Lemhi Gold (USA)
March 23, 1978 – 2002
Vaguely Noble (IRE) x Belle Marie (USA), by Candy Spots (USA)
Family 14-b
March 23, 1978 – 2002
Vaguely Noble (IRE) x Belle Marie (USA), by Candy Spots (USA)
Family 14-b
A hard-luck horse as a youngster, Lemhi Gold did not race at all at 2 and missed the spring and early summer of his 3-year-old season after suffering a shin injury in his second start; and attempt to restart his 3-year-old campaign in late summer was aborted by a back injury. Patiently handled by trainer Laz Barrera, he proved himself to be a top horse on both dirt and turf at 4. Probably the best American stayer of his crop, he did not suit the American stallion market and ended up being exported to Germany and later to Croatia. Like most of Vaguely Noble’s top sons, he was a disappointment as a sire.
Race record
22 starts, 8 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third, US$1,129,635
1981:
1982:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion older male (1982)
Assessments
Rated at 113 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American turf males of 1981, 17 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year John Henry.
Rated at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1982, 2 pounds below highweighted Perrault (the American champion turf male) and 1 pound below John Henry.
Rated at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1982, 3 pounds below divisional champion Perrault and 2 pounds below John Henry.
As an individual
A chestnut horse, Lemhi Gold was well-made and short-coupled with a straight, strong hind leg. Trainer Laz Barrera described his disposition as “free-spirited” and “extroverted.”
As a stallion
According to records compiled by The Jockey Club, Lemhi Gold sired 158 winners (51.5%) and five stakes winners (1.6%) from 307 named foals of racing age. His best runner was Grade 2 winner Lemhi Go.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky at Stone Farm, Lemhi Gold was bred and owned by Aaron and Marie Jones. He was trained by Laz Barrera. He entered stud in Kentucky in 1983 at Gainesway Farm. In 1990, he was exported to West Germany, moving on to Croatia in 1997. In Croatia, he was owned by Ivan Glavaš. He died in 2002.
Pedigree notes
Lemhi Gold is inbred 4x5x5 to six-time English/Irish champion sire Hyperion, winner of the 1933 Derby Stakes and St. Leger Stakes. He is a half brother to Grade 3-placed stakes winner Cajun Prince (by Ack Ack) and to Belle Forbes, second dam of multiple Argentine Group 2 winner Huidiza Nib.
Belle Marie, the dam of Lemhi Gold, won the 1973 Santa Susana Stakes (USA-G2). She is a full sister to Exciting Devorcee, dam of 1985 Bold Ruler Stakes (USA-G2) winner Rocky Marriage (by Riva Ridge) and multiple stakes winners Lemhi Love (by Royal and Regal) and The Red Rolls (by Riva Ridge). Through Lemhi Love, she is the second dam of 2005 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (USA-G1) winner Dancing in Silks and Grade 3 winner Gin’s Majesty and the third dam of Grade 3 winner Super Majesty. Through another daughter, Stormy Divorce (by Storm Bird), Exciting Devorcee is also the second dam of Grade 3 winner False Promises and the third dam of Grade 3 winner Hey Byrn.
The next dam in Lemhi Gold’s female line, French Gal, won the 1964 Durazna Stakes. Sired by the stakes-winning juvenile Our Colonel (by Ky. Colonel, by Balladier), she is out of the English import Mademoiselle d’Or, a daughter of the speed influence Denturius from the Umidwar mare Orum Star.
Books and media
Footage of Lemhi Gold’s win in the 1982 Marlboro Gold Cup can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovmxhqF-TJk.
Fun facts
Last updated: February 19, 2024
Race record
22 starts, 8 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third, US$1,129,635
1981:
- Won Westwood Stakes (USA, 8.5FT, Hollywood)
- 2nd Jim Dandy Stakes (USA-G3, 9FD, Saratoga)
1982:
- Won Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Hollywood)
- Won Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (USA-G1, 12FD, Belmont)
- Won San Juan Capistrano Handicap (USA-G1, about 14FT, Santa Anita)
- Won Sword Dancer Stakes (USA-G2, 12FT, Belmont)
- Won San Marino Handicap (first division) (USA, 12FT, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Hollywood Invitational Handicap (USA-G1, 12FT, Hollywood)
- 3rd El Monte Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion older male (1982)
Assessments
Rated at 113 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American turf males of 1981, 17 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year John Henry.
Rated at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1982, 2 pounds below highweighted Perrault (the American champion turf male) and 1 pound below John Henry.
Rated at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1982, 3 pounds below divisional champion Perrault and 2 pounds below John Henry.
As an individual
A chestnut horse, Lemhi Gold was well-made and short-coupled with a straight, strong hind leg. Trainer Laz Barrera described his disposition as “free-spirited” and “extroverted.”
As a stallion
According to records compiled by The Jockey Club, Lemhi Gold sired 158 winners (51.5%) and five stakes winners (1.6%) from 307 named foals of racing age. His best runner was Grade 2 winner Lemhi Go.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky at Stone Farm, Lemhi Gold was bred and owned by Aaron and Marie Jones. He was trained by Laz Barrera. He entered stud in Kentucky in 1983 at Gainesway Farm. In 1990, he was exported to West Germany, moving on to Croatia in 1997. In Croatia, he was owned by Ivan Glavaš. He died in 2002.
Pedigree notes
Lemhi Gold is inbred 4x5x5 to six-time English/Irish champion sire Hyperion, winner of the 1933 Derby Stakes and St. Leger Stakes. He is a half brother to Grade 3-placed stakes winner Cajun Prince (by Ack Ack) and to Belle Forbes, second dam of multiple Argentine Group 2 winner Huidiza Nib.
Belle Marie, the dam of Lemhi Gold, won the 1973 Santa Susana Stakes (USA-G2). She is a full sister to Exciting Devorcee, dam of 1985 Bold Ruler Stakes (USA-G2) winner Rocky Marriage (by Riva Ridge) and multiple stakes winners Lemhi Love (by Royal and Regal) and The Red Rolls (by Riva Ridge). Through Lemhi Love, she is the second dam of 2005 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (USA-G1) winner Dancing in Silks and Grade 3 winner Gin’s Majesty and the third dam of Grade 3 winner Super Majesty. Through another daughter, Stormy Divorce (by Storm Bird), Exciting Devorcee is also the second dam of Grade 3 winner False Promises and the third dam of Grade 3 winner Hey Byrn.
The next dam in Lemhi Gold’s female line, French Gal, won the 1964 Durazna Stakes. Sired by the stakes-winning juvenile Our Colonel (by Ky. Colonel, by Balladier), she is out of the English import Mademoiselle d’Or, a daughter of the speed influence Denturius from the Umidwar mare Orum Star.
Books and media
Footage of Lemhi Gold’s win in the 1982 Marlboro Gold Cup can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovmxhqF-TJk.
Fun facts
- Lemhi Gold’s name was derived from Lemhi Creek in Idaho. Once the site of a gold mining camp, it later became the location of Aaron Jones’s summer retreat.
- Lemhi Gold’s Jockey Club Gold Cup was marred by no fewer than four horses going down in a chain reaction after race favorite Timely Writer shattered his left foreleg. Racing in front of the unfolding catastrophe, Lemhi Gold was not affected and went on to win easily, but Timely Writer and Johnny Dance were both so badly injured that they had to be euthanized on the track. Timely Writer was later buried in the Belmont Park infield, close to the grave of Ruffian.
- Although Lemhi Gold was voted the champion in the American older male division of 1982, he was rated third in both the older male and turf male divisions behind Perrault (who was voted the champion male grass horse) and John Henry by Daily Racing Form handicapperr Eual Wyatt Jr.
- Conquistador Cielo’s margin over Lemhi Gold in Eclipse Award voting for American Horse of the Year was the narrowest since the Eclipse Awards were instituted in 1971. Ironically, Conquistador Cielo (who had retired due to injury after the Travers Stakes at the end of the Saratoga meeting) remained in consideration for Horse of the Year precisely because Lemhi Gold had upset all the possible contenders in the older male division in the Marlboro Gold Cup and the Jockey Club Gold Cup.
- Lemhi Gold got into the Marlboro Gold Cup—an invitation-only race—only because Laz Barrera noticed on September 9 that his colt had not been invited to the September 18 race. When he talked to Pat O’Brien (who, with John T. Landry, had oversight of the race entries), he was told it was because Lemhi Gold was “a grass horse.” Barrera replied, “Well, consider him. This horse can go both ways.” After review of his race record, New York racing secretary Lenny Hale agreed with Barrera and recommended that Lemhi Gold be issued an invitation.
Last updated: February 19, 2024