An underachieving racehorse in England, Bald Eagle blossomed at 4 and 5 in the United States. Whether it was the change in trainers and surfaces that did the trick or simply time for the horse to grow into his big frame, Bald Eagle became a formidable competitor on both dirt and turf at distances from a mile to 13 furlongs. He was a moderate success at stud.
Race record
29 starts, 12 wins, 5 seconds, 4 thirds, US$689,556 (including converted foreign earnings)
1957:
1958:
1959:
1960:
Honors
American champion handicap male (1960)
Assessments
Bald Eagle was rated #74 among the top 100 American racehorses of the 20th century by a panel of experts assembled by The Blood-Horse (Thoroughbred Champions, Eclipse Press, 7th printing, 2005).
Earned a Timeform rating of 119 pounds as a 3-year-old in England.
Rated fourth among American older males of 1959 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1959, 6 pounds below champion Round Table and co-highweight Hillsdale.
Highweighted at 129 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1960, 2 pounds above second-rated Sword Dancer.
As an individual
Bald Eagle stood 16.3 hands as measured by Dr. Manuel A. Gilman when the horse was in the fall of his 4-year-old season. He was described as a "massive brute" and "rather gawky" by R. J. Clark while in England but grew into a "stately looking" horse according to turf historian William Robertson. He was short-backed and deep-bodied with good, flat bone. He had short cannons and a long, low stride. He had the high withers and sloping croup seen in many of Nasrullah's progeny. He was suspected of having an uncertain temperament while in England but was well-mannered enough in the USA to be considered "a gentleman." He was a front runner by habit but was genuine when called on.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Bald Eagle sired 135 winners (62.2%) and 12 stakes winners (5.5%) from 217 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
San San (USA), Too Bald (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Baldski (USA), Capote (USA), Exceller (USA), Hippodamia (USA), Little Papoose (AUS)
Connections
Bald Eagle was bred and owned by Captain Harry F. Guggenheim, who raced the horse in the name of his Cain Hoy Stable. He was trained by Captain Cecil Boyd-Rochfort in England and by Woodford C. "Woody" Stephens in the USA. He entered stud in Kentucky in 1961 at Spendthrift Farm. After Guggenheim's death in January 1971, Bald Eagle was sold to French interests following the 1971 breeding season and died in France in 1977.
Pedigree notes
Bald Eagle is inbred 5x5 to 1906 Derby Stakes and Grand Prix de Paris winner Spearmint. He is a full brother to the good handicapper One-Eyed King and a half brother to stakes winner Dead Ahead (by Turn-to). His half sister Whistle a Tune (by Double Jay) produced two-time Mexican Horse of the Year Batucada (by Roman Line).
Bald Eagle's dam Siama (by the Bull Dog horse Tiger) won five good stakes races as a 3-year-old of 1950 and was the 1960 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year. She is a half sister to China Mission (by Omission), second dam of the good stakes filly Just Kidding, and is out of China Face (by Display), a half sister to stakes winners Kosadus (by Isolater) and Sweet Pick (by Pictor). The next dam in the tail-female line, Sweepilla (by Sweep) was a juvenile stakes winner in Cuba and is a full sister to Nimble Hoof, dam of the good juvenile Coldstream (by Bull Dog). Sweepilla is also a half sister to Illeanna (by Polymelian), dam of stakes winners Sea Garden and Sea Swallow (both by Seabiscuit).
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: December 19, 2022
Race record
29 starts, 12 wins, 5 seconds, 4 thirds, US$689,556 (including converted foreign earnings)
1957:
- Won Duke of Edinburgh Stakes (ENG, 6FT, Ascot)
1958:
- Won Dante Stakes (ENG, 10.5FT, York)
- Won Craven Stakes (ENG, 8FT, Newmarket)
- 3rd St. James's Palace Stakes (ENG, 8FT, Ascot)
1959:
- Won Suburban Handicap (USA, 10FD, Belmont)
- Won Washington D. C. International Stakes (USA, 12FT, Laurel)
- Won Gallant Fox Handicap (USA, 13FD, Aqueduct; new track record 2:41)
- Won Saratoga Handicap (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Aqueduct Handicap (USA, 8FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Manhattan Handicap (USA, 13FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Massachusetts Handicap (USA, 10FD, Suffolk Downs)
1960:
- Won Washington D. C. International Stakes (USA, 12FT, Laurel)
- Won Gulfstream Park Handicap (USA, 10FD, Gulfstream Park)
- Won Metropolitan Handicap (USA, 8FD, Aqueduct; new track record 1:33-3/5)
- Won Widener Handicap (USA, 10FD, Hialeah; new track record 1:59-3/5)
- Won Aqueduct Handicap (USA, 8FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Man o' War Stakes (USA, 12FT, Belmont)
- 2nd McLennan Handicap (USA, 9FD, Hialeah)
- 3rd Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA, 16FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Woodward Stakes (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
Honors
American champion handicap male (1960)
Assessments
Bald Eagle was rated #74 among the top 100 American racehorses of the 20th century by a panel of experts assembled by The Blood-Horse (Thoroughbred Champions, Eclipse Press, 7th printing, 2005).
Earned a Timeform rating of 119 pounds as a 3-year-old in England.
Rated fourth among American older males of 1959 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1959, 6 pounds below champion Round Table and co-highweight Hillsdale.
Highweighted at 129 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1960, 2 pounds above second-rated Sword Dancer.
As an individual
Bald Eagle stood 16.3 hands as measured by Dr. Manuel A. Gilman when the horse was in the fall of his 4-year-old season. He was described as a "massive brute" and "rather gawky" by R. J. Clark while in England but grew into a "stately looking" horse according to turf historian William Robertson. He was short-backed and deep-bodied with good, flat bone. He had short cannons and a long, low stride. He had the high withers and sloping croup seen in many of Nasrullah's progeny. He was suspected of having an uncertain temperament while in England but was well-mannered enough in the USA to be considered "a gentleman." He was a front runner by habit but was genuine when called on.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Bald Eagle sired 135 winners (62.2%) and 12 stakes winners (5.5%) from 217 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 4th on the French general sire list in 1972
Notable progeny
San San (USA), Too Bald (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Baldski (USA), Capote (USA), Exceller (USA), Hippodamia (USA), Little Papoose (AUS)
Connections
Bald Eagle was bred and owned by Captain Harry F. Guggenheim, who raced the horse in the name of his Cain Hoy Stable. He was trained by Captain Cecil Boyd-Rochfort in England and by Woodford C. "Woody" Stephens in the USA. He entered stud in Kentucky in 1961 at Spendthrift Farm. After Guggenheim's death in January 1971, Bald Eagle was sold to French interests following the 1971 breeding season and died in France in 1977.
Pedigree notes
Bald Eagle is inbred 5x5 to 1906 Derby Stakes and Grand Prix de Paris winner Spearmint. He is a full brother to the good handicapper One-Eyed King and a half brother to stakes winner Dead Ahead (by Turn-to). His half sister Whistle a Tune (by Double Jay) produced two-time Mexican Horse of the Year Batucada (by Roman Line).
Bald Eagle's dam Siama (by the Bull Dog horse Tiger) won five good stakes races as a 3-year-old of 1950 and was the 1960 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year. She is a half sister to China Mission (by Omission), second dam of the good stakes filly Just Kidding, and is out of China Face (by Display), a half sister to stakes winners Kosadus (by Isolater) and Sweet Pick (by Pictor). The next dam in the tail-female line, Sweepilla (by Sweep) was a juvenile stakes winner in Cuba and is a full sister to Nimble Hoof, dam of the good juvenile Coldstream (by Bull Dog). Sweepilla is also a half sister to Illeanna (by Polymelian), dam of stakes winners Sea Garden and Sea Swallow (both by Seabiscuit).
Fun facts
- Bald Eagle is the only horse to have won the Washington, D.C., International twice in consecutive years.
- Bald Eagle was originally named “Nasr,” but Guggenheim changed the horse's name because he felt it was too close to that of Abdul Nasser, the Egyptian leader who seized the Suez Canal in 1956.
- The Bald Eagle Derby is a 12-furlong race on turf for 3-year-olds at Laurel Park. Its inaugural running took place on September 29, 2018.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: December 19, 2022