Ace Marine (foaled 1952 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 ...

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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 in 1955 won the three races that four years later were officially designated the Canadian Triple Crown.

Background

Ace Marine was sired by Ace Admiral, a grandson of the six-time British Champion Sire Hyperion, out of the American mare Mazarine. Purchased as a yearling by prominent owner/breeder Larkin Maloney, Ace Marine was trained by Canadian Hall of Fame trainer

Yonnie Starr Joseph "Yonnie" Starr (August 11, 1905 – March, 1990) was a Canadian Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse Horse trainer, trainer about whom the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame says has a "reco ...

Racing career

At age two, the colt won two races and was a strong third to the then world-record-holding sprinter

Boston Doge Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and financial center of New England, a region of the Northeastern United States. It has an area of and a ...

in the Newport Stakes at

Narragansett Park Narragansett Park was an American race track for Thoroughbred horse racing in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Beginnings On May 18, 1934, Rhode Island voters approved a measure legalizing parimutuel betting by an almost 3 to 1 margin. The following day ...

Pawtucket, Rhode Island Pawtucket ( ) is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 75,604 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making the city the fourth-largest in the state. Pawtucket borders Providence, Rhode Island, Prov ...

. In 1955, the three-year-old Ace Marine dominated his class in Canadian racing. He won two divisions of the Plate Trial Stakes, then the

Queen's Plate The King's Plate (known as the Queen's Plate from 1860 to 1901 and 1952 to 2022) is Canada's oldest thoroughbred horse race and the oldest continuously run race in North America, having been founded in 1860. It is run at a distance of for a ma ...

, Canada's most prestigious race that for the first time was broadcast on television by the

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (), branded as CBC/Radio-Canada, is the Canadian Public broadcasting, public broadcaster for both radio and television. It is a Crown corporation that serves as the national public broadcaster, with its E ...

. He followed up with wins in other major Canadian races, notably the Prince of Wales Stakes and the Breeders' Stakes. His season saw him set a new Woodbine track record for {{convert, 1+1/8, mi. Ace Marine's performances earned him

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. Returning to race as a four-year-old in 1956, Ace Marine won the inaugural edition of the Canadian Maturity and the important Dominion Day Handicap.

Stud record

Ace Marine was retired to

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 * ...

having won fourteen races, but as a sire met with only modest success.

Honors

In 2003, Ace Marine was inducted 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 ...

References

Ace Marine at the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
1952 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Ontario Racehorses trained in Canada Horse racing track record setters King's Plate winners Canadian Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductees Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing winners Thoroughbred family 3-h