Broad Brush (April 16, 1983 – May 15, 2009) 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 ...

foaled in

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

. He was by the

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

stallion Ack Ack out of the Hoist The Flag mare Hay Patcher. Bred and owned by Robert E. Meyerhoff and trained by Richard W. Small, Broad Brush won a number of stakes races at age two before being prepped for the 1986

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby () is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of . Colt (horse), Colts and geldin ...

Three-year-old season

At age three, Broad Brush won a number of stakes races, including the Inner Harbor Stakes at

Pimlico Race Course Pimlico Race Course is a thoroughbred horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of O ...

, the grade two Jim Beam Stakes at Turfway Park, the grade one

Wood Memorial Stakes The Wood Memorial Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually in April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. It is run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) on dirt. The Wood Memor ...

Aqueduct Racetrack Aqueduct Racetrack is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and casino in the South Ozone Park, Queens, South Ozone Park and Jamaica, Queens, Jamaica neighborhoods of Queens, New York City, United States. Aqueduct is the only racetrack within ...

, the grade three

Federico Tesio Stakes The Federico Tesio Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Laurel Park (race track), Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland over a distance of miles on the dirt for three-year-old horses. Run during the latter part of April/early ...

(also called the "Preakness Trial") at Pimlico, the grade two Pennsylvania Derby at Philadelphia Park, the grade two

Ohio Derby The Ohio Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in mid-to-late June at Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio. The Grade III stakes for three-year-olds is run on dirt over a distance of 1 miles. The race currently offers a pur ...

at Thistledown, and the grade two Meadowlands Cup. The Pennsylvania Derby win was notable for Broad Brush bolting to the outside rail on the final turn, seemingly costing him the race as several competitors passed him. Jockey Angel Cordero, Jr gathered the colt and directed him along the outside rail to pass his rivals late in the stretch for the win. Broad Brush also placed third in two of the most coveted races in the country in the

United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing In the United States, the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, commonly known as the Triple Crown, is a series of horse races for three-year-old Thoroughbreds, consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. The three r ...

, showing in both the

and

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually on Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland (except in 2026 when it will move to Laurel Park (race track), Laurel Park dur ...

. He finished a close third behind

Ferdinand Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "courage" or "ready, prepared" related to Old High German "to risk, ventu ...

two lengths back and Bold Arrangement (by a head) in the grade one Kentucky Derby in 1986 in a field of 16 colts. Broad Brush also was third as the local Maryland favorite in the $1,000,000 grade one Preakness Stakes behind eventual

Eclipse Award The Eclipse Award is an American Thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th-century British racehorse and sire, Eclipse. An Eclipse Award Trophy is presented to the winner in each division. The trophy is made by a few small selected A ...

winner Snow Chief and Derby champ Ferdinand. Snow Chief was named the

American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse The American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971. The award originated in 1936 when ''Turf & Sports Di ...

in large part due to his Preakness win.

Four-year-old season

At age four, Broad Brush won some of the most prestigious races in the handicap division, including the $1,000,000 grade one

Santa Anita Handicap The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses four years old and up and was once considered the most important race for old ...

and the grade one

Suburban Handicap The Suburban Stakes (also known Suburban Handicap) is an American Grade II Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is now run at the mile distance on dirt for a $350,000 pu ...

Belmont Park Belmont Park is a thoroughbred racing, thoroughbred horse racetrack in Elmont, New York, just east of New York City limits best known for hosting the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the American Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United Stat ...

. He placed second in the

Massachusetts Handicap The Massachusetts Handicap, frequently referred to as the "MassCap", was a Flat racing, flat thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and up held annually at Suffolk Downs in East Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was an Graded stakes r ...

and

Grade I In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...

San Fernando Stakes, and he was third in the

Metropolitan Handicap The Metropolitan Handicap, frequently called the "Met Mile", is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of one mile (8 furl ...

Strub Stakes The Strub Stakes is an American race for thoroughbred horses run at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, each year. Currently a Grade II stakes race with a purse of $200,000, it is for four-year-olds, at one and one-eighth miles on Santa Ani ...

, and

Whitney Handicap The Whitney Stakes (run as the Whitney Handicap through 2013 and still sometimes referred to as such) is an American Grade 1 stakes race for Thoroughbred racehorses four years of age and older run at a distance of miles. The current purse is $1, ...

Retirement

After his retirement in April 1988, Broad Brush became a very successful sire, being awarded

Leading sire in North America The list below shows the leading Father, sire of Thoroughbred Horse racing, racehorses in North America for each year since 1830. This is determined by the amount of prize money won by the sire's progeny during the year. It is restricted to Stallio ...

for 1994. He was one of the leading draws for Gainesway Farm's Kentucky breeding operation and was ranked in the top 10 leading sires for four straight years. His progeny include the stakes-winning Concern, Include, Farda Amiga, Hesanoldsalt, Nobo True, Best Of Luck, the

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

ese champion mare Broad Appeal, Justenuffheart (dam of the champion filly Dreaming of Anna) and Arlucea (dam of 2012

Breeders' Cup Classic The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3-year-olds and older run at a distance of on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States as part of the Breeders' Cup World Champion ...

winner Fort Larned). Broad Brush was pensioned in 2004 and was euthanized on May 15, 2009.

Pedigree

Broad Brush is inbred 3x3 to Turn-to, meaning this stallion appears twice in the third generation of his pedigree.

References

{{Reflist
Pedigree & Racing Stats
1983 racehorse births 2009 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Maryland Racehorses trained in the United States American Grade 1 Stakes winners United States Champion Thoroughbred Sires Thoroughbred family 21-a Chefs-de-Race