Nellie Morse (1921–1941) 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 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 ...

best known as the fourth

filly A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use: *In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old. *In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States ...

to win the

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually on Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland (except in 2026 when it will move to Laurel Park (race track), Laurel Park dur ...

. After her retirement from racing, she became a successful and influential broodmare.

Background

Her sire was Luke McLuke, who won the 1914 Belmont Stakes and was a son of the important but unraced Ultimus, who was sired by Commando. From the

mare A mare is an adult female horse or other equidae, equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more th ...

La Venganza, Nellie Morse's damsire was the

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n multi-race winner Abercorn. Owned by the prominent American

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Bud Fisher, Nellie Morse was trained by Albert B. Gordon.

Racing career

Sent to the track at age two, the filly won the five- furlong Fashion Stakes at Belmont Park and was second in the Spinaway Stakes. In the Matron Stakes, she finished ahead of future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Princess Doreen but was second to Greentree Stables' winning filly Tree Top. In 1924, she won the Pimlico Oaks at Pimlico Race Course in

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. Racing against colts, on May 12, 1924, Nellie Morse won the second of what became the American Classic Races: the

. She was the fourth filly to win the Preakness since its inception fifty-one years earlier in 1873, and was the last filly winner until Rachel Alexandra won the

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. Nellie Morse then finished third - placed second via disqualification of the apparent winner Glide - to Princess Doreen in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.

Breeding record

Retired from racing to serve as a broodmare, Nellie Morse was notably mated to Reigh Count, producing Count Morse, winner of the 1937 Ben Ali Stakes and Clark Handicap. Her mating to American Flag produced the filly Nellie Flag, who was the 1934 American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly. Through Nellie Flag, her later descendants include Mark-Ye-Well, Bold Forbes and Bet Twice. Nellie Morse died in 1941 at age twenty.

Breeding

References

{{Preakness Stakes Winners 1921 racehorse births 1941 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Preakness Stakes winners Thoroughbred family 9-f