Whichone (1927–1944) 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 ...
racehorse who was named the
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 ...
of 1929. Although Whichone earned important race wins as a three-year-old, injuries hampered his racing career including a bowed tendon sustained in the running of the 1930
Travers Stakes
The Travers Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is nicknamed the "Mid-Summer Derby" and is the third-ranked race for American three-year-olds acco ...
that ended his career.
Background
A
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 ...
homebred, Whichone was a full brother to
Mother Goose
The figure of Mother Goose is the imaginary author of a collection of French fairy tales and later of English nursery rhymes. As a character, she appeared in a song, the first stanza of which often functions now as a nursery rhyme. This, howeve ...
, herself an
American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly in 1924. Their sire was
Chicle who was bred and foaled in France by their American owner due to the complete shutdown of horseracing in 1911 and 1912 in the state of
New York as a result of the
Legislature's passage of the
Hart–Agnew Law
The Hart–Agnew Law was an anti-gambling bill passed into law by the Legislature of the State of New York on June 11, 1908. It was an amalgam of bills enacted as Chapter 506 and 507 which were sponsored by conservative Assemblyman Merwin K. Hart ...
. Brought to the United States by owner/breeder
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 ...
, Chicle would become the
Leading sire in North America 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 ...
in 1942. Chicle was the son of
Spearmint
Spearmint, also known as garden mint, common mint, lamb mint and mackerel mint, is a species of mint, ''Mentha spicata'' (, native to Europe and southern temperate Asia, extending from Ireland in the west to southern China in the east. It is nat ...
, winner of the
Epsom Derby in England and the
Grand Prix de Paris
The Grand Prix de Paris is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), and i ...
in France, both races the then most prestigious in their country. Spearmint became the outstanding sire whose progeny included
Johren
Johren (1915–1932) was a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in the United States. His most important win came in the 1918 Belmont Stakes.
Background
Johren was a "massive" bay horse owned and bred by Harry Payne Whitney. He was sired by ...
,
Plucky Liege
Plucky Liege (1912–1937) was a British Thoroughbred racemare who produced eleven winners, including an Epsom Derby winner at the age of twenty-three and three British Classic race winners. The performances of these horses led to her becoming ...
Royal Lancer
Royal Lancer (1919 – after 1937) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed little promise as a juvenile when he won one minor race from six attempts. In the following year he made steady improvement, winning three handicap r ...
,
Spion Kop.
Danny Maher
Daniel Aloysius Maher (October 29, 1881 – November 9, 1916) was an American Hall of Fame jockey who also became a Champion jockey in Great Britain.
U.S. riding career
Danny Maher commenced his career at the age of 14, weighing 65 pounds. He ...
, U. S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee and twice the
British flat racing Champion Jockey
The Champion Jockey of flat racing in Great Britain is the jockey who has ridden the most winning horses during a season. The list below shows the Champion Jockey and the number of winners for each year since 1840. The seasonal record of jockeys' ...
was quoted as saying that Spearmint was the best horse he ever rode. Spearmint's sire
Carbine
A carbine ( or ) is a long gun that has a barrel shortened from its original length. Most modern carbines are rifles that are compact versions of a longer rifle or are rifles chambered for less powerful cartridges.
The smaller size and lighte ...
was a
New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame
The New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame recognises and honours those whose achievements have enriched the New Zealand thoroughbred horse racing industry.
History
The Hall of Fame's first group of honorees were inducted in 2006, and inductions are he ...
and
Australian Racing Hall of Fame inductee.
Chicle won the 1915
Champagne Stakes in fast time beating a field of six other runners including
Friar Rock
Friar Rock (1913 – January 8, 1928) was a Champion American Thoroughbred racehorse. His most important win came in the 1916 Belmont Stakes.
Background
Owned and raced by the prominent New York City businessman August Belmont Jr., he was foal ...
who in 1916 would be named
American Horse of the Year. Chicle beat Friar Rock again in the 1916
Brooklyn Derby.
The dam of Whichone, and Mother Goose, was the unraced Flying Witch. She was a daughter of the three time Leading sire and
U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee
Broomstick
A broom (also known in some forms as a broomstick) is a cleaning tool consisting of usually stiff fibers (often made of materials such as plastic, hair, or corn husks) attached to, and roughly parallel to, a cylindrical handle, the broomstick. I ...
who in turn was sired by
Ben Brush
Ben Brush (1893–1918) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1896 Kentucky Derby.
Walter Vosburgh, for whom the Vosburgh Stakes is named, said Bramble was "a breed as tough as pine nuts." On May 6, 1896, Bramble and Rose ...
, twice a
U.S. National Champion runner and Leading Sire as well as a U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee.
1929: Two-year-old season
Trained by
Jimmy Rowe Jr. and ridden by
Linus McAtee
John Linus McAtee (October 5, 1898 – November 15, 1963) was an American Hall of Fame jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing.
Biography
Born in Frenchtown, New Jersey on October 5, 1898, he went by his middle name, Linus, but was nicknamed "Pony ...
, in 1929 the two-year-old Whichone had wins in three stakes races. His first came in the August 10
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 r ...
at
Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting venue of any kind in the country, but is actu ...
where he won by six lengths in beating eight other juveniles. On August 31, Whichone finished second in the
Hopeful Stakes
The Hopeful Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Open to two-year-old horses, the Hopeful is the first Grade I stakes for two-year-olds each season and historically has ...
to his H. P. Whitney owned stablemate Boojum. The colt's biggest win would come on September 9 in the
Belmont Futurity
The Futurity Stakes, commonly referred to as the Belmont Futurity, is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in mid-September or October at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, United States. Open to two-year-old horses, it is raced on turf ...
. In a field of 17, Whichone defeated Hi-Jack by four lengths with
Gallant Fox
Gallant Fox (March 23, 1927 – November 13, 1954) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the second winner of the American Triple Crown.
In a racing career which lasted from 1929 to 1930, Gallant Fox won 11 of his 17 races includ ...
another ½ length further back. Not only was the Futurity the richest race anywhere in the world, Whichone earned $100,730 marking the first time in American history any horse had earned $100,000 for first place money. The win cemented Whichone's two-year-old Champion honors. Whichone's final stakes win of 1929 came in the
Champagne Stakes, a race won by his sire Chicle in 1915. For his efforts, Whichone earned $5,825, a minuscule purse compared to the Futurity. but one that would prove costly because the colt came out of the race with an injury that would keep him out of the
1930 Kentucky Derby won by Gallant Fox who he had easily beaten by 6½ lengths in the Futurity.
1930: Three-year-old season
T. J. Healey, the Whitney stable's head trainer took over Whichone's race conditioning for his three-year-old campaign. Jimmy Rowe Jr. become head trainer for
Greentree Stable belonging to Harry Whitney's sister-in-law,
Helen Hay Whitney
Helen Julia Hay Whitney (March 11, 1875 – September 24, 1944) was an American poet, writer, racehorse owner/breeder, socialite, and philanthropist. She was a member by marriage of the prominent Whitney family of New York.
Early life
She was ...
.
By early May 1930, Whichone's injury seemed behind him and he was back in training. In mid May it was reported the colt appeared sound and was scheduled to make his first start of the year on May 31 in the one mile
Withers Stakes
The Withers Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three years old horses over the distance of miles on the dirt scheduled annually in February at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. The event currently carries a purse ...
at Belmont Park. In a tune-up race for the
1930 Belmont Stakes Whichone showed very good form with an easy win in the May 28 Ballot Handicap over one mile at
Belmont Park. Three days later, on a slow Belmont Park track, Whichone almost leisurely captured the May 31 Withers Stakes by four lengths in the slow time of 1:38 1/5 for the mile. Under instructions from trainer Healey, jockey
Raymond Workman continued running for another quarter mile in preparation for the mile and one-half Belmont Stakes.
A June 3, 1930 ''
Daily Racing Form
The ''Daily Racing Form'' (DRF) (referred to as the ''Racing Form'' or "Form" and sometimes "telegraph" or "telly") is a tabloid newspaper founded in 1894 in Chicago, Illinois, by Frank Brunell. The paper publishes the past performances of raceh ...
'' story on the upcoming
1930 Belmont Stakes reported on the opinion of various horsemen as to whether it would be Whichone or Gallant Fox that would come out on top. The consensus was that Whichone would be the victor, the ''DRF'' stating it was important to note that for the most part the votes for the Whitney colt came from trainers and jockeys while those supporting Gallant Fox were handicappers and others who closely study horseracing. Among those jockeys and trainers who chose Whichone were future Hall of Fame inductees
Laverne Fator
Laverne Andrew Fator (October 21, 1899 – May 16, 1936) was an American Hall of Fame jockey.
Born in Hailey, Idaho, Laverne Fator and his brothers Mark and Elmer all became jockeys. The most successful of the three, Laverne Fator's riding ...
,
Mack Garner
Andrew Mack Garner (December 23, 1898 – October 28, 1936) was an American jockey who won the 1934 Kentucky Derby as well as the 1929 and 1933 Belmont Stakes. He was inducted in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1969. Mack Garner ...
,
Max Hirsch
Maximilian Justice "Max" Hirsch (July 12, 1880 - April 3, 1969) was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse trainer.
Born in Fredericksburg, Texas, and raised Roman Catholic, Hirsch became one of the most successful trainers in Thorou ...
,
Willie Knapp, and
"Dick" Thompson. The Belmont would be Whichone's third start in 11 days and he finished second in a field of just four runners. On a track rated only as good, Whichone struggled until they made the turn for home but his challenge was not enough to catch Gallant Fox who won easily by three lengths and becoming the second horse to win the
U.S. Triple Crown.
Scheduled to compete against Gallant Fox again in the June 28
Dwyer Stakes
The Dwyer Stakes is an American Grade III stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred racehorses held annually at Belmont Park racetrack in Elmont, Long Island, New York. Run in early July, it is open to three-year-old horses and is raced over a ...
, yet again Whichone came up with another injury and had to be
scratched. The
quartercrack in a forefoot kept the colt out of racing until the August 6
Saranac Handicap
The Saranac Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The Grade III stakes is open to three-year-old horses and is raced on turf over a distance of 1 mile. The event, currentl ...
at the
Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting venue of any kind in the country, but is actu ...
. Described as a "brilliant comeback" by the ''
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
:''This article covers both the historical newspaper (1841–1955, 1960–1963), as well as an unrelated new Brooklyn Daily Eagle starting 1996 published currently''
The ''Brooklyn Eagle'' (originally joint name ''The Brooklyn Eagle'' and ''King ...
'', Whichone not only won with ease, he ran the mile in the fastest time of the racing season. Just three days later, Whichone got another easy win in the
Whitney Stakes
The Whitney Stakes (run as the Whitney Handicap through 2013 and still sometimes referred to as such) is an American Grade 1 stakes race for Thoroughbred racehorses three years of age and older run at a distance of miles. The current purse is $1, ...
. Simply galloping over the finishing line he still won by four lengths. With all eyes watching the popular colt for any signs of leg trouble, the Form Chart for the mile and one-quarter race took an unusual step with a statement that said "He pulled up sound."
Once again, three days after that win, Whichone ran in the August 12
Miller Stakes as a final prep for the very important
Travers Stakes
The Travers Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is nicknamed the "Mid-Summer Derby" and is the third-ranked race for American three-year-olds acco ...
in which he would be certain to meet Gallant Fox again. Whichone earned a third straight win in the 41st running of the Miller Stakes at Saratoga. He did it in the very fast time of 1:56 2/5 for a mile and three-sixteenths which broke the stakes record set by
Enfilade
Enfilade and defilade are concepts in military tactics used to describe a military formation's exposure to enemy fire. A formation or position is "in enfilade" if weapon fire can be directed along its longest axis. A unit or position is "in de ...
in 1918 and equaled by the legendary
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 t ...
in 1920.
The Jim Dandy Travers
In what would become the most talked about upset in American Thoroughbred racing folklore, a 100 to 1 longshot named
Jim Dandy won the August 16, 1930 Travers Stakes beating runner-up Gallant Fox by six lengths. Whichone finished five lengths further back in third being pulled up by jockey Raymond Workman when he knew the horse was seriously hurt. This latest injury turned out to be a career-ending
bowed tendon
Tendinitis/tendonitis is inflammation of a tendon, often involving torn collagen fibers. A bowed tendon is a horseman's term for a tendon after a horse has sustained an injury that causes swelling in one or more tendons creating a "bowed" appearan ...
.
At stud
Harry Whitney died on October 26, 1930 and his horse racing stable and stud farm would be passed on to his son
Cornelius Vanderbilt "Sonny" Whitney.
Whichone was retired to stand at Whitney's Kentucky stud farm beginning in 1931. While he would never sire any runner that was even remotely close to being his equal on the racetrack, he did produce several that met with some success. From Whichone's first crop in 1932, a colt bred and retained by Sonny Whitney named Today looked very promising after he won the 1935
Wood Memorial Stakes
The Wood Memorial Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually in April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. It is run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) on dirt. The Wood Memorial ...
by three lengths. Among a field of 12, that the ''New York Times'' described as "the most formidable eligibles" for the
Kentucky Derby, were Plat Eye owned by the
Greentree Stable, the
Brookmeade Stable colt Psychic Bid, William Ziegler Jr.'s very good filly
Esposa, who would become the 1937 and 1938
American Champion Older Female Horse The Eclipse Award for Champion Older Dirt Female Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a filly or mare, four years old and up, for performances on dirt and main track racing surfaces. In 1971, it became part of the ...
, and
Omaha, a son of Whichone's great rival Gallant Fox.
Other of Whichone's progeny who met with some success in racing included winners:
Whichee (1934) gelding : San Francisco Handicap,
Los Angeles Handicap
The Los Angeles Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California during the spring racing season. It was previously run at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California), which closed in 20 ...
,
San Antonio Handicap
The San Antonio Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Raced on the dirt, it is for horses age three and older. In 2017, the distance was shortened from miles to miles. The race was origina ...
Bourbon King (1935) colt :
Remsen Stakes
The Remsen Stakes is an American Grade II race for Thoroughbred horse race run annually near the end of November at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. The one and one-eighths mile race is open to two-year-olds and currently offers a purse of ...
,
Chesapeake Stakes
The Chesapeake Stakes was an important American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses of either sex contested on dirt over a distance of a mile and one-sixteenth at Havre de Grace Racetrack in Havre de Grace, Maryland. Run from 1920 u ...
Handcuff (1935) filly : Wakefield Stakes,
Acorn Stakes
The Acorn Stakes is an American Grade I race at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York for three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies. It is raced on dirt over a distance of one mile with a current purse of $500,000. It is the first leg of the US Triple Tiar ...
,
Alabama Stakes
The Alabama Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race open to three-year-old fillies. Inaugurated in 1872, the Grade I race is run over a distance of one and one-quarter miles on the dirt track at Saratoga Race Course. Held in mid August, it cu ...
,
Delaware Oaks
The Delaware Oaks Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in mid July at Delaware Park Racetrack in Stanton near Wilmington, Delaware.
Part of the Del Cap Festival Weekend that features other races over the two days including ...
Triplane (1935) gelding:
Longacres Mile Handicap
Pedigree
References
{{reflist
1933 racehorse births
1944 racehorse deaths
Thoroughbred racehorses
Racehorses bred in Kentucky
Racehorses trained in the United States
American racehorses
American Champion racehorses
Whitney racehorses