Skywalker (March 4, 1982 – February 25, 2003) was an American Thoroughbred

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 ...

. He was best known for winning the 1986 Breeders' Cup Classic.

Background

Bred in Kentucky by Thomas P. Tatham's Oak Cliff Thoroughbreds Ltd., who also bred

Sunday Silence Sunday Silence (March 25, 1986 – August 19, 2002) was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In 1989, he won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes but failed to complete the Triple Crown when he was defeated in the Belmont ...

, Skywalker was foaled on March 4, 1982 and raised at Arthur B. Hancock III's

Stone Farm Stone Farm is an American Thoroughbred horse breeding farm near Paris, Kentucky. It was founded in 1970 by Arthur B. Hancock III, part of the prominent Hancock family of Claiborne Farm fame. Started as a tract, Hancock gradually added on until it ...

. Sired by Relaunch and out of the mare Bold Captive, he was named by Tatham's son for Luke Skywalker, a lead character in the ''

Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...

'' motion pictures. Skywalker was trained by

Michael Whittingham Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name "Michael" * Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian and ...

and raced under the Oak Cliff Stable partnership led by Thomas Tatham.

Racing career

Skywalker began racing in California in 1984 at age two, where he won one of his two starts and was off the board in the other. In his three-year-old campaign, he made five starts, winning twice. His most notable victory came under future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

Laffit Pincay, Jr. Laffit Alejandro Pincay Jr. (born December 29, 1946, in Panama City, Panama) was once flat racing's winningest all-time jockey, still holding third place many years after his retirement. He competed primarily in the United States. Career Pincay ...

when they won the most important

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race for three-year-olds, the Santa Anita Derby. He was then sent to

Churchill Downs Churchill Downs is a horse racing complex located on Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, famed for hosting the annual Kentucky Derby. It officially opened in 1875 and was named for Samuel Churchill, whose family was ...

for 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 ...

, where jockey Eddie Delahoussaye rode him to a sixth-place finish behind winner Spend A Buck. In 1986, the four-year-old Skywalker had his best year in racing when he won the Longacres Mile, Mervyn Leroy Handicap, San Diego Handicap, and Breeders' Cup Classic run at California's Santa Anita Park. Ridden by Laffit Pincay, Jr., he defeated the heavy favorites Turkoman ( Pat Day riding) and

Precisionist Precisionism was a modernist art movement that emerged in the United States after World War I. Influenced by Cubism, Purism, and Futurism, Precisionist artists reduced subjects to their essential geometric shapes, eliminated detail, and often us ...

( Gary Stevens on board), who finished second and third respectively, as well as the European star Triptych, who finished sixth. Sent back to race at age five, Skywalker was second in the Arcadia Handicap and third in the Goodwood Handicap.

Stud record

Retired to stud duty at

Cardiff Stud Farm Creston is a census-designated place in San Luis Obispo County, California, about 10 miles east of Atascadero. History Creston (named after Calvin J. Cressy) was founded in 1884 on the Rancho Huerhuero Mexican land grant. Creston was home to ...

in Creston, California, he sired

Bertrando {{Infobox racehorse , horsename = Bertrando , image = , caption = , sire = Skywalker , dam = Gentle Hands , damsire = Buffalo Lark , sex = Stallion , foaled = 1989 , country = United States , colour = Dark Bay , breeder = Ed Nahem , ...

, the 1993 Eclipse Award winner for

American Champion Older Male Horse The title of American Champion Older Dirt Male Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a stallion or gelding, four years old and up, for performances on dirt and main track racing surfaces. In 1971, it became part of ...

. Another notable son is Sky Terrace (2002 winnings: 16 starts: 4 - 1 - 2, $218,709 - 1st Derby Trial Stakes-G3 2nd Le-Comte S. 3rd Lafayette Stakes-G3,

Northern Dancer Stakes The Northern Dancer Stakes is a discontinued American Thoroughbred horse race that was held annually in mid-June at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. It was last run in 2010 with a purse of $125,000. Named in honor of the horse Northern Da ...

). Skywalker was also the damsire of

Sky Jack Sky Jack (foaled April 18, 1996 in California) is a retired American thoroughbred racehorse. Background Bred and raced by Rene and Margie Lambert, he was sired by Jaklin Klugman and out of the mare Sky Captive, a daughter of the 1986 Breeders' ...

, a Hollywood Gold Cup winner. Skywalker was moved to his birthplace at Stone Farm in 1996 and died of a heart attack at age 21 on February 25, 2003. He is buried in the Stone Farm equine cemetery.

Sire line tree

*Skywalker **

Bertrando, Champion and Top CA Sire, Dies
/ref>Tiznow’s Pensioning And The State Of The Godolphin Arabian/Man O’ War Sire Line
/ref> ***Stormy Jack ***Officer ****Elite Squadron ****Boys at Tosconova ***Bilo ***Unfurl the Flag ***Karelian ***Liberian Freighter ***Sierra Sunset ***Coach Bob ***Tamerando **Al Skywalker **Sky Terrace

Pedigree

*Skywalker is inbred 4D x 4D to Polynesian, meaning he appears twice in the fourth generation of his pedigree, both on the dam side.

References

Skywalker's pedigree and partial racing stats

Skywalker's February 25, 2003 obituary at Bloodhorse.com
{{Breeders' Cup Classic Winners 1982 racehorse births 2003 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Breeders' Cup Classic winners Thoroughbred family 2-d Godolphin Arabian sire line