in south and southwest Africa. The sole member of the genus ''Antidorcas'', this bovid was first described by the German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm ...

. As a three-year-old, Harry Bassett also won the

Jerome Handicap The Jerome Stakes is a stakes race for thoroughbred horses run each January at Aqueduct Racetrack. Open to three year olds, the race is run at one mile and carries a purse of $150,000. It is a Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifying race, with the wi ...

, the

Travers Stakes The Travers Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is nicknamed the "Mid-Summer Derby" and is the third-ranked race for American three-year-olds acco ...

, the Reunion Stakes, the Kenner Stakes, the Champion Stakes and the

Jersey Derby The Jersey Derby is a $60,000 American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually in late July/early August at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. Since 1993, it has been raced on grass at a distance of miles. A Jerse ...

. During his three-year-old year Harry Bassett started 11 times and won eight, finishing second in the remaining three. At four he increased his win record to 14, with wins in the Westchester Cup and a victory in a heat, before he was beaten in the

Monmouth Cup The Monmouth Cup Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-years-old and older run over a distance of miles annually in early July at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, New Jersey. The event currently offers a purse of $400,00 ...

Longfellow Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet and educator. His original works include "Paul Revere's Ride", ''The Song of Hiawatha'', and ''Evangeline''. He was the first American to completely transl ...

. He then won the mile

Saratoga Cup The Saratoga Cup was an American Thoroughbred horse race open to horses of either sex age three and older although geldings were not eligible from 1865 through 1918. Between 1865 and 1955 it was hosted by Saratoga Race Course, in Saratoga Springs ...

, in which he defeated Longfellow. His jockey in that race was James Rowe, Sr., who went on to become a leading trainer for James R. Keene.Robertson ''History of Thoroughbred Racing'' p. 211 At age five, Harry Bassett started eight times, winning two, placing second in two, and third once. At six, he started four times, winning once and placing third once. Harry Bassett's racing career spanned five years and ended with 23 wins from 36 starts; he finished second five times and third three times. His total earnings on the racetrack were $55,920 (). He was awarded the title of Champion Two-Year-Old Male in 1870,Daily Racing Form ''American Racing Manual'' p. 545 the title of Champion Three-Year-Old Male in 1871,Thoroughbred Times Staff ''Thoroughbred Times Racing Almanac 2008'' p. 81 and the Champion Older Horse title in 1872.Hewitt ''Great Breeders'' p. 18

Stud record

When his racing career ended Harry Bassett was retired to McDaniel's stud farm in

Trenton, New Jersey Trenton is the capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. It was the capital of the United States from November 1 to December 24, 1784.Lettina out of the imported mare Letty by imported Australian.Hogan ''Index to Stakes Winners'' p. 593 Lettina won the Young America Stakes (Nashville), the Jackson Stakes and the Ladies Stakes in 1881, when she was two years old.Hogan ''Index to Stakes Winners'' p. 302 Harry Bassett died on October 27, 1878 at McDaniel's farm in New Jersey.Staff "Death of a Famous Racer" ''New York Times'' He was inducted into the United States' National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2010.National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame "Harry Bassett" ''Hall of Fame: Horses''

Pedigree

Citations

References

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External links

Harry Bassett Pedigree
at Thoroughbred Pedigree Database
''Famous Horses of America''
pages 32–33 {{Use mdy dates, date=July 2017 1868 racehorse births 1878 racehorse deaths Racehorses trained in the United States Racehorses bred in Kentucky Belmont Stakes winners United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees Thoroughbred family 24 Byerley Turk sire line