Decidedly (March 3, 1959 – November 12, 1984) was an American Thoroughbred

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, 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 basic pr ...

who is best known for winning the

1962 Kentucky Derby The 1962 Kentucky Derby was the 88th running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 5, 1962. Decidedly's winning time set a new Derby record (later broken). Full results *Winning Breeder: George A. Pope, Jr.; (CA) References ...

Background

Decidedly was a gray horse bred in California by George Pope. His sire

Determine Determine (April 7, 1951 – September 27, 1972), was an American Thoroughbred race horse. In a racing career which lasted from 1953 through 1955, the California-trained colt ran forty-four times and won eighteen races. His best season was 1954 ...

from whom he inherited his gray coat, won the Kentucky Derby in 1954. Decidedly's dam Gloire Fille was descended from the broodmare La France (foaled 1928) who was the female line ancestor of numerous other major winners including Phalanx,

Danzig Connection Danzig Connection (April 6, 1983 – December 1, 2010) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the Belmont Stakes. Background Owned and bred by Henryk de Kwiatkowski under his Kennelot Stables banner, Danzig Connection wa ...

and Johnstown.

Racing career

Ridden by

Bill Hartack William John Hartack Jr. (December 9, 1932 – November 26, 2007), born in Colver, Pennsylvania, was a Hall of Fame jockey. Colver is in the northwestern part of Cambria Township, 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Ebensburg, the county seat. ...

, Decidedly set a new

Churchill Downs Churchill Downs is a horse racing complex located on Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, famed for hosting the annual Kentucky Derby. It officially opened in 1875 and was named for Samuel Churchill, whose family was ...

track record for 1¼ miles in winning the 1962 Derby. In the second leg and third legs of the U.S. Triple Crown series, the Preakness and

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over 1.5 miles (2,400 m). Colts and geldings carry a weight of ; fillies carry . The race, nicknamed Th ...

, he was unplaced. In 1963 Decidedly won five of thirteen starts and set a new Keeneland Race Course record for 1¹/16 miles in winning the

Ben Ali Handicap The Ben Ali Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horserace run eleven times between 1917 and 1932 at Lexington Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. An important race usually run in April or early May, it was open to horses age three and older ...

. He was retired from racing at age five after the 1964 season in which he won two races from ten starts.

Stud record

At stud, Decidedly was the sire of nineteen stakes race winners.

Pedigree

References

1962 Kentucky Derby charts
{{Kentucky Derby Winners 1959 racehorse births Racehorses bred in California Racehorses trained in the United States Kentucky Derby winners Thoroughbred family 17-b