Genealogy of Omar Khayyam, Probably the Greatest Three-Year-Old of the Year, Daily Racing Form, 1917-07-27

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b . . . j, GENEALOGY OF OMAR KHAYYAM, PK0BABLY THE GREATEST THREE-YEAR-OLD OF THE YEAR As the first foreign horse to win the Kentucky Derby, which now ranks ns the richest, if not the most important, race for three-year-olds in America, Omar Khayyam is a runner the genealogy of which is of interest to all classes of horsemen. Bred by Sir John Robinson, in lie Worksop Manor Stud, in England, he was the third son of his dam Lisma. now only ten years old. As her first was Wolfaline, a winner in Newmarket in his two-year-old form and placed last season in six out of seven races, two of which he won. Lisma looks like a mare that mny become ns noted as some of her ancestors in the production of speed. . Lisma was bred by Lord Marcius Beresford, and was by Persimmon, winner of tin? Derby and St. Leger in 1890, and n brother to Diamond Jubilee, winner of the same turf classics in 1900; also to Florizel. sire of William C. Whitneys Derby winner, Volodyvoski, of the following year. The paternity of Omar Khayyams second dam, Luscious, is in doubt, but she was royally bred, whether her sire was Ilarpendou or Royal Hampton, for the latter was by Hampton, the best long distance runner of his day, and the sire of three Derby winners, as well as Perdita II., the dam of Persimmon, Diamond. Jubilee and Florizel, while Royal Hampton was by King Tom, sire of the dam of St. Simon. Hampden was by Blair Athol, himself winner of the Derby and St. Leger, and a rare son of Stockwell, from which Ormonde? Cyllene and Rock Sand are descended in the direct male line. Alveola and Ste. Alvere, respectively third and fourth dams of Omar Khayyam, were exported to Germany when young, and so lost the opportunity of producing winners 011 the British turf. Right here it is interesting to note that Ste. Alvere was closely related to the great mare Distant Shore, granddam of Cyllene and dam of St. Hllalre, which sired Merry Agnes, the dam of Pommern. Both were by Hermit, the Derby winner of 1804, and each was foaled by a granddaughter of the noted mare, Maid of Masham, with Young Melbourne the sire of the dam of one and granddam of the other. A Great Producing Lino. Adelaide, the daughter of Young Melbourne, that was the dam of Ste.. Alvere, produced Peregrine, the horse that defeated IrouuoiS-for . the Twos-Thousand Guineas in 18S1 and was beaten a half length by him for tiie Derby in the same year. Adelaide also produced St. Mary, a sister to Ste. Alvere, that was the dam of La Sagcsse, winner of the Oaks in 1S94. Through a long lino of thoroughbred mares Omar Khayyam traces back in the direct maternal line to the dam of Flretail, one of the first English race horses imported into North Carolina and, finally, in twenty odd generations, to the old Vintner mare, his earliest recorded ancestor, that raced with distinction in the North of England more than two hundred and fifty years ago. In the direct male line Omar Khayyam traces back to Matchcm, grandson of the Jodolphin Arabian, which is rather unusual in these days, most of the prominent racing families having been founded by Eclipse, that traced to the Darley Arabian, or by Herod, great grandson of the Bycrly Turk. The Kentucky Derby winner is not quite so fashionably and richly-bred on this side of the house as on the other, but the lines are noted for stamina and the sterling character which distinguished the old-time race horses. Sires Stud Fee Not 00. Marco, his sire, commands a stud fee of less than 00, though he is the sire of such good ones as Neil Gow, winner of the 0,000 Eclipse Stakes and the Two Thousand Guineas; Beppo, winner of the 0,000 Jockey Club Stakes; Marcovil, winner of the Cambridgeshire and Bronzino, winner of the Doncaster Cup. Marco himself was no ordinary performer, having Avon the Cambridgeshire as a three-year-old and the Champion Stakes as a four-year-old, beating Sir Visto, winner of the Derby and St. Leger. Barcaldinc, the sire of Marco, has been called as fine a specimen of the thoroughbred race . horse as ever was foaled. He was an Irish horse, about 1G.2 hands high, nnd Joseph Osborne says he measured eighty-six inches around the- girth, which is more than ten inches larger than Persimmon and eight inches larger than St. Simon. He was one of the few horses that never was beaten, but he took no part in the turf classics, though in other races he defeated some of the best horses of his day in 1883. In the stud he sired Sir Visto, Minil, winner of the Oaks and One Thousand Guineas; also Morion, winner of the Ascot Gold Cup; Barmecide, winner of the Goodwood Cup, and many other noted stayers. Barcaldines sire, Solon, was only a fair pur-former and sire, but he sired Arbitrator. His son Kilwarlin won the St. Leger and was the sire of many prominent winners. West Australian, the sire of Solon, was the first horse to win the Derby, St. Leger nnd Two Thousand Guineas, and through his son Australian he was; the grandsire of many noted American race horses, Including Spendthrift. Inbreeding to Cup Horses. Inbreeding to Melbourne, the stout old cup horse that was West Australians sire, is a feature of Omar Khayyams pedigree. This horse sired seven winners of the English turf classics, and every one a stayer. His lcst daughter. Blink Bonny, winner of the Derby and Oaks, was the dam of the great Derby winner Blair Athol, that sired Harpenden, the probable sire of tlio Kentucky Derby winners grand-dam. Luscious. Young Melbourne, a son of Mel-, bourne, that sired the lams of five winners of classic races, was the sire of Omar Khayyam fiftli dam, and also of Hermolue, granddam of Persimmon, the sire of his dam. There is a cose inbreeding also to Birdcatcher. sire of the dam of Solon and of the third dam of Barcaldine. This horse was the sire of seven classic winners, one of which, The Baron, sired the great Stockwell, grandsire of Barcaldines dam. and of Harpenden, sire of Lismas dam. Again, Bird-catchers grandsire, Whalebone, a Derby winner, was also the grandsire of Touchstone, St. Leger winner and sire of the St. Leger winner, New-minster, whose son Hermit, a Derby winner, sired Ste. Alvere, the fourth dam of Omar Khayyam, and also Novitiate, the dam of Marco, his sire, while Harpendens dam was by Newminster himself, and so were Xord Clifton, grandsire of Perdita IlParid Adventurer, the sire of Barcaldines dam. Such a combination of stout blood, with Inbreeding to so many of the best stayers in the English stud book, is not often found nowadays. The tabulated pedigree of Omar Khayyam follows: West Australian f Solon 5 I Dr. of Birdcatcher fl 1 I I Ballyroe 1 nelladrum t Bon Accord M a . J3 a I Hermit Newminster a Seclusion 9 l?1 b y. I Retty -J Liimbton 3 , Fern 2 g f St. Simon Gall,ln gg I St. Angela a rl I S l Terdita II i Hampton cj I Hermoine 3 fTT I Rlnir Athol Harpenden j 4 H I Alveole S Crafton Ste. Alvere


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1917072701/drf1917072701_1_4
Local Identifier: drf1917072701_1_4
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800