Burgomaster (USA)
1903 – 1925?
Broomstick or Hamburg (USA) x Hurley Burley (USA), by Riley (USA)
Family 2-h
1903 – 1925?
Broomstick or Hamburg (USA) x Hurley Burley (USA), by Riley (USA)
Family 2-h
Virtually forgotten now, Burgomaster was generally considered the best American racehorse of his generation at both 2 and 3 although he was not very sound. He did fairly well as a sire in both the United States and Chile.
Race record
9 wins
1905:
1906:
Honors
As an individual
A brown horse, Burgomaster was a huge animal who was said to have weighed 1,300 pounds when in racing condition. His one extant photograph suggests that he had a good shoulder, a strong hip, a sloping croup and a straight, strong hind leg. He missed most of his 3-year-old season due to injury and suffered what was apparently a career-ending breakdown in June 1907 while training for the Suburban Handicap. Eminent handicapper and racing historian Walter Vosburgh was of the opinion that Burgomaster's injuries were due to his being too heavy for his underpinnings.
As a stallion
According to Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967, Burgomaster sired five stakes winners in the United States prior to his export. Four of his five American stakes winners showed their best form as juveniles. Burgomaster also sired the good broodmare Polly Flinders, who helped keep his name alive in American pedigrees. Burgomaster's complete stud record in Chile is unavailable.
Notable progeny
Glasgow (CHI), Polly Flinders (USA)
Connections
Foaled in New Jersey, Burgomaster was bred by William Collins Whitney and owned by Harry Payne Whitney, who bought the colt from the dispersal of his father's bloodstock following the senior Whitney's death in 1904. Burgomaster was trained by John W. Rogers. Burgomaster was exported to Chile in 1915 and was a successful sire there for Señor Valdés Hnos. His last registered foals were born in 1926.
Pedigree notes
Assuming that Hamburg was in fact Burgomaster's sire (see Alternate Sires in Pedigrees), Burgomaster was inbred 5x4 to four-time American champion sire Leamington and 5x4 to War Dance, one of Lexington's better sire sons. He is presumably a full brother to Rumpus, second dam of juvenile stakes winner Fickle Chance. Burgomaster is a half brother to Mineola (by Meddler), dam of 1918 American champion 3-year-old male Johren, 1909 Matron Stakes winner Greenvale (by Hamburg) and stakes winner Floral Park (by Burgomaster), dam in turn of multiple juvenile stakes winner Sweep Park (by Sweep). Mineola also produced Gadiola (by Cylgad), dam of 1923 Pimlico Oaks winner Gadfly (by Chicle) and the stakes-winning steeplechaser Madiola (by Mad Hatter).
Burgomaster's dam Hurley Burley is by 1890 Kentucky Derby winner Riley and is out of the Pell Mell mare Helter Skelter, a multiple stakes winner who was imported to the United States in utero. Helter Skelter, in turn, was produced from the Cymbal mare Encore, also the dam of juvenile stakes winner Applause (by The Ill-Used).
Fun facts
Race record
9 wins
1905:
- Won Great Eastern Handicap (USA, 6FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- Won Flash Stakes (USA, 5.5FD, Saratoga)
- Won Matron Stakes (Colts division) (USA, 6FD, Belmont)
- Won United States Hotel Stakes (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
- Won Great American Stakes (USA, 5FD, Aqueduct)
1906:
- Won Belmont Stakes (USA, 11FD, Belmont)
- Won Carlton Stakes (USA, 8FD, Gravesend)
Honors
- American Horse of the Year (1906)
- American champion 2-year-old male (1905)
- American champion 3-year-old male (1906)
As an individual
A brown horse, Burgomaster was a huge animal who was said to have weighed 1,300 pounds when in racing condition. His one extant photograph suggests that he had a good shoulder, a strong hip, a sloping croup and a straight, strong hind leg. He missed most of his 3-year-old season due to injury and suffered what was apparently a career-ending breakdown in June 1907 while training for the Suburban Handicap. Eminent handicapper and racing historian Walter Vosburgh was of the opinion that Burgomaster's injuries were due to his being too heavy for his underpinnings.
As a stallion
According to Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967, Burgomaster sired five stakes winners in the United States prior to his export. Four of his five American stakes winners showed their best form as juveniles. Burgomaster also sired the good broodmare Polly Flinders, who helped keep his name alive in American pedigrees. Burgomaster's complete stud record in Chile is unavailable.
Notable progeny
Glasgow (CHI), Polly Flinders (USA)
Connections
Foaled in New Jersey, Burgomaster was bred by William Collins Whitney and owned by Harry Payne Whitney, who bought the colt from the dispersal of his father's bloodstock following the senior Whitney's death in 1904. Burgomaster was trained by John W. Rogers. Burgomaster was exported to Chile in 1915 and was a successful sire there for Señor Valdés Hnos. His last registered foals were born in 1926.
Pedigree notes
Assuming that Hamburg was in fact Burgomaster's sire (see Alternate Sires in Pedigrees), Burgomaster was inbred 5x4 to four-time American champion sire Leamington and 5x4 to War Dance, one of Lexington's better sire sons. He is presumably a full brother to Rumpus, second dam of juvenile stakes winner Fickle Chance. Burgomaster is a half brother to Mineola (by Meddler), dam of 1918 American champion 3-year-old male Johren, 1909 Matron Stakes winner Greenvale (by Hamburg) and stakes winner Floral Park (by Burgomaster), dam in turn of multiple juvenile stakes winner Sweep Park (by Sweep). Mineola also produced Gadiola (by Cylgad), dam of 1923 Pimlico Oaks winner Gadfly (by Chicle) and the stakes-winning steeplechaser Madiola (by Mad Hatter).
Burgomaster's dam Hurley Burley is by 1890 Kentucky Derby winner Riley and is out of the Pell Mell mare Helter Skelter, a multiple stakes winner who was imported to the United States in utero. Helter Skelter, in turn, was produced from the Cymbal mare Encore, also the dam of juvenile stakes winner Applause (by The Ill-Used).
Fun facts
- In history, a burgomaster is the mayor of a city or town in those parts of Europe dominated by Germanic cultures and languages. The word means “master of the town.”