Bimelech

Bimelech
Sire Black Toney
Grandsire Peter Pan
Dam La Troienne (FR)
Damsire Teddy (FR)
Sex Stallion
Foaled 1937
Country United States
Colour Bay
Breeder Colonel E. R. Bradley
Owner Idle Hour Stock Farm
Trainer William A. "Bill" Hurley
Record 15: 11-2-1
Earnings $248,745
Major wins

Saratoga Special Stakes (1939)
Hopeful Stakes (1939)
Belmont Futurity Stakes (1939)
Pimlico Futurity (1939)
Blue Grass Stakes (1940)
Derby Trial Stakes (1940)

American Classic Race wins:
Preakness Stakes (1940)
Belmont Stakes (1940)
Awards
American Champion 2-Year-Old Colt (1939)
American Champion 3-Year-Old Male Horse (1940)
Honours
U.S. Racing Hall of Fame (1990)
#84 - Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
Last updated on November 4, 2006

Bimelech (February 27, 1937 – 1966) was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse who won two Triple Crown races, was twice named American horse of the year, and is ranked #84 among U.S. racehorses of the 20th century. After retiring to stud, he sired 30 stakes winners and his daughters produced 50 stakes winners.

Early life

Bimelech was foaled at Colonel E. R. Bradley's Idle Hour Stock Farm near Lexington, Kentucky. Colonel Bradley named this latest La Troienne foal after a friend, John Harris, who went by the nickname Abimelech. He dropped the "A" because he gave his horses names that began with a "B". Bimelech was the last colt sired by Bradley's major stallion, Black Toney, and was a full brother to Black Helen, the 1935 champion three-year-old filly. (Black Toney was also the sire of Hall of Famer Black Gold.)

Racing career

Bimelech was undefeated as a two-year-old, winning his first over maidens at Suffolk Downs by three lengths. In his next race, an allowance at Empire City, he wired the field. Bimelech's first stakes race was at Saratoga Race Course, where he defeated Briar Sharp and Andy K. in the Saratoga Special Stakes. He then went on to win the Hopeful Stakes by a neck. He ended his first season with a length and a half victory in the Belmont Futurity Stakes and a four length win in the Pimlico Futurity. Bimelech was named American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt. He was also the Experimental Free Handicap Highweight at 130 pounds, a prodigious weight for a young horse.

He became the favorite to win the 1940 Kentucky Derby; his winterbook odds of three to one were the lowest odds ever quoted for a Derby favorite up to that time.

In his first race as a three-year-old, Bimelech took the Blue Grass Stakes by two and a half lengths. He then won the Derby Trial Stakes, beating a colt from Milky Way Farms called Gallahadion.

Still undefeated, Bimelech was the overwhelming choice for the Derby, which had had its purse raised to $75,000 added. It was his third start in 8 days. At six to one, Charles S. Howard's Mioland was the bettor's second choice. (Howard owned and raced the famous Seabiscuit.) Gallahadion was thirty-five to one.

In the Derby, Bimelech drifted farther and farther out from the rail and ran wide the entire race. The longer distance left him exhausted in the last few furlongs. Gallahadion passed him in the final furlong. Bimelech's jockey, Fred Smith, took the blame for the loss.

A short time later, Bimelech beat Gallahadion in the Preakness. He ran second in the Withers Stakes (records indicate this was due to poor preparation, so, after the Withers, Bimelech went into heavy training), and won the Belmont Stakes. He struggled to win his next race, and it was discovered he was racing with an injured foot, which ended his racing that year. He took that year's honor of American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse.[1]

When the new starting gates were introduced, Bimelech acted very badly while being loaded into the gate. After two races, Bradley retired his horse, fearing Bimelech would hurt himself.

Stud record

In 1946, Bradley died and all his horses were sold. A syndicate (Greentree Stud, King Ranch, and Ogden Phipps) bought Bimelech. They stood him at Greentree Stud, where he sired 30 stakes winners, including these multiple stakes-winners:

Daughters of Bimelech produced 50 stakes winners. Bimelech died in 1966.

Legacy

Bimelech was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1990. In the Blood-Horse magazine List of Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century, Bimelech was ranked number 84.

Tabulated pedigree

Pedigree of Bimelech (USA), bay stallion, 1937
Sire
Black Toney
1911		 Peter Pan
1904		 Commando Domino
Emma C.
Cinderella Hermit
Mazurka
Belgravia
1903		 Ben Brush Bramble
Roseville
Bonnie Gal Galopin
Bonnie Doon
Dam
La Troienne (FR)
1926		 Teddy
1913		 Ajax Flying Fox
Amie
Rondeau Bay Ronald
Doremi
Helene de Troie
1916		 Helicon Cyllene
Vain Duchess
Lady of Pedigree St. Denis
Doxa (Family: 1-s)[3]

References

  1. ↑ Ahnert (editor in chief), Rainer L. (1970). Thoroughbred Breeding of the World. Germany: Pozdun Publishing. p. 400.
  2. ↑ "Bimelech - offspring". Australian Stud Book. Australian Turf Club Limited and Victoria Racing Club Limited. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  3. ↑ Morris, Simon; Tesio Power 2000 - Stallions of the World, Syntax Software
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