The Bard (American horse)

American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

The Bard

Harper's Weekly (May 31, 1890)

Sire| Longfellow
Grandsire| Leamington
Dam| Bradamante
Damsire| War Dance
Sex| Stallion
Foaled| 1883
Country| United States
Colour| Bay
Breeder| Charles Reed
Owner| Alexander J. Cassatt
Trainer| John Huggins
Record| 47: 27–9–4
Earnings| US$84,990
Major wins
Red Bank Stakes (1885)
Bouquet Stakes (1885)
Capital Stakes (1885)
Omnibus Stakes (1886)
Barnegat Stakes (1886)
Spindrift Stakes (1886)
Dixie Handicap (1886)
Freehold Stakes (1886, 1887)
September Stakes (1886)
Jerome Handicap (1886)
Coney Island Stakes (1887)
St. James Hotel Stakes (1887, 1888)
Brooklyn Handicap (1888)
Brooklyn Cup (1888)

American Classics wins:
Preakness Stakes (1886)

Awards
Thoroughbred Heritage Champions:[1]
American Co-Champion Three-Year-Old Colt (1886)
American Co-Champion Older Male Horse
(1887, 1888)

Last updated on April 12, 2020

The Bard (1883–1907) was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. He was the most popular horse of his day and one who raced and beat many leading American horses. His biggest win was the 1886 Preakness Stakes.

## Background

[edit]

Bred by Charles Reed, owner of the Fairview Stud Farm in Gallatin, Tennessee, his dam was Bradamante and his sire was the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Longfellow, who was the Leading sire in North America in 1891. The Bard was purchased and raced by Alexander Cassatt, President of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and, in racing, the owner of Chesterbrook Farm in Berwyn, Pennsylvania and President of Monmouth Park Racetrack. He was trained by John Huggins.

## Racing career

[edit]

The Bard raced at age two in 1885, notably winning the Red Bank Stakes at Monmouth Park,[1] the Bouquet Stakes at Sheepshead Bay Race Track, and the Capital Stakes at the Ivy City Racetrack in Washington, D.C.

As a three-year-old, The Bard developed into a top competitor. In the pre-United States Triple Crown era, he won the 1886 Preakness Stakes[2] and finished second in the Belmont Stakes.[3] The following year, The Bard's performances led to his being recognized as the best Older Male in America in 1887, despite missing much of the second half of the year with a life-threatening illness.[4] His popularity at the time was such that regular bulletins of his condition were released and published by major newspapers across the country.[5]

Recovered from his illness, The Bard returned to dominate American racing in the first half of 1888. In a much anticipated event, on May 15 he defeated Hanover to win the 1888 Brooklyn Handicap.[6] Eleven days later on May 26, The Bard met Hanover again in the 1½ mile Brooklyn Cup at Gravesend Race Track on Coney Island.The field also included Lucky Baldwin's highly regarded California colt, Volante. The following day's New York Times headline was "The Bard Wins The Cup; He Is America's Greatest Race Horse".[7] The Bard lost his only race of 1888 when he injured a hind leg in the August 2, 1888, Freehold Stakes, which was won by Firenze at Long Branch Racetrack. On April 4, 1889, the New York Times reported that: "The Bard may not be seen on the turf again this year, owing to the trouble with his leg, which caused him to stop racing suddenly last year." Although his owner hoped he might recover in time to compete in the Brooklyn Derby and Suburban Handicap, the injury was serious enough that he would never race again.

From 1885 through 1888, The Bard won 27 races and earned $84,990.[8]

## Stud career

[edit]

On May 16, 1889 the Times again wrote that The Bard had still not raced and later reports show him standing at stud at his owner's Pennsylvania breeding farm.

The mainstay of Alexander Cassat's horse breeding operation, and after his death in 1906, for his son Edward, The Bard sired a number of successful runners including Gold Heels, the 1902 American Champion Older Male Horse, and the filly, Poetess, winner of the 1897 Alabama Stakes.

The Bard died in 1907.[9][10]

## Pedigree

[edit]

Pedigree of The Bard  Sire
Longfellow | Leamington | Faugh-a-Ballagh | Sir Hercules

|
|
|

Guiccioli
Pantaloon Mare  | Pantaloon
Daphne
Nantura  | Brawner's Eclipse  | American Eclipse
Henry Mare
Quix  | Bertrand
Lady Fortune
Dam
Bradamante  | War Dance  | Lexington | Boston
Alice Carneal
Reel | Glencoe
Gallopade
Brenna  | Knight of St. George  | Birdcatcher
Maltese
Levity  | Trustee
Tranby Mare

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Surprises At Monmouth; The Favorite A Victor In Only One Of The Races. The Bard, Katrine, And Heel And Toe Capture Purses--A Programme Of Short Races. Helped By A Foul. A Big Purse For The Bard. Katrine's Maiden Victory. Heel And Toe's Backers Pleased. The Favorite Left At The Post. The Steeplechase". The New York Times. July 31, 1885.
2. ^ "Winning Racing Honors" (PDF). The New York Times. May 22, 1886. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
3. ^ "All About The Bard". The New York Times. March 28, 1887. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
4. ^ "A Great Horse Dying". The New York Times. August 20, 1887. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
5. ^ "The Bard's Illness". The New York Times. August 19, 1887. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
6. ^ "The Bard Beats Hanover". The New York Times. May 16, 1888. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
7. ^ "The Bard Wins The Cup". The New York Times. May 27, 1888. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
8. ^ "Chat About The Racers" (PDF). New York Times. March 18, 1889. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
9. ^ The American Stud Book, Volume X. New York: The Jockey Club. 1910. p. 1324.
10. ^ "Great Horse The Bard Dead". The New York Times. February 7, 1908. Retrieved December 10, 2011.

* v
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Preakness Stakes winners

* 1873 Survivor
* 1874 Culpepper
* 1875 Tom Ochiltree
* 1876 Shirley
* 1877 Cloverbrook
* 1878 Duke of Magenta
* 1879 Harold
* 1880 Grenada
* 1881 Saunterer
* 1882 Vanguard
* 1883 Jacobus
* 1884 Knight of Ellerslie
* 1885 Tecumseh
* 1886 The Bard
* 1887 Dunboyne
* 1888 Refund
* 1889 Buddhist
* 1890 Montague
* 1894 Assignee
* 1895 Belmar
* 1896 Margrave
* 1897 Paul Kauvar
* 1898 Sly Fox
* 1899 Half Time
* 1900 Hindus
* 1901 The Parader
* 1902 Old England
* 1903 Flocarline ♥
* 1904 Bryn Mawr
* 1905 Cairngorm
* 1906 Whimsical ♥
* 1907 Don Enrique
* 1908 Royal Tourist
* 1909 Effendi
* 1910 Layminster
* 1911 Watervale
* 1912 Colonel Holloway
* 1913 Buskin
* 1914 Holiday
* 1915 Rhine Maiden ♥
* 1916 Damrosch
* 1917 Kalitan
* 1918 War Cloud
* 1918 Jack Hare Jr.
* 1919 Sir Barton ₩
* 1920 Man o' War
* 1921 Broomspun
* 1922 Pillory
* 1923 Vigil
* 1924 Nellie Morse ♥
* 1925 Coventry
* 1926 Display
* 1927 Bostonian
* 1928 Victorian
* 1929 Dr. Freeland
* 1930 Gallant Fox ₩
* 1931 Mate
* 1932 Burgoo King
* 1933 Head Play
* 1934 High Quest
* 1935 Omaha ₩
* 1936 Bold Venture
* 1937 War Admiral ₩
* 1938 Dauber
* 1939 Challedon
* 1940 Bimelech
* 1941 Whirlaway ₩
* 1942 Alsab
* 1943 Count Fleet ₩
* 1944 Pensive
* 1945 Polynesian
* 1946 Assault ₩
* 1947 Faultless
* 1948 Citation ₩
* 1949 Capot
* 1950 Hill Prince
* 1951 Bold
* 1952 Blue Man
* 1953 Native Dancer
* 1954 Hasty Road
* 1955 Nashua
* 1956 Fabius
* 1957 Bold Ruler
* 1958 Tim Tam
* 1959 Royal Orbit
* 1960 Bally Ache
* 1961 Carry Back
* 1962 Greek Money
* 1963 Candy Spots
* 1964 Northern Dancer
* 1965 Tom Rolfe
* 1966 Kauai King
* 1967 Damascus
* 1968 Forward Pass
* 1969 Majestic Prince
* 1970 Personality
* 1971 Canonero II
* 1972 Bee Bee Bee
* 1973 Secretariat ₩
* 1974 Little Current
* 1975 Master Derby
* 1976 Elocutionist
* 1977 Seattle Slew ₩
* 1978 Affirmed ₩
* 1979 Spectacular Bid
* 1980 Codex
* 1981 Pleasant Colony
* 1982 Aloma's Ruler
* 1983 Deputed Testamony
* 1984 Gate Dancer
* 1985 Tank's Prospect
* 1986 Snow Chief
* 1987 Alysheba
* 1988 Risen Star
* 1989 Sunday Silence
* 1990 Summer Squall
* 1991 Hansel
* 1992 Pine Bluff
* 1993 Prairie Bayou
* 1994 Tabasco Cat
* 1995 Timber Country
* 1996 Louis Quatorze
* 1997 Silver Charm
* 1998 Real Quiet
* 1999 Charismatic
* 2000 Red Bullet
* 2001 Point Given
* 2002 War Emblem
* 2003 Funny Cide
* 2004 Smarty Jones
* 2005 Afleet Alex
* 2006 Bernardini
* 2007 Curlin
* 2008 Big Brown
* 2009 Rachel Alexandra ♥
* 2010 Lookin At Lucky
* 2011 Shackleford
* 2012 I'll Have Another
* 2013 Oxbow
* 2014 California Chrome
* 2015 American Pharoah ₩
* 2016 Exaggerator
* 2017 Cloud Computing
* 2018 Justify ₩
* 2019 War of Will
* 2020 Swiss Skydiver ♥
* 2021 Rombauer
* 2022 Early Voting
* 2023 National Treasure
* 2024 Seize the Grey

Legend – ₩ = Triple Crown Winners, ♥ = Filly
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