T.V. Lark (February 12, 1957 – 1975) was an American

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 ...

racehorse and sire. He was named the American Champion Turf Horse of 1961 after winning the Santa Catalina,

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

Hawthorne Gold Cup The Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap is a Grade III race for thoroughbred horses run at Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney, Illinois each year. The Hawthorne Gold Cup trophy has always been made of solid gold. The Hawthorne Gold Cup is currently a ...

and Knickerbocker Handicaps and the Washington, D.C. International Stakes. He was also the leading sire in North America in 1974.

Background

T.V. Lark was a bay horse bred in California by Dr. Walter D. Lucas. He was owned during his racing career by Chase McCoy of CR Mac Stables, and initially trained by U.S. Racing Hall of Fame member William Molter.

Racing career

At age two, T.V. Lark won the Arlington Futurity (1959). In 1960, as a three-year-old, he won the California Derby, but on April 2, 1960, William Molter died unexpectedly of a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...

and Paul Parker, a former groom of T.V. Lark, became his trainer. The horse did not run in the Kentucky Derby, and in 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 () o ...

finished a disappointing 6th behind winner

Bally Ache Bally Ache (February 3, 1957 – October 28, 1960) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Preakness Stakes in 1960 but died later that year. In her book ''American Classic Pedigrees (1914–2002)'', author Avalyn Hunter wrote that Ba ...

. However, he came back to win the 1960

Arlington Classic The Arlington Classic Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three year old horses over a distance of miles on the turf held annually in late May at Arlington Park race track near Chicago. History The event was inaugurat ...

, the Washington Park Handicap and the

Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap The Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap is a Grade III race for thoroughbred horses run at Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney, Illinois each year. The Hawthorne Gold Cup trophy has always been made of solid gold. The Hawthorne Gold Cup is currently a G ...

. He defeated both Sword Dancer and Bally Ache in the 1960 United Nations Handicap. In 1961, T.V. Lark won several top races and broke the track record on the

turf Sod, also known as turf, is the upper layer of soil with the grass growing on it that is often harvested into rolls. In Australian and British English, sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', and the word "sod" is limited mainly to agricult ...

while defeating the great Kelso in the prestigious

Washington, D.C. International The Baltimore Washington International Turf Cup is an American Grade III invitational horse race run over one mile. Inaugurated in 1952, it was raced at Laurel Park Racecourse on the turf in Laurel, Maryland, at a distance of miles (12 furlong ...

. T.V. Lark's performances in 1961 saw him named that year's

American Champion Male Turf Horse The American Champion Male Turf Horse award is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor. The award originated in 1953 when the '' Daily Racing Form'' (DRF) named Iceberg II their champion. The Thoroughbred Racing Association (TRA) added the ca ...

Stud career

T.V. Lark was retired to stand at

stud Stud may refer to the following terms: 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 ba ...

at owner Preston Madden's

Hamburg Place John Edward Madden (December 28, 1856 – November 3, 1929) was a prominent American Thoroughbred and Standardbred owner, breeder and trainer in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. He owned Hamburg Place Stud in Lexington, Kentucky ...

farm in Lexington, Kentucky. A descendant of the great sire

Nearco Nearco (January 24, 1935 – June 27, 1957) was an Italian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse described by '' Thoroughbred Heritage'' as "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century" and "one of the most important sires of the century." He ...

, T.V. Lark was the leading sire in the United States in 1974 when his progeny won 121 races. T.V. Lark was the damsire of the Hall of Fame filly Chris Evert. T.V. Lark died in 1975 at age 18 and was buried in the equine cemetery at Hamburg Place.

Pedigree

References

{{reflist
T.V. Lark's pedigree and racing stats
1957 racehorse births 1975 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in California Racehorses trained in the United States United States Champion Thoroughbred Sires Thoroughbred family 9-c Chefs-de-Race