Herod (horse)

Thoroughbred racehorse infobox
horsename = Herod


caption = Herod (King Herod)
sire = Tartar
grandsire = Partner
dam = Cypron
damsire = Blaze
sex = Stallion
foaled = 1758
country = Great Britain flagicon|UK
colour = Bay
breeder = Prince William, Duke of Cumberland
owner = Prince William, Duke of Cumberland, Sir John Moore
trainer =
record =
earnings =
race =
awards =
honours =
updated = August 21, 2007

Herod (1758-May 12, 1780) was a Thoroughbred racehorse who is one of the 4 foundation lines of the classic Thoroughbred, along with Matchem, Eclipse, and his own son Highflyer

Description

Herod was a bay horse with a small star and no white on his legs, typical for descendants of the Byerly Turk. He was especially good at 4-mile distances, and had great strength.

Breeding

Bred by Prince William, Duke of Cumberland, he was by the stallion Tartar, a very good racehorse, who won many races including the Kings plate at Lichffield and the King's plate at Guildford, and the King's plate at Newmarket. In addition to Herod, he produced Thais (dam of Silvertail), Fanny (grandam to King Fergus), the O'Kelly Old Tartar mare (dam of Volunteer), and others. Herod's dam, Cypron (1750 bay filly), was bred by Sir W. St. Quintin.

Pedigree for Herod
1758 bay colt

Pedigree
name =Herod
inf =
f = Tartar
ch. 1743
m = Cypron
br. 1750
ff = Partner
ch. 1718
fm = Meliora
ch. 1729
mf = Blaze
1733
mm = Salome
blk. 1733
fff = Jigg
br/ 1701
ffm = Sister to Mixbury

fmf = Foxb. 1714
fmm = Milkmaid
1720
mff = Flying Childers
bay 1715
mfm = Mare by Confederate
1720
mmf = Bethells Arabian
~1711
mmm = Mare by Champion

ffff = Byerley Turk
fffm = Mare by Spanker
ffmf = Curwen Bay Barb
ffmm = Curwen Spot Mare
fmff = Clumsey
fmfm = Bay Peg
fmmf = Whartons Snail
fmmm = Shields Galloway
mfff = Darley Arabian
mffm = Betty Leedes
mfmf = Grey Grantham
mfmm = Drutmands Black Barb
mmff = UNKNOWN
mmfm = UNKNOWN
mmmf = Grahams Champion
mmmm = Mare by Darley Arabian|

Racing career

Herod began racing at age 5, the usual age to begin training for the time, in October 1763 winning a race on the 4-mile Beacon course at Newmarket. At age six, he won another race at Newmarket, followed by a 4-miler at Ascot and a match against Antinous over the Beacon course. When he was seven, his owner died and he was sold in a dispersal sale to Sir John Moore, and it wasn't until 1766 that he returned to the track, where won again against Antinous in a match over the same course.

His career began to close at this point, as he lost to Ascham, then to Turf, and then finished last in a race at York, after a bleeding attack. He started twice the following year, before retiring to stud.

Breeding career

Herod stood at the stud of Sir John Moore at Neather Hall, for a fee of 10 guineas. He remained there until his death on May 12, 1780, at age 22, during which time he was leading sire in Great Britain eight times, (1777 to 1784), before his son, Highflyer (1785 to 1796, 1798) and grandson Sir Peter Teazle (1799 to 1802, and 1804 to 1809) took over. Herod's male line continues today in the pedigree of the 2007 Eclipse Stakes winner, Notnowcato. His most important offspring include:

* Florizel: 1768 bay colt, won 16 races out of 23 starts. Sired Diomed, winner of the first Derby and incredibly influential sire in America.
* Woodpecker: 1773 chestnut colt, won the Craven Stakes in 1778, 1779 and 1781, and a 1400 guineas handicap sweep in 1780 and 140 guineas purse at Newmarket in 1781, both times beating Potoooooooo. Sired Buzzard (sire of Selim, sire of Sultan, sire of Glencoe), Chanticleer, and Ephemera (winner of the Oaks).
* Highflyer: 1774 bay colt, the most important son of Herod. Unbeaten in 14 races, leading sire several times, one of the 4 foundation lines of the classic Thoroughbred. Got Sir Peter Teazle, Rockingham, Delpini, Escape, St. George, and broodmare Prunella.
* Phoenomenon: won the St. Leger, leading sire
* Fortitude: sire of John Bull
* Justice: sired Rhadamanathus, Daedalus, and Trifle

ources

[http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Herod.html Thoroughbred Heritage: Herod]