Sir Harry Lewis (USA)
January 24, 1984 – April 14, 2009
Alleged (USA) x Sue Babe (USA), by Mr. Prospector (USA)
Family 9-f
January 24, 1984 – April 14, 2009
Alleged (USA) x Sue Babe (USA), by Mr. Prospector (USA)
Family 9-f
The result of a “fish-and’fowl” mating that paired a staying sire with a precocious, sprinting dam, Sir Harry Lewis took more after his sire, Alleged, though he did not share Alleged’s devastating turn of foot. Following a solid fourth-place effort in the Derby Stakes (ENG-G1), Sir Harry Lewis defeated what was considered a somewhat weak field in the Irish Derby (IRE-G1). He made little impression as a sire of flat racers in Kentucky and New York but did better when used for siring National Hunt horses in England.
Race record
17 starts, 4 wins, 2 seconds, 4 thirds, US$767,503 (includes converted Canadian, English, and Irish earnings)
1987:
1988:
Assessments
Rated at 127 pounds by Timeform as a 3-year-old, 12 pounds below highweighted Reference Point.
Rated at 122 pounds on the International Classification for 1987, 13 pounds below highweighted Reference Point.
As an individual
A bay horse, Sir Harry Lewis had an angular build but was considered good-looking. His racing action was rounded and powerful but not particularly fluid, though he could handle any sort of going. He tended to carry his head to one side but was game and determined in a drive.
As a stallion
Per The Jockey Club, Sir Harry Lewis sired 169 winners (31.9%) and three stakes winners (0.6%) from 520 named foals. In his obituary in The Blood-Horse, he was credited with 11 stakes winners. His top winners were all under National Hunt rules, and he won the TBA Whitbread Silver Salver in 2007 as the top British-based jumps sire by progeny earnings.
Notable progeny
Diamond Harry (GB), Mighty Man (GB)
Notable progeny of daughters
Volponi (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Sir Harry Lewis was bred by Joseph Allen and Regent Farm. He was owned by Howard Kaskel. He was trained by Barry Hills in Europe and Canada and by D. Wayne Lukas in North America at 4 and 5. He was ridden to his Irish Derby win by John Reid. He entered stud in Kentucky in 1990 at Walmac Farm, moving to Kaskel’s Sugar Maple Farm in New York in 1993. In 1995, Sir Harry Lewis was sent to Southcourt Stud in England under the ownership of Colin Smith as a dual-purpose sire and two years later was moved to Bill Bromley’s Wood Farm Stud in Shropshire, England. Purchased outright by Bromley in 2003, Sir Harry Lewis spent the rest of his life at Wood Farm Stud as a National Hunt sire. He died of an apparent heart attack on April 2009.
Pedigree notes
Sir Harry Lewis is inbred 5x5 to 1943 American Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year Count Fleet, a champion sire and broodmare sire in the United States. He is a full brother to Champagne Babe, dam of 1990 Nashua Stakes (USA-G3) winner Champagneforashley (by Track Barron). He is a half brother to Grade 1-placed restricted stakes winner Sir Richard Lewis (by Carr de Naskra) and to Grade 2-placed restricted stakes winner Cyrano (by Seattle Slew).
Sue Babe, the dam of Sir Harry Lewis, won two juvenile stakes races and was Grade 1-placed. She is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Northern Prospect (by Mr. Prospector) and to Our Millie, third dam of 2019 Highlander Stakes (CAN-G1) winner Wet Your Whistle. She is a half sister to 1978 Monmouth Oaks (USA-G1) winner Sharp Belle (by Native Charger), second dam of 1995 Pucker Up Stakes (USA-G3) winner Grand Charmer) and third dam of two-time American champion colt and two-time Chilean champion sire Lookin At Lucky, multiple Grade 2 winner Kensei, and multiple Grade/Group 3 winner Shahama. Sue Babe is also a half sister to Sleek Belle (by Vaguely Noble), dam of 1984 Pucker Up Stakes (USA-G3) winner Witwatersrand (by Mr. Prospector) and stakes winners Sleek Gold (by Mr. Prospector), Chic Belle (by Mr. Prospector), and Sleek Feet (by Seattle Slew); second dam of 1994 Yushin Himba (Japanese Oaks) winner Chokai Carol and Grade 3 winner Nelson; and third dam of English Group 2 winner Churlish Charm and Grade 2 winner Big Bane Theory. In addition, Sue Babe is a half sister to Babes Sis (by Raise a Native), second dam of 2000 Ramona Handicap (USA-G1) winner Caffe Latte.
Sue Babe and her siblings are out of the unraced Northern Dancer mare Sleek Dancer, a half sister to stakes winner Pleasant Brook (by Intentionally). The next dam in Sir Harry Lewis’s tail-female line, the My Babu mare Victorine, is a half sister to 1955 Shevlin Stakes winner Gold Box (by Heliopolis) and 1964 Stuyvesant Handicap winner Macedonia (by Olympia). Produced from the Unbreakable mare Pandora, Victorine is also a half sister to Play Possum (by Fighting Fox), dam of 1960 San Felipe Handicap winner Flow Line (by Khaled) and stakes winners Empress of India (by Victoria Park) and Recording (by Don B.) and second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Modus Vivendi, Grade 2 winner Winter Solstice, and 1970 Debonair Stakes winner Champsville. In addition, Victorine is a half sister to Gay Rig (by Turn-to), dam of 1967 Pucker Up Handicap winner Gay Sailorette (by Sailor) and second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Sweetest Chant and Grade 3 winner Private Thoughts, and to Flower Bonnet (by Johns Joy), dam of stakes winner Joy to Tell (by Tell) and second dam of 1979 Garden Province Stakes (SAF-G1) winner Diorissimo.
Books and media
Footage of Sir Harry Lewis’s victory in the 1987 Irish Derby can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyePAxCb6nY.
Fun facts
Last updated: April 3, 2025
Race record
17 starts, 4 wins, 2 seconds, 4 thirds, US$767,503 (includes converted Canadian, English, and Irish earnings)
1987:
- Won Budweiser Irish Derby (IRE-G1, 12FT, The Curragh)
- Won Dee Stakes (ENG-L, 10F+75yT, Chester)
- 3rd Rothmans International Stakes (CAN-G1, 12FT, Woodbine)
- 3rd Matchmaker International (ENG-G1,10F+56yT, York)
1988:
- 2nd Lanes End John Porter Stakes (ENG-G3, 12FT, Newbury)
- 3rd Ormonde EBF Stakes (ENG-G3, 13f+84yT, Chester)
Assessments
Rated at 127 pounds by Timeform as a 3-year-old, 12 pounds below highweighted Reference Point.
Rated at 122 pounds on the International Classification for 1987, 13 pounds below highweighted Reference Point.
As an individual
A bay horse, Sir Harry Lewis had an angular build but was considered good-looking. His racing action was rounded and powerful but not particularly fluid, though he could handle any sort of going. He tended to carry his head to one side but was game and determined in a drive.
As a stallion
Per The Jockey Club, Sir Harry Lewis sired 169 winners (31.9%) and three stakes winners (0.6%) from 520 named foals. In his obituary in The Blood-Horse, he was credited with 11 stakes winners. His top winners were all under National Hunt rules, and he won the TBA Whitbread Silver Salver in 2007 as the top British-based jumps sire by progeny earnings.
Notable progeny
Diamond Harry (GB), Mighty Man (GB)
Notable progeny of daughters
Volponi (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Sir Harry Lewis was bred by Joseph Allen and Regent Farm. He was owned by Howard Kaskel. He was trained by Barry Hills in Europe and Canada and by D. Wayne Lukas in North America at 4 and 5. He was ridden to his Irish Derby win by John Reid. He entered stud in Kentucky in 1990 at Walmac Farm, moving to Kaskel’s Sugar Maple Farm in New York in 1993. In 1995, Sir Harry Lewis was sent to Southcourt Stud in England under the ownership of Colin Smith as a dual-purpose sire and two years later was moved to Bill Bromley’s Wood Farm Stud in Shropshire, England. Purchased outright by Bromley in 2003, Sir Harry Lewis spent the rest of his life at Wood Farm Stud as a National Hunt sire. He died of an apparent heart attack on April 2009.
Pedigree notes
Sir Harry Lewis is inbred 5x5 to 1943 American Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year Count Fleet, a champion sire and broodmare sire in the United States. He is a full brother to Champagne Babe, dam of 1990 Nashua Stakes (USA-G3) winner Champagneforashley (by Track Barron). He is a half brother to Grade 1-placed restricted stakes winner Sir Richard Lewis (by Carr de Naskra) and to Grade 2-placed restricted stakes winner Cyrano (by Seattle Slew).
Sue Babe, the dam of Sir Harry Lewis, won two juvenile stakes races and was Grade 1-placed. She is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Northern Prospect (by Mr. Prospector) and to Our Millie, third dam of 2019 Highlander Stakes (CAN-G1) winner Wet Your Whistle. She is a half sister to 1978 Monmouth Oaks (USA-G1) winner Sharp Belle (by Native Charger), second dam of 1995 Pucker Up Stakes (USA-G3) winner Grand Charmer) and third dam of two-time American champion colt and two-time Chilean champion sire Lookin At Lucky, multiple Grade 2 winner Kensei, and multiple Grade/Group 3 winner Shahama. Sue Babe is also a half sister to Sleek Belle (by Vaguely Noble), dam of 1984 Pucker Up Stakes (USA-G3) winner Witwatersrand (by Mr. Prospector) and stakes winners Sleek Gold (by Mr. Prospector), Chic Belle (by Mr. Prospector), and Sleek Feet (by Seattle Slew); second dam of 1994 Yushin Himba (Japanese Oaks) winner Chokai Carol and Grade 3 winner Nelson; and third dam of English Group 2 winner Churlish Charm and Grade 2 winner Big Bane Theory. In addition, Sue Babe is a half sister to Babes Sis (by Raise a Native), second dam of 2000 Ramona Handicap (USA-G1) winner Caffe Latte.
Sue Babe and her siblings are out of the unraced Northern Dancer mare Sleek Dancer, a half sister to stakes winner Pleasant Brook (by Intentionally). The next dam in Sir Harry Lewis’s tail-female line, the My Babu mare Victorine, is a half sister to 1955 Shevlin Stakes winner Gold Box (by Heliopolis) and 1964 Stuyvesant Handicap winner Macedonia (by Olympia). Produced from the Unbreakable mare Pandora, Victorine is also a half sister to Play Possum (by Fighting Fox), dam of 1960 San Felipe Handicap winner Flow Line (by Khaled) and stakes winners Empress of India (by Victoria Park) and Recording (by Don B.) and second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Modus Vivendi, Grade 2 winner Winter Solstice, and 1970 Debonair Stakes winner Champsville. In addition, Victorine is a half sister to Gay Rig (by Turn-to), dam of 1967 Pucker Up Handicap winner Gay Sailorette (by Sailor) and second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Sweetest Chant and Grade 3 winner Private Thoughts, and to Flower Bonnet (by Johns Joy), dam of stakes winner Joy to Tell (by Tell) and second dam of 1979 Garden Province Stakes (SAF-G1) winner Diorissimo.
Books and media
Footage of Sir Harry Lewis’s victory in the 1987 Irish Derby can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyePAxCb6nY.
Fun facts
- At the time of Sir Harry Lewis’s Irish Derby win, the Irish Derby had the highest purse money of any European race restricted to 3-year-olds.
- On the day that Sir Harry Lewis died, he had two winners at the Exeter course in England, both in races sponsored by Wood Farm Stud.
Last updated: April 3, 2025