Decidedly (USA)
March 3, 1959 – November 12, 1984
Determine (USA) x Gloire Fille (USA), by War Glory (USA)
Family 17-b
March 3, 1959 – November 12, 1984
Determine (USA) x Gloire Fille (USA), by War Glory (USA)
Family 17-b
“El Gran Senor,” Horatio Luro, and jockey Bill Hartack were an odd couple in American racing in the mid-20th century. Luro was born to a wealthy family in Argentina, was at home among the socially connected and famous, and was known for his romancing of various socialites and Hollywood starlets as much as for his skills with Thoroughbreds. Hartack was the no-nonsense son of a coal miner who had clawed his way into the top echelon of American jockeys with steel nerves, split-second timing, and an iron determination to win; he was often brash and blunt to the point of rudeness and did not suffer fools gladly—a category which in his mind included the vast majority of racing writers and a good many trainers and owners. But Hartack was also an incredibly skilled and observant horseman, and Luro was not too proud to give his observations the respect they deserved. So, when Hartack suggested after riding Luro's Kentucky Derby candidate Decidedly to a second-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes that the colt needed blinkers to help him focus, Luro took the advice. The result was a track-record Kentucky Derby victory for Decidedly, who won several other stakes races later in his career but was never terribly consistent and was only modestly successful at stud.
Race record
43 starts, 11 wins, 9 seconds, 4 thirds, US$318,989
1962:
1963:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 110 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1961, 16 pounds below official co-champion Crimson Satan and 15 pounds below the other official co-champion, Ridan.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1962, 6 pounds below champion Jaipur.
Ranked fifth among American 3-year-old males of 1962 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1963, 16 pounds below champion and Horse of the Year Kelso.
Highweighted on the Canadian Free Handicap for older males of 1963 at 127 pounds, 6 pounds above second-rated Lord Quillo.
Rated at 115 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1964, 21 pounds below co-highweights Kelso (the official champion and Horse of the Year) and Gun Bow.
As an individual
A light-bodied gray horse of superb balance and quality, Decidedly resembled his sire Determine but was longer-legged. He was rather delicate of constitution and did not stand hard races close together. His action was low, sweeping and fluent. He had a difficult disposition, particularly as a youngster.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Decidedly sired 235 winners (64.2%) and 19 stakes winners (5.2%) from 366 named foals. None of his runners approached his own quality except perhaps Tinajero, the 1971 Horse of the Year in Puerto Rico and the winner of that year's Jerome Handicap, Trenton Handicap, and Roamer Handicap in the United States.
Notable progeny
Tinajero (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Miss Orizaba (USA), Rascal Lass (USA)
Connections
Foaled in California, Decidedly was bred by George Pope, Jr., and raced in the colors of Pope's El Peco Ranch. He was trained by Horatio Luro. After standing at stud in Kentucky, he was buried in an unmarked grave at El Peco Ranch following his death in 1984.
Pedigree notes
Decidedly is inbred 5x5 to 1903 English Triple Crown winner Rock Sand and to four-time American champion sire Sir Gallahad III. He is a half brother to Glory Hill (by Hillary), dam of juvenile stakes winner Domineering (by Determine).
Gloire Fille, the dam of Decidedly, is a winning full sister to multiple stakes winner War Marshal and a half sister to Ikan Win (by Nagea), dam of multiple stakes winner Tunin In (by Channel One). Sired by 1933 Dwyer Stakes and Lawrence Realization Stakes winner War Glory (by Man o' War), she is out of the winning Beau Pere mare Belle Femme, whose stakes-placed half sister Cul de Sac (by Royal Charger) is the second dam of 1967 Del Mar Debutante Stakes winner Fast Dish.
Belle Femme, in turn, is out of French Vamp (by Stimulus), an unraced half sister to 1937 American champion 2-year-old filly Jacola (by Jacopo; dam of 1947 American champion 3-year-old male Phalanx) and to 1939 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Johnstown (by Jamestown). French Vamp is also a half sister to La Boheme (by Jacopo), dam of 1950 California Breeders' Champion Stakes winner Duplicator (by Beau Pere) and multiple minor stakes winner Why Alibi (by Alibhai) and second dam of two-time Ben Ali Handicap (USA-G3) winner Knight Counter.
French Vamp and her siblings were produced from La France (Sir Gallahad III x Flambette, by Durbar II), whose full sister Gallette is the dam of 1946 champion handicap mare Gallorette (by Challenger II). La France is also a half sister to 1927 Gazelle Stakes winner Flambino (by Wrack), dam of 1935 Triple Crown winner Omaha (by Gallant Fox), 1938 Ascot Gold Cup winner Flares (by Gallant Fox), and 1934 Acorn Stakes winner Fleam (by General Lee).
Books and media
Decidedly is profiled in Chapter 9 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Last updated: August 12, 2023
Race record
43 starts, 11 wins, 9 seconds, 4 thirds, US$318,989
1962:
- Won Kentucky Derby (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs; new track record 2:00-2/5)
- 2nd Everglades Stakes (USA, 9FD, Hialeah)
- 2nd Blue Grass Stakes (USA, 9FD, Keeneland)
1963:
- Won Monmouth Handicap (USA, 10FD, Monmouth)
- Won Dominion Day Handicap (CAN, 9FD, Woodbine)
- Won Ben Ali Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Keeneland; new track record 1:41-2/5)
- 2nd Michigan Mile and One-Sixteenth Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Detroit)
- 3rd Grey Lag Handicap (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
Honors
- California Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Hall of Fame (inducted in 2007)
- Canadian champion older male (1963)
Assessments
Rated at 110 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1961, 16 pounds below official co-champion Crimson Satan and 15 pounds below the other official co-champion, Ridan.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1962, 6 pounds below champion Jaipur.
Ranked fifth among American 3-year-old males of 1962 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1963, 16 pounds below champion and Horse of the Year Kelso.
Highweighted on the Canadian Free Handicap for older males of 1963 at 127 pounds, 6 pounds above second-rated Lord Quillo.
Rated at 115 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1964, 21 pounds below co-highweights Kelso (the official champion and Horse of the Year) and Gun Bow.
As an individual
A light-bodied gray horse of superb balance and quality, Decidedly resembled his sire Determine but was longer-legged. He was rather delicate of constitution and did not stand hard races close together. His action was low, sweeping and fluent. He had a difficult disposition, particularly as a youngster.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Decidedly sired 235 winners (64.2%) and 19 stakes winners (5.2%) from 366 named foals. None of his runners approached his own quality except perhaps Tinajero, the 1971 Horse of the Year in Puerto Rico and the winner of that year's Jerome Handicap, Trenton Handicap, and Roamer Handicap in the United States.
Notable progeny
Tinajero (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Miss Orizaba (USA), Rascal Lass (USA)
Connections
Foaled in California, Decidedly was bred by George Pope, Jr., and raced in the colors of Pope's El Peco Ranch. He was trained by Horatio Luro. After standing at stud in Kentucky, he was buried in an unmarked grave at El Peco Ranch following his death in 1984.
Pedigree notes
Decidedly is inbred 5x5 to 1903 English Triple Crown winner Rock Sand and to four-time American champion sire Sir Gallahad III. He is a half brother to Glory Hill (by Hillary), dam of juvenile stakes winner Domineering (by Determine).
Gloire Fille, the dam of Decidedly, is a winning full sister to multiple stakes winner War Marshal and a half sister to Ikan Win (by Nagea), dam of multiple stakes winner Tunin In (by Channel One). Sired by 1933 Dwyer Stakes and Lawrence Realization Stakes winner War Glory (by Man o' War), she is out of the winning Beau Pere mare Belle Femme, whose stakes-placed half sister Cul de Sac (by Royal Charger) is the second dam of 1967 Del Mar Debutante Stakes winner Fast Dish.
Belle Femme, in turn, is out of French Vamp (by Stimulus), an unraced half sister to 1937 American champion 2-year-old filly Jacola (by Jacopo; dam of 1947 American champion 3-year-old male Phalanx) and to 1939 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Johnstown (by Jamestown). French Vamp is also a half sister to La Boheme (by Jacopo), dam of 1950 California Breeders' Champion Stakes winner Duplicator (by Beau Pere) and multiple minor stakes winner Why Alibi (by Alibhai) and second dam of two-time Ben Ali Handicap (USA-G3) winner Knight Counter.
French Vamp and her siblings were produced from La France (Sir Gallahad III x Flambette, by Durbar II), whose full sister Gallette is the dam of 1946 champion handicap mare Gallorette (by Challenger II). La France is also a half sister to 1927 Gazelle Stakes winner Flambino (by Wrack), dam of 1935 Triple Crown winner Omaha (by Gallant Fox), 1938 Ascot Gold Cup winner Flares (by Gallant Fox), and 1934 Acorn Stakes winner Fleam (by General Lee).
Books and media
Decidedly is profiled in Chapter 9 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Decidedly was only the second gray horse to win the Kentucky Derby; the first was his sire, Determine, who won in 1954.
- Decidedly's Kentucky Derby win made Determine the ninth Kentucky Derby winner to sire a similar winner.
- Decidedly was the third of a record-tying five Kentucky Derby winners for National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame jockey Bill Hartack. Hartack's other winners were Iron Liege (1957), Venetian Way (1960), Northern Dancer (1964) and Majestic Prince (1969).
- A horseshoe worn by Decidedly during his record-breaking Kentucky Derby run was auctioned off by Lelands for US$270 in 2018.
Last updated: August 12, 2023