Top Flight (April 15, 1929 – 1949) was an American
U.S. Hall of Fame 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 ...
. She was the leading American filly of her generation at two and three years of age.
Background
Bred 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 to ...
by the very prominent horseman
Harry Payne Whitney
Harry Payne Whitney (April 29, 1872 – October 26, 1930) was an American businessman, thoroughbred horse breeder, and member of the prominent Whitney family.
Early years
Whitney was born in New York City on April 29, 1872, as the eldest son ...
, she was a daughter of the French stakes winner Dis Donc, a son of the
French Champion Sire Sardanapale
''Sardanapalo'' or ''Sardanapale'' (Italian or French for '' Sardanapalus''), S.687, is an unfinished opera by Franz Liszt based on the 1821 verse play '' Sardanapalus'' by Lord Byron. Liszt was ambitious for his project, and planned to doveta ...
. She was out of the
mare
A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four ...
Flyatit, a daughter of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a fictional character created by List of Scottish novelists, Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and Puer aeternus, never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending ...
.
Racing career
Raced under the colors of
Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney
Cornelius "Sonny" Vanderbilt Whitney (February 20, 1899 – December 13, 1992) was an American businessman, film producer, government official, writer and philanthropist. He was also a polo player and the owner of a significant stable of Thorough ...
, who had inherited Top Flight on his father's death in 1930, at age two the filly went undefeated in her seven starts and earned a record $219,000. Even a muddy track couldn't stop her from winning June's
Clover Stakes, and she also beat top
colts in the prestigious
Futurity Stakes at New York's
Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse racing facility in the northeastern United States, located in Elmont, New York, just east of the New York City limits. It was opened on May 4, 1905.
It is operated by the non-profit New York Racin ...
and the
Pimlico Futurity
The Laurel Futurity is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late September at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland. Run over a distance of miles on turf, at one time it was a Grade I stakes race on dirt, and one of the riches ...
at
Laurel Park Racecourse
Laurel Park, formerly Laurel Race Course, is an American thoroughbred racetrack located just outside Laurel, Maryland which opened in 1911. The track is miles in circumference. Its name was changed to "Laurel Race Course" for several decades unt ...
in
Laurel, Maryland
Laurel is a city in Maryland, United States, located midway between Washington and Baltimore on the banks of the Patuxent River. While the city limits are entirely in northern Prince George's County, outlying developments extend into Anne Arunde ...
. Top Flight's performances earned her 1931
American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly
The American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a female horse in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971.
The award originated in 1936 when both t ...
honors.
Racing at age three, she won five of her nine starts, with three of her losses coming against males. After finishing fourth in the
Potomac Handicap
The Potomac Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in the latter part of September at Havre de Grace Racetrack in Havre de Grace, Maryland. Open to three-year-old horses, it was raced on dirt at a distance of a mile-and-a-si ...
, she was retired as the all-time money earning filly or mare in American racing history. Top Flight was retrospectively named
American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly The American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a female horse in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971.
The award originated in 1936 when both ...
.
Assessment
In 1966, Top Flight was inducted into the
United States' Racing Hall of Fame.
[ ] In the
, she was ranked No. 66.
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 ...
, Top Flight was voted the fourth greatest filly in American racing history.
Gallorette
Gallorette (1942–1959) was a Maryland-bred chestnut thoroughbred filly who became a Hall of Fame race horse. Sired by Challenger II, out of Gallette, Gallorette's damsire was Sir Gallahad III.
Breeding
Trainer Preston M. Burch bought Gal ...
was voted first.
Breeding days
As a
broodmare
A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four ...
, Top Flight had limited success, producing one stakes winner, Flight Command, from her seven foals. She died in 1949 and was buried at C. V. Whitney's farm (now part of
Gainesway Farm
Gainesway Farm is an American Thoroughbred horse breeding business in Lexington, Kentucky. It was originally called Greentree Farms.
The 1,500 acre (6 km²) property has been home to stallions such as Youth and Exceller and numerous others w ...
) 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 ...
.
References
{{reflist
1929 racehorse births
1949 racehorse deaths
Thoroughbred family 4-m
Racehorses bred in Kentucky
Racehorses trained in the United States
United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees