Native Charger was an American-bred

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 son of Champion Thoroughbred Native Dancer that competed in the 1965 Kentucky Derby and

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 ...

after winning two prep races that same year. Native Charger, like his sire, was a

gray 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 ...

, speckled colt bred by Hubert B. Phipps and owned by the Warner Stable of Hollywood film mogul Albert Warner. His dam, Greek Blond, finished in the money in 19 of 25 starts. He was a half-brother to noted sire

Raise a Native Raise a Native (April 18, 1961 – July 28, 1988) was an undefeated Thoroughbred racehorse that was named 1963 champion two-year-old colt in the Turf and Sport Digest poll and was the highest rated juvenile in the Experimental Free Handicap. He s ...

and

Dancer's Image Dancer's Image (April 10, 1965 – December 26, 1992) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the first winner in the history of the Kentucky Derby to be disqualified. Background Dancer's Image was a gray horse owned and bred by businessm ...

, who crossed the line first in the

1968 Kentucky Derby The 1968 Kentucky Derby was the 94th running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 4, 1968. The race was the first Kentucky Derby in which the winning horse was subsequently disqualified. Dancer's Image won the race, but was disqual ...

but was disqualified.

Racing record

Native Charger ran frequently as a 2-year-old with limited success, winning only three times in 13 starts. One of those wins was in the Tyro Stakes at

Monmouth Park Monmouth Park Racetrack is an American race track for thoroughbred horse racing in Oceanport, New Jersey, United States. It is owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and is operated under a five-year lease as a partnership with ...

. Like his sire, he closed quickly over the tiring favorite, Golden Joey, and beat Time Tested by a half length. The time was 1:03 3/5, only one‐fifth of a second slower than the track record. As a 3-year-old, Native Charger surprised horse racing fans with a win in the

Flamingo Stakes The Flamingo Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run over a distance of a mile and one-eighth. Run as the Florida Derby until 1937, the inaugural event took place at Tampa Downs on February 27, 1926. There was ...

, defeating Sparkling Johnny by a half length. Staying in Florida, he repeated his performance by winning the

Florida Derby The Florida Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses held annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Since 2005, it has been run five weeks before the Kentucky Derby, which is held on the first Sat ...

by a neck over

Hail To All Hail To All (foaled 1962) was an American thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse which won the 1965 Belmont Stakes. Background Hail to All was a bay horse bred at Styles Colwill's Halcyon Farm in Maryland. He was sired by Hail To Reason, out of th ...

. His victories thrust him into the Kentucky Derby spotlight, where he was considered one of the favorites behind Bold Lad, but finished second in his final Derby tuneup, the Stepping Stone one week before the Derby. He was blocked by horses in the backstretch and had to angle out to find running room, losing ground. He finished 1 3/4 lengths behind

Tom Rolfe Tom Rolfe (April 14, 1962 – June 12, 1989) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was the leading colt of his generation in the United States, winning the Preakness Stakes and being voted American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Ho ...

. In the Kentucky Derby, Native Charger was bumped early by Narushua, but recovered and managed to finish fourth behind winner Lucky Debonair. He ran in the

Preakness Preakness may refer to: * The Preakness or Preakness Stakes, an American flat thoroughbred horse race held in Baltimore, Maryland * Preakness (horse), an American thoroughbred racehorse from Preakness Stables * Preakness, New Jersey, a section of W ...

two weeks later, and the result was the same, as he finished fourth, this time behind Tom Rolfe. In uncharacteristic fashion, Native Charger went for the lead early but faded in the stretch.Preakness Race Chart, (Rochester) Democrat and Chronicle, May 16, 1965. He bowed a tendon in the race, ending his career. He finished the year with two wins, one second and one third in seven starts, and ended his career with 5 wins, 5 seconds and 2 thirds in 20 starts.

Stud record

When he retired, Native Charger stood at Mare Haven Farm in

Ocala Ocala ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Marion County within the northern region of Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city's population was 63,591, making it the 54th most populated city in Florida. Home to ...

, Fla. for a fee of $5,000. He sired 1970 American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly Forward Gal and 1970 Belmont Stakes winner

High Echelon High Echelon (March 22, 1967 – May 14, 1991) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1970 Belmont Stakes. Background High Echelon was bred by the partnership of Isidor Bieber and owner/trainer Hirsch Jacobs. His sir ...

. He was also damsire of

1982 Preakness Stakes The 1982 Preakness Stakes was the 107th running of the $300,000 Grade 1 Preakness Stakes thoroughbred horse race. The race took place on May 15, 1982, and was televised in the United States on the ABC television network. Aloma's Ruler, who was j ...

winner

Aloma's Ruler Aloma's Ruler (1979–2003) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the second leg of the 1982 U.S. Triple Crown series, the Preakness Stakes. Background Aloma's Ruler was purchased for $92,000 at the 1981 Hialeah, Florida sale of two-y ...

Pedigree

References

{{Reflist 1962 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Thoroughbred family 8-h

Racing record

Stud record

Pedigree

See also

References