Irish Lad (USA)
1900 – 1925
Candlemas (GB) x Arrowgrass (USA), by Enquirer (USA) or Bramble (USA)
American Family 22
1900 – 1925
Candlemas (GB) x Arrowgrass (USA), by Enquirer (USA) or Bramble (USA)
American Family 22
Generally considered the best American juvenile of 1902, Irish Lad trained on to compete well at 3 and 4. His American stud career was brief due to the passage of the Hart-Agnew bill in New York, which effectively outlawed gambling at New York tracks and sent the American bloodstock market into a tailspin. Irish Lad was among the flood of American horses sent to Europe, in his case France, where he stood at Herman Duryea's Haras du Gazon. Although his chance to make a great name for himself as a sire was negatively impacted by the losses to French racing and bloodstock caused by World War I, Irish Lad contributed to Thoroughbred breeding through his daughter Banshee, a French Classic winner and a notable producer for Marcel Boussac. He also sired 1922 Prix de Diane (French Oaks) winner Pellsie and The Minx II, whose Colin daughter Comixa is the third dam of the modern foundation mare Golden Trail.
Race record
33 starts, 12 wins, 5 seconds, 2 thirds, US$99,250
1902:
1903:
1904:
Honors
American champion 2-year-old male (1902).
As an individual
A common-looking dark bay or brown horse, Irish Lad was criticized as being coarse and overly bulky. He saw both his 1904 and 1905 seasons curtailed by lameness and was retired after making only one unplaced start at 5. He was a highly-strung horse while in training.
As a stallion
Complete records are unavailable. Irish Lad appears in leading sire lists only once, when he was seventh on the French general sire list in 1913.
Notable progeny
Banshee (FR), Pellsie (FR)
Connections
Irish Lad was bred by Eugene Leigh. John Madden purchased the colt for US$2,250, then turned about and sold Irish Lad to the Westbury Stable (the nom de course for the partnership of Herman Duryea and Harry Payne Whitney) for US$17,500 plus another US$10,000 in contingencies based on Irish Lad's performance as a juvenile. Irish Lad was trained by Madden at 2 and by John Rogers at 3 and 4. Irish Lad spent most of his stud career in France at Duryea's Haras du Gazon and died there of old age in 1925.
Pedigree notes
Irish Lad is inbred 5x5 to the good 19th-century sire Sir Hercules. He is a half brother to multiple stakes winner Vulcain (by Kingston). His dam Arrowgrass is a half sister to Bootjack (by Bonnie Scotland), a good stakes winner at 3 and 5, and is out of the Jack Malone mare Sparrowgrass. The next dam in the tail-female line, Sally Crow (by Albion), is out of the Leviathan mare Ann Chase and is a full sister to Fannie Barrow, second dam of 1875 Kentucky Oaks winner Vinaigrette, 1880 Kentucky Oaks winner Longitude and 1885 Jerome Handicap winner Longview.
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photograph taken at Saratoga by C. Cook. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: November 6, 2021
Race record
33 starts, 12 wins, 5 seconds, 2 thirds, US$99,250
1902:
- Won Saratoga Special (USA, 5.5FD, Saratoga)
- Won Great Trial Stakes (USA, 6FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- Won Flatbush Stakes (USA)
1903:
- Won Brooklyn Handicap (USA, 10FD, Gravesend)
- Won Broadway Stakes (USA)
- Won Saratoga Champion Stakes (USA, 9FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Commonwealth Handicap (USA, 10FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- 2nd Merchants' and Citizens' Handicap (USA, 9FD, Saratoga)
1904:
- Won Metropolitan Handicap (USA, 8FD, Morris Park)
- Won Mermaid Handicap (USA)
- Won Advance Stakes (USA, 11FD, Sheepshead Bay; new world record 2:17-3/5)
- 2nd Brighton Handicap (USA, 10FD, Brighton Beach)
- 2nd Brooklyn Handicap (USA, 10FD, Gravesend)
- 3rd Suburban Handicap (USA, 10FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- 3rd Commonwealth Handicap (USA, 10FD, Sheepshead Bay)
Honors
American champion 2-year-old male (1902).
As an individual
A common-looking dark bay or brown horse, Irish Lad was criticized as being coarse and overly bulky. He saw both his 1904 and 1905 seasons curtailed by lameness and was retired after making only one unplaced start at 5. He was a highly-strung horse while in training.
As a stallion
Complete records are unavailable. Irish Lad appears in leading sire lists only once, when he was seventh on the French general sire list in 1913.
Notable progeny
Banshee (FR), Pellsie (FR)
Connections
Irish Lad was bred by Eugene Leigh. John Madden purchased the colt for US$2,250, then turned about and sold Irish Lad to the Westbury Stable (the nom de course for the partnership of Herman Duryea and Harry Payne Whitney) for US$17,500 plus another US$10,000 in contingencies based on Irish Lad's performance as a juvenile. Irish Lad was trained by Madden at 2 and by John Rogers at 3 and 4. Irish Lad spent most of his stud career in France at Duryea's Haras du Gazon and died there of old age in 1925.
Pedigree notes
Irish Lad is inbred 5x5 to the good 19th-century sire Sir Hercules. He is a half brother to multiple stakes winner Vulcain (by Kingston). His dam Arrowgrass is a half sister to Bootjack (by Bonnie Scotland), a good stakes winner at 3 and 5, and is out of the Jack Malone mare Sparrowgrass. The next dam in the tail-female line, Sally Crow (by Albion), is out of the Leviathan mare Ann Chase and is a full sister to Fannie Barrow, second dam of 1875 Kentucky Oaks winner Vinaigrette, 1880 Kentucky Oaks winner Longitude and 1885 Jerome Handicap winner Longview.
Fun facts
- Irish Lad's stable mascot was a West Indian goat, predictably named "Billy."
Photo credit
Photograph taken at Saratoga by C. Cook. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: November 6, 2021