Determine (USA)
April 7, 1951 – September 27, 1972
Alibhai (GB) x Koubis (USA), by Mahmoud (FR)
Family 5-j
April 7, 1951 – September 27, 1972
Alibhai (GB) x Koubis (USA), by Mahmoud (FR)
Family 5-j
Slow to gain popular respect because of his small size, Determine nonetheless proved one of the best 3-year-olds of the 1954 season and might have gained still higher honors had he not been forced to the sidelines by a jaw abscess and a splint midway through his sophomore season. Tough and durable, he went on to compete honorably in the handicap ranks before retiring to a useful stud career.
Race record
44 starts, 18 wins, 7 seconds, 9 thirds, US$573,360
1953:
1954:
1955:
Honors
California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Racing Hall of Fame (1988)
Assessments
Rated at 117 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1953, 9 pounds below co-highweights Porterhouse (the official divisional co-champion) and Turn-to and 7 pounds below Hasty Road, the other divisional co-champion.
Ranked second among American 3-year-old males of 1954 by The Blood-Horse.
Co-highweighted at 130 pounds with divisional champion High Gun and the high-class Helioscope and Turn-to on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1954.
Ranked fourth among American older males of 1955 by The Blood-Horse.
Weighted at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1955, 5 pounds below divisional champion and highweight High Gun.
As an individual
A gray horse, Determine stood a shade over 15 hands and weighed less than 900 pounds. He was very well balanced and was nimble and quick in his action. He was game and determined as a racehorse.
As a stallion
According to statistics kept by The Jockey Club, Determine sired 211 winners (63.2%) and 21 stakes winners (6.3%) from 334 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
Per The Blood-Horse:
Notable progeny
Decidedly (USA), Donut King (USA), Warfare (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Bold 'n Determined (USA), Gummo (USA), Office Queen (USA), Process Shot (USA)
Connections
Determine was bred in Kentucky by Dr. Eslie Asbury. He was owned by Andy J. Crevolin, who purchased the colt for $12,000 at the 1952 Keeneland summer sale. After Crevolin commented on Determine's small size, Asbury offered to take him back for US$15,000, but Crevolin refused. Determine was trained by William Molter. He was ridden to his Kentucky Derby triumph by Ray York. Syndicated in a package deal with the speedy Imbros for US$900,000, Determine stood at Rancho Jonata near Buellton, California, throughout his stud career and was buried there after his death from a kidney problem in 1972.
Pedigree notes
Determine is inbred 3x4 to 1918 English Triple Crown winner Gainsborough. His dam Koubis never raced but is a half sister to multiple stakes winner Brownian (by Sickle), second dam of five stakes winners including 1969 Kentucky Oaks winner Hail to Patsy and third dam of Grade 2 winners Vernon Castle, Lightning Lucy, and Innuendo as well as French Group 3 winner Lioubovnik. Koubis is also a half sister to 1956 Selima Stakes winner Lebkuchen (by Hill Prince; dam of Irish Group 3 Tantoul, by Tatán) and stakes winners Isa (by Eight Thirty; second dam of stakes winners I'm Willing, Inbalance, and Isaduchess) and Espea (by Olympia). In addition, Koubis is a half sister to Castanea (by Menow), dam of Classic-placed stakes winner Noureddin (by Noor); Brown Plumage (by Hard Tack), dam of multiple stakes winner Indian Hill (by Burg-El-Arab); and Brownwood (by Tom Fool), second dam of Mexican Group 1 winner Carla's Love.
Kouibis was produced from the Sir Andrew mare Brown Biscuit, a half sister to 1938 American Horse of the Year Seabiscuit. Brown Biscuit, in turn, is out of the Whisk Broom II mare Swing On, an unraced half sister to stakes winners Flippant (by Pennant), Hornpipe (by Chantey) and Uneasy (by Royal Minstrel). Other members of this family include the great Equipoise and 1959 champion sprinter Intentionally.
Books and media
Determine is profiled in Chapter 8 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: November 17, 2022
Race record
44 starts, 18 wins, 7 seconds, 9 thirds, US$573,360
1953:
- Won San Franciscan Handicap (USA, 8FD, Golden Gate)
- Won Robert O'Brien Handicap (USA, 6FD, Bay Meadows)
- 3rd Salinas Handicap (USA, 8FD, Bay Meadows)
1954:
- Won Santa Anita Derby (USA, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Kentucky Derby (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Bay Meadows Derby (USA, 9FD, Bay Meadows)
- Won Golden Gate Handicap (USA, 9FD, Golden Gate)
- Won Debonair Stakes (USA, 7FD, Hollywood)
- Won San Felipe Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- Won San Gabriel Stakes (USA, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Oakland Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Golden Gate)
- Won San Jose Handicap (USA, 6FD, Bay Meadows)
- Won Peter Clark Handicap (USA, 8FD, Bay Meadows)
- 2nd Californian Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Hollywood)
- 2nd San Vicente Stakes (USA, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Derby Trial (USA, 8FD, Churchill Downs)
- 3rd Westerner Stakes (USA, 10FD, Hollywood)
- 3rd Pacific Handicap (USA, 6FD, Golden Gate)
1955:
- Won Santa Anita Maturity (USA, 10FD, Santa Anita; by disqualification of Miz Clementine)
- Won Golden Gate Mile Handicap (USA, 8FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Malibu Sequet Stakes (USA, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Inglewood Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Hollywood)
- 2nd San Juan Capistrano Handicap (USA, about 14FT, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Californian Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Hollywood)
- 2nd Golden Gate Handicap (USA, 10FD, Golden Gate)
- 3rd Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap (USA, 10FD, Hollywood)
Honors
California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Racing Hall of Fame (1988)
Assessments
Rated at 117 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1953, 9 pounds below co-highweights Porterhouse (the official divisional co-champion) and Turn-to and 7 pounds below Hasty Road, the other divisional co-champion.
Ranked second among American 3-year-old males of 1954 by The Blood-Horse.
Co-highweighted at 130 pounds with divisional champion High Gun and the high-class Helioscope and Turn-to on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1954.
Ranked fourth among American older males of 1955 by The Blood-Horse.
Weighted at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1955, 5 pounds below divisional champion and highweight High Gun.
As an individual
A gray horse, Determine stood a shade over 15 hands and weighed less than 900 pounds. He was very well balanced and was nimble and quick in his action. He was game and determined as a racehorse.
As a stallion
According to statistics kept by The Jockey Club, Determine sired 211 winners (63.2%) and 21 stakes winners (6.3%) from 334 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- Led the American juvenile sire list in 1959.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- Led the American juvenile sire list in 1959.
Notable progeny
Decidedly (USA), Donut King (USA), Warfare (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Bold 'n Determined (USA), Gummo (USA), Office Queen (USA), Process Shot (USA)
Connections
Determine was bred in Kentucky by Dr. Eslie Asbury. He was owned by Andy J. Crevolin, who purchased the colt for $12,000 at the 1952 Keeneland summer sale. After Crevolin commented on Determine's small size, Asbury offered to take him back for US$15,000, but Crevolin refused. Determine was trained by William Molter. He was ridden to his Kentucky Derby triumph by Ray York. Syndicated in a package deal with the speedy Imbros for US$900,000, Determine stood at Rancho Jonata near Buellton, California, throughout his stud career and was buried there after his death from a kidney problem in 1972.
Pedigree notes
Determine is inbred 3x4 to 1918 English Triple Crown winner Gainsborough. His dam Koubis never raced but is a half sister to multiple stakes winner Brownian (by Sickle), second dam of five stakes winners including 1969 Kentucky Oaks winner Hail to Patsy and third dam of Grade 2 winners Vernon Castle, Lightning Lucy, and Innuendo as well as French Group 3 winner Lioubovnik. Koubis is also a half sister to 1956 Selima Stakes winner Lebkuchen (by Hill Prince; dam of Irish Group 3 Tantoul, by Tatán) and stakes winners Isa (by Eight Thirty; second dam of stakes winners I'm Willing, Inbalance, and Isaduchess) and Espea (by Olympia). In addition, Koubis is a half sister to Castanea (by Menow), dam of Classic-placed stakes winner Noureddin (by Noor); Brown Plumage (by Hard Tack), dam of multiple stakes winner Indian Hill (by Burg-El-Arab); and Brownwood (by Tom Fool), second dam of Mexican Group 1 winner Carla's Love.
Kouibis was produced from the Sir Andrew mare Brown Biscuit, a half sister to 1938 American Horse of the Year Seabiscuit. Brown Biscuit, in turn, is out of the Whisk Broom II mare Swing On, an unraced half sister to stakes winners Flippant (by Pennant), Hornpipe (by Chantey) and Uneasy (by Royal Minstrel). Other members of this family include the great Equipoise and 1959 champion sprinter Intentionally.
Books and media
Determine is profiled in Chapter 8 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Determine was the first gray to win the Kentucky Derby.
- Determine's dam Koubis suffered from a defective soft palate at birth. Her owner-breeder, Dr. Asbury, repaired the defect in a unique operation using special long-handled instruments.
- When Andy Crevolin refused Dr. Asbury's offer to take Determine back as a yearling, he commented that he “might have been letting a Derby winner get away.” He was right.
- W. F. Fox Jr. of the Indianapolis News reported that Crevolin had several names for the colt rejected by The Jockey Club and complained to his wife, “I’m sure this is a good colt—I’m determined to get a good name for him.” His wife Janie sagely replied, “If you’re so determined, why not call him Determine?” Crevolin did, and got the name approved.
- After Determine and his stablemate Allied were loaded on a two-engined airplane for the flight to Louisville for the 1954 Kentucky Derby, the pilot handed trainer William Molter a loaded revolver and told him to shoot either horse if it acted up. Molter reportedly replied, “I’d rather shoot myself than Determine.” Fortunately, all went smoothly and Molter did not have to make good on his statement.
- Determine may have owed his Kentucky Derby win to some sage advice from six-time winning Derby trainer Ben Jones, who told Molter that a hard race shortly before the Derby might be just what the colt needed. Accordingly, Molter put him in the Derby Trial on the Tuesday before the Derby and saw him run second by a head to fellow Derby candidate Hasty Road after a ding-dong battle. Determine came out of the race very tired but two days later was friskier than ever. He ended up turning the tables on Hasty Road by a length and a half in the Derby.
- The 1955 Santa Anita Maturity, which Determine won on the disqualification of Miz Clementine, had unexpected repercussions for Santa Anita as Calumet Farm (which owned Miz Clementine) was so incensed by the stewards' decision that it thereafter refused to race at the California track. Ironically, Eddie Arcaro (who had ridden Miz Clementine) admitted years later that the filly had been "out of gas" and that he had gone ahead and interfered with Determine, figuring he had nothing to lose by doing so as he would have been beaten if the colt had gotten a clear run.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: November 17, 2022