Swaps (March 1, 1952 – November 3, 1972) was a
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
bred
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
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 ...
. He 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 ...
in 1955 and was named
United States Horse of the Year in the following year. He was known as the "California Comet," and occasionally with affection, due to his wins despite numerous injuries and treatments, the "California Cripple."
[Swaps, 1956 Horse of the Year](_blank)
Unofficial Thoroughbred Hall of Fame, retrieved September 8, 2014.
Background
Swaps was a chestnut horse bred and owned by Rex Ellsworth. He was trained throughout his racing career by
Mesh Tenney
Meshach A. "Mesh" Tenney (November 16, 1907 – November 6, 1993) was an American Thoroughbred horse trainer.
From Arizona, Tenney began his career as a Thoroughbred trainer in the western United States in 1935. He won the Santa Anita Derby three ...
. He was the son of
Khaled, a stallion imported from the
Aga Khan's stud in
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
. His dam Iron Reward was a half-sister of the Kentucky Derby winner Iron Liege.
Racing career
Trained by
Mesh Tenney
Meshach A. "Mesh" Tenney (November 16, 1907 – November 6, 1993) was an American Thoroughbred horse trainer.
From Arizona, Tenney began his career as a Thoroughbred trainer in the western United States in 1935. He won the Santa Anita Derby three ...
(who was inducted into the
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American Thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers. In 1955, the museum moved to its current location on Union Av ...
in 1991), bred and owned by the once cowhand Rex Ellsworth, Swaps won his first 1955 start, the
San Vicente Stakes
The San Vicente Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race run annually at Santa Anita Park. A Grade II event, the race is open to three-year-old horses willing to race seven furlongs on the dirt and currently carries a purse of $200,000.
Hist ...
. In May 1955, he 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 ...
under jockey
Willie Shoemaker
William Lee Shoemaker (August 19, 1931 – October 12, 2003) was an American jockey. For 29 years he held the world record for total professional jockey victories.
Early life
Referred to as "Bill", "Willie," and "The Shoe", William Lee Sh ...
, beating the heavily favored east coast star, Belair's
Nashua Nashua may refer to:
* Nashaway people, Native American tribe living in 17th-century New England
Places
In Australia:
* Nashua, New South Wales
In the United States:
* Nashua, California
* Nashua, Iowa
* Nashua, Minnesota
* Nashua, Kansas City ...
, under
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. Tripl ...
.
Arcaro was quoted before the race that Summer Tan was the primary threat, which manifested the east-west division between the Swaps-Nashua camps. This rivalry culminated in a famous match race later that year.
Nashua followed up the Derby with wins 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 ...
and
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over 1.5 miles (2,400 m). Colts and geldings carry a weight of ; fillies carry . The race, nicknamed Th ...
in which Swaps did not compete because a split hoof wall in his right forefoot, incurred in January, had inflamed again.
Returning to the West Coast, Swaps broke records all over the country at various distances, on turf and on dirt, and often under heavy weight. (In the end, he broke or equaled six different track records.) With much interest in a match race between Nashua and Swaps looming, a deal between the camps was reached for the colts to meet at Chicago's
Washington Park on August 31, 1955. Swaps tuned up with a win in the prestigious
American Derby
The American Derby is a Thoroughbred horse race in the United States run annually at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Illinois. The inaugural American Derby was held at Chicago's old Washington Park Race Track on the city's South Side and rac ...
, setting a 1 mile course record of 1:54 on the turf. However, the day before the scheduled match race, Swaps re-injured his foot on a wet track.
Nashua broke alertly under Arcaro, and he gained a tactical advantage on the lead. Arcaro's tactic forced Shoemaker with Swaps to get the worst of the poor footing. Nashua drew clear in the stretch to win easily. Nashua went on to earn 1955
U.S. Horse of the Year honors.
Swaps did not race for the rest of the year as his foot healed again.
Although occasionally troubled by the hoof after the recovery, Swaps generally performed well. At the age of four, Swaps was named
Horse of the Year by Turf and Sport Digest after beating Nashua by 78 votes to 45, and topping a similar poll organized by Triangle Publications. William H.P. Robertson wrote in his "History of Thoroughbred Racing in America" that Swaps "entered stud with the largest collection of recognized world records (five) in history, and a lifetime performance summary, as follows: 25 starts, 19 wins, two seconds, two thirds, earnings of $848,900."
Racing Highlights
at 3:
* 1st -
San Vicente Stakes
The San Vicente Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race run annually at Santa Anita Park. A Grade II event, the race is open to three-year-old horses willing to race seven furlongs on the dirt and currently carries a purse of $200,000.
Hist ...
* 1st -
Santa Anita Derby
The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is currently run at a distance of miles on the dirt and carries a purse of $400,000. It is on ...
* 1st -
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 ...
front-running effort with a time of 2:01, 2/5 off the track record;
* 1st -
Will Rogers Stakes (by 12 lengths; first stakes race in which Swaps was the betting favorite; favored in all subsequent races)
* 1st -
Californian Stakes
The Californian Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California (relocated from the now closed Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California). The Grade II event is open to ...
(new world record for 8 furlongs with time of 1:40, "almost casually")
* 1st -
Westerner Stakes (front-running effort, "drew out at will" in the stretch to open a 10-length lead, won by 6 lengths after being eased at odds of 1-20; win betting only for a five-horse field)
* 1st -
American Derby
The American Derby is a Thoroughbred horse race in the United States run annually at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Illinois. The inaugural American Derby was held at Chicago's old Washington Park Race Track on the city's South Side and rac ...
on
turf
Sod, also known as turf, is the upper layer of soil with the grass growing on it that is often harvested into rolls.
In Australian and British English, sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', and the word "sod" is limited mainly to agricult ...
(front-running effort "under restraint"; new course record, equalled American record; win and place betting only for a six-horse field)
* 2nd -
Match race
A match race is a race between two competitors, going head-to-head.
In sailboat racing it is differentiated from a fleet race, which almost always involves three or more competitors competing against each other, and team racing where teams consis ...
with
Nashua Nashua may refer to:
* Nashaway people, Native American tribe living in 17th-century New England
Places
In Australia:
* Nashua, New South Wales
In the United States:
* Nashua, California
* Nashua, Iowa
* Nashua, Minnesota
* Nashua, Kansas City ...
at 4:
* 1st - LA County Fair Handicap (came from behind and drew away "under wraps")
* 1st -
Broward Handicap (new world record for 1 mile 70 yd with time of 1:39, carrying 130 lb., conceding at least 15 pounds to all rivals; had "mouth open" due to snug hold early and was eased late)
* 2nd - Californian (jockey Shoemaker "shut down" Swaps with less than 1/16 mile to go and a 4 length lead.
Porterhouse got up for the surprise win)
* 1st -
Argonaut Handicap The Argonaut Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race first run in 1940 at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. A one-mile race on dirt, it was open to horses age three and older.
In 1956, Swaps won this race while setting a ...
(new world record for 1 mile with time of 1:33, replacing former record by
Citation
A citation is a reference to a source. More precisely, a citation is an abbreviated alphanumeric expression embedded in the body of an intellectual work that denotes an entry in the bibliographic references section of the work for the purpose of ...
)
* 1st - Inglewood (new World record for 8 furlongs with time of 1:39 flat, carrying 130 lb.; mile split was 1:32, 3/5 faster than his own world record)
* 1st -
American Handicap
The American Stakes is a Grade III American thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and older over a distance of one mile on the turf track held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California in June. The race currently offers a purse of $100, ...
(equalled Noor's world record of 1:46 for 1 miles, carrying 130 lb.; conceded 19 lb. to runner-up Mister Gus; win betting only for a five-horse field)
* 1st -
Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes
The Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes is a Grade I American thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and older over a distance of miles on the dirt held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California in May. The race currently offers a purse of $400,000 ...
(new track record of 1:58 for 1 miles, lowering previous mark by a full second, carrying 130 lb.; win betting only despite a seven-horse field)
* 1st -
Sunset Handicap (new track and world record for 1 miles with time of 2:38, lowering previous track record by 2 seconds, carrying 130 lb.; front-running effort "under stout restraint, eased in the last sixteenth of a mile)
* 7th - Arch Ward Memorial Handicap (well-beaten on a soft turf course apparently unsuitable to his sore condition)
* 1st -
Washington Park Handicap
The Washington Park Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the first week of September at Arlington Park Racetrack in Arlington Heights, Illinois. A Grade III event open to horses age three and older, it is contest ...
(new track record of 1:33 for a mile carrying 130 lb.; six furlong split was 1:07, 2 full seconds faster than the track record)
The End of a Career
In October, training for the
Washington, D.C. International
The Baltimore Washington International Turf Cup is an American Grade III invitational horse race run over one mile. Inaugurated in 1952, it was raced at Laurel Park Racecourse on the turf in Laurel, Maryland, at a distance of miles (12 furlong ...
at
arden State Park, Cherry Hill, New Jersey he fractured his leg in two places in his left rear cannon bone, then a week later banged his leg in his stall, breaking his cast, and extending the fractures into his pastern joint.
Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons
James Edward "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons (July 23, 1874 – March 11, 1966) was a Thoroughbred racehorse trainer.
Early life
Born in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn in 1874, Fitzsimmons began his career in 1885 working at a racetrack as a stable boy. Aft ...
, the trainer of Nashua, sent him a special sling from Belmont Park. He initially had to be raised and lowered every 45 minutes and trainer Mesh Tenny stayed with the horse and performed the function for the first 36 hours. In November 1956, despite losing 300 pounds during the ordeal,
he beat the odds and jogged away from his ordeal and was saved for stud duty.
Stud record
Swaps began at stud at Rex Ellsworth's farm, moving to
John Galbreath's Darby Dan Farm
Darby Dan Farm is a produce, livestock, and thoroughbred horse breeding and training farm founded in 1935 near the Darby Creek in Galloway, Ohio by businessman John W. Galbreath. Named for the creek and for Galbreath's son, Daniel M. Galbreath (19 ...
in
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is a city in Kentucky, United States that is the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, Fayette County. By population, it is the List of cities in Kentucky, second-largest city in Kentucky and List of United States cities by popul ...
after a season.
His last five seasons were at
Spendthrift Farm
Spendthrift Farm is a thoroughbred race horse breeding farm and burial site in Lexington, Kentucky, currently owned by Eric & Tammy Gustavson. It was founded by Leslie Combs II and named for the great stallion Spendthrift, who was owned by Combs' a ...
.
Swaps sired several dozen offspring, including 35 stakes winners.
Among his most successful offspring were
Chateaugay, winner of the
1963 Kentucky Derby and the
1963 Belmont Stakes, and the U.S. Hall of Fame filly,
Affectionately
Affectionately (April 26, 1960 – 1979) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse.
Background
She was sired by 1956 American Horse of the Year Swaps, out of the racing mare Searching. Searching's dam was Big Hurry, by Black Toney out of La ...
.
In November 1972, he was euthanized at the age of 20.
He was buried at
Spendthrift Farm
Spendthrift Farm is a thoroughbred race horse breeding farm and burial site in Lexington, Kentucky, currently owned by Eric & Tammy Gustavson. It was founded by Leslie Combs II and named for the great stallion Spendthrift, who was owned by Combs' a ...
, but his remains were moved in 1986 to the
Kentucky Derby Museum
The Kentucky Derby Museum is an American Thoroughbred horse racing museum located on the grounds of Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Dedicated to preserving the history of the Kentucky Derby, it first opened its doors to the public in the ...
at
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 ...
in
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
.
Honors
A
bronze
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...
of Swaps with jockey Bill Shoemaker was dedicated July 1, 1958. Its design and setting was created by
Millard Sheets
Millard Owen Sheets (June 24, 1907 – March 31, 1989) was an American artist, teacher, and architectural designer. He was one of the earliest of the California Scene Painting artists and helped define the art movement. Many of his large-scale bu ...
and the sculpture by
Albert Stewart. The statue stood at the
Hollywood Park Racetrack
Hollywood Park was a thoroughbred race course located in Inglewood, California, about 3 miles (5 km) from Los Angeles International Airport and adjacent to the Forum indoor arena. In 1994, the original Hollywood Park Casino was added to the ...
Clubhouse entrance gardens from 1958 until the closing of Hollywood Park in 2014 and is currently in storage awaiting placement near
SoFi Stadium
SoFi Stadium () is a 70,240-seat sports and entertainment indoor stadium in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood, California, United States. SoFi occupies the former site of the Hollywood Park Racetrack, from Los Angeles International Airport an ...
which was built on the former Hollywood Park site or in a new location. Swaps was inducted into the
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American Thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers. In 1955, the museum moved to its current location on Union Av ...
in
Saratoga Springs
Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area, which has made Saratoga a popular resort destination for over 2 ...
,
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
in 1966.
In the list of the
top 100 U.S. thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century by
Blood-Horse magazine
''BloodHorse'' is a multimedia news organization covering Thoroughbred racing and breeding that started with a newsletter first published in 1916 as a monthly bulletin put out by the Thoroughbred Horse Association. , Swaps ranks 20th.
(See Blood-Horse magazine's June 10, 2006 issue for a long article on Swaps's racing career)
Pedigree
References
Other sources
*Irwin, Barry ''Swaps: Thoroughbred Legends''
Eclipse Press
Blood-Horse Publications is an American multimedia publishing house focused on horse-related magazines headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky. It began in 1916 through its flagship magazine, ''The Blood-Horse''. From 1961 to 2015, Blood-Horse Publica ...
(2002)
Swaps pedigreeSwaps Hall of Fame page, with photoMesh Tenney's Hall of Fame PageKentucky Derby Official PageProfile video of Swaps at YouTube
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Swaps (Horse)
1952 racehorse births
1972 racehorse deaths
Racehorses bred in California
Racehorses trained in the United States
Kentucky Derby winners
American Thoroughbred Horse of the Year
United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees
Horse monuments
United States Champion Thoroughbred Sires
Thoroughbred family A4
Horse racing track record setters