Princess Doreen (1921–1952) was a

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 best known for being the top American female money-winner. After showing promising form as a two-year-old she improved to be the best female racehorse of her generation for the next three seasons. Not only did she race males and win, but she did so carrying high weight (often up to 133 pounds) for four years.

Background

Princess Doreen was a bay mare bred by

John E. Madden John Edward Madden (December 28, 1856 – November 3, 1929) was a prominent American Thoroughbred and Standardbred owner, breeder and trainer in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. He owned Hamburg Place Stud in Lexington, Kentucky ...

at his stud farm, Hamburg Place, in

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...

. She was sired by Spanish Prince, a British horse which won several major sprint races between 1910 and 1913 including the

King's Stand Stakes The King's Stand Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 5 furlongs (1,006 metres), and it is scheduled ...

at Royal Ascot and two editions of the July Cup. Her dam, Lady Doreen, was of little account as a racehorse but had an excellent pedigree, being a half-sister to the Kentucky Derby winner Sir Barton and to Sir Martin a colt which won major races on both sides of the Atlantic. Princess Doreen was trained by the former jockey Kay Spence; Spence said that Princess Doreen represented the pinnacle of his success.

Racing career

At two, Princess Doreen placed in the Ft. Thomas Handicap, and came third in the Matron Stakes. In the following year she won the

Kentucky Oaks The Kentucky Oaks is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The race currently covers at Churchill Downs; the horses carry . The Kentucky Oaks is held on the Friday ...

, the Falls City Handicap, the Labor Day Handicap, the Covington Handicap, and the

Coaching Club American Oaks The Coaching Club American Oaks is a race for thoroughbred three-year-old fillies and the second leg of the Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing. Originally run at Belmont Park, the Grade I $500,000 stakes race was moved to Saratoga Race Course in ...

, and placed in the Chicago Special, the

Alabama Stakes The Alabama Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race open to three-year-old fillies. Inaugurated in 1872, the Grade I race is run over a distance of one and one-quarter miles on the dirt track at Saratoga Race Course. Held in mid August, it cu ...

, the Gadsden D. Bryan Memorial Handicap, the

Latonia Oaks Latonia may refer to: * ''Latonia'' (frog), a genus of frogs in the family Alytidae * Latonia, Covington, a place in Kentucky * Latonia Blackman (born 1982), Barbadian netball player * Latonia Moore (born 1979), American opera singer See also * ...

, and the Prince George Handicap. In October 1924, Princess Doreen participated in what was called the International Special, where three races would take place. The third race took place at the old

Latonia Race Track Latonia Race Track on Winston Avenue in Latonia, Kentucky, Latonia (Covington, Kentucky, Covington) Kentucky, six miles south of Cincinnati, Ohio, was a Thoroughbred horse race, Thoroughbred horse racing facility opened in 1883. The track hosted ...

Covington, Kentucky Covington is a home rule-class city in Kenton County, Kentucky, United States, located at the confluence of the Ohio and Licking Rivers. Cincinnati, Ohio, lies to its immediate north across the Ohio and Newport, to its east across the Licking ...

for a purse of $50,000. Those racing included Chilhowee, Epinard, Mad Play,

Sarazen Sarazen (1921–1940) was an American National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame Eclipse Award, Champion Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse. Owned by Phil T. Chinn, Colonel Phil T. Chinn's Himyar Stud, Sarazen won his first three ...

. Princess Doreen was the lone filly of this group. Sarazen placed first, Epinard second, and Mad Play third. As a four-year-old, Princess Doreen was successful in a series of major handicap races: she won the Independence Handicap, the Bowie Handicap, the Cincinnati Enquirer Handicap (under 129 pounds), the Western Hills Handicap (under 126 pounds), the Autumn Handicap (under 133 pounds), the Cincinnati Times-Star Handicap, the Commercial-Tribune Handicap, the Covington Handicap (for the second time, carrying 130 pounds). She placed in the Thanksgiving Handicap and showed in the Chicago Special, the Gadsden D. Bryan Memorial Handicap, the Grainger Memorial Handicap, the Flint Stone Memorial Handicap, the

Pimlico Cup The Pimlico Cup Handicap was an American horse race for Thoroughbreds run between 1919 and 1961 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. A long-distance race on dirt for Stayer (horse), stayers age three an older, twenty-three of its twenty- ...

, the Hartford Handicap, the Enquirer Handicap, and the Inaugural Handicap. At five Princess Doreen won the Inaugural Handicap and the

Saratoga Handicap The Saratoga Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It was open to horses three years old and upward and raced at a distance of 1¼ miles on dirt. First run in 190 ...

. In the Saratoga Handicap she beat two-time Horse of the Year,

. She placed in the Grainger Memorial Handicap, the Independence Handicap, the Bowie Handicap, the Pimlico Serial and was third in the

and the

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 her final season she won the Independence Handicap, placed in the Hotel Statler Handicap, and was third in the Lincoln Handicap and the Oak Park Handicap.

Broodmare

Upon retiring, Princess Doreen was America's leading female money winner, toppling

Miss Woodford Miss Woodford (1880–1899) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who was one of the top American fillies of all time, winning 16 consecutive races. Background Miss Woodford was bred in Kentucky by the Ezekiel Clay & Catesby Woodford b ...

's record. As a broodmare Princess Doreen produced eight foals, only one of whom won races; her daughter, Miss Doreen. Princess Doreen died in 1952 at the age of 31.

Assessment and honours

In a poll among members of the American Trainers Association, conducted in 1955 by

Delaware Park Racetrack Delaware Park (also known as ''DelPark'') is an American Thoroughbred horse racing track, casino, and golf course in Stanton, Delaware. It is located just outside the city of Wilmington, and about 30 miles from Philadelphia. Thoroughbred racing ...

, Princess Doreen was voted the eighth greatest filly in American racing history (Gallorette being voted first). Princess Doreen was elected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1982

References

{{reflist 1921 racehorse births 1952 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees Kentucky Oaks winners Thoroughbred family 9-g