Ranked second to consensus American Horse of the Year Friar Rock among American 3-year-old males of 1916, Spur was not quite as good over the distances at which Friar Rock excelled but may have been the better horse over shorter trips as he defeated Friar Rock in the 8-furlong Withers Stakes while losing to him in the 11-furlong Belmont Stakes. He was not a particularly successful sire but did get one high-class horse in 1925 Suburban Handicap winner Sting, who continued the male line of 1898 Kentucky Derby winner Plaudit by siring the high-class racehorse and good sire Questionnaire.
Race record
Complete record not available
1915:
1916:
1917:
1918:
1919:
Assessments
Ranked second among American 3-year-old males of 1916 by The Blood-Horse.
Ranked fourth among American older males of 1917 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A bay, Spur was durable enough to make 21 starts as a 3-year-old, finishing out of the money only once.
As a stallion
Spur sired 33 winners (56.9%) and 4 stakes winners (6.9%) from 58 named foals according to records kept by The Jockey Club. Sires and Dams of Stakes Winners 1925-1985 (The Blood-Horse) indicates that he sired four stakes winners from 68 foals. His stud career was probably hampered by his location, as he had little access to good-class mares.
Notable progeny
Sting (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Virginia, Spur was bred by Henry T. Oxnard. He was owned by James Butler, a grocery tycoon who owned the Empire City race track. He was trained by John H. McCormack. He stood at Butler's East View Stud in Westchester County, New York. His last known foals were born in 1930.
Pedigree notes
Spur is inbred 4x4 to 1864 Ascot Gold Cup winner Scottish Chief and 5x5x5 to 1852 dual English Classic winner and seven-time English champion sire Stockwell. He is a full brother to Silencia, dam of two-time Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Dark Secret (by Flying Ebony) and stakes winner Silent Shot (by Under Fire). He is also a full brother to Lady Emmeline, dam of 1933 Quebec Derby winner Uncle Donald (by Vulcain), second dam of 1956 Queens County Handicap winner Blessbull and 1940 Cuban Derby winner Martinhost and third dam of 1959 Atlantic City Handicap winner Noble Sel.
Auntie Mum, the dam of Spur, is out of Adderly (by Ayrshire), a minor stakes winner in England. Produced from 1884 Coronation Stakes winner Sandiway (by Doncaster), Adderly is a half sister to Sandfly (by Isonomy), second dam of Spur's best son, Sting. Sandfly is also the second dam of 1914 Belmont Stakes winner Luke McLuke and the third dam of 1918 Deutches Derby winner Marmor and 1930 Latonia Oaks winner Banner Bright. Another half sister to Adderly, Sanderling (by St. Simon), is the second dam of 1915 Travers Stakes winner Lady Rotha and the fourth dam of 1925 Kentucky Oaks winner Deeming.
Race record
Complete record not available
1915:
- 2nd Albany Handicap (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
1916:
- Won Withers Stakes (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Southampton Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Jamaica)
- Won Huron Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Saratoga)
- Won Jerome Handicap (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Knickerbocker Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Empire City)
- Won Midsummer Handicap (USA, 8FD, Empire City)
- Won Travers Stakes (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Belmont Stakes (USA, 11FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Yonkers Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Empire City)
- 2nd Saranac Handicap (USA, 8FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Baltimore Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Laurel)
- 2nd Washington Handicap (USA, 9FD, Laurel)
- 2nd Lawrence Realization Stakes (USA, 12FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Metropolitan Handicap (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Empire City Handicap (USA, 9FD, Empire City)
- 3rd Mount Vernon Handicap (USA, 8FD, Empire City)
1917:
- Won Empire City Handicap (USA, 9FD, Empire City)
- Won Yonkers Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Empire City; equaled track record 1:44-3/5)
- 2nd Saratoga Cup (USA, 14FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Metropolitan Handicap (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Kings County Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Jamaica)
1918:
- Won Yonkers Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Empire City)
- Won Long Beach Handicap (USA, 9FD, Jamaica)
- 2nd Kings County Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Jamaica)
- 3rd Empire City Handicap (USA, 9FD, Empire City)
1919:
- 3rd Yonkers Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Empire City)
- 3rd Empire City Handicap (USA, 9FD, Empire City)
Assessments
Ranked second among American 3-year-old males of 1916 by The Blood-Horse.
Ranked fourth among American older males of 1917 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A bay, Spur was durable enough to make 21 starts as a 3-year-old, finishing out of the money only once.
As a stallion
Spur sired 33 winners (56.9%) and 4 stakes winners (6.9%) from 58 named foals according to records kept by The Jockey Club. Sires and Dams of Stakes Winners 1925-1985 (The Blood-Horse) indicates that he sired four stakes winners from 68 foals. His stud career was probably hampered by his location, as he had little access to good-class mares.
Notable progeny
Sting (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Virginia, Spur was bred by Henry T. Oxnard. He was owned by James Butler, a grocery tycoon who owned the Empire City race track. He was trained by John H. McCormack. He stood at Butler's East View Stud in Westchester County, New York. His last known foals were born in 1930.
Pedigree notes
Spur is inbred 4x4 to 1864 Ascot Gold Cup winner Scottish Chief and 5x5x5 to 1852 dual English Classic winner and seven-time English champion sire Stockwell. He is a full brother to Silencia, dam of two-time Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Dark Secret (by Flying Ebony) and stakes winner Silent Shot (by Under Fire). He is also a full brother to Lady Emmeline, dam of 1933 Quebec Derby winner Uncle Donald (by Vulcain), second dam of 1956 Queens County Handicap winner Blessbull and 1940 Cuban Derby winner Martinhost and third dam of 1959 Atlantic City Handicap winner Noble Sel.
Auntie Mum, the dam of Spur, is out of Adderly (by Ayrshire), a minor stakes winner in England. Produced from 1884 Coronation Stakes winner Sandiway (by Doncaster), Adderly is a half sister to Sandfly (by Isonomy), second dam of Spur's best son, Sting. Sandfly is also the second dam of 1914 Belmont Stakes winner Luke McLuke and the third dam of 1918 Deutches Derby winner Marmor and 1930 Latonia Oaks winner Banner Bright. Another half sister to Adderly, Sanderling (by St. Simon), is the second dam of 1915 Travers Stakes winner Lady Rotha and the fourth dam of 1925 Kentucky Oaks winner Deeming.