Sir Ivor (USA)
May 5, 1965 – November 10, 1995
Sir Gaylord (USA) x Attica (USA), by Mr. Trouble (USA)
Family 8-g
May 5, 1965 – November 10, 1995
Sir Gaylord (USA) x Attica (USA), by Mr. Trouble (USA)
Family 8-g
Blessed with a remarkable turn of foot, Sir Ivor combined the precocity to be a top juvenile with the stamina needed to win Europe's premier 3-year-old Classic, the Derby Stakes. Following his swan song in the Washington, D.C., International, the horse stood in Ireland for two seasons before transferring to Claiborne Farm, where he spent the rest of his life. He was best known as an excellent sire of fillies but also managed to hand on the male line of Sir Gaylord to his son Sir Tristram, a six-time Australian champion sire.
Race record
13 starts, 8 wins, 3 seconds, 1 third, US$561,323 (including converted earnings from England, Ireland and France)
1967:
1968:
Honors
Assessments
Earned a Timeform rating of 135 pounds as a 3-year-old.
In their book A Century of Champions (1999, Portway Press), British experts John Randall and Tony Morris rated Sir Ivor as a “superior” Derby winner and the seventh best Irish-based racehorse of the 20th century.
In a 2011 interview with The Guardian, Lester Piggott—perhaps the greatest English rider of all time—singled out Sir Ivor as the best he ever rode, despite the fact that he “was not really a mile-and-a-half horse.”
Famed Irish trainer Vincent O'Brien ranked Sir Ivor with Nijinsky II as the best horses he had trained, stating that Nijinsky II had greater brilliance but Sir Ivor was tougher.
As an individual
An exceptionally handsome bay horse with a beautifully laid shoulder, Sir Ivor had very good conformation and an excellent disposition. He was quite intelligent and in Piggott's words acted “as if he knew what he was supposed to do.” The great trainer Vincent O'Brien considered Sir Ivor to be the most determined of all the great horses he had trained.
As a stallion
According to The Jockey Club, Sir Ivor sired 461 winners (55.2%) and 91 stakes winners (10.9%) from 835 named foals. Thoroughbred Times credits him with 94 stakes winners (11.3%). Sir Ivor is an Intermediate/Classic chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Per the Jockey Club of Turkey (https://www.tjk.org/EN/YarisSever/YarisSever/Index):
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
Notable progeny
Bates Motel (USA), Fascinating Girl (USA), Equanimity (USA), Godetia (USA), Grand Luxe (CAN), Ivanjica (USA), Ivor's Image (USA), Lady Capulet (USA), Malinowski (USA), Minnie Hauk (USA), Monroe (USA), Optimistic Gal (USA), Sir Tristram (IRE), St. Hilarion (USA), Sweet Alliance (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Auntie Mame (USA), Aviance (IRE), Be My Chief (USA), Bluebird (USA), Chief Contender (IRE), Danzig Connection (USA), El Prado (IRE), Gold and Ivory (USA), Goodbye Halo (USA), Green Desert (USA), Jolie's Halo (USA), Lode (USA), Margarula (IRE), Miserden (USA), Shareef Dancer (USA), Star de Lady Anne (USA), Tia Gigi (USA), Vettori (IRE), Virginia Rapids (USA), Xaar (GB)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Sir Ivor was bred by Alice Headley Bell (later Alice Headley Chandler) at her Mill Ridge Farm. He was owned by Raymond Guest, the American ambassador to Ireland, who bought him for US$42,000 at the 1966 Keeneland yearling sale with A. B. “Bull” Hancock acting as agent. The colt was trained by Vincent O'Brien. Sir Ivor entered stud in 1969 at Ballygoran Stud in Ireland and transferred to Claiborne Farm in Kentucky in 1971.
Pedigree notes
Sir Ivor is inbred 5x5 to the great broodmare Plucky Liege. He is a half brother to Be Careful (by Dedicate), second dam of 1983 Gran Premio de Madrid (SPA-G1) winner Brezo, and to McCoy (by Hillsdale), second dam of French Group 3 winners Prince Mab and Ruscelli and third dam of 1991 Premio Villamejor (Spanish St. Leger) winner Sibarito. Sir Ivor is also a half brother to Lady Ivor (by Spy Song), second dam of Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, JPN-G1) winner Shadai Ivor, 1994 Premio Haras de Chile (CHI-G1) winner Lady Ivor, Grade 2 winner Mugatea and Grade 3 winner Patchy Groundfog and third dam of 2011 Premio Gran Criterium—Maurico Serrano Palma (CHI-G1) winner Lord Parker.
Stakes-placed on the track, Sir Ivor's dam Attica is a half sister to 1954 Washington Park Futurity winner Georgian (by Revoked) and to Affectation (by Citation), dam of 1966 Matron Stakes winner Swiss Cheese (by Dotted Swiss). She is out of the good stakes winner Athenia (by Pharamond II), a daughter of a still better race mare in Salaminia (by Man o' War) and a granddaughter of the notable foundation mare Alcibiades (by Supremus).
Books and media
Fun facts
Last updated: November 24, 2023
Race record
13 starts, 8 wins, 3 seconds, 1 third, US$561,323 (including converted earnings from England, Ireland and France)
1967:
- Won Grand Criterium (FR, 1600mT, Longchamp)
- Won National Stakes (IRE, 7FT, The Curragh)
- Won Probationers' Stakes (IRE, The Curragh)
1968:
- Won Derby Stakes (ENG, 12FT, Epsom)
- Won Two Thousand Guineas (ENG, 8FT, Newmarket)
- Won Two Thousand Guineas Trial Stakes (ENG)
- Won Champion Stakes (ENG, 10FT, Newmarket)
- Won Washington, D.C. International (USA, 12FT, Laurel)
- 2nd Irish Sweeps Derby (IRE, 12FT, The Curragh)
- 2nd Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (FR, 2400mT, Longchamp)
- 2nd Prix Henry Delamarre (FR)
- 3rd Eclipse Stakes (ENG, 10FT, Sandown)
Honors
- English Horse of the Year (1968)
- Irish champion 2-year-old male (1967)
- English champion 3-year-old male (1968)
Assessments
Earned a Timeform rating of 135 pounds as a 3-year-old.
In their book A Century of Champions (1999, Portway Press), British experts John Randall and Tony Morris rated Sir Ivor as a “superior” Derby winner and the seventh best Irish-based racehorse of the 20th century.
In a 2011 interview with The Guardian, Lester Piggott—perhaps the greatest English rider of all time—singled out Sir Ivor as the best he ever rode, despite the fact that he “was not really a mile-and-a-half horse.”
Famed Irish trainer Vincent O'Brien ranked Sir Ivor with Nijinsky II as the best horses he had trained, stating that Nijinsky II had greater brilliance but Sir Ivor was tougher.
As an individual
An exceptionally handsome bay horse with a beautifully laid shoulder, Sir Ivor had very good conformation and an excellent disposition. He was quite intelligent and in Piggott's words acted “as if he knew what he was supposed to do.” The great trainer Vincent O'Brien considered Sir Ivor to be the most determined of all the great horses he had trained.
As a stallion
According to The Jockey Club, Sir Ivor sired 461 winners (55.2%) and 91 stakes winners (10.9%) from 835 named foals. Thoroughbred Times credits him with 94 stakes winners (11.3%). Sir Ivor is an Intermediate/Classic chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 6th on the American broodmare sire list in 1989.
- 5th on the combined English/Irish general sire list in 1974.
- Led the combined English/Irish broodmare sire list in 1983; 6th in 1987; 8th in 1985 and 1986; 10th in 1989.
- 4th on the French general sire list in 1975; 6th in 1976
Per the Jockey Club of Turkey (https://www.tjk.org/EN/YarisSever/YarisSever/Index):
- 3rd on the Turkish broodmare sire list in 1998 and 2000; 8th in 1997 and 1999.
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
- Led the combined English/Irish broodmare sire list in 1983.
- Led the Irish general sire list in 1979.
Notable progeny
Bates Motel (USA), Fascinating Girl (USA), Equanimity (USA), Godetia (USA), Grand Luxe (CAN), Ivanjica (USA), Ivor's Image (USA), Lady Capulet (USA), Malinowski (USA), Minnie Hauk (USA), Monroe (USA), Optimistic Gal (USA), Sir Tristram (IRE), St. Hilarion (USA), Sweet Alliance (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Auntie Mame (USA), Aviance (IRE), Be My Chief (USA), Bluebird (USA), Chief Contender (IRE), Danzig Connection (USA), El Prado (IRE), Gold and Ivory (USA), Goodbye Halo (USA), Green Desert (USA), Jolie's Halo (USA), Lode (USA), Margarula (IRE), Miserden (USA), Shareef Dancer (USA), Star de Lady Anne (USA), Tia Gigi (USA), Vettori (IRE), Virginia Rapids (USA), Xaar (GB)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Sir Ivor was bred by Alice Headley Bell (later Alice Headley Chandler) at her Mill Ridge Farm. He was owned by Raymond Guest, the American ambassador to Ireland, who bought him for US$42,000 at the 1966 Keeneland yearling sale with A. B. “Bull” Hancock acting as agent. The colt was trained by Vincent O'Brien. Sir Ivor entered stud in 1969 at Ballygoran Stud in Ireland and transferred to Claiborne Farm in Kentucky in 1971.
Pedigree notes
Sir Ivor is inbred 5x5 to the great broodmare Plucky Liege. He is a half brother to Be Careful (by Dedicate), second dam of 1983 Gran Premio de Madrid (SPA-G1) winner Brezo, and to McCoy (by Hillsdale), second dam of French Group 3 winners Prince Mab and Ruscelli and third dam of 1991 Premio Villamejor (Spanish St. Leger) winner Sibarito. Sir Ivor is also a half brother to Lady Ivor (by Spy Song), second dam of Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, JPN-G1) winner Shadai Ivor, 1994 Premio Haras de Chile (CHI-G1) winner Lady Ivor, Grade 2 winner Mugatea and Grade 3 winner Patchy Groundfog and third dam of 2011 Premio Gran Criterium—Maurico Serrano Palma (CHI-G1) winner Lord Parker.
Stakes-placed on the track, Sir Ivor's dam Attica is a half sister to 1954 Washington Park Futurity winner Georgian (by Revoked) and to Affectation (by Citation), dam of 1966 Matron Stakes winner Swiss Cheese (by Dotted Swiss). She is out of the good stakes winner Athenia (by Pharamond II), a daughter of a still better race mare in Salaminia (by Man o' War) and a granddaughter of the notable foundation mare Alcibiades (by Supremus).
Books and media
- Sir Ivor was the subject of a 1969 documentary film titled The Year of Sir Ivor. The film was produced by Owen Capey and Associates and was directed by Kit Owens.
- Sir Ivor is one of 75 Thoroughbred stallions profiled in Tony Morris' Thoroughbred Stallions (1990, The Crowood Press).
Fun facts
- Sir Ivor was named for Raymond Guest's grandfather, Sir Ivor Guest, 1st Baron Wimborne.
- In between his 2-year-old and 3-year-old seasons, Sir Ivor wintered in Italy to take advantage of the warmer climate, though he did not start there.
- Sir Ivor's victory in the 1968 Derby Stakes was ranked #89 in Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments, a review of racing in the 20th century compiled by The Blood-Horse and released in 2006.
- Sir Ivor enjoyed having his tongue pulled.
- Sir Ivor Court, a street in the Canadian town of Newmarket, was named for the champion.
Last updated: November 24, 2023