Artful (1902–1927) was an American

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 ...

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 ...

Background

Artful was born at the Westbury Stable at Old Westbury on

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...

into a prominent racing family begun in 1898 by

William Collins Whitney William Collins Whitney (July 5, 1841February 2, 1904) was an American political leader and financier and a prominent member of the Whitney family. He served as Secretary of the Navy in the first administration of President Grover Cleveland from ...

. The

Whitney family The Whitney family is a prominent American family descended from non-Norman English immigrant John Whitney (1592–1673), who left London in 1635 and settled in Watertown, Massachusetts. The historic family mansion in Watertown, known as The Elm ...

remain to this day a leading name in the sport of

horse racing 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 ...

. Artful raced in the days when horses could be "declared" to win. This meant that if a stable entered more than one of its horses, it would announce beforehand which horse they expected to win the event.

Racing career

In both of Artful's first two starts at age two at

Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, Saratoga Springs, New York (state), New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting v ...

(a track that William Collins Whitney had a hand in rejuvenating), her stablemate was declared to win against her. In the first of these races in August 1904 that horse was her stablemate Dreamer. In order to achieve this result, Artful had to be held back. Frank Brunnell of '' The Daily Racing Form'' hailed her as "a genuine crackerjack" who should have won both races with ease. On both occasions it was written that she was: "…hard held and close up throughout, finished as easily and probably could have won the race." Her second race was won by Princess Rupert. These two "declared" races would be the only races Artful ever lost. In her third "undeclared" race, the Futurity Stakes, Artful handed

Sysonby Sysonby (1902–1906) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He won every start easily, except one, at distances from one mile to two and a quarter miles. His superiority as a two and three-year-old was unchallenged during his short career of 1 ...

his only defeat by five lengths. Artful's victory was also over a field of exceptional strength (and said at the time to be the finest juvenile field ever assembled): the

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

champion Oiseau, the fillies and future classic winners Tanya and Agile, and the unbeaten filly Tradition. Artful raced four days later in the winning the Great Filly Stakes. She then took the White Plains Handicap under 130 pounds, giving away 29 pounds to a colt named Dandelion, and setting a new track record of 1:08 for six

furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to any of 660 foot (unit), feet, 220 yards, 40 rod (unit), rods, 10 chain (unit), chains, or a ...

s. That record stood for fifty years, only broken on a straight course and under a much lighter burden of 115 pounds. William Whitney died in Artful's two-year-old season and his son,

Harry Payne Whitney Harry Payne Whitney (April 29, 1872 – October 26, 1930) was an American businessman, thoroughbred horse breeding, horse breeder, and member of the prominent Whitney family. Early years Whitney was born in New York City on April 29, 1872, as ...

, succeeded him. In her three-year-old season, Artful won two sprints to prepare for the Brighton Handicap which she took "pulling up," (slowing down). She defeated, Beldame as well as

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...

, the 1904 winner of the

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over the worldwide classic distance of . Colt (horseracing), Colt ...

. Her last win was a quarter of a mile race.

Stud record

As a broodmare, Artful did not reproduce herself. Her few foals were winners but not stakes winners. She died in 1927 at the age of twenty five.

References

* "''The History of Thoroughbred Racing in America''" by William H.P. Roberton, Bonanza Books, New York, 1964 * "''Champions, The Lives, Times, and Past Performances of America's Greatest Thoroughbreds'', Revised Edition, Champions from 1893-2004," the Daily Racing Form.

External links

Artful’s pedigree

Artful in the Hall of Fame
{{DEFAULTSORT:Artful (Horse) 1902 racehorse births 1927 racehorse deaths Racehorses trained in the United States American Champion racehorses Racehorses bred in New York (state) United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees Thoroughbred family 4-r Byerley Turk sire line Whitney racehorses