One of the immortals of Argentine Thoroughbred history, Old Man was the second horse to win the Argentine Quadruple Crown and was without a doubt the superior of his predecessor, Pippermint. He knew defeat only once on the track and was the unquestioned champion of his generation. As a stallion, he was equally outstanding. Three times Argentina's champion sire, he managed to get a racer still better than himself in Quadruple Crown winner Botafogo, the “Man o' War of South America.” He also wielded tremendous influence through his daughters.
Race record
19 starts, 18 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds
1904:
1905:
1906:
As an individual
A handsome chestnut horse who possessed both elegance and substance, Old Man had an excellent shoulder, a smooth topline and powerful hindquarters.
As a stallion
According to the reference work Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World, Old Man sired at least 40 stakes winners.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
Notable progeny
Asturiano (ARG), Belkiss (ARG), Botafogo (ARG), Buñuelo (ARG), Canora (ARG), Cartagena (ARG), Enero (ARG), Espirita (ARG), Flying Star (ARG), Salina (ARG), San Jorge (ARG)
Notable progeny of daughters
Dalmacia (ARG), Democracia (ARG), La Patria (ARG), Leteo (ARG), Mucha Pena (CHI), Pibería (ARG), Quemaita (ARG), Quemao (ARG), Rico (ARG), Salmuera (ARG), Villanita (ARG), Zarpazo (ARG)
Connections
Bred by Gilberto Lerena at his Haras Viejo, Old Man was purchased as an unraced 2-year-old by the twin brothers Adolfo and Rufino Luro and raced for their Caballeriza Petite Ecurie. He was trained by Lauro de los Santos. Following his racing career, Old Man stood at the Luro family's Haras El Moro, where he died in August 2018.
Pedigree notes
Old Man is inbred 5x4 to 1845 English champion sire Slane. He is a full brother to Argentine stakes winner Travieso. He is also a full brother to Pegaso, who sired four winners of the Peruvian Derby.
Moissonneuse, the dam of Old Man, won 15 races in her native France before being imported to Argentina in 1889. Sired by 1878 French champion sire Dollar, the winner of the 1864 Goodwood Cup as well as a number of important races in his own country, she was produced from Schooner (by Father Thames), whose dam Admiralty was sired by Collingwood. While this family, which traces its female descent to Milbanke's Bald Peg, has traditionally been accounted part of Family 6, a pedigree given in a stud advertisement by a member of the Milbanke family does not indicate any such linkage; accordingly, bloodlines.net has assigned this family the designation of 6-x pending further research.
Books and media
Old Man is one of 205 stallions whose accomplishments at stud are profiled in Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, The Australian Bloodhorse Review), a massive reference work written by Jennifer Churchill, Andrew Reichard and Byron Rogers.
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. Photo provided courtesy of Carlos Moore. Used by permission.
Last updated: February 12, 2022
Race record
19 starts, 18 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds
1904:
- Won Gran Premio Nacional (Argentine Derby) (ARG, 2500m, Palermo)
- Won Gran Premio Jockey Club (ARG, 2000m, Palermo)
- Won Polla de Potrillos (Argentine Two Thousand Guineas) (ARG, 1600m, Palermo)
- Won Gran Premio Internacional (ARG, 3000m, Palermo)
- Won Premio Eliseo Ramirez (ARG)
- Won Premio General Lavalle (ARG)
- Won Premio La Madrid (ARG)
- Won Premio Iniciación (ARG)
- 2nd Premio Comparación (ARG)
1905:
- Won Gran Premio de Honor (ARG, 3500m, Palermo)
- Won Premio Otoño (ARG)
- Won Premio Chacabuco (ARG)
- Won Premio Hipódromo Argentino (ARG, Palermo)
1906:
- Won Gran Premio Internacional (ARG, 3000m, Palermo)
- Won Premio Belgrano (ARG)
- Won Premio Invierno (ARG)
- Won Gran Premio de Honor (ARG, 3500m, Palermo)
As an individual
A handsome chestnut horse who possessed both elegance and substance, Old Man had an excellent shoulder, a smooth topline and powerful hindquarters.
As a stallion
According to the reference work Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World, Old Man sired at least 40 stakes winners.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- Led the Argentine general sire list in 1912, 1917, and 1918; 2nd in 1913, 1915, and 1916; 4th in 1910, 1914, 1919, and 1920; 5th in 1911.
- Led the Argentine broodmare sire list in 1920 and 1922-1929; 2nd in 1934 and 1935; 3rd in 1933; 4th in 1932.
- 3rd on the Chilean general sire list in 1912/1913.
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
- Led the Argentine general sire list in 1912, 1917, and 1918.
Notable progeny
Asturiano (ARG), Belkiss (ARG), Botafogo (ARG), Buñuelo (ARG), Canora (ARG), Cartagena (ARG), Enero (ARG), Espirita (ARG), Flying Star (ARG), Salina (ARG), San Jorge (ARG)
Notable progeny of daughters
Dalmacia (ARG), Democracia (ARG), La Patria (ARG), Leteo (ARG), Mucha Pena (CHI), Pibería (ARG), Quemaita (ARG), Quemao (ARG), Rico (ARG), Salmuera (ARG), Villanita (ARG), Zarpazo (ARG)
Connections
Bred by Gilberto Lerena at his Haras Viejo, Old Man was purchased as an unraced 2-year-old by the twin brothers Adolfo and Rufino Luro and raced for their Caballeriza Petite Ecurie. He was trained by Lauro de los Santos. Following his racing career, Old Man stood at the Luro family's Haras El Moro, where he died in August 2018.
Pedigree notes
Old Man is inbred 5x4 to 1845 English champion sire Slane. He is a full brother to Argentine stakes winner Travieso. He is also a full brother to Pegaso, who sired four winners of the Peruvian Derby.
Moissonneuse, the dam of Old Man, won 15 races in her native France before being imported to Argentina in 1889. Sired by 1878 French champion sire Dollar, the winner of the 1864 Goodwood Cup as well as a number of important races in his own country, she was produced from Schooner (by Father Thames), whose dam Admiralty was sired by Collingwood. While this family, which traces its female descent to Milbanke's Bald Peg, has traditionally been accounted part of Family 6, a pedigree given in a stud advertisement by a member of the Milbanke family does not indicate any such linkage; accordingly, bloodlines.net has assigned this family the designation of 6-x pending further research.
Books and media
Old Man is one of 205 stallions whose accomplishments at stud are profiled in Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, The Australian Bloodhorse Review), a massive reference work written by Jennifer Churchill, Andrew Reichard and Byron Rogers.
Fun facts
- Old Man was originally given the name of his famous grandsire, 1880 Derby Stakes winner Bend Or, but this was changed by his breeder prior to his being sold as a 2-year-old.
- Old Man won his last race, the 1906 Gran Premio de Honor, by an officially recorded margin of 200 meters.
- Old Man was the all-time Argentine leading money winner at the time of his retirement.
- In 1912, the eminent English periodical Bloodstock Breeders' Review listed Old Man first among the world's sires of winners.
- Old Man was the first winner of the Argentine Quadruple Crown to sire a similar winner, a feat accomplished when his son Botafogo won the Polla de Potrillos (Argentine Two Thousand Guineas), Gran Premio Jockey Club, Gran Premio Nacional (Argentine Derby) and Gran Premio Internacional (now the Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini) in 1917.
- Old Man was so successful as a broodmare sire that his daughters were collectively known as the “Daughters of God.”
- Old Man is the namesake for the Premio Old Man, a stakes race at Palermo.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. Photo provided courtesy of Carlos Moore. Used by permission.
Last updated: February 12, 2022