Difficult and undersized as a youngster, Armed was gelded and sent back to the farm to grow. For a time he served as a stable pony, but he overcame his ignominious start in racing to become a two-time handicap champion and a Horse of the Year. He carried on a long-running rivalry with 1946 Triple Crown winner Assault and 1945 champion handicap male Stymie but never lost to either, though his victory over Assault in a 1947 match race was hollow due to Assault's having developed a painful splint. He failed to win a stakes during his final three seasons at the track and was pensioned at his birthplace, Calumet Farm.
Race record
81 starts, 41 wins, 20 seconds, 10 thirds, US$817,475
1945:
1946:
1947:
1948:
1949:
1950:
Honors
Assessments
Armed was rated #39 among the top 100 American racehorses of the 20th century by an expert panel assembled by The Blood-Horse (Thoroughbred Champions, Eclipse Press, 7th printing, 2005).
Rated second among American older males of 1945 by The Blood-Horse
As an individual
Armed was a well-made, elegant brown standing 15.3 hands. He had a long, low stride and a notably low head carriage. He became more tractable after being gelded but would still threaten visitors to his stall with pinned ears and teeth, though he would yield to handling if his bluff was called. He was less thick and muscular than most of his sire's get, with a long body and a good shoulder. His eyes were rather small and tended to show white. He possessed good tactical speed. He was extremely game in action.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Armed was bred and owned by Calumet Farm. He was trained by the father-and-son team of Ben A. Jones and Horace “Jimmy” Jones. He was pensioned at Calumet following his racing career and died of an intestinal tumor in 1964.
Pedigree notes
Armed is inbred 4x5 to two-time Australian champion sire Trenton. He is a full brother to stakes winners Re-Armed and Lap Full and a half brother to stakes winner Armera (by Bull Lea's son Faultless). The siblings' dam, Armful, was produced from the Luke McLuke mare Negrina, a full sister to multiple stakes winners Mr. Sponge and Shuffle Along and to 1921 Golden Rod Handicap winner Jeanne Bowdre. The last-named mare, in turn, produced the high-class juvenile Grand Slam (by Chance Play) and stakes winners Jean Valjean (by Stefan the Great) and Jean Lafitte (by Sand Mole). The female line entered the United States via Negrina's dam Black Brocade (by Neil Gow).
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: August 4, 2020
Race record
81 starts, 41 wins, 20 seconds, 10 thirds, US$817,475
1945:
- Won Pimlico Special (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- Won Washington Handicap (USA, 10FD, Laurel)
- Won Sheridan Handicap (second division) (USA, 7FD, Washington Park)
- 2nd Washington Park Handicap (USA, 10FD, Washington Park)
- 2nd Chicago Handicap (USA, 6FD, Washington Park)
- 2nd Havre de Grace Handicap (USA, 9FD, Havre de Grace)
- 2nd Fall Highweight Handicap (USA, 6FD, Belmont)
1946:
- Won Suburban Handicap (USA, 10FD, Belmont)
- Won Washington Park Handicap (USA, 10FD, Washington Park; new track record 2:01)
- Won Widener Handicap (USA, 10FD, Hialeah)
- Won Whirlaway Stakes (USA, 9FD, Washington Park)
- Won Dixie Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- Won Sheridan Handicap (USA, 8FD, Washington Park; new track record 1:35)
- Won Philadelphia Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Havre de Grace; new track record 1:43-1/5)
- Won Double Event Stakes #1 (USA, 9FD, Tropical Park; new track record 1:48-3/5)
- Won Double Event Stakes #2 (USA, 9FD, Tropical Park; equaled track record 1:48-3/5)
- 2nd Arlington Handicap (USA, 10FD, Arlington Park)
- 2nd McLennan Handicap (USA, 9FD, Hialeah)
- 2nd Quick Step Stakes (USA, 6FD, Washington Park)
- 2nd Harford Handicap (USA, 6FD, Havre de Grace)
- 3rd Narragansett Special (USA, 9.5FD, Narragansett Park)
- 3rd Equipoise Mile Handicap (USA, 8FD, Arlington Park)
1947:
- Won Arlington Handicap (USA, 10FD, Arlington Park)
- Won Stars and Stripes Handicap (USA, 9FD, Arlington Park; new track record 1:49-4/5)
- Won Washington Park Handicap (USA, 10FD, Washington Park)
- Won Widener Handicap (USA, 10FD, Hialeah; new track record 2:01-3/5)
- Won Whirlaway Stakes (USA, 9FD, Arlington Park; new track record 1:48-3/5)
- Won McLennan Handicap (USA, 9FD, Hialeah)
- Won Gulfstream Park Handicap (USA, 10FD, Gulfstream Park; new track record 2:01-2/5)
- Won Sysonby Mile (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Sheridan Handicap (USA, 8FD, Washington Park)
- 2nd Equipoise Mile Handicap (USA, 8FD, Arlington Park)
- 2nd Domino Handicap (USA, 6FD, Arlington Park)
- 3rd Pimlico Special (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
1948:
- 2nd Gulfstream Park Handicap (USA, 10FD, Gulfstream Park)
- 3rd McLennan Handicap (USA, 9FD, Hialeah)
- 3rd Seminole Handicap (USA, 7FD, Hialeah)
1949:
- 2nd Washington Park Handicap (USA, 10FD, Washington Park)
- 2nd Stars and Stripes Handicap (USA, 9FD, Arlington Park)
- 2nd Churchill Downs Handicap (USA, 7FD, Churchill Downs)
- 3rd Arlington Handicap (USA, 10FD, Arlington Park)
- 3rd Clark Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
1950:
- 2nd Royal Palm Handicap (USA, 9FD, Hialeah)
Honors
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1963)
- American Horse of the Year (1947)
- American champion handicap male (1946, 1947)
Assessments
Armed was rated #39 among the top 100 American racehorses of the 20th century by an expert panel assembled by The Blood-Horse (Thoroughbred Champions, Eclipse Press, 7th printing, 2005).
Rated second among American older males of 1945 by The Blood-Horse
As an individual
Armed was a well-made, elegant brown standing 15.3 hands. He had a long, low stride and a notably low head carriage. He became more tractable after being gelded but would still threaten visitors to his stall with pinned ears and teeth, though he would yield to handling if his bluff was called. He was less thick and muscular than most of his sire's get, with a long body and a good shoulder. His eyes were rather small and tended to show white. He possessed good tactical speed. He was extremely game in action.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Armed was bred and owned by Calumet Farm. He was trained by the father-and-son team of Ben A. Jones and Horace “Jimmy” Jones. He was pensioned at Calumet following his racing career and died of an intestinal tumor in 1964.
Pedigree notes
Armed is inbred 4x5 to two-time Australian champion sire Trenton. He is a full brother to stakes winners Re-Armed and Lap Full and a half brother to stakes winner Armera (by Bull Lea's son Faultless). The siblings' dam, Armful, was produced from the Luke McLuke mare Negrina, a full sister to multiple stakes winners Mr. Sponge and Shuffle Along and to 1921 Golden Rod Handicap winner Jeanne Bowdre. The last-named mare, in turn, produced the high-class juvenile Grand Slam (by Chance Play) and stakes winners Jean Valjean (by Stefan the Great) and Jean Lafitte (by Sand Mole). The female line entered the United States via Negrina's dam Black Brocade (by Neil Gow).
Fun facts
- Armed was the world's leading money winner among Thoroughbred geldings at the time of his retirement in 1950.
- The Armed Handicap, a 6-furlong sprint for ages 3 and up on dirt, was contested at Gulfstream Park in 1944-1964.
- Armed nearly missed the 1946 Suburban Handicap because of a van drivers' strike that all but shut down Belmont Park. With the help of Marshall Cassidy, then the presiding secretary at the New York tracks, Jimmy Jones managed to sneak the van carrying Armed through a normally disused gate at the back of the facility at 3 in the morning. Picketers who had been drowsing near the scene woke up and rushed over to attack the van with baseball bats, tire irons, and other weapons, but the van driver would not stop and squeezed through the gate just before track security slammed it shut, safely delivering Armed, his groom, and Jones to the track. Carrying 130 pounds, Armed won the Suburban by 2½ lengths from Reply Paid.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: August 4, 2020