Conceived in France but foaled in the United States, Olden Times represented a cross between a concentration of high-class American bloodlines and classic French breeding from the legendary program of Marcel Boussac. Essentially a miler, he could carry his speed long distances if not pressed early and was dangerous in any but the very best of company if the weights and the pace scenario were right. He was a good sire and broodmare sire and left a solid successor in the speedster Hagley but probably lost his best long-term chance of continuing his branch of the Man o’ War line with the premature death of his champion son Roving Boy.
Race record
54 starts, 17 wins, 10 seconds, 5 thirds, US$603,875
1960:
1961:
1962:
1963:
1964:
Assessments
Rated at 120 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1960, 6 pounds below divisional champion Hail to Reason.
Rated at 116 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1961, 10 pounds below divisional champion Carry Back.
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1962, 13 pounds below Horse of the Year and divisional champion Kelso.
Rated at 115 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1963, 21 pounds below Horse of the Year and divisional champion Kelso.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1964, 14 pounds below co-highweights Kelso (the divisional champion and Horse of the Year) and Gun Bow.
As an individual
A short-coupled bay horse of a rounded, muscular make, Olden Times was clean-legged and had fine rein length, an excellent shoulder, and powerful hindquarters over straight hind legs. He was an agile runner with the ability to thread his way through traffic and could be placed as his jockey wished. He was a major winner on both dirt and turf, though he had a tendency to run down behind and scrape his heels on dirt. He needed a lot of work to stay fit. He had a willing, good-natured disposition combined with an intense will to win. He stood 15.3 hands.
As a stallion
According to statistics kept by The Jockey Club, Olden Times sired 461 winners (66.6%) and 64 stakes winners (9.2%) from 692 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Per Thoroughbred Record (later Thoroughbred Times):
Notable progeny
Ancient Regime (USA), Roving Boy (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Collins (USA), Devil’s Orchid (USA), Johnny D. (USA), Miss Secreto (USA)
Connections
Foaled in California, Olden Times was bred and owned by Rex C. Ellsworth. He was trained by Meshach Tenney. In 1965, John R. Gaines purchased a substantial interest in Olden Times, and the horse entered stud in Kentucky at Gainesway Farm that year. Later, he stood at Moss Hill Farm near Lexington, Kentucky. He died in 1985.
Pedigree notes
Olden Times is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to multiple stakes winner Prove It Girl (by Prove It) and to stakes-placed Coloratura (by Scratch), dam of Italian juvenile stakes winner Caluso (by Whistler). He is also a half brother to Cream Puff (by Yatasto), dam of stakes winner Tyson’s Cream Puff (by Miles Tyson) and second dam of Venezuelan Group 2 winner Lord Ship and Grade 2 winner Always a Cinch.
Olden Times was produced from unraced Djenne, whose dam Teza (by 1941 Grand Prix de Deauville winner Jock) is a winning full sister to Merida II, dam of the good Irish stakes winner Tale of Two Cities (by Tehran; a two-time champion sire in Chile); of stakes winner Becky Lou (by Migoli), dam of the minor stakes winner One for Ed (by One for All); and of Tres Elegante (by Stardust), second dam of Chilean Group 2 winners Cripoli and Proteica and third dam of Chilean Group 2 winner Verrazano. Teza is also a half sister to 1949 Prix de la Salamandre winner Cosmopolia (by Djebel).
Teza, in turn, is out of Torissima (by Tourbillon), a half sister to 1939 French champion 3-year-old male and 1944 French champion sire Pharis (by Pharos). Produced from 1926 Prix de Malleret winner Carissima (by 1916 Two Thousand Guineas winner Clarissimus), Torissima is also a half sister to Caprifolia (by Astérus), dam of 1944 English champion 2-year-old filly Isle of Capri (by Fair Trial) and second dam of New Policy, winner of eight good stakes races in California. In addition, Torissima is a half sister to Liberation (by Bahram), dam of 1954 Ascot Gold Cup and 1955 Prix du Cadran winner Elpenor (by Owen Tudor) and 1949 Dewhurst Stakes winner Emperor (by Djebel).
Fun facts
Last updated: July 1, 2025
Race record
54 starts, 17 wins, 10 seconds, 5 thirds, US$603,875
1960:
- Won Haggin Stakes (USA, 5FD, Hollywood)
- Won Charles S. Howard Stakes (USA, 5.5FD, Hollywood)
- 2nd California Breeders' Trial Stakes (USA, 7FD, Santa Anita)
1961:
- Won California Breeders' Champion Stakes (3-year-olds) (first division) (USA, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Debonair Stakes (USA, 6FD, Hollywood)
- Won Malibu Stakes (USA, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd San Felipe Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Will Rogers Stakes (USA, 8FD, Hollywood)
- 2nd San Vicente Handicap (USA, 7FD, Santa Anita)
1962:
- Won San Juan Capistrano Handicap (USA, about 14FT, Santa Anita)
- Won San Antonio Handicap (USA, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Golden State Breeders' Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Hollywood)
- 2nd Santa Anita Handicap (USA, 10FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd San Fernando Stakes (USA, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Palos Verdes Handicap (USA, 6FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Californian Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Hollywood)
- 3rd Santa Anita Maturity (USA, 10FD, Santa Anita)
1963:
- Won San Pasqual Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd San Carlos Handicap (USA, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Palos Verdes Handicap (USA, 6FD, Santa Anita)
1964:
- Won Metropolitan Handicap (USA, 8FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Illinois Handicap (USA, 8FD, Arlington Park)
- Won San Pasqual Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Churchill Downs Handicap (USA, 7FD, Churchill Downs; new track record 1:21-4/5)
- 2nd Brooklyn Handcap (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Charles W. Bidwill Memorial Handicap (USA, 9FD, Hawthorne)
- 3rd Suburban Handicap (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Hawthorne Gold Cup (USA, 10FD, Hawthorne)
Assessments
Rated at 120 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1960, 6 pounds below divisional champion Hail to Reason.
Rated at 116 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1961, 10 pounds below divisional champion Carry Back.
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1962, 13 pounds below Horse of the Year and divisional champion Kelso.
Rated at 115 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1963, 21 pounds below Horse of the Year and divisional champion Kelso.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1964, 14 pounds below co-highweights Kelso (the divisional champion and Horse of the Year) and Gun Bow.
As an individual
A short-coupled bay horse of a rounded, muscular make, Olden Times was clean-legged and had fine rein length, an excellent shoulder, and powerful hindquarters over straight hind legs. He was an agile runner with the ability to thread his way through traffic and could be placed as his jockey wished. He was a major winner on both dirt and turf, though he had a tendency to run down behind and scrape his heels on dirt. He needed a lot of work to stay fit. He had a willing, good-natured disposition combined with an intense will to win. He stood 15.3 hands.
As a stallion
According to statistics kept by The Jockey Club, Olden Times sired 461 winners (66.6%) and 64 stakes winners (9.2%) from 692 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- 2nd on the American general sire list in 1977; 6th in 1974; 7th in 1975; 8th in 1976; 9th in 1973.
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 1982; 7th in 1983; 9th in 1986.
- Led the American juvenile sire list in 1982.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 2nd on the American general sire list in 1977; 6th in 1974; 7th in 1975; 8th in 1976; 9th in 1973.
- 2nd on the American broodmare sire list in 1982; 7th in 1983; 9th in 1986; 10th in 1987.
Per Thoroughbred Record (later Thoroughbred Times):
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 1982.
- Led the American juvenile sire list in 1982.
Notable progeny
Ancient Regime (USA), Roving Boy (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Collins (USA), Devil’s Orchid (USA), Johnny D. (USA), Miss Secreto (USA)
Connections
Foaled in California, Olden Times was bred and owned by Rex C. Ellsworth. He was trained by Meshach Tenney. In 1965, John R. Gaines purchased a substantial interest in Olden Times, and the horse entered stud in Kentucky at Gainesway Farm that year. Later, he stood at Moss Hill Farm near Lexington, Kentucky. He died in 1985.
Pedigree notes
Olden Times is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to multiple stakes winner Prove It Girl (by Prove It) and to stakes-placed Coloratura (by Scratch), dam of Italian juvenile stakes winner Caluso (by Whistler). He is also a half brother to Cream Puff (by Yatasto), dam of stakes winner Tyson’s Cream Puff (by Miles Tyson) and second dam of Venezuelan Group 2 winner Lord Ship and Grade 2 winner Always a Cinch.
Olden Times was produced from unraced Djenne, whose dam Teza (by 1941 Grand Prix de Deauville winner Jock) is a winning full sister to Merida II, dam of the good Irish stakes winner Tale of Two Cities (by Tehran; a two-time champion sire in Chile); of stakes winner Becky Lou (by Migoli), dam of the minor stakes winner One for Ed (by One for All); and of Tres Elegante (by Stardust), second dam of Chilean Group 2 winners Cripoli and Proteica and third dam of Chilean Group 2 winner Verrazano. Teza is also a half sister to 1949 Prix de la Salamandre winner Cosmopolia (by Djebel).
Teza, in turn, is out of Torissima (by Tourbillon), a half sister to 1939 French champion 3-year-old male and 1944 French champion sire Pharis (by Pharos). Produced from 1926 Prix de Malleret winner Carissima (by 1916 Two Thousand Guineas winner Clarissimus), Torissima is also a half sister to Caprifolia (by Astérus), dam of 1944 English champion 2-year-old filly Isle of Capri (by Fair Trial) and second dam of New Policy, winner of eight good stakes races in California. In addition, Torissima is a half sister to Liberation (by Bahram), dam of 1954 Ascot Gold Cup and 1955 Prix du Cadran winner Elpenor (by Owen Tudor) and 1949 Dewhurst Stakes winner Emperor (by Djebel).
Fun facts
- Olden Times was the first horse to lead the American broodmare sire list and the American juvenile sire list in the same year.
Last updated: July 1, 2025