Iroquois (USA)
1878 – September 17, 1899
Leamington (GB) x Maggie B. B. (USA), by Australian (GB)
Family 4-m
1878 – September 17, 1899
Leamington (GB) x Maggie B. B. (USA), by Australian (GB)
Family 4-m
At his best, Iroquois was a first-rate racehorse who was celebrated as the first American-bred horse to win the Derby Stakes in England. He also won the St. Leger Stakes of his year, thus accounting for two of the three English Classics for colts. While it is debatable as to whether he was a better racehorse than his American-bred contemporary Foxhall, who won the 1881 Grand Prix de Paris and the 1882 Ascot Gold Cup, he was certainly well above the average and is generally regarded as the best English-raced 3-year-old of 1881. Physical ailments kept him away from the races at 4 and made his 5-year-old campaign a disappointment, but he became a good sire after returning to the United States.
Race record
26 starts, 12 wins, 1 second, 3 thirds, US$101,613 (including converted English earnings)
1880:
1881:
1883:
Honors
English champion 3-year-old male (1881)
As an individual
A brown horse, Iroquois stood 15.2½ hands. He had a clean-cut head and neck, an excellent shoulder, powerful hindquarters, and good feet and legs. His withers were prominent and his back was slightly dipped. He developed a problem with respiratory bleeding following his 3-year-old season and became difficult to train.
As a stallion
Iroquois was the champion American sire of 1892. Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967 credits him with 18 stakes winners.
Notable progeny
Cayuga (USA), Tammany (USA), White Frost (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Pennsylvania, Iroquois was bred by Aristides Welch at his Erdenheim Stock Farm. He was purchased by Pierre Lorillard in a package deal that included Welch's entire crop of 1879 Leamington yearlings and was sent to England, where he was trained by Jacob Pincus at 2 through 4 and by Tom Cannon at 5. Following his racing career, he initially entered stud at Lorillard's Rancocas Stud in New Jersey in 1884. In 1886, the stallion was purchased for US$20,000 by General William Jackson and moved to Jackson's Belle Meade Stud near Nashville, Tennessee. Iroquois remained at Belle Meade until his death from kidney disease in September 1899. He was buried at Belle Meade next to the grave of Bonnie Scotland.
Pedigree notes
Iroquois' pedigree is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to 1879 Preakness Stakes winner Harold; to multiple stakes winner Pera; to stakes winner Francesca, dam of the stakes-winning colt Pepper (by Hindoo); and to Jaconet, dam of 1888 American co-champion 3-year-old male and 1901 American champion sire Sir Dixon and the good stakes winner Belvidere (both by Billet). Jaconet is also the second dam of the good juvenile and sire Uncle and the third dam of 1902 Alabama Stakes winner Par Excellence.
Returning to Iroquois, he is also a half brother to Panique (by Alarm), winner of the 1884 Belmont Stakes, and to Red-and-Blue (by Alarm), dam of 1890 American co-champion juvenile filly Sallie McClelland (by Hindoo); second dam of two-time American champion filly Blue Girl, 1901 Travers Stakes winner Blues, and 1904 Kentucky Oaks winner Audience; and third dam of 1913 American Horse of the Year Whisk Broom II. In addition, he is a half brother to Hypatica (by Woodlands), dam of the stakes winner Hyperbole (by Sandringham) and second dam of 1915 Carter Handicap winner Phosphor.
Maggie B. B., the dam of Iroquois and his siblings, was a multiple stakes winner on the track and is a half sister to Madostone (by Stone Plover), second dam of 1888 Juvenile Stakes winner French Park. Maggie B. B.'s dam Madeline is a half sister to the noted racer Kentucky and to stakes winner Daniel Boone (both by Boston's son Lexington). A half sister to Madeline, Skedaddle (by Yorkshire), is the dam of 1870 Young America Stakes winner Saucebox (by Star Davis; dam of 1893 United States Hotel Stakes winner Deception, by Deceiver) and the second dam of 1878 Kentucky Derby winner Day Star.
Fun facts
Last updated: August 14, 2020
Race record
26 starts, 12 wins, 1 second, 3 thirds, US$101,613 (including converted English earnings)
1880:
- Won Newmarket Two-Year-Old Plate (ENG, Newmarket)
- Won Two-Year-Old Stakes (ENG, Epsom)
- Won Chesterfield Stakes (ENG, Newmarket)
- Won Lavant Stakes (ENG, 5FT, Goodwood)
- 2nd Findon Stakes (ENG)
- 2nd July Stakes (ENG, 6FT, Newmarket)
1881:
- Won Derby Stakes (ENG, 12FT, Epsom)
- Won Prince of Wales's Stakes (ENG, 13FT, Ascot)
- Won St. James's Palace Stakes (ENG, 8FT, Ascot)
- Won St. Leger S. (ENG, 14f+132yT, Doncaster)
- Won Newmarket Derby (ENG, 12FT, Newmarket)
- 2nd Two Thousand Guineas (ENG, 8FT, Newmarket)
- 3rd Champion Stakes (ENG, 10FT, Newmarket)
1883:
- Won Stockbridge Cup (ENG, Stockbridge)
- 2nd Hardwicke Stakes (ENG, 12FT, Ascot)
- 3rd Monmouth Stakes (USA, 12FD, Monmouth)
Honors
English champion 3-year-old male (1881)
As an individual
A brown horse, Iroquois stood 15.2½ hands. He had a clean-cut head and neck, an excellent shoulder, powerful hindquarters, and good feet and legs. His withers were prominent and his back was slightly dipped. He developed a problem with respiratory bleeding following his 3-year-old season and became difficult to train.
As a stallion
Iroquois was the champion American sire of 1892. Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967 credits him with 18 stakes winners.
Notable progeny
Cayuga (USA), Tammany (USA), White Frost (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Pennsylvania, Iroquois was bred by Aristides Welch at his Erdenheim Stock Farm. He was purchased by Pierre Lorillard in a package deal that included Welch's entire crop of 1879 Leamington yearlings and was sent to England, where he was trained by Jacob Pincus at 2 through 4 and by Tom Cannon at 5. Following his racing career, he initially entered stud at Lorillard's Rancocas Stud in New Jersey in 1884. In 1886, the stallion was purchased for US$20,000 by General William Jackson and moved to Jackson's Belle Meade Stud near Nashville, Tennessee. Iroquois remained at Belle Meade until his death from kidney disease in September 1899. He was buried at Belle Meade next to the grave of Bonnie Scotland.
Pedigree notes
Iroquois' pedigree is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to 1879 Preakness Stakes winner Harold; to multiple stakes winner Pera; to stakes winner Francesca, dam of the stakes-winning colt Pepper (by Hindoo); and to Jaconet, dam of 1888 American co-champion 3-year-old male and 1901 American champion sire Sir Dixon and the good stakes winner Belvidere (both by Billet). Jaconet is also the second dam of the good juvenile and sire Uncle and the third dam of 1902 Alabama Stakes winner Par Excellence.
Returning to Iroquois, he is also a half brother to Panique (by Alarm), winner of the 1884 Belmont Stakes, and to Red-and-Blue (by Alarm), dam of 1890 American co-champion juvenile filly Sallie McClelland (by Hindoo); second dam of two-time American champion filly Blue Girl, 1901 Travers Stakes winner Blues, and 1904 Kentucky Oaks winner Audience; and third dam of 1913 American Horse of the Year Whisk Broom II. In addition, he is a half brother to Hypatica (by Woodlands), dam of the stakes winner Hyperbole (by Sandringham) and second dam of 1915 Carter Handicap winner Phosphor.
Maggie B. B., the dam of Iroquois and his siblings, was a multiple stakes winner on the track and is a half sister to Madostone (by Stone Plover), second dam of 1888 Juvenile Stakes winner French Park. Maggie B. B.'s dam Madeline is a half sister to the noted racer Kentucky and to stakes winner Daniel Boone (both by Boston's son Lexington). A half sister to Madeline, Skedaddle (by Yorkshire), is the dam of 1870 Young America Stakes winner Saucebox (by Star Davis; dam of 1893 United States Hotel Stakes winner Deception, by Deceiver) and the second dam of 1878 Kentucky Derby winner Day Star.
Fun facts
- The Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) are a confederation of six nations native to the northeastern and midwestern United States. They held the balance of power among the native peoples of their region during the colonial and early American periods and have played a significant role in the history of North America.
- Pierre Lorillard reportedly made as much as US$2,000,000 from Iroquois' Derby Stakes win between the winner's purse and betting. He apparently found a good use for some of his winnings, as he had promised to build a church building for the Episcopalian congregation of Jobstown, New Jersey, if the horse won.
- Iroquois won the 1883 Stockbridge Cup in the colors of the Prince of Wales, apparently as a loan or lease.
- Iroquois' fame was such that at the peak of his stud career, General Jackson was able to set a stud fee of US$2,500 for him, virtually unheard-of for the time period.
- Iroquois' trainer, Jacob Pincus, is credited with having introduced the use of the stopwatch in English racing.
- Iroquois is the namesake for a Grade 1 steeplechase run at Percy Warner Park near Nashville, Tennessee, and for a Grade 3 race for juvenile colts run at Churchill Downs.
Last updated: August 14, 2020