Hail To Reason
Encyclopedia
Hail To Reason was an American
thoroughbred
racehorse
and an influential sire
. He was bred in Kentucky
by the Bieber-Jacobs Stable, a partnership of prominent horsemen, Isadore Bieber and Hirsch Jacobs
. He was sired by the English stakes
winner Turn-To
, a grandson of the very influential sire Nearco
. Hail To Reason was out of the mare Nothirdchance, whose sire, Blue Swords, came in second in both the 1943 Kentucky Derby
and Preakness Stakes
.
Hail to Reason was a big homebred. His dam, Nothirdchance, was named by National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
owner/trainer Hirsch Jacobs
as a warning to the Allies
to not allow Germany
to start another war. Hail to Reason was named in response to his fulfilled hopes.
Starting in January of his second year, Hail To Reason raced 18 times in nine months, winning nine times and setting a new track record in the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
with jockey Bobby Ussery
aboard.
During a morning workout in September, he lost a shoe
and broke both sesamoid bones in his near front leg, ending his career. However, he was still named 1960 American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt.
at Hagyard Farm near Lexington, Kentucky
, Hail To Reason was an outstanding stallion and earned Leading sire in North America
honors for 1970. His progeny includes Halo
, English and Irish Champion Roberto
, Bold Reason
, Kentucky Derby
winner Proud Clarion
, Belmont Stakes
winner, Hail To All
, Preakness Stakes
winner and American Horse of the Year, Personality
, Stop The Music
, the 1979 American Champion Female Turf Horse, Trillion
, and the multiple Grade 1 winning filly Cum Laude Laurie
.
Hail to Reason was also a very successful broodmare sire whose daughters have produced more than one hundred stakes winners, including Allez France
and Triptych
. Another daughter, Reason to Earn, is the dam of Bold Reasoning
, sire of 1977 U.S. Triple Crown Champion
Seattle Slew
.
At 18, Hail To Reason was humanely put down
on February 24, 1976, and is buried at Hagyard Farm.
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...
and an influential sire
Sire
Sire may refer to:* Father, the counterpart of a dam, particularly in animal breeding. See also stallion* James W. Sire, author on worldviews* Sire Records, a record label* Sire Advertising, an advertising agency...
. He was bred 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...
by the Bieber-Jacobs Stable, a partnership of prominent horsemen, Isadore Bieber and Hirsch Jacobs
Hirsch Jacobs
Hirsch Jacobs was an American thoroughbred horse trainer and owner.Jacobs was the leading race-winning trainer in the United States 1933-39, 1941–44, the U.S. leading money-winning trainer, 1946, 1960, 1965, and the U.S. leading money-winning breeder, 1964-67...
. He was sired by the English stakes
Conditions races
Conditions races are horse races where the weights carried by the runners are laid down by the conditions attached to the race. Weights are allocated according to; the sex of the runners, with female runners carrying less weight than males; the age of the runners, with younger horses receiving...
winner Turn-To
Turn-To
Turn-To was a British Thoroughbred stallion racehorse. He was sired by the great British stakes winner Royal Charger, out of the French mare Source Sucree, whose sire, Admiral Drake, was third on the French sire list in 1949....
, a grandson of the very influential sire Nearco
Nearco
Nearco was an Italian bred Thoroughbred racehorse described by Thoroughbred Heritage as "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century" and "one of the most important sires of the century." He was not only unbeaten, winning 14 races at distances from 5 furlongs to 1 mile 7 furlongs ,...
. Hail To Reason was out of the mare Nothirdchance, whose sire, Blue Swords, came in second in both the 1943 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...
and Preakness Stakes
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
.
Hail to Reason was a big homebred. His dam, Nothirdchance, was named by National Museum of Racing and 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...
owner/trainer Hirsch Jacobs
Hirsch Jacobs
Hirsch Jacobs was an American thoroughbred horse trainer and owner.Jacobs was the leading race-winning trainer in the United States 1933-39, 1941–44, the U.S. leading money-winning trainer, 1946, 1960, 1965, and the U.S. leading money-winning breeder, 1964-67...
as a warning to the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
to not allow Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to start another war. Hail to Reason was named in response to his fulfilled hopes.
Starting in January of his second year, Hail To Reason raced 18 times in nine months, winning nine times and setting a new track record in the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It opened on August 3, 1863, and is the oldest organized sporting venue of any kind in the United States. It is typically open for racing from late July through early September.-History:John...
with jockey Bobby Ussery
Bobby Ussery
Robert Nelson "Bobby" Ussery is a retired American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey. His first race as a professional jockey came at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans on November 22, 1951 where he rode Reticule to victory in the Thanksgiving Handicap. By the end of the decade...
aboard.
During a morning workout in September, he lost a shoe
Horseshoe
A horseshoe, is a fabricated product, normally made of metal, although sometimes made partially or wholly of modern synthetic materials, designed to protect a horse's hoof from wear and tear. Shoes are attached on the palmar surface of the hooves, usually nailed through the insensitive hoof wall...
and broke both sesamoid bones in his near front leg, ending his career. However, he was still named 1960 American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt.
Retirement
Retired to studStud (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...
at Hagyard Farm near 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...
, Hail To Reason was an outstanding stallion and earned 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...
honors for 1970. His progeny includes Halo
Halo (horse)
Halo was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and an important Champion sire. Bred in Kentucky by John R. Gaines, founder of the Breeders Cup, Halo was out of the mare Cosmah , which made him a half-brother to the Hall of Fame filly Tosmah. His sire was Hail To Reason, the U.S...
, English and Irish Champion Roberto
Roberto (horse)
Roberto was an American-bred Thoroughbred Champion racehorse who competed in Ireland and England.-Background:Roberto was bred by Galbreath at his Darby Dan Farm near Lexington, Kentucky. The son of the successful sire Hail To Reason out of the dam Bramalea, Roberto's grandsire was Turn-To, a...
, Bold Reason
Bold Reason
Bold Reason was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and Champion broodmare sire. Bred by Harry Guggenheim, he was sired by Hail To Reason, the 1970 Leading sire in North America. His dam was Guggenheim's excellent runner Lalun who also produced Never Bend...
, 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 Proud Clarion
Proud Clarion
Proud Clarion was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1967 Kentucky Derby. Owned and bred by John W. Galbreath, he was foaled at his Darby Dan Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. His sire was Hail To Reason, the U.S. Champion Two-Year-Old Colt for 1960, and his grandsire was...
, Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
winner, Hail To All
Hail To All
Hail To All was an American thoroughbred stallion racehorse. He was sired by Hail To Reason, out of the mare, Ellen's Best, who was in turn sired by War Relic, son of the great Man o' War....
, Preakness Stakes
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
winner and American Horse of the Year, Personality
Personality (horse)
Personality was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was voted 1970 American Horse of the Year honors. He was bred by the partnership of Isidor Bieber and owner/trainer Hirsch Jacobs. Sired by Hail To Reason, the 1960 American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt, Personality's dam was U.S...
, Stop The Music
Stop The Music (horse)
Stop The Music was an American thoroughbred stallion racehorse. Owned and bred in Kentucky by the Greentree Stud, Inc., he was sired by Hail To Reason, out of the mare Bebopper, whose sire, Tom Fool, was the leading broodmare sire for 1965 and was inducted into National Museum of Racing and Hall...
, the 1979 American Champion Female Turf Horse, Trillion
Trillion (horse)
Trillion was a French Thoroughbred racing mare who was an Eclipse Award winner in the United States. Bred in Kentucky by Texas oilman, Nelson Bunker Hunt, she was sired by Hail To Reason, the Leading sire in North America in 1970. Her dam, Margarethen, was a durable racing mare who won sixteen of...
, and the multiple Grade 1 winning filly Cum Laude Laurie
Cum Laude Laurie
Cum Laude Laurie was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred and raced by the Galbreath family of Darby Dan Farm, she was a daughter of the Champion sire Hail To Reason and the mare Primonetta, the 1962 American Champion Older Female Horse. Her damsire, Swaps was the 1956 American Horse of the...
.
Hail to Reason was also a very successful broodmare sire whose daughters have produced more than one hundred stakes winners, including Allez France
Allez France
Allez France was a French Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse who was the first filly in Thoroughbred horse racing history to earn $1 million....
and Triptych
Triptych (horse)
Triptych was a Thoroughbred filly racehorse known for her toughness who went on racing until the age of six, travelling around the world always taking on the very best. Bred in Kentucky, she was a descendant through both her sire and dam of the great runner and sire, Nearco...
. Another daughter, Reason to Earn, is the dam of Bold Reasoning
Bold Reasoning
Bold Reasoning was an American thoroughbred racehorse foaled in Florida. He was out of the Hail To Reason mare Reason To Earn, by the Santa Anita Derby winner Boldnesian, a son of Bold Ruler....
, sire of 1977 U.S. Triple Crown Champion
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...
Seattle Slew
Seattle Slew
Seattle Slew was an American Thoroughbred race horse who won the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in 1977, the tenth of eleven horses to accomplish the feat. He remains the only horse to win the Triple Crown while undefeated. In the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S...
.
At 18, Hail To Reason was humanely put down
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...
on February 24, 1976, and is buried at Hagyard Farm.
Resources
- PedigreeQuery.com, Pedigree & Partial Stats
- Stallions.com.au, Stallion History Hail To Reason
- Reindes-de-course.com, Hail To Reason
- TBheritage.com, Hagyard