Lord Avie (April 25, 1978 – December 28, 2012) 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 ...

champion A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, Competition, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional/provincial/state, national, continental and world champi ...

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

A descendant of the great

Nearco Nearco (January 24, 1935 – June 27, 1957) was an Italian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse described by '' Thoroughbred Heritage'' as "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century" and "one of the most important sires of the century." He ...

through his sire Lord Gaylord, his dam, Avie, was a daughter of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee

Gallant Man Gallant Man (March 20, 1954 – September 7, 1988) was a thoroughbred racehorse, named for a horse in a Don Ameche movie. His exact foaling date was unknown or at best debated over the years of his life and many years after. The supporting e ...

. In March 1980, Lord Avie was bought as a two-year-old at a

Hialeah Park Race Track The Hialeah Park Race Track (also known as the Hialeah Race Track or Hialeah Park) is a historic racetrack in Hialeah, Florida. Its site covers 40 square blocks of central-east side Hialeah from Palm Avenue east to East 4th Avenue, and from East ...

sale for $37,000 by a consortium of twelve investors from

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

who raced him under the name SKS Stable. He was trained by former jockey Daniel Perlsweig.

Racing career

Lord Avie won top races at age two, including the Young America Stakes, Cowdin Stakes and Champagne Stakes. He was voted the 1980

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 ...

American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt The American Champion Two-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 the ''Daily Racing F ...

. Racing at age three, on February 4, 1981, Lord Avie won the Hutcheson Stakes at Florida's

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 ...

. The colt went on to win the

Florida Derby The Florida Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses held annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Since 2005, it has been run five weeks before the Kentucky Derby, which is held on the first Saturd ...

and was then installed by odds makers as the favorite for 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 ...

. However, Lord Avie came out of the Florida Derby with a pulled

suspensory ligament A suspensory ligament is a ligament that supports a body part, especially an organ. Types include: * Suspensory ligament of axilla, also known as Gerdy's ligament * Cooper's ligaments, also known as the suspensory ligaments of Cooper or Suspenso ...

and did not race in any of the Triple Crown races.Tuite, James
"Lord Avie Out of Race"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', March 20, 1981. Accessed October 9, 2009. He returned to racing in mid-July with an allowance race win at

Monmouth Park Racetrack Monmouth Park Racetrack is an American race track for thoroughbred horse racing in Oceanport, New Jersey, United States. It is owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and is operated under a five-year lease as a partnership with ...

followed by a second-place finish in the Grade 1

Haskell Invitational Handicap The Haskell Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run over a distance of miles on the dirt held annually in July at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. The event is a signature event at Monmouth ...

and then a third in August's

Travers Stakes The Travers Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is nicknamed the "Midsummer Derby" and is the third-ranked race for American three-year-olds accor ...

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 ...

. In the Travers, Lord Avie reinjured his leg. On August 24, 1981, his retirement from racing was announced. Lord Avie won eight races, placed 4 times and showed 4 times in 16 starts, with career earnings of $705,977.

Stud career

Lord Avie was sent to stand at

stud Stud may refer to: Animals * Stud (animal), an animal retained for breeding ** Stud farm, a property where livestock are bred Arts and entertainment * Stud (band), a British progressive rock group * The Stud (bar), a gay bar in San Francisco * ...

Spendthrift Farm Spendthrift Farm is a thoroughbred race horse breeding farm and burial site in Lexington, Kentucky, currently owned by Eric & Tammy Gustavson. It was founded by Leslie Combs II and named for the great stallion Spendthrift, who was owned by Combs ...

Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city coterminous with and the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the city's population was 322,570, making it the List of ...

, having been syndicated for $10 million with the potential to escalate to $20 million, though the escalation was never triggered. He was the sire of seventy-four stakes winners including Grade 1 winners Magical Maiden, Fly For Avie, and multi-millionaire Cloudy's Knight, who was voted 2007

Canadian Champion Male Turf Horse The Canadian Champion Male Turf Horse is a Canada, Canadian Thoroughbred horse racing honour that is part of the Sovereign Awards program awarded annually to the top male Thoroughbred turf horse competing in Canada. Created in 1975 by the Jockey Cl ...

. From his daughters, he is the damsire of 2007

American Champion Older Male Horse The title of American Champion Older Dirt Male Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a stallion or gelding, four years old and up, for performances on dirt and main track racing surfaces. In 1971, it became part of ...

Lawyer Ron Lawyer Ron (March 1, 2003 – July 11, 2009) was an American thoroughbred race horse. Background Lawyer Ron was bred and owned by James T. Hines, Jr., an entrepreneur who started his first companyPremium Allied Tool in Owensboro, Kentucky, in 19 ...

. Due to advancing age and declining fertility, Lord Avie was pensioned after the 2002 breeding season at

Lane's End Farm Lane's End Farm is a Thoroughbred horse breeding farm in Versailles, Kentucky established in 1979. The original land was part of Bosque Bonita Farm and was originally owned by Abraham Buford, a Confederate Army general. The land was later boug ...

near

Versailles, Kentucky Versailles is a home rule-class city in Woodford County, Kentucky, United States. It lies by road west of Lexington and is part of the Lexington-Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area. Versailles has a population of 10,534 according to 2024 ce ...

, where he had stood since 1989. By that time, he had sired 578 starters whose 429 individual winners had earned a total of $35,058,780 in their careersStaff
"Champion Lord Avie pensioned at 24"
''Thoroughbred Times'', September 17, 2002. Accessed October 9, 2009.

Pedigree

References

{{Reflist

Sources

Lord Avie's pedigree and partial racing stats

* ttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3MgTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=igYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3749,4708865&dq=lord-avie March 9, 1981 ''Ocala Star-Banner'' article titled Lord Avie "''Heads Pack In Run For The Roses''"
August 24, 1981 ''Spokane Daily Chronicle'' notice of Lord Avie's retirement
1978 racehorse births 2012 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Eclipse Award winners Thoroughbred family 1-l