Blenheim II was a good British-bred

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 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...

 race horse

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...

 who won the Epsom Derby

Epsom Derby

The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...

 in 1930. As sire he had a major influence on pedigrees around the world.

Pedigree

He was by the good sire, Blandford

Blandford (horse)

Blandford was an Irish bred Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the three-time Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland who sired eleven British Classic Race winners including four which won the Epsom Derby. He was the Leading sire in France and also in England in the same year.He was bred by the...

, his dam was a winner and the good broodmare, Malva, by Charles O'Malley. Malva was the dam of seven winners including King Salmon and His Grace. Blenheim was inbred to Isinglass

Isinglass (horse)

Isinglass was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who dominated during his time in racing and won the English Triple Crown.-Racing record:...

 in the fourth generation.

Race record

Blenheim had seven starts as a two-year-old for four wins and was placed second in the other races. His first two starts as three-year-old were disappointing and his jockey elected to ride Rustom Pasha in the Epsom Derby

Epsom Derby

The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...

 instead. Harry Wragg rode Blenheim to win this race from 16 other starters. After the derby Blenheim was injured and retired from racing.

Stud record

He entered stud in 1932 at the Aga Khan's Haras Marly-la-Ville in Val-d'Oise

Val-d'Oise

Val-d'Oise is a French department, created in 1968 after the split of the Seine-et-Oise department and located in the Île-de-France region. In local slang, it is known as "quatre-vingt quinze" or "neuf cinq"...

, France, where he stood at a fee of 400 guineas. In his first crop of foals he sired Mumtaz Begum (bred eight winners, including Nasrullah), followed the next year by Mahmoud

Mahmoud (horse)

Mahmoud was an French-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who in 1936 won England's most prestigious race, the Epsom Derby and who became a Champion sire in the United States....

, who won the 1936 Epsom Derby and in 1934, Donatello II, who was one of Federico Tesio

Federico Tesio

Federico Tesio was an Italian statesman and one of the most important breeders of Thoroughbreds in the history of horse racing.Born in Turin, Federico Tesio obtained a degree in science and architecture...

’s best horses.

He was sold after that year's breeding

Horse breeding

Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...

 season for £45,000 to an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 syndicate that included 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:...

, 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...

, Greentree Farm

Greentree Stable

Greentree Stable, in Red Bank, New Jersey, was a major American thoroughbred horse racing stable and breeding farm established in 1914 by Payne Whitney of the Whitney family of New York City. Payne Whitney operated a horse farm and stable at Saratoga Springs, New York with his brother Harry Payne...

 and Stoner Creek Stud

Stoner Creek Stud

Stoner Creek Stud was an American Thoroughbred horse breeding farm near Paris, Kentucky owned by Chicago businessman John D. Hertz and his wife, Fannie Kesner Hertz .In his early business years in Chicago, John Hertz owned a farm near Cary, Illinois...

 before being exported to America in 1936.

Registered in England as Blenheim, because the name had already been registered in the United States he had to be registered as Blenheim II. Most notably, he sired the 1941 U.S. Triple Crown

Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing

The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing consists of three races for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses. Winning all three of these Thoroughbred horse races is considered the greatest accomplishment of a Thoroughbred racehorse...

 champion, Whirlaway

Whirlaway

Whirlaway was an American champion thoroughbred racehorse.The chestnut horse was sired by English Derby winner Blenheim II, out of the broodmare Dustwhirl. Whirlaway was bred at Calumet Farm in Lexington, Kentucky....

 and Jet Pilot

Jet Pilot

Jet Pilot was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Purchased for US$41,000 at the Keeneland Yearling Sale by cosmetics queen Elizabeth Arden, he raced under her Maine Chance Farm colors. He was sired by the English champion and 1930 Epsom Derby winner, Blenheim II, and out of the mare Black Wave by...

, who won the 1947 Kentucky Derby and $198,740. Blenheim II was also the damsire of Hill Gail

Hill Gail

Hill Gail was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred and raced by the renowned Calumet Farm of Lexington, Kentucky, the son of Champion sire, Bull Lea, Hill Gail is best known as the winner of the 1952 Kentucky Derby....

, Mark-Ye-Well

Mark-Ye-Well

Mark-Ye-Well was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred and raced by Calumet Farm, he was sired by their five-time North American Champion Sire, Bull Lea...

, Kauai King

Kauai King

Kauai King was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was born on Pine Brook Farm in Maryland by the champion sire Native Dancer. In 1966 he won the first two legs of the U.S. Triple Crown races. To date Kauai King is one of only two horses born in the state of Maryland to cross the Kentucky Derby...

, Ponder

Ponder (horse)

Ponder , an American Thoroughbred racehorse, was the son of the 1944 Kentucky Derby winner, Pensive and sire of the winner of the 1956 Kentucky Derby, Needles. Ponder, himself, won the Derby in 1949...

 and the very versatile Le Paillon, who in 1947 won the Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil

Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil

The Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil, sometimes referred to as the French Champion Hurdle, is a Group 1 hurdle race in France which is open to horses aged five years or older...

 steeplechase race

Steeplechase

Steeplechase may refer to:* Steeplechase, an event in horse racing* SteepleChase, a Danish jazz label* Steeplechase , a 1975 arcade game released by Atari...

 and France's most important 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...

, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year, usually on the first Sunday in October.Popularly referred to as the...

. In America Blenheim was a Champion Sire. He is also the great-great-grandsire of 1973 Triple Crown champion 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...

.

Blenheim II died in 1958 and was buried at Claiborne Farm.