Four-and-Twenty
Encyclopedia
Four-and-Twenty was an American
Thoroughbred
racehorse
. He was red and raced by the Alberta Ranches, Ltd.
partnership of Max Bell
, Frank McMahon
and superstar jockey Johnny Longden
and his son, Vance
. He was sired by a son of the two-time Leading sire in North America
, Princequillo
. His dam was Sixpence, a good runner in England
and Ireland
voted the 1953 British Champion Two-Year-Old Filly.
Four-and-Twenty's name came from a line in the nursery rhyme
featuring the name used by his dam titled Sing a Song of Sixpence
.
Four-and-Twenty was ridden by Johnny Longden and trained by his son, Vance. In his three-year-old season in 1961, the colt won California's most important race for his age group, the one and one-eighth-mile Santa Anita Derby
. He was then sent to Churchill Downs
in Louisville, Kentucky
where he suffered the first loss of his career when he finished second to Crozier in the Derby Trial Stakes. Remaining at Churchill downs, Four-and-Twenty was entered in the first leg of the U.S. Triple Crown
series, the one and one-quarter-mile Kentucky Derby
. On race day he was sent off as the third choice among bettors behind favorite Carry Back
and second choice, Crozier. In the race, Four-and-Twenty moved into the lead as the field headed for the homestretch but found the extra one-eighth of a mile too much and quickly faded in midstretch. He wound up in seventh place behind winner, Carry Back. The colt rebounded to win important races in 1961 such as the Hollywood Derby
.
Competing at age four in California in races at a mile and an eight or less, Four-and-Twenty won a number of important events including the 1962 Santa Anita Maturity
, San Carlos Handicap
, San Fernando Stakes, and the San Bernardino Handicap
. He returned to racing at age five, winning the Tropicana Hotel of Las Vegas Handicap at Bay Meadows Racetrack in San Mateo, California
.
Retired to stud
, Four-and-Twenty's offspring met with modest success in racing. Among his progeny was the multiple stakes winner, Haveago, whose wins included the 1971 Bing Crosby Handicap.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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 red and raced by the Alberta Ranches, Ltd.
Alberta Ranches, Ltd.
Alberta Ranches, Ltd. was a Thoroughbred horse racing partnership between U.S. Racing Hall of Fame jockey and Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Johnny Longden, his son Vance, and businessmen and Frank McMahon, Wilder H. Ripley, and Max Bell. The three men were all longtime friends from the Province of...
partnership of Max Bell
Max Bell
George Maxwell "Max" Bell was a Canadian newspaper publisher, race horse owner and philanthropist. He was best known as the co-founder of FP Publications, Canada's largest newspaper syndicate in the 1960s. He built his newspaper empire after inheriting the Calgary Albertan, and its $500,000 debt,...
, Frank McMahon
Frank M. McMahon
Frank Murray Patrick McMahon was a Canadian businessman best known as the founder and first chairman of Westcoast Transmission Co. Ltd...
and superstar jockey Johnny Longden
Johnny Longden
John Eric Longden was an American Hall of Fame jockey. He was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England but his father wanted to build a better life for his family so in 1909 emigrated to Canada, settling in Taber, Alberta. By 1912 Longden Sr. had saved enough money to send for his wife and young son...
and his son, Vance
Vance Longden
Vance Longden was an American Thoroughbred horse trainer based in California.Vance Longden was the son of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame jockey Johnny Longden and his first wife, Helen. He was raised around horses and apprenticed with trainer William Molter...
. He was sired by a son of the two-time 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...
, Princequillo
Princequillo
Princequillo was a Thoroughbred racehorse conceived in France and born in Ireland. He is known for his performances in long-distance races and his successes as a sire.-Background:...
. His dam was Sixpence, a good runner in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
voted the 1953 British Champion Two-Year-Old Filly.
Four-and-Twenty's name came from a line in the nursery rhyme
Nursery rhyme
The term nursery rhyme is used for "traditional" poems for young children in Britain and many other countries, but usage only dates from the 19th century and in North America the older ‘Mother Goose Rhymes’ is still often used.-Lullabies:...
featuring the name used by his dam titled Sing a Song of Sixpence
Sing a Song of Sixpence
Sing a Song of Sixpence is a well-known English nursery rhyme, perhaps originating in the 18th century. It is also listed in the Roud folk song index as number 13191.-Lyrics:...
.
Four-and-Twenty was ridden by Johnny Longden and trained by his son, Vance. In his three-year-old season in 1961, the colt won California's most important race for his age group, the one and one-eighth-mile Santa Anita Derby
Santa Anita Derby
The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California and carries a purse of $1 million. Inaugurated in 1935, it is considered the most important West Coast stepping-stone to the Kentucky Derby...
. He was then sent to Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs, located in Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, is a Thoroughbred racetrack most famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby annually. It officially opened in 1875, and held the first Kentucky Derby and the first Kentucky Oaks in the same year. Churchill Downs...
in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
where he suffered the first loss of his career when he finished second to Crozier in the Derby Trial Stakes. Remaining at Churchill downs, Four-and-Twenty was entered in the first leg of the 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...
series, the one and one-quarter-mile 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...
. On race day he was sent off as the third choice among bettors behind favorite Carry Back
Carry Back
Carry Back by Saggy out of Joppy, was an American Hall of Fame thoroughbred racehorse with a less than stellar pedigree but who nonetheless won many important graded stakes races including the 1961 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. His racing colors were blue, silver hoops and sleeves...
and second choice, Crozier. In the race, Four-and-Twenty moved into the lead as the field headed for the homestretch but found the extra one-eighth of a mile too much and quickly faded in midstretch. He wound up in seventh place behind winner, Carry Back. The colt rebounded to win important races in 1961 such as the Hollywood Derby
Hollywood Derby
The Hollywood Derby is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late November/early December at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. The race is open to horses, age three willing to race a mile and a quarter on turf. It currently offers a purse of ...
.
Competing at age four in California in races at a mile and an eight or less, Four-and-Twenty won a number of important events including the 1962 Santa Anita Maturity
Strub Stakes
The Strub Stakes is an American race for thoroughbred horses run at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California each year.Currently a Grade II stakes race with a purse of $300,000, it is open to horses, age four, willing to race one and one-eighth miles on the synthetic surface of Santa Anita and offers...
, San Carlos Handicap
San Carlos Handicap
The San Carlos Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at during the third week of February at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California...
, San Fernando Stakes, and the San Bernardino Handicap
Tokyo City Cup
The Tokyo City Cup Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the end of March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. A Grade III event raced on Pro-Ride synthetic dirt at a distance of 1½ miles , it is open to horses aged four and older.Run as the San Bernardino Handicap...
. He returned to racing at age five, winning the Tropicana Hotel of Las Vegas Handicap at Bay Meadows Racetrack in San Mateo, California
San Mateo, California
San Mateo is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of approximately 100,000 , it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City to the east, Belmont to the south,...
.
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...
, Four-and-Twenty's offspring met with modest success in racing. Among his progeny was the multiple stakes winner, Haveago, whose wins included the 1971 Bing Crosby Handicap.