First Flight (horse)

First Flight
Sire	Mahmoud
Grandsire	Blenheim II
Dam	Fly Swatter
Damsire	Dis Donc
Sex	Filly
Foaled	1944
Country	United States
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney
Owner	Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney
Trainer	Sylvester E. Veitch
Record	24: 11-3-3
Earnings	US$197,965
Major wins
Fashion Stakes (1946) Astoria Stakes (1946) Matron Stakes (1946) Futurity Stakes (1946) Monmouth Oaks (1947) Fall Highweight Handicap (1948)
Awards
American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly (1946)

First Flight (foaled 1944 in Kentucky) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was voted the American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly of 1946^[1]

Background

First Flight was bred and raced by Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney^[2] and conditioned for racing by Hall of Fame inductee, Sylvester Veitch.

Racing career

Her first season started in May 1946 where she equaled a Belmont Park track record in winning her racing debut with Arnold Kirkland aboard in the Fashion Stakes.^[3] After a "going away" victory in the Astoria Stakes during June, the filly received some time off. She went on to win the Matron Stakes on September 28. 7 days later the filly defeated colts in winning (the then) most prestigious race for juveniles, the Futurity Stakes in October. Ridden by Eddie Arcaro, First Flight beat I Will by one and a half lengths with the future Kentucky Derby winner Jet Pilot in third. In doing so, she became the first filly to win the Futurity since the Whitney-owned Top Flight in 1931.^[4] Her 5 for 6 season gained her the Two-Year-Old Filly Championship

At age three, she won two races with her main victory coming in the Monmouth Oaks.

At age four, her major win came against males when she captured the 1948 Fall Highweight Handicap. She won three other races that year to compile a record of 11 wins in 24 lifetime starts.

Pedigree of First Flight

Sire Mahmoud	Blenheim	Blandford	Swynford
			Blanche
		Malva	Charles O'Malley
			Wild Arum
	Mah Mahal	Gainsborough	Bayardo
			Rosedrop
		Mumtaz Mahal	The Tetrarch
			Lady Josephine
Dam Fly Swatter	Dis Donc	Sardanapale	Prestige
			Gemma
		Lady Hamburg	Hamburg
			Lady Frivoles
	Miss Whisk	Whisk Broom	Broomstick
			Audience
		Wonder	Disguise
			Curiosity

References

1. [ Displaying Abstract ]. "New York Times - May 9, 1897". Select.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2012-02-11.
2. "First Flight's pedigree". Pedigreequery.com. Retrieved 2012-02-11.
3. Richardson, William D. (1946-05-08). "New York Times - May 8, 1946". Select.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2012-02-11.
4. "Whitney's speedy filly collects $50,000 Futurity". Reading Eagle. 6 October 1946. Retrieved 2012-02-11.