Bramble wasn't a very big horse, but he was tough as nails. He needed to be, for he spent most of his career racing for the Dwyer Brothers, who were notorious for racing their horses hard and often with a seeming disregard for the animals' condition. He was also quite successful and versatile as a racer but lacked the edge of brilliance to make him immediately attractive to breeders. Nonetheless, he begot a racer and sire better than himself in Ben Brush.
Race record
50 starts, 31 wins, 16 seconds, 2 thirds, $33,660
1877:
1878:
1879:
1880:
Honors
American champion older male (1879)
As an individual
According to S. D. Bruce (in his The Breeders Guide and Handbook), "Bramble is a rich red bay with large star in forehead. 15 hands 2-1/2 inches high, girths 70 inches, length of shoulder 28 inches, around the arm 20 inches, below the knee 8-1/4 inches, from hip to point of hock 36-3/4 inches, around the gaskins 16-1/2 inches, from point of shoulder to point of buttocks 64 inches. He is full of substance and power and greatly resembles his sire." Unlike his later descendants, who were often rather long-bodied and short-legged, he was leggy and closely coupled.
As a stallion
Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967 credits Bramble with eight stakes winners.
Notable progeny
Ben Brush (USA), Clifford (USA), Prince of Melbourne (USA)
Connections
Bramble was bred by Eugene Leigh and was foaled at Belle Meade Stud near Nashville, Tennessee, where his sire Bonnie Scotland stood. He began his racing career in the colors of Johnson & Co., who purchased him for US$450. Partway through his juvenile season, Bramble was resold to Crawford & Co. for US$1000. Bramble was sold yet again before the conclusion of his juvenile season, this time to the Dwyer Bros. for an amount variously reported as US$2200 or US$2250 after upsetting Duke of Magenta (a horse he would never again defeat in repeated meetings) in the Saratoga Stakes; he was trained by James Rowe, Sr., from that point forward. Following his racing career, Bramble was purchased by Eugene Leigh for US$8000, which Leigh later said was about US$7992 more than any other breeder in Kentucky would have given for him. Bramble initially stood at Belle Meade Stud, later moving to Leigh's own La Belle Stud at Yarnallton, Kentucky. He was pensioned in May 1901 and died later that year.
Pedigree notes
Bramble is inbred 5x5 to 1810 Derby Stakes winner and two-time English leading sire Whalebone and 5x5 to 1823 Derby Stakes winner and two-time English champion sire Emilius. He is a full brother to Brambaletta, a multiple stakes winner as a juvenile and the dam of the very good juvenile Merry Monarch (by Hindoo).
Bramble was produced from Ivy Leaf, whose dam Bay Flower (by Lexington) is a full sister to 1875 American co-champion older male Preakness, to 1869 Saratoga Cup winner Bayonet and to multiple stakes winners Niagara and Bay Final. Their dam Bay Leaf was sired by imported Yorkshire from the imported English mare Maria West, a daughter of 1915 St. Leger Stakes winner and 1828 English champion sire Filho da Puta.
Last updated: June 28, 2024
Race record
50 starts, 31 wins, 16 seconds, 2 thirds, $33,660
1877:
- Won Saratoga Stakes (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
- Won Young America Stakes #2 (USA, 6FD, Nashville)
- 2nd Young America Stakes #1 (USA, Nashville)
1878:
- Won Maxwell House Stakes (USA)
- Won American Stallion Stakes (USA, 14FD, Louisville)
- 2nd Withers Stakes (USA, 8FD, Morris Park)
- 2nd Belmont Stakes (USA, 12FD, Jerome Park)
1879:
- Won Baltimore Cup (USA, 18FD, Pimlico)
- Won Westchester Cup (USA)
- Won Monmouth Cup (USA, 18FD, Monmouth)
- Won Saratoga Cup (USA, 18FD, Saratoga)
- Won Congress Hall Stakes (USA, 6-furlong heats)
- Won Brighton Cup (USA, 18FD, Brighton Beach)
1880:
- Won Nashville Centennial Stakes (USA, Nashville)
Honors
American champion older male (1879)
As an individual
According to S. D. Bruce (in his The Breeders Guide and Handbook), "Bramble is a rich red bay with large star in forehead. 15 hands 2-1/2 inches high, girths 70 inches, length of shoulder 28 inches, around the arm 20 inches, below the knee 8-1/4 inches, from hip to point of hock 36-3/4 inches, around the gaskins 16-1/2 inches, from point of shoulder to point of buttocks 64 inches. He is full of substance and power and greatly resembles his sire." Unlike his later descendants, who were often rather long-bodied and short-legged, he was leggy and closely coupled.
As a stallion
Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967 credits Bramble with eight stakes winners.
Notable progeny
Ben Brush (USA), Clifford (USA), Prince of Melbourne (USA)
Connections
Bramble was bred by Eugene Leigh and was foaled at Belle Meade Stud near Nashville, Tennessee, where his sire Bonnie Scotland stood. He began his racing career in the colors of Johnson & Co., who purchased him for US$450. Partway through his juvenile season, Bramble was resold to Crawford & Co. for US$1000. Bramble was sold yet again before the conclusion of his juvenile season, this time to the Dwyer Bros. for an amount variously reported as US$2200 or US$2250 after upsetting Duke of Magenta (a horse he would never again defeat in repeated meetings) in the Saratoga Stakes; he was trained by James Rowe, Sr., from that point forward. Following his racing career, Bramble was purchased by Eugene Leigh for US$8000, which Leigh later said was about US$7992 more than any other breeder in Kentucky would have given for him. Bramble initially stood at Belle Meade Stud, later moving to Leigh's own La Belle Stud at Yarnallton, Kentucky. He was pensioned in May 1901 and died later that year.
Pedigree notes
Bramble is inbred 5x5 to 1810 Derby Stakes winner and two-time English leading sire Whalebone and 5x5 to 1823 Derby Stakes winner and two-time English champion sire Emilius. He is a full brother to Brambaletta, a multiple stakes winner as a juvenile and the dam of the very good juvenile Merry Monarch (by Hindoo).
Bramble was produced from Ivy Leaf, whose dam Bay Flower (by Lexington) is a full sister to 1875 American co-champion older male Preakness, to 1869 Saratoga Cup winner Bayonet and to multiple stakes winners Niagara and Bay Final. Their dam Bay Leaf was sired by imported Yorkshire from the imported English mare Maria West, a daughter of 1915 St. Leger Stakes winner and 1828 English champion sire Filho da Puta.
Last updated: June 28, 2024