view raw text
STARS BREEDING IS SIMILAR War Admiral and Seabiscuit Traced to Same Families. Riddle Crack Has Cross to Domino — Both Horses Carry Famous American Bloodlines. NEW YORK, N. Y., May 21.— Racing enthusiasts in all parts of the country are arguing the relative merits of Seabiscuit and War Admiral and countless wagers are being made on the outcome of their match race at Belmont Park May 30, but in Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland and the other centers where thoroughbreds are the discussion, go beyond just the racing qualities of the two horses — to their breeding and to their prospects in the stud. The arguments of this score frequently have been and are just as heated as those on the race, although very few if any wagers have been made due to the length of time necessary to determine which of the two stars will prove the better sire. The fact is certain, however, that numerous Kentucky breeders are sorry Seabiscuit is destined to stand in California when his racing days have been completed. SAME MALE LINE. In some respects the breeding of the two horses is identical. Both belong to the same male line, War Admiral being a son of Man o War and Seabiscuit a grandson of that peerless performer. Man o War was by Fair Play, whose sire was Hastings and grandsire Spendthrift. Hastings generally is considered as responsible for the temperament shown by most members of this line, particularly evidenced in War Admiral by his antics at the post. Seabiscuit is more dbcile at the post, but he has his habits too which may be caused by his Hastings heritage. Man o War was out of the Rock Sand mare Mahubah, and Hard Tack, likewise, was from a daughter of that son of Sainfoin and Roquebrune, imported to this country for 65,000. The sire of Seabiscuit, there- fore, has two rather immediate crosses to Rock Sand, as well as coming out of the female family of Jamestown, Dick Welles, Ort Wells and Tea Caddy. Another similarity in the breeding of Sea-biscuit and War Admiral exists in the top line of their dams. Samuel D. Riddles representative is from Brush Up, a daughter of Sweep, the latter a son of Ben Brush. Swing On, the dam of Chas. S. Howards candidate, also traces to Ben Brush, but the latter is another degree removed than in the case of Brush Up. The sire of Swing On is Whisk Broom II., which was by Broomstick, a son of Ben Brush. DOMINO BLOOD. Sweep, whose type War Admiral embodies, was from Pink Domino, a daughter of Domino and half sister to the dam of Pennant. No Domino blood appears in the j breeding of Seabiscuit. Brush Ups dam was Annette K., by Harry of Hereford, he being j a brother of Swynford, and from Bathing i Girl, a daughter of Spearmint and Summer Girl. Brush Up started three times, finishing second and third once each, after which she went to the stud. Annette K. was unplaced in her only start, but besides Brush Up, foaled War Glory, which finished the 1933 season as one of the best regarded of the three-year-olds. Her dam Bathing Girl did ! not race at all, but was a sister to Over . There, sire of numerous winners in this j country, and a half sister to Reine DEte, dam of the great Metropolitan Stakes winner Summer Princess. The dam of Seabiscuit, Swing On, did not race, but she was from Balance, which produced Flippant and Hornpipe, among others, and was a half sister to Distraction, Blondin and to Swinging. The last named Is well known to the breeding experts as the dam of Equipoise. Balance was by the great French horse Rabelais, from Balan-coire II., imported daughter of Meddler and Ballatrae. It is upon the strength of the tail male and the distaff lines of a thoroughbred that the experts usually determine the quality of a horses breeding, but performance and physical type also enter into whatever success a stallion will have at stud. «
