A glutton of a horse, King James required a lot of work to keep fit in spite of his voracious appetite. Fortunately, he was up to it. After languishing in the combined shadows of Colin, Fair Play and Celt at 2 and 3, he came into his own at 4 after his rivals were off the American racing scene for various reasons. His stud career did not match up to his racing career, but he did sire 1921 American champion handicap mare My Dear and a very good son in 1916 Travers Stakes winner Spur, who continued the male line of 1898 Kentucky Derby winner Plaudit.
Race record
57 starts, 24 wins, 14 seconds, 10 thirds, US$103,405
1907:
1908:
1909:
1910:
Honors
American champion handicap male (1909)
As an individual
A bay, King James was a big, robust horse with a long, strong hip. He had very poor action but stayed well nonetheless and was a great weight carrier. He preferred to run on the rail when possible.
As a stallion
According to Sires and Dams of Stakes Winners 1925-1985 (The Blood-Horse), King James sired 10 stakes winners from 158 foals.
Notable progeny
My Dear (USA), My Own (USA), Spur (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Iribelle (CAN), Mona Bell (CAN)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, King James was bred, owned and trained by John E. Madden. Following his 3-year-old season, Madden sold King James to owner-trainer Sam Hildreth for a price variously reported as US$8,000 or US$10,000. Hildreth was not in good odor with the New York racing authorities at that time and employed Frank Taylor as the colt's trainer of record in that state. King James entered stud at Henry Oxnard's Blue Ridge Farm in Virginia but made several moves during his stud career. While his death was apparently not reported to The Jockey Club, he sired at least one foal registered in the American Stud Book Vol. XVI (foals of 1930-1933).
Pedigree notes
King James is inbred 2x3 to 1893 American champion sire Himyar, 5x4 to seven-time English champion sire Stockwell and 5x5 to Stockwell's dam, the great English matron Pocahontas. He is a half brother to 1915 Knickerbocker Handicap winner Saratoga (by Ogden).
King James is also a half brother to Sally K. (by Mirthful), dam of 1917 Jerome Handicap winner Bally (by Ballot) and multiple juvenile stakes winner Southern Maid (by Plaudit). The last-named filly was, in turn, the dam of 1922 King's Plate winner South Shore (by Orme Shore), who produced the similar winners Shorelint (1929), by Oil Man, and Sally Fuller (1935), by Judge Fuller, as well as 1930 Breeders' Stakes winner Whale Oil (by Oil Man). Southern Maid also produced 1921 Coronation Stakes winner Captain Scott (by First Sight) and 1923 Breeders' Stakes winner Trail Blazer (by Nealon).
King James' dam Unsightly also produced Audrey Austin (by Migraine), dam of 1931 Dixie Handicap winner Paul Bunyan (by Paul Weidel), and Rustic Maid (by Ogden), dam of juvenile stakes winner Rustic Route (by Ultimus). Sired by the imported Scottish Chief horse Pursebearer, winner of the 1881 Gimcrack Stakes in England, Unsightly was produced from the Himyar mare Hira Villa, a daughter of the Glen Athol mare Tolima and so a half sister to Canadian stakes winner Curtolima (by Judge Curtis).
Fun facts
Last updated: June 23, 2024
Race record
57 starts, 24 wins, 14 seconds, 10 thirds, US$103,405
1907:
- Won Tremont Stakes (USA, 6FD, Gravesend)
1908:
- Won Annual Champion Stakes (USA, 18FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- 2nd Brooklyn Derby (USA, 12FD, Gravesend)
- 2nd Lawrence Realization (USA, 13FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- 2nd Travers Stakes (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Century Handicap (USA, 12FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- 2nd Crotona Stakes (USA)
- 3rd Withers Stakes (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Belmont Stakes (USA, 11FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Empire City Handicap (USA, 9FD, Empire City)
- 3rd Advance Stakes (USA)
- 3rd Coney Island Jockey Club Stakes (USA, 12FD, Sheepshead Bay)
1909:
- Won Metropolitan Handicap (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Brooklyn Handicap (USA, 10FD, Gravesend)
- Won Burns Handicap (USA, 10FD, Oakland)
- Won Toronto Cup Handicap (Can, 9FD, Woodbine)
- Won Ocean Handicap (USA)
- Won Omnium Handicap (USA)
- Won California Handicap (USA, 10FD, Old Santa Anita)
- Won Speed Handicap (USA, 6FD, Old Santa Anita)
- Won Eastlake Handicap (USA)
1910:
- Won Toronto Cup Handicap (Can, 9FD, Woodbine)
- Won Parkway Handicap (USA)
- Won Sheepshead Bay Handicap (USA)
- Won Van Cortlands Handicap (USA)
- Won Brighton Mile (USA, 8FD, Brighton Beach)
Honors
American champion handicap male (1909)
As an individual
A bay, King James was a big, robust horse with a long, strong hip. He had very poor action but stayed well nonetheless and was a great weight carrier. He preferred to run on the rail when possible.
As a stallion
According to Sires and Dams of Stakes Winners 1925-1985 (The Blood-Horse), King James sired 10 stakes winners from 158 foals.
Notable progeny
My Dear (USA), My Own (USA), Spur (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Iribelle (CAN), Mona Bell (CAN)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, King James was bred, owned and trained by John E. Madden. Following his 3-year-old season, Madden sold King James to owner-trainer Sam Hildreth for a price variously reported as US$8,000 or US$10,000. Hildreth was not in good odor with the New York racing authorities at that time and employed Frank Taylor as the colt's trainer of record in that state. King James entered stud at Henry Oxnard's Blue Ridge Farm in Virginia but made several moves during his stud career. While his death was apparently not reported to The Jockey Club, he sired at least one foal registered in the American Stud Book Vol. XVI (foals of 1930-1933).
Pedigree notes
King James is inbred 2x3 to 1893 American champion sire Himyar, 5x4 to seven-time English champion sire Stockwell and 5x5 to Stockwell's dam, the great English matron Pocahontas. He is a half brother to 1915 Knickerbocker Handicap winner Saratoga (by Ogden).
King James is also a half brother to Sally K. (by Mirthful), dam of 1917 Jerome Handicap winner Bally (by Ballot) and multiple juvenile stakes winner Southern Maid (by Plaudit). The last-named filly was, in turn, the dam of 1922 King's Plate winner South Shore (by Orme Shore), who produced the similar winners Shorelint (1929), by Oil Man, and Sally Fuller (1935), by Judge Fuller, as well as 1930 Breeders' Stakes winner Whale Oil (by Oil Man). Southern Maid also produced 1921 Coronation Stakes winner Captain Scott (by First Sight) and 1923 Breeders' Stakes winner Trail Blazer (by Nealon).
King James' dam Unsightly also produced Audrey Austin (by Migraine), dam of 1931 Dixie Handicap winner Paul Bunyan (by Paul Weidel), and Rustic Maid (by Ogden), dam of juvenile stakes winner Rustic Route (by Ultimus). Sired by the imported Scottish Chief horse Pursebearer, winner of the 1881 Gimcrack Stakes in England, Unsightly was produced from the Himyar mare Hira Villa, a daughter of the Glen Athol mare Tolima and so a half sister to Canadian stakes winner Curtolima (by Judge Curtis).
Fun facts
- King James was the first horse bred by John E. Madden to amass more than US$100,000 in earnings.
- Sam Hildreth often referred affectionately to King James as “King Jimmy.”
Last updated: June 23, 2024