Sir Archy
Encyclopedia
Sir Archy was an American
Thoroughbred
racehorse.
by two Americans, Capt. Archibald Randolph and Col. John Tayloe III, Sir Archy's sire was the Epsom Derby
winner Diomed
, who had been imported from England
as an older horse. His dam, a blind mare named Castianira, had been purchased in England by Tayloe for his own Airy Farm, but was bred on shares with his friend Randolph. Sir Archy, Castianira's second foal, was born on Randolph’s Ben Lomond Plantation on the James River. The colt
, dark bay with a small patch of white on his right hind pastern
, was originally named "Robert Burns"; Tayloe changed the colt’s name in honor of Randolph.
. When Wormely later decided to quit horse racing Sir Archy was offered for sale, but there were no takers. Still owned by Wormely, Sir Archy made his first start in the Washington (D.C.) Sweepstakes late in his three-year-old season; by now, he already stood 16 hands high. Though Sir Archy had not yet recovered from a case of strangles
Wormely ran him, rather than pay a forfeit fee. Still unwell, Sir Archy made his second start a month later at the Fairfield Sweepstakes in Richmond, Virginia. Though he won only the third heat and finished third overall to Colonel William Ransom Johnson's colt True Blue, Johnson promptly bought Sir Archy for $1,500.
Now in the hands of Johnson’s trainer, Arthur Taylor, Sir Archy became one of the greatest runners of his day, excelling in four-mile heats. His racing days ended when Johnson made a standing bet of $10,000 that Sir Archy could beat any horse in America and there were no takers. He finally quite racing because there were no opponents willing to race against him. His record on the racetrack was 7 starts, with 4 wins and 1 second. Sir Archy then became what most experts consider to be the first great Thoroughbred stallion bred in America. Johnson sold Sir Archy for $5,000 to General William Richardson Davie
. Later, though, Johnson was very generous about his decision; he called Sir Archy the best horse to ever race in America and Sir Archy’s daughter, Reality, the best filly.
In 1827, the Washington DC Jockey Club and the Maryland Jockey Club announced that only a limited number of horses were eligible to run in their races. Although the fine points of the announcement were complex, it effectively barred all horses sired by Sir Archy; his offspring were so successful that few, if any, horses not sired by Sir Archy bothered to race. Both Jockey Clubs admitted they were concerned about their long-term viability.
in Northampton County, North Carolina. Even at the advanced age of 24, Sir Archy's stud fee was $100. Amis' son estimated that during the years he stood at Mowfield, Sir Archy earned $76,000 in stud fees.
The stallion became known as the Godolphin Arabian
of America, meaning that his influence on the American Thoroughbred was as important as the Godolphin Arabian’s influence on European breeding. Like the “Blind Hero of Woodburn,” Lexington
—who was his great–grandson—Sir Archy became one of America's greatest foundation sires. Throughout the 1820s, the fastest horses in America were descendants of Sir Archy.
through his son Copperbottom, the following is a list of some of his most notable offspring:
Sir Archy was one of the first few horses inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
in 1955.
Sir Archy is buried, along with his groom and canine
companion, at Ben Lomond Farm in Rockcastle, Virginia. A historical marker, erected by the Goochland County (Virginia) Historical Society, marks his grave.
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.
Early life
Born and bred in VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
by two Americans, Capt. Archibald Randolph and Col. John Tayloe III, Sir Archy's sire was 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...
winner Diomed
Diomed
Diomed, foaled in 1777, was an English-bred Thoroughbred race horse who won the inaugural running of the Epsom Derby and was subsequently a successful sire in the United States of America.-Bright Beginnings:...
, who had been imported from England
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...
as an older horse. His dam, a blind mare named Castianira, had been purchased in England by Tayloe for his own Airy Farm, but was bred on shares with his friend Randolph. Sir Archy, Castianira's second foal, was born on Randolph’s Ben Lomond Plantation on the James River. The 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....
, dark bay with a small patch of white on his right hind pastern
Pastern
The pastern is a part of the leg of a horse between the fetlock and the top of the hoof. It incorporates the long pastern bone and the short pastern bone , which are held together by two sets of paired ligaments to form the pastern joint...
, was originally named "Robert Burns"; Tayloe changed the colt’s name in honor of Randolph.
On the track
When Sir Archy was two, Tayloe and Randolph sold him to Ralph Wormely IV for $400 and an unknown fillyFilly
A filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.*In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old....
. When Wormely later decided to quit horse racing Sir Archy was offered for sale, but there were no takers. Still owned by Wormely, Sir Archy made his first start in the Washington (D.C.) Sweepstakes late in his three-year-old season; by now, he already stood 16 hands high. Though Sir Archy had not yet recovered from a case of strangles
Strangles
Strangles is a contagious upper respiratory tract infection of horses and other equines caused by a bacterium, Streptococcus equi var equi...
Wormely ran him, rather than pay a forfeit fee. Still unwell, Sir Archy made his second start a month later at the Fairfield Sweepstakes in Richmond, Virginia. Though he won only the third heat and finished third overall to Colonel William Ransom Johnson's colt True Blue, Johnson promptly bought Sir Archy for $1,500.
Now in the hands of Johnson’s trainer, Arthur Taylor, Sir Archy became one of the greatest runners of his day, excelling in four-mile heats. His racing days ended when Johnson made a standing bet of $10,000 that Sir Archy could beat any horse in America and there were no takers. He finally quite racing because there were no opponents willing to race against him. His record on the racetrack was 7 starts, with 4 wins and 1 second. Sir Archy then became what most experts consider to be the first great Thoroughbred stallion bred in America. Johnson sold Sir Archy for $5,000 to General William Richardson Davie
William Richardson Davie
William Richardson Davie was a military officer and the tenth Governor of North Carolina from 1798 to 1799, as well as one of the most important men involved in the founding of the University of North Carolina...
. Later, though, Johnson was very generous about his decision; he called Sir Archy the best horse to ever race in America and Sir Archy’s daughter, Reality, the best filly.
In 1827, the Washington DC Jockey Club and the Maryland Jockey Club announced that only a limited number of horses were eligible to run in their races. Although the fine points of the announcement were complex, it effectively barred all horses sired by Sir Archy; his offspring were so successful that few, if any, horses not sired by Sir Archy bothered to race. Both Jockey Clubs admitted they were concerned about their long-term viability.
At stud
Sir Archy went to stud, at first under Davis, then under Davis' son, who appears to have stood the stallion in Virginia for a couple of years. Then William Amis bought Sir Archy, and stood the horse for 17 years at his plantation, Mowfield, near the Roanoke RiverRoanoke River
The Roanoke River is a river in southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States, 410 mi long. A major river of the southeastern United States, it drains a largely rural area of the coastal plain from the eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains southeast across the Piedmont...
in Northampton County, North Carolina. Even at the advanced age of 24, Sir Archy's stud fee was $100. Amis' son estimated that during the years he stood at Mowfield, Sir Archy earned $76,000 in stud fees.
The stallion became known as the Godolphin Arabian
Godolphin Arabian
The Godolphin Arabian , also known as the Godolphin Barb, was an Arabian horse who was one of three stallions that were the founders of the modern Thoroughbred horse racing bloodstock...
of America, meaning that his influence on the American Thoroughbred was as important as the Godolphin Arabian’s influence on European breeding. Like the “Blind Hero of Woodburn,” Lexington
Lexington (horse)
Lexington was a United States Thoroughbred race horse who won six of his seven race starts. Perhaps his greatest fame came however as the most successful sire of the second half of the nineteenth century; he was the Leading sire in North America 16 times, and of his many brood mare and racer...
—who was his great–grandson—Sir Archy became one of America's greatest foundation sires. Throughout the 1820s, the fastest horses in America were descendants of Sir Archy.
As sire
Siring at least 31 racing champions, and influencing the American Quarter HorseAmerican Quarter Horse
The American Quarter Horse is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name came from its ability to outdistance other breeds of horses in races of a quarter mile or less; some individuals have been clocked at speeds up to 55 mph...
through his son Copperbottom, the following is a list of some of his most notable offspring:
- TimoloenTimoleon (horse)For the Greek statesman of this name, see Timoleon.Timoleon , was a good American Thoroughbred racehorse and was later an important sire....
(foaled 1814; considered the best race horse of his day) - Bertrand (foaled 1826. Some call him Sir Archy’s best; became a national leading sire in his own right)
- Sir Charles (foaled 1816; national leading sire in 1830, 1831, 1832, 1833 and 1836)
- Sumpter (foaled 1818; won eight consecutive races when races were grueling heats. Became a broodmare sire of great note)
- Stockholder (foaled 1819; most popular sire in Tennessee at the time. His daughters were extremely successful producers)
- Lady LightfootLady LightfootLady Lightfoot , was an American Thoroughbred racing mare by one of America's foremost stallions, Sir Archy. A product of his very first crop, Lady Lightfoot is almost certainly his best daughter....
(foaled 1812; records are incomplete but she may have won 30 – 40 races, racing through age 11. In her first try, she ran the fastest heats in Maryland up to that time. As a broodmare, she produced eight foals in nine years. One, Black Maria, was considered better than her dam) - Reality (foaled 1813; a filly rated at least as good as Sir Archy or Boston by William R. Johnson. He owned all three at various times)
- Henry (foaled 1819; a very good racehorse, a popular sire, and the only horse to ever defeat American EclipseAmerican EclipseAmerican Eclipse was an undefeated American Thoroughbred racehorse, who raced when three to four mile heats were common.-Breeding:...
) - Sally Hope (foaled 1822; won 22 of her 27 races, the last 18 in succession)
- Flirtilla (foaled 1828; influential carrier of Sir Archy's blood )
As grandsire and beyond
Into the second generation, Sir Archy’s influence became even more pronounced. This was partly because inbreeding to Sir Archy and to his sire, Diomed, became quite fashionable among American breeders. In Sir Archy's case, he was bred back to his daughters and his sire’s daughters. This kind of inbreeding, ordinarily risky, was successful for the Sir Archy-Diomed line.- Bonnets o' Blue (by Sir Charles out of Reality; dam of FashionFashion (horse)Fashion , was a famous Thoroughbred four-mile racemare that defeated Boston and set a record of 7:32½, for that distance, before the American Civil War...
.) - LexingtonLexington (horse)Lexington was a United States Thoroughbred race horse who won six of his seven race starts. Perhaps his greatest fame came however as the most successful sire of the second half of the nineteenth century; he was the Leading sire in North America 16 times, and of his many brood mare and racer...
was by BostonBoston (horse)Boston , was an outstanding chestnut Thoroughbred racehorse and a Leading sire in North America three times from 1851 to 1853. He started in about 45 races, winning 40 of these, including 15 in succession...
, who was sired by Timoleon.
Retirement
At the age of 26 Sir Archy ended his stud career in 1831, living for two more years until his death in 1833 on June 7. Coincidentally, this was the same day that one of his greatest sons (Sir Charles) also died.Sir Archy was one of the first few horses inducted into the 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...
in 1955.
Sir Archy is buried, along with his groom and canine
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
companion, at Ben Lomond Farm in Rockcastle, Virginia. A historical marker, erected by the Goochland County (Virginia) Historical Society, marks his grave.