Very close to the Classic colts of his generation in ability, St. Germans might have had a good chance at winning the St. Leger Stakes had be not come up with a cough that knocked him out of the race. Nonetheless, St. Germans won important stakes from 8 to 17 furlongs and was tough and durable by English standards. Imported to the United States, he proved an important stallion despite subnormal fertility, a trait that frequently reappeared in his male-line descendants.
Race record
20 starts, 9 wins, 4 seconds, 4 thirds, £7,965
1923:
1924:
1925:
As an individual
A well-balanced bay horse, St. Germans had short cannons and a good shoulder but was rather lightly made. He stood 15.2-1/2 hands.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, St. Germans sired 112 winners (62.2%) and 23 stakes winners (12.8%) from 180 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
Per The Blood-Horse:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
Notable progeny
Bold Venture (USA), Devil Diver (USA), Easy Day (USA), Sparta (USA), St. Brideaux (USA), The Rhymer (USA), Twenty Grand (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Capot (USA), Matey (USA)
Connections
St. Germans was bred and owned by Viscount Astor. He was trained by Alec Taylor, Jr. Following the conclusion of his 4-year-old season, he was sold to John Hay Whitney for a reported price of £25,000 and exported the United States in 1925, where he became the property of John's father Payne Whitney. After Payne Whitney's death, his brother Harry Payne Whitney inherited the stallion but gave him to Payne's widow Helen (neé Hay). St. Germans remained at Mrs. Whitney's Greentree Farm for the remainder of his life.
Pedigree notes
St. Germans is inbred 4x5 to two-time Ascot Gold Cup winner Isonomy and nine-time English champion sire St. Simon and 5x5 to Toxophilite. He is a half brother to two-time Eclipse Stakes winner Buchan (by Sunstar), generally considered the English champion 3-year-old male of 1919 and the English champion sire of 1927; to 1923 Eclipse Stakes winner Saltash (by Sunstar); and to stakes winner and Derby Stakes runner-up Tamar (by Tracery), who was exported to Hungary as a prospective stallion.
St. Germans' dam Hamoaze produced no fillies, ending her family. Stakes-placed in good races at 3, she was produced from Maid of the Mist, winner of the 1908 Cheveley Park Stakes and 1909 Nassau Stakes. A daughter of 1899 Ascot Gold Cup winner and two-time English leading sire Cyllene (also a champion sire in Argentina) out of the magnificent Sceptre, who is still regarded as one of the greatest race mares ever seen in England, Maid of the Mist also produced 1921 Two Thousand Guineas winner Craig an Eran and 1917 Oaks Stakes winner Sunny Jane, both by Sunstar.
Books and media
St. Germans is profiled in Chapter 14 of Abram Hewitt's Sire Lines (1977, The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; updated and re-released in 2006 by Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the collection of Quarter Horse Record (Susan Larkin); used by permission.
Last updated: April 1, 2023
Race record
20 starts, 9 wins, 4 seconds, 4 thirds, £7,965
1923:
- 2nd Criterion Stakes (ENG, 6FT, Newmarket)
- 3rd Prendergast Stakes (ENG, 5FT, Newmarket)
1924:
- Won Craven Stakes (ENG, 8FT, Newmarket)
- Won Lowther Stakes (ENG, 14FT, Newmarket)
- Won Royal Post Stakes (ENG, 10FT, Newmarket)
- Won Limekiln Stakes (ENG, 10FT, Newmarket)
- Won Liverpool St. Leger (ENG, 12FT, Liverpool)
- Won Hampton Court Great 3-Year-Old Stakes (ENG, Hurst)
- 2nd Derby Stakes (ENG, 12FT, Epsom)
- 3rd Eclipse Stakes (ENG, 10FT, Sandown)
1925:
- Won Burwell Stakes (ENG, 12FT, Newmarket)
- Won Doncaster Cup (ENG, 17FT, Doncaster)
- Won Coronation Cup (ENG, 12FT, Epsom)
- 2nd Jockey Club Stakes (ENG, 14FT, Newmarket)
- 3rd Ascot Gold Cup (ENG, 20FT, Ascot)
- 3rd Princess of Wales's Stakes (ENG, 12FT, Newmarket)
As an individual
A well-balanced bay horse, St. Germans had short cannons and a good shoulder but was rather lightly made. He stood 15.2-1/2 hands.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, St. Germans sired 112 winners (62.2%) and 23 stakes winners (12.8%) from 180 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- 7th on the American broodmare sire list in 1944 and 1945; 10th in 1949.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- Led the American general sire list in 1931; 3rd in 1936; 10th in 1941.
- 7th on the American broodmare sire list in 1944 and 1945; 10th in 1949.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- Led the American general sire list in 1931; 3rd in 1936; 10th in 1941.
- 7th on the American broodmare sire list in 1944 and 1945; 10th in 1949.
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
- Led the American general sire list in 1931.
Notable progeny
Bold Venture (USA), Devil Diver (USA), Easy Day (USA), Sparta (USA), St. Brideaux (USA), The Rhymer (USA), Twenty Grand (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Capot (USA), Matey (USA)
Connections
St. Germans was bred and owned by Viscount Astor. He was trained by Alec Taylor, Jr. Following the conclusion of his 4-year-old season, he was sold to John Hay Whitney for a reported price of £25,000 and exported the United States in 1925, where he became the property of John's father Payne Whitney. After Payne Whitney's death, his brother Harry Payne Whitney inherited the stallion but gave him to Payne's widow Helen (neé Hay). St. Germans remained at Mrs. Whitney's Greentree Farm for the remainder of his life.
Pedigree notes
St. Germans is inbred 4x5 to two-time Ascot Gold Cup winner Isonomy and nine-time English champion sire St. Simon and 5x5 to Toxophilite. He is a half brother to two-time Eclipse Stakes winner Buchan (by Sunstar), generally considered the English champion 3-year-old male of 1919 and the English champion sire of 1927; to 1923 Eclipse Stakes winner Saltash (by Sunstar); and to stakes winner and Derby Stakes runner-up Tamar (by Tracery), who was exported to Hungary as a prospective stallion.
St. Germans' dam Hamoaze produced no fillies, ending her family. Stakes-placed in good races at 3, she was produced from Maid of the Mist, winner of the 1908 Cheveley Park Stakes and 1909 Nassau Stakes. A daughter of 1899 Ascot Gold Cup winner and two-time English leading sire Cyllene (also a champion sire in Argentina) out of the magnificent Sceptre, who is still regarded as one of the greatest race mares ever seen in England, Maid of the Mist also produced 1921 Two Thousand Guineas winner Craig an Eran and 1917 Oaks Stakes winner Sunny Jane, both by Sunstar.
Books and media
St. Germans is profiled in Chapter 14 of Abram Hewitt's Sire Lines (1977, The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; updated and re-released in 2006 by Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- St. Germans is a village and civil parish in Cornwall, England. Port Eliot, the ancestral seat of the Earls of St. Germans, lies within the parish.
- Descendants of St. Germans who were sterile or had fertility too poor to sustain stud careers include 1931 American champion 3-year-old male Twenty Grand, 1946 American Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year Assault, 1950 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Middleground, 1968 American champion 2-year-old male Top Knight, and Irish Derby winner Malacate, while 1936 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Bold Venture and 1965 Kentucky Derby winner Lucky Debonair had lower than normal fertility. 1949 American champion 3-year-old male and co-Horse of the Year Capot, a maternal grandson of St. Germans, was also all but sterile.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the collection of Quarter Horse Record (Susan Larkin); used by permission.
Last updated: April 1, 2023