A moderate 2-year-old, Halma improved markedly from 2 to 3 and was the best colt racing on the Western circuit in the spring of 1895 before injury knocked him out for the remainder of the year. A comeback attempt at age 5 had only limited success, with Halma winning one small race. Halma stood in both the United States and France and was not a great success in either country.
Race record
16 starts, 7 wins, 2 seconds, 3 thirds, US$15,885
1894:
1895:
As an individual
A black horse standing about 16 hands, Halma had a deep girth but was narrow of build when seen head-on and was also light in the hips, a characteristic said to be typical of Hanover's progeny. Halma developed a curb on one hock early in his 3-year-old season which was apparently aggravated following his loss in the Himyar Stakes in June 1895. He was brought back into training in the spring of 1896 but suffered a ruptured flexor tendon in his right foreleg, was out for the remainder of the year, and proved unable to return to his top form at 5. His best American runner, Alan-a-Dale, was likewise plagued with leg problems.
As a stallion
Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967 credits Halma with four stakes winners from his American-sired progeny. He sired at least three stakes winners while standing in Europe.
Notable progeny
Alan-a-Dale (USA), Oversight (FR)
Connections
Bred by Augustus Eastin and Samuel Larrabie, Halma was owned and trained by Byron McClelland, who bought him privately for US$6,000 while the colt was still a yearling. Following Halma's win in the Clark Stakes, McClelland sold him to Charles Fleischmann & Son for US$25,000; Halma was trained thereafter by Fleischmann's trainer, Robert Tucker. Following his racing career, Halma stood in Kentucky at Hal Price Headley's Beaumont Stud until June 1901, when Fleischmann's son reportedly sold the horse for US$30,000 to a man originally described as “a Polish sportsman.” Another report indicated that the stallion had been sold to the Russian government. The buyer turned out to be William K. Vanderbilt, who shipped Halma to France for stud duty at his Haras de Villebon. Vanderbilt brought Halma back to the United States in September 1906 and made a gift of him to The Jockey Club's Bureau of Breeding, which placed him at Lester Bashford's farm in upstate New York. Halma died in 1909.
Pedigree notes
Halma is inbred 4x4 to 16-time American champion sire Lexington. A half brother to stakes winner McLeod of Dare (by Darebin), he is out of the stakes-winning Longfellow mare Julia L., a full sister to 1891 Clark Stakes winner High Tariff and a half sister to Gypsy (by War Dance), dam of 1891 Sheridan Stakes winner Poet Scout (by Longfellow) and multiple stakes winner Flying Torpedo (by Hanover).
Julia L. and her siblings were produced from the Australian mare Christine, a daughter of the Lexington mare La Grand Duchesse. She, in turn, was produced from the American Eclipse mare Ann Innis, whose Yorkshire daughter Maria Innis produced 1872 Jersey Derby winner Meteor (by Asteroid) and is the second dam of 1883 Belmont Stakes winner George Kinney, generally considered the co-champion American 3-year-old male of his year.
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown; taken in France in 1903. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: June 23, 2023
Race record
16 starts, 7 wins, 2 seconds, 3 thirds, US$15,885
1894:
- 2nd Nursery Handicap (USA, 6FD, Morris Park)
- 3rd Dunmow Stakes (USA, 6FD, Morris Park)
1895:
- Won Kentucky Derby (USA, 12FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Latonia Derby (USA, 12FD, Latonia; new track record 2:34-1/2)
- Won Clark Stakes (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Phoenix Stakes (USA, 9FD, Lexington; new track record 1:52-1/2)
- 2nd Himyar Stakes (USA, 9FD, Latonia)
As an individual
A black horse standing about 16 hands, Halma had a deep girth but was narrow of build when seen head-on and was also light in the hips, a characteristic said to be typical of Hanover's progeny. Halma developed a curb on one hock early in his 3-year-old season which was apparently aggravated following his loss in the Himyar Stakes in June 1895. He was brought back into training in the spring of 1896 but suffered a ruptured flexor tendon in his right foreleg, was out for the remainder of the year, and proved unable to return to his top form at 5. His best American runner, Alan-a-Dale, was likewise plagued with leg problems.
As a stallion
Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967 credits Halma with four stakes winners from his American-sired progeny. He sired at least three stakes winners while standing in Europe.
Notable progeny
Alan-a-Dale (USA), Oversight (FR)
Connections
Bred by Augustus Eastin and Samuel Larrabie, Halma was owned and trained by Byron McClelland, who bought him privately for US$6,000 while the colt was still a yearling. Following Halma's win in the Clark Stakes, McClelland sold him to Charles Fleischmann & Son for US$25,000; Halma was trained thereafter by Fleischmann's trainer, Robert Tucker. Following his racing career, Halma stood in Kentucky at Hal Price Headley's Beaumont Stud until June 1901, when Fleischmann's son reportedly sold the horse for US$30,000 to a man originally described as “a Polish sportsman.” Another report indicated that the stallion had been sold to the Russian government. The buyer turned out to be William K. Vanderbilt, who shipped Halma to France for stud duty at his Haras de Villebon. Vanderbilt brought Halma back to the United States in September 1906 and made a gift of him to The Jockey Club's Bureau of Breeding, which placed him at Lester Bashford's farm in upstate New York. Halma died in 1909.
Pedigree notes
Halma is inbred 4x4 to 16-time American champion sire Lexington. A half brother to stakes winner McLeod of Dare (by Darebin), he is out of the stakes-winning Longfellow mare Julia L., a full sister to 1891 Clark Stakes winner High Tariff and a half sister to Gypsy (by War Dance), dam of 1891 Sheridan Stakes winner Poet Scout (by Longfellow) and multiple stakes winner Flying Torpedo (by Hanover).
Julia L. and her siblings were produced from the Australian mare Christine, a daughter of the Lexington mare La Grand Duchesse. She, in turn, was produced from the American Eclipse mare Ann Innis, whose Yorkshire daughter Maria Innis produced 1872 Jersey Derby winner Meteor (by Asteroid) and is the second dam of 1883 Belmont Stakes winner George Kinney, generally considered the co-champion American 3-year-old male of his year.
Fun facts
- Halma's name came from that of a board game somewhat similar to checkers in that the pieces can jump one another as they move across the playing board; the winner of the game is the first to be able to move all his pieces from his home corner to the opposite corner of the board. A German variant of the game called “Stern-Halma” has been marketed in the United States since 1928 under the name of “Chinese Checkers.”
- Halma's Kentucky Derby was the last to be held at the race's initial distance of 1½ miles and drew only four starters. Since 1896, the race has been contested at 1¼ miles.
- Halma's jockey, James “Soup” Perkins, was the champion jockey in the United States in 1895 with 192 wins. He was only 15 when he won the Kentucky Derby, which tied him with Alonzo Clayton (rider of 1892 victor Azra) as the youngest jockeys to win the race. Halma was Perkins' only Derby mount.
- Halma was the first Kentucky Derby winner to sire another Kentucky Derby winner, a feat he accomplished when Alan-a-Dale won the 1902 Derby.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown; taken in France in 1903. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: June 23, 2023