- Mad Hatter (horse)
Thoroughbred racehorse infobox
horsename = Mad Hatter
caption =
sire = Fair Play
grandsire = Hastings
dam = Mad Cap
damsire =Rock Sand
sex = Stallion
foaled = 1916
country = USA flagicon|USA
colour = Dark Brown
breeder =August Belmont, Jr.
owner =Rancocas Stable
trainer =Sam Hildreth
record = 41:
earnings = $70,290
race =Bellerose Stakes (1918)Pimlico Autumn Handicap (1919)Minneola Handicap (1919)Latonia Championship Stakes (1919)
Yorktown Handicap (1920)
Bowie Handicap (1920)
Jockey Club Gold Cup (1921-22)
Metropolitan Handicap (1921-22)
Toboggan Handicap (1923)
Suburban Handicap (1924)
Queens County Handicap (1924)
awards= U.S. Champion Older Male Horse (1921)
honours =
updated= September 20, 2006Mad Hatter (foaled 1916 in
Kentucky ) was an American-bredThoroughbred stallion racehorse. Bred byAugust Belmont, Jr. , he was sired by the great Fair Play, which made him a half brother to Man o' War, out of anotherRock Sand mare, Mad Cap. He was foaled one year earlier than Man o'War and a full brother toBelmont Stakes winner,Mad Play .Trained by
Sam Hildreth and ridden most of the time by the great jockey,Earl Sande , Mad Hatter was known as much for his erratic temperament as for his racing ability. Sande was one of the few jockeys that understood Mad Hatter, especially in his later years.Late to mature, Mad Hatter was lightly raced and won the Bellerose Stakes as a two year old.
At three he won the Minneola Handicap easily, having only been to the post twice before and never at more than a mile. Then he lost to
Sir Barton in theMaryland Handicap atLaurel Park Racecourse , placing a disheartening second after running killer fractions of :22 and two, and :46 and three. Sir Barton beat him by two lengths.After winning the inaugural
Latonia Championship Stakes over a muddy track by 8 lengths, Mad Hatter went on toPimlico Race Course in November in thePimlico Autumn Handicap , beating his rivalSir Barton who placed a distant third, twelve lengths behind him.In his next race, the
Saratoga Handicap , again againstSir Barton and Exterminator, he got into a speed duel with The Porter, and placed last.It wasn't until 1921 that Mad Hatter came into his own. He won the
Jockey Club Gold Cup and theMetropolitan Handicap and was named U.S. Champion Older Male Horse.Mad Hatter continued to win
graded stakes race s as a campaigner with a repeat win of the Jockey Club Gold Cup in 1922, theToboggan Handicap in 1923, and the Suburban andQueens County Handicap s in 1924.Retirement
Fertility problems were reported for Mad Hatter and his brother,
Belmont Stakes winnerMad Play , was completely sterile. However out of 177 foals, Mad Hatter did sire 23 graded stakes winners such as The Nut, Cocked Hat, Cresta Run, and the champion filly, Snowflake.Resources
* [http://www.pedigreequery.com/mad+hatter Pedigree & Part Stats]
* [http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/FairPlay.html TB Heritage Fairplay - Mad Hatter]
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9904EFDB123AE03ABC4850DFBF668382609EDE&oref=slogin NY Times Mad Hatter Minneola]
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