Pass Catcher (USA)
April 6, 1968 – c. 1990
All Hands (USA) x La Grue (USA), by Flaneur II (GB)
Family 1-c
April 6, 1968 – c. 1990
All Hands (USA) x La Grue (USA), by Flaneur II (GB)
Family 1-c
Pass Catcher was a better juvenile than is commonly realized and was actually a fairly consistent racehorse, but the Belmont Stakes (in which he was the Triple Crown spoiler for an exhausted Canonero II) was his only career stakes win. He was an inconsistent sire and had little long-term influence on Thoroughbred breeding.
Race record
25 starts, 7 wins, 7 seconds, 4 thirds, US$268,729
1970:
1971:
1972:
Assessments
Rated at 119 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1970, 7 pounds below champion Hoist the Flag.
Rated at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1971, 2 pounds below co-highweights Canonero II (the official divisional champion) and Bold Reason.
As an individual
A bay horse, Pass Catcher stood 16.3 hands. He suffered a hairline fracture of a knee after running second in the 1970 Hopeful Stakes, an injury that kept him sidelined for the rest of his juvenile season.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Pass Catcher sired 168 winners (66.4%) and 13 stakes winners (5.1%) from 253 named foals.
Notable progeny
Amber Pass (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Pass Catcher was bred and owned by Peter Kissel's October House Farm. (While the farm was based in New Jersey, Pass Catcher's dam La Grue was being boarded in Kentucky at the time that he was foaled.) He was trained by Eddie Yowell, who had previously trained the 1965 Belmont Stakes winner, Hail to All. He stood at October House Farm's Florida property after his retirement from racing. He later moved to Wycombe House Stud, also in the Ocala area.
Pedigree notes
Sired by the stakes-placed Turn-to horse All Hands, Pass Catcher is inbred 4x3 to the important broodmare Sun Princess. He is also inbred 3x5 to 1930 Derby Stakes winner and 1941 American champion sire Blenheim II and 5x5 to 1923 French champion sire Teddy. Pass Catcher is a half brother to Iron Hinge (by Iron Ruler), dam of multiple listed stakes winner Iron Leader; to First Queen (by Iron Ruler), dam of multiple stakes winner Reigning Glory and second dam of Grade 3 winner Oh My Jessica Pie; and to Place Pigalle (by Iron Ruler), second dam of 2001 South Australian Derby (AUS-G1) winner Big Pat.
La Grue, the dam of Pass Catcher, is a half sister to stakes winners Cyclopavia (by the stakes-winning Pensive horse Cyclotron) and Swift Whisper (by Proud Clarion). She is also a half sister to stakes-placed Chateaupavia (by Chateaugay), dam of 1983 Spinaway Stakes (USA-G1) winner Buzz My Bell (by Drone), second dam of six stakes winners including 1996 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) winner Grindstone, and third dam of 2017 Mexican co-Horse of the Year Jala Jala. In addition, La Grue is a half sister to Drink'n Be Merry (by Proud Clarion), dam of multiple stakes winner Princess Moran (by Blade).
La Grue and her siblings were produced from Glenpavia (by Pavot), an unraced half sister to 1961 Vosburgh Handicap winner Gyro (by Heliopolis). Produced from 1948 Selima Stakes and 1949 Santa Susana Stakes winner Gaffery (by 1943 Lawrence Realization winner Fairy Manhurst), Glenpavia is also a half sister to Galla Sword (by Sword Dancer), dam of Puerto Rican stakes winner Charles Martel (by Salkhad).
Books and media
Pass Catcher is profiled in Chapter 10 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Last updated: September 25, 2020
Race record
25 starts, 7 wins, 7 seconds, 4 thirds, US$268,729
1970:
- 2nd Sapling Stakes (USA, 6FD, Monmouth)
- 2nd Hopeful Stakes (USA, 6.5FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Kindergarten Stakes (USA, 6FD, Liberty Bell)
- 2nd Great American Stakes (USA, 5.5FD, Aqueduct)
1971:
- Won Belmont Stakes (USA, 12FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Jersey Derby (USA, 9FD, Garden State)
- 3rd Amory L. Haskell Handicap (USA, 10FD, Monmouth)
1972:
- Set a new track record of 1:40-3/5 for 8.5 furlongs on dirt at Belmont Park in the Dodge Purse (allowance)
Assessments
Rated at 119 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1970, 7 pounds below champion Hoist the Flag.
Rated at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1971, 2 pounds below co-highweights Canonero II (the official divisional champion) and Bold Reason.
As an individual
A bay horse, Pass Catcher stood 16.3 hands. He suffered a hairline fracture of a knee after running second in the 1970 Hopeful Stakes, an injury that kept him sidelined for the rest of his juvenile season.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Pass Catcher sired 168 winners (66.4%) and 13 stakes winners (5.1%) from 253 named foals.
Notable progeny
Amber Pass (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Pass Catcher was bred and owned by Peter Kissel's October House Farm. (While the farm was based in New Jersey, Pass Catcher's dam La Grue was being boarded in Kentucky at the time that he was foaled.) He was trained by Eddie Yowell, who had previously trained the 1965 Belmont Stakes winner, Hail to All. He stood at October House Farm's Florida property after his retirement from racing. He later moved to Wycombe House Stud, also in the Ocala area.
Pedigree notes
Sired by the stakes-placed Turn-to horse All Hands, Pass Catcher is inbred 4x3 to the important broodmare Sun Princess. He is also inbred 3x5 to 1930 Derby Stakes winner and 1941 American champion sire Blenheim II and 5x5 to 1923 French champion sire Teddy. Pass Catcher is a half brother to Iron Hinge (by Iron Ruler), dam of multiple listed stakes winner Iron Leader; to First Queen (by Iron Ruler), dam of multiple stakes winner Reigning Glory and second dam of Grade 3 winner Oh My Jessica Pie; and to Place Pigalle (by Iron Ruler), second dam of 2001 South Australian Derby (AUS-G1) winner Big Pat.
La Grue, the dam of Pass Catcher, is a half sister to stakes winners Cyclopavia (by the stakes-winning Pensive horse Cyclotron) and Swift Whisper (by Proud Clarion). She is also a half sister to stakes-placed Chateaupavia (by Chateaugay), dam of 1983 Spinaway Stakes (USA-G1) winner Buzz My Bell (by Drone), second dam of six stakes winners including 1996 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) winner Grindstone, and third dam of 2017 Mexican co-Horse of the Year Jala Jala. In addition, La Grue is a half sister to Drink'n Be Merry (by Proud Clarion), dam of multiple stakes winner Princess Moran (by Blade).
La Grue and her siblings were produced from Glenpavia (by Pavot), an unraced half sister to 1961 Vosburgh Handicap winner Gyro (by Heliopolis). Produced from 1948 Selima Stakes and 1949 Santa Susana Stakes winner Gaffery (by 1943 Lawrence Realization winner Fairy Manhurst), Glenpavia is also a half sister to Galla Sword (by Sword Dancer), dam of Puerto Rican stakes winner Charles Martel (by Salkhad).
Books and media
Pass Catcher is profiled in Chapter 10 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- The name “Pass Catcher” alludes to the game of American football, in which a forward pass (a ball thrown from behind the line of scrimmage by a quarterback to a receiver, running back or tight end beyond the line of scrimmage) is a legal means of advancing the ball down the field toward or into the opponent's end zone.
- During the running of the Belmont Stakes, Pass Catcher's jockey Walter Blum dropped his whip at the eighth pole. Pass Catcher went about his business anyway and ended up winning by three-quarters of a length.
- Peter Kissel purchased Pass Catcher's dam La Grue ('the crane” in French) for US$4,500 as a weanling. He was lucky she lived long enough to foal his Belmont winner. Unraced due to ankle trouble after showing promise in training, then 2-year-old La Grue was stung by a hornet and ran through a six-foot oak fence, nearly impaling herself on a board that narrowly missed her jugular vein. According to her owner, it was nearly a year before all the creosote-coated wood pieces were removed from her neck and chest.
Last updated: September 25, 2020