The Porter (USA)
May 15, 1915 – October 1944
Sweep (USA) x Ballet Girl (USA), by St. Leonards (USA)
Family 14
May 15, 1915 – October 1944
Sweep (USA) x Ballet Girl (USA), by St. Leonards (USA)
Family 14
The Porter was even smaller than his sire Sweep, but he was tough, honest and game, qualities that stood him in good stead while competing against much larger peers. He compiled an honorable record at stud and helped to maintain the male line of two-time American champion Ben Brush for another generation, but perhaps his greatest contribution to American breeding was his daughter Two Bob, winner of the 1936 Kentucky Oaks and an important producer for Calumet Farm.
Race record
54 starts, 26 wins, 10 seconds, 8 thirds, US$73,866
1917:
1918:
1919:
1920:
1921:
Assessments
Ranked fifth among American 3-year-old males of 1918 by The Blood-Horse.
Ranked sixth among American older males of 1919 by The Blood-Horse.
Ranked third among American older males of 1920 by The Blood-Horse.
Ranked sixth among American older males of 1921 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A small bay horse, The Porter stood little if any above 15 hands--and according to some observers, that was with a thick set of shoes on. Long-bodied and short-legged, he was sound, a good weight carrier, and handled off going well but was at his best at distances less than 9 furlongs.
As a stallion
The Porter led the American general sire list in 1937. According to records maintained by The Jockey Club, he sired 205 winners (66.1%) and 34 stakes winners (11.0%) from 310 named foals. Most of his progeny were at their best at distances not much beyond a mile, and many preferred less.
Notable progeny
Aneroid (USA), Porter's Cap (USA), Porter's Mite (USA), Rosemont (USA), Toro (USA), Two Bob (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, The Porter was bred by David Stevenson. He was owned by Samuel Ross, who sold The Porter after the colt's third race at age 3 to E. B. McLean. The Porter was trained by John F. Schorr for the remainder of his racing career and ran in his colors as a 4-year-old. The Porter retired to McLean's stud near Leesburg, Virginia, in 1922; according to Abram Hewitt's book Sire Lines, his early production was hampered by poor soils at the farm, which prevented his progeny raised there from developing the needed bone to withstand training. After the farm's soils were amended properly, The Porter's get began displaying much greater soundness. The Porter was purchased by John Hay Whitney for US$27,000 from the dispersal of McLean's stock in 1931 and was moved to Whitney's Mare's Nest Stud near Lexington. He was pensioned after the 1943 breeding season and died in October 1944.
Pedigree notes
The Porter is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to Ballet Dance II, dam of multiple stakes winner Royal Blunder (by Bright Knight). His dam Ballet Girl, in turn, is out of the English import Cerito (by Lowland Chief), making her a half sister to two-time American champion Ballot (by Voter), 1903 Gazelle Stakes winner Stolen Moments (by Kingston) and Cerise (by Voter), dam of multiple stakes winner Cherry Tree (by Broomstick).
Cerito's dam Merry Dance (by 1873 Derby Stakes winner Doncaster) is a half sister to Saraband (by Doncaster's son Muncaster), a very good horse in a vintage crop in England and sire of the great producer Admiration. Merry Dance is also a half sister to the multiple stakes winner Superba (by Sterling), who placed in two English Classics and produced the good stayer Pride (by 1887 Derby Stakes winner Merry Hampton). The next dam in The Porter's tail-female line, Highland Fling, was a useful runner as a juvenile and is by 1864 Ascot Gold Cup winner Scottish Chief out of Masquerade (by Lambourn).
Books and media
The Porter is profiled in Chapter 8 of Abram S. Hewitt's Sire Lines (1977, The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; updated and re-released in 2006 by Eclipse Press).
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: February 6, 2020
Race record
54 starts, 26 wins, 10 seconds, 8 thirds, US$73,866
1917:
- 3rd Walden Stakes (USA, 8FD, Pimlico)
1918:
- Won Blue and Grey Highweight Handicap (USA, 6FD, Laurel)
- Won Baltimore Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Pimlico)
- 2nd Preakness Stakes (second division) (USA, 9FD, Pimlico)
- 2nd Saranac Handicap (USA, 8FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Pimlico Autumn Handicap (USA, 10FD, Pimlico)
- Equaled the American record of 1:45-4/5 for 1 mile 70 yards at Douglas Park
1919:
- Won Harford County Handicap (USA, 8f+70yD)
- Won Laurel Stakes (USA, 8FD, Laurel)
- 2nd Pimlico Fall Serial (USA, 8FD, Pimlico)
- 2nd Inaugural Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Latonia)
- Equaled the American record of 1:41-3/5 for 1 mile 70 yards at Churchill Downs
- Set a new track record of 1:37-4/5 for 1 mile at Laurel
1920:
- Won Inaugural Handicap (USA, Laurel)
- Won Inaugural Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Latonia)
- Won Harford County Handicap (USA, 8f+70yD)
- Won Havre de Grace Handicap (USA, 9FD, Havre de Grace)
- Won Wilton Handicap (USA, 8FD)
- Won Monumental Handicap (USA, 9.5FD; new track record 1:58-2/5)
- 2nd Frontier Handicap (CAN, 9FD, Windsor)
- 3rd Dominion Handicap (CAN, 10FD, Fort Erie)
- 3rd Annapolis Handicap (USA, 12FD, Pimlico)
- Equaled the 7-furlong track record of 1:25 at Churchill Downs
1921:
- Won Annapolis Handicap (USA, 12FD, Pimlico)
- 3rd Havre de Grace Handicap (USA, 9FD, Havre de Grace)
Assessments
Ranked fifth among American 3-year-old males of 1918 by The Blood-Horse.
Ranked sixth among American older males of 1919 by The Blood-Horse.
Ranked third among American older males of 1920 by The Blood-Horse.
Ranked sixth among American older males of 1921 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A small bay horse, The Porter stood little if any above 15 hands--and according to some observers, that was with a thick set of shoes on. Long-bodied and short-legged, he was sound, a good weight carrier, and handled off going well but was at his best at distances less than 9 furlongs.
As a stallion
The Porter led the American general sire list in 1937. According to records maintained by The Jockey Club, he sired 205 winners (66.1%) and 34 stakes winners (11.0%) from 310 named foals. Most of his progeny were at their best at distances not much beyond a mile, and many preferred less.
Notable progeny
Aneroid (USA), Porter's Cap (USA), Porter's Mite (USA), Rosemont (USA), Toro (USA), Two Bob (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, The Porter was bred by David Stevenson. He was owned by Samuel Ross, who sold The Porter after the colt's third race at age 3 to E. B. McLean. The Porter was trained by John F. Schorr for the remainder of his racing career and ran in his colors as a 4-year-old. The Porter retired to McLean's stud near Leesburg, Virginia, in 1922; according to Abram Hewitt's book Sire Lines, his early production was hampered by poor soils at the farm, which prevented his progeny raised there from developing the needed bone to withstand training. After the farm's soils were amended properly, The Porter's get began displaying much greater soundness. The Porter was purchased by John Hay Whitney for US$27,000 from the dispersal of McLean's stock in 1931 and was moved to Whitney's Mare's Nest Stud near Lexington. He was pensioned after the 1943 breeding season and died in October 1944.
Pedigree notes
The Porter is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to Ballet Dance II, dam of multiple stakes winner Royal Blunder (by Bright Knight). His dam Ballet Girl, in turn, is out of the English import Cerito (by Lowland Chief), making her a half sister to two-time American champion Ballot (by Voter), 1903 Gazelle Stakes winner Stolen Moments (by Kingston) and Cerise (by Voter), dam of multiple stakes winner Cherry Tree (by Broomstick).
Cerito's dam Merry Dance (by 1873 Derby Stakes winner Doncaster) is a half sister to Saraband (by Doncaster's son Muncaster), a very good horse in a vintage crop in England and sire of the great producer Admiration. Merry Dance is also a half sister to the multiple stakes winner Superba (by Sterling), who placed in two English Classics and produced the good stayer Pride (by 1887 Derby Stakes winner Merry Hampton). The next dam in The Porter's tail-female line, Highland Fling, was a useful runner as a juvenile and is by 1864 Ascot Gold Cup winner Scottish Chief out of Masquerade (by Lambourn).
Books and media
The Porter is profiled in Chapter 8 of Abram S. Hewitt's Sire Lines (1977, The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; updated and re-released in 2006 by Eclipse Press).
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: February 6, 2020