A consistent colt in the mold of his sire, Blue Man placed in all three Triple Crown races, including a victory in the Preakness Stakes. Unfortunately, he was a failure at stud and today is largely forgotten.
Race record
24 starts, 11 wins, 4 seconds, 1 third, US$277,035
1951:
1952:
Assessments
Weighted at 114 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1951, 12 pounds below champion Tom Fool.
Ranked seventh among American 3-year-old males of 1952 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A big, rangy bay, Blue Man had a strong turn of speed that he could sustain for about a quarter-mile. His Sunday punch had to be carefully timed as he lacked the stamina to be a true stayer although he would carry on gamely even when exhausted. He was retired following his victory in the 1952 Dwyer Stakes due to a bowed tendon. He had a nervous disposition.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Blue Man sired five stakes winners (3.0%) and 96 winners (58.5%) from 164 named foals. None of his foals possessed anything close to their sire's ability.
Connections
Foaled at Dr. Horace Davis' Bluegrass Heights Farm in Kentucky, Blue Man was bred by Allen T. Simmons. He was owned by Arthur Abbott, who bought him for US$9,000 in January 1951, and raced in the colors of Abbott's White Oak Stable. He was trained by Woody Stephens. In 1958, Blue Man was sold to Canadian breeder Frank R. Conklin and transferred to Conklin's Midway Farm in Ontario.
Pedigree notes
Blue Man is inbred 3x3 to the immortal Man o' War and 5x5 to Roi Herode. He is a half brother to Eternal Great (by Eternal Bull), the second dam of 1969 Toboggan Handicap and 1972 Saul Silberman Memorial Handicap winner Beaukins. Eternal Great is also the third dam of Onion, who upset Secretariat in the 1973 Whitney Handicap (USA-G2).
Blue Man is out of Poppycock, whose sire Identify (by Man o' War) won six stakes races including the 1935 Rockinghan Park Handicap and Toboggan Handicap. She is a half sister to 1943 Matron Handicap winner Boojiana (by Boojum) and to 1947 Demoiselle Stakes winner Ghost Run (by Boojum). She is also a half sister to stakes-placed Boojie (by Boojum), dam of juvenile stakes winner Catspaw (by Mahmoud).
Foxiana (by Stefan the Great), the dam of Poppycock and her siblings, was a hardy mare who won 16 of her 72 starts. A half sister to 1923 Beldame Handicap winner Miss Star (by Hesperus) and to Lakme (by Troutbeck), dam of stakes winners Uma (by Mad Hatter) and Stagefright (by Apprehension), Foxiana was produced from Istar, whose sire Von Tromp (by Ben Brush) was a stakes-winning half brother to 1907 American champion 3-year-old male Peter Pan (by Commando). Istar, in turn, was produced from Ishtar (by Sam Lucas), whose half sister Hamburg Belle (by Hamburg) won the 1903 Futurity Stakes and is generally considered to be the American champion 2-year-old filly of that year.
Books and media
Blue Man is profiled in Chapter 8 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Photo credit
Depicted winning the Preakness Stakes. Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: November 12, 2020
Race record
24 starts, 11 wins, 4 seconds, 1 third, US$277,035
1951:
- 2nd Ardsley Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Empire City)
1952:
- Won Preakness Stakes (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- Won Flamingo Stakes (first division) (USA, 9FD, Hialeah)
- Won Experimental Free Handicap #2 (USA, 8.5FD, Jamaica)
- Won Dwyer Stakes (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Yankee Handicap (USA, 10FD, Suffolk Downs)
- 2nd Belmont Stakes (USA, 12FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Kentucky Derby (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
Assessments
Weighted at 114 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1951, 12 pounds below champion Tom Fool.
Ranked seventh among American 3-year-old males of 1952 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A big, rangy bay, Blue Man had a strong turn of speed that he could sustain for about a quarter-mile. His Sunday punch had to be carefully timed as he lacked the stamina to be a true stayer although he would carry on gamely even when exhausted. He was retired following his victory in the 1952 Dwyer Stakes due to a bowed tendon. He had a nervous disposition.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Blue Man sired five stakes winners (3.0%) and 96 winners (58.5%) from 164 named foals. None of his foals possessed anything close to their sire's ability.
Connections
Foaled at Dr. Horace Davis' Bluegrass Heights Farm in Kentucky, Blue Man was bred by Allen T. Simmons. He was owned by Arthur Abbott, who bought him for US$9,000 in January 1951, and raced in the colors of Abbott's White Oak Stable. He was trained by Woody Stephens. In 1958, Blue Man was sold to Canadian breeder Frank R. Conklin and transferred to Conklin's Midway Farm in Ontario.
Pedigree notes
Blue Man is inbred 3x3 to the immortal Man o' War and 5x5 to Roi Herode. He is a half brother to Eternal Great (by Eternal Bull), the second dam of 1969 Toboggan Handicap and 1972 Saul Silberman Memorial Handicap winner Beaukins. Eternal Great is also the third dam of Onion, who upset Secretariat in the 1973 Whitney Handicap (USA-G2).
Blue Man is out of Poppycock, whose sire Identify (by Man o' War) won six stakes races including the 1935 Rockinghan Park Handicap and Toboggan Handicap. She is a half sister to 1943 Matron Handicap winner Boojiana (by Boojum) and to 1947 Demoiselle Stakes winner Ghost Run (by Boojum). She is also a half sister to stakes-placed Boojie (by Boojum), dam of juvenile stakes winner Catspaw (by Mahmoud).
Foxiana (by Stefan the Great), the dam of Poppycock and her siblings, was a hardy mare who won 16 of her 72 starts. A half sister to 1923 Beldame Handicap winner Miss Star (by Hesperus) and to Lakme (by Troutbeck), dam of stakes winners Uma (by Mad Hatter) and Stagefright (by Apprehension), Foxiana was produced from Istar, whose sire Von Tromp (by Ben Brush) was a stakes-winning half brother to 1907 American champion 3-year-old male Peter Pan (by Commando). Istar, in turn, was produced from Ishtar (by Sam Lucas), whose half sister Hamburg Belle (by Hamburg) won the 1903 Futurity Stakes and is generally considered to be the American champion 2-year-old filly of that year.
Books and media
Blue Man is profiled in Chapter 8 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Blue Man's victory in the 1952 Preakness Stakes was the first of eight wins in American Triple Crown races for National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame trainer Woody Stephens, who later gained fame for training five consecutive winners of the Belmont Stakes.
- As a juvenile, Blue Man started twice in claiming races, once for US$10,000 and once for US$12,000. There were no takers.
Photo credit
Depicted winning the Preakness Stakes. Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: November 12, 2020