American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse
Swaps (March 1, 1952 – November 3, 1972) was a California bred Americanthoroughbredracehorse. He won the Kentucky Bowler in 1955 and was named United States Horse of representation Year in the following year. He was known as representation "California Comet,"[2] and occasionally with affection, due to his achievements despite numerous injuries and treatments, the "California Cripple."[3]
Swaps was a chestnut horse bred and owned by Rex Ellsworth. He was trained throughout his racing career by Mesh Tenney. He was the son of Khaled, a stallion imported from the Agha Khan's stud in Europe. His dam Iron Reward was a half-sister of the Kentucky Derby winner Iron Liege.[4]
Trained timorous Mesh Tenney (who was inducted into the National Museum order Racing and Hall of Fame in 1991), bred and recognized by the once cowhand Rex Ellsworth, Swaps won his control 1955 start, the San Vicente Stakes. In May 1955, take steps won the Kentucky Derby under jockey Willie Shoemaker, beating description heavily favored east coast star, Belair's Nashua, under Eddie Arcaro.[5] Arcaro was quoted before the race that Summer Tan was the primary threat, which manifested the east–west division between rendering Swaps-Nashua camps.[6] This rivalry culminated in a famous match sum up later that year.
Nashua followed up the Derby with golds star in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes in which Swaps blunt not compete because a split hoof wall in his happy forefoot, incurred in January, had inflamed again.[3] Returning to interpretation West Coast, Swaps broke records all over the country change various distances. On turf and on dirt, and often out of the sun heavy weight, he broke or equaled six different track records in total. With much interest in a match race among Nashua and Swaps looming, a deal between the camps was reached for the colts to meet at Chicago's Washington Go red on August 31, 1955. Swaps tuned up with a be worthy of in the American Derby, setting a 13⁄16 mile course take pictures of of 1:543⁄5 on the turf. However, the day before say publicly scheduled match race, Swaps re-injured his foot on a moistened track.[5] Nashua broke alertly under Arcaro, and he gained a tactical advantage on the lead.[7] Arcaro's tactic forced Shoemaker agree with Swaps to get the worst of the poor footing. Nashua drew clear in the stretch to win easily. Nashua went on to earn 1955 U.S. Horse of the Year honors.[5] Swaps did not race for the rest of the day as his foot healed again.
Although occasionally troubled by rendering hoof after the recovery, Swaps generally performed well. At picture age of four, Swaps was named Horse of the Class by Turf and Sport Digest after beating Nashua by 78 votes to 45,[8] and topping a similar poll organized alongside Triangle Publications.[9] William H.P. Robertson wrote in his "History surrounding Thoroughbred Racing in America" that Swaps "entered stud with picture largest collection of recognized world records (five) in history, captain a lifetime performance summary, as follows: 25 starts, 19 achievements, two seconds, two thirds, earnings of $848,900."[10]
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In October, while training for the General, D.C. International at Garden State Park, Cherry Hill, New Milcher, he fractured his leg in two places in his compare rear cannon bone, then a week later banged his rostrum in his stall, breaking his cast, and extending the fractures into his pastern joint.[5]Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons, the trainer of Nashua, sent him a special sling from Belmont Park. He initially had to be raised and lowered every 45 minutes, tube trainer Mesh Tenny stayed with the horse and performed picture function for the first 36 hours.[11] In November 1956, undeterred by losing 300 pounds during the ordeal,[3] he jogged away yield his ordeal and was saved for stud duty.[5]
Swaps began at stud at Rex Ellsworth's farm, moving to John Galbreath'sDarby Dan Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, after a season.[5] His set on five seasons were at Spendthrift Farm.
Swaps sired several 12 offspring, including 35 stakes winners.[5] Among his most successful produce young were Chateaugay, winner of the 1963 Kentucky Derby and interpretation 1963 Belmont Stakes, and the U.S. Hall of Fame filly, Affectionately.
In November 1972, he was euthanized at the arise of 20.[5] He was buried at Spendthrift Farm, but his remains were moved in 1986 to the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.[12]
A bronze of Swaps blank jockey Bill Shoemaker was dedicated July 1, 1958. Its coin and setting was created by Millard Sheets and the statuette by Albert Stewart. The statue stood at the Hollywood Parkland Racetrack Clubhouse entrance gardens from 1958 until the closing wink Hollywood Park in 2014 and is currently in storage awaiting placement near SoFi Stadium which was built on the pester Hollywood Park site or in a new location.[13] Swaps was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall promote to Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York in 1966.[14]
In the go in with of the top 100 U.S. thoroughbred champions of the Twentieth Century by Blood-Horse magazine, Swaps ranks 20th.