Cannonade (USA)
May 12, 1971 – August 3, 1993
Bold Bidder (USA) x Queen Sucree (USA), by Ribot (GB)
Family 2-d
May 12, 1971 – August 3, 1993
Bold Bidder (USA) x Queen Sucree (USA), by Ribot (GB)
Family 2-d
Although he was quite useful as a juvenile and was considered a top prospect tor the following year's Classics, Cannonade is best remembered today as the winner of the 23-horse cavalry charge that constituted the 100th Kentucky Derby (USA-I). He was not a particularly good stallion but did get at least one runner and stallion better than himself in Caveat, the 1983 Belmont Stakes (USA-I) winner.
Race record
25 starts, 7 wins, 3 seconds, 6 thirds, US$501,364
1973:
1974:
Assessments
Rated at 125 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1973, 1 pound below champion Protagonist.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1974, 4 pounds below divisional champion and highweight Little Current.
As an individual
A bay horse, Cannonade stood 16.1 hands. He had a good shoulder, short cannons and strong, muscular hindquarters. He appeared slightly short-legged for his height. He had a highly-strung disposition.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Cannonade sired 283 winners (52.6%) and 26 stakes winners (4.8%) from 538 named foals. He was an influence for stamina.
Notable progeny
Alcancia (PR), Caveat (USA), Heavenly Ade (USA), Load the Cannons (USA), Video Tape (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Cannonade was bred and owned by John M. Olin. He was trained by Woody Stephens. He entered stud in 1975 in Kentucky at Gainesway Farm. He was humanely destroyed due to the infirmities of old age in August 1993 and was buried at Gainesway.
Pedigree notes
Cannonade is inbred 5x5 to English and French champion sire Pharos and to 1930 Derby Stakes winner Blenheim II, the American champion sire of 1941. He is a full brother to multiple Grade III winner Circle Home and to Irish stakes winner Del Sarto, a successful sire in South Africa. He is also a half brother to English stakes winner Wassl Touch (by Northern Dancer) and to Kennelot (by Gallant Man), dam of multiple Grade I winner Stephan's Odyssey (by Danzig) and 1986 Acorn Stakes (USA-I) winner Lotka (by Danzig; dam of Grade III winner Lotta Dancing, by Alydar, and second dam of Grade II winner Fantasticat). In addition, Cannonade is a half brother to Princess Sucree (by Roberto), dam of Australian Group II winner Rasheek (by Topsider) and English Group III winner Burooj (by Danzig); to Georgica (by Raise a Native), second dam of 2010 Serbian champion 3-year-old filly Vatrena Maca and third dam of Grade/Group III winners Petit Poucet and Donkey Engine; to Bethamane (by Wajima), second dam of Grade III winner Sonic West; and to Stellar Odyssey (by Northern Dancer), second dam of Grade II winner Blazonry and third dam of 2003 Middle Park Stakes (ENG-I) winner Balmont and 2010 Wood Memorial Stakes (USA-I) winner Eskendereya.
Cannonade and his siblings are out of Queen Sucree, a full sister to 1965 Fountain of Youth Stakes winner Maribeau and a half sister to 1974 United Nations Handicap (USA-IT) winner and two-time American champion sire Halo (by Hail to Reason) and to three-time American champion filly Tosmah (by Tim Tam), dam of stakes winner La Guidecca (by Royal I. J.). Queen Sucree is also a half sister to the minor stakes winner Fathers Image (by Swaps) and to La Dame du Lac (by Round Table), dam of Irish Group III winners Lake Como and Single Combat (both by Nijinsky II) and Irish stakes winners Nazoo (by Nijinsky II), Miznah (by Sadler's Wells) and Heeremandi (by Royal Academy). La Dame du Lac is also the second dam of two-time American champion turf female Flawlessly, 2001 Prix Saint-Alary (FR-I) winner Nadia, multiple English Group II winner Zindabad and Grade III winner Perfect and is the third dam of 2014/15 Chilean champion imported sprinter Genial Boy, Japanese Group II winner Kongo Rikishio, Brazilian Group II winner Gol Tricolor, multiple Grade III winner Laura's Pistolette and Irish Group III winner An Tadh.
Queen Sucree was produced from Cosmah (Cosmic Bomb--Almahmoud, by Mahmoud), winner of the 1955 Astarita Stakes and the 1974 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, A half sister to the minor stakes winner Folk Dancer (by Native Dancer), Cosmah is also a half sister to Natalma (by Native Dancer), whose four stakes winners include the epochal sire Northern Dancer (by Nearctic), a champion in Canada (where he was the 1964 Horse of the Year) and the United States. Cosmah is also a half sister to Bubbling Beauty (by Hasty Road), whose son Arctic Tern (by Sea-Bird) won the 1977 Prix Ganay (FR-I) and was the French champion sire of 1986.
Books and media
Cannonade is profiled in Chapter 10 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Race record
25 starts, 7 wins, 3 seconds, 6 thirds, US$501,364
1973:
- Won Great American Stakes (USA-III, 8FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (USA-III, 8FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Aqueduct Handicap (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Champagne Stakes (USA-I, 8FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Heritage Stakes (USA-III, 8.5FD, Keystone)
1974:
- Won Kentucky Derby (USA-I, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Florida Derby (USA-I, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
- 3rd Preakness Stakes (USA-I, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- 3rd Belmont Stakes (USA-I, 12FD, Belmont)
Assessments
Rated at 125 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1973, 1 pound below champion Protagonist.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1974, 4 pounds below divisional champion and highweight Little Current.
As an individual
A bay horse, Cannonade stood 16.1 hands. He had a good shoulder, short cannons and strong, muscular hindquarters. He appeared slightly short-legged for his height. He had a highly-strung disposition.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Cannonade sired 283 winners (52.6%) and 26 stakes winners (4.8%) from 538 named foals. He was an influence for stamina.
Notable progeny
Alcancia (PR), Caveat (USA), Heavenly Ade (USA), Load the Cannons (USA), Video Tape (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Cannonade was bred and owned by John M. Olin. He was trained by Woody Stephens. He entered stud in 1975 in Kentucky at Gainesway Farm. He was humanely destroyed due to the infirmities of old age in August 1993 and was buried at Gainesway.
Pedigree notes
Cannonade is inbred 5x5 to English and French champion sire Pharos and to 1930 Derby Stakes winner Blenheim II, the American champion sire of 1941. He is a full brother to multiple Grade III winner Circle Home and to Irish stakes winner Del Sarto, a successful sire in South Africa. He is also a half brother to English stakes winner Wassl Touch (by Northern Dancer) and to Kennelot (by Gallant Man), dam of multiple Grade I winner Stephan's Odyssey (by Danzig) and 1986 Acorn Stakes (USA-I) winner Lotka (by Danzig; dam of Grade III winner Lotta Dancing, by Alydar, and second dam of Grade II winner Fantasticat). In addition, Cannonade is a half brother to Princess Sucree (by Roberto), dam of Australian Group II winner Rasheek (by Topsider) and English Group III winner Burooj (by Danzig); to Georgica (by Raise a Native), second dam of 2010 Serbian champion 3-year-old filly Vatrena Maca and third dam of Grade/Group III winners Petit Poucet and Donkey Engine; to Bethamane (by Wajima), second dam of Grade III winner Sonic West; and to Stellar Odyssey (by Northern Dancer), second dam of Grade II winner Blazonry and third dam of 2003 Middle Park Stakes (ENG-I) winner Balmont and 2010 Wood Memorial Stakes (USA-I) winner Eskendereya.
Cannonade and his siblings are out of Queen Sucree, a full sister to 1965 Fountain of Youth Stakes winner Maribeau and a half sister to 1974 United Nations Handicap (USA-IT) winner and two-time American champion sire Halo (by Hail to Reason) and to three-time American champion filly Tosmah (by Tim Tam), dam of stakes winner La Guidecca (by Royal I. J.). Queen Sucree is also a half sister to the minor stakes winner Fathers Image (by Swaps) and to La Dame du Lac (by Round Table), dam of Irish Group III winners Lake Como and Single Combat (both by Nijinsky II) and Irish stakes winners Nazoo (by Nijinsky II), Miznah (by Sadler's Wells) and Heeremandi (by Royal Academy). La Dame du Lac is also the second dam of two-time American champion turf female Flawlessly, 2001 Prix Saint-Alary (FR-I) winner Nadia, multiple English Group II winner Zindabad and Grade III winner Perfect and is the third dam of 2014/15 Chilean champion imported sprinter Genial Boy, Japanese Group II winner Kongo Rikishio, Brazilian Group II winner Gol Tricolor, multiple Grade III winner Laura's Pistolette and Irish Group III winner An Tadh.
Queen Sucree was produced from Cosmah (Cosmic Bomb--Almahmoud, by Mahmoud), winner of the 1955 Astarita Stakes and the 1974 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, A half sister to the minor stakes winner Folk Dancer (by Native Dancer), Cosmah is also a half sister to Natalma (by Native Dancer), whose four stakes winners include the epochal sire Northern Dancer (by Nearctic), a champion in Canada (where he was the 1964 Horse of the Year) and the United States. Cosmah is also a half sister to Bubbling Beauty (by Hasty Road), whose son Arctic Tern (by Sea-Bird) won the 1977 Prix Ganay (FR-I) and was the French champion sire of 1986.
Books and media
Cannonade is profiled in Chapter 10 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Cannonade's Kentucky Derby was attended by a record crowd of 163,628, including Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret, sister to Queen Elizabeth II.
- As a result of the rough trips suffered by many of the Kentucky Derby runners in Cannonade's wake, the field was thereafter limited to 20 horses.
- On the advice of his physician, Cannonade's owner, 81-year-old John Olin, watched the Kentucky Derby on television in his home in St. Louis, Missouri, rather than going to the track.
- Cannonade's victory in the 100th Kentucky Derby was the subject of the Governor's Commemorative Derby poster for 2014. The poster was designed by James Shambhu.
