Olympia (horse)
Encyclopedia
Olympia was an American
Thoroughbred
racehorse who won top races at age two through four then became a foundation sire
for Florida
breeder
, Fred W. Hooper
. Bred by Hall of Fame
jockey turned trainer, Ivan H. Parke, he was
sired by Champion sire
Heliopolis
and out of the mare
, Miss Dolphin.
After a very successful two-year-old season, Olympia won the San Felipe Stakes
, the Flamingo Stakes
, the Wood Memorial Stakes
and the Derby Trial Stakes that resulted in him being sent off as the heavy betting
favorite for the 1949 Kentucky Derby
in which he would finish sixth.
Olympia developed into a top class sprinter
who retired from racing with a record of 15-12-4 from 41 starts and earnings of $365,632.
duty, Olympia stood at Danada Farm in Lexington, Kentucky
but on his death at age 28 in 1974 was buried at Hooper Farm in Ocala, Florida
.
Among his successful progeny were two Champions
. Decathlon
(f. 1953) was voted the 1956 & 1957 American Champion Sprint Horse and Pucker Up
(f. 1953) the 1957 American Champion Older Female Horse. Olympia's other good runners included:
Olympia was the damsire of Darby Dan Farm's
very good runner True Knight (f. 1969) who was instrumental in Olympia becoming the 1974 Leading broodmare sire in North America
.
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 who won top races at age two through four then became a foundation 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...
for Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
breeder
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...
, Fred W. Hooper
Fred W. Hooper
Fred William Hooper was an American Thoroughbred racehorse owner and breeder. He was a member of The Jockey Club, an honorary director of the Breeders' Cup, and one of the founders of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and one of its first presidents.Born in Cleveland, Georgia, ...
. Bred by 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...
jockey turned trainer, Ivan H. Parke, he was
sired by Champion sire
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...
Heliopolis
Heliopolis (horse)
Heliopolis was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and Champion sire bred and raced by Edward Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby. He was raced from age two to four and then exported during World War II to the Coldstream Stud of E. Dale Shaffer in Lexington, Kentucky and arrived at the port of New York on...
and out of the 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...
, Miss Dolphin.
After a very successful two-year-old season, Olympia won the San Felipe Stakes
San Felipe Stakes
The San Felipe Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The San Felipe is a Grade II event open to three-year-old horses. Normally held in mid-March, it is raced at a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on dirt and currently...
, the Flamingo Stakes
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...
, the Wood Memorial Stakes
Wood Memorial Stakes
The Wood Memorial Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Jamaica, New York. It is currently a Grade I race run over a distance of 9 furlongs on dirt....
and the Derby Trial Stakes that resulted in him being sent off as the heavy betting
Parimutuel betting
Parimutuel betting is a betting system in which all bets of a particular type are placed together in a pool; taxes and the "house-take" or "vig" is removed, and payoff odds are calculated by sharing the pool among all winning bets...
favorite for the 1949 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...
in which he would finish sixth.
Olympia developed into a top class sprinter
Sprint (race)
Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...
who retired from racing with a record of 15-12-4 from 41 starts and earnings of $365,632.
Champion broodmare sire
Olympia was retired to studHorse 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...
duty, Olympia stood at Danada Farm 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...
but on his death at age 28 in 1974 was buried at Hooper Farm in Ocala, Florida
Ocala, Florida
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...
.
Among his successful progeny were two Champions
Eclipse Award
The Eclipse Award is an American thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th century British racehorse and sire, Eclipse. The Eclipse Awards, honoring the champions of the sport, are sponsored by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association , Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers...
. Decathlon
Decathlon (horse)
Decathlon was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was voted the U.S. Champion Sprint Horse in 1956 and 1957. He was sired by Olympia, the Leading broodmare sire in North America in 1974. His dam was Dog Blessed, a daughter of Bull Dog, the 1943 Leading sire in North America. Decathlon was...
(f. 1953) was voted the 1956 & 1957 American Champion Sprint Horse and Pucker Up
Pucker Up (horse)
Pucker Up was an American Champion Thoroughbred racing mare. She was bred by Dan and Ada Rice's Danada Farm, and raced under Mrs. Rice's name. Her training was handled by future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmy Conway and his assistant, Al Robertson.Racing in Chicago, in July she won the...
(f. 1953) the 1957 American Champion Older Female Horse. Olympia's other good runners included:
- Air Pilot (f. 1954), two-time winner of the Massachusetts HandicapMassachusetts HandicapThe Massachusetts Handicap, frequently referred to as the "MassCap", is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and up held annually at Suffolk Downs in Boston, Massachusetts. It is currently an Ungraded stakes race run over a distance of 9 furlongs on dirt. The race received...
- Alhambra (f. 1955), multiple stakes winner
- Talent Show (f. 1955), multiple stakes winner who easrned more than US$500,000
- Winonly (f. 1957), multiple stakes winner
- Editorialist (f. 1958), multiple stakes winner
- Top Bid (f.1964). the 1973 American Grand National winner, 1970 American Champion Steeplechase Horse
- My Portrait (f. 1958), won 1961 Kentucky OaksKentucky OaksThe Kentucky Oaks is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The race currently covers 1⅛ miles at Churchill Downs; the horses carry 121 pounds . The Kentucky Oaks is held on the Friday before the Kentucky Derby each year...
Olympia was the damsire of Darby Dan Farm's
Darby Dan Farm
Darby Dan Farm is a produce, livestock, and thoroughbred horse breeding and training farm founded in 1935 near the Darby Creek in Galloway, Ohio by businessman John W. Galbreath. Named for the creek and for Galbreath's son, Daniel M. Galbreath , it was expanded from an original farm into a 4,000...
very good runner True Knight (f. 1969) who was instrumental in Olympia becoming the 1974 Leading broodmare sire in North America
Leading broodmare sire in North America
The list below shows the leading Thoroughbred sire of broodmares in North America for each year since 1924. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won during the year by racehorses which were foaled by a daughter of the sire.-----References:* *...
.