Real Quiet (March 7, 1995 – September 27, 2010) was an American

Champion A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, an ...

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 was nicknamed "The Fish" by his trainer due to his narrow frame. He is best remembered for winning the first two legs of

American Triple Crown In the United States, the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, commonly known as the Triple Crown, is a series of horse races for three-year-old Thoroughbreds, consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. The three r ...

: 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 ...

and the

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held on Armed Forces Day which is also the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs () on ...

. His loss in the third leg, the

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 ...

, was the smallest margin of defeat ever at only four inches. He was bred by Eduardo Gaviria, a Colombian proprietor of two stud farms: one near Bogotá in Colombia and another, Little Hill Farm, in

Ocala, Florida Ocala ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Marion County within the northern region of Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city's population was 63,591, making it the 54th most populated city in Florida. Home to ...

, where Real Quiet was foaled. Gaviria purchased mare Really Blue, in foal to Spend A Buck, at the 1990 Keeneland November sale for $37,000. Gaviria decided to breed Really Blue with Quiet American. The result was Real Quiet. However, the colt's crooked knees prompted Gaviria to sell him at a yearling auction to Michael E. Pegram for $17,000.

Two-year-old season

Trained by

Bob Baffert Robert A. Baffert (born January 13, 1953) is an American racehorse trainer who trained the 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. Baffert's horses have won a record six Kentucky Derbies, seven Preakne ...

, racing as a two-year-old in 1997, Real Quiet started slowly, competing in seven races before getting his first win in a maiden special weight at

Hollywood Park Hollywood Park may refer to: Places United States * Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California * Hollywood Park, Chicago, a neighborhood in North Park, Chicago, Illinois * Hollywood Park, Inglewood, an entertainment complex and m ...

at eight and a half furlongs by 3 lengths. Later that spring, he finished third in the $571,647 Indian Nations Futurity Cup at Santa Fe and third in the $200,000 Grade III

Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes The Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the last week of November at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. A Grade II event, the race is open to two-year-olds willing to race one and one-sixtee ...

at Churchill Downs, losing to Cape Town. He finished the year with a score in the $1 million

Hollywood Futurity The Los Alamitos Futurity is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-olds run over a distance distance of one and one sixteenth miles ( furlongs) on the dirt held annually in early December at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, ...

at 8.5 furlongs, defeating Artax and

Nationalore Nationalore (1995–2000) was a black thoroughbred gelding who contended the 1998 Kentucky Derby, despite having won none of his previous fifteen races, a record number at the time. He broke down during a race in 2000 and was euthanized. In his ...

. He finished his two-year-old season with a record of 2–0–5 in nine starts with earnings of $381,122.

Three-year-old season

Although still lightly regarded in a year with many quality three-year-olds competing, in 1998 Real Quiet was ridden to victory by jockey

Kent Desormeaux Kent Jason Desormeaux (born February 27, 1970) is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who holds the U.S. record for most races won in a single year with 598 wins in 1989. He has won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes ...

in the

. His

Beyer Speed Figure The Beyer Speed Figure is a system for rating the performance of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America designed in the early 1970s by Andrew Beyer, the syndicated horse racing columnist for The Washington Post. First published in book form in 1 ...

recorded in the Hollywood Futurity was the highest Beyer rating of any two-year-old horse that went on to win the Derby. He then won the

. In the

, the third and final leg of the

Triple Crown Triple Crown may refer to: Sports Horse racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States) ** Triple Crown Trophy ** Triple Crown Productions * Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Trip ...

, Real Quiet lost when Victory Gallop beat him by a nose in the final stride of the race. Before

American Pharoah American Pharoah (foaled February 2, 2012) is a Thoroughbred racehorse who won the American Triple Crown and the Breeders' Cup Classic in 2015. He was the 12th Triple Crown winner in history, and in winning all four races, became the first ho ...

won the 2015 Triple Crown, no horse had come closer to taking the Triple Crown since

Affirmed Affirmed (February 21, 1975 – January 12, 2001) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the eleventh winner of the American Triple Crown. Affirmed was well known for his famous rivalry with Alydar, whom he met ten times, includi ...

's victory in 1978. Kent Desormeaux was criticized for his jockeying in the Belmont Stakes. Many believed he moved out too fast at the start, causing Real Quiet to tire in the final strides of the course. For his performances in 1998, Real Quiet won the

Eclipse Award The Eclipse Award is an American Thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th-century British racehorse and sire, Eclipse. An Eclipse Award Trophy is presented to the winner in each division that is made by a few small selected American ...

for best three-year-old colt.

Four-year-old season

As a four-year-old, Real Quiet won the Grade I

Pimlico Special The Pimlico Special is a Grade 3 American thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and older over a distance of miles ( furlongs) held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland in mid May. The race currently offers a purse of $300,000. ...

and the Grade I

Hollywood Gold Cup 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 ...

. In the $600,000 Special, he was the second choice to Free House, who had won both of his Grade I starts coming into the race that year including the Santa Anita Handicap. They dueled down the home-stretch, with Gary Stevens driving Real Quiet forward and

Chris McCarron Christopher John McCarron (born March 27, 1955, Boston, Massachusetts) is a retired American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey. He mounted his first horse ever at 16.5 years old and was racing professionally by 18. At only 19 years o ...

trying to hold his thin lead aboard Free House. In the final strides, Real Quiet poked his nose in front to win one of the closest Specials ever. "I was afraid that Free House would get out front and steal it," Baffert said. "It looked as though Free House didn't want to give it up. But we were just lucky to get by him." Real Quiet ran the mile and three-sixteenths in 1:54 1/5, returned $5.80 for a $2 bet to win, and added $360,000 to a bankroll that passed $2.6 million. He was the first horse in 50 years to win the Preakness Stakes and the Pimlico Special and is one of only five horses to accomplish that feat along with four

winners:

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 ...

Whirlaway Whirlaway (April 2, 1938 – April 6, 1953) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the fifth winner of the American Triple Crown. He also won the Travers Stakes after his Triple Crown sweep to become the first and only horse to ...

Assault An assault is the act of committing physical harm or unwanted physical contact upon a person or, in some specific legal definitions, a threat or attempt to commit such an action. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may result in crim ...

and

War Admiral War Admiral (May 2, 1934 – October 30, 1959) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the fourth winner of the American Triple Crown. He was also the 1937 Horse of the Year and well known as the rival of Seabiscuit in the 'Match ...

. That summer, Real Quiet won the $1 million Grade I

, defeating Budroyale and Malek over ten furlongs in 1:59.67. He also placed third in the Grade II

Massachusetts Handicap The Massachusetts Handicap, frequently referred to as the "MassCap", was a flat thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and up held annually at Suffolk Downs in East Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was an ungraded stakes race run o ...

Suffolk Downs Suffolk Downs is a former Thoroughbred race track in East Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The track opened in 1935 after being built by Joseph A. Tomasello for a cost of $2 million. It was sold in May 2017 to a developer who plans to crea ...

, losing to Behrens and Running Stag. In addition, he finished second in the Grade III New Orleans Handicap and the Grade III Texas Mile Stakes. Real Quiet was considered to be a strong contender in the Breeders' Cup Classic and was entered in the Pacific Classic as a prep race. However, he was injured and unable to race for the rest of the year. He finished his four-year-old season as a millionaire with a record of 2–2–1 in five starts and annual earnings of $1,101,880.

Retirement

As a 4-year-old, Real Quiet suffered a fractured splint bone in his right front leg. In his career, he hit the board in 17 of 20 starts and earned $3,271,802. Real Quiet entered stud for a fee of $25,000 in 2000 at Vinery Kentucky near Lexington. George Hofmeister's Highland Farm had purchased the breeding rights to the horse the month before the Kentucky Derby. Hofmeister had bought majority interest in Vinery, owned by Ben P. Walden Jr. and his wife, Elaine. Real Quiet later stood at Taylor Made Stallions in Kentucky and Pin Oak Lane Farm, then Penn Ridge, both in Pennsylvania. He also shuttled to Australia and Uruguay, taking advantage of the reversed breeding season observed in the southern hemisphere. In 2005, he was relocated to Regal Heir Farms in Pennsylvania. He produced a prime runner in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

named Real Spicy, who is owned by Hermie Esguerra. The horse was a strong contender for that country's own version of the 2005 Triple Crown Championship. Although Real Quiet's progeny have not been nearly as successful in the United States, he produced Pussycat Doll, who won the

La Brea Stakes The La Brea Stakes is a Grade I American thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies over a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt track held annually in late December at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, USA. The event currently ...

and the G1

Humana Distaff Handicap The Derby City Distaff Stakes is a Grade I American thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares aged three and older over a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt held annually in early May on the Kentucky Derby day meeting at Churchill Down ...

(defeating her stablemate Behaving Badly); No Place Like It, winner of the U.S.A Pine Oak Stakes; and Wonder Lady Ann L, winner of the 2006

Coaching Club American Oaks The Coaching Club American Oaks is a race for thoroughbred three-year-old fillies and the second leg of the Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing. Originally run at Belmont Park, the Grade I $500,000 stakes race was moved to Saratoga Race Course in ...

(G1) at Belmont Park. He also sired back-to-back

Breeders' Cup Sprint The Breeders' Cup Sprint is an American Weight for Age Grade I Thoroughbred horse race for horses three years old and older. Run on dirt Corrected grade for Santa Anita sprintover a distance of 6 Furlongs ( mile), the race has been held annually si ...

winner

Midnight Lute Midnight Lute (foaled May 13, 2003, in Versailles, Kentucky) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He was named American Champion Sprint Horse in 2007. Background Midnight Lute was bred by Tom Evans, Macon Wilmil Equines & Marjac Farms, Inc. a ...

. Real Quiet died on September 27, 2010, from an injury he suffered after falling in his paddock at Penn Ridge Farms.

Legacy

A street in unincorporated

Prince William County, Virginia Prince William County is located on the Potomac River in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population sits at 482,204, making it Virginia's second-most populous county. Its county seat is the independent city of Manassas ...

, intersecting a street named for fellow racehorse

Sunday Silence Sunday Silence (March 25, 1986 – August 19, 2002) was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In 1989, he won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes but failed to complete the Triple Crown when he was defeated in the Belmont ...

, is named for him. However, it is misspelled as "Real Quite Ct."

Pedigree

References

External links

Real Quiet
profile on the Stallion Register
Real Quiet
profile at Regal Heir Farms
Real Quiet's pedigree with photosReal Quiet: Three-year-old Male of the Year
{{Preakness Stakes Winners 1995 racehorse births 2010 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Florida Racehorses trained in the United States Eclipse Award winners Kentucky Derby winners Preakness Stakes winners American Grade 1 Stakes winners Thoroughbred family 4-d