Skywalker (USA)
March 4, 1982 – February 25, 2003
Relaunch (USA) x Bold Captive (USA), by Boldnesian (USA)
Family 4-r
March 4, 1982 – February 25, 2003
Relaunch (USA) x Bold Captive (USA), by Boldnesian (USA)
Family 4-r
Skywalker had his share of problems due to misfortune and physical issues, but he also had considerable talent. That talent was on full display in the 1986 Breeders’ Cup Classic (USA-G1), when the colt grabbed a solid lead in the upper stretch and had enough left in the tank to stave off a challenge from Precisionist and the late run of Turkoman. Retired to stud after a disappointing 5-year-old season, Skywalker became a useful stallion and the sire of a horse of equal or better ability in 1993 American champion older male Bertrando; he also sired the high-class steeplechaser Al Skywalker.
Race record
20 starts, 8 wins, 3 seconds, 3 thirds, US$2,226,750
1985:
1986:
1987:
Assessments
Rated at 119 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1985, 8 pounds below champion Spend a Buck.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1986, 3 pounds below highweighted Precisionist and 2 pounds below Turkoman (the official divisional champion).
Rated at 119 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American older males of 1987, 8 pounds below champion Ferdinand.
As an individual
A handsome, muscular dark bay or brown horse standing 16 hands, Skywalker was described by Arthur Hancock III as “a grand individual” but was perhaps slightly heavy-bodied for his underpinnings, although he had a good shoulder, powerful hindquarters, and excellent overall balance. He tended to resent the whip, though he could be roused by a touch of it when caught loafing or waiting for other horses. He could prompt the pace or come from off it but did not like racing inside horses. He missed the remainder of his 3-year-old season after fracturing his left fore cannon bone while running sixth in the 1985 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1). He was a known bleeder who raced on furosemide.
As a stallion
Records maintained by The Jockey Club credit Skywalker with 349 winners (63.9%) and 43 stakes winners (7.9%) from 546 named foals.
Notable progeny
Al Skywalker (USA), Bertrando (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Dream of Summer (USA), Hyperbaric (USA), Sky Jack (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky at Arthur Hancock III’s Stone Farm, Skywalker was bred by Oak Cliff Thoroughbreds and owned by Oak Cliff Stable (Thomas Tathan and partners). He was trained by Michael Whittingham and was ridden to his Breeders’ Cup Classic win by Laffit Pincay Jr.. Skywalker entered stud in 1988 at Cardiff Stock Farm in California. He stood at Stone Farm in Kentucky beginning in 1996 and died there of an apparent heart attack in February 2003. He was buried at Stone Farm.
Pedigree notes
Skywalker is inbred 5x5x5 to 1935 American Horse of the Year Discovery. He is a half brother to 1984 Malibu Stakes (USA-G2) winner Pac Mania (by Ramsinga), 1993 Prix de la Porte Madrid (FR-G3) winner Nidd (by Known Fact; dam of stakes winner Fifteen Love, by Point Given), Grade 2-placed listed stakes winner Danzante (by Danzig), and stakes winner Royal Captive (by Royal Ski). Danzante, in turn, is the dam of 2008 Eddie Read Handicap (USA-G1) winner Monzante (by Maria’s Mon) and Group 3-placed listed stakes winner Alpha Plus (by Mr. Prospector), the second dam of 2017 Peruvian Horse of the Year Golden Leaf, and the third dam of 2021 Maktoum Challenge Round 3 (UAE-G1) winner Salute the Soldier.
Skywalker and his siblings are out of the stakes-winning Boldnesian mare Bold Captive, a half sister to stakes winner Bold Storm (by Three Bagger) and to stakes-placed Captive Queen (by Assagai), dam of Grade 3 winner Guinevere (by Fit to Fight). Bold Captive is also a half sister to Dancing Squaw (by Chieftain), dam of stakes winner Chippewa Boy (by Needlem), and to Tribal Envoy (by Chieftain), third dam of Grade 2 winner Glorious View (by Pleasant Tap). In addition, she is a half sister to Snared (by Insubordination), dam of stakes winners Robbie Robertson (by An Act) and Ms. Rutledge (by Lord Gaylord) and second dam of Grade 2 winner New York Hero. Finally, she is a half sister to Forced to Fly (by Accipiter), third dam of 2019 Rodeo Drive Stakes (USA-G1) winner Mirth and Grade 2 winner Vault. Bold Captive, in turn, is out of the unraced Native Dancer mare Captive Audience, a full sister to multiple stakes winner Iron Warrior (by Native Dancer) and to Last Leg, dam of multiple stakes winner Gasp (by Tinajero).
Captive Audience and her siblings were produced from the winning Count Fleet mare Home Port, whose stakes-placed half sister Look Ma (by Native Dancer) is the dam of Grade 3 winner North Sea (by Nearctic) and the good juvenile filly Show Off (by Olympia). Another half sister to Captive Audience, Secret Practice (by Native Dancer), is the dam of Group 3 winner Freeze the Secret (by Nearctic), runner-up in the 1977 One Thousand Guineas (ENG-G1) and Oaks Stakes (ENG-G1).
Books and media
Footage of Skywalker’s victory in the 1986 Breeders’ Cup Classic can be accessed at the Breeders’ Cup Hall of Champions (https://www.breederscup.com/history-tradition/hall-champions/skywalker).
Fun facts
Last updated: May 30, 2022
Race record
20 starts, 8 wins, 3 seconds, 3 thirds, US$2,226,750
1985:
- Won Santa Anita Derby (USA-G1, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd San Felipe Handicap (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- Also ran third in the El Camino Real Derby (USA-G3, 8.5FD, Bay Meadows) but disqualified to fourth
1986:
- Won Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1, 10FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Longacres Mile Handicap (USA-G2, 8FD, Longacres)
- Won Mervyn LeRoy Handicap (USA-G2, 8FD, Hollywood)
- Won San Diego Handicap (USA-G3, 8.5FD, Del Mar)
- 2nd Col. F. W. Koester Handicap (USA-L, 8FT, SA; moved up from third by disqualification)
- 3rd Californian Stakes (USA-G1, 8FD, Hollywood)
- Also ran third in the Bel Air Handicap (USA-G3, 9FD, Hollywood), but disqualified to fourth
1987:
- 2nd Arcadia Handicap (USA-G2, 8FT, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Goodwood Handicap (USA-G3, 9FD, Santa Anita)
Assessments
Rated at 119 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1985, 8 pounds below champion Spend a Buck.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1986, 3 pounds below highweighted Precisionist and 2 pounds below Turkoman (the official divisional champion).
Rated at 119 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American older males of 1987, 8 pounds below champion Ferdinand.
As an individual
A handsome, muscular dark bay or brown horse standing 16 hands, Skywalker was described by Arthur Hancock III as “a grand individual” but was perhaps slightly heavy-bodied for his underpinnings, although he had a good shoulder, powerful hindquarters, and excellent overall balance. He tended to resent the whip, though he could be roused by a touch of it when caught loafing or waiting for other horses. He could prompt the pace or come from off it but did not like racing inside horses. He missed the remainder of his 3-year-old season after fracturing his left fore cannon bone while running sixth in the 1985 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1). He was a known bleeder who raced on furosemide.
As a stallion
Records maintained by The Jockey Club credit Skywalker with 349 winners (63.9%) and 43 stakes winners (7.9%) from 546 named foals.
Notable progeny
Al Skywalker (USA), Bertrando (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Dream of Summer (USA), Hyperbaric (USA), Sky Jack (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky at Arthur Hancock III’s Stone Farm, Skywalker was bred by Oak Cliff Thoroughbreds and owned by Oak Cliff Stable (Thomas Tathan and partners). He was trained by Michael Whittingham and was ridden to his Breeders’ Cup Classic win by Laffit Pincay Jr.. Skywalker entered stud in 1988 at Cardiff Stock Farm in California. He stood at Stone Farm in Kentucky beginning in 1996 and died there of an apparent heart attack in February 2003. He was buried at Stone Farm.
Pedigree notes
Skywalker is inbred 5x5x5 to 1935 American Horse of the Year Discovery. He is a half brother to 1984 Malibu Stakes (USA-G2) winner Pac Mania (by Ramsinga), 1993 Prix de la Porte Madrid (FR-G3) winner Nidd (by Known Fact; dam of stakes winner Fifteen Love, by Point Given), Grade 2-placed listed stakes winner Danzante (by Danzig), and stakes winner Royal Captive (by Royal Ski). Danzante, in turn, is the dam of 2008 Eddie Read Handicap (USA-G1) winner Monzante (by Maria’s Mon) and Group 3-placed listed stakes winner Alpha Plus (by Mr. Prospector), the second dam of 2017 Peruvian Horse of the Year Golden Leaf, and the third dam of 2021 Maktoum Challenge Round 3 (UAE-G1) winner Salute the Soldier.
Skywalker and his siblings are out of the stakes-winning Boldnesian mare Bold Captive, a half sister to stakes winner Bold Storm (by Three Bagger) and to stakes-placed Captive Queen (by Assagai), dam of Grade 3 winner Guinevere (by Fit to Fight). Bold Captive is also a half sister to Dancing Squaw (by Chieftain), dam of stakes winner Chippewa Boy (by Needlem), and to Tribal Envoy (by Chieftain), third dam of Grade 2 winner Glorious View (by Pleasant Tap). In addition, she is a half sister to Snared (by Insubordination), dam of stakes winners Robbie Robertson (by An Act) and Ms. Rutledge (by Lord Gaylord) and second dam of Grade 2 winner New York Hero. Finally, she is a half sister to Forced to Fly (by Accipiter), third dam of 2019 Rodeo Drive Stakes (USA-G1) winner Mirth and Grade 2 winner Vault. Bold Captive, in turn, is out of the unraced Native Dancer mare Captive Audience, a full sister to multiple stakes winner Iron Warrior (by Native Dancer) and to Last Leg, dam of multiple stakes winner Gasp (by Tinajero).
Captive Audience and her siblings were produced from the winning Count Fleet mare Home Port, whose stakes-placed half sister Look Ma (by Native Dancer) is the dam of Grade 3 winner North Sea (by Nearctic) and the good juvenile filly Show Off (by Olympia). Another half sister to Captive Audience, Secret Practice (by Native Dancer), is the dam of Group 3 winner Freeze the Secret (by Nearctic), runner-up in the 1977 One Thousand Guineas (ENG-G1) and Oaks Stakes (ENG-G1).
Books and media
Footage of Skywalker’s victory in the 1986 Breeders’ Cup Classic can be accessed at the Breeders’ Cup Hall of Champions (https://www.breederscup.com/history-tradition/hall-champions/skywalker).
Fun facts
- Given his name by Tom Tathan’s son, Skywalker was named for Luke Skywalker, the hero of the first three releases of the Star Wars movie franchise.
- Skywalker became the namesake for a stakes race at Santa Anita.
Last updated: May 30, 2022