Avatar (USA)
March 10, 1972 – December 3, 1992
Graustark (USA) x Brown Berry (USA), by Mount Marcy (USA)
Family 5-g
March 10, 1972 – December 3, 1992
Graustark (USA) x Brown Berry (USA), by Mount Marcy (USA)
Family 5-g
Probably the best pure stayer of his crop, 1975 Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) winner Avatar may have been unlucky to lose the 1975 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) as he was impeded by Diabolo (the eventual third-place finisher) just as the victorious Foolish Pleasure swept by on the outside. He added another Grade 1 win at 1½ miles to his resume as a 4-year-old but was not a successful sire.
Race record
33 starts, 9 wins, 7 seconds, 2 thirds, US$464,409
1975:
1976:
Assessments
Weighted at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1975, 1 pound below co-highweights Wajima (the official divisional champion) and Foolish Pleasure and tied with Preakness Stakes (USA-G1) winner Master Derby.
Weighted at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1976, 17 pounds below champion and Horse of the Year Forego.
As an individual
A scopy chestnut horse, Avatar had an excellent shoulder, good forelegs and strong hindquarters but could be faulted for too much angulation in his hocks.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Avatar sired 316 winners (66.1%) and 19 stakes winners (4.0%) from 478 named foals.
Notable progeny
Craelius (USA), Prince Avatar (CAN)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Avatar was bred by Arthur A. Seeligson, Jr., and was trained by Tommy Doyle. Entered stud in Kentucky in 1977 at Claiborne Farm. Later moved to Classicway Farm in Ohio, then to Windy Knoll Farm. His last move was to Frisch's Farm, where he died of a broken neck in December 1992.
Pedigree notes
Avatar is inbred 5x3 to 1936 Derby Stakes winner Mahmoud. He is also inbred 5x5 to 1918 English Triple Crown winner Gainsborough. He is a full brother to multiple French Group 2 winner Monseigneur and a half brother to 1988 Prix du Jockey Club Lancia (French Derby, FR-G1) winner Hours After (by Alleged) and 1972 Charles H. Strub Stakes winner Unconscious (by Prince Royal II). He is also a half brother to stakes-placed Khalberry (by Khaled), dam of English Group 2 winner Hawkberry (by Sea Hawk II); to Whitsett (by Damascus), second dam of Grade 2 winner Afto; and to Brown Hare (by Coursing), third dam of Grade 3 winner Iron Punch.
Brown Berry, the dam of Avatar and his siblings, is a daughter of 1951 New Orleans Handicap winner Mount Marcy (by Mahmoud). The winner of the 1962 Del Mar Debutante Stakes, she is out of the unplaced Phalanx mare Brown Baby, a full sister to 1954 Washington, D.C., International winner Fisherman and a half sister to juvenile stakes winner Faneuil Miss (by Teddy's Comet). Brown Baby is also a half sister to stakes-placed Level Sands (by Mahmoud), dam of 1963 Toboggan Handicap winner Kilmoray (by War Admiral) and stakes winner Lone Bird (by Jester) and second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Hawkster and Grade 3 winner Silver Lane. In addition, Brown Baby is a half sister to Hukilau (by Native Dancer), dam of 1965 Hollywood Juvenile Championship winner Port Wine (by Porterhouse) and stakes winners Wood Nymph (by Deerlands), Fish Net (by Dotted Swiss) and Big Decision (by Dotted Swiss) and second dam of Grade 3 winners Fish Wife and King Neptune.
Brown Baby and her siblings are out of the winning Halycon mare Crawfish, a half sister to 1943 Champagne Stakes winner Pukka Gin (by Firethorn) and to Front Page (by Carrier Pigeon), dam of multiple stakes winner Raiko (by Poona II). The next dam in the tail-female lineage, Crauneen (by St. Germans), is a full sister to 1936 Potomac Handicap winner Tatterdemalion and a half sister to 1929 Hopeful Stakes winner Boojum (by John P. Grier).
Books and media
Avatar is profiled in Chapter 10 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Last updated: April 13, 2020
Race record
33 starts, 9 wins, 7 seconds, 2 thirds, US$464,409
1975:
- Won Belmont Stakes (USA-G1, 12FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Samta Anita Derby (USA-G1, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Bradbury Stakes (USA, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Kentucky Derby (USA-G1, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
1976:
- Won San Luis Rey Stakes (USA-G1, 12FT, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Hollywood Gold Cup (USA-G1, 10FD, Hollywood)
- 2nd Del Mar Invitational Handicap (USA-G2, 10FD, Del Mar)
- 2nd San Fernando Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Santa Anita)
Assessments
Weighted at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1975, 1 pound below co-highweights Wajima (the official divisional champion) and Foolish Pleasure and tied with Preakness Stakes (USA-G1) winner Master Derby.
Weighted at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1976, 17 pounds below champion and Horse of the Year Forego.
As an individual
A scopy chestnut horse, Avatar had an excellent shoulder, good forelegs and strong hindquarters but could be faulted for too much angulation in his hocks.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Avatar sired 316 winners (66.1%) and 19 stakes winners (4.0%) from 478 named foals.
Notable progeny
Craelius (USA), Prince Avatar (CAN)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Avatar was bred by Arthur A. Seeligson, Jr., and was trained by Tommy Doyle. Entered stud in Kentucky in 1977 at Claiborne Farm. Later moved to Classicway Farm in Ohio, then to Windy Knoll Farm. His last move was to Frisch's Farm, where he died of a broken neck in December 1992.
Pedigree notes
Avatar is inbred 5x3 to 1936 Derby Stakes winner Mahmoud. He is also inbred 5x5 to 1918 English Triple Crown winner Gainsborough. He is a full brother to multiple French Group 2 winner Monseigneur and a half brother to 1988 Prix du Jockey Club Lancia (French Derby, FR-G1) winner Hours After (by Alleged) and 1972 Charles H. Strub Stakes winner Unconscious (by Prince Royal II). He is also a half brother to stakes-placed Khalberry (by Khaled), dam of English Group 2 winner Hawkberry (by Sea Hawk II); to Whitsett (by Damascus), second dam of Grade 2 winner Afto; and to Brown Hare (by Coursing), third dam of Grade 3 winner Iron Punch.
Brown Berry, the dam of Avatar and his siblings, is a daughter of 1951 New Orleans Handicap winner Mount Marcy (by Mahmoud). The winner of the 1962 Del Mar Debutante Stakes, she is out of the unplaced Phalanx mare Brown Baby, a full sister to 1954 Washington, D.C., International winner Fisherman and a half sister to juvenile stakes winner Faneuil Miss (by Teddy's Comet). Brown Baby is also a half sister to stakes-placed Level Sands (by Mahmoud), dam of 1963 Toboggan Handicap winner Kilmoray (by War Admiral) and stakes winner Lone Bird (by Jester) and second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Hawkster and Grade 3 winner Silver Lane. In addition, Brown Baby is a half sister to Hukilau (by Native Dancer), dam of 1965 Hollywood Juvenile Championship winner Port Wine (by Porterhouse) and stakes winners Wood Nymph (by Deerlands), Fish Net (by Dotted Swiss) and Big Decision (by Dotted Swiss) and second dam of Grade 3 winners Fish Wife and King Neptune.
Brown Baby and her siblings are out of the winning Halycon mare Crawfish, a half sister to 1943 Champagne Stakes winner Pukka Gin (by Firethorn) and to Front Page (by Carrier Pigeon), dam of multiple stakes winner Raiko (by Poona II). The next dam in the tail-female lineage, Crauneen (by St. Germans), is a full sister to 1936 Potomac Handicap winner Tatterdemalion and a half sister to 1929 Hopeful Stakes winner Boojum (by John P. Grier).
Books and media
Avatar is profiled in Chapter 10 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- In Hinduism, an avatar is the manifestation of a deity in bodily form on earth.
Last updated: April 13, 2020