Voter (GB)
1894 – 1920
Friar's Balsam (GB) x Mavourneen (GB), by Barcaldine (IRE)
Family 10-d
1894 – 1920
Friar's Balsam (GB) x Mavourneen (GB), by Barcaldine (IRE)
Family 10-d
A contemporary of the vicious Hastings, Voter rivaled the son of Spendthrift for both speed and nastiness. One of the best sprinters of the Gay Nineties, he transmitted his ability and his sprinting proclivity consistently as a stallion but, unlike Hastings, failed to establish a lasting male line although he got one good sire son in Ballot.
Race record
49 starts, 26 wins, 6 seconds, 7 thirds, US$34,217 (including converted English earnings)
1896:
1897:
1898:
1900:
1901:
Honors
American champion handicap male (1899)
As an individual
According to Walter Vosburgh (as cited in Joe Palmer's Names in Pedigrees): "He [Voter] was a horse of enormous power. His back was cloven like a ram's, and he had immense propelling power in his quarters, but he ran too fast to stay far. Besides, his temper was so bad he often wore himself out before a race." A chestnut, Voter was also markedly over at the knee. He was a first-class sprinter and weight carrier but did not stay further than a mile and preferred shorter trips.
As a stallion
According to Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967, Voter sired 16 stakes winners from his American crops. He was primarily an influence for speed. His fertility was subnormal.
Sire rankings
Per The Blood-Horse:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Ballot (USA), Electioneer (USA), Inaugural (USA), The Manager (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Sting (USA), Sweetheart (USA), Whiskaway (USA)
Connections
Voter was bred in England by Foxhall Keene and was imported to the United States as a suckling in 1894 along with his dam, Mavourneen. He raced in the colors of James R. Keene. He was sent back to England in 1897 with the historic Cambridgeshire as his target but did not fare well on the voyage and failed to win in England; as his overall career demonstrated, the 9-furlong distance was too long for him anyway. He was eventually sent back to the United States where he entered stud at Castleton Stud in 1902. In 1913, he was purchased from the dispersal of Keene's stock by M. J. Sanford for US$14,000 and sent to France. In 1919 Voter was sold to the Bel Sito Stud in Gironde, France, but died in 1920 without having sired any more foals.
Pedigree notes
Voter is inbred 4x5x5 to seven-time English leading sire Stockwell, 4x5 to three-time English leading sire Orlando, and 5x5 to two-time English leading sire Melbourne. He is a half brother to Maid of Erin (by Amphion), dam of 1908 Brooklyn Handicap winner Celt (by Commando), an American champion sire and broodmare sire. Maid of Erin also produced Bandello (by Kingston), dam of 1921 Adirondack Handicap winner Oil Man (by North Star III) and second dam of 1936 Sheridan Handicap winner Bow and Arrow (by Whichone). Another half sister to Voter, Nora Creina (by Kingston), is the dam of the good stakes winner Lahore (by Delhi).
Mavourneen, the dam of Voter, was sound and hardy and won a couple of minor English stakes during her career but usually ran under light weights, indicating her modest class. She was sired by the undefeated Irish champion Barcaldine out of Gaydene (by Albert Victor), a mare whose class and racing characteristics were similar to those of her daughter.
Books and media
Voter is one of 50 stallions profiled in Joe Palmer's Names in Pedigrees (1939, The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; re-released in 1974).
Fun facts
Last updated: August 28, 2023
Race record
49 starts, 26 wins, 6 seconds, 7 thirds, US$34,217 (including converted English earnings)
1896:
- Won White Plains Handicap (USA, Morris Park)
- Won Winged Foot Handicap (USA, 5FD, Brighton Beach)
- Won Billow Stakes (USA, 5FD)
- 2nd Sapphire Stakes (USA, 5.5FD, Sheepshead Bay; moved up from 3rd by DQ of first-place finisher George Rose)
- 3rd Undergraduate Stakes (USA, 4FD, Brighton Beach)
- 3rd Great Eastern Handicap (USA)
1897:
- Won Metropolitan Handicap (USA, 8FD, Morris Park)
- Won Montauk Highweight Handicap (USA, Gravesend)
- Won Coney Island Handicap (USA, 6FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- Won Cyclone Handicap (USA, 5FD)
- 2nd Broadway Stakes (USA, 8.5FD)
- 3rd Fall Handicap (USA, 6FD, Sheepshead Bay)
1898:
- 2nd Subscription Stakes (ENG, Newmarket; 2nd of 2)
- 3rd Limekiln Stakes (ENG, 8FD, Newmarket)
1900:
- Won Toboggan Handicap (USA, 6FD, Morris Park)
- Won Coney Island Handicap (USA, 6FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- Won Test Handicap (USA, 8FD, Brighton Beach; new American record 1:38 for a mile under racing conditions rather than a time trial)
- Won Sea Cliff Stakes (USA, 6FD)
- Won Jamaica Stakes (USA, 7FD)
- Won Ocean Handicap (USA, 8FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- 3rd Flight Stakes (USA, 7FD, Sheepshead Bay)
1901:
- Won Coney Island Handicap (USA, 6FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- Won Flight Stakes (USA, 7FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- 2nd Fall Handicap (USA, 6FD, Sheepshead Bay)
Honors
American champion handicap male (1899)
As an individual
According to Walter Vosburgh (as cited in Joe Palmer's Names in Pedigrees): "He [Voter] was a horse of enormous power. His back was cloven like a ram's, and he had immense propelling power in his quarters, but he ran too fast to stay far. Besides, his temper was so bad he often wore himself out before a race." A chestnut, Voter was also markedly over at the knee. He was a first-class sprinter and weight carrier but did not stay further than a mile and preferred shorter trips.
As a stallion
According to Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967, Voter sired 16 stakes winners from his American crops. He was primarily an influence for speed. His fertility was subnormal.
Sire rankings
Per The Blood-Horse:
- 2nd on the US general sire list in 1906; 5th in 1907 and 1908.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 2nd on the American general sire list in 1906; 5th in 1907 and 1908.
Notable progeny
Ballot (USA), Electioneer (USA), Inaugural (USA), The Manager (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Sting (USA), Sweetheart (USA), Whiskaway (USA)
Connections
Voter was bred in England by Foxhall Keene and was imported to the United States as a suckling in 1894 along with his dam, Mavourneen. He raced in the colors of James R. Keene. He was sent back to England in 1897 with the historic Cambridgeshire as his target but did not fare well on the voyage and failed to win in England; as his overall career demonstrated, the 9-furlong distance was too long for him anyway. He was eventually sent back to the United States where he entered stud at Castleton Stud in 1902. In 1913, he was purchased from the dispersal of Keene's stock by M. J. Sanford for US$14,000 and sent to France. In 1919 Voter was sold to the Bel Sito Stud in Gironde, France, but died in 1920 without having sired any more foals.
Pedigree notes
Voter is inbred 4x5x5 to seven-time English leading sire Stockwell, 4x5 to three-time English leading sire Orlando, and 5x5 to two-time English leading sire Melbourne. He is a half brother to Maid of Erin (by Amphion), dam of 1908 Brooklyn Handicap winner Celt (by Commando), an American champion sire and broodmare sire. Maid of Erin also produced Bandello (by Kingston), dam of 1921 Adirondack Handicap winner Oil Man (by North Star III) and second dam of 1936 Sheridan Handicap winner Bow and Arrow (by Whichone). Another half sister to Voter, Nora Creina (by Kingston), is the dam of the good stakes winner Lahore (by Delhi).
Mavourneen, the dam of Voter, was sound and hardy and won a couple of minor English stakes during her career but usually ran under light weights, indicating her modest class. She was sired by the undefeated Irish champion Barcaldine out of Gaydene (by Albert Victor), a mare whose class and racing characteristics were similar to those of her daughter.
Books and media
Voter is one of 50 stallions profiled in Joe Palmer's Names in Pedigrees (1939, The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; re-released in 1974).
Fun facts
- Racing historians generally consider Voter to have been the best American older male of 1899 in spite of the fact that his five victories from six starts were all against lesser competition and never at more than a mile.
- In spite of his success as a racehorse and sire, Voter's largest foal crop was just 18 foals, and three of his American crops numbered less than 10 foals.
- Voter represented the male line of seven-time English leading sire Hermit, winner of the 1867 Derby Stakes. His branch petered out with the disappointing stud career of his grandson Morvich, the American champion 2-year-old male of 1921 and winner of the 1922 Kentucky Derby.
Last updated: August 28, 2023