Nail (USA)
1953 – c. 1974
Nirgal (FR) x No Strings (USA), by Occupation (USA)
Family 20-a
1953 – c. 1974
Nirgal (FR) x No Strings (USA), by Occupation (USA)
Family 20-a
Nail was a colt who had ability but clearly favored off going; he scored all three of his major victories as a 2-year-old over wet tracks. Troubled by physical problems at age 3, he never won after his juvenile season and sank into obscurity as a stallion.
Race record
20 starts, 5 wins, 2 seconds, 5 thirds, US$250,230
1955:
1956:
Honors
American co-champion 2-year-old male (1955)
Assessments
Rated at 125 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1953, tied with co-champion Needles but 1 pound below highweighted Career Boy.
As an individual
A gray horse, Nail was particularly effective on sloppy tracks. He was troubled by injuries as a 3-year-old and never recovered his earlier form.
As a stallion
According to records compiled by The Jockey Club, Nail sired 152 winners (66.1%) and five stakes winners (2.8%) from 230 named foals of racing age. His best runner was Rivet, a good stakes winner in California in the late 1960s.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Nail was bred by Henry Knight. He was owned by Josephine “Fifi” Bigelow (née Widener) and was trained by George Odom. Entered stud in 1957 in Kentucky at Almahurst Farm. He later stood at Rosalie Plantation in Louisiana.
Pedigree notes
Sired by 1945 French champion 2-year-old male Nirgal, Nail is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to 1961 Wood Memorial Stakes winner Globemaster (by Heliopolis) and to stakes-placed Featheredge II (by Nashua), dam of Irish stakes winner Greek Waters (by Summer Tan) and second dam of Grade 2 winner She Can and Spanish Group 3 winner Temblor. He is also a half brother to Heliostrings (by Heliopolis), second dam of 1974 Arlington-Washington Futurity (USA-G1) winner Greek Answer and 1980 Railway Stakes (IRE-G3) winner Lawmaker and fourth dam of 2000 American champion turf female Perfect Sting. Nail is also a half brother to stakes-placed Ashling (by Nashua), dam of 1971 Jersey Stakes (ENG-G3) winner Ashleigh II (by Ragusa).
Nail and his siblings are out of 1949 Modesty Stakes winner No Strings, whose sire Occupation (by Bull Dog) was a top American juvenile of 1942. A half sister to 1944 Bay Meadows Handicap winner Okana (by Okapi) and to juvenile stakes winner Silver Wings (by Mahmoud), No Strings is also a half sister to Smoky Gal (by King Cole), dam of stakes winner Thinking Man (by Royal Vale) and third dam of Grade 2 winner Private School, and to Pretty One (by Bull Dog), dam of 1965 Pan American Handicap winner Cool Prince (by Arctic Prince), second dam of 1976 Irish Sweeps Derby (IRE-G1) winner Malacate, and third dam of 1993/94 Australian Horse of the Year Mahogany, 1977 Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (USA-G1) winner Lucie Manet, and First Bout, a Group 1 winner under National Hunt rules. In addition, No Strings is a half sister to Princess Lea (by Bull Lea), dam of stakes winner Bargain Package (by Royal Charger) and third dam of Grade 2 winner Imbibe.
No Strings and her siblings were produced from the winning Blue Larkspur mare Irvana, whose half sister Camelina (by Bull Dog) is the dam of 1954 Washington Park Handicap winner Pet Bully (by Petrose) and the second dam of 1964 Margate Handicap winner Doll Ina. Irvana, in turn, is out of multiple stakes winner Princess Camelia (Royal Canopy x Sunmelia, by Sun Briar), a half sister to 1936 Arlington Handicap winner Sun Teddy (by Teddy), 1940 Newcastle Handicap winner Tedbriar (by Teddy), and stakes winner Tidy Sum (by Teddy’s Comet). Another half sibling to Princess Camelia, Tedmelia (by Teddy), is the dam of 1950 Travers Stakes winner Lights Up (by Eight Thirty) and second dam of 1950 Test Stakes winner Honey’s Gal, 1965 Jersey Belle Handicap winner Mount Regina, 1968 Fayette Handicap winner Yorkville, and the good steeplechaser My Last Try.
Fun facts
Last updated: November 26, 2024
Race record
20 starts, 5 wins, 2 seconds, 5 thirds, US$250,230
1955:
- Won Futurity Stakes (USA, 6.5FD, Belmont)
- Won Pimlico Futurity (USA, 8.5FD, Pimlico)
- Won Remsen Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Jamaica)
- 3rd National Stallion Stakes (Males) (USA, 5FD, Belmont)
1956:
- 2nd Experimental Free Handicap (USA, 6FD, Jamaica)
- 3rd Everglades Stakes (USA, 9FD, Hialeah)
- 3rd Gotham Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Jamaica)
Honors
American co-champion 2-year-old male (1955)
Assessments
Rated at 125 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1953, tied with co-champion Needles but 1 pound below highweighted Career Boy.
As an individual
A gray horse, Nail was particularly effective on sloppy tracks. He was troubled by injuries as a 3-year-old and never recovered his earlier form.
As a stallion
According to records compiled by The Jockey Club, Nail sired 152 winners (66.1%) and five stakes winners (2.8%) from 230 named foals of racing age. His best runner was Rivet, a good stakes winner in California in the late 1960s.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Nail was bred by Henry Knight. He was owned by Josephine “Fifi” Bigelow (née Widener) and was trained by George Odom. Entered stud in 1957 in Kentucky at Almahurst Farm. He later stood at Rosalie Plantation in Louisiana.
Pedigree notes
Sired by 1945 French champion 2-year-old male Nirgal, Nail is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to 1961 Wood Memorial Stakes winner Globemaster (by Heliopolis) and to stakes-placed Featheredge II (by Nashua), dam of Irish stakes winner Greek Waters (by Summer Tan) and second dam of Grade 2 winner She Can and Spanish Group 3 winner Temblor. He is also a half brother to Heliostrings (by Heliopolis), second dam of 1974 Arlington-Washington Futurity (USA-G1) winner Greek Answer and 1980 Railway Stakes (IRE-G3) winner Lawmaker and fourth dam of 2000 American champion turf female Perfect Sting. Nail is also a half brother to stakes-placed Ashling (by Nashua), dam of 1971 Jersey Stakes (ENG-G3) winner Ashleigh II (by Ragusa).
Nail and his siblings are out of 1949 Modesty Stakes winner No Strings, whose sire Occupation (by Bull Dog) was a top American juvenile of 1942. A half sister to 1944 Bay Meadows Handicap winner Okana (by Okapi) and to juvenile stakes winner Silver Wings (by Mahmoud), No Strings is also a half sister to Smoky Gal (by King Cole), dam of stakes winner Thinking Man (by Royal Vale) and third dam of Grade 2 winner Private School, and to Pretty One (by Bull Dog), dam of 1965 Pan American Handicap winner Cool Prince (by Arctic Prince), second dam of 1976 Irish Sweeps Derby (IRE-G1) winner Malacate, and third dam of 1993/94 Australian Horse of the Year Mahogany, 1977 Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (USA-G1) winner Lucie Manet, and First Bout, a Group 1 winner under National Hunt rules. In addition, No Strings is a half sister to Princess Lea (by Bull Lea), dam of stakes winner Bargain Package (by Royal Charger) and third dam of Grade 2 winner Imbibe.
No Strings and her siblings were produced from the winning Blue Larkspur mare Irvana, whose half sister Camelina (by Bull Dog) is the dam of 1954 Washington Park Handicap winner Pet Bully (by Petrose) and the second dam of 1964 Margate Handicap winner Doll Ina. Irvana, in turn, is out of multiple stakes winner Princess Camelia (Royal Canopy x Sunmelia, by Sun Briar), a half sister to 1936 Arlington Handicap winner Sun Teddy (by Teddy), 1940 Newcastle Handicap winner Tedbriar (by Teddy), and stakes winner Tidy Sum (by Teddy’s Comet). Another half sibling to Princess Camelia, Tedmelia (by Teddy), is the dam of 1950 Travers Stakes winner Lights Up (by Eight Thirty) and second dam of 1950 Test Stakes winner Honey’s Gal, 1965 Jersey Belle Handicap winner Mount Regina, 1968 Fayette Handicap winner Yorkville, and the good steeplechaser My Last Try.
Fun facts
- Nail was the leading Thoroughbred money winner bred by Henry Knight, who was the leading American breeder by number of winners in 1955-1957. Knight had previously been a highly successful breeder of Standardbreds and was responsible for the production of the great Greyhound (coincidentally, also a gray), who held 14 world records at one time or another during his career and is still considered by many to be the best American trotter of all time.
Last updated: November 26, 2024