An older half brother to the great stallion Bull Lea, Espino was very different in type as he was a thoroughgoing stayer capable of vying with the great Crusader over a route. He had a limited stud career but did well from the opportunities he had in spite of a tendency to pass on unsoundness. His primary significance to modern pedigrees is through his son Wait a Bit, whose daughter Sailing Home is the second dam of Bold Reasoning, sire of the great Seattle Slew.
Race record
37 starts, 9 wins, 7 seconds, 9 thirds, US$56,310
1925:
1926:
1927:
Assessments
Ranked fourth among American 3-year-old males of 1926 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A brown horse; no further information available.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Espino sired 37 winners (38.5%) and 10 stakes winners (10.4%) from 96 foals.
Notable progeny
Bounding Home (USA), Esposa (USA)
Connections
Bred by Xalapa Farm, Espino was owned by William Ziegler, Jr.
Pedigree notes
Espino is inbred 5x5x5 to 1867 Derby Stakes winner and seven-time Englishc champion sire Hermit. He is a full sister to stakes winner Bois de Rose, also a Belmont Stakes runner-up. He is a half brother to 1939 Widener Handicap winner Bull Lea (by Bull Dog), who led the American general sire list five times and led the corresponding broodmare sire list four times. He is also a half brother to stakes winners Dogpatch (by Bull Dog; a useful sire from limited opportunities) and Nectarine (by Bull Dog). The latter is the dam of stakes winner Appleknocker (by Reaping Reward) and the third dam of 1952 American champion 2-year-old filly Sweet Patootie.
Espino's dam, Rose Leaves, is a half sister to 1910 Toboggan Handicap winner Mary Davis (by Watercress) and to minor stakes winner Air Man (by Waterboy). She is also a half sister to La Venganza (by Abercorn), dam of 1918 Camden Handicap winner Manager Waite (by Watercress) and 1924 Preakness Stakes winner Nellie Morse (by Luke McLuke). The last-named mare is, in turn, the dam of 1934 American champion 2-year-old filly Nellie Flag (by American Flag), who became a foundation mare for Calumet Farm.
Colonial, the dam of Rose Leaves, never raced and was imported to the United States by James Ben Ali Haggin. She was produced from Thankful Blossom (by Paradox—The Apple, by Hermit), whose stakes-winning half sister One I Love (by Minting) is responsible for another major American branch of Family 9-f through her daughter Affection (by Isidor).
Fun facts
Race record
37 starts, 9 wins, 7 seconds, 9 thirds, US$56,310
1925:
- 2nd Champagne Stakes (USA, about 6.5FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Oceanus Handicap (USA, Jamaica)
- 3rd Walden Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Pimlico)
1926:
- Won Lawrence Realization Stakes (USA, 13FD, Belmont)
- Won Saratoga Cup (USA, 14FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Huron Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA, 16FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Belmont Stakes (USA, 12FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Wood Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Jamaica)
- 3rd Dwyer Stakes (USA, 12FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Withers Stakes (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
1927:
- 3rd Brookdale Handicap (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Saratoga Cup (USA, 14FD, Saratoga)
Assessments
Ranked fourth among American 3-year-old males of 1926 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A brown horse; no further information available.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Espino sired 37 winners (38.5%) and 10 stakes winners (10.4%) from 96 foals.
Notable progeny
Bounding Home (USA), Esposa (USA)
Connections
Bred by Xalapa Farm, Espino was owned by William Ziegler, Jr.
Pedigree notes
Espino is inbred 5x5x5 to 1867 Derby Stakes winner and seven-time Englishc champion sire Hermit. He is a full sister to stakes winner Bois de Rose, also a Belmont Stakes runner-up. He is a half brother to 1939 Widener Handicap winner Bull Lea (by Bull Dog), who led the American general sire list five times and led the corresponding broodmare sire list four times. He is also a half brother to stakes winners Dogpatch (by Bull Dog; a useful sire from limited opportunities) and Nectarine (by Bull Dog). The latter is the dam of stakes winner Appleknocker (by Reaping Reward) and the third dam of 1952 American champion 2-year-old filly Sweet Patootie.
Espino's dam, Rose Leaves, is a half sister to 1910 Toboggan Handicap winner Mary Davis (by Watercress) and to minor stakes winner Air Man (by Waterboy). She is also a half sister to La Venganza (by Abercorn), dam of 1918 Camden Handicap winner Manager Waite (by Watercress) and 1924 Preakness Stakes winner Nellie Morse (by Luke McLuke). The last-named mare is, in turn, the dam of 1934 American champion 2-year-old filly Nellie Flag (by American Flag), who became a foundation mare for Calumet Farm.
Colonial, the dam of Rose Leaves, never raced and was imported to the United States by James Ben Ali Haggin. She was produced from Thankful Blossom (by Paradox—The Apple, by Hermit), whose stakes-winning half sister One I Love (by Minting) is responsible for another major American branch of Family 9-f through her daughter Affection (by Isidor).
Fun facts
- “Espino” is Spanish for “hawthorn,” a name which can refer to any of a group of shrubs belonging to the rose family, Rosaceae.