Challenger (1927–1948) was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who became a Leading sire in North America.
Background Challenger was a bay horse bred by The National Stud at Tully in County Kildare, Ireland. As a yearling, Challenger was bought for 5,000 guineas by Lord Dewar.
Racing career At age two, Challenger made two starts, winning both the Richmond and Clearwell Stakes. Following the death of Lord Dewar, his nephew John Arthur Dewar inherited his horses and, in 1930, he sold Challenger for £10,000,Thoroughbred Heritage the then equivalent of US$100,000, to the American racing partnership of William Brann and Robert Castle.Baltimore Sun - July 27, 1930
Registered in the United States as Challenger II, the expensive colt never fully recovered from an injury to his hocks and had no success on American racetracks.Thoroughbred Heritage However, as a sire, he would prove to be more than worth the price Brann and Castle paid for him.
Stud record Challenger stood at stud at his owners Branncastle Farm near Walkersville, Maryland, where he proved a very successful sire and was the leading sire in North America in 1939.Thoroughbred Heritage - Leading Sires of the U.S.A. His best son was Challedon, a colt born in 1936 whose major wins included the Preakness Stakes, the Pimlico Special, and the Hollywood Gold Cup. Challedon was voted American Horse of the Year in 1939 and 1940 and, following its formation, was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. In 1942, Challenger sired Gallorette, a filly who regularly beat her male counterparts while winning major events, such as the Brooklyn and Metropolitan Handicaps. Gallorette was voted the American Champion Older Female Horse of 1946 and, following its formation, was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. The following year, Challenger sired Bridal Flower who was voted the 1946 American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly.Annual Champions at BloodHorse.com
In addition, Challenger's 1937 son, Pictor, was a multiple stakes winner.Pictor's pedigree and partial racing stats Another son born in 1941, Challenge Me,Challenge Me's pedigree and partial racing stats won top races in 1944, such as the Oaklawn Handicap, which he won by ten lengths while setting a new track record. He followed up with a win in the Arkansas Derby.The Dubuque, Iowa Telegraph-Herald - April 4, 1944Oaklawn Park 2012 Media Guide In 1945, he added to his win total with a victory in that fall's Hollywood Gold Cup.Miami News - October 22, 1945
Through his daughter Gallita, Challenger was damsire of Nadir, the American Co-Champion Two-Year-Old Colt of 1957.Annual Champions at BloodHorse.com Other good runners that Challenger was the damsire for included two racemares. The first was Christopher Chenery's Rich Tradition (1954)Rich Tradition's pedigree and partial racing stats and the second, Harry Guggenheim's Ashland Stakes winner Jota Jota (1956).Jota Jota's pedigree and partial racing stats
Challenger died at age twenty-one in 1948 and was buried in the Branncastle farm (renamed the Glade Valley Farm) equine cemetery.Thoroughbred Heritage - Grave Matters
Sire line tree
Challenger Darley Arabian Sire Line: BirdcatcherSire Line: SterlingPortrait: Challenger ChalledonHall of Fame: ChalledonAmerican Classic Pedigree: ChalledonMaryland Hall of Fame: Challedon Donor Shy Guy Sabaean Ancestor Pictor Vincentive Challenge Me Errard Southharlington Laffango Errard King Escadru
Pedigree
Challenger is inbred 3S x 5D to the mare Pilgrimage, meaning that she appears third generation on the sire side of his pedigree, and fifth generation (via Loved One) on the dam side of his pedigree.
Challenger is inbred 4S x 4D to the stallion Isonomy, meaning that he appears fourth generation on the sire side of his pedigree, and fourth generation on the dam side of his pedigree.
Challenger is inbred 4S x 5D to the stallion St Simon, meaning that he appears fourth generation on the sire side of his pedigree, and fifth generation (via Persimmon) on the dam side of his pedigree.
Challenger is inbred 4S x 5D to the stallion Hermit, meaning that he appears fourth generation on the sire side of his pedigree, and fifth generation (via Moorhen) on the dam side of his pedigree.
References