Johnstown (March 12, 1936 – May 14, 1950) was an American

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

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 Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...

who won two out of every three races he competed in.

Background

Johnstown was a bay horse bred at

Claiborne Farm Claiborne Farm is a thoroughbred horse breeding operation near Paris, Kentucky. It was established in 1910 by Arthur B. Hancock, owner of Ellerslie Stud in Albemarle County, Virginia, and has been operated by members of his family ever since. ...

. He was purchased by

William Woodward, Sr. William Woodward Sr. (April 7, 1876 – September 25, 1953) was an American banker and major owner and breeder in thoroughbred horse racing. __TOC__ Early life Woodward was born in New York City on April 7, 1876. He was a son of Sarah Abagail ( ...

and raced under his Belair Stable banner.

Racing career

After a successful season racing at age two when he won seven of his twelve starts, in the spring of 1939 Johnstown gave trainer

Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons James Edward "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons (July 23, 1874 – March 11, 1966) was a Thoroughbred racehorse trainer. Early life Born in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn in 1874, Fitzsimmons began his career in 1885 working at a racetrack as a stable boy. After ...

his third straight

Wood Memorial Stakes The Wood Memorial Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually in April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. It is run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) on dirt. The Wood Memori ...

, an important stepping stone to the U.S. Triple Crown races. The heavy favorite going into the

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The competition is a Grade I stakes race for three-year ...

, Johnstown got off to a slow start under

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

James Stout James Stout (May 6, 1914 - July 12, 1976) was an American Hall of Fame thoroughbred horse racing jockey who won four Triple Crown races. Known as "Jimmy," he began working at a racetrack as a stable boy then in 1930 became a professional jock ...

, then he took command by the mile pole and defeated

Challedon Challedon (1936–1958) was an American Hall of Fame Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred in Maryland by William L. Brann and Robert S. Castle, he raced under the colors of their Branncastle Farm. Two-year-old-season Racing at age two, Chall ...

by eight lengths, tying the (still current, 2015) record for margin of victory. In the

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held on Armed Forces Day which is also the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs () on ...

, it came up muddy (he never raced on an off-track before or after), and Johnstown finished 5th to winner Challedon. With Challedon not eligible for the

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over 1.5 miles (2,400 m). Colts and geldings carry a weight of ; fillies carry . The race, nicknamed Th ...

, Johnstown easily won the final leg of the U.S. Triple Crown races. He later won several more important races and wound up his highly successful season with seven wins in nine starts.

Stud record

Retired to

stud Stud may refer to the following terms: Animals * Stud (animal), an animal retained for breeding ** Stud farm, a property where livestock are bred Arts and entertainment * Stud (band), a British progressive rock group * The Stud (bar), a gay bar ...

at Claiborne Farm, Johnstown met with modest success as a sire, producing winners of only six stakes races. However, he was a leading broodmare sire during the 1950s with his most famous offspring being Hall of Famer

Nashua Nashua may refer to: * Nashaway people, Native American tribe living in 17th-century New England Places In Australia: * Nashua, New South Wales In the United States: * Nashua, California * Nashua, Iowa * Nashua, Minnesota * Nashua, Kansas City ...

. Johnstown died in 1950 at the age of fourteen and was buried in the equine cemetery at Claiborne Farm. He was posthumously inducted into the United States'

National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American Thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers. In 1955, the museum moved to its current location on Union Av ...

in 1992. His portrait by artist

Martin Stainforth Martin Frank Stainforth (14 August 1866 – 22 April 1957) was a British-born artist best known for his portraits of Thoroughbred racehorses he painted in England and while living in Australia and the United States. Biography Born at Martle ...

can be seen as part of the museum's equine collection.

Pedigree

References

Johnstown's pedigree and racing stats

Johnstown at the United States' National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
{{Belmont Stakes Winners 1936 racehorse births 1950 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Kentucky Derby winners Belmont Stakes winners United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees Hancock family Thoroughbred family 17-b