Pensive (February 5, 1941 – May 20, 1949) was a bright chestnut

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 ...

that in 1944 won the first two legs of the U.S. Triple Crown. Pensive also began only the second sire line "hat trick" in the Kentucky Derby, as his son Ponder won the 1949 Derby, and Ponder's son Needles won the 1956 edition.

Background

He was sired by Hyperion, out of Penicuik II (by Buchan). Pensive was brought to the United States still ''in utero'' by

Arthur B. Hancock Arthur Boyd Hancock (June 26, 1875 - April 1, 1957) was a breeder of thoroughbred racehorses who established Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky, United States. Born at Ellerslie Estate in Albemarle County, Virginia, near Charlottesville, Arth ...

, who then sold the mare to the owner of

Calumet Farm Calumet Farm is a Thoroughbred breeding and training farm established in 1924 in Lexington, Kentucky, United States by William Monroe Wright, founding owner of the Calumet Baking Powder Company. Calumet is located in the heart of the Bluegras ...

, Warren Wright. Wright had inherited Calumet from his father, William Monroe Wright, president of the

Calumet Baking Powder Company The Calumet Baking Powder Company was an American food company established in 1889 in Chicago, Illinois, by salesman William Monroe Wright to manufacture baking powder.

. Pensive began his training under Calumet's future

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 ...

trainer

Ben A. Jones Benjamin Allyn Jones (December 31, 1882 – June 13, 1961) was an American thoroughbred horse trainer. Ben Jones was born in Parnell, Missouri, and attended Wentworth Military Academy in Lexington, Missouri for high school. Jones went into the ...

Racing career

At two, Pensive raced five times, winning twice. His three losses all came in stakes races. At three, he ran a checkered season, winning and losing fairly equally. He beat older horses in the

Rowe Memorial Handicap The Rowe Memorial Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run between 1930 and 1954 at Bowie Race Track in Bowie, Maryland. A six furlong sprint run on dirt, the event was open to horses age three and older. First run on April 5, 1930, ...

, but lost to an older horse, Tola Rose, in the Bowie Handicap. Tola Rose had defeated

Whirlaway Whirlaway (April 2, 1938 – April 6, 1953) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the fifth winner of the American Triple Crown. He also won the Travers Stakes after his Triple Crown sweep to become the first and only horse to ...

in the Butler Memorial Handicap.''New York Times'' July 5, 1942 article titled "34,728 See Upset"
Retrieved July 18, 2018 Pensive, ridden by

Conn McCreary Conn N. McCreary (June 17, 1921 - June 29, 1979) was a United States Hall of Fame jockey and trainer in Thoroughbred horse racing who won four American Classic Races. Riding career Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Conn McCreary began his professio ...

, won 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 ...

going away by four and a half lengths. A week later, he took 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 ...

. That year, the Belmont (at the time the least of the three races), had upped its purse to $50,000. Pensive was in the lead when

Bounding Home Bounding Home (1941 – February 23, 1947) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the upset winner of the 1944 Belmont Stakes that deprived Pensive of the U.S. Triple Crown. Career Bred by foodstuffs manufacturer William Zi ...

inched by to take the race by less than half a length. Following his loss in the Belmont, Pensive lost all eight of his final starts.

Stud record

Pensive was retired to stud, producing the winner of the 1949 Kentucky Derby, Ponder. He died in 1949, just after his son won the Derby. Pensive is buried at Calumet Farm.

Breeding

References

Pensive's pedigree with photo

{{Kentucky Derby Winners 1941 racehorse births 1949 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Kentucky Derby winners Preakness Stakes winners Thoroughbred family 1-p