Riva Ridge (USA)
April 13, 1969 – April 21, 1985
First Landing (USA) x Iberia (USA), by Heliopolis (GB)
Family 1-k
April 13, 1969 – April 21, 1985
First Landing (USA) x Iberia (USA), by Heliopolis (GB)
Family 1-k
Although overshadowed by his stablemate Secretariat, Riva Ridge was a first-class horse in his own right, good enough to win championships at 2 and 4 while just missing at 3. His one weakness was mud, and a wet track for the Preakness Stakes was the main reason why he did not become a Triple Crown winner. For Penny Chenery Tweedy, he was the savior of her father's beloved Meadow Stud and Stable, and he always held a special place in her heart. He had a moderately successful stud career before dying of a heart attack at the age of 16.
Race record
30 starts, 17 wins, 3 seconds, 2 thirds, US$1,111,497
1971:
1972:
1973:
Honors
Assessments
Riva Ridge was rated #57 among the top 100 American racehorses of the 20th century by a panel of experts assembled by The Blood-Horse (Thoroughbred Champions, Eclipse Press, 7th printing, 2005).
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1971, 4 pounds above Rest Your Case and Chevron Flight.
Co-highweighted with champion Key to the Mint at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1972, 3 pounds above Preakness Stakes winner Bee Bee Bee and dual Classic-placed No Le Hace.
Highweighted at 132 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1973, 2 pounds above Prove Out.
As an individual
A narrow, lop-eared, medium-sized light bay horse standing 16 hands, Riva Ridge was deerlike in make but closely coupled and with well-shaped flat joints. He was slightly over at the knee. He had a kindly and sociable disposition. He was troubled with a chronic shoulder issue and a kidney condition during his 4-year-old season. He did not handle off tracks or turf well but had a light, collected action on fast surfaces.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Riva Ridge sired 228 winners (63.3%) and 29 stakes winners (8.1%) from 360 named foals.
Notable progeny
Blitey (USA), Tap Shoes (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Chief Honcho (USA), Classy Mirage (USA), Dancing Spree (USA), Fantastic Find (USA), Furlough (USA), Life at the Top (USA), Missy's Mirage (USA), Pharaoh's Delight (IRE)
Connections
Riva Ridge was bred by The Meadow Stud, Inc., and owned by Meadow Stable. He was trained by Lucien Laurin. Riva Ridge entered stud in Kentucky at Claiborne Farm in 1974 and remained there until his death.
Pedigree notes
Riva Ridge is inbred 5x5 to Ultimus. He is a full brother to juvenile stakes winner Potomac and a half brother to the good handicapper Hydrologist (by Tatán). He is also a half brother to Barranca (by Sir Gaylord), dam of two stakes winners. Kentucky Broodmare of the Year in 1971, Iberia is a half sister to stakes winner Dos Equis (by Poona II). The second dam of Riva Ridge, War East (by Easton), is a half sister to 1939 Metropolitan Handicap winner Knickerbocker (by Teddy) and to Marching Home (by John P. Grier), dam of 1944 Belmont Stakes winner Bounding Home (by Espino) and two other stakes winners. War East is also a half sister to Little Rebel (by John P. Grier), dam of 1951 Preakness Stakes winner Bold (by By Jimminy), and to Mistress Grier (also by John P. Grier), dam of the good stakes filly Red Shoes (by Easton).
Books and media
Fun facts
Last updated: August 10, 2021
Race record
30 starts, 17 wins, 3 seconds, 2 thirds, US$1,111,497
1971:
- Won Garden State Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Garden State)
- Won Champagne Stakes (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Futurity Stakes (USA, 6.5FD, Belmont)
- Won Pimlico-Laurel Futurity (USA, 8.5FD, Laurel)
- Won Flash Stakes (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
1972:
- Won Hibiscus Stakes (USA, 7FD, Hialeah)
- Won Blue Grass Stakes (USA, 9FD, Keeneland)
- Won Hollywood Derby (USA, 10FD, Hollywood)
- Won Kentucky Derby (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Belmont Stakes (USA, 12FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Stymie Handicap (USA, 9FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA, 16FD, Belmont)
1973:
- Won Brooklyn Handicap (USA-G1, 9.5FD, Aqueduct; new world record 1:52-2/5)
- Won Stuyvesant Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Aqueduct; new track record 1:47)
- Won Massachusetts Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Suffolk Downs; equaled track record 1:48-1/5)
- 2nd Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Belmont)
Honors
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1998)
- Monmouth Park Hall of Champions
- American champion 2-year-old male (1971)
- American champion older male (1973)
Assessments
Riva Ridge was rated #57 among the top 100 American racehorses of the 20th century by a panel of experts assembled by The Blood-Horse (Thoroughbred Champions, Eclipse Press, 7th printing, 2005).
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1971, 4 pounds above Rest Your Case and Chevron Flight.
Co-highweighted with champion Key to the Mint at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1972, 3 pounds above Preakness Stakes winner Bee Bee Bee and dual Classic-placed No Le Hace.
Highweighted at 132 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1973, 2 pounds above Prove Out.
As an individual
A narrow, lop-eared, medium-sized light bay horse standing 16 hands, Riva Ridge was deerlike in make but closely coupled and with well-shaped flat joints. He was slightly over at the knee. He had a kindly and sociable disposition. He was troubled with a chronic shoulder issue and a kidney condition during his 4-year-old season. He did not handle off tracks or turf well but had a light, collected action on fast surfaces.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Riva Ridge sired 228 winners (63.3%) and 29 stakes winners (8.1%) from 360 named foals.
Notable progeny
Blitey (USA), Tap Shoes (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Chief Honcho (USA), Classy Mirage (USA), Dancing Spree (USA), Fantastic Find (USA), Furlough (USA), Life at the Top (USA), Missy's Mirage (USA), Pharaoh's Delight (IRE)
Connections
Riva Ridge was bred by The Meadow Stud, Inc., and owned by Meadow Stable. He was trained by Lucien Laurin. Riva Ridge entered stud in Kentucky at Claiborne Farm in 1974 and remained there until his death.
Pedigree notes
Riva Ridge is inbred 5x5 to Ultimus. He is a full brother to juvenile stakes winner Potomac and a half brother to the good handicapper Hydrologist (by Tatán). He is also a half brother to Barranca (by Sir Gaylord), dam of two stakes winners. Kentucky Broodmare of the Year in 1971, Iberia is a half sister to stakes winner Dos Equis (by Poona II). The second dam of Riva Ridge, War East (by Easton), is a half sister to 1939 Metropolitan Handicap winner Knickerbocker (by Teddy) and to Marching Home (by John P. Grier), dam of 1944 Belmont Stakes winner Bounding Home (by Espino) and two other stakes winners. War East is also a half sister to Little Rebel (by John P. Grier), dam of 1951 Preakness Stakes winner Bold (by By Jimminy), and to Mistress Grier (also by John P. Grier), dam of the good stakes filly Red Shoes (by Easton).
Books and media
- Riva Ridge: Penny's First Champion was released on Amazon Kindle in 2012. It was written by Kate Chenery Tweedy and Leeanne Ladin.
- Riva Ridge is profiled in Chapter 10 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Riva Ridge was named for a place in the Apennine Mountains of Italy, the site of an important Allied victory in World War II.
- Around the barn, Riva Ridge was known as "Old Pea Head."
- The Riva Ridge Stakes was inaugurated in 1985 and was run as a 7-furlong dirt sprint for 3-year-olds on the Belmont Stakes undercard. It was renamed in honor of Hall of Fame trainer Woody Stephens in 2006 and is currently a Grade 1 event.
- As a young horse, Riva Ridge had a fear of running in close quarters after getting badly bumped in his first start. It was jockey Ron Turcotte who recognized Riva's problem and persuaded trainer Lucien Lauren to allow him to school the colt for a month to resolve the issue.
- Riva Ridge is one of six colts who won two of the three American Triple Crown races but failed to win the 3-year-old championship in year-end voting. The others are Johnstown (1939), Shut Out (1944), Pensive (1944), Kauai King (1966) and Tabasco Cat (1994).
Last updated: August 10, 2021