Colorado (1923–1929) was a British
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 and
sire
Sire is an archaic respectful form of address to reigning kings in Europe. In French and other languages it is less archaic and relatively more current. In Belgium, the king is addressed as "Sire..." in both Dutch and French.
The words "sire" an ...
. He won the
2000 Guineas
The 2000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1.6 km) and scheduled to take place each yea ...
in 1926 and the
Eclipse Stakes
The Eclipse Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown ...
in 1927. He was also noted for his rivalry with the
Derby
Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...
winner
Coronach
A coronach (also written coranich, corrinoch, coranach, cronach, etc.) is the Scottish Gaelic equivalent of the Gol, being the third part of a round of keening, the traditional improvised singing at a death, wake or funeral in the Highlands of Sc ...
whom he defeated on three of their four meetings.
Background
Until the emergence of
Fairway at the end of the decade, Colorado was regarded as the best racehorse sired by
Phalaris
Phalaris () was the tyrant of Akragas (now Agrigento) in Sicily in Magna Graecia, from approximately 570 to 554 BC.
History
Phalaris was renowned for his excessive cruelty. Among his alleged atrocities is cannibalism: he was said to have eaten ...
, who became the most influential stallion of the 20th Century. His dam, Canyon, won the
1000 Guineas
The 1000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile ...
in 1916 and was a successful broodmare. In addition to Colorado she produced the Eclipse Stakes winner
Caerleon
Caerleon ( ; ) is a town and Community (Wales), community in Newport, Wales. Situated on the River Usk, it lies northeast of Newport city centre, and southeast of Cwmbran. Caerleon is of archaeological importance, being the site of a notable ...
.
He was a small, but powerfully built colt standing just over 15
hands
A hand is a prehensile, multi-fingered appendage located at the end of the forearm or forelimb of primates such as humans, chimpanzees, monkeys, and lemurs. A few other vertebrates such as the koala (which has two opposable thumbs on each "han ...
, known to be a particular favourite of his owner, Lord Derby. He was trained at Lord Derby's Stanley House stable by
George Lambton
George Lambton (23 November 1860 – 23 July 1945) was a British thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse horse trainer, trainer. He was British flat racing Champion Trainer in the 1906, 1911 and 1912 seasons.
Early life
The Honourable George Lamb ...
who found him a difficult horse to prepare because of his habit of "choking" in exercise gallops.
Racing career
1925: two-year-old season
Colorado was a leading two-year-old in 1925, winning the Coventry Stakes at
Royal Ascot
Ascot Racecourse is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, about 25 miles west of London. Ascot is used for thoroughbred horse racing, and it hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 races and three Gra ...
. In the Free Handicap, an official assessment of the year's two-year-olds, Colorado was assesses on 118
lbs, eight pounds below the joint topweights Coronach and Legatee.
1926: three-year-old season
At three he won the Union Jack Stakes over a mile at Liverpool in March but worked poorly before the 2000 Guineas and started at
100/8 behind the strongly favoured Coronach. Colorado "dashed" into the lead in the final furlong and went clear to win by five lengths, giving Lord Derby his first win in the race.
He started favourite for the Derby but Coronach reversed the placings, winning by five lengths, with Colorado losing second place by a short head to Lancegaye. Weston, was certain that he would have at least been closer at Epsom if he had not been instructed to employ exaggerated waiting tactics.
His cause was not helped when he had to swerve when a spectator's dog ran onto the course. In his next race Colorado started odds-on favourite for the Rous Memorial Stakes at Royal Ascot, but finished third of the four runners.
1927: four-year-old season
After having taken a long time to recover his form after the Derby, Colorado returned to beat Coronach in their two meetings in 1927. He was unplaced on his debut, but won the one and a half mile Newbury Summer Cup in June.
In a much anticipated race for the
Princess of Wales's Stakes
The Princess of Wales's Stakes is a Group races, Group 2 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to Thoroughbred horses aged three years or older. It is run on the July Cour ...
Tommy Weston tracked Coronach in the early stages before moving Colorado up to challenge for the lead. After a brief "duel" Colorado pulled away to win by eight lengths. In the
Eclipse Stakes
The Eclipse Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown ...
he beat the three-year-old Mario by six lengths with Coronach a length further back in third. In the
Champion Stakes
The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 1 furlong a ...
at Newmarket in October he was narrowly beaten by the French-trained Asterus and was retired to stud as the winner of nine races, worth £30,358.
Stud career
Colorado died on 16 September 1929, after only two seasons at stud, of gastroenteritis.
He had made a promising start as a stallion, siring
Felicitation who defeated
Hyperion in the 1934
Ascot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles 3 furlongs and 210 yards (4 ...
. He also got the Eclipse Stakes winner
Loaningdale,
Scarlet Tiger, who was third in the
St. Leger
The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over ...
, the top sprinter
Coroado
The Kaingang people are an Indigenous Brazilian ethnic group spread out over the three southern Brazilian states of Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul and the southeastern state of São Paulo. Their population was around 51,000 in ...
and the very versatile
Colorado Kid.
Pedigree
* Colorado was
inbred
Inbreeding is the production of offspring from the mating or breeding of individuals or organisms that are closely related genetically. By analogy, the term is used in human reproduction, but more commonly refers to the genetic disorders an ...
3 × 4 to St Simon, meaning that this stallion appears in both the third and fourth generations of his pedigree.
References
* ''The Complete Encyclopedia of Horse Racing'' - written by Bill Mooney and George Ennor
{{2000 Guineas winners
1923 racehorse births
1929 racehorse deaths
Racehorses bred in the United Kingdom
Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom
Thoroughbred family 3-l
Chefs-de-Race
2000 Guineas winners