Leamington (1853–1878) was a champion 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 and an influential sire in the

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during the second half of the nineteenth century.

Background

Leamington was a brown horse bred in England by Mr. Halford. Leamington was by the top racehorse and sire

Faugh-a-Ballagh Faugh-a-Ballagh (foaled 1841 in Ireland) was a Thoroughbred racehorse. A brother to Birdcatcher, Faugh-a-Ballagh was sold to E. J. Erwin in 1842. He ran once as a two-year-old at the Doncaster's Champagne Stakes, finishing third to The Cure an ...

(by Sir Hercules). His dam was an unnamed mare by Pantaloon who was bred by the Marquis of Westminster.Morris, Simon; ''Tesio Power 2000 - Stallions of the World'', Syntax Software

Racing career

1855: Two-Year-Old Season

Halford began racing him at age two, and then sold him to a Mr. Higgins. Leamington won the Woodcote Stakes at Warwick and the Chesterfield Stakes, before being retired for the year.

1856: Three-Year-Old Season

As a three-year-old, it was planned to run the colt in The Derby, but he contracted strangles, and this affected his whole three-year-old season. However, his owners and trainers appeared to have planned his losses to help keep his handicap weight down. After losing four small races carrying little weight, he won the Wolverhampton, before his losing several more. He was then "allowed" to win the Stewards' Cup carrying only 98 lb (44 kg).

1857: Four-Year-Old Season

Leamington's four-year-old season began with the 2.25 mile

Chester Cup The Chester Cup is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 2 miles, 2 furlongs and 147 yards () at Chester i ...

. Leamington only carried 93 lb (42 kg), due to his poor reputation gained as a three-year-old, and he easily won the race. The colt then came fourth at the Ascot Gold Cup. He went on to the Goodwood Stakes, carrying only 118 lb (53.5 kg) with odds of 100 to 3, and easily won the race by a length. His owners won quite a bit of money from wagering on him that day, after their longshot with 100 to 3 odds beat out a field of 19. However, his win earned him top weight of 131 lb (59 kg) at his next race, the Chesterfield Cup, and he could not hold out.

1858: Five-Year-Old Season

Leamington only made one start as a five-year-old, carrying 130 lb (59 kg) as the handicapper realized how Leamington's owners had been manipulating his races. The weight was too much for Leamington to carry and he couldn't win.

1859: Six-Year-Old Season

Leamigton had a successful start to his six-year-old season, easily winning the

Chester Cup The Chester Cup is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 2 miles, 2 furlongs and 147 yards () at Chester i ...

against a good field. He finished second in his next race, the Gold Vase at

Ascot Racecourse Ascot Racecourse ("ascot" pronounced , often pronounced ) is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. It hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 horse races a ...

. In his final race of the season, the Goodwood Cup, Leamington injured his right foreleg.

1860: Seven-Year-Old Season

Leamington trained up for The Whip Stakes, a strenuous four-mile race. He broke down while preparing for the race, and was retired to stud at Rawcliffe Paddocks.

Stud career

Leamington sired 19 winners of 42 races while at Rawcliffe. He was then purchased by the Canadian Roderick W. Cameron for £1,575, and stood at General Abe Buford's Bosque Bonita Stud near

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for the 1866 season. He bred only thirteen mares, but produced an outstanding crop of foals, including

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 ...

, Enquirer, Lyttleton, Lynchburg, Anna Mace, and Miss Alice. Cameron then sent the stallion to his own Clifton Stud on Staten Island. He was then moved to

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in 1868, before being shipped to Annieswood Farm in 1871. His offspring were now noted for their speed and included

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, the winner of the first Kentucky Derby. Leamington was sold to Aristides Welch, who stood the stallion at his Erdenheim Stud, near

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. Leamington finished out his life here, dying on May 6, 1878 at the age of 25. During his breeding career, he was the leading sire in North America four times, including leading Lexington in 1875 for the first time in 16 years. He also earned this title in 1877, 1879, and 1881. Horses sired by Leamington included: *

(1872) won the first Kentucky Derby and

Withers Stakes The Withers Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three years old horses over the distance of miles on the dirt scheduled annually in February at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. The event currently carries a purse ...

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(1876) won 1879

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 () o ...

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(1878) the first American horse to win Epsom Derby and GB

St. Leger Stakes The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a ...

* Eolus (1868), sire of Knight of Ellerslie (1881), winner of the

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(1867) a great sire himself *

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(1873) one of the three greatest runners in the 1870s * Saunterer, won Belmont Stakes and

Pedigree

References

Profile of Leamington at Thoroughbred Heritage

''New York Times'' obituary for Leamington
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leamington (Horse) 1853 racehorse births 1878 racehorse deaths Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom Racehorses bred in the United Kingdom United States Champion Thoroughbred Sires Thoroughbred family 14