Nasty-tempered and none too sound, Chicle was second to Johren among the American-raced sons of 1906 Derby Stakes winner Spearmint but was a much better sire; in fact, he was one of Spearmint's best sire sons. Unfortunately, he also passed on his sire's poorly made forelegs, contributing to unsoundness among his progeny. He also tended to pass on his own evil disposition.
Race record
3 wins
1915:
1916:
Assessments
Rated sixth among American 3-year-old males of 1916 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A bay horse, Chicle had a good shoulder and beautiful muscling in his forearms and gaskins but was upright in his pasterns and had the bad knees of his sire; he was also long-backed. He was rather slow-developing and did not come to hand until late in his 2-year-old season. His temperament was so vicious that he was reportedly being considered for destruction until the merits of his first foals to race earned him a reprieve. Even so, he wore a muzzle most of the time and, in the words of Daily Racing Form writer Charles Hatton, would "kick the shortening out of a cake."
As a stallion
According to The Blood-Horse Silver Anniversary Edition (Blood-Horse), Chicle sired 173 winners (60.1%) and 38 stakes winners (13.2%) from 288 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
Per The Blood-Horse:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
Notable progeny
Dustemall (USA), Edelweiss (USA), Goose Egg (USA), Mother Goose (USA), Whichone (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Boojum (USA), Coramine (USA), Igual (USA), Red Rain (USA), Shut Out (USA), White Lies (USA)
Connections
Foaled in France, Chicle was imported to the USA by his breeder and owner, Harry Payne Whitney. He was trained by James Rowe, Sr. He did not enter stud until 1920 and stood his entire stud career at the Whitney farm in Kentucky.
Pedigree notes
Chicle is inbred 5x5 to two-time English champion sire King Tom. He is a half brother to Dis Donc (by Sardanapale), sire of the great filly Top Flight. His dam, Lady Hamburg II, is a half sister to the hardy gelding Tippety Witchet (by Broomstick), a stakes winner at ages 2 through 6. She was produced from the St. Simon mare Lady Frivoles, whose half sister Lady Quex (by St. Simon's son Florizel II) produced Lord Quex (by Lemberg), a sire of some importance in Australia. Another half sister to Lady Frivoles, Sebenico (by St. Simon's son William the Third) is the second dam of 1927 American champion 2-year-old filly Anita Peabody.
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: December 6, 2024
Race record
3 wins
1915:
- Won Champagne Stakes (USA, about 6.5FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Nursery Handicap (USA, 6FD, Belmont)
1916:
- Won Brooklyn Derby (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Long Beach Handicap (USA, 9FD, Jamaica)
Assessments
Rated sixth among American 3-year-old males of 1916 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A bay horse, Chicle had a good shoulder and beautiful muscling in his forearms and gaskins but was upright in his pasterns and had the bad knees of his sire; he was also long-backed. He was rather slow-developing and did not come to hand until late in his 2-year-old season. His temperament was so vicious that he was reportedly being considered for destruction until the merits of his first foals to race earned him a reprieve. Even so, he wore a muzzle most of the time and, in the words of Daily Racing Form writer Charles Hatton, would "kick the shortening out of a cake."
As a stallion
According to The Blood-Horse Silver Anniversary Edition (Blood-Horse), Chicle sired 173 winners (60.1%) and 38 stakes winners (13.2%) from 288 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- Led the American general sire list in 1929.
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 1942; 2nd in 1940; 5th in 1944; 6th in 1939 and 1945
Per The Blood-Horse:
- Led the American general sire list in 1929; 10th in 1934.
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 1942; 2nd in 1941; 3rd in 1940; 4th in 1943; 5th in 1944; 6th in 1945; 7th in 1939; 9th in 1938; 10th in 1935 and 1936.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- Led the American general sire list in 1929; 10th in 1934.
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 1942; 2nd in 1941; 3rd in 1940; 4th in 1943; 5th in 1944; 6th in 1945; 7th in 1939; 9th in 1938; 10th in 1935 and 1936.
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
- Led the American general sire list in 1929.
Notable progeny
Dustemall (USA), Edelweiss (USA), Goose Egg (USA), Mother Goose (USA), Whichone (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Boojum (USA), Coramine (USA), Igual (USA), Red Rain (USA), Shut Out (USA), White Lies (USA)
Connections
Foaled in France, Chicle was imported to the USA by his breeder and owner, Harry Payne Whitney. He was trained by James Rowe, Sr. He did not enter stud until 1920 and stood his entire stud career at the Whitney farm in Kentucky.
Pedigree notes
Chicle is inbred 5x5 to two-time English champion sire King Tom. He is a half brother to Dis Donc (by Sardanapale), sire of the great filly Top Flight. His dam, Lady Hamburg II, is a half sister to the hardy gelding Tippety Witchet (by Broomstick), a stakes winner at ages 2 through 6. She was produced from the St. Simon mare Lady Frivoles, whose half sister Lady Quex (by St. Simon's son Florizel II) produced Lord Quex (by Lemberg), a sire of some importance in Australia. Another half sister to Lady Frivoles, Sebenico (by St. Simon's son William the Third) is the second dam of 1927 American champion 2-year-old filly Anita Peabody.
Fun facts
- Chicle was originally registered as “Ruser” in France. His name in America refers to the latex exuded by the sapodilla tree, an ingredient of chewing gum, which was commonly flavored with spearmint.
- Of all Harry Payne Whitney's important stallions, Chicle was the only one he bred himself.
- Chicle sired four starters in the 1923 Kentucky Derby, emulating the 19th-century stallion Enquirer, who had four starters each in the 1875 and 1878 editions. Neither stallion ever sired a Derby winner.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: December 6, 2024