A full brother to 1927 Kentucky Derby winner Whiskery, Victorian was if anything even more talented but had the misfortune to come along in the same year as Reigh Count, a very good horse indeed. His form tailed off after a busy 3-year-old season during which he made 20 starts, and he was unable to take advantage of Reigh Count's absence from the scene at 4 and 5. Victorian was useful at stud but died young and had little lasting influence.
Race record
39 starts, 18 wins, 9 seconds, 1 third, US$253,425
1927:
1928:
1929:
1930:
Assessments
Ranked second to Reigh Count among American 3-year-old males of 1928 by The Blood-Horse.
Ranked eighth among American older males of 1930 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A well-balanced bay horse with a good shoulder, a long, sloping pelvis and short cannons, Victorian was slightly upright in his pasterns.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Victorian was bred and owned by Harry Payne Whitney. He was trained by the senior James G. Rowe. Along with the 3-year-olds Cady Hill and The Nut, he was sold to the Warm Stable (Silas B. Mason and W. Arnold Hanger) in April 1929 for an undisclosed amount and was trained by J. Thomas Taylor following his sale. Victorian entered stud in 1931 at Duntreath Farm. He died of “inflammation of the bowels” in 1934 while recovering from a broken hock.
As a stallion
The Jockey Club credits Victorian with 55 winners (74.3%) and 7 stakes winners (9.5%) from 74 named foals.
Pedigree notes
Victorian is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to 1927 American champion 3-year-old male Whiskery and to multiple stakes winner Halcyon. His dam Prudery is generally considered the American co-champion 2-year-old filly of 1920 and the American champion 3-year-old filly of 1921 and is a full sister to 1922 Coaching Club American Oaks winner Prudish (dam of the stakes-winning Chicle colt Comstockery and second dam of multiple stakes winners Haltal, Very Snooty and Beldine) and the good stakes winner Macaw. Prudery is also a half sister to Polly Pennant (by Peter Pan's son Pennant), dam of stakes winner Infinity (by Eternal); second dam of 1946 Mexican Horse of the Year Plucky Flag, 1942 Ashland Stakes winner The Swallow, and the multiple stakes-winning steeplechaser Torturer; and third dam of three-time Mexican champion older female Plucky Raf. Another half sister to Prudery, Tonala (by Broomstick), is the third dam of three-time American champion steeplechaser Neji and 1963 American champion grass horse Mongo.
Prudery's dam Polly Flinders (by Burgomaster) is a full sister to juvenile stakes winner Slipshod and a half sister to 1913 Preakness Stakes winner Buskin (by Burgomaster's sire Hamburg). She is also a half sister to multiple stakes producer Comfort (by Broomstick). Polly Flinders was produced from Slippers (by Meddler), the most important daughter of the great 19th-century matron Cinderella (by Blue Ruin or Tomahawk).
Books and media
Victorian is profiled in Chapter 5 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Last updated: August 15, 2023
Race record
39 starts, 18 wins, 9 seconds, 1 third, US$253,425
1927:
- 2nd Hopeful Stakes (USA, 6.5FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Futurity Stakes (USA, about 7FD, Belmont)
1928:
- Won Preakness Stakes (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- Won Withers Stakes (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Shevlin Stakes (USA, 8FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Brookdale Handicap (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Champlain Handicap (USA, 9FD, Saratoga)
- Won Manhattan Handicap (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Potomac Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Havre de Grace)
- 2nd Gadsden D. Bryan Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Bowie)
- 2nd Travers Midsummer Derby (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Brooklyn Handicap (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
1929:
- 2nd Dixie Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- 2nd Southern Maryland Handicap (USA)
1930:
- Won Agua Caliente Handicap (MEX, 10FD, Agua Caliente; new track record 2:03-1/5)
Assessments
Ranked second to Reigh Count among American 3-year-old males of 1928 by The Blood-Horse.
Ranked eighth among American older males of 1930 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A well-balanced bay horse with a good shoulder, a long, sloping pelvis and short cannons, Victorian was slightly upright in his pasterns.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Victorian was bred and owned by Harry Payne Whitney. He was trained by the senior James G. Rowe. Along with the 3-year-olds Cady Hill and The Nut, he was sold to the Warm Stable (Silas B. Mason and W. Arnold Hanger) in April 1929 for an undisclosed amount and was trained by J. Thomas Taylor following his sale. Victorian entered stud in 1931 at Duntreath Farm. He died of “inflammation of the bowels” in 1934 while recovering from a broken hock.
As a stallion
The Jockey Club credits Victorian with 55 winners (74.3%) and 7 stakes winners (9.5%) from 74 named foals.
Pedigree notes
Victorian is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to 1927 American champion 3-year-old male Whiskery and to multiple stakes winner Halcyon. His dam Prudery is generally considered the American co-champion 2-year-old filly of 1920 and the American champion 3-year-old filly of 1921 and is a full sister to 1922 Coaching Club American Oaks winner Prudish (dam of the stakes-winning Chicle colt Comstockery and second dam of multiple stakes winners Haltal, Very Snooty and Beldine) and the good stakes winner Macaw. Prudery is also a half sister to Polly Pennant (by Peter Pan's son Pennant), dam of stakes winner Infinity (by Eternal); second dam of 1946 Mexican Horse of the Year Plucky Flag, 1942 Ashland Stakes winner The Swallow, and the multiple stakes-winning steeplechaser Torturer; and third dam of three-time Mexican champion older female Plucky Raf. Another half sister to Prudery, Tonala (by Broomstick), is the third dam of three-time American champion steeplechaser Neji and 1963 American champion grass horse Mongo.
Prudery's dam Polly Flinders (by Burgomaster) is a full sister to juvenile stakes winner Slipshod and a half sister to 1913 Preakness Stakes winner Buskin (by Burgomaster's sire Hamburg). She is also a half sister to multiple stakes producer Comfort (by Broomstick). Polly Flinders was produced from Slippers (by Meddler), the most important daughter of the great 19th-century matron Cinderella (by Blue Ruin or Tomahawk).
Books and media
Victorian is profiled in Chapter 5 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Victorian was the last of six Preakness winners bred by Harry Payne Whitney. The others were Royal Tourist (1908), Buskin (1913), Holiday (1914), Broomspun (1921) and Bostonian (1927).
Last updated: August 15, 2023