Double Jay (USA)
April 12, 1944 – 1972
Balladier (USA) x Broomshot (USA), by Whisk Broom II (USA)
Family 14-a
April 12, 1944 – 1972
Balladier (USA) x Broomshot (USA), by Whisk Broom II (USA)
Family 14-a
Double Jay was one of Bull Hancock's unlikelier selections as a potential top stallion. Although he had been a champion juvenile, he was some 10 pounds or more below the best of his division as a 3-year-old and an older male. He also possessed a poorly conformed set of forelegs, and his female family was fairly unremarkable. Nonetheless, he was tough, game and surprisingly sound, and he went on to transmit those characteristics during a long and honorable stud career at Claiborne Farm.
Race record
48 starts, 17 wins, 9 seconds, 9 thirds, US$299-005
1946:
1947:
1948:
1949:
Honors
American co-champion 2-year-old male (1946; shared with Education)
Assessments
Assigned co-highweight of 126 pounds with Cosmic Bomb and champion 2-year-old filly First Flight on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1946.
Ranked seventh among American 3-year-old males of 1947 by The Blood-Horse.
As a 3-year-old, Double Jay was assessed by Abram S. Hewitt (Sire Lines) as having been about 10 pounds below the best of the division.
As an individual
An elegantly made dark bay or brown horse with a well-sloped shoulder and powerful, well-shaped hips and hindquarters, Double Jay was flawed by what Daily Racing Form writer Charles Hatton termed “frightful running gear.” His hocks were slightly out behind him. He was game and determined while racing.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Double Jay sired 323 winners (71.3%) and 45 stakes winners (9.9%) from 453 named foals. Double Jay is a Brilliant chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
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
Bagdad (USA), Banja Luka (USA), Bupers (USA), Continue (USA), Doubledogdare (USA), Irish Jay (USA), Jay Fox (USA), Manotick (USA), Plotter (USA), Queen's Double (USA), Repeating (USA), Spring Double (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Akira (VEN), Balzac (USA), Batucada (USA), Deceit (USA), Double Delta (USA), Ferdinand (USA), John Henry (USA), King Emperor (USA), Koluctoo Bay (USA), Land of Eire (USA), Molly Ballantine (USA), Nodouble (USA), Old Hat (USA), Queen Empress (USA), Run Dusty Run (USA), Yamanin (USA)
Connections
Double Jay was bred by John W. Stanley. He was owned by Ridgewood Stable (James V. Tigani and James E. Boines), which purchased the colt for a reported US$10,000 as a yearling. During the colt's 4-year-old season, Tigani bought out his partner for a reported US$100,000. Double Jay was trained by Walter “Duke” McCue. After Double Jay had proven a stud success while standing at Claiborne Farm (where he had entered stud in 1951), Tigani eventually sold a 25 percent interest in Double Jay to Claiborne's A. B. "Bull" Hancock and another 25 percent to John Hertz. Double Jay was buried at Claiborne after his death in 1972.
Pedigree notes
Sired by the talented but fragile Balladier (who was the American champion 2-year-old male of 1934), Double Jay is inbred 4x4 to two-time American champion Ben Brush, the American champion sire of 1909. He was produced from Broomshot, a mare that breeder John Stanley bought from the 1941 Lexington sales for just US$800. A tough, sound animal who won 17 races from 126 starts, she did not produce her first foal until age 11 but lived to produce a total of 11 named foals, nine of them winners.
Broomshot is a half sister to multiple juvenile stakes winner Oswego (by Cherokee), to 1915 Debutante Stakes winner Little Sister (by Plaudit) and to 1921 Ashland Oaks winner Pongee (by Cherokee), dam of juvenile stakes winner Chief Cherokee (by Cherokee) and third dam of 1969 Breeders' Stakes winner Grey Whiz. The siblings were produced from the Sain mare Centre Shot, whose 25 wins from 77 starts included two sprint stakes.
Centre Shot, in turn, was produced from the Foul Shot mare Grand Shot, also the dam of stakes winner Dr. Holzberg (by Bannockburn). The next dam in the tail-female lineage, the Australian import Grand Lady (by Grandmaster) is out of Fine Lady, by 1883 Sydney Cup winner Darebin.
Books and media
Fun facts
Photo credit
Double Jay, taken by Joel Clyne Meadors at Claiborne Farm on October 2, 1952. From the Keeneland Library Meadors Collection; used by permission. Please contact the Keeneland Library with any questions regarding use or licensure of this photo.
Last updated: August 30, 2024
Race record
48 starts, 17 wins, 9 seconds, 9 thirds, US$299-005
1946:
- Won Garden State Stakes (USA, 6FD, Garden State)
- Won James H. Connors Memorial Stakes (USA, 6FD, Narragansett Park)
- Won Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (USA, 8FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Newport Stake (USA, 6FD, Narragansett Park)
- 2nd Narragansett Nursery Stakes (USA, 5FD, Narragansett Park)
- 3rd Hialeah Juvenile Stakes (USA, 3FD, Hialeah)
1947:
- Won Jersey Handicap (USA, 9FD, Garden State)
- Won Riggs Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- Won Benjamin Franklin Handicap (USA, 6FD, Garden State)
- Won Prince George Autumn Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Bowie)
- 2nd Trenton Handicap (USA, 9FD, Monmouth)
- 2nd Roamer Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Jamaica)
- 2nd Discovery Handicap (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Scarsdale Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Empire City)
- 3rd Bryan and O'Hara Memorial Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Bowie)
1948:
- Won Trenton Handicap (USA, 9FD, Garden State)
- 2nd San Antonio Handicap (USA, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Excelsior Handicap (USA, 8FD, Jamaica)
- 3rd Santa Anita Maturity Stake (USA, 10FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Santa Anita Handicap (USA, 10FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Massachusetts Handicap (USA, 10FD, Suffolk Downs)
- 3rd Aqueduct Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Aqueduct)
1949:
- Won American Handicap (USA, 9FD, Hollywood
- Also equaled the 9-furlong track record of 1:48-3/5 at Santa Anita
Honors
American co-champion 2-year-old male (1946; shared with Education)
Assessments
Assigned co-highweight of 126 pounds with Cosmic Bomb and champion 2-year-old filly First Flight on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1946.
Ranked seventh among American 3-year-old males of 1947 by The Blood-Horse.
As a 3-year-old, Double Jay was assessed by Abram S. Hewitt (Sire Lines) as having been about 10 pounds below the best of the division.
As an individual
An elegantly made dark bay or brown horse with a well-sloped shoulder and powerful, well-shaped hips and hindquarters, Double Jay was flawed by what Daily Racing Form writer Charles Hatton termed “frightful running gear.” His hocks were slightly out behind him. He was game and determined while racing.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Double Jay sired 323 winners (71.3%) and 45 stakes winners (9.9%) from 453 named foals. Double Jay is a Brilliant chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- 2nd on the American general sire list in 1965; 3rd in 1964; 5th in 1959; 6th in 1956, 1960, and 1966; 7th in 1962 and 1963; 8th in 1957.L
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 1971, 1975, 1977, and 1981; 2nd in 1972 and 1980; 3rd in 1969, 1970, 1974, and 1979; 4th in 1973; 5th in 1978 and 1984; 9th in 1968.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- 2nd on the American general sire list in 1965; 3rd in 1964; 5th in 1959; 6th in 1956 and 1960; 7th in 1962 and 1963; 8th in 1957.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 2nd on the American general sire list in 1965; 3rd in 1964; 5th in 1959; 6th in 1956, 1960, and 1966; 7th in 1962 and 1963; 8th in 1957.
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 1971, 1977, and 1981; 2nd in 1976 and 1980; 3rd in 1969, 1970, 1974, and 1979; 4th in 1973; 5th in 1978 and 1984; 9th in 1968.
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 1971, 1975, 1977, and 1981; 2nd in 1976.
Notable progeny
Bagdad (USA), Banja Luka (USA), Bupers (USA), Continue (USA), Doubledogdare (USA), Irish Jay (USA), Jay Fox (USA), Manotick (USA), Plotter (USA), Queen's Double (USA), Repeating (USA), Spring Double (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Akira (VEN), Balzac (USA), Batucada (USA), Deceit (USA), Double Delta (USA), Ferdinand (USA), John Henry (USA), King Emperor (USA), Koluctoo Bay (USA), Land of Eire (USA), Molly Ballantine (USA), Nodouble (USA), Old Hat (USA), Queen Empress (USA), Run Dusty Run (USA), Yamanin (USA)
Connections
Double Jay was bred by John W. Stanley. He was owned by Ridgewood Stable (James V. Tigani and James E. Boines), which purchased the colt for a reported US$10,000 as a yearling. During the colt's 4-year-old season, Tigani bought out his partner for a reported US$100,000. Double Jay was trained by Walter “Duke” McCue. After Double Jay had proven a stud success while standing at Claiborne Farm (where he had entered stud in 1951), Tigani eventually sold a 25 percent interest in Double Jay to Claiborne's A. B. "Bull" Hancock and another 25 percent to John Hertz. Double Jay was buried at Claiborne after his death in 1972.
Pedigree notes
Sired by the talented but fragile Balladier (who was the American champion 2-year-old male of 1934), Double Jay is inbred 4x4 to two-time American champion Ben Brush, the American champion sire of 1909. He was produced from Broomshot, a mare that breeder John Stanley bought from the 1941 Lexington sales for just US$800. A tough, sound animal who won 17 races from 126 starts, she did not produce her first foal until age 11 but lived to produce a total of 11 named foals, nine of them winners.
Broomshot is a half sister to multiple juvenile stakes winner Oswego (by Cherokee), to 1915 Debutante Stakes winner Little Sister (by Plaudit) and to 1921 Ashland Oaks winner Pongee (by Cherokee), dam of juvenile stakes winner Chief Cherokee (by Cherokee) and third dam of 1969 Breeders' Stakes winner Grey Whiz. The siblings were produced from the Sain mare Centre Shot, whose 25 wins from 77 starts included two sprint stakes.
Centre Shot, in turn, was produced from the Foul Shot mare Grand Shot, also the dam of stakes winner Dr. Holzberg (by Bannockburn). The next dam in the tail-female lineage, the Australian import Grand Lady (by Grandmaster) is out of Fine Lady, by 1883 Sydney Cup winner Darebin.
Books and media
- Double Jay is one of 205 stallions whose accomplishments at stud are profiled in Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, The Australian Bloodhorse Review), a massive reference work written by Jennifer Churchill, Andrew Reichard and Byron Rogers.
- Double Jay is profiled in Chapter 38 of Abram Hewitt's Sire Lines (1977, The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; updated and re-released by Eclipse Press in 2006).
Fun facts
- According to Bull Hancock himself, he conceived a determination to stand Double Jay at stud after watching the Balladier colt lead Education (the other juvenile co-champion, and a colt Hancock had been sure would win) at every pole to win the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes of 1946. That determination stayed with him even after Double Jay lost any glamour he had in his subsequent campaigns, and it paid off handsomely as the horse became a top sire.
Photo credit
Double Jay, taken by Joel Clyne Meadors at Claiborne Farm on October 2, 1952. From the Keeneland Library Meadors Collection; used by permission. Please contact the Keeneland Library with any questions regarding use or licensure of this photo.
Last updated: August 30, 2024