About American Classic Pedigrees

Origins

American Classic Pedigrees began with a book, which began with a challenge—a dare to turn a quarter-century of researching Thoroughbred history and pedigrees into a manuscript that would follow the models of Sir Charles Leicester’'s Bloodstock Breeding and Williams and Hyland’s The Irish Derby in providing profiles and discussions of the influence of the winners of the Derby Stakes and Irish Derby, respectively. From there, the project expanded to coverage of all three American Triple Crown races plus two filly races deemed of equivalent stature, and the whole was published as American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 by Eclipse Press in 2003.

Since that publication, two more decades of American Classic winners have come and gone. In addition, South American and Canadian racing and breeding have also made contributions to the international world of the Thoroughbred which have all too often gone without note. With the move onto a Web-based format, American Classic Pedigrees is in a position to cover more recent developments and to expand its coverage into areas which have historically received little attention in the Northern Hemisphere but which are equally important in telling the story of the Thoroughbred in the Americas.

Because of the intended scope of American Classic Pedigrees, there is far more information to be researched and written up than one person can hope to cover in a lifetime. Nonetheless, it is presented as a labor of love, in hopes that others who share the love of the Thoroughbred will find much here that is both useful and enjoyable.


Criteria for admission

To be accorded a page at American Classic Pedigrees, horses must have at least one of the following qualifications:
  • Victory in an American Triple Crown race or a race of equivalent stature in another major racing country of the Western Hemisphere, including 3-year-old filly races that are considered Classics. Major racing countries are those included in Part I of the International Cataloguing Standards classifications and at this time include Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Peru, and the United States; prior to 1992, Uruguay was also included in Part I (it was demoted to Part II that year, giving Uruguayan open stakes black-type status but not Group status in the international Cataloguing Standards). As of 2017, Uruguayan group races are recognized as such by The Jockey Club, but Uruguay remains in Part II of the International Cataloguing Standards as of 2022.
  • Victory in a Breeders' Cup race, the Carreras de las Estrellas, or the Gran Premio Latinoamericano.
  • Victory in a European Classic in a major racing country, provided that the horse was bred in the Americas.
  • Recognition as a champion or divisional highweight in a major racing country of the Western Hemisphere, or in a major racing country elsewhere provided that the horse was bred in the Americas.
  • Recognition as a category/divisional highweight on the International Classifications, the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings, or the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, provided the horse was bred in the Americas.
  • Membership in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame, the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, or any equivalent in a major South American racing nation.
  • Recognition as a champion sire, broodmare sire, or juvenile sire in a major racing country of the Western Hemisphere, or in a major racing country elsewhere provided that the horse was bred in the Americas.
  • Recognition as a Broodmare of the Year in a major racing country of the Americas, or in a major racing country elsewhere provided that the mare was bred in the Americas.
  • Recognition as a horse or mare that has made significant contributions to the breeding of champions and Classic winners in the Americas, even though not recognized as a champion sire or Broodmare of the Year. This category includes horses that spent their breeding careers abroad but have exercised significant influence on racing or breeding in the Western Hemisphere through their sons and daughters.
  • Recognition of exceptional merit other than the above, at the sole discretion of the site owner. 
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Photo credit

Photo of 1996 Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1) winner Alphabet Soup, taken by Avalyn Hunter at Adena Springs South in 2008.