Big Spruce was an American 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

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...

He was bred by Maxwell H. Gluck at his famous Elmendorf Farm

Elmendorf Farm

Elmendorf Farm is a Kentucky Thoroughbred horse farm in Fayette County, Kentucky, and has been involved with horse racing since the early 19th century...

 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...

, and trained for Gluck by Lefty Nickerson

Victor J. Nickerson

Victor J. "Lefty" Nickerson was an American Thoroughbred horse racing trainer. He embarked on a career as a professional trainer in 1953, working primarily at racetracks in the Northeastern United States...

.

An outstanding middle to longer distance runner on both dirt and grass, Thoroughbred Times called Big Spruce "one of North America's leading runners in the early 1970s." http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/breeding-news/2002/January/14/Pensioned-Kentucky-sire-Big-Spruce-euthanized.aspx

Big Spruce won races in New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 and California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

, including two Grade 1

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...

 events. As a three-year-old, he won the 1972 Lexington Handicap

Belmont Lexington Stakes

The Belmont Lexington is a Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run over a distance of one and one eighth miles on the inner turf course at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York....

 at Belmont Park

Belmont Park

Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...

 then in 1973, he deafeted 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 Cougar II

Cougar II

Cougar II was a Chilean Thoroughbred racehorse who also competed in theUnited States where he was inducted in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. He was sired by Tale of Two Cities, a son of Tehran, winner of the 1944 St...

 to win the San Luis Rey Handicap

San Luis Rey Handicap

The San Luis Rey Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Held during the third week of March, the Grade II event is open to horses of either gender, age four and up, willing to race one and one-half miles on the turf.Prior to 1955,...

 at Santa Anita Park

Santa Anita Park

Santa Anita Park is a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent racing events in the United States during the winter and in spring. With its backdrop of the purple San Gabriel Mountains, it is considered by many as the world's most beautiful race...

 http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/604058842.html?dids=604058842:604058842&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Mar+25%2C+1973&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=BIG+SPRUCE+WINS+BY+10%3B+FANS+BOO+AS+COUGAR+THIRD&pqatl=google and captured the first of his two consecutive editions of the Gallant Fox Handicap

Gallant Fox Handicap

The Gallant Fox Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the end of December at Aqueduct Racetrack in the Borough of Ozone Park, Queens, New York...

 at Belmont Park. He ran second to Secretariat

Secretariat (horse)

Secretariat was an American Thoroughbred racehorse, that in 1973 became the first U.S. Triple Crown champion in 25 years, setting new race records in two of the three events in the Series—the Kentucky Derby , and the Belmont Stakes —records that still stand today.Secretariat was sired by Bold...

 in the legendary U.S. Triple Crown

United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing

In the United States, the "Triple Crown" is usually the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, a series of three Thoroughbred horse races for three-year-old horses run in May and early June of each year consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.While Daily Racing Form...

 Champion's last race, the Canadian International

Canadian International Stakes

The Canadian International Stakes is a $2 million Grade I Canadian stakes race on Turf for thoroughbred racehorses three years of age and up held annually in October at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario....

 at Woodbine Racetrack

Woodbine Racetrack

Woodbine Racetrack is a Canadian racetrack for Thoroughbred horse races located at 555 Rexdale Blvd. in the city of Toronto, Ontario. It is the only horseracing track in North America which stages, or is capable of staging, thoroughbred and standardbred horseracing programs on the same day...

 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...

. That same year he also finished second to the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame 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....

, Dahlia

Dahlia (horse)

Dahlia was an American-bred Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racemare who won major races in France, England, Ireland, Canada, and the United States...

 in the Washington, D.C. International at Laurel Park

Laurel Park

Laurel Park can refer to some places in the United States:*Laurel Park, North Carolina*Laurel Park, Virginia*Laurel Park, Richmond, California, a neighborhood*Laurel Park Racecourse, horse racing facility in Laurel, Maryland...

 in Maryland

Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

 and in 1974, finished second to Dahlia again in the Canadian International. In 1974, Big Spruce won his second ofstraight Gallant Fox Handicap

Gallant Fox Handicap

The Gallant Fox Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the end of December at Aqueduct Racetrack in the Borough of Ozone Park, Queens, New York...

 as well as the Grade Ones

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...

 Governor Stakes

Governor Stakes

The Governor Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annulally on Labor Day at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. At one time a Grade 1 race, it was discontinued after the 1975 edition....

 and defeated the great Forego

Forego

Forego was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that won eight Eclipse Awards including Horse of the Year, Champion Handicap Horse and Champion Sprinter....

 to win the Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap

Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap

The Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap was a Thoroughbred horse race first run in September 1973 at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. A Grade 1 race for horses 3 years old and up, it was raced over a distance of 1 1/8 miles on a dirt track....

 at Belmont Park. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10D10FB3A54177488DDAC0994D1405B848BF1D3

Retired to stud

Stud (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 for the 1975 season, Big Spruce sired forty-three stakes race winners including Acaroid, whose wins include United Nations

United Nations Handicap

The United Nations Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in July at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, New Jersey. The race is open to horses, age three and up, going one and three-eighths miles on the turf. A Grade I event, it currently offers a purse of $750,000...

 and Manhattan Handicap

Manhattan Handicap

The Manhattan Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race raced annually at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is named for Manhattan, the principal borough of the City of New York...

s, multiple stakes winners Berry Bush and Catatonic, and millionaire runner Super Moment

Super Moment

Super Moment was an American Thoroughbred racehorse bred and raced by Maxwell H. Gluck's Elmendorf Farm. Racing in California for future Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally, Super Moment won the 1981 Strub Stakes and the 1982 San Bernardino and San Marcos Handicaps but is best known for winning...

 who won three consecutive editions of the Bay Meadows Handicap.

Pensioned after the 1997 season, Big Spruce lived to age thirty-two. Due to the infirmities of old age, on December 28, 2001 he was humanely euthanized

Animal euthanasia

Animal euthanasia is the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, an animal suffering from an incurable, especially a painful, disease or condition. Euthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and distress...

 at Gainesway Farm

Gainesway Farm

Gainesway Farm is an American Thoroughbred horse breeding business in Lexington, Kentucky. It was originally called Greentree Farms.The 1,500 acre property has been home to sires such as Youth and Exceller and numerous others who are buried on the property...

where he had stood throughout his stud career.