- Needles (horse)
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Needles Sire Ponder Grandsire Pensive Dam Noodle Soup Damsire Jack High Sex Stallion Foaled 1953 Country United States Colour Bay Breeder W. E. Leach Owner D & H Stable Trainer Hugh L. Fontaine Record 21: 11-3-3 Earnings $600,355 Major wins Hopeful Stakes (1955)
American Classic Race wins:
Sapling Stakes (1955)
Flamingo Stakes (1956)
Florida Derby (1956)
Fort Lauderdale Handicap (1957)
Kentucky Derby (1956)
Belmont Stakes (1956)
Preakness Stakes 2nd (1956)Awards U.S. Champion 2-Yr-Old Colt (1955)
U.S. Champion 3-Yr-Old Colt (1956)Honours United States Racing Hall of Fame (2000)
Needles Court in Napa, California
Needles Stakes at Calder Race CourseHorse (Equus ferus caballus) Last updated on December 9, 2006 Needles (1953–1984) was an American Hall of Fame Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred and raced in Florida, the descendant of Blenheim II and a son and grandson of Kentucky Derby winners Ponder and Pensive, Needles was a sickly foal who was given his name because of the numerous veterinary injections he was given to overcome broken ribs and pneumonia.
Fully recovered, Needles had an impressive racing season at age two, winning six of ten starts, including the prestigious Hopeful Stakes. His performances that year earned him the 1955 championship as two-year-old colt.
Ridden by David Erb, Needles was a crowd favorite for his thundering come-from-behind style, sometimes overcoming a 15-length deficit. The betting favorite, Needles impressively won the 1956 Kentucky Derby by coming from 16th place in a field of 17 to make up 24 lengths and win going away with a powerful stretch drive. His victory marked the first time a Florida-bred horse won America's most prestigious horse race. In the Preakness Stakes, the next leg of the U.S. Triple Crown races at Pimlico Race Course, Needles finished second to the Calumet Farm colt Fabius, whom he had beaten in the Derby. Needles then came back in New York to win the grueling 1½-mile Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown races. Career Boy finished second and rival Fabius ran third. Needles earned another championship as three-year-old colt in 1956.
At age four, Needles started three times, finishing 1, 2, and 3. His 1957 racing season ended early following an injury, and he was sent to stand at stud at owner Bonnie Heath's breeding farm in Marion County, Florida. Needles' success in racing sparked a boom in Florida horse breeding which, among others, produced notable runners such as Carry Back and Affirmed.
Needles died in 1984 at the age of 31. His heart and hooves are buried in the Garden of Champions at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company Pavilion. In 2000, he was inducted into the United States National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.
References
- Needles' pedigree and racing stats
- Needles' at the United States National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
- Needles' 1956 Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby winners 1875 Aristides • 1876 Vagrant • 1877 Baden-Baden • 1878 Day Star • 1879 Lord Murphy • 1880 Fonso • 1881 Hindoo • 1882 Apollo • 1883 Leonatus • 1884 Buchanan • 1885 Joe Cotton • 1886 Ben Ali • 1887 Montrose • 1888 Macbeth II • 1889 Spokane • 1890 Riley • 1891 Kingman • 1892 Azra • 1893 Lookout • 1894 Chant • 1895 Halma • 1896 Ben Brush • 1897 Typhoon II • 1898 Plaudit • 1899 Manuel • 1900 Lieut. Gibson • 1901 His Eminence • 1902 Alan-a-Dale • 1903 Judge Himes • 1904 Elwood • 1905 Agile • 1906 Sir Huon • 1907 Pink Star • 1908 Stone Street • 1909 Wintergreen • 1910 Donau • 1911 Meridian • 1912 Worth • 1913 Donerail • 1914 Old Rosebud • 1915 Regret ♥ • 1916 George Smith • 1917 Omar Khayyam • 1918 Exterminator • 1919 Sir Barton ₩ • 1920 Paul Jones • 1921 Behave Yourself • 1922 Morvich • 1923 Zev • 1924 Black Gold • 1925 Flying Ebony • 1926 Bubbling Over • 1927 Whiskery • 1928 Reigh Count • 1929 Clyde Van Dusen • 1930 Gallant Fox ₩ • 1931 Twenty Grand • 1932 Burgoo King • 1933 Brokers Tip • 1934 Cavalcade • 1935 Omaha ₩ • 1936 Bold Venture • 1937 War Admiral ₩ • 1938 Lawrin • 1939 Johnstown • 1940 Gallahadion • 1941 Whirlaway ₩ • 1942 Shut Out • 1943 Count Fleet ₩ • 1944 Pensive • 1945 Hoop Jr. • 1946 Assault ₩ • 1947 Jet Pilot • 1948 Citation ₩ • 1949 Ponder • 1950 Middleground • 1951 Count Turf • 1952 Hill Gail • 1953 Dark Star • 1954 Determine • 1955 Swaps • 1956 Needles • 1957 Iron Liege • 1958 Tim Tam • 1959 Tomy Lee • 1960 Venetian Way • 1961 Carry Back • 1962 Decidedly • 1963 Chateaugay • 1964 Northern Dancer • 1965 Lucky Debonair • 1966 Kauai King • 1967 Proud Clarion • 1968 Forward Pass • 1969 Majestic Prince • 1970 Dust Commander • 1971 Canonero II • 1972 Riva Ridge • 1973 Secretariat ₩ • 1974 Cannonade • 1975 Foolish Pleasure • 1976 Bold Forbes • 1977 Seattle Slew ₩ • 1978 Affirmed ₩ • 1979 Spectacular Bid • 1980 Genuine Risk ♥ • 1981 Pleasant Colony • 1982 Gato Del Sol • 1983 Sunny's Halo • 1984 Swale • 1985 Spend A Buck • 1986 Ferdinand • 1987 Alysheba • 1988 Winning Colors ♥ • 1989 Sunday Silence • 1990 Unbridled • 1991 Strike the Gold • 1992 Lil E. Tee • 1993 Sea Hero • 1994 Go For Gin • 1995 Thunder Gulch • 1996 Grindstone • 1997 Silver Charm • 1998 Real Quiet • 1999 Charismatic • 2000 Fusaichi Pegasus • 2001 Monarchos • 2002 War Emblem • 2003 Funny Cide • 2004 Smarty Jones • 2005 Giacomo • 2006 Barbaro • 2007 Street Sense • 2008 Big Brown • 2009 Mine That Bird • 2010 Super Saver • 2011 Animal Kingdom
Legend - ₩ = Triple Crown Winners, ♥ = Filly1867 Ruthless ♥ • 1868 General Duke • 1869 Fenian • 1870 Kingfisher • 1871 Harry Bassett • 1872 Joe Daniels • 1873 Springbok • 1874 Saxon • 1875 Calvin • 1876 Algerine • 1877 Cloverbrook • 1878 Duke Of Magenta • 1879 Spendthrift • 1880 Grenada • 1881 Saunterer • 1882 Forester • 1883 George Kinney • 1884 Panique • 1885 Tyrant • 1886 Inspector B • 1887 Hanover • 1888 Sir Dixon • 1889 Eric • 1890 Burlington • 1891 Foxford • 1892 Patron • 1893 Commanche • 1894 Henry of Navarre • 1895 Belmar • 1896 Hastings • 1897 Scottish Chieftain • 1898 Bowling Brook • 1899 Jean Bereaud • 1900 Ildrim • 1901 Commando • 1902 Masterman • 1903 Africander • 1904 Delhi • 1905 Tanya ♥ • 1906 Burgomaster • 1907 Peter Pan • 1908 Colin • 1909 Joe Madden • 1910 Sweep • 1913 Prince Eugene • 1914 Luke McLuke • 1915 The Finn • 1916 Friar Rock • 1917 Hourless • 1918 Johren • 1919 Sir Barton ₩ • 1920 Man o' War • 1921 Grey Lag • 1922 Pillory • 1923 Zev • 1924 Mad Play • 1925 American Flag • 1926 Crusader • 1927 Chance Shot • 1928 Vito • 1929 Blue Larkspur • 1930 Gallant Fox ₩ • 1931 Twenty Grand • 1932 Faireno • 1933 Hurryoff • 1934 Peace Chance • 1935 Omaha ₩ • 1936 Granville • 1937 War Admiral ₩ • 1938 Pasteurized • 1939 Johnstown • 1940 Bimelech • 1941 Whirlaway ₩ • 1942 Shut Out • 1943 Count Fleet ₩ • 1944 Bounding Home • 1945 Pavot • 1946 Assault ₩ • 1947 Phalanx • 1948 Citation ₩ • 1949 Capot • 1950 Middleground • 1951 Counterpoint • 1952 One Count • 1953 Native Dancer • 1954 High Gun • 1955 Nashua • 1956 Needles • 1957 Gallant Man • 1958 Cavan • 1959 Sword Dancer • 1960 Celtic Ash • 1961 Sherluck • 1962 Jaipur • 1963 Chateaugay • 1964 Quadrangle • 1965 Hail To All • 1966 Amberoid • 1967 Damascus • 1968 Stage Door Johnny • 1969 Arts and Letters • 1970 High Echelon • 1971 Pass Catcher • 1972 Riva Ridge • 1973 Secretariat ₩ • 1974 Little Current • 1975 Avatar • 1976 Bold Forbes • 1977 Seattle Slew ₩ • 1978 Affirmed ₩ • 1979 Coastal • 1980 Temperence Hill • 1981 Summing • 1982 Conquistador Cielo • 1983 Caveat • 1984 Swale • 1985 Creme Fraiche • 1986 Danzig Connection • 1987 Bet Twice • 1988 Risen Star • 1989 Easy Goer • 1990 Go And Go • 1991 Hansel • 1992 A.P. Indy • 1993 Colonial Affair • 1994 Tabasco Cat • 1995 Thunder Gulch • 1996 Editor's Note • 1997 Touch Gold • 1998 Victory Gallop • 1999 Lemon Drop Kid • 2000 Commendable • 2001 Point Given • 2002 Sarava • 2003 Empire Maker • 2004 Birdstone • 2005 Afleet Alex • 2006 Jazil • 2007 Rags to Riches ♥ • 2008 Da' Tara • 2009 Summer Bird • 2010 Drosselmeyer • 2011 Ruler on Ice
Legend - ₩ = Triple Crown Winners, ♥ = FillyCategories:- 1953 racehorse births
- 1984 racehorse deaths
- Thoroughbred racehorses
- Racehorses bred in Florida
- Racehorses trained in the United States
- American racehorses
- Kentucky Derby winners
- Belmont Stakes winners
- American Champion racehorses
- United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees
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