Warfare won the American juvenile championship with three strong performances in increasingly longer races at season’s end, culminating in a half-length defeat of Bally Ache in the Garden State Stakes after a hard stretch battle that testified to both colts’ determination. Unfortunately, Warfare succumbed to an ankle injury after winning the Swift Stakes early in his 3-year-old season and was forced into retirement. He was useful as a sire and broodmare sire and begot at least one horse with ability equal to his own in 1966 American champion grass horse Assagai.
Race record
16 starts, 7 wins, 2 seconds, 4 thirds, US$414,445
1959:
1960:
Honors
American champion 2-year-old male (1959)
Assessments
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1959, 2 pounds above second-rated Venetian Way.
Rated at 121 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1960, 7 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Kelso.
As an individual
A plain gray horse, Warfare was not very tall but had a deep girth and a well-sprung barrel. His legs were reasonably correct. His pelvis was fairly level and he had good depth through his flank. An agile runner, he typically came from off the pace and had a good turn of foot. He was a good doer, intelligent, and pleasant of disposition.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Warfare sired 166 winners (68.0%) and 19 stakes winners (7.8%) from 244 named foals.
Notable progeny
Assagai (USA)
Connections
Foaled in California, Warfare was bred by C. H. Jones & Sons. He was owned by Bellehurst Stable, the nom de course of Clifton Jones, Jr., who bought Warfare for US$12,000 when the partnership with his father was dissolved in February 1959. Warfare was trained by Haskell “Hack” Ross at 2 and was transferred to Bill Winfrey at 3 after Ross indicated his unwillingness to travel away from his Southern California base with the colt. (Jones retained Ross to manage the rest of his racing string.) Warfare entered stud in 1961 in Kentucky at Spendthrift Farm. He died in 1971.
Pedigree notes
Warfare is inbred 5x4x5 to 1913 American Horse of the Year Whisk Broom II and 5x5 to 1903 English Triple Crown winner Rock Sand. He is a half brother to 1951 Hollywood Premiere Handicap winner Warcos (by Lycos) and to the minor stakes winner Speed War (by Count Speed).
Warfare was produced from War Whisk (a daughter of 1933 Dwyer Stakes and Lawrence Realization Handicap winner War Glory), who failed to win in three starts. She is out of stakes-placed Tidy Whisk, whose sire Whiskalong is a Whisk Broom II half brother to 1929 American champion sire Chicle (by Spearmint) and to Dis Donc (by Sardanapale), sire of two-time American champion filly Top Flight. Tidy Whisk, in turn, is out of Tidy Maid (by Pennant), a full sister to 1926 Spinaway Stakes winner Bonnie Pennant and stakes winner Gonfalon and to Flying Whisk, dam of multiple stakes winner Endor (by Vindex) and steeplechase stakes winner Jack Anthony (by John P. Grier). Also a half sister to 1930 Quebec Derby winner Hatbroom (by Mad Hatter) and multiple claiming stakes winner Sageboys (by Chicle), Tidy Maid is out of Bonnie Broom (by Whisk Broom II).
Fun facts
Last updated: December 2, 2020
Race record
16 starts, 7 wins, 2 seconds, 4 thirds, US$414,445
1959:
- Won Garden State Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Garden State)
- Won Champagne Stakes (USA, 8FD, Aqueduct; new track record 1:35-1/5)
- Won Cowdin Stakes (USA, 7FD, Aqueduct; new track record 1:22-3/5)
- Won Charles S. Howard Stakes (USA, 5.5FD, Hollywood)
- 3rd Hollywood Juvenile Championship (USA, 6FD, Hollywood)
- 3rd Del Mar Futurity (USA, 6FD, Del Mar)
- 3rd Westchester Stakes (USA, 5FD, Hollywood)
1960:
- Won Swift Stakes (USA, 6FD, Aqueduct; new track record 1:09-3/5)
Honors
American champion 2-year-old male (1959)
Assessments
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1959, 2 pounds above second-rated Venetian Way.
Rated at 121 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1960, 7 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Kelso.
As an individual
A plain gray horse, Warfare was not very tall but had a deep girth and a well-sprung barrel. His legs were reasonably correct. His pelvis was fairly level and he had good depth through his flank. An agile runner, he typically came from off the pace and had a good turn of foot. He was a good doer, intelligent, and pleasant of disposition.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Warfare sired 166 winners (68.0%) and 19 stakes winners (7.8%) from 244 named foals.
Notable progeny
Assagai (USA)
Connections
Foaled in California, Warfare was bred by C. H. Jones & Sons. He was owned by Bellehurst Stable, the nom de course of Clifton Jones, Jr., who bought Warfare for US$12,000 when the partnership with his father was dissolved in February 1959. Warfare was trained by Haskell “Hack” Ross at 2 and was transferred to Bill Winfrey at 3 after Ross indicated his unwillingness to travel away from his Southern California base with the colt. (Jones retained Ross to manage the rest of his racing string.) Warfare entered stud in 1961 in Kentucky at Spendthrift Farm. He died in 1971.
Pedigree notes
Warfare is inbred 5x4x5 to 1913 American Horse of the Year Whisk Broom II and 5x5 to 1903 English Triple Crown winner Rock Sand. He is a half brother to 1951 Hollywood Premiere Handicap winner Warcos (by Lycos) and to the minor stakes winner Speed War (by Count Speed).
Warfare was produced from War Whisk (a daughter of 1933 Dwyer Stakes and Lawrence Realization Handicap winner War Glory), who failed to win in three starts. She is out of stakes-placed Tidy Whisk, whose sire Whiskalong is a Whisk Broom II half brother to 1929 American champion sire Chicle (by Spearmint) and to Dis Donc (by Sardanapale), sire of two-time American champion filly Top Flight. Tidy Whisk, in turn, is out of Tidy Maid (by Pennant), a full sister to 1926 Spinaway Stakes winner Bonnie Pennant and stakes winner Gonfalon and to Flying Whisk, dam of multiple stakes winner Endor (by Vindex) and steeplechase stakes winner Jack Anthony (by John P. Grier). Also a half sister to 1930 Quebec Derby winner Hatbroom (by Mad Hatter) and multiple claiming stakes winner Sageboys (by Chicle), Tidy Maid is out of Bonnie Broom (by Whisk Broom II).
Fun facts
- According to Red Smith’s column of October 28, 1959, C. H. Jones originally sold Warfare to “about thirty country club members” who were “horrified to discover that the animal wanted to eat every day.” Finding this to be something they didn’t want to deal with, they sold the horse to the younger Jones.
Last updated: December 2, 2020