Dynasties: Great Thoroughbred Stallions

by Edward L. Bowen, William Farish (Foreword by)

Overview

For centuries, man has attempted to manipulate nature in the form of the Thoroughbred racehorse. Sometimes the endeavor has succeeded beyond all expectations in the creation of a horse whose speed and “heart” recurred over generations. Other times, a great horse has emerged seemingly by happenstance to found an enduring sire line.

In Dynasties: Great Thoroughbred Stallions, author Edward L. Bowen examines the exploits and legacies of some of the twentieth century’s most influential sires. The twenty-four subject stallions represent a litany of revered names, from Fair Play and Hyperion to Northern Dancer and Mr. Prospector. Some, such as the undefeated Ribot, had greatness preordained. Others achieved it by defying the odds: Challenger II, for example, never won a race after he was imported to the United States but soon produced a Preakness Stakes winner. Princequillo ran in claiming races, then later led the American sire list twice. Rough’n Tumble never left his Florida outpost but his best son, Dr. Fager, set a world record. “A look at the sire lines of the 20th Century —both those which lasted and those that burst brightly and faded instantly — is a paradox: a repeating series of singular tales,” Bowen writes.

Interwoven with these tales are the stories of the people whose imagination, skill, and luck brought them association with these great stallions, names equally as revered: Hancock, Whitney, Tesio, Vanderbilt, Khan. Dynasties: Great Thoroughbred Stallions, written by Thoroughbred racing’s most respected historian, is an invaluable contribution to the literature of the sport.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493090471
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	04/01/2025
Pages:	308
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 10.50(h) x 0.00(d)

About the Author

Edward L. Bowen is the author of more than twenty books on Thoroughbred racing history. He was a staff member of the weekly trade publication The Blood-Horse for some thirty years, including seventeen as managing editor and five as editor-in-chief. He was also editor of The Canadian Horse for two years. Bowen served as president of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation from 1994 through 2018. Bowen has received various honors within the world of Thoroughbred and sports journalism and authorship, including an Eclipse Award for magazine writing, the Charles Engelhard Award from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, the Old Hilltop Award from Pimlico Race Course, the Walter Haight Award from the National Turf Writers Association, and the gold medal designation in Foreword's sports category. He lives in Versailles, Kentucky.

Table of Contents

	Foreword	6
	Introduction	8
Part 1	Early 20th Century Stallions
	Commando	12
	Star Shoot (and Sweep)	22
	Fair Play	29
	Sir Gallahad III	39
	Challenger II	51
	Blenheim II	57
Part 2	The Great Melting Pot
	Hyperion	68
	Bull Lea	81
	Princequillo	93
	Rough'n Tumble	102
Part 3	European Roots
	Nearco	110
	Nasrullah	116
	Bold Ruler (and Seattle Slew)	129
	Hail to Reason (Turn-to and Roberto)	144
	Blushing Groom	154
	Ribot	163
Part 4	Speed Rules
	Native Dancer (and the Sickle and Pharamond II lines)	174
	Mr. Prospector (Raise a Native and Alydar)	184
Part 5	Worldwide Influences
	Northern Dancer (Lyphard, Deputy Minister, The Minstrel)	196
	Nijinsky II	212
	Nureyev	217
	Danzig	223
	Sadler's Wells	229
	Storm Cat	234
	Tail Male Lines	240
	References/Index	252
	List of Illustrations	258
	About the Author	260

Editorial Reviews

Intertwines the human perspective when discussing the major Thoroughbred dynasties.

Pacemaker

He intertwines a rich history — both human and equine — into each biography, and provides a fascinating look at the evolution of a number of the greatest stables of the century.

Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred

[Bowen is] a master storyteller.

Daily Racing Form

[Bowen is] one of the nation’s finest turf writers.

Boston Globe

Edward L. Bowen is one of racing’s foremost authorities.

James E. Bassett III