Although Persimmon's full brother Diamond Jubilee won the English Triple Crown in 1900, Persimmon was generally acknowledged to have been the better racehorse given the quality of his competition. His main rival was the similarly sired St. Frusquin, who won the Middle Park Stakes when both were juveniles and defeated Persimmon in the Princess of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot at 3 with the aid of a 3-pound weight advantage. Persimmon won the Derby Stakes at his rival's expense and was clearly the best racehorse in England after St. Frusquin fell victim to career-ending tendon injuries in late summer. Continuing on as a 4-year-old, Persimmon became one of the few horses to complete the Ascot Gold Cup—Eclipse Stakes double before retiring to a brilliant if relatively short stud career.
Race record
9 starts, 7 wins, 1 second, 1 third, £34,706
1895:
1896:
1897:
Honors
As an individual
A bay horse, Persimmon stood 16.2 hands. He was an animal of nearly perfect elegance and symmetry other than for a plain head with slightly lopped ears. He was said to have been an awkward mover in his slow paces, though not at racing speed. He had the excitable disposition common to the St. Simon tribe but was generally amenable to human handling. He suffered career-ending injuries to both hocks from jarring on hard ground in the 1897 Eclipse Stakes.
As a stallion
Persimmon was the English/Irish champion sire of 1902, 1906, 1908 and 1912, and was among the top 10 English/Irish general sires on seven other occasions. He led the English/Irish broodmare sire list in 1914, 1915 and 1919 and was among the top ten English/Irish broodmare sires another eight times. He was also sixth on the French broodmare sire list in 1911.
Notable progeny
Keystone II (GB), Perola (GB), Prince Palatine (IRE), Sceptre (GB), Your Majesty (GB), Zinfandel (GB)
Connections
Persimmon was bred and owned by His Royal Highness Albert Edward, Prince of Wales. He was trained by Richard Marsh. He stood at the royal stud at Sandringham throughout his stud career. After fracturing his pelvis and a thigh in a fall in January 1908, Persimmon was placed in a sling but died the following month.
Pedigree notes
Persimmon is inbred 4x5 to Voltigeur, winner of the 1850 Derby Stakes and St. Leger Stakes. He is a full brother to the aforementioned Diamond Jubilee, a four-time champion sire in Argentina; to 1895 Jockey Club Cup winner Florizel II; and to Sandringham, who sired some stakes winners in the United States but had little lasting influence. In addition, Persimmon is a half brother to Barracouta (by Barcaldine), dam of 1899 Austrian Derby winner Llubar (by Friar Lubin).
Perdita II, the dam of Persimmon, was unattractive and temperamental, but she had enough talent to win the Ayr Gold Cup and dead-heat for the Liverpool Summer Cup. She is a half sister to Dorothy Draggletail (by Springfield), whose granddaughter Andromeda produced three Italian Classic winners in Arianna, Androclea and Ardea; another granddaughter, Willana, is the dam of 1929 Henckel-Rennen (German Two Thousand Guineas) winner Wilfried. Perdita II's dam, the Young Melbourne mare Hermione, was produced from La Belle Helene, by 1860 St. Leger Stakes winner St. Albans
Books and media
Persimmon is one of 51 stallions profiled in Joe Palmer's Names in Pedigrees (1939, The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; second printing, 1974).
Fun facts
Race record
9 starts, 7 wins, 1 second, 1 third, £34,706
1895:
- Won Coventry Stakes (ENG, 5.5FT, Ascot)
- Won Richmond Stakes (ENG, 6FT, Goodwood)
- 3rd Middle Park Stakes (ENG, 6FT, Newmarket)
1896:
- Won Derby Stakes (ENG, 12FD, Epsom)
- Won St. Leger Stakes (ENG, about 14.5FD, Doncaster)
- Won Jockey Club Stakes (ENG, 10FT, Newmarket)
- 2nd Princess of Wales Stakes (ENG, 12FT, Ascot)
1897:
- Won Ascot Gold Cup (ENG, 20FT, Ascot)
- Won Eclipse Stakes (ENG, 10FT, Sandown)
Honors
- English co-champion 3-year-old male (1896)
- English champion older male (1897)
As an individual
A bay horse, Persimmon stood 16.2 hands. He was an animal of nearly perfect elegance and symmetry other than for a plain head with slightly lopped ears. He was said to have been an awkward mover in his slow paces, though not at racing speed. He had the excitable disposition common to the St. Simon tribe but was generally amenable to human handling. He suffered career-ending injuries to both hocks from jarring on hard ground in the 1897 Eclipse Stakes.
As a stallion
Persimmon was the English/Irish champion sire of 1902, 1906, 1908 and 1912, and was among the top 10 English/Irish general sires on seven other occasions. He led the English/Irish broodmare sire list in 1914, 1915 and 1919 and was among the top ten English/Irish broodmare sires another eight times. He was also sixth on the French broodmare sire list in 1911.
Notable progeny
Keystone II (GB), Perola (GB), Prince Palatine (IRE), Sceptre (GB), Your Majesty (GB), Zinfandel (GB)
Connections
Persimmon was bred and owned by His Royal Highness Albert Edward, Prince of Wales. He was trained by Richard Marsh. He stood at the royal stud at Sandringham throughout his stud career. After fracturing his pelvis and a thigh in a fall in January 1908, Persimmon was placed in a sling but died the following month.
Pedigree notes
Persimmon is inbred 4x5 to Voltigeur, winner of the 1850 Derby Stakes and St. Leger Stakes. He is a full brother to the aforementioned Diamond Jubilee, a four-time champion sire in Argentina; to 1895 Jockey Club Cup winner Florizel II; and to Sandringham, who sired some stakes winners in the United States but had little lasting influence. In addition, Persimmon is a half brother to Barracouta (by Barcaldine), dam of 1899 Austrian Derby winner Llubar (by Friar Lubin).
Perdita II, the dam of Persimmon, was unattractive and temperamental, but she had enough talent to win the Ayr Gold Cup and dead-heat for the Liverpool Summer Cup. She is a half sister to Dorothy Draggletail (by Springfield), whose granddaughter Andromeda produced three Italian Classic winners in Arianna, Androclea and Ardea; another granddaughter, Willana, is the dam of 1929 Henckel-Rennen (German Two Thousand Guineas) winner Wilfried. Perdita II's dam, the Young Melbourne mare Hermione, was produced from La Belle Helene, by 1860 St. Leger Stakes winner St. Albans
Books and media
Persimmon is one of 51 stallions profiled in Joe Palmer's Names in Pedigrees (1939, The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; second printing, 1974).
Fun facts
- Persimmon's narrow victory over St. Frusquin in the 1896 Derby Stakes was one of the earliest horse races ever captured on film. Created by Robert W. Paul, the film was a popular attraction at London's Alhambra Music Hall during the summer of 1896.
- Campbell Rae-Brown composed the ballad “The Prince's Derby” in honor of the Prince of Wales' Derby victory with Persimmon.
- Following Persimmon's death, the English artist Adrian Jones created a life-sized bronze sculpture of the stallion which can still be seen at Sandringham.
- After Persimmon's death, his head was mounted by a taxidermist. It later became an exhibit at the National Horseracing Museum at Newmarket, England.
- In 1925, the London and North Eastern Railway named one of its locomotives for Persimmon. The Class A1 locomotive remained in service until June 1963.