Phalaris (horse)

Phalaris
Sire	Polymelus
Grandsire	Cyllene
Dam	Bromus
Damsire	Sainfoin
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	16 May 1913
Country	United Kingdom
Colour	Brown
Breeder	17th Earl of Derby
Owner	17th Earl of Derby
Trainer	George Lambton
Record	24: 16–2–1
Earnings	£5,478
Major wins
Challenge Stakes (1917, 1918)
Awards
Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland (1925, 1928) Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland (1937, 1941, 1942)
Last updated on 24 September 2011

Phalaris (1913–1931) was a British bred Thoroughbred racehorse, later a Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland and a Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland.^[1] He appears in the sireline (stallion to stallion) of all racehorses which were winners of more than $10 million.

Background

Phalaris was sired by the Champion Stakes winner Polymelus out of Bromus by the Epsom Derby winner Sainfoin, she being closely inbred in the second and third removes to Springfield. Bromus, also foaled Hainault by Swynford. Phalaris was from a long line of successful sires. The conformation of Phalaris was typical of a sprinter, upstanding in build, but he was slightly back at the knee.

Racing career

At the age of two years he was rated 9 lbs (4 kg) below the champion filly Fifinella. At three years he was not up to the classic standard at a mile but he did win over 10 furlongs (2,000 metres). At four and five years old he was a very good sprinter, able to carry more than 10 stone (63.5 kilograms) and win on three occasions. Phalaris only raced at Newmarket where he won 16 of his 24 starts and was placed on another three occasions. He was the winner of the Stud Produce Stakes; Redmere Nursery Stakes; Beaufort Stakes; St. George Stakes; Royal Stakes; Bretby Handicap; Chesterfield Stakes; St. Ives Handicap; Bury St. Edmunds Plate; Snailwell Stakes; Challenge Stakes (twice); The Whip; Abingdon Plate; June Stakes and Lanwades Plate. Phalaris was the top sprinter in 1917 and 1918 when racing was restricted due to World War I.^[2] Phalaris was kept in training for four seasons, and was retired to Lord Derby's stud.

Stud record

Phalaris was one of the most influential sires to serve Lord Derby's interests, and he had a major influence on modern Thoroughbred pedigrees the world over. He is today the most influential patriarch of the Bend Or dynasty and arguably the world's most influential sire of the 20th century. Nearly all runners in the main races of the leading racing nations are now from the Phalaris sire-line. He appears in the tail-male line (those coming straight through father to son to grandson etc.) of all nine horses that have earned more than $10 million.^[3]

He was the Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland in 1925, 1928, once second and third and was the Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland in 1937, 1941 and 1942.

Among his notable progeny, Phalaris sired five Classic race winners plus the following horses:

• Carpet Slipper, dam of Windsor Slipper (Irish "Triple Crown" and £4,643)
• Chatelaine, won the 1933 Epsom Oaks and £8,332
• Colorado, won the 2,000 Guineas Stakes (1926), Eclipse Stakes (1927), Princess of Wales's Stakes (1927) and £30,358
• Fair Isle, winner of the 1933 1,000 Guineas Stakes
• Fairway, won the St. Leger Stakes, Champion Stakes, Jockey Club Cup and four times Leading Sire in England
• Knockando, 2nd Two Thousand Guineas, sent to Venezuela. Sire.
• Manna, won 2,000 Guineas Stakes, Epsom Derby and £11,210
• Phaona, dam of Easton (winner in England, France and Belgium and £3,669);
• Pharamond (£3,695, successful sire in USA);
• Pharos won Champion Stakes, 2nd in the Epsom Derby; sire of Nearco (won Grand Prix de Paris, grandsire of the Kentucky Derby winner Northern Dancer)
• Sickle, Leading sire in North America in 1936 and 1938.^[2][4]
• Village Green, won Llangibby Stakes, October Nursery Stakes, Milton Plate.
• Warden Of The Marches, won Waterford Stakes, Chesterfield Cup, City and Suburban Handicap, Champion Stakes, 3rd St. Leger Stakes.^[5]

Phalaris’ major tail-male descendants in the USA include, Native Dancer, Raise a Native, Mr. Prospector, Bold Ruler, Secretariat, Affirmed, Alydar, Seattle Slew, and of course the great Northern Dancer. among many others. His tail-male line British descendants, or those that raced in Britain or Ireland, include such champions as Arkle (steeplechaser), Blue Peter, Fair Trial, Nasrullah, Royal Palace, Nijinsky, Sir Ivor, Roberto, Brigadier Gerard, Mill Reef, Shergar, Troy, Grundy, Galileo, Sea Bird II, Sea the Stars and High Chaparral.

Phalaris dropped dead after covering a mare on 28 February 1931 at the age of 16 years.

Tabulated pedigree

See also

• List of leading Thoroughbred racehorses

References

• Designing Speed in the Racehorse by Ken McLean (2005) ISBN 978-0-929346-80-9

External links

• Phalaris disease
• Observations on Thoroughbred Evolution