From the private collection of Dale Wyatt. Used by permission.
One of three first-rate sons of 1930 American Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox in the stallion's first two crops, Granville was a true stayer of great quality. In spite of some bad luck early in his 3-year-old season (he lost his jockey at the start of the Kentucky Derby), he became the first horse to earn American Horse of the Year honors in an official vote. Unfortunately, he proved a very poor sire and left no lasting mark on American bloodlines.
Race record
18 starts, 8 wins, 4 seconds, 3 thirds, US$111,820
1935:
1936:
Honors
As an individual
A bay, Granville was a tall, handsome, rangy animal in the mold of his sire Gallant Fox, though perhaps a bit coarser. Photographs suggest that he was sickle-hocked. Like his sire, he saw no point in putting out more effort than was necessary and tended to cut his finishes very close. He bruised an ankle while winning the 1936 Lawrence Realization, ending his racing career.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Granville sired 66 winners (47.8%) and two stakes winners (1.4%) from 138 named foals.
Connections
Foaled in Maryland, Granville was bred and owned by William Woodward Sr.'s Belair Stud. He was trained by James “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons. He was leased to Kenneth Gilpin following his racing career and entered stud in 1937 in Virginia at Kentmere Farm. Following the conclusion of the two-year lease, Granville was leased to John Hay Whitney, who moved the stallion to his Mare's Nest Stud near Lexington, Kentucky. In September 1943, Granville was sold to New Mexico breeder Dr. J. M. Winchester and relocated to Winchester's ranch near Clayton, New Mexico. Granville was eventually donated to the U.S. Army Remount Service and died in New Mexico in 1951.
Pedigree notes
Granville is inbred 4x4 to 1904 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) and Grand Prix de Paris winner Ajax and to 1908 Goodwood Cup and Doncaster Cup winner Radium. He is a half brother to Sable Scarf (by Sir Gallahad III), dam of 1946 Clark Handicap winner Hail Victory (by Blenheim II) and second dam of 1954 Santa Anita Handicap and 1955 Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap winner Rejected.
Sired by the Sardanapale horse Sarmatian, Granville's dam Gravita failed to win but is a half sister to 1931 Newmarket Stakes winner Sir Andrew (by Sir Gallahad III) and to multiple stakes winner Dominus (by Stimulus). She is also a half sister to Miss Gravity (by Gallant Fox), dam of seven-time steeplechase stakes winner Rythminhim (by Rhodes Scholar), and to Grade (by Sir Gallahad III), second dam of 1957 Hollywood Lassie Stakes winner Nursery School, 1955 Barbara Frietchie Handicap winner Guayana and 1955 Haggin Stakes winner Mobile.
Gravita and her siblings are out of Gravitate, a daughter of 1913 American champion 3-year-old male Rock View and the English import Lady Carnot (by Radium) and so a half sister to 1924 Lawrence Realization winner Aga Khan (by Omar Khayyam). The next dam in Granville's tail-female line is the winning St. Simon mare Gravitation, whose full brother William the Third won the 1902 Ascot Gold Cup and was widely considered the best English stayer of his time.
Books and media
Granville is profiled in Chapter 6 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Race record
18 starts, 8 wins, 4 seconds, 3 thirds, US$111,820
1935:
- 3rd Champagne Stakes (USA, 6.5FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Babylon Handicap (USA, 6FD, Aqueduct)
1936:
- Won Classic Stakes (USA, 10FD, Arlington Park)
- Won Belmont Stakes (USA, 12FD, Belmont)
- Won Travers Stakes (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
- Won Lawrence Realization (USA, 13FD, Belmont)
- Won Saratoga Cup (USA, 14FD, Saratoga)
- Won Kenner Stakes (USA, 9.5FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Preakness Stakes (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- 2nd Suburban Handicap (USA, 10FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Wood Memorial Stakes (USA, 8f+70fD, Jamaica)
Honors
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1997)
- American Horse of the Year (1936)
- American champion 3-year-old male (1936)
As an individual
A bay, Granville was a tall, handsome, rangy animal in the mold of his sire Gallant Fox, though perhaps a bit coarser. Photographs suggest that he was sickle-hocked. Like his sire, he saw no point in putting out more effort than was necessary and tended to cut his finishes very close. He bruised an ankle while winning the 1936 Lawrence Realization, ending his racing career.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Granville sired 66 winners (47.8%) and two stakes winners (1.4%) from 138 named foals.
Connections
Foaled in Maryland, Granville was bred and owned by William Woodward Sr.'s Belair Stud. He was trained by James “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons. He was leased to Kenneth Gilpin following his racing career and entered stud in 1937 in Virginia at Kentmere Farm. Following the conclusion of the two-year lease, Granville was leased to John Hay Whitney, who moved the stallion to his Mare's Nest Stud near Lexington, Kentucky. In September 1943, Granville was sold to New Mexico breeder Dr. J. M. Winchester and relocated to Winchester's ranch near Clayton, New Mexico. Granville was eventually donated to the U.S. Army Remount Service and died in New Mexico in 1951.
Pedigree notes
Granville is inbred 4x4 to 1904 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) and Grand Prix de Paris winner Ajax and to 1908 Goodwood Cup and Doncaster Cup winner Radium. He is a half brother to Sable Scarf (by Sir Gallahad III), dam of 1946 Clark Handicap winner Hail Victory (by Blenheim II) and second dam of 1954 Santa Anita Handicap and 1955 Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap winner Rejected.
Sired by the Sardanapale horse Sarmatian, Granville's dam Gravita failed to win but is a half sister to 1931 Newmarket Stakes winner Sir Andrew (by Sir Gallahad III) and to multiple stakes winner Dominus (by Stimulus). She is also a half sister to Miss Gravity (by Gallant Fox), dam of seven-time steeplechase stakes winner Rythminhim (by Rhodes Scholar), and to Grade (by Sir Gallahad III), second dam of 1957 Hollywood Lassie Stakes winner Nursery School, 1955 Barbara Frietchie Handicap winner Guayana and 1955 Haggin Stakes winner Mobile.
Gravita and her siblings are out of Gravitate, a daughter of 1913 American champion 3-year-old male Rock View and the English import Lady Carnot (by Radium) and so a half sister to 1924 Lawrence Realization winner Aga Khan (by Omar Khayyam). The next dam in Granville's tail-female line is the winning St. Simon mare Gravitation, whose full brother William the Third won the 1902 Ascot Gold Cup and was widely considered the best English stayer of his time.
Books and media
Granville is profiled in Chapter 6 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Granville is the name of several cities and towns in the United States and in Australia, France, Ireland and Jamaica. Granville may also refer to the Earls of Granville, who hold a title of the Peerage in both Great Britain and the United Kingdom.
- Granville was the first Travers Stakes winner to be honored by being presented with the "Man o' War Cup," originally the gold trophy that Man o' War won for his victory over Sir Barton in the Kenilworth Gold Cup. Since then, the trophy is presented annually to the Travers' winning owner, who also receives a gold-plated replica to keep.
- Granville was a homozygous bay and sired no chestnut offspring.