Black Helen
Encyclopedia
Black Helen was an American Thoroughbred
race horse bred and foaled in the spring of 1932 at Colonel E. R. Bradley's
Idle Hour Stock Farm
in Lexington, Kentucky
. Black Helen was the result of a mating between Bradley's best stallion, Black Toney
, and the legendary "blue hen" mare
La Troienne
. This made her a full sister to Bimelech
, the great Hall of Fame
r ranked number 84 in the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
.
Black Helen was small, weighing only 900 pounds when fully grown and standing barely fifteen hands. Since she was the second foal of La Troienne, whose first foal had been destroyed due to severe physical problems, and because she was so small, Black Helen was not nominated to enter any of her year’s important two-year-old stakes
. Bradley assigned her to the farm's second string trainer, Bill Hurley. With his guidance, the little filly won her first seven starts.
In her three-year-old season, she was a sensation. Her performance in an allowance race at Hialeah Park Race Track
was so impressive she was the "chalk" (betting favorite) for the Florida Derby
. She beat colt
s in that race in a canter. In her next race, the Coaching Club American Oaks
, she was boxed in at the rail but battled through to win by a nose. In another field of colts, it was the champion filly Nellie Flag she had to beat. She won, becoming the first female to take the American Derby
since Modesty in 1884. She lost to Omaha
, that year's Kentucky Derby
winner as well as the winner of America's
3rd U.S. Triple Crown, in the Arlington Classic
, but came back to win the Maryland Derby again against colts, with her stablemate, Bloodroot, placing.
Black Helen won the 1935 American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly honors. This was the year when the great Hall of Famer Myrtlewood
(inducted in 1979) was also three and racing.
Black Helen produced no stakes winners in her long career as a broodmare, five years of which were spent at Claiborne Farm
after Bradley's death. But three of her daughters did, and this meant that Black Helen’s influence continues to be felt to this day. She was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.
Black Helen died at the age of 25 on August 17, 1957.
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 bred and foaled in the spring of 1932 at Colonel E. R. Bradley's
Edward R. Bradley
Colonel Edward Riley Bradley was an American steel mill laborer, gold miner, businessman and philanthropist. As well as a race track proprietor, he was the preeminent owner and breeder of Thoroughbred racehorses in the Southern United States during the first three decades of the 20th Century...
Idle Hour Stock Farm
Idle Hour Stock Farm
Idle Hour Stock Farm was a 400 acre thoroughbred horse breeding and training farm near Lexington, Kentucky, United States established in 1906 by Colonel Edward R...
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...
. Black Helen was the result of a mating between Bradley's best stallion, Black Toney
Black Toney
Black Toney was bred by James R. Keene's Castleton Farm. Keene, whose health was failing , sold all his holdings in 1912 to Colonel Edward R. Bradley's Idle Hour Stock Farm in Lexington, Kentucky...
, and the legendary "blue hen" mare
Mare
Female horses are called mares.Mare is the Latin word for "sea".The word may also refer to:-People:* Ahmed Marzooq, also known as Mare, a footballer and Secretary General of Maldives Olympic Committee* Mare Winningham, American actress and singer...
La Troienne
La Troienne
La Troienne, was one of the most famous and influential Thoroughbred broodmares in twentieth century America. She produced 10 winners while at stud....
. This made her a full sister to Bimelech
Bimelech
Bimelech was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse who won two Triple Crown races, was twice named American horse of the year, and is ranked #84 among U.S. racehorses of the 20th century. After retiring to stud, he sired 30 stakes winners and his daughters produced 50 stakes winners.-Early...
, the great 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...
r ranked number 84 in the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
In 1999, a panel for The Blood-Horse magazine was made up of distinguished horse racing people: Howard Battle, Lenny Hale, Jay Hovdey, William Nack, Pete Pedersen, Jennie Rees and Tommy Trotter. These experts compiled a list of what they considered to be the top 100 United States thoroughbred...
.
Black Helen was small, weighing only 900 pounds when fully grown and standing barely fifteen hands. Since she was the second foal of La Troienne, whose first foal had been destroyed due to severe physical problems, and because she was so small, Black Helen was not nominated to enter any of her year’s important two-year-old 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...
. Bradley assigned her to the farm's second string trainer, Bill Hurley. With his guidance, the little filly won her first seven starts.
In her three-year-old season, she was a sensation. Her performance in an allowance race at Hialeah Park Race Track
Hialeah Park Race Track
The Hialeah Park Race Track is a historic site in Hialeah, Florida. Its site covers 40 square blocks of central-east side Hialeah from Palm Avenue east to East 4th Avenue, and from East 22nd Street on the south to East 32nd Street on the north. On March 5, 1979, it was added to the U.S...
was so impressive she was the "chalk" (betting favorite) for the Florida Derby
Flamingo Stakes
The Flamingo Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually in March at the Hialeah Park Race Track in Hialeah, Florida. Run over a distance of nine furlongs, the inaugural race took place in 1926 at the Tampa, Florida racetrack...
. She beat colt
Colt (horse)
A colt is a young male horse, under the age of four. The term "colt" is often confused with foal, which refers to a horse of either sex under one year of age....
s in that race in a canter. In her next race, the Coaching Club American Oaks
Coaching Club American Oaks
The Coaching Club American Oaks is a race for thoroughbred three-year old fillies and the second leg of the Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing. Originally run at Belmont Park, the Grade I $250,000 stakes race was moved to Saratoga Race Course in 2010....
, she was boxed in at the rail but battled through to win by a nose. In another field of colts, it was the champion filly Nellie Flag she had to beat. She won, becoming the first female to take the American Derby
American Derby
The American Derby is a Thoroughbred horse race in the United States run annually at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Illinois. The inaugural American Derby was held at the city's old Washington Park race track and raced there until 1905 when the facility was closed and the track demolished....
since Modesty in 1884. She lost to Omaha
Omaha (horse)
Omaha was a United States thoroughbred horse racing champion.Foaled at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky, he was the son of 1930 U.S. Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox and the mare Flambino. Omaha was the third horse to win the Triple Crown having won as a three-year-old in 1935.Omaha was an...
, that year's Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
winner as well as the winner of America's
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
3rd U.S. Triple Crown, in the Arlington Classic
Arlington Classic
The Arlington Classic Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for 3-year-old horses held annually at the end of June at Arlington Park race track near Chicago, Illinois...
, but came back to win the Maryland Derby again against colts, with her stablemate, Bloodroot, placing.
Black Helen won the 1935 American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly honors. This was the year when the great Hall of Famer Myrtlewood
Myrtlewood (horse)
Myrtlewood was a champion Thoroughbred race horse as well as an exceptional broodmare. She was by Blue Larkspur, himself by Black Servant by the great sire Black Toney, which means she went back to Ben Brush. Her dam was the French-bred Frizeur, by Sweeper, a son of another great sire, Broomstick...
(inducted in 1979) was also three and racing.
Black Helen produced no stakes winners in her long career as a broodmare, five years of which were spent at Claiborne Farm
Claiborne Farm
Claiborne Farm is a thoroughbred Horse breeding operation in near Paris, Kentucky. It was established in 1910, by Arthur B. Hancock, owner of Ellerslie Farm in Albemarle County, Virginia, and has been operated by members of his family ever since.-Owners:...
after Bradley's death. But three of her daughters did, and this meant that Black Helen’s influence continues to be felt to this day. She was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.
Black Helen died at the age of 25 on August 17, 1957.