Although Pharamond II won the important Middle Park Plate as a juvenile, he was probably not as good a racehorse as his year-older brother Sickle and his victory was considered something of a fluke. Sold for export to the United States after his racing career, he proved a much better stallion than racer and succeeded in establishing a male line leading to the great Buckpasser.
Race record
11 starts, 2 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third, £3,695
1927:
1928:
Assessments
Rated at 110 pounds on the Free Handicap for English juveniles of 1927, 16 pounds below co-highweights Fairway, Hermit II and Buland.
As an individual
Pharamond II was a small, blocky horse who, like his dam Selene, was considered to have legs somewhat short for his height. Photographs suggest he was light-boned and tied in below the knee, and his shoulders and pasterns were both rather upright.
As a stallion
According to The Jockey Club, he sired 272 winners (68.2%) and 35 stakes winners (8.8%) from 399 named foals. Pharamond II was considered an influence for speed and precocity and often transmitted extremely strong hindquarters.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
Per The Blood-Horse:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Athenia (USA), Apogee (USA), By Jimminy (USA), Cosmic Bomb (USA), Creole Maid (USA), High Glee (USA), Menow (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Kiss Me Kate (USA), Moonrush (USA), Natchez (USA), Rash Statement (USA), Sweet Dream (USA), Tea-Maker (USA)
Connections
Pharamond II was bred and owned by the 17th Earl of Derby. He was trained by George Lambton at 2 and by Frank Butters at 3. After his racing career, Pharamond II was purchased for £4,000 by a syndicate headed by Hal Price Headley, who bought Pharamond II outright for US$7,500 when the syndicate was dissolved in 1932. Pharamond II stood at Headley's Beaumont Farm throughout his stud career and was buried there in an unmarked grave after his death in 1952.
Pedigree notes
Pharamond II is inbred 3x4 to Cyllene, 4x3 to St. Simon and 5x4 to St. Simon's sire Galopin. He is a full brother to the good English juvenile Sickle, a two-time leading sire in the United States, and a half brother to dual Classic winner and six-time English leading sire Hyperion (by Gainsborough) and 1929 Newmarket Stakes winner Hunter's Moon (by Hurry On), a champion sire in Brazil (1953) and Peru (1944) and leader of the Argentine broodmare sire list in 1954. Pharamond II's dam Selene also produced 1939 Yorkshire Oaks winner Night Shift (by Trimdon); the stakes-winning gelding Guiscard (by Gay Crusader); stakes-placed Coronal (by Coronach), dam of two-time leading Chilean sire Afghan II (by Mahmoud); and stakes producers Hecate (by Felstead), New Moon (by Solfo) and All Moonshine (by Bobsleigh). The last-named mare's son Mossborough (by Nearco) was the leading sire in England and Ireland in 1958 thanks to his great son Ballymoss.
The best English filly of her crop at both 2 and 3, Selene is a half sister to 1923 One Thousand Guineas and St. Leger Stakes winner Tranquil (by Chaucer's half brother Swynford) and to Bosworth, winner of the Ascot Gold Cup. Selene's dam Serenissima (by 1909 Derby Stakes winner Minoru) is out of Gondolette (by Loved One), a foundation mare for Lord Derby's stud who also produced 1918 One Thousand Guineas winner Ferry (by Swynford), 1924 Derby Stakes winner Sansovino (by Swynford), 1914 Dewhurst Stakes and 1915 Champion Stakes winner Let Fly (by White Eagle), stakes winners Great Sport (by Gallinule) and Piazzetta (by Chaucer's best son, Stedfast) and Dolabella (by White Eagle), dam of 1932 English champion 2-year-old filly Myrobella (by Tetratema) and second dam of 1942 Two Thousand Guineas winner Big Game.
Books and media
Pharamond II is profiled along with his son Menow in Chapter 31 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
Last updated: December 23, 2023
Race record
11 starts, 2 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third, £3,695
1927:
- Won Middle Park Plate (ENG, 6FT, Newmarket)
- 2nd Lancashire Breeders' Produce Stakes (ENG, Liverpool)
- 2nd Buckenham Post Produce Stakes (ENG, 5f + 134yT, Newmarket)
- 3rd Windsor Castle Stakes (ENG, 5FT, Ascot)
1928:
- Won Ellesmere Stakes (Eng, 11FT, Newmarket)
Assessments
Rated at 110 pounds on the Free Handicap for English juveniles of 1927, 16 pounds below co-highweights Fairway, Hermit II and Buland.
As an individual
Pharamond II was a small, blocky horse who, like his dam Selene, was considered to have legs somewhat short for his height. Photographs suggest he was light-boned and tied in below the knee, and his shoulders and pasterns were both rather upright.
As a stallion
According to The Jockey Club, he sired 272 winners (68.2%) and 35 stakes winners (8.8%) from 399 named foals. Pharamond II was considered an influence for speed and precocity and often transmitted extremely strong hindquarters.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- 4th on the American general sire list in 1937; 6th in 1944.
- 8th on the American broodmare sire list in 1949; 9th in 1948 and 1950; 10th in 1946.
- Led the American juvenile sire list in 1937.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- 2nd on the American general sire list in 1938; 4th in 1937; 5th in 1943; 6th in 1944; 7th in 1936.
- 6th on the American broodmare sire list in 1951 and 1952; 7th in 1954; 8th in 1949 and 1953; 9th in 1948 amd 1950; 10th in 1946.
- Led the American juvenile sire list in 1937 by number of winners.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 2nd on the American general sire list in 1938; 4th in 1937; 5th in 1943; 6th in 1944; 7th in 1936.
- 6th on the American broodmare sire list in 1952; 7th in 1954; 8th in 1949, 1950, and 1953; 9th in 1948; 10th in 1946.
Notable progeny
Athenia (USA), Apogee (USA), By Jimminy (USA), Cosmic Bomb (USA), Creole Maid (USA), High Glee (USA), Menow (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Kiss Me Kate (USA), Moonrush (USA), Natchez (USA), Rash Statement (USA), Sweet Dream (USA), Tea-Maker (USA)
Connections
Pharamond II was bred and owned by the 17th Earl of Derby. He was trained by George Lambton at 2 and by Frank Butters at 3. After his racing career, Pharamond II was purchased for £4,000 by a syndicate headed by Hal Price Headley, who bought Pharamond II outright for US$7,500 when the syndicate was dissolved in 1932. Pharamond II stood at Headley's Beaumont Farm throughout his stud career and was buried there in an unmarked grave after his death in 1952.
Pedigree notes
Pharamond II is inbred 3x4 to Cyllene, 4x3 to St. Simon and 5x4 to St. Simon's sire Galopin. He is a full brother to the good English juvenile Sickle, a two-time leading sire in the United States, and a half brother to dual Classic winner and six-time English leading sire Hyperion (by Gainsborough) and 1929 Newmarket Stakes winner Hunter's Moon (by Hurry On), a champion sire in Brazil (1953) and Peru (1944) and leader of the Argentine broodmare sire list in 1954. Pharamond II's dam Selene also produced 1939 Yorkshire Oaks winner Night Shift (by Trimdon); the stakes-winning gelding Guiscard (by Gay Crusader); stakes-placed Coronal (by Coronach), dam of two-time leading Chilean sire Afghan II (by Mahmoud); and stakes producers Hecate (by Felstead), New Moon (by Solfo) and All Moonshine (by Bobsleigh). The last-named mare's son Mossborough (by Nearco) was the leading sire in England and Ireland in 1958 thanks to his great son Ballymoss.
The best English filly of her crop at both 2 and 3, Selene is a half sister to 1923 One Thousand Guineas and St. Leger Stakes winner Tranquil (by Chaucer's half brother Swynford) and to Bosworth, winner of the Ascot Gold Cup. Selene's dam Serenissima (by 1909 Derby Stakes winner Minoru) is out of Gondolette (by Loved One), a foundation mare for Lord Derby's stud who also produced 1918 One Thousand Guineas winner Ferry (by Swynford), 1924 Derby Stakes winner Sansovino (by Swynford), 1914 Dewhurst Stakes and 1915 Champion Stakes winner Let Fly (by White Eagle), stakes winners Great Sport (by Gallinule) and Piazzetta (by Chaucer's best son, Stedfast) and Dolabella (by White Eagle), dam of 1932 English champion 2-year-old filly Myrobella (by Tetratema) and second dam of 1942 Two Thousand Guineas winner Big Game.
Books and media
Pharamond II is profiled along with his son Menow in Chapter 31 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
- Following Pharamond II's racing career, Lord Derby put him on the market at an asking price of £10,000. When Hal Price Headley went to England to examine Pharamond II, he only glimpsed the horse under poor lighting in a darkened stall but was afraid to ask for him to be taken out for examination in better light lest he betray his own marked interest. Instead, Headley returned to Kentucky and communicated his offer of £4,000 for Pharamond II by letter.
- Pharamond II was registered simply as “Pharamond” in the General Stud Book. The “II” was added to his name when he was imported to the United States and registered in the American Stud Book to avoid confusion with an American-bred horse, a 1927 colt by Phusla out of War Cross that never raced or stood at stud.
- Pharamond II finished second to his brother Sickle on the American general sire list in 1938, the only time that full brothers have finished 1-2 on the list.
Last updated: December 23, 2023