Shecky Greene (USA)
January 30, 1970 – 1984
Noholme II (AUS) x Lester’s Pride (USA), by Model Cadet (USA)
Family 13-c
January 30, 1970 – 1984
Noholme II (AUS) x Lester’s Pride (USA), by Model Cadet (USA)
Family 13-c
A good juvenile of 1972, Shecky Greene was out of his depth when thrown into the 1973 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1), though that could be said of most horses asked to face the great Secretariat that year. After running sixth at a distance manifestly too long for him, he returned to trips under a mile and by year’s end was a clear choice as champion sprinter. He was a useful sire of speed, although he died relatively young.
Race record
29 starts, 15 wins, 4 seconds, 1 third, US$317,651
1972:
1973:
1974:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion sprinter (1973)
Assessments
Rated at 117 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1972, 12 pounds below champion and Horse of the Year Secretariat.
Highweighted at 130 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American sprinters of 1973, 1 pound above second-rated Linda's Chief.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American sprinters of 1974, 4 pounds below highweighted Mr. Prospector. (The official sprint champion, Horse of the Year Forego, was rated at 130 pounds on the Free Handicap for older males.)
As an individual
A bay horse standing 16 hands, Shecky Greene was full-bodied and muscular. His shoulders were well-sloped and powerful and his hindquarters were exceptionally strong. He was short-coupled with clean legs and good bone. He was a good shipper and doer and was indifferent to track conditions.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Shecky Greene sired 288 winners (67.6%) and 33 stakes winners (7.7%) from 426 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Comedy Act (USA), Green Forest (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Snappy John (ARG)
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Shecky Greene was bred and owned by Joseph Kellman. He was trained by Lou Goldfine. He stood in Kentucky at Walmac Farm, where he died in 1984.
Pedigree notes
Shecky Greene is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to juvenile stakes winners Phil Hackett (by Bolinas Boy) and Ivy Hackett (by Mr. Brick). The last-named mare is the dam of multiple stakes winner Adlibber (by Never Bend) and the second dam of Grade 2-placed Roy, one of the greatest stallions in Chilean history and an influential sire in Argentina as well. Ivy Hackett is also the third dam of South African Group 2 winner Antinous.
Returning to Shecky Greene, he is also a half brother to Rickys Marge (by Petare), dam of multiple stakes winner Famed Comedian (by Bolinas Boy). His dam Lester’s Pride, a mare that Kellman claimed for US$10,000, is a winning daughter of 1948 Washington Park Futurity winner Model Cadet (by Requested) and is out of Meadow Flower (by Bull Lea), whose full sister Cactus Bud is the dam of juvenile stakes winners Sullivan’s Bud (by Sullivan) and Blue Cactus (by Radiotherapy). Meadow Flower is also a winning half sister to stakes winner Good Story (by Chance Play) and to Posey Plus (by Blenheim II), dam of multiple stakes winner Yard Man (by Nalur). In addition, Meadow Flower is a half sister to Jean La Belle (by Reaping Reward), second dam of 1958 Stars and Stripes Handicap winner Terra Firma (by Ky. Colonel) and 1963 Grey Lag Handicap winner Sunrise County (by Summer Tan).
Meadow Flower and her siblings are out of the winning Blue Larkspur mare Spur Flower, whose half brother Heather Broom (by The Porter) won the 1939 Blue Grass Stakes and Saranac Handicap. The next dam in Shecky Greene’s tail-female line, Janet Blair (by Sir Martin) is a winning half sister to the multiple American champion and great foundation mare Myrtlewood (by Blue Larkspur) and three other stakes winners and is out of Frizeur (by Sweeper II), founder of the most important American branch of the family of the great matriarch Frizette.
Fun facts
Last updated: August 2, 2022
Race record
29 starts, 15 wins, 4 seconds, 1 third, US$317,651
1972:
- Won Arlington-Washington Futurity (USA, 6FD, Arlington Park)
- Won Arch Ward S. (USA, 5.5FD, Arlington Park)
- Also equaled the track record of :57-2/5 for 5 furlongs on dirt at Arlington Park
1973:
- Won Fountain of Youth Stakes (USA-G3, 8.5FD, Gulfstream Park)
- Won Hutcheson Stakes (USA-G3, 7FD, Gulfstream Park; equaled track record 1:20-1/5)
- Won Patuxent Handicap (USA, 6FD, Bowie)
- Won Select Handicap (USA-G3, 6FD, Monmouth)
- Won Midwest Handicap (USA, 6.5FD, Hawthorne)
- Won Kelso Handicap (USA-G3, 6FD, Delaware Park)
- Won Florida Breeders'-Carl G. Rose Memorial Handicap (USA, 7FD, Hialeah)
- 2nd Fall Highweight Handicap (USA-G3, 6FD, Belmont)
- Also set a new track record of 1:08-3/5 for 6 furlongs at Hialeah
1974:
- 2nd Sprint Championship Handicap. (USA, 7FD, Gulfstream Park)
- 2nd Renaissance Handicap (USA, 6FD, Gulfstream Park)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion sprinter (1973)
Assessments
Rated at 117 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1972, 12 pounds below champion and Horse of the Year Secretariat.
Highweighted at 130 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American sprinters of 1973, 1 pound above second-rated Linda's Chief.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American sprinters of 1974, 4 pounds below highweighted Mr. Prospector. (The official sprint champion, Horse of the Year Forego, was rated at 130 pounds on the Free Handicap for older males.)
As an individual
A bay horse standing 16 hands, Shecky Greene was full-bodied and muscular. His shoulders were well-sloped and powerful and his hindquarters were exceptionally strong. He was short-coupled with clean legs and good bone. He was a good shipper and doer and was indifferent to track conditions.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Shecky Greene sired 288 winners (67.6%) and 33 stakes winners (7.7%) from 426 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- 10th on the American general sire list in 1983.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 9th on the American general sire list in 1983.
- Led the French juvenile sire list in 1981.
Notable progeny
Comedy Act (USA), Green Forest (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Snappy John (ARG)
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Shecky Greene was bred and owned by Joseph Kellman. He was trained by Lou Goldfine. He stood in Kentucky at Walmac Farm, where he died in 1984.
Pedigree notes
Shecky Greene is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to juvenile stakes winners Phil Hackett (by Bolinas Boy) and Ivy Hackett (by Mr. Brick). The last-named mare is the dam of multiple stakes winner Adlibber (by Never Bend) and the second dam of Grade 2-placed Roy, one of the greatest stallions in Chilean history and an influential sire in Argentina as well. Ivy Hackett is also the third dam of South African Group 2 winner Antinous.
Returning to Shecky Greene, he is also a half brother to Rickys Marge (by Petare), dam of multiple stakes winner Famed Comedian (by Bolinas Boy). His dam Lester’s Pride, a mare that Kellman claimed for US$10,000, is a winning daughter of 1948 Washington Park Futurity winner Model Cadet (by Requested) and is out of Meadow Flower (by Bull Lea), whose full sister Cactus Bud is the dam of juvenile stakes winners Sullivan’s Bud (by Sullivan) and Blue Cactus (by Radiotherapy). Meadow Flower is also a winning half sister to stakes winner Good Story (by Chance Play) and to Posey Plus (by Blenheim II), dam of multiple stakes winner Yard Man (by Nalur). In addition, Meadow Flower is a half sister to Jean La Belle (by Reaping Reward), second dam of 1958 Stars and Stripes Handicap winner Terra Firma (by Ky. Colonel) and 1963 Grey Lag Handicap winner Sunrise County (by Summer Tan).
Meadow Flower and her siblings are out of the winning Blue Larkspur mare Spur Flower, whose half brother Heather Broom (by The Porter) won the 1939 Blue Grass Stakes and Saranac Handicap. The next dam in Shecky Greene’s tail-female line, Janet Blair (by Sir Martin) is a winning half sister to the multiple American champion and great foundation mare Myrtlewood (by Blue Larkspur) and three other stakes winners and is out of Frizeur (by Sweeper II), founder of the most important American branch of the family of the great matriarch Frizette.
Fun facts
- Shecky Greene was named after the stage name of American comic Sheldon Greenfield. Several of the horse's siblings were also named for comedians and entertainers.
- The human Shecky Greene actually bought a ten percent interest in his equine namesake, but after learning that his purchase didn’t include breeding rights, he sold his interest back to Kellman.
- After Shecky Greene hung on to win the 1973 Fountain of Youth Stakes at a mile and one-sixteenth, his jockey, Braulio Baeza, was asked how much further the colt could have gone and still won. According to Sports Illustrated writer Whitney Tower, Baeza’s reply was, “About another yard.”
Last updated: August 2, 2022