Shut Out (February 27, 1939 – April 23, 1964) was an 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.

Background

Shut Out was a chestnut stallion sired by

Hall of Famer 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 fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...

Equipoise Equipoise may refer to: * Clinical equipoise, or the principle of equipoise, a medical research term * Equilibrioception, the state of being balanced or in equilibrium * Boldenone undecylenate, an anabolic steroid, by the trade name ''Equipoise'' * ...

, the multiple stakes-winning champion his fans called "The Chocolate Soldier." Shut Out was bred by Greentree Stable in Lexington, Kentucky, owned by Mrs. Payne Whitney (Helen Hay Whitney), who had also bred his dam, Goose Egg, by the French stallion Chicle.

Racing career

The year Shut Out was born, Greentree Stables also produced top runner

Devil Diver Devil Diver (1939–1961) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He was twice voted American Champion Older Male Horse. Background Devil Diver was foaled at Mrs. Payne Whitney's Greentree Stable in Lexington, Kentucky. A bay colt by S ...

, who beat Shut Out in the 1941

Hopeful Stakes The Hopeful Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Open to two-year-old horses, the Hopeful is the first Grade I stakes for two-year-olds each season and historically has ...

for 2-year-olds. Hall of Fame conditioner John Gaver, training for Greentree, gave

Eddie Arcaro George Edward Arcaro (February 19, 1916 – November 14, 1997), was an American Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who won more American classic races than any other jockey in history and is the only rider to have won the U.S. Triple ...

his choice of Kentucky Derby mounts: Devil Diver or Shut Out. Arcaro chose Devil Diver, who came in sixth. Shut Out, under jockey Wayne D. Wright, won the race. Arcaro switched mounts for the Belmont Stakes, riding Shut Out to victory. Shut Out's other main rival that year was

Alsab Alsab (1939–1963) was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse. Background Alsab was bred in Kentucky by Thomas Piatt. His sire was Good Goods, and his dam was Winds Chant. Buyers were not interested in him, and Alsab was sold in 1940 ...

, 1941's U.S. Champion Two-Year-Old Colt. Alsab also took 1942's three-year-old honors. Yet Shut Out came close to winning the 1942

Triple Crown Triple Crown may refer to: Sports Horse racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States) ** Triple Crown Trophy ** Triple Crown Productions * Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Tri ...

, losing 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 () o ...

to Alsab while finishing fifth after a troubled trip. He also won the prestigious

Travers Stakes The Travers Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is nicknamed the "Mid-Summer Derby" and is the third-ranked race for American three-year-olds acco ...

, again under Arcaro. Shut Out held a 3 to 2 margin over

when

finished fourth in his career finale, while Shut Out was third in an overnight handicap in 1944.

Stud record

Shut Out died in 1964 after a respectable career at stud, siring a number of stakes winners for Greentree such as One Hitter.

Pedigree

References

* ''The History of Thoroughbred Racing in America'', by William H.P. Robertson, Bonanza Books, New York ;Specific

External links

Shut Out's pedigree, photo and stats
1939 racehorse births 1964 racehorse deaths Whitney racehorses Racehorses trained in the United States Racehorses bred in Kentucky Kentucky Derby winners Thoroughbred family 16-g {{Racehorse-stub