Roy H (USA)
April 22, 2012 – Living
More Than Ready (USA) x Elusive Diva (USA), by Elusive Quality (USA)
Family 25
April 22, 2012 – Living
More Than Ready (USA) x Elusive Diva (USA), by Elusive Quality (USA)
Family 25
Through his 4-year-old season, Roy H had won only one race thanks to a combination of niggling physical and mental issues. Her was then gelded., and as a 5-year-old, he made one of the most dramatic turnarounds in racing history by becoming the American champion male sprinter of 2017. He repeated that title in 2018 at age 6.
Race record
23 starts, 10 wins, 5 seconds, 2 thirds, US$3,139,765
2017:
2018:
2019:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion male sprinter (2017, 2018)
Assessments
Rated at 122 pounds in the Sprint category on the 2017 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 12 pounds below overall highweight Arrogate and 3 pounds below top-rated sprinter Harry Angel but tops among sprinters on dirt.
Rated at 124 pounds in the Sprint category on the 2018 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 6 pounds below overall co-highweights Cracksman and Winx but tops among all sprinters.
As an individual
A muscular bay gelding, Roy H was mentally unfocused and immature as a young horse but became much more focused after being gelded.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Roy H was bred by Ramona S. Bass, who sold him for US$115,000 through the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale. The horse was resold for US$310,000 through the Keeneland April sale of 2-year-olds in training. He raced for Gary Hartunian’s Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen through 2018. He was trained by Peter Miller (who became his co-owner after Bernsen pulled out of the partnership) and was ridden to his Breeders’ Cup triumphs by Kent Desormeaux in 2017 and Paco Lopez in 2018. Roy H was retired as an 8-year-old with the intent of his becoming a stable pony for Miller. In November 2023, he retired from his second career and took up residence in the Kentucky Horse Park's Hall of Champions.
Pedigree notes
Roy H is inbred 4x4 to two-time American champion sire Mr. Prospector and 4x5 to the great stallion Northern Dancer, the 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male. He is out of multiple Grade 3 winner Elusive Diva, a half sister to Group 1-placed multiple English listed stakes winner Tropics (by Speightstown) and stakes winners R. Baggio (by Chimes Band) and Handyman Bill (by Skywalker).
Elusive Diva and her siblings are out of Taj Aire, a non-blacktype stakes winner by the stakes-winning Seattle Slew horse Taj Alriyadh. Taj Aire is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Zashrany, dam of listed stakes winner Alert and Ready (by Clever Trick) and stakes winner Zatim (by Skywalker). She is also a half sister to multiple listed stakes winner Mahaska (by Just the Time).
Taj Aire, in turn, is out of unraced Whimsical Aire (by 1976 San Fernando Stakes, USA-G2, winner Messenger of Song). The next dam in Roy H’s tail-female lineage, Silky Steel (by multiple stakes winner Steel Blade) won six stakes races in the Pacific Northwest and northern California. A half sister to stakes winner Miss Ice Queen (by Icecapade), Silky Steel is out of unraced Kum Kim (by Windsor Ruler), a half sister to stakes winners Kings Faith (by Kings Favor) and Moonlately (by Philately).
Books and media
Footage of Roy H’s win in the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Sprint can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBENQFgANys.
Fun facts
Last updated: November 19, 2023
Race record
23 starts, 10 wins, 5 seconds, 2 thirds, US$3,139,765
2017:
- Won Twin Spires Breeders' Cup Sprint (USA-G1, 6FD, Del Mar)
- Won Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (USA-G1, 6FD, Santa Anita)
- Won True North Stakes (USA-G2, 6FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Bing Crosby Stakes (USA-G1, 6FD, Del Mar)
2018:
- Won Twin Spires Breeders' Cup Sprint (USA-G1, 6FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (USA-G1, 6FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Palos Verdes Stakes (USA-G2, 6FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Bing Crosby Stakes (USA-G1. 6FD, Del Mar)
- 3rd Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1, 1200mD, Meydan)
2019:
- Won Palos Verdes Stakes (USA-G2, 6FD, Santa Anita)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion male sprinter (2017, 2018)
Assessments
Rated at 122 pounds in the Sprint category on the 2017 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 12 pounds below overall highweight Arrogate and 3 pounds below top-rated sprinter Harry Angel but tops among sprinters on dirt.
Rated at 124 pounds in the Sprint category on the 2018 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 6 pounds below overall co-highweights Cracksman and Winx but tops among all sprinters.
As an individual
A muscular bay gelding, Roy H was mentally unfocused and immature as a young horse but became much more focused after being gelded.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Roy H was bred by Ramona S. Bass, who sold him for US$115,000 through the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale. The horse was resold for US$310,000 through the Keeneland April sale of 2-year-olds in training. He raced for Gary Hartunian’s Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen through 2018. He was trained by Peter Miller (who became his co-owner after Bernsen pulled out of the partnership) and was ridden to his Breeders’ Cup triumphs by Kent Desormeaux in 2017 and Paco Lopez in 2018. Roy H was retired as an 8-year-old with the intent of his becoming a stable pony for Miller. In November 2023, he retired from his second career and took up residence in the Kentucky Horse Park's Hall of Champions.
Pedigree notes
Roy H is inbred 4x4 to two-time American champion sire Mr. Prospector and 4x5 to the great stallion Northern Dancer, the 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male. He is out of multiple Grade 3 winner Elusive Diva, a half sister to Group 1-placed multiple English listed stakes winner Tropics (by Speightstown) and stakes winners R. Baggio (by Chimes Band) and Handyman Bill (by Skywalker).
Elusive Diva and her siblings are out of Taj Aire, a non-blacktype stakes winner by the stakes-winning Seattle Slew horse Taj Alriyadh. Taj Aire is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Zashrany, dam of listed stakes winner Alert and Ready (by Clever Trick) and stakes winner Zatim (by Skywalker). She is also a half sister to multiple listed stakes winner Mahaska (by Just the Time).
Taj Aire, in turn, is out of unraced Whimsical Aire (by 1976 San Fernando Stakes, USA-G2, winner Messenger of Song). The next dam in Roy H’s tail-female lineage, Silky Steel (by multiple stakes winner Steel Blade) won six stakes races in the Pacific Northwest and northern California. A half sister to stakes winner Miss Ice Queen (by Icecapade), Silky Steel is out of unraced Kum Kim (by Windsor Ruler), a half sister to stakes winners Kings Faith (by Kings Favor) and Moonlately (by Philately).
Books and media
Footage of Roy H’s win in the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Sprint can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBENQFgANys.
Fun facts
- Roy H was named in honor of Gary Hartunian’s grandfather.
- Roy H was the second horse to win two editions of the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (following Midnight Lute) and the first horse to win both two editions of the Sprint and two titles as American champion male sprinter.
Last updated: November 19, 2023