- Ancient Title
Thoroughbred racehorse infobox
horsename = Ancient Title
caption =
sire = Gummo
grandsire = Fleet Nasrullah
dam = Hi Little Gal
damsire = Bar Le Duc
sex =Gelding
foaled = 1970
country = United States flagicon|USA
colour = Bay
breeder = William & Ethel Kirkland
owner = Kirkland Stable
trainer =Keith L. Stucki, Sr.
record = 57: 24-11-9
earnings = $1,252,791
race =California Breeders' Champion Stakes (1972)Inglewood Stakes (1973)San Vicente Stakes (1973)Malibu Stakes (1974)Los Angeles Handicap (1974)Palos Verdes Handicap (1974)
Charles H. Strub Stakes (1974)
San Fernando Stakes (1974)Californian Stakes (1975, 1976)Hollywood Gold Cup (1975)San Carlos Handicap (1975)Whitney Handicap (1975)Caballero Handicap (1976)Del Mar Handicap (1977)Bel Air Handicap (1977)San Antonio Handicap (1977)San Pasqual Handicap (1978)
awards=California Horse of the Year (1974, 1975)
honours = United States Racing Hall of Fame (2008)
Ancient Title Handicap atSanta Anita Park
updated= October 2, 2007Ancient Title (April 19, 1970 - September 1, 1981) was an American
Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse. Foaled inCalifornia , he was bred by William and Ethel Kirkland and raced under Ethel Kirkland's name following her husband's death in 1972. She too died in 1976 and the horse then competed under the Kirkland Stable banner.Gelded before age three because of a very difficult disposition, Ancient Title raced for seven years. He won many of the top
Graded stakes race s in California and was twice votedCalifornia Horse of the Year . Trained by Keith Stucki, Ancient Title began winning at age two with his most important victory coming in the 1972California Breeders' Champion Stakes . He continued winning at age three but began to develop into a top level horse in 1974. That year, he became only the third horse to ever win all three races in the Strub Series. In addition to the Los Angeles andPalos Verdes Handicap s, he ran second toPrince Dantan in theSanta Anita Handicap and second toTree Of Knowledge in theHollywood Gold Cup . His 1974 performances earned him the first of two consecutiveCalifornia Horse of the Year honors.In 1975, Ancient Title's wins included the
Californian Stakes , theSan Carlos Handicap and theHollywood Gold Cup . That year his handlers also brought him to race on the East Coast where he won theWhitney Handicap at New York'sSaratoga Race Course and ran third to winner Wajima and runner-upForego in theMarlboro Cup Invitational Handicap atBelmont Park . Ancient Title won more California stakes races in 1977 and after competing and winning in 1978 an injury led to his retirement. With earnings of $1,252,791, he ended his racing career as the richest California-bred horse to that time.For three years, Ancient Title lived in retirement at Rio Vista Farm near
Atascadero, California operated by trainerWallace Dollase . He reportedly died following surgery forcolic problems on September 1, 1981.In 1985, the
Oak Tree Racing Association honored the horse with the creation of the Ancient Title Handicap atSanta Anita Park .On August 4, 2008, Ancient Title was only the fifth California bred inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.
References
* [http://www.pedigreequery.com/ancient+title Ancient Title's pedigree and partial racing stats]
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