Ballot (horse)
Encyclopedia
Ballot was an American two-time Champion Thoroughbred
racehorse
and damsire of the very important sire, Bull Lea
.
Bred and raced by James R. Keene
, owner of Castleton Stud
in Lexington, Kentucky
, he was out of the farm's broodmare Cerito and sired by Voter, their 1897 Metropolitan Handicap
winner and the retrospective American Champion Older Male Horse of 1899.
Trained by future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
inductee, James Rowe, at age two Ballot won important races in 1906 but was overshadowed by that year's Champion
, Salvidere. However, the following year he began winning consistently and set a new track record for a mile and a half in winning the Second Special Handicap at Gravesend Race Track
. At age four in 1908 Ballot set a new world record
at Sheepshead Bay Race Track
for a mile and five sixteenths on dirt in winning the first of two editions of the Advance Stakes
. His performances in 1908 earned him retrospective American Champion Older Male Horse honors.
Ballot raced in England
in 1909 but met with little success on their grass racecourses. Returning to the United States for the 1910 season, he immediately returned to top form. His biggest win of the year came in the Advance Stakes in which he beat King James
by two lengths
. Ballot finished second in the August 4 Saratoga Handicap
on a track described as a "sea of mud" by the Chicago Tribune
and came out of the race with a foreleg injury that ended his racing career. His win in the Advance Stakes combined with top three finishes in other major races earned Ballot retrospective honors as the Co-American Champion Older Male Horse of 1910.
duty, Ballot stood at his owner's farm in 1911 then was sent to stud in England. He returned to the United States in 1913 where he was the sire of many stakes winners and for seven straight years was near the top of the leading American sire's list. Through his daughter, Forever (b. 1917), Ballot was the damsire of 1928 Belmont Stakes
winner Vito. Through another daughter, Rose Leaves (b. 1916), Ballot left his most significant mark as the damsire of Bull Lea
, a five-time Leading sire in North America
and a four-time Leading broodmare sire in North America
.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
and damsire of the very important sire, Bull Lea
Bull Lea
Bull Lea was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who is best known as the foundation sire responsible for making Calumet Farm one of the most successful racing stables in American history...
.
Bred and raced by James R. Keene
James R. Keene
James Robert Keene was a Wall Street stock broker and a major thoroughbred race horse owner and breeder.-Biography:He was born in London, England in 1838. He was fourteen years of age when his family emigrated to the United States in 1852...
, owner of Castleton Stud
Castleton Lyons
Castleton Lyons near Lexington, Kentucky, is an American horse racing stable and breeding business best known by the name Castleton Farm....
in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
, he was out of the farm's broodmare Cerito and sired by Voter, their 1897 Metropolitan Handicap
Metropolitan Handicap
The Metropolitan Handicap, frequently called the "Met Mile," is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the last week of May at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of one mile .The Met Mile was first...
winner and the retrospective American Champion Older Male Horse of 1899.
Trained by future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
inductee, James Rowe, at age two Ballot won important races in 1906 but was overshadowed by that year's Champion
Champion
A champion is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition.There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, and even further divisions at one or more of these levels, as in soccer. Their champions...
, Salvidere. However, the following year he began winning consistently and set a new track record for a mile and a half in winning the Second Special Handicap at Gravesend Race Track
Gravesend Race Track
Gravesend Race Track at Gravesend on Coney Island, New York was a Thoroughbred horse racing facility built by the Brooklyn Jockey Club as a result of the backing of the wealthy racing stable owners, the Dwyer Brothers. Philip J...
. At age four in 1908 Ballot set a new world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
at Sheepshead Bay Race Track
Sheepshead Bay Race Track
Sheepshead Bay Race Track was an American Thoroughbred horse racing facility built on the site of the Coney Island Jockey Club at Sheepshead Bay, New York...
for a mile and five sixteenths on dirt in winning the first of two editions of the Advance Stakes
Advance Stakes
The Advance Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually from 1899 through 1910 at the Sheepshead Bay Race Track in Brooklyn, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it was raced on dirt...
. His performances in 1908 earned him retrospective American Champion Older Male Horse honors.
Ballot raced in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1909 but met with little success on their grass racecourses. Returning to the United States for the 1910 season, he immediately returned to top form. His biggest win of the year came in the Advance Stakes in which he beat King James
King James (horse)
King James was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred by one of America's most important breeders, John E. Madden, King James was the son of 1898 Kentucky Derby winner, Plaudit...
by two lengths
Length (horse racing)
A horse length, or simply length, is a unit of measurement that refers to the length of a horse from nose to tail, approximately 8 feet, It is commonly used in Thoroughbred horse racing, where it describes the distance between horses in a race...
. Ballot finished second in the August 4 Saratoga Handicap
Saratoga Handicap
The Saratoga Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It was open to horses three years old and upward and raced at a distance of 1¼ miles on dirt.- Selected winners :...
on a track described as a "sea of mud" by the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
and came out of the race with a foreleg injury that ended his racing career. His win in the Advance Stakes combined with top three finishes in other major races earned Ballot retrospective honors as the Co-American Champion Older Male Horse of 1910.
As a sire
Retired to studStud (animal)
A stud animal is a registered animal retained for breeding. The terms for the male of a given animal species usually imply that the animal is entire—that is, not castrated—and therefore capable of siring offspring...
duty, Ballot stood at his owner's farm in 1911 then was sent to stud in England. He returned to the United States in 1913 where he was the sire of many stakes winners and for seven straight years was near the top of the leading American sire's list. Through his daughter, Forever (b. 1917), Ballot was the damsire of 1928 Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
winner Vito. Through another daughter, Rose Leaves (b. 1916), Ballot left his most significant mark as the damsire of Bull Lea
Bull Lea
Bull Lea was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who is best known as the foundation sire responsible for making Calumet Farm one of the most successful racing stables in American history...
, a five-time Leading sire in North America
Leading sire in North America
The list below shows the leading sire of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America for each year since 1830. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won by the sire's progeny during the year...
and a four-time Leading broodmare sire in North America
Leading broodmare sire in North America
The list below shows the leading Thoroughbred sire of broodmares in North America for each year since 1924. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won during the year by racehorses which were foaled by a daughter of the sire.-----References:* *...
.