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Ridan (February 21, 1959 – 1977) 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 ...
who in 1961 was one of the best two-year-old colts racing in the United States but lost the 1962 U.S. Champion Three-Year-Old honors by a fraction of a nose. A full brother to 1965 U.S. Horse of the Year
Moccasin A moccasin is a shoe, made of deerskin or other soft leather, consisting of a sole (made with leather that has not been "worked") and sides made of one piece of leather, stitched together at the top, and sometimes with a vamp (additional pane ...
, Ridan was the grandson of Nasrullah, a son of
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 ...
. Trainer
Moody Jolley Moody S. Jolley (March 23, 1910 – February 4, 1976) was an American Thoroughbred horse race, thoroughbred horse racing owner, breeder and horse trainer, trainer. His son, LeRoy Jolley, LeRoy, trained Ridan and other horses owned by the family. ...
purchased him from
Claiborne Farm Claiborne Farm is a thoroughbred horse breeding operation near Paris, Kentucky. It was established in 1910 by Arthur B. Hancock, owner of Ellerslie Stud in Albemarle County, Virginia, and has been operated by members of his family ever since. ...
as a yearling. Because the colt reminded Jolley of another Nasrullah colt named Nadir, he named him Ridan, which is Nadir spelled backwards. Ernest Woods and John L. Greer each bought a one-third interest in the horse. Trained by Jolley's son LeRoy, and ridden by future U.S. Hall of Fame
jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...
Bill Hartack William John Hartack Jr. (December 9, 1932 – November 26, 2007) was an American jockey. Early life and career Referred to by the media as both "Bill" and "Willie" (Hartack detested being called "Willie") during his racing career, Hartack gr ...
, the two-year-old Ridan went unbeaten in seven starts in 1961 that included the important Arlington Futurity and
Washington Park Futurity The Washington Park Futurity Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the now defunct Washington Park Race Track in Woodlawn, Chicago. A race on dirt for two-year-olds, it was first run in 1937 as a six furlong event. Placed o ...
. Soreness in a foreleg cut short his season, and although he had handily beaten another two-year-old star, Crimson Satan, the 1961 U.S. Juvenile Champion honors went to Crimson Satan. The choice was hotly debated in racing circles. Hartack said Ridan was the best two-year-old he had ever ridden or seen. A number of expert racing observers agreed, saying that Ridan was the best two-year-old they had ever seen. The following year at age three, Ridan settled the issue, beating Crimson Satan seven more times by an average of eight lengths in each race and retiring without ever losing to him. In 1962, Ridan won the Hibiscus Stakes in record time, then 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 ...
and 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 ...
. Made the heavy favorite going into 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 ...
, Ridan wound up third after running wide in a hard-fought race in which he and Roman Line finished a neck behind upset winner Decidedly. Disappointment followed in 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 ...
, the second leg of the U.S. Triple Crown. Ridan lost by the then-narrowest, and still second-narrowest, margin in Preakness history, beaten by a nose by Brandywine Stable longshot Greek Money.


One of American Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments

In the 1962
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 ...
at the
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 ...
, Ridan lost by a fraction of a nose in track-record time to the
George D. Widener Jr. George Dunton Widener Jr. (March 11, 1889 – December 8, 1971) was an American thoroughbred racing owner and horse breeding, breeder. He raised 102 Stakes race, stakes winners, won the Travers Stakes a record-tying five times, and was the first p ...
colt
Jaipur Jaipur (; , ) is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and the List of cities and towns in Rajasthan, largest city of the north-western States and union territories of India, Indian state of Rajasthan. , the city had ...
. Still written and talked about today, the race is listed in the 2006 book ''Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments'', written by the staff of
Blood-Horse Publications Blood-Horse Publications is an American multimedia publishing house focused on horse-related magazines headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky. It began in 1916 through its flagship magazine, ''The Blood-Horse''. From 1961 to 2015, Blood-Horse Public ...
. The race result determined which colt was named the 1962 U.S. Champion Three-Year-Old Horse. At age four, Ridan raced only three times but got his revenge when he beat Jaipur, as well as the great Kelso, in the
Palm Beach Handicap The Palm Beach Handicap is a discontinued American Grade 3 Thoroughbred horse race run between 1937 and 1976 at Hialeah Park Race Track in Hialeah, Florida. Open to horses aged three and older, from inception through 1965 it was run on dirt aft ...
at
Hialeah Park 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 ...
. An ankle injury brought Ridan's racing career to an end, and he 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 * ...
in Kentucky. Only moderately successful as a
sire Sire is an archaic respectful form of address to reigning kings in Europe. In French and other languages it is less archaic and relatively more current. In Belgium, the king is addressed as "Sire..." in both Dutch and French. The words "sire" an ...
, Ridan was eventually sent to a breeding operation in
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
, where he died in 1977 from a twisted
intestine The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The tract is the largest of the body's systems, after the cardiovascular system. T ...
.


Pedigree


References

* '' Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments'' (2006)
Eclipse Press Blood-Horse Publications is an American multimedia publishing house focused on horse-related magazines headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky. It began in 1916 through its flagship magazine, ''The Blood-Horse''. From 1961 to 2015, Blood-Horse Public ...
{{ISBN, 1-58150-139-0
Thoroughbred Times article on the 1962 Travers Stakes

Ridan's pedigree and stats
1959 racehorse births 1977 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Thoroughbred family 5-h