Snow Knight (GB)
February 28, 1971 – September 15, 1992
Firestreak (GB) x Snow Blossom (GB), by Flush Royal (FR)
Family 6-e
February 28, 1971 – September 15, 1992
Firestreak (GB) x Snow Blossom (GB), by Flush Royal (FR)
Family 6-e
One of the few Derby Stakes (ENG-G1) winners to achieve a higher reputation while racing in North America than in Europe, Snow Knight was considered a subpar Derby winner (he won by three lengths at 50-1 odds but failed to improve off that form) but proved the best turf racer in North America in 1975. As is often the case in North America, this did him little good so far as the North American stallion market was concerned. Perceived as a long-winded stayer who was unlikely to get precocious runners on dirt and with an offbeat pedigree by North American standards, Snow Knight had little opportunity to make a lasting impact and was eventually exported to Australia, where he fared no better.
Race record
22 starts, 9 wins, 5 seconds, 2 thirds, US$525,747 (including Canadian and English earnings)
1973:
1974:
1975:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 125 pounds by Timeform as a 3-year-old.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American turf males of 1975, 2 pounds above second-rated Buffalo Lark.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for Canadian turf runners of 1975, 5 pounds above second-rated Comtesse de Loir (a 4-year-old filly).
As an individual
A chestnut horse standing 16 hands, Snow Knight was rangy and attractive but had a difficult temperament. He was hampered by minor injuries during the early part of his 3-year-old season. A horse of good natural speed, he could be placed as his jockey judged best. He could not handle soft going.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Snow Knight sired 91 winners (28.4%) and 7 stakes winners (2.2%) from 320 named foals.
Notable progeny
Awaasif (CAN), Northern Blossom (CAN)
Notable progeny of daughters
Snow Bride (USA)
Connections
Snow Knight was bred by J. A. Claude Lilley. A 5,200 guinea purchase as a yearling, he was owned by Sharon Phillips (whose husband Neil Phillips had owned the colt’s sire, Firestreak) and was trained by Peter Nelson while racing in Europe. A 60 percent interest in the colt was sold to E. P. Taylor for a reported CAN$1 million in the fall of 1974 and Snow Knight was sent to Canada, failing to impress in three starts at Woodbine under the care of Jim Bentley. Sent to Mackenzie Miller in New York, he turned things around as a 4-year-old. After the conclusion of his racing career, Snow Knight stood at Windfields Farm in Ontario as the property of a syndicate. He was exported to Australia in 1986 and died there in 1992.
Pedigree notes
Sired by Firestreak (a multiple stakes-winning son of 1951 Prince of Wales’s stales winner Pardal), Snow Knight is inbred 4x5 to English and French champion sire Pharos, winner of the 1924 Champion Stakes, and 5x5x6 to Pharos’s sire Phalaris, a two-time leader of the English/Irish general sire list. A half brother to English stakes winner Good Apple (a son of Constable who scored his only valuable win by disqualification), he is out of unraced Snow Blossom, whose sire Flush Royal won the historic Cesarewitch Handicap in 1952; he had previously won the 1948 Prix Noialles and placed the 1948 Derby Stakes and Grand Prix de Paris.
Snow Knight’s dam Snow Blossom is a half sister to Concert Artist (by Constable), dam of German steeplechase stakes winner Cliff (by Meinberg). Snow Blossom and Concert Artist were produced from Ariana, who did not race but is a half sister to 1945 St. Leger Stakes winner Chamossaire (by Precipitation) and English stakes winners Berrylands (by Bois Roussel) and Jardiniere (by Sandjar). A daughter of 1944 St. Leger Stakes winner Tehran, Ariana is a half sister to White House II (by Supreme Court), dam of 1968 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Hopeful Venture (by Aureole) and third dam of English Group 3 winner Always Valiant, and to Ten Above (by Tenerani), third dam of multiple Belgian Group 2 winner Anthony.
Ariana, in turn, is out of 1939 Queen Mary Stakes winner Snowberry (by 1931 English champion 3-year-old male Cameronian), whose full sister Belle of Ascot is the dam of stakes winners Pretexte (by Precipitation) and Social Gulf (by Persian Gulf). Also a half sister to 1942 Two Thousand Guineas winner and three-time English champion broodmare sire Big Game (by Bahram) and to stakes-placed Cretan Belle (by Mieuxcé), dam of 1964 Peruvian champion older female Myrelle (by Elopement), Snowberry is out of 1932 English champion 2-year-old filly Myrobella (by 1920 English champion 2-year-old male Tetratema).
Fun facts
Last updated: December 28, 2021
Race record
22 starts, 9 wins, 5 seconds, 2 thirds, US$525,747 (including Canadian and English earnings)
1973:
- 2nd Champagne Stakes (ENG-G2, 7FT, Doncaster)
1974:
- Won Derby Stakes (ENG-G1, 12FT, Epsom)
- 2nd Classic Trial Stakes (ENG-G3, 11F+133yT, Lingfield)
- 3rd Benson and Hedges Gold Cup (ENG-G1, 10.5FT, York)
- 3rd Ladbroke Derby Trial Stakes (ENG-G3, about 10FT, Sandown)
1975:
- Won Canadian International Championship (CAN-G1, 13FT, Woodbine)
- Won Man o' War Stakes (USA-G1, 12FT, Belmont; by disqualification of One on the Aisle)
- Won Manhattan Handicap (second division) (USA-G2, 11FT, Belmont)
- Won Seneca Handicap (USA-G3, 13FT, Saratoga)
- Won Brighton Beach Handicap (first division) (USA, 10FT, Belmont)
Honors
- Aiken Thoroughbred Hall of Fame (inducted in 1977)
- Eclipse Award, American champion turf horse (1975)
- Sovereign Award, Canadian champion turf horse (1975)
Assessments
Rated at 125 pounds by Timeform as a 3-year-old.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American turf males of 1975, 2 pounds above second-rated Buffalo Lark.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for Canadian turf runners of 1975, 5 pounds above second-rated Comtesse de Loir (a 4-year-old filly).
As an individual
A chestnut horse standing 16 hands, Snow Knight was rangy and attractive but had a difficult temperament. He was hampered by minor injuries during the early part of his 3-year-old season. A horse of good natural speed, he could be placed as his jockey judged best. He could not handle soft going.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Snow Knight sired 91 winners (28.4%) and 7 stakes winners (2.2%) from 320 named foals.
Notable progeny
Awaasif (CAN), Northern Blossom (CAN)
Notable progeny of daughters
Snow Bride (USA)
Connections
Snow Knight was bred by J. A. Claude Lilley. A 5,200 guinea purchase as a yearling, he was owned by Sharon Phillips (whose husband Neil Phillips had owned the colt’s sire, Firestreak) and was trained by Peter Nelson while racing in Europe. A 60 percent interest in the colt was sold to E. P. Taylor for a reported CAN$1 million in the fall of 1974 and Snow Knight was sent to Canada, failing to impress in three starts at Woodbine under the care of Jim Bentley. Sent to Mackenzie Miller in New York, he turned things around as a 4-year-old. After the conclusion of his racing career, Snow Knight stood at Windfields Farm in Ontario as the property of a syndicate. He was exported to Australia in 1986 and died there in 1992.
Pedigree notes
Sired by Firestreak (a multiple stakes-winning son of 1951 Prince of Wales’s stales winner Pardal), Snow Knight is inbred 4x5 to English and French champion sire Pharos, winner of the 1924 Champion Stakes, and 5x5x6 to Pharos’s sire Phalaris, a two-time leader of the English/Irish general sire list. A half brother to English stakes winner Good Apple (a son of Constable who scored his only valuable win by disqualification), he is out of unraced Snow Blossom, whose sire Flush Royal won the historic Cesarewitch Handicap in 1952; he had previously won the 1948 Prix Noialles and placed the 1948 Derby Stakes and Grand Prix de Paris.
Snow Knight’s dam Snow Blossom is a half sister to Concert Artist (by Constable), dam of German steeplechase stakes winner Cliff (by Meinberg). Snow Blossom and Concert Artist were produced from Ariana, who did not race but is a half sister to 1945 St. Leger Stakes winner Chamossaire (by Precipitation) and English stakes winners Berrylands (by Bois Roussel) and Jardiniere (by Sandjar). A daughter of 1944 St. Leger Stakes winner Tehran, Ariana is a half sister to White House II (by Supreme Court), dam of 1968 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Hopeful Venture (by Aureole) and third dam of English Group 3 winner Always Valiant, and to Ten Above (by Tenerani), third dam of multiple Belgian Group 2 winner Anthony.
Ariana, in turn, is out of 1939 Queen Mary Stakes winner Snowberry (by 1931 English champion 3-year-old male Cameronian), whose full sister Belle of Ascot is the dam of stakes winners Pretexte (by Precipitation) and Social Gulf (by Persian Gulf). Also a half sister to 1942 Two Thousand Guineas winner and three-time English champion broodmare sire Big Game (by Bahram) and to stakes-placed Cretan Belle (by Mieuxcé), dam of 1964 Peruvian champion older female Myrelle (by Elopement), Snowberry is out of 1932 English champion 2-year-old filly Myrobella (by 1920 English champion 2-year-old male Tetratema).
Fun facts
- Snow Knight gave a full display of his temperament in the Derby Stakes, as he threw jockey Brian Taylor in the paddock and continued his obstreperous behavior all the way up to being loaded in the starting gate.
- Snow Knight was the second winner of the Derby Stakes to stand in Canada; the first was the 1874 winner, George Frederick.
Last updated: December 28, 2021