Bewitch (horse)
Encyclopedia
Bewitch was a Thoroughbred
race horse born in 1945 at Calumet Farm
, Kentucky
, United States
in the same crop in which the stallion
Bull Lea
produced Citation
and Coaltown
. Each of these exceptional Bull Lea foals were, in time, inaugurated into the Thoroughbred Hall of Fame
. Bewitch was the only filly
.
From her dam, Potheen (purchased by Warren Wright for the small sum of $500), Bewitch inherited the blood of Broomstick
, whose sire was the great Ben Brush
. On her mother's side also flowed the blood of Peter Pan
(sired by Commando
), and Hanover
(sired by Hindoo
).
Trained by the Hall of Famer Ben A. Jones
, as a two-year-old Bewitch was all but unstoppable, winning her first eight starts, six of them consecutive stakes
races. In her very first effort, she led throughout and won by six lengths. One of these stakes was the Washington Park Futurity in which she beat her half-brother Citation
, the only defeat he suffered as a two-year-old.
Before the end of her first season, Ben Jones turned her training over to his son, Jimmy Jones
, who also became a member of the Hall of Fame. Bewitch was named the Champion Two-Year-Old Filly for 1947. At the end of her third season, even though she was out of action with bucked shins until late June, she still won four of her six starts.
When she was four, in winning the Beverly Handicap at the old Washington Park Race Track
in Chicago, Illinois, she ran the fastest mile ever run by a filly.
At the age of five, she raced from one end of the country to the other, unplaced only once. And when she was six, she ran fifteen times, twelve of those races against males.
When she retired, Bewitch had earned $462,605, which made her the greatest money-earning filly to date. In 1977, she was inducted into the Hall of Fame along with both her trainers, father and son, as well as her running mates, Citation and Coaltown.
was voted first.
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...
race horse born in 1945 at Calumet Farm
Calumet Farm
Calumet Farm is a Thoroughbred breeding and training farm established in 1924 in Lexington, Kentucky, United States by William Monroe Wright, founding owner of the Calumet Baking Powder Company. Calumet is located in the heart of Lexington's blue grass country, the finest horse breeding region in...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the same crop in which the stallion
Stallion
A Stallion is a male horse.Stallion may also refer to:* Stallion , an American pop rock group* Stallion , a figure in the Gobot toyline* Stallion , a character in the console role-playing game series...
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...
produced Citation
Citation (horse)
Citation was the eighth American Triple Crown winner, and one of three major North American Thoroughbreds to win at least 16 consecutive races in major stakes race competition...
and Coaltown
Coaltown
Coaltown was an American Hall of Fame Champion Thoroughbred racehorse of whom the New York Times said "was probably the most underrated Thoroughbred of the 20th Century."...
. Each of these exceptional Bull Lea foals were, in time, inaugurated into the Thoroughbred 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...
. Bewitch was the only filly
Filly
A filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.*In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old....
.
From her dam, Potheen (purchased by Warren Wright for the small sum of $500), Bewitch inherited the blood of Broomstick
Broomstick (horse)
Broomstick was a Thoroughbred race horse born and bred at the famous McGrathiana Stud in Kentucky, but more importantly, he was one of the great sires of American racing. Out of another great sire, the Hall of Famer Ben Brush, Broomstick went on after his racing career to produce champion after...
, whose sire was the great Ben Brush
Ben Brush (horse)
Ben Brush was a high class Thoroughbred racehorse and sire who won the 1896 Kentucky Derby. He was a bay stallion by Bramble out of Roseville by Reform...
. On her mother's side also flowed the blood of Peter Pan
Peter Pan I
Peter Pan was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and sire, bred and raced by prominent horseman, James R. Keene. As winner of the Belmont Stakes, the Brooklyn Derby and the Brighton Handicap, he was later inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame...
(sired by Commando
Commando (horse)
Commando was an American Hall of Fame Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred at Castleton Stud by owner James R. Keene, Commando raced at age two, winning five of his six starts and finishing second in the other as a result of jockey error. At age three, Commando raced only three times, winning the...
), and Hanover
Hanover (thoroughbred horse)
Hanover was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse that won his first 17 race starts. He was the only American stallion to head the Leading sire in North America list for four consecutive years until Bold Ruler did so in 1965.-Background:...
(sired by Hindoo
Hindoo (horse)
Hindoo was an outstanding American Thoroughbred race horse who won 30 of his 35 starts, including the Kentucky Derby, the Travers Stakes and the Clark Handicap. He later sired the Preakness Stakes winner Buddhist and the Belmont Stakes winner and Leading sire in North America, Hanover.He was a bay...
).
Trained by the Hall of Famer Ben A. Jones
Ben A. Jones
Benjamin Allyn Jones was a thoroughbred horse trainer.Born in Parnell, Missouri, Ben Jones went into the business of breeding and training of thoroughbreds during the first decade of the 20th century, racing his horses on small circuits in the American West and in Mexico...
, as a two-year-old Bewitch was all but unstoppable, winning her first eight starts, six of them consecutive stakes
Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
races. In her very first effort, she led throughout and won by six lengths. One of these stakes was the Washington Park Futurity in which she beat her half-brother Citation
Citation (horse)
Citation was the eighth American Triple Crown winner, and one of three major North American Thoroughbreds to win at least 16 consecutive races in major stakes race competition...
, the only defeat he suffered as a two-year-old.
Before the end of her first season, Ben Jones turned her training over to his son, Jimmy Jones
Horace A. Jones
Horace A. "Jimmy" Jones was an American thoroughbred horse trainer.The son of Hall of Fame horse trainer Ben A. Jones, Jimmy Jones was born in Parnell, Missouri...
, who also became a member of the Hall of Fame. Bewitch was named the Champion Two-Year-Old Filly for 1947. At the end of her third season, even though she was out of action with bucked shins until late June, she still won four of her six starts.
When she was four, in winning the Beverly Handicap at the old Washington Park Race Track
Washington Park Race Track
Washington Park Race Track was a popular horse racing venue in the Chicago metropolitan area from 1884 until 1977. It had two locations during its existence. It was first situated in what is the current location of the Washington Park Subdivision of the Woodlawn community area of Chicago in Cook...
in Chicago, Illinois, she ran the fastest mile ever run by a filly.
At the age of five, she raced from one end of the country to the other, unplaced only once. And when she was six, she ran fifteen times, twelve of those races against males.
When she retired, Bewitch had earned $462,605, which made her the greatest money-earning filly to date. In 1977, she was inducted into the Hall of Fame along with both her trainers, father and son, as well as her running mates, Citation and Coaltown.
Racing Record
- At two: Won the Washington Park Futurity, the Arlington Lassie Stakes, the Pollyanna Stakes, the Princess Pat Stakes, the Hyde Park Stakes, and the Debutante Stakes, and came in third in the Futurity Stakes.
- At three: Won the Cleopatra Handicap, the Artful Handicap, the Modesty StakesModesty HandicapThe Modesty Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Arlington Park Racetrack in Arlington Heights, Illinois near Chicago....
, and the Ashland StakesAshland StakesThe Ashland Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early April at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, United States. It and the Ashland Oaks, the Kentucky Association racetrack's predecessor race, were named for Ashland, the homestead and breeding farm of statesman...
, and was third in the Dick Welles Stakes.
- At four: Won the Misty Isle Handicap, the Beverly Handicap, and the Vineland Handicap, and placed in the Arlington Matron HandicapArlington Matron HandicapThe Arlington Matron Handicap is an American Grade III flat horse race for Thoroughbred fillies and mares, aged three years and upward. Raced over a distance of 9 furlongs on the dirt at Arlington Park, Arlington Heights, Illinois every spring, it offers a purse of $150,000.Inaugurated in 1930,...
.
- At five: Won the Black Helen Handicap, placed in the Vanity Handicap and the Columbiana Handicap, and was third in the Premiere Handicap and the Vineland Handicap.
- At six: Won the Vanity Handicap, placed in the Hollywood Gold CupHollywood Gold CupThe Hollywood Gold Cup is an American Grade I stakes race for thoroughbred horses inaugurated in 1938 at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. It was run as a handicap race until 1997 when it was switched to weight-for-age conditions...
(on the heels of CitationCitation (horse)Citation was the eighth American Triple Crown winner, and one of three major North American Thoroughbreds to win at least 16 consecutive races in major stakes race competition...
), placed in the Santa Margarita HandicapSanta Margarita Invitational HandicapThe Santa Margarita Invitational Handicapis an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California...
, the American Handicap, and the St. Patrick's Day Handicap.
Of interest
In a poll among members of the American Trainers Association, conducted in 1955 by Delaware Park Racetrack, Bewitch was voted the ninth greatest filly in American racing history. GalloretteGallorette
Gallorette was a Maryland-bred chestnut thoroughbred filly who became a Hall of Fame race horse. Sired by Challenger II, out of Gallette, Gallorette's damsire was Sir Gallahad III. Even so, her dam, Gallette, had once exchanged hands for $250 and was used as a hack. -Breeding:Trainer Preston M...
was voted first.