| Leamington | |
|---|---|
 Leamington fromWallace's Monthly Magazine, July 1877 | |
| Sire | Faugh-a-Ballagh |
| Grandsire | Sir Hercules |
| Dam | Pantaloon Mare (14) (1841) |
| Damsire | Pantaloon |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1853 |
| Country | Great Britain |
| Colour | Brown |
| Breeder | Mr. Halford |
| Owner | Mr. Higgins |
| Record | 25 starts, 8 places[1] |
| Earnings | £8,790[1] |
| Major wins | |
| Woodcote Stakes (1855) Chesterfield Stakes (1855) Stewards' Cup (1856) Goodwood Stakes (1857) Chester Cup (1857, 1859) | |
| Awards | |
| Leading sire in North America (1875, 1877, 1879, 1881) | |
| Last updated on 1 August 2011 | |
Leamington (1853–1878) was a champion AmericanThoroughbredracehorse and an influential sire in theUnited States during the second half of the nineteenth century.
Leamington was a brown horse bred in England by Mr. Halford. Leamington was by the top racehorse and sireFaugh-a-Ballagh (by Sir Hercules). His dam was an unnamed mare by Pantaloon who was bred by the Marquis of Westminster.[2]
Halford began racing him at age two, and then sold him to a Mr. Higgins. Leamington won theWoodcote Stakes at Warwick and theChesterfield Stakes before retiring for the year.
As a three-year-old, he was planning to run the colt inThe Derby, but he contractedstrangles, and this affected his whole three-year-old season. However, his owners and trainers appeared to have planned his losses to help keep his handicap weight down. After losing four small races and carrying little weight, he won the Wolverhampton, before losing several more. He was then "allowed" to win theStewards' Cup carrying only 98 pounds (44 kg).
Leamington's four-year-old season began with the 2.25 mileChester Cup. Leamington only carried 93 pounds (42 kg), due to his poor reputation gained as a three-year-old, and he easily won the race. The colt then came fourth at theAscot Gold Cup. He went on to theGoodwood Stakes, carrying only 118 pounds (54 kg) with odds of 100 to 3, and easily won the race by a length. His owners won quite a bit of money from wagering on him that day, after their longshot with 100 to 3 odds beat out a field of 19. However, his win earned him top weight of 131 pounds (59 kg) at his next race, the Chesterfield Cup, and he could not hold out.
Leamington only made one start as a five-year-old, carrying 130 pounds (59 kg) as the handicapper realized how Leamington's owners had been manipulating his races. The weight was too much for Leamington to carry and he couldn't win.
Leamigton had a successful start to his six-year-old season, easily winning theChester Cup against a good field. He finished second in his next race, theGold Vase atAscot Racecourse.
In his final race of the season, theGoodwood Cup, Leamington injured his right foreleg.
Leamington trained up forThe Whip Stakes, a strenuous four-mile race. He broke down while preparing for the race, and was retired to stud at Rawcliffe Paddocks.
Leamington sired 19 winners of 42 races while at Rawcliffe. He was then purchased by the CanadianRoderick W. Cameron for £1,575, and stood at GeneralAbe Buford'sBosque Bonita Stud nearVersailles, Kentucky for the 1866 season. He bred only thirteen mares, but produced an outstanding crop of foals, includingLongfellow, Enquirer, Lyttleton, Lynchburg, Anna Mace, and Miss Alice.
Cameron then sent the stallion to his own Clifton Stud onStaten Island. He was then moved toNew Jersey in 1868, before being shipped to Annieswood Farm in 1871. His offspring were now noted for their speed and includedAristides, the winner of the firstKentucky Derby.
Leamington was sold toAristides Welch, who stood the stallion at hisErdenheim Stud, nearPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania. Leamington finished his life here, dying on May 6, 1878, at the age of 25. During his breeding career, he was theleading sire in North America four times, including leadingLexington in 1875 for the first time in 16 years. He also earned this title in 1877, 1879, and 1881.
Horses sired by Leamington included:
| Sire Faugh-a-Ballagh (IRE) Br. 1841 | Sir Hercules 1826 | Whalebone | Waxy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penelope | |||
| Peri | Wanderer | ||
| Thalestris | |||
| Guiccioli 1823 | Bob Booty | Chanticleer | |
| Ierne | |||
| Flight | Escape | ||
| Young Heroine | |||
| Dam Pantaloon Mare 1841 | Pantaloon 1824 | Castrel | Buzzard |
| Alexander mare | |||
| Idalia | Peruvian | ||
| Musidora | |||
| Daphne 1837 | Laurel | Blacklock | |
| Wagtail | |||
| Maid of Honor | Champion | ||
| Etiquette (Family: 14) |