Silky Sullivan (USA)
February 28, 1955 – November 18, 1977
Sullivan (GB) x Lady n Silk (USA), by Ambrose Light (FR)
Family 4-m
February 28, 1955 – November 18, 1977
Sullivan (GB) x Lady n Silk (USA), by Ambrose Light (FR)
Family 4-m
Silky Sullivan's day in the sun was short, but while it lasted he was the most popular horse in California and one of the most exciting runners in North America. It usually took him the first 4 or 5 furlongs of a race to get warmed up, and he routinely gave away 25 or 30 lengths to his rivals in the early going. Once he was ready, though, he could unleash a devastating finishing kick. After he charged from 28 lengths off the pace to win the Santa Anita Derby going away, he went to Louisville as a huge popular favorite for the Kentucky Derby but never got untracked over a gooey Churchill Downs surface and finished 12th behind Tim Tam. He never again attained the same heights but remained popular with California racing fans to the end of his days, receiving sacks of fan mail (most of it addressed to the horse himself) long after he had retired to an undistinguished stud career.
Race record
27 starts, 12 wins, 1 second, 5 thirds, US$157,700
1957:
1958:
1959:
Honors
Arcadia Historical Society's Racing Walk of Champions (inducted as part of the inaugural class in 2014).
Assessments
Rated at 117 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1957, 9 lbs below co-champion Jewel's Reward and 8 pounds below the other co-champion, Nadir.
Rated at 112 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1958, 16 pounds below divisional champion Tim Tam.
As an individual
A massive, powerful chestnut, Silky Sullivan stood a shade over 16 hands. He was built along the lines of a sprinter rather than those of a stayer, and a respiratory ailment may have had much to do with his come-from-behind style. After the illness passed, he became a mild roarer, and it apparently took about half a mile at a gallop before his breathing cleared up—not coincidentally, about the same point at which he usually began his dramatic charges. Silky enjoyed human attention and was a kindly horse to handle, happily posing for photographs at every opportunity. At the annual Green Oaks Stud Farm employee party, Silky often gave rides to the attending children.
As a stallion
Silky Sullivan was a stud failure, getting only 63 winners (47.4%) and four minor stakes winners (3.0%) from 133 named foals. In fairness to the horse, he had virtually no access to good mares.
Connections
Silky Sullivan was bred in California by Mrs. Nell Frances Roberts and Dr. Riley Roberts, who operated Merryman Farm. He was owned by Tom Ross and Phil Klipstein, who purchased Silky for US$10,700 from the 1956 Del Mar yearling sale; they later turned down offers reported at up to US$500,000 for him. He was trained by Reggie Cornell. Silky lived out almost all the last 14 years of his life at Kjell Qvale's Green Oaks Stud Farm. After the farm was sold, Silky was cared for by trainer Emmett Campbell and his wife Alice at the Alameda County Fairgrounds stabling area until he died in his sleep of a heart attack in 1977. He is buried in the infield at Golden Gate Fields, where a memorial was built to him near the winner's circle.
Pedigree notes
Silky Sullivan is inbred 5x5 to 1911 English leading sire Sundridge, who coincidentally had a wind affliction himself. He is a half brother to Silk-n-Lady (by Stymie), dam of stakes winners Imperial Silk (by Imperium) and Ancient Silk (by Indian Hemp) and second dam of five stakes winners including Grade 3 winner Smooth Dancer (by Dancer's Image), and to Cloo Tie (by Poona II), second dam of three stakes winners.
Silky Sullivan's dam Lady n Silk was produced from the Chance Play mare Foxhole, whose dam Coffee Cup (by Whichone) is a full sister to stakes winner Today and a half sister to 1929 Lawrence Realization Stakes winner The Nut (by Mad Hatter) and stakes winner Afterglow (by Pennant). Produced from the Prince Palatine mare Afternoon, Coffee Cup is also a half sister to Flyatit (by Peter Pan), dam of two-time American champion filly Top Flight (by Dis Donc) and second dam of 1939 United States Hotel Stakes winner Flight Command and the good steeplechaser Escargot; to Burgee (by Pennant), dam of multiple stakes winner Jack S. L. (by Jack High) and second dam of multiple Canadian stakes winner Bar Fly; and to Marlene (by St. Germans), second dam of 1954 Santa Ynez Stakes winner Sweet as Honey.
Books and media
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: March 26, 2022
Race record
27 starts, 12 wins, 1 second, 5 thirds, US$157,700
1957:
- Won Golden Gate Futurity (USA, 8FD, Golden Gate)
- 3rd Berkeley Handicap (second division) (USA, 6FD, Golden Gate)
1958:
- Won Santa Anita Derby (USA, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd California Breeders' Champion Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
1959:
- 3rd Golden Gate Breeders' Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Golden Gate)
- 3rd Bing Crosby Handicap (USA, 6FD, Del Mar)
Honors
Arcadia Historical Society's Racing Walk of Champions (inducted as part of the inaugural class in 2014).
Assessments
Rated at 117 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1957, 9 lbs below co-champion Jewel's Reward and 8 pounds below the other co-champion, Nadir.
Rated at 112 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1958, 16 pounds below divisional champion Tim Tam.
As an individual
A massive, powerful chestnut, Silky Sullivan stood a shade over 16 hands. He was built along the lines of a sprinter rather than those of a stayer, and a respiratory ailment may have had much to do with his come-from-behind style. After the illness passed, he became a mild roarer, and it apparently took about half a mile at a gallop before his breathing cleared up—not coincidentally, about the same point at which he usually began his dramatic charges. Silky enjoyed human attention and was a kindly horse to handle, happily posing for photographs at every opportunity. At the annual Green Oaks Stud Farm employee party, Silky often gave rides to the attending children.
As a stallion
Silky Sullivan was a stud failure, getting only 63 winners (47.4%) and four minor stakes winners (3.0%) from 133 named foals. In fairness to the horse, he had virtually no access to good mares.
Connections
Silky Sullivan was bred in California by Mrs. Nell Frances Roberts and Dr. Riley Roberts, who operated Merryman Farm. He was owned by Tom Ross and Phil Klipstein, who purchased Silky for US$10,700 from the 1956 Del Mar yearling sale; they later turned down offers reported at up to US$500,000 for him. He was trained by Reggie Cornell. Silky lived out almost all the last 14 years of his life at Kjell Qvale's Green Oaks Stud Farm. After the farm was sold, Silky was cared for by trainer Emmett Campbell and his wife Alice at the Alameda County Fairgrounds stabling area until he died in his sleep of a heart attack in 1977. He is buried in the infield at Golden Gate Fields, where a memorial was built to him near the winner's circle.
Pedigree notes
Silky Sullivan is inbred 5x5 to 1911 English leading sire Sundridge, who coincidentally had a wind affliction himself. He is a half brother to Silk-n-Lady (by Stymie), dam of stakes winners Imperial Silk (by Imperium) and Ancient Silk (by Indian Hemp) and second dam of five stakes winners including Grade 3 winner Smooth Dancer (by Dancer's Image), and to Cloo Tie (by Poona II), second dam of three stakes winners.
Silky Sullivan's dam Lady n Silk was produced from the Chance Play mare Foxhole, whose dam Coffee Cup (by Whichone) is a full sister to stakes winner Today and a half sister to 1929 Lawrence Realization Stakes winner The Nut (by Mad Hatter) and stakes winner Afterglow (by Pennant). Produced from the Prince Palatine mare Afternoon, Coffee Cup is also a half sister to Flyatit (by Peter Pan), dam of two-time American champion filly Top Flight (by Dis Donc) and second dam of 1939 United States Hotel Stakes winner Flight Command and the good steeplechaser Escargot; to Burgee (by Pennant), dam of multiple stakes winner Jack S. L. (by Jack High) and second dam of multiple Canadian stakes winner Bar Fly; and to Marlene (by St. Germans), second dam of 1954 Santa Ynez Stakes winner Sweet as Honey.
Books and media
- “...And Here Comes Silky!....” is the sixth chapter of Jim Bolus' Remembering the Derby (1994, Pelican Publishing Company).
- Silky Sullivan's dramatic charge to victory in the 1958 Santa Anita Derby can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Vh8vyCQRV4.
Fun facts
- Silky Sullivan normally wore steel plates instead of the standard aluminum horseshoes and required a custom-made girth to fit around his massive barrel.
- Irish-American fans adopted Silky Sullivan as their own, referring to the big colt as “Himself” as if he were the patriarch of an Irish family. Other popular nicknames for the colt were "The California Comet," "The Cardiac Kid," and "Mr. Heart Attack."
- During the run-up to the Kentucky Derby, Silky had his own radio program and was the namesake for a sundae and a drink made with Irish whiskey. He was also featured on the cover of the Derby preview edition of Sports Illustrated.
- In the 1958 Kentucky Derby, more $2 win tickets on Silky Sullivan were sold at the pari-mutuel windows than on any previous horse in Derby history.
- TV cameramen covering the 1958 Kentucky Derby pioneered the use of split-screen coverage with one part of the screen showing the bulk of the field while the other focused on Silky, waiting for him to make his patented stretch run. Unfortunately for the TV people and those holding bets on the colt, that run never came.
- Because of Silky Sullivan's penchant for heart-stopping late charges,co-owner Tom Ross—who had a heart condition—was forbidden to watch Silky's races by his physician. Ross outlived Silky by only about six weeks.
- One of the offers reportedly made for Silky Sullivan during the months preceding the Kentucky Derby was one of US$300,000 from a syndicate of Eastern businessmen. According to racing historian Jim Bolus, instead of racing Silky, they wanted to take him on a tour of exhibition appearances, selling T-shirts and other Silky Sullivan merchandise.
- From 1965 until 1977, Silky Sullivan was paraded annually at Golden Gate Fields on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, and at Santa Anita on Santa Anita Derby Day. With his mane done up in green and white pompons, he would routinely kick up his heels as if acknowledging the applause that greeted his appearances.
- The Silky Sullivan Stakes is a race for California-bred 3-year-olds at Golden Gate Fields. As of 2022, it is carded at a mile on turf.
- As far as anyone has ever determined, no horse in the modern era has ever come from further off the pace to win than did Silky Sullivan in winning an otherwise undistinguished allowance race over 6.5 furlongs at Santa Anita on February 25, 1958. Silky was 41 lengths (nearly a sixteenth of a mile) out of it in the early going and scorched his final quarter-mile in an estimated :22-2/5 to win by half a length. He was so far back that Daily Racing Form chart caller Al Willig had to study movies of the race to determine just where he had actually been in relation to the other runners.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: March 26, 2022