Johnstown (horse)

American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Johnstown

Sire| Jamestown
Grandsire| St. James
Dam| La France
Damsire| Sir Gallahad III
Sex| Stallion
Foaled| 1936
Country| United States
Color| Bay
Breeder| Arthur B. Hancock
Owner| Belair Stud
Trainer| Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons
Record| 21: 14-0-3
Earnings| $169,315
Major wins
Nursery Handicap (1938)
Breeders' Futurity (1938)
Remsen Handicap (1938)
Wood Memorial Stakes (1939)
Dwyer Stakes (1939)
Withers Stakes (1939)
Paumonok Handicap (1939)
American Classic Race wins:
Kentucky Derby (1939)
Belmont Stakes (1939)
Honors
United States Racing and Hall of Fame (1992)
#73 - Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
Last updated on November 16, 2006

Johnstown (March 12, 1936 – May 14, 1950) was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse who won two out of every three races he competed in.

## Background

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Johnstown was a bay horse bred at Claiborne Farm. He was purchased by William Woodward Sr. and raced under his Belair Stable banner.

## Racing career

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After a successful season racing at age two when he won seven of his twelve starts, in the spring of 1939 Johnstown gave trainer Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons his third straight Wood Memorial Stakes, an important stepping stone to the U.S. Triple Crown races.

The heavy favorite going into the Kentucky Derby, Johnstown got off to a slow start under jockey James Stout, then he took command by the mile pole and defeated Challedon by eight lengths, tying the (still current, 2015) record for margin of victory.[1] In the Preakness Stakes, it came up muddy (he never raced on an off-track before or after), and Johnstown finished 5th to winner Challedon. With Challedon not eligible for the Belmont Stakes, Johnstown easily won the final leg of the U.S. Triple Crown races. He later won several more important races and wound up his highly successful season with seven wins in nine starts.

## Stud record

[edit]

Retired to stud at Claiborne Farm, Johnstown met with modest success as a sire, producing winners of only six stakes races. However, he was a leading broodmare sire during the 1950s with his most famous offspring being Hall of Famer Nashua.

Johnstown died in 1950 at the age of fourteen and was buried in the equine cemetery at Claiborne Farm. He was posthumously inducted into the United States' National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1992. His portrait by artist Martin Stainforth can be seen as part of the museum's equine collection.

## Pedigree

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Pedigree of Johnstown, chestnut stallion, 1936  Sire
Jamestown | St. James  | Ambassador  | Dark Ronald

|
|
|

Excellezza
Bobolink  | Willonyx
Chelandry
Mlle. Dazie  | Fair Play | Hastings
Fairy Gold
Toggery  | Rock Sand
Tea's Over
Dam
La France  | Sir Gallahad | Teddy | Ajax
Rondeau
Plucky Liege | Spearmint
Concertina
Flambette  | Durbar | Rabelais
Armenia
La Flambee  | Ajax
Medeah (family: 17-b)

## See also

[edit]

* List of racehorses

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Margins" (PDF). Churchill Downs Incorporated. 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-10-07. Retrieved 2015-11-15.

* Johnstown's pedigree and racing stats
* Details of Johnstown's 1939 Kentucky Derby victory
* Johnstown at the United States' National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame

* v
* t
* e

Kentucky Derby winners

* 1875 Aristides
* 1876 Vagrant
* 1877 Baden-Baden
* 1878 Day Star
* 1879 Lord Murphy
* 1880 Fonso
* 1881 Hindoo
* 1882 Apollo
* 1883 Leonatus
* 1884 Buchanan
* 1885 Joe Cotton
* 1886 Ben Ali
* 1887 Montrose
* 1888 Macbeth II
* 1889 Spokane
* 1890 Riley
* 1891 Kingman
* 1892 Azra
* 1893 Lookout
* 1894 Chant
* 1895 Halma
* 1896 Ben Brush
* 1897 Typhoon II
* 1898 Plaudit
* 1899 Manuel
* 1900 Lieut. Gibson
* 1901 His Eminence
* 1902 Alan-a-Dale
* 1903 Judge Himes
* 1904 Elwood
* 1905 Agile
* 1906 Sir Huon
* 1907 Pink Star
* 1908 Stone Street
* 1909 Wintergreen
* 1910 Donau
* 1911 Meridian
* 1912 Worth
* 1913 Donerail
* 1914 Old Rosebud
* 1915 Regret ♥
* 1916 George Smith
* 1917 Omar Khayyam
* 1918 Exterminator
* 1919 Sir Barton ₩
* 1920 Paul Jones
* 1921 Behave Yourself
* 1922 Morvich
* 1923 Zev
* 1924 Black Gold
* 1925 Flying Ebony
* 1926 Bubbling Over
* 1927 Whiskery
* 1928 Reigh Count
* 1929 Clyde Van Dusen
* 1930 Gallant Fox ₩
* 1931 Twenty Grand
* 1932 Burgoo King
* 1933 Brokers Tip
* 1934 Cavalcade
* 1935 Omaha ₩
* 1936 Bold Venture
* 1937 War Admiral ₩
* 1938 Lawrin
* 1939 Johnstown
* 1940 Gallahadion
* 1941 Whirlaway ₩
* 1942 Shut Out
* 1943 Count Fleet ₩
* 1944 Pensive
* 1945 Hoop Jr.
* 1946 Assault ₩
* 1947 Jet Pilot
* 1948 Citation ₩
* 1949 Ponder
* 1950 Middleground
* 1951 Count Turf
* 1952 Hill Gail
* 1953 Dark Star
* 1954 Determine
* 1955 Swaps
* 1956 Needles
* 1957 Iron Liege
* 1958 Tim Tam
* 1959 Tomy Lee
* 1960 Venetian Way
* 1961 Carry Back
* 1962 Decidedly
* 1963 Chateaugay
* 1964 Northern Dancer
* 1965 Lucky Debonair
* 1966 Kauai King
* 1967 Proud Clarion
* 1968 Forward Pass (Dancer's Image disqualified)
* 1969 Majestic Prince
* 1970 Dust Commander
* 1971 Canonero II
* 1972 Riva Ridge
* 1973 Secretariat ₩
* 1974 Cannonade
* 1975 Foolish Pleasure
* 1976 Bold Forbes
* 1977 Seattle Slew ₩
* 1978 Affirmed ₩
* 1979 Spectacular Bid
* 1980 Genuine Risk ♥
* 1981 Pleasant Colony
* 1982 Gato Del Sol
* 1983 Sunny's Halo
* 1984 Swale
* 1985 Spend a Buck
* 1986 Ferdinand
* 1987 Alysheba
* 1988 Winning Colors ♥
* 1989 Sunday Silence
* 1990 Unbridled
* 1991 Strike the Gold
* 1992 Lil E. Tee
* 1993 Sea Hero
* 1994 Go for Gin
* 1995 Thunder Gulch
* 1996 Grindstone
* 1997 Silver Charm
* 1998 Real Quiet
* 1999 Charismatic
* 2000 Fusaichi Pegasus
* 2001 Monarchos
* 2002 War Emblem
* 2003 Funny Cide
* 2004 Smarty Jones
* 2005 Giacomo
* 2006 Barbaro
* 2007 Street Sense
* 2008 Big Brown
* 2009 Mine That Bird
* 2010 Super Saver
* 2011 Animal Kingdom
* 2012 I'll Have Another
* 2013 Orb
* 2014 California Chrome
* 2015 American Pharoah ₩
* 2016 Nyquist
* 2017 Always Dreaming
* 2018 Justify ₩
* 2019 Country House (Maximum Security disqualified)
* 2020 Authentic
* 2021 Mandaloun (Medina Spirit disqualified)
* 2022 Rich Strike
* 2023 Mage
* 2024 Mystik Dan
* 2025 Sovereignty

Legend – ₩ = Triple Crown winners, ♥ = Filly

* v
* t
* e

Belmont Stakes winners

* 1867 Ruthless ♥
* 1868 General Duke
* 1869 Fenian
* 1870 Kingfisher
* 1871 Harry Bassett
* 1872 Joe Daniels
* 1873 Springbok
* 1874 Saxon
* 1875 Calvin
* 1876 Algerine
* 1877 Cloverbrook
* 1878 Duke Of Magenta
* 1879 Spendthrift
* 1880 Grenada
* 1881 Saunterer
* 1882 Forester
* 1883 George Kinney
* 1884 Panique
* 1885 Tyrant
* 1886 Inspector B
* 1887 Hanover
* 1888 Sir Dixon
* 1889 Eric
* 1890 Burlington
* 1891 Foxford
* 1892 Patron
* 1893 Commanche
* 1894 Henry of Navarre
* 1895 Belmar
* 1896 Hastings
* 1897 Scottish Chieftain
* 1898 Bowling Brook
* 1899 Jean Bereaud
* 1900 Ildrim
* 1901 Commando
* 1902 Masterman
* 1903 Africander
* 1904 Delhi
* 1905 Tanya ♥
* 1906 Burgomaster
* 1907 Peter Pan
* 1908 Colin
* 1909 Joe Madden
* 1910 Sweep
* 1913 Prince Eugene
* 1914 Luke McLuke
* 1915 The Finn
* 1916 Friar Rock
* 1917 Hourless
* 1918 Johren
* 1919 Sir Barton ₩
* 1920 Man o' War
* 1921 Grey Lag
* 1922 Pillory
* 1923 Zev
* 1924 Mad Play
* 1925 American Flag
* 1926 Crusader
* 1927 Chance Shot
* 1928 Vito
* 1929 Blue Larkspur
* 1930 Gallant Fox ₩
* 1931 Twenty Grand
* 1932 Faireno
* 1933 Hurryoff
* 1934 Peace Chance
* 1935 Omaha ₩
* 1936 Granville
* 1937 War Admiral ₩
* 1938 Pasteurized
* 1939 Johnstown
* 1940 Bimelech
* 1941 Whirlaway ₩
* 1942 Shut Out
* 1943 Count Fleet ₩
* 1944 Bounding Home
* 1945 Pavot
* 1946 Assault ₩
* 1947 Phalanx
* 1948 Citation ₩
* 1949 Capot
* 1950 Middleground
* 1951 Counterpoint
* 1952 One Count
* 1953 Native Dancer
* 1954 High Gun
* 1955 Nashua
* 1956 Needles
* 1957 Gallant Man
* 1958 Cavan
* 1959 Sword Dancer
* 1960 Celtic Ash
* 1961 Sherluck
* 1962 Jaipur
* 1963 Chateaugay
* 1964 Quadrangle
* 1965 Hail To All
* 1966 Amberoid
* 1967 Damascus
* 1968 Stage Door Johnny
* 1969 Arts and Letters
* 1970 High Echelon
* 1971 Pass Catcher
* 1972 Riva Ridge
* 1973 Secretariat ₩
* 1974 Little Current
* 1975 Avatar
* 1976 Bold Forbes
* 1977 Seattle Slew ₩
* 1978 Affirmed ₩
* 1979 Coastal
* 1980 Temperence Hill
* 1981 Summing
* 1982 Conquistador Cielo
* 1983 Caveat
* 1984 Swale
* 1985 Creme Fraiche
* 1986 Danzig Connection
* 1987 Bet Twice
* 1988 Risen Star
* 1989 Easy Goer
* 1990 Go and Go
* 1991 Hansel
* 1992 A.P. Indy
* 1993 Colonial Affair
* 1994 Tabasco Cat
* 1995 Thunder Gulch
* 1996 Editor's Note
* 1997 Touch Gold
* 1998 Victory Gallop
* 1999 Lemon Drop Kid
* 2000 Commendable
* 2001 Point Given
* 2002 Sarava
* 2003 Empire Maker
* 2004 Birdstone
* 2005 Afleet Alex
* 2006 Jazil
* 2007 Rags to Riches ♥
* 2008 Da' Tara
* 2009 Summer Bird
* 2010 Drosselmeyer
* 2011 Ruler on Ice
* 2012 Union Rags
* 2013 Palace Malice
* 2014 Tonalist
* 2015 American Pharoah ₩
* 2016 Creator
* 2017 Tapwrit
* 2018 Justify ₩
* 2019 Sir Winston
* 2020 Tiz the Law
* 2021 Essential Quality
* 2022 Mo Donegal
* 2023 Arcangelo
* 2024 Dornoch
* 2025 Sovereignty

Legend – ₩ = Triple Crown Winners, ♥ = Filly
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