War Relic (1938–1963) 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 ...

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Background

A homebred of Samuel D. Riddle, his sire was Man o' War who was ranked #1 in the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century. His dam was Friar's Carse, the United States' Champion Two-Year-Old Filly of 1925 who was the daughter of Friar Rock, the 1916

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over the worldwide classic distance of . Colt (horseracing), Colt ...

winner and Horse of the Year. After trainer George Conway's death on June 20, 1939, War Relic's race conditioning was taken over by Walter A. Carter.

Racing career

In 1941, the three-year-old War Relic won several top races, including the Massachusetts Handicap, and ran second by a nose to U.S. Triple Crown champion Whirlaway in the 1941 Saranac Handicap but defeated him in that year's

Narragansett Special The Narragansett Special was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Narragansett Park in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. At the time of its inaugural running in 1934, the Narragansett Special offered a Purse distribution, purse of $32,500 add ...

Stud record

According to the National Sporting Library's Thoroughbred Heritage website, War Relic was the most successful sire of any of Man o' War's sons. Among War Relic's progeny was

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who earned U.S. Champion Two-Year-Old Colt honors in 1950. Intent was another successful son of War Relic both on the racetrack and at stud. War Relic's line continues today in modern thoroughbred champions like

Tiznow Tiznow (foaled March 12, 1997 in California) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for his wins in the Breeders' Cup Classic in 2000 and 2001, becoming the only horse to win this race twice. He was the 2000 American Horse of the Year a ...

, Colonel John, Well Armed and Bertrando, providing a direct sire-line back to Man o' War. War Relic died at age twenty-five in 1963 and was buried at his owner's Faraway Farm near

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 ...

. However, War Relic's remains along with those of War Admiral and Man o' War were eventually moved to a place of honor at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Sire line tree

*War Relic **Relic ***Buisson Ardent ****Roan Rocket *****Tudor Rocket ***El Relicario ****UN Prince *****Flambeau C *** Polic **** Polyfoto ***Mystic II **** Babamist *****

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*****Snowy River ****Bewley's Hill ****Freeman's Hill *** Olden Times **** Roving Boy ***Pericles ***Pieces of Eight **** Stateff **Battlefield **Intent *** Intentionally **** In Reality *****Valid AppealAmerican Classic Pedigree: Valid Appeal
/ref> ***** Believe It *****Classic Trial ***** Relaunch ***** Known Fact *****Court Trial *****Star Choice *****Sunshine Today *****

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*****Proper Reality **** TentamAmerican Classic Pedigree: Tentam
/ref> *****Great Neck *****A Phenomenon *****Diapason *****New Connection *****Ten Gold Pots ****Group Plan **Missle

References

{{reflist 1938 racehorse births 1963 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Thoroughbred family 1-o Godolphin Arabian sire line