Union Rags (foaled March 3, 2009 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 ...

) is a champion 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 ...

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 ...

who won the 2012

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 ...

. He also won the Champagne Stakes and the

Saratoga Special Stakes The Saratoga Special Stakes is an American grade II thoroughbred horse race run annually in mid-August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The race is for two-year-olds willing to race six furlongs on the dirt. With its first ru ...

Background

Union Rags is a

bay A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a Gulf (geography), gulf, sea, sound (geography), sound, or bight (geogra ...

with a white blaze sired by Dixie Union who won the

Haskell Invitational Handicap The Haskell Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run over a distance of miles on the dirt held annually in July at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. The event is a signature event at Monmouth P ...

in 2000 before becoming a successful stallion. His dam, Tempo, was a granddaughter of the

1000 Guineas The 1000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 ...

winner

Glad Rags Glad Rags (foaled 1963) was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. After proving herself the best Irish filly of her generation in a brief two-year-old career, she won the British Classic 1,000 Guineas Stakes on her three-year-old debut. Her subseq ...

. Union Rags was bred by Phyllis Mills Wyeth, 71 (in 2012), whose parents Alice du Pont and James Mills were prominent owners and breeders of Thoroughbreds. Wyeth, who is married to artist

Jamie Wyeth James Browning Wyeth (born July 6, 1946) is an American Realism (arts), realist painter, son of Andrew Wyeth, and grandson of N.C. Wyeth. He was raised in Chadds Ford Township, Pennsylvania, and is artistic heir to the Brandywine School traditio ...

, was a

steeplechase Steeplechase may refer to: * Steeplechase (horse racing), a type of horse race in which participants are required to jump over obstacles * Steeplechase (athletics), an event in athletics that derives its name from the steeplechase in horse racing ...

rider when young, but at age 20 suffered a broken neck and spinal cord damage in an automobile accident. Initially able to walk with braces, she has used a motorized chair for many years. Wyeth initially sold Union Rags as a yearling, on the advice of tax accountants, but repurchased the horse the next year. She races Union Rags under her '' nom de course'', Chadds Ford Stable.

Racing career

2011: Two-Year-Old

Union Rags made his debut on 12 July when he won a Maiden race at

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 ...

. In August, he was moved into

Grade II In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

company for the

and won in "impressive" style by more than seven lengths. On October 8, Union Rags stepped up to Grade I class for the Champagne Stakes at

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 started the 6/5 favorite against seven opponents. Despite struggling to obtain a clear run on the final turn, he broke clear in the straight to win by more than five lengths from Alpha. Union Rags started favorite for the

Breeders' Cup Juvenile The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually in late October or early November at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup ...

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 ...

on November 5. He moved up to challenge the leader Hansen in the straight but "veered" from a straight course before staying on strongly in the closing stages and finishing second by a head. In the voting for the title of

American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt The American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971. The award originated in 1936 when the ''Daily Racing F ...

, Union Rags finished second to Hansen.

2012: Three-Year-Old Season

In his three-year-old debut, Union Rags won the Fountain of Youth Stakes at

Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park, owned by The Stronach Group, is a Thoroughbred race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Thoroughbred horse racing occurs year-round, defined by three distinct race meets ...

"comfortably" by four lengths from News Pending, with the favored Discreet Dancer two and a quarter lengths further back in third. At the same course five weeks later, Union Rags started the odds-on favorite for the

Florida Derby The Florida Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses held annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Since 2005, it has been run five weeks before the Kentucky Derby, which is held on the first Saturd ...

but finished third behind Take Charge Indy. In 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 ...

, he started second favorite at odds of 5.1/1. Following a poor start, and at one point last in the field, he finished seventh of the twenty runners, seven and a half lengths behind

I'll Have Another I'll Have Another (foaled April 1, 2009) is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2012 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. He was bred in Kentucky, owned by Canadian businessman J. Paul Reddam and trained by Doug O'Neill. In ...

. Union Rags did not run in the

2012 Preakness Stakes The 2012 Preakness Stakes was the 137th running of the Preakness Stakes thoroughbred horse race. The race took place on May 19, 2012, and was televised in the United States on the NBC television network. The post time was EDT ( UTC). I'll Have ...

but was entered in the

on June 9. Following the withdrawal of I'll Have Another, Union Rags started second favorite for the race behind

Dullahan The Dullahan (Irish: Dubhlachan ; dúlachán, ), also called Gan Ceann (meaning "without a head" in Irish), is a type of mythological creature in Irish folklore. He is depicted as a headless rider, on a black horse, who carries his own head h ...

. John Velasquez settled the colt in fourth place on the rail as Paynter set the pace. In the straight, Union Rags made steady progress on the inside to overtake Paynter in the final strides and won by a neck. After the race, Matz said, "We always thought this horse had Triple Crown potential." Union Rags was being prepared for a run in the

Haskell Invitational The Haskell Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run over a distance of miles on the dirt held annually in July at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. The event is a signature event at Monmouth P ...

when he sustained a tendon injury in his left front leg which ruled him out for the rest of the season. A week later it was announced that Union Rags would not race again and would be retired to stud.

Stud career

Union Rags entered stud at Lane's End Farm for the 2013 breeding season for a fee of $35,000. His first reported foal, a bay colt out of the Dehere mare Gleaming, was born on January 19, 2014. The colt, now named Confederate Rags, is a winner. On April 20, 2016, Union Rags had his first winner in Lady Stardust at Aqueduct in a maiden special weight race going furlongs. On September 3, 2016 the filly Union Strike became his first

Grade I In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

winner when she won the

Del Mar Debutante Stakes The Del Mar Debutante Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old fillies run each year in early September at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. A Grade I event since 1999, the Debutante is raced on dirt at a distance of s ...

. Union Rags finished second in the 2016 earnings list of first-crop sires based in North America. Union Rags's most notable progeny include: * Paradise Woods- Winner of the Gr.I

Santa Anita Oaks Santa Anita Oaks is an American Grade II Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Open to three-year-old fillies willing to race 8.5 furlongs ( miles) on the dirt. The race is a Grade II even ...

, Gr.I

Zenyatta Stakes The Zenyatta Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares, age three and older the distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt scheduled annually in September at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The ...

* Union Strike- Winner of the Gr.I

* Dancing Rags- Winner of the Gr.I

Alcibiades Stakes The Alcibiades Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early October at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. A Grade I race, it is open to two-year-old fillies willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt. ...

* Free Drop Billy- Winner of the Gr.I

Breeders' Futurity Stakes The Breeders' Futurity Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early October at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. Currently offering a purse of $500,000, the race is open to two-year-old horses and is run ...

* Tequilita- Winner of the Gr.II

Forward Gal Stakes The Forward Gal Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies, over a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt held annually in late January or early February at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Th ...

and Gr.III Charles Town Oaks * Patch- Finished 3rd in 2017 Belmont Stakes, famous for having only one eye * Musawaah- Winner of the Prix de la Seine in France * No Dozing- Winner of the Concern Stakes, multiple graded stakes placed * Heneral Kalentong (Philippines) - Winner of triple crown 2020 weep 3 legs * Union Bell (Philippines) - 2019 Stakes Horse of the year by Philarcom wins for 6starts in 2019

Pedigree

References

External links

Video titled ''Union Rags: An American Love Story''
{{Belmont Stakes Winners 2009 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Du Pont racehorses Belmont Stakes winners Thoroughbred family 13-b