Native Charger was an American-bred

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...

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 ...

and son of Champion Thoroughbred

Native Dancer Native Dancer (March 27, 1950 – November 16, 1967), nicknamed the ''Gray Ghost'', was one of the most celebrated and accomplished Thoroughbred racehorses in American history and was the first horse made famous through the medium of television. ...

that competed in the

1965 Kentucky Derby The 1965 Kentucky Derby was the 91st running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 1, 1965. Full results References

Kentucky Derby races, 1965 1965 in horse racing, Kentucky Derby 1965 in sports in Kentucky, Derby 1965 in ...

and

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held on Armed Forces Day which is also the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs ...

after winning two prep races that same year. Native Charger, like his sire, was a

gray Grey (more common in British English) or gray (more common in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning literally that it is "without color", because it can be composed ...

, speckled colt bred by

Hubert B. Phipps Hubert Beaumont Phipps (November 12, 1905 – August 15, 1969) was a Virginia publisher and editor as well as a breeder of thoroughbred horses and purebred cattle. He was a member of the prominent Phipps family who made a fortune in steel ...

and owned by the Warner Stable of Hollywood film mogul

Albert Warner Abraham "Albert" Warner (born Aaron Wonsal, July 23, 1884Sperling, Millner, and Warner (1998), Warner Family Tree. – November 26, 1967) was an American film executive who was one of the founders of Warner Bros. He established the production st ...

. His dam, Greek Blond, finished in the money in 19 of 25 starts. He was a half-brother to noted sire

Raise a Native Raise a Native (April 18, 1961 – July 28, 1988) was an undefeated Thoroughbred racehorse that was named 1963 champion two-year-old colt in the Turf and Sport Digest poll and was the highest rated juvenile in the Experimental Free Handicap. He s ...

and

Dancer's Image Dancer's Image (April 10, 1965 – December 26, 1992) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the first winner in the history of the Kentucky Derby to be disqualified. Background Dancer's Image was a gray horse owned and bred by businessm ...

, who crossed the line first in the

1968 Kentucky Derby The 1968 Kentucky Derby was the 94th running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 4, 1968. The race was the first Kentucky Derby in which the winning horse was subsequently disqualified. Dancer's Image won the race, but was disqual ...

but was disqualified.

Racing record

Native Charger ran frequently as a 2-year-old with limited success, winning only three times in 13 starts. One of those wins was in the

Tyro Stakes The Tyro Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually near in July at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. A non-graded stakes race offering a current purse of $60,000, it is open to two-year-old horses weighted at 122 p ...

Monmouth Park 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 ...

. Like his sire, he closed quickly over the tiring favorite, Golden Joey, and beat Time Tested by a half length. The time was 1:03 3/5, only one‐fifth of a second slower than the track record. As a 3-year-old, Native Charger surprised horse racing fans with a win in the

Flamingo Stakes The Flamingo Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run over a distance of a mile and one-eighth. Run as the Florida Derby until 1937, the inaugural event took place at Tampa Downs on February 27, 1926. There was ...

, defeating Sparkling Johnny by a half length. Staying in Florida, he repeated his performance by winning 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 Satu ...

by a neck over

Hail To All Hail To All (foaled 1962) was an American thoroughbred racehorse which won the 1965 Belmont Stakes. Background Hail to All was a bay horse bred at Styles Colwill's Halcyon Farm in Maryland. He was sired by Hail To Reason, out of the mare Elle ...

. His victories thrust him into the Kentucky Derby spotlight, where he was considered one of the favorites behind

Bold Lad Bold Lad (1962–1986) was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. Background Bold Lad bred and raced by Gladys Phipps and her brother Ogden L. Mills under their Wheatley Stable banner. His sire was eight-time leading sire in North Americ ...

, but finished second in his final Derby tuneup, the

Stepping Stone Stepping stone(s) may refer to: * Stepping stones, stones placed to allow pedestrians to cross a watercourse Places * Stepping Stone, Virginia, US, an unincorporated community * Stepping Stones (islands), Antarctic and sub-Antarctic Buildings ...

one week before the Derby. He was blocked by horses in the backstretch and had to angle out to find running room, losing ground. He finished 1 3/4 lengths behind

Tom Rolfe Tom Rolfe (April 14, 1962 – June 12, 1989) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was the leading colt of his generation in the United States, winning the Preakness Stakes and being voted American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Hor ...

. In the Kentucky Derby, Native Charger was bumped early by Narushua, but recovered and managed to finish fourth behind winner

Lucky Debonair Lucky Debonair (May 2, 1962 – July 10, 1987) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1965 Kentucky Derby. Background He was bred by owners Dan and Ada Rice of Wheaton, Illinois at their Danada Farm satellite operation ...

. He ran in the

Preakness Preakness may refer to: * The Preakness or Preakness Stakes, an American flat thoroughbred horse race held in Baltimore, Maryland * Preakness (horse), an American thoroughbred racehorse from Preakness Stables * Preakness, New Jersey, a section of W ...

two weeks later, and the result was the same, as he finished fourth, this time behind Tom Rolfe. In uncharacteristic fashion, Native Charger went for the lead early but faded in the stretch.Preakness Race Chart, (Rochester) Democrat and Chronicle, May 16, 1965. He bowed a tendon in the race, ending his career. He finished the year with two wins, one second and one third in seven starts, and ended his career with 5 wins, 5 seconds and 2 thirds in 20 starts.

Stud record

When he retired, Native Charger stood at Mare Haven Farm in

Ocala Ocala ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Marion County within the northern region of Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city's population was 63,591, making it the 54th most populated city in Florida. Home t ...

, Fla. for a fee of $5,000. He sired 1970

American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly The American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a female horse in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971. The award originated in 1936 when both ...

Forward Gal Forward Gal (foaled 1968 in Florida) was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. Out of the mare, Forward Thrust, she was sired by Florida Derby winner Native Charger who also sired 1970 Belmont Stakes winner High Echelon. Bred by Abraham S ...

and 1970 Belmont Stakes winner High Echelon. He was also damsire of

1982 Preakness Stakes The 1982 Preakness Stakes was the 107th running of the $300,000 Grade 1 Preakness Stakes thoroughbred horse race. The race took place on May 15, 1982, and was televised in the United States on the ABC television network. Aloma's Ruler, who was joc ...

winner

Aloma's Ruler Aloma's Ruler (1979–2003) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the second leg of the 1982 U.S. Triple Crown series, the Preakness Stakes. Background Aloma's Ruler was purchased for $92,000 at the 1981 Hialeah, Florida sale of two- ...

Pedigree

References

{{Reflist 1962 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Thoroughbred family 8-h

Racing record

Stud record

Pedigree

See also

References