Decathlon had an odd, winging gait said to be the result of his having stepped on a nail with his right forefoot as a youngster, but it didn’t stop him from being one of the fastest horses in American racing history. A horse who could rip off an opening quarter in :21 and change as casually as if he were going for an exercise gallop, Decathlon topped the American sprint division twice. He was a consistent sire of winners but was not as good a sire as he was a racehorse.
Race record
42 starts, 25 wins, 8 seconds, 1 third, US$269,530
1955:
1956:
1957:
Honors
American champion sprinter (1956, 1957)
Assessments
Rated at 116 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1955, 10 pounds below highweighted Career Boy and 9 pounds below the official co-champions, Nail and Needles.
As an individual
A well-balanced though plain bay horse of miler type, Decathlon stood 15.3 hands and weighed 950 pounds. His pasterns were slightly long but his legs were otherwise correct. He preferred to take control of his races from the start but could come from off the pace if necessary and was dead game in a drive. He was a good weight carrier. Although Rollie Shepp usually avoided running him on off surfaces, he did win in the mud and also on turf. He was not tried over longer distances due to concerns about his awkward gait.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Decathlon sired 165 winners (65.2%) and 12 stakes winners (4.7%) from 253 foals.
Notable progeny
Western Warrior (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Marble Arch (USA), Pudiente (VEN)
Connections
Foaled at Hurstland Farm in Kentucky, Decathlon was bred by the Nuckols Brothers. A US$15,000 purchase from the Keeneland yearling sales, he was owned by Robert J. Dienst’s River Divide Farm. He was trained by Rollie Shepp. He stood at Darby Dan Farm.
Pedigree notes
Decathlon is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to 1961 Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap winner Prince Blessed (by Princequillo) and to multiple stakes-placed Bless Pat (by Pavot), dam of stakes winner Bless This Horse (by Stage Door Johnny) and third dam of Canadian Grade 3 winner Ask Muhammad. He is also a half brother to Come On (by Requested), dam of stakes winners David M. (by Tudor Grey) and Come Up (by Crossing) and second dam of 1983 Preakness Stales (USA-G1) winner Deputed Testamony. In addition, he is a half brother to Bless the Bride (by Helioscope), second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Sixty Sails.
Decathlon and his siblings are out of the winner Dog Blessed, a half sister to juvenile stakes winner Gee Whiz (by Johnstown) and to Oswellblessed (by Boswell), dam of 1955 Adirondack Stakes winner Dark Charger (by Depth Charge) and juvenile stakes winner Can’t Please (by Fighting Step). Dog Blessed is also a half sister to Darby Damozel (by War Admiral), dam of 1962 Chicagoan Handicap and Sheridan Stakes winner Summer Savory (by Summer Tan) and second dam of Grade 3 winner Ziba Blue. In addition, Dog Blessed is a half sister to Step’s Girl (by Fighting Step), dam of stakes winner I Step (by I Will).
Dog Blessed, in turn, is out of stakes winner Blessed Again (by Blue Larkspur), a half sister to the stakes-winning colts Bold Lover (by Black Toney) and Bryan Station (by Balladier). Produced from the hardy Irish import Clonaslee (by Orpiment), Blessed Again is also a half sister to stakes-placed We Hail, dam of 1952 Matron Stakes winner Is Proud (by Hampden) and of the important broodmare Iltis (by War Relic).
Fun facts
Last updated: August 31, 2022
Race record
42 starts, 25 wins, 8 seconds, 1 third, US$269,530
1955:
- Won Tyro Stakes (USA, 5.5FD, Monmouth; new track record 1:04)
- Won Bay State Kindergarten Stakes (USA, 5FD, Suffolk Downs; new track record :58-1/5)
- Won Narragansett Nursery Stakes (USA, 5.5FD, Narragansett Park)
- Won De Soto Handicap (USA, 5.5FD, Tropical Park)
- Won Dade County Handicap (USA, 6FD, Tropical Park)
- 2nd Sapling Stakes (USA, 6FD, Monmouth)
1956:
- Won Hibiscus Stakes (USA, 6FD, Hialeah)
- Won Select Handicap (USA, 6FD, Monmouth)
- Won Oceanport Handicap (second division) (USA, 6FD, Monmouth)
- Won Inaugural Handicap (first division) (USA, 5.5FD, Tropical Park; equaled world record 1:03-1/5)
- Won Coral Gables Handicap (USA, 6FD, Tropical Park; equaled track record 1:09-2/5)
- Won Hutcheson Stakes (USA, 6.5FD, Gulfstream Park)
- 2nd Governor's Gold Cup (USA, 6FD, Bowie)
- 2nd Delaware Valley Stakes (USA, 6FD, Garden State)
- 2nd Sport Page Handicap (USA, 6FD, Jamaica)
- 2nd Wilson Handicap (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Princeton Handicap (USA, 6FD, Garden State)
1957:
- Won John Alden Handicap (USA, 6FD, Suffolk Downs)
- Won Princeton Handicap (USA, 6FD, Garden State)
- Won Longport Handicap (USA, 7FD, Atlantic City)
- Won Hialeah Inaugural Handicap (USA, 6FD, Hialeah)
- Won Rumson Handicap (USA, 6FD, Monmouth)
- Won Oceanport Handicap (USA, 6FD, Monmouth; new track record 1:08-2/5)
- Won New Year's Handicap (USA, 6FD, Tropical Park; equaled track record 1:09-2/5)
- 2nd Bristol Handicap (USA, 6FD, Narragansett Park)
Honors
American champion sprinter (1956, 1957)
Assessments
Rated at 116 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1955, 10 pounds below highweighted Career Boy and 9 pounds below the official co-champions, Nail and Needles.
As an individual
A well-balanced though plain bay horse of miler type, Decathlon stood 15.3 hands and weighed 950 pounds. His pasterns were slightly long but his legs were otherwise correct. He preferred to take control of his races from the start but could come from off the pace if necessary and was dead game in a drive. He was a good weight carrier. Although Rollie Shepp usually avoided running him on off surfaces, he did win in the mud and also on turf. He was not tried over longer distances due to concerns about his awkward gait.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Decathlon sired 165 winners (65.2%) and 12 stakes winners (4.7%) from 253 foals.
Notable progeny
Western Warrior (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Marble Arch (USA), Pudiente (VEN)
Connections
Foaled at Hurstland Farm in Kentucky, Decathlon was bred by the Nuckols Brothers. A US$15,000 purchase from the Keeneland yearling sales, he was owned by Robert J. Dienst’s River Divide Farm. He was trained by Rollie Shepp. He stood at Darby Dan Farm.
Pedigree notes
Decathlon is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to 1961 Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap winner Prince Blessed (by Princequillo) and to multiple stakes-placed Bless Pat (by Pavot), dam of stakes winner Bless This Horse (by Stage Door Johnny) and third dam of Canadian Grade 3 winner Ask Muhammad. He is also a half brother to Come On (by Requested), dam of stakes winners David M. (by Tudor Grey) and Come Up (by Crossing) and second dam of 1983 Preakness Stales (USA-G1) winner Deputed Testamony. In addition, he is a half brother to Bless the Bride (by Helioscope), second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Sixty Sails.
Decathlon and his siblings are out of the winner Dog Blessed, a half sister to juvenile stakes winner Gee Whiz (by Johnstown) and to Oswellblessed (by Boswell), dam of 1955 Adirondack Stakes winner Dark Charger (by Depth Charge) and juvenile stakes winner Can’t Please (by Fighting Step). Dog Blessed is also a half sister to Darby Damozel (by War Admiral), dam of 1962 Chicagoan Handicap and Sheridan Stakes winner Summer Savory (by Summer Tan) and second dam of Grade 3 winner Ziba Blue. In addition, Dog Blessed is a half sister to Step’s Girl (by Fighting Step), dam of stakes winner I Step (by I Will).
Dog Blessed, in turn, is out of stakes winner Blessed Again (by Blue Larkspur), a half sister to the stakes-winning colts Bold Lover (by Black Toney) and Bryan Station (by Balladier). Produced from the hardy Irish import Clonaslee (by Orpiment), Blessed Again is also a half sister to stakes-placed We Hail, dam of 1952 Matron Stakes winner Is Proud (by Hampden) and of the important broodmare Iltis (by War Relic).
Fun facts
- Decathlon’s barn name was “Daddy.”
- In track and field, the decathlon is an event testing male athletes in ten different disciplines, which span running, jumping, pole vaulting, and throwing the shot put, discus, and javelin. The winner of the Olympic gold medal in the decathlon is traditionally accorded the title, “King of Athletes.” The corresponding event for women is the heptathlon, covering seven disciplines.
Last updated: August 31, 2022