A half brother to Fair Play, Friar Rock was probably an even better racehorse. Widely regarded as the best stayer of his day, he was the undisputed champion of his generation at 3. He was not as good a sire as Fair Play but did succeed in continuing the Rock Sand sire line in North America. His name persists in pedigrees mostly through his paternal grandson Eight Thirty and through some of his daughters.
Race record
21 starts, 9 wins, 1 second, 3 thirds, US$20,365
1915:
1916:
Honors
As an individual
A chestnut standing 15.3 hands, Friar Rock was a handsome, masculine individual with a Roman nose. Like his half brother Fair Play, he had excellent feet and legs. He also had a good shoulder and powerful hindquarters and was deep through the heart.
As a stallion
According to statistics kept by The Jockey Club, Friar Rock sired 83 winners (56.5%) and 15 stakes winners (10.2%) from 147 named foals. Sires and Dams of Stakes Winners 1925-1985 (Blood-Horse) credits Friar Rock with having sired 17 stakes winners (8.1%) from 209 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):
Notable progeny
Friar's Carse (USA), Heloise (USA), Inchcape (USA), Pilate (USA), Rockminster (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Askmenow (USA), Dinner Date (USA), Handcuff (USA), High Strung (USA), Pompoon (USA), Porter’s Mite (USA), Suntica (USA), Tintagel (USA), War Relic (USA), Woof Woof (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Friar Rock was bred and owned by August Belmont II and was trained by Sam Hildreth. Following the 1916 Saratoga meeting, Belmont sold Friar Rock to John E. Madden for a reported US$50,000. Madden, in turn, sold a half-interest to John Rosseter. The arrangement was for Friar Rock to alternate breeding seasons between Madden's Hamburg Place in Kentucky and Rosseter's Wikiup Stud in California, but during Friar Rock's first season in California (his second at stud), Rosseter became so enamored of the horse that he refused to send him back when the time came for Friar Rock to return East. Madden had to resort to the courts to get the horse back, and the partnership was eventually dissolved by the sale of Friar Rock to William R. Coe. Friar Rock died of peritonitis at Coe's Shoshone Stud in January 1928. His stud career was probably negatively impacted by Rosseter, for the horse did not have access to nearly the quality of mares in California that he did in Kentucky.
Pedigree notes
Friar Rock is inbred 4x4 to Galopin and Hermit, both winners of the Derby Stakes in England and leading sires multiple times in that country. In addition, he is inbred 5x5x4 to Stockwell, a dual Classic winner whose prowess at stud earned him the nickname “The Emperor of Stallions.” He is a half brother to the fine racehorse and three-time leading American sire Fair Play (by Hastings) and to stakes winners Golden Measure (by Florizel II), Flittergold (by Hastings), and Fair Gain (by Rock Sand's son Vulcain). Friar Rock is also a half brother to Golden View (by Hastings), whose son Rock View (by Rock Sand) is generally considered the American champion 3-year-old male of 1913. Another daughter of Fairy Gold, St. Lucre (by St. Serf), produced the high-class French race mare and producer Zariba (by Sardanapale) and is the third dam of two-time American champion filly Bateau. Fairy Gold herself was a juvenile stakes winner in England and was produced from Dame Masham (by Galliard), whose dam Pauline is a full sister to 1888 Ascot Gold Cup winner Timothy and the good stakes winner Peter.
Books and media
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the estate of Walter Vosburgh; now in the private collection of Dale Wyatt. Used by permission.
Last updated: June 14, 2024
Race record
21 starts, 9 wins, 1 second, 3 thirds, US$20,365
1915:
- Won Adirondack Handicap (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
- Won Whirl Stakes (USA, 5.5FD, Belmont; new track record 1:03-4/5)
- 3rd Saratoga Special (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
1916:
- Won Belmont Stakes (USA, 11FD, Belmont)
- Won Brooklyn Handicap (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct; new track record 1:50)
- Won Suburban Handicap (USA, 10FD, Belmont)
- Won Saratoga Cup (USA, 14FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Saratoga Handicap (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Withers Stakes (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
Honors
- American Horse of the Year (1916)
- American champion 3-year-old male (1916)
As an individual
A chestnut standing 15.3 hands, Friar Rock was a handsome, masculine individual with a Roman nose. Like his half brother Fair Play, he had excellent feet and legs. He also had a good shoulder and powerful hindquarters and was deep through the heart.
As a stallion
According to statistics kept by The Jockey Club, Friar Rock sired 83 winners (56.5%) and 15 stakes winners (10.2%) from 147 named foals. Sires and Dams of Stakes Winners 1925-1985 (Blood-Horse) credits Friar Rock with having sired 17 stakes winners (8.1%) from 209 foals.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- 4th on the American broodmare sire list in 1939; 6th in 1940; 10th in 1937.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- 2nd on the American broodmare sire list in 1928; 4th in 1935 and 1938; 5th in 1940; 6th in 1930 and 1936; 7th in 1943; 8th in 1939; 10th in 1941.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 4th on the American broodmare sire list in 1935 and 1938; 5th in 1930 and 1940; 6th in 1936; 7th in 1943; 8th in 1939; 10th in 1941.
Notable progeny
Friar's Carse (USA), Heloise (USA), Inchcape (USA), Pilate (USA), Rockminster (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Askmenow (USA), Dinner Date (USA), Handcuff (USA), High Strung (USA), Pompoon (USA), Porter’s Mite (USA), Suntica (USA), Tintagel (USA), War Relic (USA), Woof Woof (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Friar Rock was bred and owned by August Belmont II and was trained by Sam Hildreth. Following the 1916 Saratoga meeting, Belmont sold Friar Rock to John E. Madden for a reported US$50,000. Madden, in turn, sold a half-interest to John Rosseter. The arrangement was for Friar Rock to alternate breeding seasons between Madden's Hamburg Place in Kentucky and Rosseter's Wikiup Stud in California, but during Friar Rock's first season in California (his second at stud), Rosseter became so enamored of the horse that he refused to send him back when the time came for Friar Rock to return East. Madden had to resort to the courts to get the horse back, and the partnership was eventually dissolved by the sale of Friar Rock to William R. Coe. Friar Rock died of peritonitis at Coe's Shoshone Stud in January 1928. His stud career was probably negatively impacted by Rosseter, for the horse did not have access to nearly the quality of mares in California that he did in Kentucky.
Pedigree notes
Friar Rock is inbred 4x4 to Galopin and Hermit, both winners of the Derby Stakes in England and leading sires multiple times in that country. In addition, he is inbred 5x5x4 to Stockwell, a dual Classic winner whose prowess at stud earned him the nickname “The Emperor of Stallions.” He is a half brother to the fine racehorse and three-time leading American sire Fair Play (by Hastings) and to stakes winners Golden Measure (by Florizel II), Flittergold (by Hastings), and Fair Gain (by Rock Sand's son Vulcain). Friar Rock is also a half brother to Golden View (by Hastings), whose son Rock View (by Rock Sand) is generally considered the American champion 3-year-old male of 1913. Another daughter of Fairy Gold, St. Lucre (by St. Serf), produced the high-class French race mare and producer Zariba (by Sardanapale) and is the third dam of two-time American champion filly Bateau. Fairy Gold herself was a juvenile stakes winner in England and was produced from Dame Masham (by Galliard), whose dam Pauline is a full sister to 1888 Ascot Gold Cup winner Timothy and the good stakes winner Peter.
Books and media
- Friar Rock is profiled in Chapter 3 of Abram S. Hewitt's Sire Lines (1977, The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; updated and re-released by Eclipse Press in 2006)
- Friar Rock is profiled in Chapter 4 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Friar Rock's trainer, Sam Hildreth, regarded him as the best horse over a distance of ground that he had ever seen.
- Like many descendants of Bend Or, Friar Rock had a coat marked with black spots. He transmitted these markings to his progeny with some regularity.
- Friar Rock was the second of five Belmont Stakes winners bred by August Belmont II. The others were Masterman (1902), Hourless (1916), Man o' War (1920), and Chance Shot (1927).
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the estate of Walter Vosburgh; now in the private collection of Dale Wyatt. Used by permission.
Last updated: June 14, 2024