Pensive (February 5, 1941 – May 20, 1948) was a bright chestnut

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 ...

that in 1944 won the first two legs of the U.S. Triple Crown. Pensive also began only the second sire line "hat trick" in the Kentucky Derby, as his son Ponder won the 1949 Derby, and Ponder's son Needles won the 1956 edition.

Background

He was sired by Hyperion, out of Penicuik II (by Buchan). Pensive was brought to the United States still ''in utero'' by Arthur B. Hancock, who then sold the mare to the owner of

Calumet Farm Calumet Farm is a Thoroughbred breeding and training farm established in 1924 in Lexington, Kentucky, United States by William Monroe Wright, founding owner of the Calumet Baking Powder Company. Calumet is located in the heart of the Bluegrass ...

, Warren Wright. Wright had inherited Calumet from his father,

William Monroe Wright William is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle Ages and into the modern era. It is ...

, president of the

Calumet Baking Powder Company The Calumet Baking Powder Company was an American food company established in 1889 in Chicago, Illinois, by William Monroe Wright to manufacture baking powder. Calumet operated independently until it was acquired by General Foods in 1929. , Calu ...

. Pensive began his training under Calumet's future

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

trainer Ben A. Jones.

Racing career

At two, Pensive raced five times, winning twice. His three losses all came in stakes races. At three, he ran a checkered season, winning and losing fairly equally. He beat older horses in the

Rowe Memorial Handicap The Rowe Memorial Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run between 1930 and 1954 at Bowie Race Track in Bowie, Maryland. A six furlong sprint run on dirt, the event was open to horses age three and older. First run on April 5, 1930, ...

, but lost to an older horse,

Tola Rose Tola Rose (foaled 1937 in Kentucky) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won several stakes races in his career but is best remembered for easily defeating U.S. Triple Crown winner Whirlaway in the 1942 running of the Butler Memorial Han ...

, in the Bowie Handicap. Tola Rose had defeated

Whirlaway Whirlaway (April 2, 1938 – April 6, 1953) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the fifth winner of the American Triple Crown. He also won the Travers Stakes after his Triple Crown sweep to become the first and only horse to ...

in the Butler Memorial Handicap. Pensive, ridden by

Conn McCreary Conn N. McCreary (June 17, 1921 - June 29, 1979) was a United States Hall of Fame jockey and trainer in Thoroughbred horse racing who won four American Classic Races. Riding career Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Conn McCreary began his professiona ...

, won 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 ...

going away by four and a half lengths. A week later, he took 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 ...

. That year, the Belmont (at the time the least of the three races), had upped its purse to $50,000. Pensive was in the lead when

Bounding Home Bounding Home (1941 – February 23, 1947) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the upset winner of the 1944 Belmont Stakes that deprived Pensive of the U.S. Triple Crown. Career Bred by foodstuffs manufacturer William Zie ...

inched by to take the race by less than half a length. Following his loss in the Belmont, Pensive lost all eight of his final starts.

Stud record

Pensive was retired to stud, producing the winner of the 1949 Kentucky Derby, Ponder. He died 13 days after Ponder's win Pensive is buried at Calumet Farm.

Breeding

References

Pensive's pedigree with photo

{{Kentucky Derby Winners 1941 racehorse births 1949 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Kentucky Derby winners Preakness Stakes winners Thoroughbred family 1-p