Barry Littlefield
Encyclopedia
Barak Thomas "Barry" Littlefield (June 16, 1871 - June 14, 1936 is an American-born
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
Thoroughbred
racehorse trainer
.
From a Canadian mother, he was born in Preakness
, New Jersey
where his American father Charles Stuart Littlefield (1833–1915), was employed by Milton Holbrook Sanford's Preakness Stables
. His father worked as a jockey
in Toronto
and is also an inductee of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame who won the first ever edition of the Queen's Plate
in 1860 and again in 1862 and as a trainer, won the 1885 Preakness Stakes
. His brother, Fred Littlefield, was a jockey
who won the 1888 Preakness Stakes. Nicknamed Barry, his father named him after a close friend, Major Barak G. Thomas, a lawyer and American Civil War
officer who established Dixiana Farm
in Lexington, Kentucky
in 1887 where he bred such horses as United States Racing Hall of Fame
inductee Domino and owned the 1893 Leading sire in North America
, Himyar
.
Between 1902 and 1917, Barry Littlefield trained for the highly successful racing stable owned by the Waterloo, Ontario
distilling
magnate, Joseph E. Seagram
. Littlefield was a multiple winner of every top Canadian flat race
of his era including five editions of the country's most prestigious event, the King's Plate
(Queen's Plate).
After retiring from racing, Barry Littlefield returned to be near family members in his native New Jersey where he died in 1936. In 2000, he was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 at the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario to honor those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and thoroughbred horse racing in Canada....
Thoroughbred
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 trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
.
From a Canadian mother, he was born in Preakness
Preakness, New Jersey
Preakness is a section of Wayne located in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States.The colt Preakness, for whom the Preakness Stakes Thoroughbred horse race at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland is named, was owned by Milton H...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
where his American father Charles Stuart Littlefield (1833–1915), was employed by Milton Holbrook Sanford's Preakness Stables
Preakness Stables
Preakness Stables was a Thoroughbred horse racing stable established by Massachusetts businessman Milton H. Sanford in Wayne, New Jersey at what today is the corner of Valley Road and Preakness Avenue....
. His father worked as a jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and is also an inductee of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame who won the first ever edition of the Queen's Plate
Queen's Plate
The Queen's Plate is Canada's oldest thoroughbred horse race. It is run at a distance of 1¼ miles for 3-year-old thoroughbred horses foaled in Canada. The race takes place each summer in June or July at Woodbine Racetrack, Etobicoke , Ontario...
in 1860 and again in 1862 and as a trainer, won the 1885 Preakness Stakes
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
. His brother, Fred Littlefield, was a jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
who won the 1888 Preakness Stakes. Nicknamed Barry, his father named him after a close friend, Major Barak G. Thomas, a lawyer and American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
officer who established Dixiana Farm
Dixiana Farm
Dixiana Farm, founded in 1877, is an American Thoroughbred horse breeding farm in Lexington, Kentucky.-Barak G. Thomas:Formerly known as Hamilton Stud, Dixiana, owned by Barak G. Thomas, a Confederate soldier in the Civil War and later Sheriff of Fayette County, Kentucky, took the breeding world by...
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...
in 1887 where he bred such horses as United States 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 Domino and owned the 1893 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...
, Himyar
Himyar (horse)
Himyar was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that was the sire of 1898 Kentucky Derby winner Plaudit and Domino, the grandsire of Colin and Peter Pan...
.
Between 1902 and 1917, Barry Littlefield trained for the highly successful racing stable owned by the Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
distilling
Distillation
Distillation is a method of separating mixtures based on differences in volatilities of components in a boiling liquid mixture. Distillation is a unit operation, or a physical separation process, and not a chemical reaction....
magnate, Joseph E. Seagram
Joseph E. Seagram
Joseph Emm Seagram was a British Canadian distillery founder, politician, philanthropist, and major owner of thoroughbred racehorses....
. Littlefield was a multiple winner of every top Canadian flat race
Flat racing
Flat racing is a form of Thoroughbred horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing which is run over hurdles...
of his era including five editions of the country's most prestigious event, the King's Plate
Queen's Plate
The Queen's Plate is Canada's oldest thoroughbred horse race. It is run at a distance of 1¼ miles for 3-year-old thoroughbred horses foaled in Canada. The race takes place each summer in June or July at Woodbine Racetrack, Etobicoke , Ontario...
(Queen's Plate).
After retiring from racing, Barry Littlefield returned to be near family members in his native New Jersey where he died in 1936. In 2000, he was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 at the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario to honor those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and thoroughbred horse racing in Canada....
.