Sired by a juvenile champion and out of a mare whose dam was a full sister to the legendary speedster Domino, Ariel was bred for speed and precocity and lived up to his pedigree. Unfortunately, he was not very sound or durable, but he became a good sire of speed and made a major mark on Thoroughbred breeding by siring Planetoid, whose daughter Grey Flight was one of the major foundation mares of the mid-20th century.
Race record
10 starts, 6 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds, US$31,230
1927:
Assessments
Ranked third among American juvenile males of 1927 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A well-balanced black horse, Ariel was powerful and muscular with short cannons but was rather heavy-bodied for his legs. He started only once after his juvenile season.
As a stallion
The Jockey Club credits Ariel with siring 260 winners (78.1%) and 33 stakes winners (10.2%) from 323 named foals. He was considered an influence for speed and precocity.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
Per The Blood-Horse:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Education (USA), Planetoid (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Air Page (CAN), Grey Flight (USA), Lea Lark (USA), Sickle's Image (USA)
Connections
Ariel was bred by Harry F. Sinclair, who raced the colt in the name of his Rancocas Stable. In 1930, Adolphe Pons bought Ariel for a sale-topping US$6,000 from a Rancocas dispersal sale. Two years later, he sold a half interest in Ariel to William B. Miller, and in 1939, the partners each sold a quarter-interest in Ariel to Walter Salmon. Ariel initially stood at Greenwich Stud, later moving to Salmon's Mereworth Stud near Lexington, Kentucky.
Pedigree notes
Ariel is inbred 5x3 to Himyar and the important 19th-century broodmare Mannie Gray through the full brother and sister Domino (the 1893 American Horse of the Year) and Mannie Himyar. He is one of seven European and North American stakes winners produced from the excellent broodmare Adana, whose sire Adam won the Prix Eclipse and was a full brother to 1904 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) and Grand Prix de Paris winner Ajax. Of Ariel's half siblings, perhaps the most important to American racing and breeding was Ladana (by Lucullite), a good juvenile and the second dam of the great race mare and fine producer Twilight Tear. In Europe, Ariel's half sister Palestra (by Prince Palatine) won a minor stakes in France before returning to her native country, where she produced 1939 American champion handicap female Lady Maryland (by Sir Greysteel) and became the second dam of 1934 King's Plate winner Horometer.
Adana was produced from Mannie Himyar, a full sister to the great Domino and to the crack sprint mare Correction, dam of 1901 Futurity Stakes winner Yankee (by Hanover). The dam of 1903 Excelsior Handicap winner Blackstock (by Hanover), Mannie Himyar is also a half sister to 1884 Tennessee Derby winner Ten Strike (by Ten Broeck), to 1886 Ladies' Handicap winner Bandala (by King Ban), and to stakes winner Lady Reel (by Fellowcraft), dam of the great runner and sire Hamburg (by Hanover).
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the collection of Quarter Horse Record (Susan Larkin); used by permission.
Last updated: March 15, 2024
Race record
10 starts, 6 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds, US$31,230
1927:
- Won Saratoga Special (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
- Won Youthful Stakes (USA, 5FD, Jamaica)
- 2nd Remsen Handicap (USA, 6FD, Jamacia)
Assessments
Ranked third among American juvenile males of 1927 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A well-balanced black horse, Ariel was powerful and muscular with short cannons but was rather heavy-bodied for his legs. He started only once after his juvenile season.
As a stallion
The Jockey Club credits Ariel with siring 260 winners (78.1%) and 33 stakes winners (10.2%) from 323 named foals. He was considered an influence for speed and precocity.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- 7th on the American general sire list in 1940; 8th in 1946; 10th in 1944
Per The Blood-Horse:
- 7th on the American general sire list in 1940; 8th in 1946; 10th in 1944.
- Led the American juvenile sire list by number of winners in 1940 and 1942.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 7th on the American general sire list in 1940; 8th in 1946; 10th in 1944.
Notable progeny
Education (USA), Planetoid (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Air Page (CAN), Grey Flight (USA), Lea Lark (USA), Sickle's Image (USA)
Connections
Ariel was bred by Harry F. Sinclair, who raced the colt in the name of his Rancocas Stable. In 1930, Adolphe Pons bought Ariel for a sale-topping US$6,000 from a Rancocas dispersal sale. Two years later, he sold a half interest in Ariel to William B. Miller, and in 1939, the partners each sold a quarter-interest in Ariel to Walter Salmon. Ariel initially stood at Greenwich Stud, later moving to Salmon's Mereworth Stud near Lexington, Kentucky.
Pedigree notes
Ariel is inbred 5x3 to Himyar and the important 19th-century broodmare Mannie Gray through the full brother and sister Domino (the 1893 American Horse of the Year) and Mannie Himyar. He is one of seven European and North American stakes winners produced from the excellent broodmare Adana, whose sire Adam won the Prix Eclipse and was a full brother to 1904 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) and Grand Prix de Paris winner Ajax. Of Ariel's half siblings, perhaps the most important to American racing and breeding was Ladana (by Lucullite), a good juvenile and the second dam of the great race mare and fine producer Twilight Tear. In Europe, Ariel's half sister Palestra (by Prince Palatine) won a minor stakes in France before returning to her native country, where she produced 1939 American champion handicap female Lady Maryland (by Sir Greysteel) and became the second dam of 1934 King's Plate winner Horometer.
Adana was produced from Mannie Himyar, a full sister to the great Domino and to the crack sprint mare Correction, dam of 1901 Futurity Stakes winner Yankee (by Hanover). The dam of 1903 Excelsior Handicap winner Blackstock (by Hanover), Mannie Himyar is also a half sister to 1884 Tennessee Derby winner Ten Strike (by Ten Broeck), to 1886 Ladies' Handicap winner Bandala (by King Ban), and to stakes winner Lady Reel (by Fellowcraft), dam of the great runner and sire Hamburg (by Hanover).
Fun facts
- The name Ariel means “lion of God” in Hebrew and was used poetically for the city of Jerusalem in the biblical book of Isaiah. Later, William Shakespeare gave this name to the sprite serving Prospero, the protagonist of his play The Tempest. English poet John Milton also made use of the name, assigning it to an angel in his Paradise Lost.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the collection of Quarter Horse Record (Susan Larkin); used by permission.
Last updated: March 15, 2024