Claimed for just US$1,500 as a 2-year-old, Stymie developed into a handicap champion and popular idol. Known for his come-from-the-clouds charges and high head carriage, he was tough, durable, and classy. He eventually retired as the world's leading money-winning Thoroughbred. His name remains alive in modern pedigrees through several daughters, particularly Pretty Ways, whose son Understanding is the broodmare sire of 13-time Japanese champion sire Sunday Silence.
Race record
131 starts, 35 wins, 33 seconds, 28 thirds, US$918,485
1945:
1944:
1945:
1946:
1947:
1948:
1949:
Honors
Assessments
Stymie was rated #41 among the top 100 American racehorses of the 20th century by a panel of experts assembled by The Blood-Horse (Thoroughbred Champions, Eclipse Press, 7th printing, 2005).
Rated second among American older males of 1946 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated third among American older males of 1947 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated second among American older males of 1948 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
Stymie was a beautifully balanced, lengthy chestnut horse who lacked any exceptional strong points or weaknesses. He stood 15.3 hands. His legs were clean and he had a well-sculpted head; as Charles Hatton of the Daily Racing Form described him, he was “the very beau-ideal of the Cup horse.” He normally carried his head high as he ran and would raise it slightly just before launching his run in a race. He won top races over as little as a mile but preferred longer distances and was a classic one-run stayer. He reportedly had a very difficult disposition as a youngster, partly due to excessive fear of people. While he became more professional as he matured, he was always a bit tough when he was on his mettle and ready to deliver a big effort. He was described as a horse of “utmost courage” on the track.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Stymie sired 167 winners (78.0%) and 12 stakes winners (5.6%) from 214 named foals. His progeny were generally tough, hard-knocking and durable.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
Per The Blood-Horse:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Rare Treat (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Ring Twice (USA), What a Treat (USA)
Connections
Stymie was bred and owned by Max Hirsch. He was claimed out of his third race by Hirsch Jacobs, who trained him thereafter on behalf of his wife Edith. He was finally retired at age 8 after having cracked a sesamoid at 7. He entered stud in Kentucky at Hagyard Farm in 1950. He later moved to Sunny Slope Ranch in California, standing there in 1955-1961. He moved back to Hagyard Farm for the 1962 season and died there that year.
Pedigree notes
Stymie is inbred 3x3 to Man o' War and 5x4 to Commando. Sired by Equestrian, an otherwise undistinguished son of the great Equipoise, he is a full brother to Tense Moment, dam of the minor stakes winner Damocles (by Destino), and a half brother to Momentum (by Boojum), dam of multiple stakes winner Flying Missel (by Equestrian).
Stymie's dam Stop Watch is a half sister to Rocket Gun (by Brazado), dam of two-time American champion High Gun (by Heliopolis) and second dam of Canadian Classic winner Bridle Path. She is out of the Man o' War mare Sunset Gun, whose dam Eventide (by Uncle) is out of the Colin mare Noontide, a half sister to five stakes winners including the good speed sire High Time.
Books and media
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: August 9, 2022
Race record
131 starts, 35 wins, 33 seconds, 28 thirds, US$918,485
1945:
- 2nd Ardsley Handicap (second division) (USA, 8f+70yD, Jamaica)
- 3rd Thomas K. Lynch Memorial Stakes (USA, 8f+70yD, Pimlico)
1944:
- 2nd Wood Memorial Stakes (first division) (USA, 8.5FD, Jamaica)
- 3rd Gallant Fox Handicap (USA, 13FD, Jamaica)
- 3rd Westchester Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Jamaica)
- 3rd Pimlico Cup Handicap (USA, 20FD, Pimlico)
- 3rd Riggs Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- 3rd Flamingo Stakes (USA, 9FD, Hialeah)
- 3rd Shevlin Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Aqueduct)
1945:
- Won Brooklyn Handicap (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Butler Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Jamaica)
- Won Westchester Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Jamaica)
- Won Pimlico Cup Handicap (USA, 20FD, Pimlico)
- Won Saratoga Cup (USA, 14FD, Saratoga)
- Won Riggs Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- Won Grey Lag Handicap (US, 9FD, Jamaica)
- Won Continental Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Jamaica)
- 2nd Suburban Handicap (USA, 10FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Yonkers Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Jamaica)
- 2nd Queens County Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Pimlico Special (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- 3rd Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA, 16FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Whitney Stakes (USA, 10FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Merchants' and Citizens' Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Belmont)
1946:
- Won Gallant Fox Handicap (USA, 13FD, Jamaica; new track record 2:42-4/5)
- Won New York Handicap (USA, 18FD, Belmont)
- Won Grey Lag Handicap (USA, 9FD, Jamaica; equaled track record 1:49-3/5)
- Won Whitney Stakes (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
- Won Edgemere Handicap (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Manhattan Handicap (USA, 12FD, Belmont)
- Won Saratoga Cup (USA, 14FD, Saratoga; walked over)
- 2nd Brooklyn Handicap (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Dixie Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- 2nd Pimlico Special (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- 2nd Monmouth Handicap (USA, 10FD, Monmouth)
- 2nd Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA, 16FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Suburban Handicap (USA, 10FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Butler Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Jamaica)
- 3rd Saratoga Handicap (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Sussex Handicap (USA, 10FD, Delaware)
1947:
- Won Gold Cup (USA, 13FD, Empire City)
- Won Gallant Fox Handicap (USA, 13FD, Jamaica)
- Won Massachusetts Handicap (USA, 9FD, Suffolk Downs)
- Won Questionnaire Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Jamaica)
- Won Sussex Handicap (USA, 10FD, Delaware)
- Won Metropolitan Handicap (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Aqueduct Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Brooklyn Handicap (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Butler Handicap ((USA, 9.5FD, Jamaica)
- 2nd Edgemere Handicap (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Manhattan Handicap (USA, 12FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Queens County Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Whitney Stakes (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA, 16FD, Belmont)
1948:
- Won Sussex Handicap (USA, 10FD, Delaware)
- Won Metropolitan Handicap (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Aqueduct Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Suburban Handicap (USA, 10FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Dixie Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- 2nd Queens County Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Brooklyn Handicap (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Excelsior Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Jamaica)
1949:
- 2nd New York Handicap (USA, 18FD, Belmont)
Honors
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1975)
- Monmouth Park Hall of Champions
- American champion handicap male (1945)
Assessments
Stymie was rated #41 among the top 100 American racehorses of the 20th century by a panel of experts assembled by The Blood-Horse (Thoroughbred Champions, Eclipse Press, 7th printing, 2005).
Rated second among American older males of 1946 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated third among American older males of 1947 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated second among American older males of 1948 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
Stymie was a beautifully balanced, lengthy chestnut horse who lacked any exceptional strong points or weaknesses. He stood 15.3 hands. His legs were clean and he had a well-sculpted head; as Charles Hatton of the Daily Racing Form described him, he was “the very beau-ideal of the Cup horse.” He normally carried his head high as he ran and would raise it slightly just before launching his run in a race. He won top races over as little as a mile but preferred longer distances and was a classic one-run stayer. He reportedly had a very difficult disposition as a youngster, partly due to excessive fear of people. While he became more professional as he matured, he was always a bit tough when he was on his mettle and ready to deliver a big effort. He was described as a horse of “utmost courage” on the track.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Stymie sired 167 winners (78.0%) and 12 stakes winners (5.6%) from 214 named foals. His progeny were generally tough, hard-knocking and durable.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- 8th on the American general sire list in 1958; 10th in 1955 and 1956.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- 8th on the American general sire list in 1958; 10th in 1955 and 1956.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 8th on the American general sire list in 1958; 10th in 1955 and 1956
Notable progeny
Rare Treat (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Ring Twice (USA), What a Treat (USA)
Connections
Stymie was bred and owned by Max Hirsch. He was claimed out of his third race by Hirsch Jacobs, who trained him thereafter on behalf of his wife Edith. He was finally retired at age 8 after having cracked a sesamoid at 7. He entered stud in Kentucky at Hagyard Farm in 1950. He later moved to Sunny Slope Ranch in California, standing there in 1955-1961. He moved back to Hagyard Farm for the 1962 season and died there that year.
Pedigree notes
Stymie is inbred 3x3 to Man o' War and 5x4 to Commando. Sired by Equestrian, an otherwise undistinguished son of the great Equipoise, he is a full brother to Tense Moment, dam of the minor stakes winner Damocles (by Destino), and a half brother to Momentum (by Boojum), dam of multiple stakes winner Flying Missel (by Equestrian).
Stymie's dam Stop Watch is a half sister to Rocket Gun (by Brazado), dam of two-time American champion High Gun (by Heliopolis) and second dam of Canadian Classic winner Bridle Path. She is out of the Man o' War mare Sunset Gun, whose dam Eventide (by Uncle) is out of the Colin mare Noontide, a half sister to five stakes winners including the good speed sire High Time.
Books and media
- Stymie's story is told in Out of the Clouds: The Unlikely Horseman and the Unwanted Colt Who Conquered the Sport of Kings. Written by Linda Carroll and David Rosner, the book was released by Hatchette Books in 2018 and was the winner of the 2018 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award as 2018's best book related to horse racing.
- Stymie's rivalries with Armed, Assault, and Gallorette were featured in the fifth and sixth chapters of Horse Racing's Greatest Rivalries (2008, Eclipse Press), a compilation produced by the staff of The Blood-Horse.
- Stymie is one of 50 Thoroughbreds profiled in Royal Blood: Fifty Years of Classic Thoroughbreds. Written by racing historian Jim Bolus with illustrations and commentary by noted equine artist Richard Stone Reeves, the book was released by The Blood-Horse, Inc., in 1994.
- “Stymie—Common Folks,” Joe Palmer's tribute on the occasion of Stymie's retirement, is part of Palmer's book This Was Racing (1953, Henry Clay Press).
Fun facts
- The mating that produced Stymie was actually planned by Robert Kleberg, Jr., owner of King Ranch, but trainer Max Hirsch remained the breeder of record because of a delay in getting documentation regarding his sale of Stymie's dam On Watch to Kleberg to The Jockey Club.
- Although he was stakes-placed at 2 and 3, Stymie did not win a stakes race until his 60th lifetime start and won only seven of his first 50 starts, which were mostly in claiming races, allowances and overnight handicaps. Following a seven months' rest enforced by a wartime suspension of American racing, he won 28 of his remaining 81 starts while slugging it out at the highest levels of competition.
- Stymie has the fifth-highest number of starts among equine members of the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame, trailing Imp (171), Pan Zareta (151), and Kingston and Parole (138).
- Stymie was the world's leading money-winning Thoroughbred at the time of his retirement in 1950.
- Hirsch Jacobs named his Maryland breeding farm Stymie Manor in his champion's honor.
- The Stymie Stakes was inaugurated as a handicap race at Belmont Park in 1956. It is currently a listed race for horses aged 4 and up at Aqueduct and is contested at 8 furlongs on dirt as of 2022.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: August 9, 2022