Tim Tam (horse)
Encyclopedia
Tim Tam was an American
thoroughbred
racehorse. Sired by Tom Fool
and out of the great racing mare Two Lea
(both sire and dam listed on the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
; Tom Fool at #11 and Two Lea at #77), the dark bay colt was owned and bred by Calumet Farm
. Trained by Jimmy Jones
, Tim Tam won the Everglades Stakes
, the Flamingo Stakes
, the Fountain of Youth Stakes
, the Florida Derby
, the Forerunner Stakes
and the Derby Trial
en route to winning the 1958 Kentucky Derby
.
After winning the Preakness Stakes
, Tim Tam was considered to have a strong chance to capture the American Triple Crown
. However, in the Belmont Stakes
, coming down the home stretch toward the lead that seemed to assure victory, Tim Tam fractured a sesamoid bone
and hobbled the last yards across the finish line in second place. His injury ended his career but he went on to be a successful sire.
Although his racing season was cut short, Tim Tam still was elected American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse. Retired to stud
, he sired 14 stakes race winners, among them the Hall of Fame
filly
Tosmah
.
In 1985, Tim Tam was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
.
It has been speculated that Tim Tam was named after Calumet Farm
's owner Lucille Markey's beloved Yorkshire Terrier, Timmy Tammy.
The rock group Tim Tam And The Turn-Ons
got their name from the horse Tim Tam.
The Australian snack biscuit Tim Tam
was named after the horse.
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. Sired by Tom Fool
Tom Fool
Tom Fool was an American Thoroughbred racehorse, a winner of the American Horse of the Year award and a Hall of Fame inductee. He sired the outstanding racehorses Buckpasser and Tim Tam....
and out of the great racing mare Two Lea
Two Lea
Two Lea was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. Born at Calumet Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, her sire was Bull Lea whose progeny were already successful. Her dam was Two Bob, winner of the 1936 Kentucky Oaks....
(both sire and dam listed on the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
In 1999, a panel for The Blood-Horse magazine was made up of distinguished horse racing people: Howard Battle, Lenny Hale, Jay Hovdey, William Nack, Pete Pedersen, Jennie Rees and Tommy Trotter. These experts compiled a list of what they considered to be the top 100 United States thoroughbred...
; Tom Fool at #11 and Two Lea at #77), the dark bay colt was owned and bred by 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...
. Trained by Jimmy Jones
Horace A. Jones
Horace A. "Jimmy" Jones was an American thoroughbred horse trainer.The son of Hall of Fame horse trainer Ben A. Jones, Jimmy Jones was born in Parnell, Missouri...
, Tim Tam won the Everglades Stakes
Everglades Stakes
The Everglades Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Hialeah Park in Hialeah, Florida. For three-year-old horses, the 1 1/8 mile race was run on dirt until 1994 when it was converted to a race on turf...
, 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 Fountain of Youth Stakes
Fountain of Youth Stakes
The Fountain of Youth Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida at the beginning of March. A Grade II event open to three-year-olds willing to race one and one-eighth miles on the dirt, it offers a purse of $400,000...
, the Florida Derby
Florida Derby
The Florida Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses held annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida on the Saturday closest to the end of March or the first of April. Added to the racing schedule in 1952, the Grade 1 race is run at 1⅛ miles on the dirt...
, the Forerunner Stakes
Forerunner Stakes
The Forerunner Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the third week of April at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. Open to three-year-old horses, it is contested on turf over a distance of one and one-eighth miles .Inaugurated in 1950, the Forerunner Stakes...
and the Derby Trial
Derby Trial
The Derby Trial Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the end of April at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Held one week before the Kentucky Derby, it was first run in 1924 and every year since, with the exception of 1928...
en route to winning the 1958 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...
.
After winning the 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...
, Tim Tam was considered to have a strong chance to capture the American 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...
. However, in the 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...
, coming down the home stretch toward the lead that seemed to assure victory, Tim Tam fractured a sesamoid bone
Sesamoid bone
In anatomy, a sesamoid bone is a bone embedded within a tendon.Sesamoids are found in locations where a tendon passes over a joint, such as the hand, knee, and foot. Functionally, they act to protect the tendon and to increase its mechanical effect. The presence of the sesamoid bone holds the...
and hobbled the last yards across the finish line in second place. His injury ended his career but he went on to be a successful sire.
Although his racing season was cut short, Tim Tam still was elected American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse. Retired to stud
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...
, he sired 14 stakes race winners, among them the 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...
filly
Filly
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....
Tosmah
Tosmah
Tosmah was a champion Thoroughbred race horse bred in Kentucky by Eugene Mori.Her sire was the great Tim Tam, by Tom Fool out of Two Lea. Many consider Tim Tam's loss of Thoroughbred racing's American Triple Crown only a matter of fate...
.
In 1985, Tim Tam was 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...
.
It has been speculated that Tim Tam was named after 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...
's owner Lucille Markey's beloved Yorkshire Terrier, Timmy Tammy.
The rock group Tim Tam And The Turn-Ons
Tim Tam And The Turn-Ons
Tim Tam And The Turn-Ons were an American rock band from the 1960's. They consisted of Rick Wiesend, Dan Wiesend, John Ogen, Don Gunderson, Earl Rennie and Nick Butsicaris. They recorded several singles, such as "Cheryl Ann", "Kimberly", and "Don't Say Hi" but are best known for "Wait A Minute",...
got their name from the horse Tim Tam.
The Australian snack biscuit Tim Tam
Tim Tam
Tim Tam is a brand of chocolate biscuit currently manufactured by Arnott's in Australia. A Tim Tam is composed of two layers of chocolate malted biscuit, separated by a light chocolate cream filling, and coated in a thin layer of textured chocolate....
was named after the horse.