Barbarity (IRE)
1854 – c. 1876
Simoom (GB) x Buzzard Mare (GB), by Buzzard (GB)
Family 32
1854 – c. 1876
Simoom (GB) x Buzzard Mare (GB), by Buzzard (GB)
Family 32
Barbarity was a useful and durable race mare in England but not a very classy one, racing mostly at the level of selling stakes and minor handicaps. Following her importation to the United States, she became celebrated as the dam of the “Barbarous Battalion,” a group of five stakes-winning fillies sired by the Orlando horse Eclipse. Three, including National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame member Ruthless, were acknowledged as American champions. Barbarity also produced two stakes producers by other sires, but her family has not bred on well.
Race record
At least 14 wins
1858:
As an individual
Barbarity was described as a blood bay with “splendidly proportioned limbs and a fine small head” in the Montreal Gazette of August 3, 1859. She won at up to two miles but gained most of her successes at a mile or less.
As a producer
Barbarity produced 11 named foals between 1861 and 1876. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Bred by Mr. Bradshaw, Barbarity raced for a Mr. Gulliver at 2; by August 28, 1856, she was owned by Mr. Thomas Stevens. She was purchased by Richard Ten Broeck for £500 in June 1858 and imported to the USA by him in July 1859. Following her importation, she passed to the ownership of Francis Morris as partial settlement of a lawsuit between Morris and Ten Broeck. Her last known foal was an 1876 filly by Warminster.
Pedigree notes
Sired by the Camel horse Simoom, Barbarity is inbred 5x5 to the highly successful 18th-century racehorse and sire Pot-8-Os, to the undefeated racehorse and 13-time English champion sire Highflyer, and to the great 18th-century broodmare Prunella (by Highflyer). She is a full sister to Barbarian, who won the 1851 National Produce Stakes in Ireland and was second in the 1852 Derby Stakes. She is also a full sister to Barbary, winner of the 1857 National Produce Stakes.
Barbarity was produced from a daughter of Buzzard (by 1829 English champion sire Blacklock), who in turn was produced from Donna Maria (by the high-class racer and sire Partisan). The next dam in Barbarity’s tail-female line, the good race mare Donna Clara (Cesario x Nimble, by Florizel), is a half sister to 1797 Oaks Stakes winner Nike (by Alexander).
Fun facts
Last updated: August 2, 2025
Race record
At least 14 wins
1858:
- 2nd City and Suburban Handicap (ENG, about 10FT, Epsom)
As an individual
Barbarity was described as a blood bay with “splendidly proportioned limbs and a fine small head” in the Montreal Gazette of August 3, 1859. She won at up to two miles but gained most of her successes at a mile or less.
As a producer
Barbarity produced 11 named foals between 1861 and 1876. Her important foals are as follow:
- Slasher-Barbarity (1862, by Slasher) produced 1869 Saratoga Stakes winner St. Patrick (by Eclipse).
- Prophetess (1863, by Prophet) produced the stakes-winning juvenile filly Sweet Lips (by Eclipse).
- Ruthless (1864, by Eclipse) is commonly regarded as the American champion 3-year-old filly of 1867. Her victories that year included the inaugural Belmont Stakes and the Travers Stakes. She produced only two foals, but one of them was 1873 Kentucky Stakes winner Battle Axe (by Monday).
- Relentless (1865, by Eclipse) started only once, winning the 1867 Saratoga Stakes. She was a disappointing broodmare.
- Remorseless (1867, by Eclipse) is generally regarded as the American champion 2-year-old filly of 1869 following victories in the Flash Stakes, Nursery Stakes, and Saratoga Stakes; she trained on to win the Hunter Handicap as a 3-year-old. She was a disappointing broodmare.
- Regardless (1871, by Eclipse) is considered to be the American co-champion 3-year-old filly of 1874 based on victories in the Alabama Stakes and Monmouth Oaks. She produced Plevna (by Warminster), a multiple stakes winner as a juvenile.
- Merciless (1873, by Eclipse) won the 1876 Alabama Stakes. She was a disappointing broodmare.
Connections
Bred by Mr. Bradshaw, Barbarity raced for a Mr. Gulliver at 2; by August 28, 1856, she was owned by Mr. Thomas Stevens. She was purchased by Richard Ten Broeck for £500 in June 1858 and imported to the USA by him in July 1859. Following her importation, she passed to the ownership of Francis Morris as partial settlement of a lawsuit between Morris and Ten Broeck. Her last known foal was an 1876 filly by Warminster.
Pedigree notes
Sired by the Camel horse Simoom, Barbarity is inbred 5x5 to the highly successful 18th-century racehorse and sire Pot-8-Os, to the undefeated racehorse and 13-time English champion sire Highflyer, and to the great 18th-century broodmare Prunella (by Highflyer). She is a full sister to Barbarian, who won the 1851 National Produce Stakes in Ireland and was second in the 1852 Derby Stakes. She is also a full sister to Barbary, winner of the 1857 National Produce Stakes.
Barbarity was produced from a daughter of Buzzard (by 1829 English champion sire Blacklock), who in turn was produced from Donna Maria (by the high-class racer and sire Partisan). The next dam in Barbarity’s tail-female line, the good race mare Donna Clara (Cesario x Nimble, by Florizel), is a half sister to 1797 Oaks Stakes winner Nike (by Alexander).
Fun facts
- Richard Ten Broeck rode Barbarity to a match-race win over Olympus (who was ridden by his owner, Count Batthyány, and refused to race further a quarter-mile out) at the 1858 Newmarket Houghton meeting.
- On August 21, 1857, Barbarity won the Marcham Park Stakes at the Abingdon meeting, sat out the next race, then won a handicap sweepstakes on the same day’s program.
- Among the horses Richard Ten Broeck shipped to Canada and thence to New York along with Barbarity was her future mate, Eclipse, who had been purchased by Ten Broeck in September 1859 and who later became Francis Morris’s premier stallion.
- Barbarity’s first foal was the colt Young Eclipse (by Eclipse), a full brother to the “Barbarous Battalion.” Of no account as a racehorse, he was nonetheless a handsome animal and won several prizes as the best stallion exhibited at several state agricultural fairs in California. He was used as a sire of both Thoroughbreds and trotting horses.
Last updated: August 2, 2025