Celtic Ash (IRE)
1957 – 1978
Sicambre (FR) x Ash Plant (GB), by Nepenthe (FR)
Family 1-w
1957 – 1978
Sicambre (FR) x Ash Plant (GB), by Nepenthe (FR)
Family 1-w
Bred for European stamina, Celtic Ash appeared to outstay Kentucky Derby winner Venetian Way in the 1960 Belmont Stakes. He had not proven up to the best of his crop over shorter trips and never had the opportunity to try conclusions with the staying Kelso in the long fall races as he went lame not long after his Classic triumph. He was not a particularly successful sire although he got a couple of good stayers.
Race record
9 starts, 3 wins, 1 second, 3 thirds, US$130,065
1960:
Assessments
Rated at 121 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1960, 7 pounds below champion Kelso.
As an individual
A chestnut horse of classic type, Celtic Ash had a good shoulder, strong hindquarters and a straight hind leg. He was forced into retirement by a bowed tendon not long after his Belmont Stakes victory.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Celtic Ash sired 79 winners (39.7%) and eight stakes winners (4.0%) from 199 named foals. His statistics from the Japanese portion of his stud career may be incomplete.
Notable progeny
Athens Wood (GB), Hoche (GB)
Connections
Celtic Ash was bred by William Stanhope, 11th Earl of Harrington. He was purchased as a yearling for the equivalent of US$22,000 by Joseph E. O'Connell who raced the colt in the name of his Green Dunes Farm. He was trained by Tom Barry. He entered stud as the property of W. E. Schlusemeyer, E. L. Stephenson, and Whitewood Stud in Virginia at Clovelly-Kilmaurs Farm in 1962. He was sent to England in 1965. From there, he went on to Japan in 1971.
Pedigree notes
Celtic Ash's pedigree is outcrossed through five generations. He is by two-time French champion Sicambre and is a half brother to 1960 Edgemere Handicap winner North Pole II (by Arctic Prince); to 1964 Prix Kergorlay winner Ashavan (by Persian Gulf), dam of Italian Group 3 winner Frassino (by Kalamoun) and stakes winners Cosh (by Crocket) and Relevant (by Reliance); and to multiple French stakes winner Red Wood (by Crocket). He is also a half brother to Pearl Grey (by Gulf Pearl), second dam of Venezuelan Group 1 winner Bolinge.
Ash Plant, the dam of Celtic Ash, won the 1951 Pretty Polly Stakes in Ireland and is by 1941 Prix Noialles winner Nepenthe. A half sister to Tracy (by Tosco), winner of the 1961 Criterium de Saint-Cloud and Prix des Chenes, she is out of stakes-placed Amboyna (by Bois Roussel—Aurora, by Hyperion), whose full sister Woodlark produced 1962 Derby Stakes winner Larkspur (by Never Say Die), 1965 Dante Stakes winner Ballymarais (by Ballymoss) and Irish juvenile stakes winner Rising Wings (by The Phoenix). Rising Wings, in turn, is the dam of handicap stakes winner Captain's Wings (by Captain's Gig) and the second dam of Irish Group 2 winner Nuthatch and multiple English Group 3 winner Meadowville.
Returning to Amboyna, she is also a half sister to 1949 English champion older male Alycidon (by Donatello II), to 1945 Coronation Cup winner Borealis (by Brumeux), to 1955 Newmarket Stakes and Voltigeur Stakes winner Acropolis (by Donatello II) and to the handicap stakes winner Clouds (by Nimbus). In addition, she is a half sister to stakes-placed Arousal (by Fairway), dam of 1957 Princess of Wales's Stakes winner Wake Up! (by Persian Gulf) and 1965 Excelsior Handicap winner Tenacle (by Mark-Ye-Well), and to stakes-placed Aldousa (by Vatellor), second dam of 1982 American champion turf male Perrault.
Books and media
Celtic Ash is profiled in Chapter 9 of American Classic Pedigrees (1914-2002) (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Last updated: May 22, 2020
Race record
9 starts, 3 wins, 1 second, 3 thirds, US$130,065
1960:
- Won Belmont Stakes (USA, 12FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Preakness Stakes (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- 3rd Jersey Derby (USA, 9FD, Garden State)
- Also set a new track record of 1:37-2/5 for a mile at Laurel Park
Assessments
Rated at 121 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1960, 7 pounds below champion Kelso.
As an individual
A chestnut horse of classic type, Celtic Ash had a good shoulder, strong hindquarters and a straight hind leg. He was forced into retirement by a bowed tendon not long after his Belmont Stakes victory.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Celtic Ash sired 79 winners (39.7%) and eight stakes winners (4.0%) from 199 named foals. His statistics from the Japanese portion of his stud career may be incomplete.
Notable progeny
Athens Wood (GB), Hoche (GB)
Connections
Celtic Ash was bred by William Stanhope, 11th Earl of Harrington. He was purchased as a yearling for the equivalent of US$22,000 by Joseph E. O'Connell who raced the colt in the name of his Green Dunes Farm. He was trained by Tom Barry. He entered stud as the property of W. E. Schlusemeyer, E. L. Stephenson, and Whitewood Stud in Virginia at Clovelly-Kilmaurs Farm in 1962. He was sent to England in 1965. From there, he went on to Japan in 1971.
Pedigree notes
Celtic Ash's pedigree is outcrossed through five generations. He is by two-time French champion Sicambre and is a half brother to 1960 Edgemere Handicap winner North Pole II (by Arctic Prince); to 1964 Prix Kergorlay winner Ashavan (by Persian Gulf), dam of Italian Group 3 winner Frassino (by Kalamoun) and stakes winners Cosh (by Crocket) and Relevant (by Reliance); and to multiple French stakes winner Red Wood (by Crocket). He is also a half brother to Pearl Grey (by Gulf Pearl), second dam of Venezuelan Group 1 winner Bolinge.
Ash Plant, the dam of Celtic Ash, won the 1951 Pretty Polly Stakes in Ireland and is by 1941 Prix Noialles winner Nepenthe. A half sister to Tracy (by Tosco), winner of the 1961 Criterium de Saint-Cloud and Prix des Chenes, she is out of stakes-placed Amboyna (by Bois Roussel—Aurora, by Hyperion), whose full sister Woodlark produced 1962 Derby Stakes winner Larkspur (by Never Say Die), 1965 Dante Stakes winner Ballymarais (by Ballymoss) and Irish juvenile stakes winner Rising Wings (by The Phoenix). Rising Wings, in turn, is the dam of handicap stakes winner Captain's Wings (by Captain's Gig) and the second dam of Irish Group 2 winner Nuthatch and multiple English Group 3 winner Meadowville.
Returning to Amboyna, she is also a half sister to 1949 English champion older male Alycidon (by Donatello II), to 1945 Coronation Cup winner Borealis (by Brumeux), to 1955 Newmarket Stakes and Voltigeur Stakes winner Acropolis (by Donatello II) and to the handicap stakes winner Clouds (by Nimbus). In addition, she is a half sister to stakes-placed Arousal (by Fairway), dam of 1957 Princess of Wales's Stakes winner Wake Up! (by Persian Gulf) and 1965 Excelsior Handicap winner Tenacle (by Mark-Ye-Well), and to stakes-placed Aldousa (by Vatellor), second dam of 1982 American champion turf male Perrault.
Books and media
Celtic Ash is profiled in Chapter 9 of American Classic Pedigrees (1914-2002) (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Celtic Ash's Belmont Stakes victory was the second victory in that Classic within three years for owner Joesph O'Connell and trainer Tom Barry, who had previously won the race in 1958 with Cavan.
- Joseph O'Connell was forced to watch Celtic Ash's Belmont Stakes from a hospital bed due to his having fractured several vertebrae in his back. He died a few weeks later on July 7, 1960.
- Whether Celtic Ash was foaled in Ireland or England was a subject of hot dispute following his Belmont Stakes victory, though all disputants acknowledged that he was raised in Ireland and was purchased from there when a yearling. Per The Jockey Club's records, he was foaled in Ireland.
Last updated: May 22, 2020