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High Echelon (USA)

March 22, 1967 – May 14, 1991

Native Charger (USA) x Luquillo (USA), by Princequillo (IRE)

Family 2-n
​
​High Echelon was an inconsistent runner but saved three of his best performances for races that would later be considered Grade 1 events. An overly hard racing schedule (19 starts) at 2 may have cost him dearly later, as the Belmont was the only race of any kind that he won at 3 and he had only two other placings from his 13 starts of 1970. (That such a race record was enough to place him high among the leaders of his crop at both 2 and 3 says much for the relative weakness of the American Thoroughbred crop of 1967.) He proved a useful sire but had little long-term impact.


Race record

32 starts, 4 wins, 5 seconds, 4 thirds, US$383,895

1969:
  • Won Futurity Stakes (USA, 6.5FD, Belmont)
  • Won Pimlico-Laurel Futurity (USA, 8.5FD, Laurel)
  • 2nd Sanford Stakes (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
  • 3rd Saratoga Special Stakes (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
  • 3rd Flash Stakes (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)

1969:
  • Won Belmont Stakes (USA, 12FD, Belmont)
  • 3rd Kentucky Derby (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs)


Assessments

Rated at 123 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1969, 5 pounds below champion Silent Screen but tied for second place with Insubordination.

Rated at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1970, 2 pounds below champion Personality (his stablemate) but tied for second with Loud and My Dad George.


As an individual

Officially registered as a roan, High Echelon was genetically a gray. He stood 16 hands. He was well-muscled but elegant with a good shoulder and had a long, smooth stride. He may have been somewhat compromised as a racer by a high-strung disposition. He generally did his best running from off the pace.



As a stallion

According to The Jockey Club, High Echelon sired 213 winners (53.8%) and 26 stakes winners (6.6%) from 396 named foals.



Notable progeny

High Schemes (USA)


Connections

Foaled in Florida, High Echelon was bred by Bieber-Jacobs Stable. He was owned by Ethel D. Jacobs (the wife of co-breeder and initial trainer Hirsch Jacobs) and was trained by the Jacobs' son, John W. Jacobs. He stood in Kentucky at Gainesway Farm. He later moved to Franks Farm near Ocala, Florida, where he died in the spring of 1991.



Pedigree notes

High Echelon is outcrossed through five generations. The first foal of his dam Luquillo, he is a half brother to Gilded Lilly (by What a Pleasure), dam of 1992 American champion 2-year-old male Gilded Time (by Timeless Moment), second dam of 2014 Arlington Million Stakes (USA-G1) winner Hardest Core, and third dam of Elusive Warning, a Group 3 winner in Dubai.

Luquillo, in turn, is a half sister to the good steeplechaser Lumiere (by Saratoga). She is out of the winning Fair Trial mare Lulalu, a full sister to multiple English stakes winner Luminary II. The next dam in the tail-female line, Luciebella (by Rodosto) never raced but is a half sister to French stakes winners Allumeur (by Astérus) and Adulation (by Adular).


Books and media

High Echelon is profiled in Chapter 10 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).



Last updated: February 24, 2022
© 2014-2023 by Avalyn Hunter. All rights reserved. Contributors' materials remain the property of the copyright owners and are used by permission.

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