Crafty Admiral (USA)
June 6, 1948 – 1972
Fighting Fox (USA) x Admiral’s Lady (USA), by War Admiral (USA)
Family 8-c
June 6, 1948 – 1972
Fighting Fox (USA) x Admiral’s Lady (USA), by War Admiral (USA)
Family 8-c
A modest juvenile who was limited to one start at 3 by ankle trouble, Crafty Admiral came into his own in the handicap ranks. While he may not have had the sheer brilliance that distinguishes the great from the very good, he was remarkably tough and versatile, able to compete with top horses in sprints up to the American classic distance of 1¼ miles and under all track conditions. A consistent sire of tough, sound horses, he is perhaps best remembered as the broodmare sire of the great Affirmed.
Race record
39 starts, 18 wins, 6 seconds, 4 thirds, US$499,200
1950:
1952:
1953:
Honors
American champion handicap male (1952)
Assessments
Rated at 108 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1950, 18 pounds below highweighted Uncle Miltie.
Ranked third among American older males of 1953 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American older males of 1953, 10 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Tom Fool but third overall.
As an individual
A rangy, round-barreled bay horse, Crafty Admiral stood about 16 hands. He had a strong loin and good length from hip to hock. He had excellent natural speed and could gallop a field off its legs from the start; yet if hooked, he had unflinching courage in a duel. He handled dirt tracks well under all racing conditions but was badly outrun in his lone try on turf. Although he had a slightly convex profile—often said to indicate willfulness in a Thoroughbred—his disposition was excellent.
As a stallion
The Jockey Club credits Crafty Admiral with 296 winners (81.3%) and 26 stakes winners (7.1%) from 364 named foals of racing age.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
Per The Blood-Horse:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
Notable progeny
Admiral’s Voyage (USA), Crafty Lace (CAN), Neptune (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Affirmed (USA), Soy Numero Uno (USA), Tunex (USA)
Connections
Foaled at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky, Crafty Admiral was bred by Harry F. Guggenheim. He was purchased by Hugh A. Grant as a yearling from a special summer auction of some of Guggenheim’s horses at Belmont for US$6,500. He was trained by B. B. Williams as a 2-year-old. During the colt’s three-year-old year, he was purchased privately by Charfran Stable (Charles and Frances Cohen) for a reported US$14,000. Following this purchase, he was trained by Robert B. “Bob” Odom. He entered stud in Kentucky in 1954 at Mares Rest Farm. He died at Fountainhead Farm in 1972.
Pedigree notes
Crafty Admiral is inbred 3x4 to Teddy and Plucky Liege through the full brothers Sir Gallahad III and Bull Dog; he is also inbred 4x5 to Commando. He is a half brother to Water Queen (by Johnstown), dam of the top-class racehorse Beau Purple (by Beau Gar) and stakes winner Red Gar (by Beau Gar).
Crafty Admiral was the last foal of his dam Admiral’s Lady, who died soon after producing him. A winning daughter of War Admiral, she is a half sister to Spring Run (by Menow), dam of 1956 Richmond Stakes winner and successful sire Red God (by Nasrullah) and 1955 Blue Grass Stakes winner Racing Fool (by Jet Pilot), second dam of three stakes winners, and third dam of 1978 Fantasy Stakes (USA-G1) winner Equanimity. Admiral’s Lady is also a half sister to Balm of Gilead (by Blenheim II), the second dam of five stakes winners including 1968 San Marino Handicap winner Finance World.
Admiral’s Lady and her sisters are out of the winning Bull Dog mare Boola Brook, a half sister to multiple claiming stakes winner Playdale (by My Play). The next dam in Crafty Admiral’s tail-female line, Brookdale, is by Peter Pan out of the Wild Mint mare Sweepaway, a half sister to two-time American champion Sweep.
Fun facts
Last updated: February 19, 2022
Race record
39 starts, 18 wins, 6 seconds, 4 thirds, US$499,200
1950:
- 2nd United States Hotel Stakes (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
1952:
- Won Washington Park Handicap (USA, 8FD, Washington Park)
- Won Brooklyn Handicap (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Whirlaway Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Washington Park)
- Won Gulfstream Park Handicap (USA, 10FD, Gulfstream Park)
- Won Merchants' and Citizens' Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Saratoga)
- Won Palm Beach Handicap (USA, 7FD, Hialeah; new track record 1:22)
- 2nd Suburban Handicap (USA, 10FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Carter Handicap (USA, 7FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Thomas J. Healey Handicap (USA, 9FD, Garden State)
- 2nd Toboggan Handicap (USA, 6FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA, 16FD, Belmont)
1953:
- Won Empire City Gold Cup (USA, 13FD, Empire City)
- Won Gulfstream Park Handicap (USA, 10FD, Gulfstream Park)
- Won McLennan Handicap (USA, 9FD, Hialeah)
- Won Olympic Handicap (USA, 9FD, Atlantic City)
- Won New York Handicap (USA, 9FD, Belmont)
- Won Royal Palm Handicap (USA, 9FD, Hialeah)
- 2nd Westchester Handicap (USA, 9FD, Empire City)
- 3rd Tropical Handicap (USA, 9FD, Tropical Park)
- 3rd Dixie Handicap (USA, 9FD, Pimlico)
Honors
American champion handicap male (1952)
Assessments
Rated at 108 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1950, 18 pounds below highweighted Uncle Miltie.
Ranked third among American older males of 1953 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American older males of 1953, 10 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Tom Fool but third overall.
As an individual
A rangy, round-barreled bay horse, Crafty Admiral stood about 16 hands. He had a strong loin and good length from hip to hock. He had excellent natural speed and could gallop a field off its legs from the start; yet if hooked, he had unflinching courage in a duel. He handled dirt tracks well under all racing conditions but was badly outrun in his lone try on turf. Although he had a slightly convex profile—often said to indicate willfulness in a Thoroughbred—his disposition was excellent.
As a stallion
The Jockey Club credits Crafty Admiral with 296 winners (81.3%) and 26 stakes winners (7.1%) from 364 named foals of racing age.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- 3rd on the American general sire list in 1962; 8th in 1961.
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 1978; 2nd in 1979; 4th in 1972 and 1977; 5th in 1973; 7th in 1971.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- 3rd on the American general sire list in 1962; 8th in 1961.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 3rd on the American general sire list in 1962; 8th in 1961.
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 1978; 2nd in 1979; 4th in 1977; 5th in 1973; 7th in 1971.
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 1978.
Notable progeny
Admiral’s Voyage (USA), Crafty Lace (CAN), Neptune (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Affirmed (USA), Soy Numero Uno (USA), Tunex (USA)
Connections
Foaled at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky, Crafty Admiral was bred by Harry F. Guggenheim. He was purchased by Hugh A. Grant as a yearling from a special summer auction of some of Guggenheim’s horses at Belmont for US$6,500. He was trained by B. B. Williams as a 2-year-old. During the colt’s three-year-old year, he was purchased privately by Charfran Stable (Charles and Frances Cohen) for a reported US$14,000. Following this purchase, he was trained by Robert B. “Bob” Odom. He entered stud in Kentucky in 1954 at Mares Rest Farm. He died at Fountainhead Farm in 1972.
Pedigree notes
Crafty Admiral is inbred 3x4 to Teddy and Plucky Liege through the full brothers Sir Gallahad III and Bull Dog; he is also inbred 4x5 to Commando. He is a half brother to Water Queen (by Johnstown), dam of the top-class racehorse Beau Purple (by Beau Gar) and stakes winner Red Gar (by Beau Gar).
Crafty Admiral was the last foal of his dam Admiral’s Lady, who died soon after producing him. A winning daughter of War Admiral, she is a half sister to Spring Run (by Menow), dam of 1956 Richmond Stakes winner and successful sire Red God (by Nasrullah) and 1955 Blue Grass Stakes winner Racing Fool (by Jet Pilot), second dam of three stakes winners, and third dam of 1978 Fantasy Stakes (USA-G1) winner Equanimity. Admiral’s Lady is also a half sister to Balm of Gilead (by Blenheim II), the second dam of five stakes winners including 1968 San Marino Handicap winner Finance World.
Admiral’s Lady and her sisters are out of the winning Bull Dog mare Boola Brook, a half sister to multiple claiming stakes winner Playdale (by My Play). The next dam in Crafty Admiral’s tail-female line, Brookdale, is by Peter Pan out of the Wild Mint mare Sweepaway, a half sister to two-time American champion Sweep.
Fun facts
- Shortly before the Cohens bought Crafty Admiral, he was reportedly the subject of serious negotiations for sale to a Colombian horseman. Fortunately for American racing and breeding, that deal fell through.
- Crafty Admiral was the leading American money winner of 1952, bankrolling $227,225.
- In 1953, Crafty Admiral made all of his 14 starts in stakes races. 12 of those races were under handicap conditions, and Crafty Admiral was the highweight in 11 of those, testifying to the respect in which he was held.
Last updated: February 19, 2022