Challenger (horse)

Challenger II
Sire	Swynford
Grandsire	John O'Gaunt
Dam	Sword Play
Damsire	Great Sport
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1927
Country	England
Colour	Bay
Breeder	The National Stud
Owner	1) Lord Dewar 2) William L. Brann & Robert S. Castle
Trainer	Fred Darling
Record	12: 2-0-1
Earnings	US$
Major wins
Clearwell Stakes (1929) Richmond Stakes (1929)
Awards
Leading sire in North America (1939)

Challenger (1927–1948) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who became a Leading sire in North America.

Background

Challenger was a bay horse bred by the British The National Stud. As a yearling Challenger was bought for 5,000 guineas by Lord Dewar,

Racing career

At age two Challenger made two starts, winning both the Richmond and Clearwell Stakes. Following the death of Lord Dewar, nephew John Arthur Dewar inherited his horses and in 1930 he ^[1] sold Challenger for £10,000,^[2] the then equivalent of US$100,000, to the American racing partnership of William Brann and Robert Castle.^[3]

Registered in the United States as Challenger II, the expensive colt never fully recovered from an injury to his hocks and had no success on American racetracks.^[4] However, as a sire he would prove to be more than worth the price Brann and Castle paid for him.

Stud record

Challenger stood at stud at his owners Branncastle Farm near Walkersville, Maryland where he proved a very successful sire and was the leading sire in North America in 1939.^[5] His best son was Challedon, a colt born in 1936 whose major wins included the Preakness Stakes, the Pimlico Special, and the Hollywood Gold Cup. Challedon was voted American Horse of the Year in 1939 and 1940 and following its formation, was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. In 1942, Challenger sired Gallorette, a filly who regularly beat her male counterparts while winning major events such as the Brooklyn and Metropolitan Handicaps. Gallorette was voted the American Champion Older Female Horse of 1946 and following its formation, was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. The following year, Challenger sired Bridal Flower who was voted the 1946 American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly.^[6]

In addition, Challenger's 1937 son, Pictor, was a multiple stakes winner.^[7] Another son born in 1941, Challenge Me,^[8] won top races in 1944 such as the Oaklawn Handicap which he won by ten lengths while setting a new track record. He followed up with a win in the Arkansas Derby^[9][10] In 1945 he added to his win total with a victory in that fall's Hollywood Gold Cup.^[11]

Though his daughter Gallita, Challenger was damsire of Nadir, the American Co-Champion Two-Year-Old Colt of 1957.^[12] Other good runners that Challenger was the damsire included two racemares. The first was Christopher Chenery's Rich Tradition (1954) ^[13] and the second, Harry Guggenheim's Ashland Stakes winner Jota Jota (1956).^[14]

Challenger died at age twenty-one in 1948 and was buried in the Branncastle farm (renamed the Glade Valley Farm) equine cemetery.^[15]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Challenger II

Sire Swynford	John O'Gaunt	Isinglass	Isonomy
			Dead Lock
		La Fleche	St. Simon
			Quiver
	Canterbury Pilgrim	Tristan	Hermit
			Thrift
		Pilgrimage	The Palmer
			Lady Audley
Dam Sword Play	Great Sport	Gondolette	Isonomy
			Moorhen
		Gallinule	Loved One
			Dongola
	Flash of Steel	Royal Realm	Persimmon
			Sand Blast
		Flaming Vixen	Flying Fox
			Amphora

References

1. Baltimore Sun - July 29, 1930
2. Thoroughbred Heritage
3. Baltimore Sun - July 27, 1930
4. Thoroughbred Heritage
5. Thoroughbred Heritage - Leading Sires of the U.S.A.
6. Annual Champions at BloodHorse.com
7. Pictor's pedigree and partial racing stats
8. Challenge Me's pedigree and partial racing stats
9. The Dubuque, Iowa Telegraph-Herald - April 4, 1944
10. Oaklawn Park 2012 Media Guide
11. Miami News - October 22, 1945
12. Annual Champions at BloodHorse.com
13. Rich Tradition's pedigree and partial racing stats
14. Jota Jota's pedigree and partial racing stats
15. Thoroughbred Heritage - Grave Matters