Take Wing (foaled 1938) 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 c ...

gelding A gelding is a castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. Castration, as well as the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male equine to be calmer and better-behaved, makin ...

racehorse

claimed "Claimed" is the eleventh episode of the The Walking Dead (season 4), fourth season of the Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, post-apocalyptic Horror fiction, horror television series ''The Walking Dead (TV series), The Walking Dead'', wh ...

for $3,000 and who would then earn more than $160,000 for new owner Clyde Troutt and set a new

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

n record for a mile and three-sixteenths 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 agricultu ...

Background

Take Wing was sired by

Chicle Chicle () is a natural gum traditionally used in making chewing gum and other products. It is collected from several species of Mesoamerican trees in the genus ''Manilkara'', including '' M. zapota'', '' M. chicle'', '' M. staminodella'', and '' ...

who was the

Leading sire in North America The list below shows the leading sire of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America for each year since 1830. This is determined by the amount of prize money won by the sire's progeny during the year. It is restricted to stallions which are based in N ...

in 1929 and the

Leading broodmare sire in North America The list below shows the leading Thoroughbred sire of broodmares in North America for each year since 1924. This is determined by the amount of prize money won during the year by racehorses which were foaled by a daughter of the sire. The most freq ...

in 1942. Take Wing's dam was a daughter of My Play, a multiple race winning full brother to

Man o' War Man o' War (March 29, 1917 – November 1, 1947) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who is widely regarded as the greatest racehorse of all time. Several sports publications, including ''The Blood-Horse'', ''Sports Illustrated'', ESPN, and ...

Racing career

Trainer Clyde Troutt claimed Take Wing in early July 1942 and immediately won the

Stars and Stripes Handicap The Stars and Stripes Stakes was a Grade III horse race in the United States for Thoroughbreds aged three years and up. It was last raced over a distance of 12 furlongs (1½ miles) on the turf at Arlington Park near Chicago as a lead up race to th ...

Arlington Park Arlington International Racecourse (formerly Arlington Park, the name was Arlington Park Jockey Club from as soon as 1948 up to 1955) was a horse race track in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Illinois. Horse racing in the Chicago regi ...

in a time that was just 1/5 of a second off the track record. For his win, the $3000 horse earned his new owner $8,600. Still racing at age nine, Take Wing set a new North American record of 1:55 1-5 for a mile and three-sixteenths on turf at

Washington Park Racetrack Washington Park Race Track was a popular horse racing track, racing venue in the Chicago metropolitan area from 1884 until 1977. It had two locations during its existence. It was first situated in what is the current location of the Washingto ...

in winning the

Meadowland Handicap Meadowlands or The Meadowlands may refer to: Places United States Minnesota *Meadowlands, Minnesota, a city in Minnesota *Meadowlands Township, St. Louis County, Minnesota, a township in Minnesota New Jersey *Meadowlands Rail Line, a New Jersey ...

for the third time.

Retirement

Following his retirement from racing, Take wing was used as a lead pony for owner-trainer Clyde Troutt. Daytona Beach Morning Journal - January 15, 1954 article with photo of Take Wing and Clyde Troutt
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Pedigree

References

{{reflist 1938 racehorse births Thoroughbred family 19-c Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Horse racing track record setters