Dullahan (horse)
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Dullahan (February 8, 2009 – October 20, 2013) 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. As a two-year-old he recorded his first win in the
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 ...
Breeders' Futurity Stakes The Breeders' Futurity Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early October at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. Currently offering a purse of $600,000, the race is open to two-year-old horses and is run ...
. In early 2012, he won the
Blue Grass Stakes The Blue Grass Stakes, currently the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes due to sponsorship by the Toyota Motor Corporation, is a horse race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds held annually in April at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky. The race is ru ...
, finished third in the
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 ...
and was the beaten favorite for 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 ...
. Later in the season, he defeated older horses in the Pacific Classic. He was euthanized of a ruptured colon on October 20, 2013, at
Winstar Farm WinStar Farm is an American Thoroughbred horse breeding and horse racing, racing farm near Versailles, Kentucky, owned by Kenny Troutt. It won the 2010 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Owner and 2016 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Breeder, Outstandi ...
in Versailles, Kentucky.


Background

Dullhan was a chestnut colt with a white blaze and a white
sock A sock is a piece of clothing worn on the feet and often covering the ankle or some part of the Calf (leg), calf. Some types of shoes or boots are typically worn over socks. In ancient times, socks were made from leather or matted animal hair. ...
on his right hind leg. He was bred in the United States by Phil Needham. As a son of the mare Mining My Own, he was a half-brother of the Kentucky Derby winner
Mine That Bird Mine That Bird (foaled May 10, 2006) is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2009 Kentucky Derby at 50-1 odds and came second in the Preakness Stakes and third in the Belmont Stakes. He had earnings of $2,228,637 and was inducte ...
. As a
yearling Yearling may refer to: *Yearling (horse), a horse between one and two years old *''The Yearling ''The Yearling'' is a novel by American writer Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, published in March 1938. It was the main selection of the Book of the ...
, he was sent to the
Keeneland Keeneland Association, Inc. is an equine business based in Lexington, Kentucky. It includes two distinct divisions: the Keeneland Race Course, a Thoroughbred racing facility, and Keeneland Sales, a horse auction complex. It is also known for ...
sales, where he was bought for $250,000 by Jerry Crawford and Donegal Racing.


Racing career


2011: two-year-old season

Dullahan was slow to show worthwhile form as a two-year-old, being well beaten in minor events at
Churchill Downs Churchill Downs is a horse racing complex in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States that hosts the annual Kentucky Derby. It opened in 1875 and was named for Samuel Churchill, whose family was prominent in Kentucky for many years. The first ...
in June and July. He then moved to Saratoga where he finished second in a maiden race before finishing third in the
Grade II 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, Hi ...
With Anticipation Stakes The With Anticipation Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-olds over a distance of miles on the turf track scheduled annually in end of August or early September at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New Yor ...
on turf in September. Despite having failed to win in four starts, he moved up to Grade I level for the
Breeders' Futurity Stakes The Breeders' Futurity Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early October at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. Currently offering a purse of $600,000, the race is open to two-year-old horses and is run ...
at Keeneland. Ridden by
Kent Desormeaux Kent Jason Desormeaux (born February 27, 1970) is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who holds the U.S. record for most races won in a single year with 598 wins in 1989. He has won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes t ...
he was held up in the early stages before finishing strongly to take the lead near the finish and won by three quarters of a
length Length is a measure of distance. In the International System of Quantities, length is a quantity with Dimension (physical quantity), dimension distance. In most systems of measurement a Base unit (measurement), base unit for length is chosen, ...
from Majestic City. He was badly hampered and almost fell in the early stages but recovered well, leading Desormeaux to describe him as a "super horse". In the
Breeders' Cup Juvenile The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually in late October or early November at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup W ...
at Churchill Downs on 5 November, Dullahan started a 16/1 outsider and stayed on in the straight to finish fourth of the thirteen runners behind Hansen,
Union Rags Union Rags (born in March 3, 2009 in Kentucky) is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2012 Belmont Stakes. He also won the Champagne Stakes and the Saratoga Special Stakes Background Union Rags is a bay with a white blaze (a ...
and Creative Cause.


2012: three-year-old season

Dullahan made his first appearance as a three-year-old at
Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park is a Thoroughbred racing, Thoroughbred horse race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida, Hallandale Beach, Florida, United States. It is among the most important venues for ...
in March, where he finished second to Howe Great in the Grade III Palm Beach Stakes. A month later he was sent to Keeneland to contest the Blue Grass Stakes, in which he was matched against the
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 Hansen for the second time. In front of a record crowd of 40,617 Desormeaux restrained the colt in the early stages before moving him up to overtake Hansen near the finish and win going away by one and a quarter lengths.
USA Today ''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...
described his performance as "scintillating" and reported that Romans felt that Dullahan was by far his best chance of winning the Kentucky Derby. In the Derby, Dullahan started at odds of 12/1 in a field of twenty. He raced in the middle of the field before being switched to the outside in the straight. He made steady progress to finish third behind I'll Have Another and
Bodemeister Bodemeister (foaled April 28, 2009) is a Thoroughbred race horse who won the 2012 Arkansas Derby and finished second to I'll Have Another in the 2012 Kentucky Derby and 2012 Preakness Stakess. He went on to become the sire of 2017 Ken ...
. Dullahan skipped the Preakness to go straight for 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 ...
on June 9. Following the late withdrawal of "I'll Have Another", he was made the favorite for the race, but finished fifth behind
Union Rags Union Rags (born in March 3, 2009 in Kentucky) is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2012 Belmont Stakes. He also won the Champagne Stakes and the Saratoga Special Stakes Background Union Rags is a bay with a white blaze (a ...
. After a seven-week break, Dullahan returned in the Haskell Invitational Stakes at Monmouth Park in which he finished seventh, behind Paynter. A month later he was tested against older horses in the TVG Pacific Classic at
Del Mar Racetrack The Del Mar Fairgrounds is an event venue in Del Mar, California. It hosts the annual San Diego County Fair. The venue sits on a property along the Pacific Ocean coastline. It includes the Del Mar Racetrack, built in 1936 by the Del Mar Thoroug ...
and won by half a length from
Game On Dude Game On Dude (foaled April 26, 2007 in Kentucky) is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse gelding. He won fourteen graded stakes races, including eight Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes: the Santa Anita Handicap in 2011, 2013, and 2014 the on ...
in a new track record time of 1:59.54. It was Dullahan's third Grade I win, all of them achieved on a
synthetic Synthetic may refer to: Science * Synthetic biology * Synthetic chemical or compound, produced by the process of chemical synthesis * Synthetic elements, chemical elements that are not naturally found on Earth and therefore have to be created in ...
surface, and gave the colt automatic entry into the
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 ...
. Dullahan's two remaining starts as a three-year-old were disappointing: he finished fifth when favorite for the Jamaica Handicap at Belmont in October and then ran ninth, behind Little Mike in the
Breeders' Cup Turf The Breeders' Cup Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The race's current ...
.


2013: four-year-old season

Dullahan was sent to race in the United Arab Emirates in March 2013 but ran poorly in his two races including the
Dubai World Cup The Dubai World Cup (Arabic: كأس دبي العالمي) is a Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1996 and contested at the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The race is operate ...
in which he finished eleventh of the twelve runners behind Animal Kingdom. On his return to the USA he finished third in the Grade III Arlington Handicap but then finished eighth behind Game On Dude when he attempted to repeat his 2012 success in the Pacific Classic. Dullahan sustained a tendon injury in the Pacific Classic and was retired from racing on October 14. Six days later, the colt suffered a severe attack of
colic Colic or cholic () is a form of pain that starts and stops abruptly. It occurs due to muscular contractions of a hollow tube (small and large intestine, gall bladder, ureter, etc.) in an attempt to relieve an obstruction by forcing content ou ...
in his stable. Despite prompt medical attention and surgery he was euthanized at 4:45 am on October 20. According to a Facebook post by Dale Romans, Dullahan was regarded my those who knew him as an incredible horse – full of personality and talent. "Love you, Dullahan – our thoughts and prayers are with you, buddy !!


Pedigree


References

{{reflist Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States 2009 racehorse births 2013 racehorse deaths Thoroughbred family 23-b