He's A Smoothie (foaled 1963 in

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

) was a Canadian

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

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

and

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, 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 bas ...

who set track records on both dirt and

turf Sod is the upper layer of turf that is harvested for transplanting. Turf consists of a variable thickness of a soil medium that supports a community of turfgrasses. In British and Australian English, sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', ...

. Bred and raced by William R. Beasley, his sire was the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee

Round Table The Round Table (; ; ; ) is King Arthur's famed table (furniture), table in the Arthurian legend, around which he and his knights congregate. As its name suggests, it has no head, implying that everyone who sits there has equal status, unlike co ...

. His dam was Ratine, a daughter of

Bahram Bahram may refer to: People * Bahram (name) Other uses * Bahram (''Shahnameh''), a heroic character in the Iranian epic poem * Bahram (horse) Bahram (1932–1956) was an Irish-bred, English-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He was undefeated ...

, the Aga Khan's 1935 British Triple Crown champion. A successful sire of two

British Classic The British Classics are five long-standing Group 1 horse races run during the traditional flat racing season. They are restricted to three-year-old horses and traditionally represent the pinnacle of achievement for racehorses against their ow ...

winners, Bahram was purchased in 1940 by an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

syndicate led by Alfred G. Vanderbilt II, who brought him to stand at stud in

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

1966

He's a Smoothie was trained by the owner's son, Warren Beasley, who said, "I was listed as the trainer but Bobby ( Bateman) was really the trainer.

Slow to develop, the colt did not race at age two. At age three, he earned his first win in May 1966 on the dirt at the

Fort Erie Racetrack Fort Erie Race Track is a horse racing facility in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, that opened on June 16, 1897. The racetrack is often referred to as "the border oval" because of the track's proximity (barely a mile) to the U.S. border. Its most imp ...

Fort Erie, Ontario Fort Erie is a town in the Regional Municipality of Niagara, Niagara Region of Ontario, Canada. The town is located at the south eastern corner of the region, on the Niagara River, directly across the Canada–United States border from Buffal ...

. He went on to win the Mohawk Handicap, the Fairbanks Handicap, the first of two straight Seagram Cup Handicaps, the Valedictory Handicap at 1 miles, and a Canadian Classic, the

Prince of Wales Stakes The Prince of Wales Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Fort Erie Race Track in Fort Erie, Ontario. Restricted to only three-year-old horses bred in Canada, it is contested on dirt over a distance of miles (1.9 km; ...

1967 Horse of the Year

In 1967, He's a Smoothie raced in both Canada and the United States. His major victories came in the

Canadian Maturity Stakes The Canadian Maturity Stakes was a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late November at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Inaugurated in 1953, the race was restricted to four-year-old horses bred in Canada. It was contested on ...

, the Durham Cup Handicap, the

Eclipse Stakes The Eclipse Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown ...

, his second straight Seagram Cup Handicap, and the most prestigious win of his career, the Canadian International Championship. Based on his performances in Canada, He's a Smoothie was invited to compete against some of the best American and European horses in the November 12, 1967 Washington, D.C. International Stakes 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 un ...

. He's a Smoothie ran fourth after he was given seven more pounds to carry that the great

Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...

and race winner Fort Marcy

On December 9, He's A Smoothie was sent to

Aqueduct Racetrack Aqueduct Racetrack is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and casino in the South Ozone Park, Queens, South Ozone Park and Jamaica, Queens, Jamaica neighborhoods of Queens, New York City, United States. Aqueduct is the only racetrack within ...

to compete in the

Display Handicap The Display Handicap was an American long distance Thoroughbred horse race held annually from 1955 through 1990. A race for 3-year-olds and up, it was run at the Jamaica Race Course from inception through 1958 at a distance of 2 miles. In 1959 the ...

. Once again he was high-weighted, given a handicap of nine pounds more than winner Quicken Tree. Nonetheless, he still came from far back in the two-mile race to finish second, just three-quarters of a length behind the winne

He's a Smoothie was voted 1967

Canadian Horse of the Year The Canadian Horse of the Year is a thoroughbred horse racing honour given annually since 1951 by the Jockey Club of Canada. It is the most prestigious honour in Canadian thoroughbred horse racing. Part of the Sovereign Awards program since 1975, ...

honors.

1968

Wintered in

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

, at

Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park is a Thoroughbred racing, Thoroughbred horse race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida, Hallandale Beach, Florida, United States. It is among the most important venues for ...

He's a Smoothie ran second in a division of the January 24, 1968

Palm Beach Handicap The Palm Beach Handicap is a discontinued American Grade 3 Thoroughbred horse race run between 1937 and 1976 at Hialeah Park Race Track in Hialeah, Florida. Open to horses aged three and older, from inception through 1965 it was run on dirt aft ...

, then earned a third in the February 11

Bougainvillea Handicap The Bougainvillea Handicap was a Thoroughbred horse race run between 1940 and 2001 at Hialeah Park in Hialeah, Florida. A race for horses age three and older, it was run at a distance of 1 1/8 miles on turf. The race was named for the purple bouga ...

Hialeah Park Race Track The Hialeah Park Race Track (also known as the Hialeah Race Track or Hialeah Park) is a historic racetrack in Hialeah, Florida. Its site covers 40 square blocks of central-east side Hialeah from Palm Avenue east to East 4th Avenue, and from East ...

. In the longest and richest of the grass races on the local 1968 race schedule, on February 24 He's a Smoothie was ridden by

Braulio Baeza Braulio Baeza (born March 26, 1940) is a Panamanian-American thoroughbred horse racing jockey. In 1963, he was the first Latin American jockey to win the Kentucky Derby. Biography Baeza began his racing career in 1955 in Panama at Hipodromo Ju ...

to victory in the 1½ mile

Hialeah Turf Cup Handicap The Hialeah Turf Cup Handicap is a discontinued American Thoroughbred horse race open to horses aged three and older that was run each year at Hialeah Park Race Track in Hialeah, Florida until the track closed at the end of the 2001 racing season. ...

. The holder of a

Woodbine Racetrack Woodbine Racetrack is a race track for Thoroughbred horse racing in the Etobicoke area of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Owned by Woodbine Entertainment Group, Woodbine Racetrack manages and hosts Canada's most famous race, the King's Plate. The track ...

and a

Greenwood Raceway Greenwood Raceway (originally Woodbine Race Course) was a horse racing facility in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. History Woodbine Race Course Inaugurated in 1874 as Woodbine Race Course at the foot of Woodbine Avenue and Lake Ontario, it was owned ...

track record on dirt, among his other 1968 wins in Canada He's a Smoothie set a new course record for 1 miles on turf at the

Sale and Death

On July 24, 1968, He's a Smoothie was sold to a

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

syndicate led by William E. Pasko III, who planned to retire the horse at the end of the year to stand at

stud Stud may refer to: Animals * Stud (animal), an animal retained for breeding ** Stud farm, a property where livestock are bred Arts and entertainment * Stud (band), a British progressive rock group * The Stud (bar), a gay bar in San Francisco * ...

He's a Smoothie was competing in the August 7

Bernard Baruch Handicap The Bernard Baruch Stakes is a Listed American Thoroughbred horse race for three-years-old and older run over a distance of miles on the turf annually in early August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The event currently off ...

Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, Saratoga Springs, New York (state), New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting v ...

when he broke down as a result of torn ligaments and had to be humanely

euthanized Animal euthanasia (euthanasia from ; "good death") is the act of killing an animal humanely, most commonly with injectable drugs. Reasons for euthanasia include incurable (and especially painful) conditions or diseases, lack of resources to con ...

In 2003, He's a Smoothie's racing career was honored with induction in the

Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 to honour those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness racing, harness and Thoroughbred racing, Thoroughbred horse racing in Canada. It is located at Woodbine ...

Pedigree

{{Pedigree , name = He's a Smoothie , f =

, m = Ratine , ff =

Princequillo Princequillo (1940–1964) was a Thoroughbred Thoroughbred horse race, racehorse conceived in France and born in Ireland. He is known for his performances in long-distance races and his successes as a Horse breeding#Terminology, sire. Backgroun ...

, fm = Knight's Daughter , mf =

, mm = Monel , fff =

Prince Rose Prince Rose (1928–1944) was a British-bred, Belgian-trained Thoroughbred racehorse, often referred to as the best horse in Belgian racing. Background Bred in England by Lord Durham, Prince Rose was sired by Rose Prince out of the mare Indol ...

, ffm = Cosquilla , fmf = Sir Cosmo , fmm = Feola , mff =

Blandford Blandford Forum ( ) is a market town in Dorset, England, on the River Stour, Dorset, River Stour, north-west of Poole. It had a population of 10,355 at the United Kingdom 2021 census, 2021 census. The town is notable for its Georgian archit ...

, mfm = Friar's Daughter , mmf = Sir Greysteel , mmm = La Muiron , ffff = Rose Prince , fffm = Indolence , ffmf =

Papyrus Papyrus ( ) is a material similar to thick paper that was used in ancient times as a writing surface. It was made from the pith of the papyrus plant, ''Cyperus papyrus'', a wetland sedge. ''Papyrus'' (plural: ''papyri'' or ''papyruses'') can a ...

, ffmm = Quick Thought , fmff = The Boss , fmfm = Ayn Hali , fmmf = Friar Marcus , fmmm = Aloe , mfff =

Swynford Swynford (January 1907 – 18 May 1928) was a British Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse. Bred at the Frederick Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby, 16th Lord Derby's stud in Lincolnshire, England he was sired by John O'Gaunt (horse), John O'Gaunt, a so ...

, mffm = Blanche , mfmf = Friar Marcus , mfmm = Garron Lass , mmff = Roi Herode , mmfm = Grania , mmmf =

Durbar Durbar may refer to: * Conference of Rulers, a council of Malay monarchs * Durbar festival, a yearly festival in several towns of Nigeria * Durbar floor plate, a hot-rolled structural steel that has been designed to give excellent slip resistance o ...

, mmmm = Santa Maria }

References

He's A Smoothie's pedigree and partial racing stats

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20081013071106/http://www.canadianhorseracinghalloffame.com/thoroughbred/2003/Hes_A_Smoothie.html He's A Smoothie at the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame 1963 racehorse births 1968 racehorse deaths Horses who died from racing injuries Racehorses bred in Ontario Horse racing track record setters Racehorses trained in Canada Racehorses trained in the United States Canadian Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductees Thoroughbred family 17-b