A lucky horse to make it to the races at all, Pilate showed some ability but was far removed from the top class. As a stallion prospect, his pedigree also told against him, as his sire Friar Rock had not been particularly successful (albeit with some excuses) and his dam came from a female family that had not produced a decent sire in generations. Pilate overcame the supposed limitations of his race record and pedigree to continue the male line of his grandsire Rock Sand.
Race record
44 starts, 24 wins, 5 seconds, 3 thirds, US$22,920
1931:
1932:
1933:
Assessments
Pilate was rated by Abram S. Hewitt (Sire Lines) as some 15 pounds below the best of his crop in form, but his true ability is hard to determine as he cracked a stifle as an early 2-year-old and contracted pneumonia before he could start as a 3-year-old, leaving him with a wind impediment. He then developed an infection in an ankle which left the joint permanently stiffened—all this before he ever started in a race.
As an individual
A strongly-made chestnut of medium size with a Roman nose, Pilate had an unusually straight, strong hind leg and plenty of speed. Considering the handicaps he overcame to race at all, he must be considered quite a tough racehorse. Like his sire Friar Rock, Pilate had black “Bend Or” spots scattered liberally through his coat.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Pilate sired 213 winners (79.5%) and 23 stakes winners (8.6%) from 268 named foals. Pilate is a Classic chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual series:
Per The Blood-Horse:
Notable progeny
Eight Thirty (USA), Lovely Night (USA), Phalanx (USA), Platter (USA), Royal Governor (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Oh Johnny (USA), Parlo (USA)
Connections
Foaled at Shoshone Stud in Kentucky, Pilate was bred and owned by William R. Coe, who lost the horse to a claim by John Whalen after Pilate's maiden victory. Pilate was eventually acquired by former jockey Andy Schuttinger prior to the end of Pilate's racing career. After standing one season at Schuttinger's farm in New Jersey, Pilate was reacquired by Coe in trade for two fillies. Pilate was then resold in the fall 1935 dispersal of Coe's Shoshone Stud, going to B. B. Jones for US$4,600, and transferred to Jones' Audley Farm near Berryville, Virginia. He later stood at Montana Hall Stud near White Post, Virginia; this farm was owned by Abram S. Hewitt, who had become a partner in the horse immediately after his acquisition by Jones.
Pedigree notes
Pilate is inbred 3x5 to 1880 Derby Stakes winner Bend Or and 5x5x5 to 1867 Derby Stakes winner and seven-time English champion sire Hermit. He is a half brother to multiple stakes winners Black Majesty (by Black Toney) and Bluebeard (by Blue Larkspur) and to Herodiade (by Over There), second dam of 1943 Arlington Futurity winner Jezrahel, 1946 Arlington Futurity winner Cosmic Bomb and 1949 Hollywood Lassie Stakes winner Fleet Rings and third dam of 1955 Garden State Stakes winner and four-time American champion broodmare sire Prince John, 1965 Display Handicap winner Brave Lad and the good multiple stakes winner Seafes. In addition, Pilate is a half brother to Pompalo (by Pompey), dam of Canadian stakes winners Grandpal (by Granville) and Ompalo (by Sweepster), and to Crotala (by Black Toney), second dam of 1948 Gulfstream Park Handicap winner Rampart, 1950 Gold Cup winner Greek Ship, 1948 Travers Stakes winner Ace Admiral, 1955 Suburban Handicap winner Helioscope, 1948 Choice Stakes winner Noble Hero and 1952 Florida Derby winner Sky Ship. Crotala is also the third dam of 1962 Hollywood Derby winner Drill Site.
Pilate's dam Herodias was imported to the United States as a yearling and won five races. A daughter of the great speed influence The Tetrarch, she is a half sister to Lemonora (by Lemberg), who won the 1921 Grand Prix de Paris but was a bad sire. Her dam Honora (by Gallinule) is out of the Saraband mare Word of Honour, whose dam Geheimniss (by Rosicrucian) won the 1882 Oaks Stakes and was regarded by trainer John Porter as the superior of her stablemate Shotover, a filly who won that year's Two Thousand Guineas and Derby Stakes against the colts.
Books and media
Pilate is profiled in Chapter 4 of Abram S. Hewitt's Sire Lines (1977, The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; updated and re-released in 2006 by Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the collection of Quarter Horse Record (Susan Larkin); used by permission.
Last updated: August 8, 2021
Race record
44 starts, 24 wins, 5 seconds, 3 thirds, US$22,920
1931:
- 2nd Maryland Handicap (USA, 10FD, Laurel)
1932:
- New track record of 1:41-4/5 for a mile and 70 yards on dirt at Laurel
1933:
- Won Paumonok Handicap (USA, 6FD, Jamaica)
Assessments
Pilate was rated by Abram S. Hewitt (Sire Lines) as some 15 pounds below the best of his crop in form, but his true ability is hard to determine as he cracked a stifle as an early 2-year-old and contracted pneumonia before he could start as a 3-year-old, leaving him with a wind impediment. He then developed an infection in an ankle which left the joint permanently stiffened—all this before he ever started in a race.
As an individual
A strongly-made chestnut of medium size with a Roman nose, Pilate had an unusually straight, strong hind leg and plenty of speed. Considering the handicaps he overcame to race at all, he must be considered quite a tough racehorse. Like his sire Friar Rock, Pilate had black “Bend Or” spots scattered liberally through his coat.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Pilate sired 213 winners (79.5%) and 23 stakes winners (8.6%) from 268 named foals. Pilate is a Classic chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual series:
- 3rd on the American general sire list in 1947; 4th in 1946 and 1948; 6th in 1949; 7th in 1950; 8th in 1951
Per The Blood-Horse:
- 3rd on the American general sire list in 1947; 4th in 1946 and 1948; 6th in 1949 and 1950; 8th in 1951.
- 10th on the American broodmare sire list in 1958.
Notable progeny
Eight Thirty (USA), Lovely Night (USA), Phalanx (USA), Platter (USA), Royal Governor (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Oh Johnny (USA), Parlo (USA)
Connections
Foaled at Shoshone Stud in Kentucky, Pilate was bred and owned by William R. Coe, who lost the horse to a claim by John Whalen after Pilate's maiden victory. Pilate was eventually acquired by former jockey Andy Schuttinger prior to the end of Pilate's racing career. After standing one season at Schuttinger's farm in New Jersey, Pilate was reacquired by Coe in trade for two fillies. Pilate was then resold in the fall 1935 dispersal of Coe's Shoshone Stud, going to B. B. Jones for US$4,600, and transferred to Jones' Audley Farm near Berryville, Virginia. He later stood at Montana Hall Stud near White Post, Virginia; this farm was owned by Abram S. Hewitt, who had become a partner in the horse immediately after his acquisition by Jones.
Pedigree notes
Pilate is inbred 3x5 to 1880 Derby Stakes winner Bend Or and 5x5x5 to 1867 Derby Stakes winner and seven-time English champion sire Hermit. He is a half brother to multiple stakes winners Black Majesty (by Black Toney) and Bluebeard (by Blue Larkspur) and to Herodiade (by Over There), second dam of 1943 Arlington Futurity winner Jezrahel, 1946 Arlington Futurity winner Cosmic Bomb and 1949 Hollywood Lassie Stakes winner Fleet Rings and third dam of 1955 Garden State Stakes winner and four-time American champion broodmare sire Prince John, 1965 Display Handicap winner Brave Lad and the good multiple stakes winner Seafes. In addition, Pilate is a half brother to Pompalo (by Pompey), dam of Canadian stakes winners Grandpal (by Granville) and Ompalo (by Sweepster), and to Crotala (by Black Toney), second dam of 1948 Gulfstream Park Handicap winner Rampart, 1950 Gold Cup winner Greek Ship, 1948 Travers Stakes winner Ace Admiral, 1955 Suburban Handicap winner Helioscope, 1948 Choice Stakes winner Noble Hero and 1952 Florida Derby winner Sky Ship. Crotala is also the third dam of 1962 Hollywood Derby winner Drill Site.
Pilate's dam Herodias was imported to the United States as a yearling and won five races. A daughter of the great speed influence The Tetrarch, she is a half sister to Lemonora (by Lemberg), who won the 1921 Grand Prix de Paris but was a bad sire. Her dam Honora (by Gallinule) is out of the Saraband mare Word of Honour, whose dam Geheimniss (by Rosicrucian) won the 1882 Oaks Stakes and was regarded by trainer John Porter as the superior of her stablemate Shotover, a filly who won that year's Two Thousand Guineas and Derby Stakes against the colts.
Books and media
Pilate is profiled in Chapter 4 of Abram S. Hewitt's Sire Lines (1977, The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; updated and re-released in 2006 by Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Pilate's human namesake is Pontius Pilate, a first-century Roman procurator of Judea known to history as the man who condemned Jesus of Nazareth to crucifixion after a judicial hearing in which he found him innocent of any crime against Roman law.
- Pilate won his first start in a US$3,000 maiden claimer. According to Abram Hewitt, the primary reason the colt was entered in the race was trainer Bennett Creech's desire to spite W. R. Coe's stud manager, Phil Chinn, who had told Coe that he believed Pilate to be a high-class colt. Unfortunately for Coe, he was the loser out of the feud as Pilate was claimed out of the race by John Whalen.
- According to Charles Hatton of the Daily Racing Form, Pilate doubled as a teaser until the emergence of his high-class sons Eight Thirty and Lovely Night.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the collection of Quarter Horse Record (Susan Larkin); used by permission.
Last updated: August 8, 2021