Precisionist (USA)
February 28, 1981 – September 27, 2006
Crozier (USA) x Excellently (USA), by Forli (ARG)
Family 11-g
February 28, 1981 – September 27, 2006
Crozier (USA) x Excellently (USA), by Forli (ARG)
Family 11-g
Versatile, tough, sound, and speedy, with the ability to carry his speed over 10 furlongs, Precisionist had every quality desirable in a stallion prospect for the American market except one: normal fertility. All but sterile, he was unable to carry on the male line of Tourbillon and was the last horse of direct male descent from Herod (as recorded in the world's major studbooks) to win a national championship on the flat in the United States.
Race record
46 starts, 20 wins, 10 seconds, 4 thirds, US$3,485,398
1983:
1984:
1985:
1986:
1988:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 118 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1983, 10 pounds below champion Devil’s Bag.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1984, 6 pounds below champion Swale but tied for third overall.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American older males of 1985, 2 pounds above second-rated Gate Dancer, Lord At War, Track Barron, and Vanlandingham (the official divisional champion).
Highweighted at 127 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American male sprinters of 1985, 1 pound above Mt. Livermore.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American older males of 1986, 1 pound above the official divisional champion, Turkoman.
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American older males of 1988, 8 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Alysheba.
As an individual
A powerfully made, exceptionally handsome chestnut horse with excellent balance and a long stride, Precisionist could be headstrong as a young horse and had chronic foot problems. He was rather highly strung as a racehorse but seemed to enjoy the routines of the track. He was laid off for 20 months fracturing his left foreleg in January 1987 and being retired to stud, only to be brought back to the races after he proved infertile.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Precisionist sired two winners (50.0%) and 0 stakes winners from four named foals. None of his foals came remotely close to matching his own ability, but one daughter, Preciseness, produced 1998 Tropical Park Derby (USA-G3) winner Draw Again (by Roman Diplomat).
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Precisionist was bred and owned by Fred Hooper’s Hooper Farm. He was trained by Russ Fenstermaker for the first 36 starts of his career, by John Russell for the next nine starts, and by Will Donovan for his last start. He was ridden to his Breeders’ Cup Sprint win by Chris McCarron, his regular jockey. Hooper sold a half interest to Arthur Appleton for US$4 million with the intent of standing the horse at Appleton’s Bridlewood Farm near Ocala, Florida, but when the horse proved infertile, Hooper refunded the money and had Precisionist put back in training. A pensioner at the Ocala-area farm of Dr. Siobhan Ellison from 1996 until he moved to the Old Friends retirement facility in Georgetown, Kentucky, in June 2006. The reason given for the move was that the horse was not tolerating the summer heat of Florida well and might benefit from a move to a somewhat cooler climate, Precisionist was humanely destroyed at Old Friends near Midway, KY, on September 27, 2006, due to an inoperable tumor.
Pedigree notes
Sired by 1963 Santa Anita Handicap winner Crozier (a son of My Babu), Precisionist is inbred 3x4 to Fred Hooper’s foundation sire, Olympia, and 5x4x6 to Olympia’s paternal grandsire, six-time English/Irish champion sire Hyperion. He is a half brother to Excellent Jet (by Tri Jet), dam of listed stakes winner Sir Brian’s Sword (by Sword Dance) and second dam of two-time Jamaican champion filly Aero Star and 2014 Jamaican champion 3-year-old colt Relampago. He is also a half brother to Precise Vision (by Visualizer), dam of listed stakes winner Insight to Cope (by Copelan).
Precisionist was produced from Excellently, an unplaced half sister to 1973 Futurity Stakes (USA-G1) winner Wedge Shot, stakes winner Pitching Wedge, and multiple stakes winner Eximous (all by Crozier). Excellently is also a half sister to Polly N. (by Quibu), dam of multiple stakes winner Motivity (by Crozier), and to Skillful Miss (by Daryl’s Joy), dam of Grade 2 winner Skillful Joy (by Nodouble) and third dam of 2001 Japan Cup (JPN-G1) winner Jungle Pocket and Japanese Group 3 winner Stalk and Ray.
Excellently and her siblings are out of stakes-placed Poliniss (by 1956 Arlington Futurity and Washington Park Futurity Greek Game). In turn, Poliness is out of the winning Polynesian mare Poloriot, whose dam Loriot is a stakes-winning daughter of Menow. The family came to the United Stakes via Loriot’s dam Aureole, an English import by the Gainsborough horse Rameses the Second.
Books and media
Footage of Precisionist’s win in the 1985 Breeders’ Cup Sprint can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbiqF4cAAHw.
Fun facts
Last updated: October 29, 2023
Race record
46 starts, 20 wins, 10 seconds, 4 thirds, US$3,485,398
1983:
- Won Hoist the Flag Stakes (second division) (USA-L, 8FT, Hollywood)
1984:
- Won Del Mar Invitational Handicap (USA-G2, 8FD, Del Mar)
- Won Swaps Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Hollywood)
- Won Malibu Stakes (USA-G2, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- Won San Rafael Stakes (USA-G2, 8FD, Santa Anita)
- Won San Miguel Stakes (USA-L, 6FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Super Derby Invitational Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Louisiana Downs)
- 2nd Santa Anita Derby (USA-G1, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd San Vicente Stakes (USA-G3, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Silver Screen Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Hollywood)
1985:
- Won Breeders' Cup Sprint Stakes (USA-G1, 6FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Charles H. Strub Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Santa Anita)
- Won San Fernando Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Mervyn LeRoy Handicap (USA-G2, 8FD, Hollywood; new track record 1:32-4/5)
- 2nd Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Hollywood)
- 2nd Californian Stakes (USA-G1, 8FD, Hollywood)
- 2nd San Bernardino Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Santa Anita)
1986:
- Won Californian Stakes (USA-G1, 8FD, Hollywood)
- Won Woodward Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Belmont)
- Won San Bernardino Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- Won San Pasqual Handicap (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Yankee Valor Handicap (USA-L, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Philip H. Iselin Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Monmouth)
- 3rd Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1, 10FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Hollywood)
1988:
- Won Cabrillo Handicap (USA-G3, 9FD, Del Mar)
- Won Del Mar Budweiser Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-L, 8FD, Del Mar)
- 2nd Citation Handicap (USA-G2, 9FT, Hollywood)
- 2nd Native Diver Handicap (USA-G3, 9FD, Hollywood)
- 3rd NYRA Mile Handicap (USA-L, 8FD, Aqueduct)
- Also set a new track record of 1:33-1/5 for a mile on dirt at Del Mar
Honors
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 2003)
- Arcadia Historical Society Racing Walk of Champions (inducted in inaugural class of 2014).
- Eclipse Award, American champion sprinter (1985)
- Florida-bred Horse of the Year (1985, 1986)
- Florida-bred champion older male (1985, 1986)
- Florida-bred champion sprinter (1985)
Assessments
Rated at 118 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1983, 10 pounds below champion Devil’s Bag.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1984, 6 pounds below champion Swale but tied for third overall.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American older males of 1985, 2 pounds above second-rated Gate Dancer, Lord At War, Track Barron, and Vanlandingham (the official divisional champion).
Highweighted at 127 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American male sprinters of 1985, 1 pound above Mt. Livermore.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American older males of 1986, 1 pound above the official divisional champion, Turkoman.
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American older males of 1988, 8 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Alysheba.
As an individual
A powerfully made, exceptionally handsome chestnut horse with excellent balance and a long stride, Precisionist could be headstrong as a young horse and had chronic foot problems. He was rather highly strung as a racehorse but seemed to enjoy the routines of the track. He was laid off for 20 months fracturing his left foreleg in January 1987 and being retired to stud, only to be brought back to the races after he proved infertile.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Precisionist sired two winners (50.0%) and 0 stakes winners from four named foals. None of his foals came remotely close to matching his own ability, but one daughter, Preciseness, produced 1998 Tropical Park Derby (USA-G3) winner Draw Again (by Roman Diplomat).
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Precisionist was bred and owned by Fred Hooper’s Hooper Farm. He was trained by Russ Fenstermaker for the first 36 starts of his career, by John Russell for the next nine starts, and by Will Donovan for his last start. He was ridden to his Breeders’ Cup Sprint win by Chris McCarron, his regular jockey. Hooper sold a half interest to Arthur Appleton for US$4 million with the intent of standing the horse at Appleton’s Bridlewood Farm near Ocala, Florida, but when the horse proved infertile, Hooper refunded the money and had Precisionist put back in training. A pensioner at the Ocala-area farm of Dr. Siobhan Ellison from 1996 until he moved to the Old Friends retirement facility in Georgetown, Kentucky, in June 2006. The reason given for the move was that the horse was not tolerating the summer heat of Florida well and might benefit from a move to a somewhat cooler climate, Precisionist was humanely destroyed at Old Friends near Midway, KY, on September 27, 2006, due to an inoperable tumor.
Pedigree notes
Sired by 1963 Santa Anita Handicap winner Crozier (a son of My Babu), Precisionist is inbred 3x4 to Fred Hooper’s foundation sire, Olympia, and 5x4x6 to Olympia’s paternal grandsire, six-time English/Irish champion sire Hyperion. He is a half brother to Excellent Jet (by Tri Jet), dam of listed stakes winner Sir Brian’s Sword (by Sword Dance) and second dam of two-time Jamaican champion filly Aero Star and 2014 Jamaican champion 3-year-old colt Relampago. He is also a half brother to Precise Vision (by Visualizer), dam of listed stakes winner Insight to Cope (by Copelan).
Precisionist was produced from Excellently, an unplaced half sister to 1973 Futurity Stakes (USA-G1) winner Wedge Shot, stakes winner Pitching Wedge, and multiple stakes winner Eximous (all by Crozier). Excellently is also a half sister to Polly N. (by Quibu), dam of multiple stakes winner Motivity (by Crozier), and to Skillful Miss (by Daryl’s Joy), dam of Grade 2 winner Skillful Joy (by Nodouble) and third dam of 2001 Japan Cup (JPN-G1) winner Jungle Pocket and Japanese Group 3 winner Stalk and Ray.
Excellently and her siblings are out of stakes-placed Poliniss (by 1956 Arlington Futurity and Washington Park Futurity Greek Game). In turn, Poliness is out of the winning Polynesian mare Poloriot, whose dam Loriot is a stakes-winning daughter of Menow. The family came to the United Stakes via Loriot’s dam Aureole, an English import by the Gainsborough horse Rameses the Second.
Books and media
Footage of Precisionist’s win in the 1985 Breeders’ Cup Sprint can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbiqF4cAAHw.
Fun facts
- Precisionist gave his connections a scare when still an unraced youngster by dumping his rider at morning exercise, escaping the confines of the training track, and running into a parked car. Precisionist escaped from the collision unscathed, while the car had a broken taillight and damaged tailpipe.
- For two consecutive years (1985 and1986), Precisionist topped the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap in the older male division but did not win the division’s Eclipse Award.
- Chris McCarron called Precisionist the only horse he ever rode that “gave 100 percent 100 percent of the time.”
- Precisionist had a lively rivalry with Greinton, with Greinton holding a 5-4 edge in their nine meetings. In seven of the nine races, the pair ran 1-2 in some order.
- While at Dr. Ellison's farm, Precisionist's pasture buddy was a female mule named Mary Margaret.
- Because of the labor and expense involved in burying an entire horse, few Thoroughbreds are honored by such burials; in most cases, the tradition of burying the head, the heart, and the hooves is observed. Nonetheless, Precisionist was buried in his entirety at Old Friends. A memorial ceremony was held in his honor on October 16, 2006.
- in 2014, Santa Anita Park renamed the Mervyn LeRoy Handicap in Precisionist’s honor.
- Precisionist’s Beyer Speed Figure of 125 for the 1985 Breeders’ Cup Sprint remains the highest such figure awarded for a Breeders’ Cup race.
Last updated: October 29, 2023