Free House (USA)
March 22, 1994 – July 19, 2004
Smokester (USA) x Fountain Lake (USA), by Vigors (USA)
Family 8-g
March 22, 1994 – July 19, 2004
Smokester (USA) x Fountain Lake (USA), by Vigors (USA)
Family 8-g
A tough, highly competitive horse, Free House had the bad luck to be foaled in the same crop with an even more determined competitor, Silver Charm. Nonetheless, Free House won his share in top company including three wins against his rival. A two-time California-bred Horse of the Year, Free House retired to stud in his native state but died young.
Race record
22 starts, 9 wins, 5 seconds, 3 thirds, US$6,944,369
1996:
1997:
1998:
1999:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1996, 11 pounds below champion Boston Harbor.
Rated at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1999 1 pound below champion Victory Gallop and tied with Behrens,
As an individual
A gray, Free House was a powerfully built horse standing 16.2 hands. Both his eyes were ringed with white, giving him a wild look. He was a slow learner and inclined to spook easily as a youngster but proved a determined competitor on the track who according to co-owner Trudy McCaffery “loved to run.” He was a good mover.
As a stallion
Free House led the California freshman sire list in 2003. According to Jockey Club records, Free House sired 94 winners (51.1%) and 3 stakes winners (1.6%) from 184 named foals. His best runner was Grade 2 winner House of Fortune.
Connections
Foaled in California, Free House was bred and owned by John Toffan and Trudy McCaffery. He was trained by J. Paco Gonzalez. He entered stud in California in 2000 at Vessels Stud Farm. He died in 2004 after falling and striking his head.
Pedigree notes
Free House is inbred 5x5 to two-time English/Irish champion sire Nearco, an unbeaten champion on the race course. He is out of the restricted Cal-bred stakes winner Fountain Lake, a half sister to restricted stakes winner Carnival Pursuit (by Jose Binn). His second dam, the Icecapade mare Hotsie Totsie, is out of stakes winner Justaguest (by Groton), a half sister to multiple stakes winner Shot n' Missed (by Naskra).
Books and media
Free House's rivalry with Silver Charm was featured as the 18th chapter of Horse Racing's Greatest Rivalries (2008, Eclipse Press), a compilation produced by the staff of The Blood-Horse.
Fun facts
Last updated: October 25, 2021
Race record
22 starts, 9 wins, 5 seconds, 3 thirds, US$6,944,369
1996:
- Won Norfolk Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
1997:
- Won Santa Anita Derby (USA-G1, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- Won San Felipe Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Swaps Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Hollywood)
- 2nd Preakness Stakes (USA-G1, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- 2nd San Vicente Stakes (USA-G3, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Kentucky Derby (USA-G1, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- 3rd Buick Haskell Invitational Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Monmouth)
- 3rd Belmont Stakes (USA-G1, 12FD, Belmont)
1998:
- Won Pacific Classic Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Del Mar)
- Won Bel Air Handicap (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Hollywood)
- 2nd Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Santa Anita)
1999:
- Won Santa Anita Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Santa Anita)
- Won San Antonio Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Pimlico Special Handicap (USA-G1, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
Honors
- California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 2006)
- Arcadia Historical Society's Racing Walk of Champions (inducted as part of the inaugural class in 2014)
- California-bred Horse of the Year (1997, 1998)
- California-bred champion 3-year-old male (1997)
- California-bred champion older male (1998)
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1996, 11 pounds below champion Boston Harbor.
Rated at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1999 1 pound below champion Victory Gallop and tied with Behrens,
As an individual
A gray, Free House was a powerfully built horse standing 16.2 hands. Both his eyes were ringed with white, giving him a wild look. He was a slow learner and inclined to spook easily as a youngster but proved a determined competitor on the track who according to co-owner Trudy McCaffery “loved to run.” He was a good mover.
As a stallion
Free House led the California freshman sire list in 2003. According to Jockey Club records, Free House sired 94 winners (51.1%) and 3 stakes winners (1.6%) from 184 named foals. His best runner was Grade 2 winner House of Fortune.
Connections
Foaled in California, Free House was bred and owned by John Toffan and Trudy McCaffery. He was trained by J. Paco Gonzalez. He entered stud in California in 2000 at Vessels Stud Farm. He died in 2004 after falling and striking his head.
Pedigree notes
Free House is inbred 5x5 to two-time English/Irish champion sire Nearco, an unbeaten champion on the race course. He is out of the restricted Cal-bred stakes winner Fountain Lake, a half sister to restricted stakes winner Carnival Pursuit (by Jose Binn). His second dam, the Icecapade mare Hotsie Totsie, is out of stakes winner Justaguest (by Groton), a half sister to multiple stakes winner Shot n' Missed (by Naskra).
Books and media
Free House's rivalry with Silver Charm was featured as the 18th chapter of Horse Racing's Greatest Rivalries (2008, Eclipse Press), a compilation produced by the staff of The Blood-Horse.
Fun facts
- Before each of his races, Free House got a kiss on the nose from co-owner Trudy McCaffery.
- In his eight races against Silver Charm, Free House won three and was third in the Belmont, in which Silver Charm was second. Free House was second to Silver Charm three times and was third in the Kentucky Derby with Captain Bodgit splitting the pair.
- Free House is the only horse to have swept Santa Anita's most important races for 2-year-olds (the Norfolk Stakes, renamed the FrontRunner Stakes as of 2012 and the American Pharoah Stakes as of 2018), 3-year-olds (the Santa Anita Derby), and older horses (the Santa Anita Handicap).
Last updated: October 25, 2021