Prince John (USA)
April 6, 1953 – January 26, 1979
Princequillo (IRE) x Not Afraid (USA), by Count Fleet (USA)
Family 14-f
April 6, 1953 – January 26, 1979
Princequillo (IRE) x Not Afraid (USA), by Count Fleet (USA)
Family 14-f
Prince John showed promise as a Classic hopeful at 2, but that promise came to an end when he got loose at Hialeah over the winter and fractured a pedal bone in one foot before he could be recaptured. While it was initially thought that he could resume training after three months, he never made it back to the races. He became a good stallion and established his own branch of the Princequillo sire line but had his greatest influence as a broodmare sire, siring the dams of such standouts as Alleged, Riverman, Cozzene, Blushing John, Northern Trick and Caracolero.
Race record
9 starts, 3 wins, 3 seconds, 0 thirds, US$212,818
1955:
Assessments
Rated at 124 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap, two pounds below highweight Career Boy and one pound below the official divisional co-champions, Needles and Nail.
As an individual
Prince John was a short-coupled, muscular chestnut horse with powerful quarters, rather heavy in the shoulders and upright in front. He was described as having “plenty of spunk.” He tended to throw poor foreleg conformation, particularly to his daughters.
As a stallion
According to statistics kept by The Jockey Club, Prince John sired 353 winners (62.6%) and 55 stakes winners (9.8%) from 564 named foals. Prince John is a Classic chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
Notable progeny
Deceit (USA), Fairway Fun (USA), Lefty (USA), Magazine (USA), Morning Has Broken (USA), Princess Pout (USA), Protagonist (USA), Ride the Trails (USA), Silent Screen (USA), Speak John (USA), Stage Door Johnny (USA), Transworld (USA), Trick Chick (USA), Typecast (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Alleged (USA), Big Spruce (USA), Big Whippendeal (USA), Blushing John (USA), Caracolero (USA), Cozzene (USA), Deceit Dancer (CAN), Hyperborean (USA), Jackknife (USA), Manta (USA), Morning Devotion (USA), My Darling One (USA), Northern Trick (USA), On the Sly (USA), Palace Music (USA), Pretty Cast (JPN), Riverman (USA), Road Princess (USA), Salse (USA), Slew the Dragon (USA), Slewpy (USA), Smuggly (USA), Spout (USA), Val d'Arno (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Prince John was bred by Mrs. John D. Hertz. He was owned by Elmendorf Farm following Maxwell Gluck's purchase of the colt for US$14,300 at the 1954 Keeneland Summer yearling sale. He was trained by Walter A. Kelley. Prince John entered stud at Elmendorf in 1957, moving to Spendthrift Farm in 1962 after his purchase by a syndicate headed by Spendthrift's Leslie Combs II. The stallion fractured a leg in a paddock accident and was humanely destroyed on January 26, 1979.
Pedigree notes
Prince John is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to 1965 Display Handicap winner Brave Lad and a half brother to Jury's Choice (by Advocator), dam of 1980 Prix de Minerve (FR-G3) winner Great Verdict (by Le Fabuleux; dam of 1995 Schweppes Sydney Cup, AUS-G1, winner Daacha, by Dahar). He is also a half brother to Miss Nasrullah (by Nasrullah), second dam of 1981 Irish champion 2-year-old filly Woodstream and 1978 Irish Two Thousand Guineas (IRE-G1) winner Jaazeiro and third dam of multiple Chilean Group 2 winner Watchin and Chilean Group 3 winner New Bride. A third half sister to Prince John, Scaremenot (by Bagdad), is the second dam of Grade 3 winner Seattle Rob and the third dam of Kaldoun Choice, winner of the Bankverein Swiss Derby and the Magna Austrian Derby.
Not Afraid, the dam of Prince John, never raced although she was said to have flashed ability while in training. She is a full sister to 1949 Hollywood Lassie Stakes winner Fleet Rings, third dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Crystal Water, Grade 2 winner Regal Falcon and Grade 3 winner Against the Snow. She is also a full sister to Perception, second dam of five stakes winners including 1972 Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes winner Double Your Fun and third dam of 1986 Brooklyn Handicap (USA-G1) winner Little Missouri and 1986 Jamaican Horse of the Year Prince Consort. Not Afraid is a half sister to 1946 Arlington Futurity winner Cosmic Bomb (by Pharamond II) and to Banish (by Count Gallahad), dam of stakes winners Count Cain (by Count Fleet) and Seafes (by Court Martial) and second dam of 1963 American champion 3-year-old filly Lamb Chop and 1968 Colonial Handicap winner Telepathy. Banish is also the third dam of 1971 Beldame Stakes winner Double Delta.
Not Afraid and her siblings were produced from stakes-placed Banish Fear (by Blue Larkspur), whose half sister Jezebel (by Friar Rock) produced 1943 Arlington Futurity winner Jezrahel (by Pharamond II). The female line traces back to Geheimniss (by Rosicrucian), a first-rate mare who won the 1882 Oaks Stakes.
Books and media
Prince John is one of 205 stallions whose accomplishments at stud are profiled in Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, The Australian Bloodhorse Review), a massive reference work written by Jennifer Churchill, Andrew Reichard and Byron Rogers.
Last updated: November 25, 2024
Race record
9 starts, 3 wins, 3 seconds, 0 thirds, US$212,818
1955:
- Won Garden State Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Garden State)
- 2nd Washington Park Futurity (USA, 6FD, Washington Park)
- 2nd Remsen Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Jamaica)
- 2nd Sanford Stakes (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
Assessments
Rated at 124 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap, two pounds below highweight Career Boy and one pound below the official divisional co-champions, Needles and Nail.
As an individual
Prince John was a short-coupled, muscular chestnut horse with powerful quarters, rather heavy in the shoulders and upright in front. He was described as having “plenty of spunk.” He tended to throw poor foreleg conformation, particularly to his daughters.
As a stallion
According to statistics kept by The Jockey Club, Prince John sired 353 winners (62.6%) and 55 stakes winners (9.8%) from 564 named foals. Prince John is a Classic chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- 2nd on the American general sire list in 1970; 6th in 1971; 10th in 1973.
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 1979, 1980, and 1986; 2nd in 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, and 1981-1983; 4th in 1984 and 1985; 5th in 1972; 6th in 1975; 8th in 1976 and 1987; 10th in 1989.
- Led the American juvenile sire list in 1969.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 2nd on the American general sire list in 1969; 6th in 1971; 10th in 1973.
- Led the American broodmare sire list i n 1979, 1980, 1982, and 1986; 2nd in 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1981, and 1983; 4th in 1984 and 1985; 5th in 1975; 8th in 1976 and 1987.
- 6th on the French general sire list in 1984; 9th in 1974.
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 1979, 1980, 1982, and 1986.
Notable progeny
Deceit (USA), Fairway Fun (USA), Lefty (USA), Magazine (USA), Morning Has Broken (USA), Princess Pout (USA), Protagonist (USA), Ride the Trails (USA), Silent Screen (USA), Speak John (USA), Stage Door Johnny (USA), Transworld (USA), Trick Chick (USA), Typecast (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Alleged (USA), Big Spruce (USA), Big Whippendeal (USA), Blushing John (USA), Caracolero (USA), Cozzene (USA), Deceit Dancer (CAN), Hyperborean (USA), Jackknife (USA), Manta (USA), Morning Devotion (USA), My Darling One (USA), Northern Trick (USA), On the Sly (USA), Palace Music (USA), Pretty Cast (JPN), Riverman (USA), Road Princess (USA), Salse (USA), Slew the Dragon (USA), Slewpy (USA), Smuggly (USA), Spout (USA), Val d'Arno (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Prince John was bred by Mrs. John D. Hertz. He was owned by Elmendorf Farm following Maxwell Gluck's purchase of the colt for US$14,300 at the 1954 Keeneland Summer yearling sale. He was trained by Walter A. Kelley. Prince John entered stud at Elmendorf in 1957, moving to Spendthrift Farm in 1962 after his purchase by a syndicate headed by Spendthrift's Leslie Combs II. The stallion fractured a leg in a paddock accident and was humanely destroyed on January 26, 1979.
Pedigree notes
Prince John is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to 1965 Display Handicap winner Brave Lad and a half brother to Jury's Choice (by Advocator), dam of 1980 Prix de Minerve (FR-G3) winner Great Verdict (by Le Fabuleux; dam of 1995 Schweppes Sydney Cup, AUS-G1, winner Daacha, by Dahar). He is also a half brother to Miss Nasrullah (by Nasrullah), second dam of 1981 Irish champion 2-year-old filly Woodstream and 1978 Irish Two Thousand Guineas (IRE-G1) winner Jaazeiro and third dam of multiple Chilean Group 2 winner Watchin and Chilean Group 3 winner New Bride. A third half sister to Prince John, Scaremenot (by Bagdad), is the second dam of Grade 3 winner Seattle Rob and the third dam of Kaldoun Choice, winner of the Bankverein Swiss Derby and the Magna Austrian Derby.
Not Afraid, the dam of Prince John, never raced although she was said to have flashed ability while in training. She is a full sister to 1949 Hollywood Lassie Stakes winner Fleet Rings, third dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Crystal Water, Grade 2 winner Regal Falcon and Grade 3 winner Against the Snow. She is also a full sister to Perception, second dam of five stakes winners including 1972 Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes winner Double Your Fun and third dam of 1986 Brooklyn Handicap (USA-G1) winner Little Missouri and 1986 Jamaican Horse of the Year Prince Consort. Not Afraid is a half sister to 1946 Arlington Futurity winner Cosmic Bomb (by Pharamond II) and to Banish (by Count Gallahad), dam of stakes winners Count Cain (by Count Fleet) and Seafes (by Court Martial) and second dam of 1963 American champion 3-year-old filly Lamb Chop and 1968 Colonial Handicap winner Telepathy. Banish is also the third dam of 1971 Beldame Stakes winner Double Delta.
Not Afraid and her siblings were produced from stakes-placed Banish Fear (by Blue Larkspur), whose half sister Jezebel (by Friar Rock) produced 1943 Arlington Futurity winner Jezrahel (by Pharamond II). The female line traces back to Geheimniss (by Rosicrucian), a first-rate mare who won the 1882 Oaks Stakes.
Books and media
Prince John is one of 205 stallions whose accomplishments at stud are profiled in Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, The Australian Bloodhorse Review), a massive reference work written by Jennifer Churchill, Andrew Reichard and Byron Rogers.
Last updated: November 25, 2024