Pennant (USA)
1911 – November 8, 1938
Peter Pan (USA) x Royal Rose (GB), by Royal Hampton (GB)
Family 8-c
1911 – November 8, 1938
Peter Pan (USA) x Royal Rose (GB), by Royal Hampton (GB)
Family 8-c
Pennant was neither particularly handsome nor particularly sound, but when he was right he was a brilliant sprinter-miler. He was Peter Pan's best son at stud and continued the male line to a still better horse, the great Equipoise.
Race record
12 starts, 9 wins, 1 second, 2 thirds, US$25,315
1913:
1916:
1917:
Assessments
Ranked fifth among American older males of 1916 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
Pennant was a coarse, heavy-topped brown horse with bad legs and feet and less than ideal hind legs; per Charles Hatton of the Daily Racing Form, his hocks were a bit out behind him. He was difficult to keep sound but had brilliant speed and was a good weight carrier, though he did not really stay much beyond a mile. He was blind by the time of his death in 1938.
As a stallion
Pennant's highest sire ranking was second on the American general sire list, which he reached in 1930. He was also fourth in 1932. fifth in 1928 and sixth in 1927 and 1933. According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Pennant sired 139 winners (59.1%) amd 37 stakes winners (15,7%) from 235 named foals. According to The Blood-Horse Silver Anniversary Edition (Blood-Horse), Pennant sired 155 winners (62.8%) and 39 stakes winners (15.8%) from 247 named foals. Bill Lathrop's Modern Conduit Mares credits Pennant with 40 stakes winners.
Notable progeny
Bunting (USA), Dauber (USA), Equipoise (USA), Flying Lee (USA), Jolly Roger (USA), Mary Jane (USA), Maud Muller (USA), Red Rain (USA), Schwester (USA), The Chief (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky at Castleton Stud, Pennant was bred by James R. Keene. He was owned by Harry Payne Whitney, who acquired Pennant for US$1,700 as a yearling. After Whitney's death, Pennant passed to his son C. V. “Sonny” Whitney. The stallion died in 1938.
Pedigree notes
Pennant is inbred 4x5 to 1851 St. Leger Stakes winner and two-time English champion sire Newminster. He is a full brother to Cherokee Rose II, a great foundation mare for the Whitney stud whose daughter Rosie O'Grady (by Hamburg) is the generally acknowledged American champion 2-year-old filly of 1917. Pennant is a half brother to the crack sprinter Iron Mask (by Disguise) and to juvenile stakes winner Transvaal (by Peter Pan's sire Commando).
Royal Rose, the dam of Pennant, was a minor stakes winner in England as a juvenile. She is a half sister to Pink Domino (by Domino), dam of two-time American champion Sweep and juvenile stakes winner Philander (both by Ben Brush) and second dam of 1910 American champion 2-year-old male Novelty. Royal Rose and her dam Belle Rose (by Beaudesert) were both imported to the United States by James R. Keene. The next dam in the female line, the Craig Millar mare Monte Rosa, also produced multiple English stakes winner Bradwardine (by Barcaldine). Monte Rosa is a half sister to the useful juvenile Bryonia (by Speculum), third dam of two-time Australian champion sire Linacre, and to 1889 Goodwood Stewards' Cup winner Dog Rose (by See Saw).
Books and media
Pennant is profiled in Chapter 39 of Abram S. Hewitt's Sire Lines (1977, The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; updated and re-released by Eclipse Press in 2006).
Fun facts
Race record
12 starts, 9 wins, 1 second, 2 thirds, US$25,315
1913:
- Won Futurity Stakes (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
1916:
- Won Delaware Handicap (USA, 8FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Brooklyn Handicap (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Champlain Handicap (USA, 9FD, Saratoga)
1917:
- Won Pimlico Spring Handicap (USA, 8F+70yD, Pimlico)
- Won Susquehanna Handicap (USA, 8F+70yD, Havre de Grace)
- Won Philadelphia Handicap (USA, 6FD, Havre de Grace)
Assessments
Ranked fifth among American older males of 1916 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
Pennant was a coarse, heavy-topped brown horse with bad legs and feet and less than ideal hind legs; per Charles Hatton of the Daily Racing Form, his hocks were a bit out behind him. He was difficult to keep sound but had brilliant speed and was a good weight carrier, though he did not really stay much beyond a mile. He was blind by the time of his death in 1938.
As a stallion
Pennant's highest sire ranking was second on the American general sire list, which he reached in 1930. He was also fourth in 1932. fifth in 1928 and sixth in 1927 and 1933. According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Pennant sired 139 winners (59.1%) amd 37 stakes winners (15,7%) from 235 named foals. According to The Blood-Horse Silver Anniversary Edition (Blood-Horse), Pennant sired 155 winners (62.8%) and 39 stakes winners (15.8%) from 247 named foals. Bill Lathrop's Modern Conduit Mares credits Pennant with 40 stakes winners.
Notable progeny
Bunting (USA), Dauber (USA), Equipoise (USA), Flying Lee (USA), Jolly Roger (USA), Mary Jane (USA), Maud Muller (USA), Red Rain (USA), Schwester (USA), The Chief (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky at Castleton Stud, Pennant was bred by James R. Keene. He was owned by Harry Payne Whitney, who acquired Pennant for US$1,700 as a yearling. After Whitney's death, Pennant passed to his son C. V. “Sonny” Whitney. The stallion died in 1938.
Pedigree notes
Pennant is inbred 4x5 to 1851 St. Leger Stakes winner and two-time English champion sire Newminster. He is a full brother to Cherokee Rose II, a great foundation mare for the Whitney stud whose daughter Rosie O'Grady (by Hamburg) is the generally acknowledged American champion 2-year-old filly of 1917. Pennant is a half brother to the crack sprinter Iron Mask (by Disguise) and to juvenile stakes winner Transvaal (by Peter Pan's sire Commando).
Royal Rose, the dam of Pennant, was a minor stakes winner in England as a juvenile. She is a half sister to Pink Domino (by Domino), dam of two-time American champion Sweep and juvenile stakes winner Philander (both by Ben Brush) and second dam of 1910 American champion 2-year-old male Novelty. Royal Rose and her dam Belle Rose (by Beaudesert) were both imported to the United States by James R. Keene. The next dam in the female line, the Craig Millar mare Monte Rosa, also produced multiple English stakes winner Bradwardine (by Barcaldine). Monte Rosa is a half sister to the useful juvenile Bryonia (by Speculum), third dam of two-time Australian champion sire Linacre, and to 1889 Goodwood Stewards' Cup winner Dog Rose (by See Saw).
Books and media
Pennant is profiled in Chapter 39 of Abram S. Hewitt's Sire Lines (1977, The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; updated and re-released by Eclipse Press in 2006).
Fun facts
- Pennant was the fifth consecutive horse bred by James R. Keene to win the Futurity Stakes, then the most important race for juveniles in the United States. The others were Colin (1907), Maskette (1908), Sweep (1909) and Novelty (1910). The race was not run in 1911 or 1912.
- In spite of his success at stud, Pennant averaged a mere 13 foals a crop. Used as a private stallion by the Whitneys, he was limited to a broodmare band that, while excellent, included many daughters of his own sire, Peter Pan. Further, through the 1931 breeding season, Pennant had to compete with Peter Pan himself for those mares free of Domino blood close up.