Summer Tan might well have been a champion in an ordinary year, but he had the misfortune to come along in the same crop as Nashua and Swaps, both horses named among the greats of American Thoroughbred racing. Nonetheless, he was game, versatile, and consistent, set track records at 6½ furlongs and 13 furlongs, and was arguably the best of the rest of his crop. He was a successful sire but was more noted as a sire of broodmares.
Race record
28 starts, 11 wins, 12 seconds, 2 thirds, US$542,798
1954:
1955:
1956:
1957:
Assessments
Highweighted at 128 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap, one pound ahead of the official divisional champion, Nashua.
Weighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3yo males of 1955, 4 pounds below co-highweights Nashua (the official divisional champion and Horse of the Year) and Swaps.
Weighted at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1956, 7 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Swaps.
Weighted at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1957, 4 pounds below champion Dedicate.
Ranked second among American juvenile males of 1955, third among American 3-year-old males of 1955, fourth among American older males of 1956, and fourth among American older males of 1957 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A strong, well-made bay colt with clean legs and refined but not delicate lines, Summer Tan had a good disposition while racing and was an honest, resolute runner. He needed some time between his races to be at his best. He could handle both fast and sloppy going. He was injured while finishing third in the 1955 Kentucky Derby and did not reappear under silks for the rest of his 3-year-old season. He was injured again while running fourth in the 1957 Widener Handicap and was retired to stud. He typically raced on or near the pace.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Summer Tan sired 158 winners (66.1%) and 21 stakes winners (8.8%) from 239 named foals of racing age.
Notable progeny
Summer Scandal (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Friendswood (USA), Lord Durham (CAN), Proud Truth (USA), Silver Series (USA), Summer Siren (USA), Tempest Queen (USA), Top Knight (USA), Typecast (USA), What a Summer (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Summer Tan was bred and owned by Mrs. Russell A. Firestone. He was trained by Sherrill W. Ward. He stood at Darby Dan Farm in Kentucky, where he died of a heart attack in October 1969.
Pedigree notes
Summer Tan’s pedigree is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to Thoris, whose grandson Honey Jay (by Double Jay) was a multiple stakes winner and a perennial leading sire in Ohio. Thoris is also the second dam of 1974 Santa Anita Derby (USA-G1) winner Destroyer (by Vitriolic). Another half sister to Summer Tan, Lady in White (by Helioscope), is the third dam of Panamanian Group 3 winners El Fariseo and Yaeaar.
Summer Tan was produced from the winning Omaha mare Miss Zibby, whose dam Fairisk (by Stimulus) is a full sister to the high-class juvenile filly Donita M., dam of 1944 Beldame Handicap winner Donitas First (by Reaping Reward), and to to Reckless, dam of stakes winners Restless (by Gallant Fox), Reckon (by Bahram), and Rogue (by Bahram). Fairisk is also a half sister to Venture On (by Isolater), second dam of 1965 Trenton Handicap winner Slystitch, and to Risk Me (by Some Chance), second dam of 1967 National Jockey Club Handicap winner Royal Course.
Fairisk and her siblings are out of My Risk (by 1916 American champion 2-year-old male Campfire). Produced from the Sir Martin mare Venturesome II, My Risk is a half sister to Risky (by Diadumenos), dam of 1930 Spinaway Stakes and 1931 Alabama Stakes winner Risque (by Stimulus) and multiple stakes winner Riskulus (by Stimulus) and ancestress of an important American branch of Bruce Lowe family 2-n.
Fun facts
Last updated: September 21, 2024
Race record
28 starts, 11 wins, 12 seconds, 2 thirds, US$542,798
1954:
- Won Garden State Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Garden State)
- Won Cowdin Stakes (USA, 6.5FD, Aqueduct; new track record 1:16)
- Won United States Hotel Stakes (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
- Won Youthful Stakes (USA, 5FD, Jamaica)
- 2nd Futurity Stakes (USA, 6.5FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Hopeful Stakes (USA, 6.5FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Juvenile Stakes (USA, 5FD, Belmont)
- 2nd National Stallion Stakes (Males) (USA, 5FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Saratoga Special (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
1955:
- 2nd Wood Memorial Stakes (USA, 9FD, Jamaica)
- 3rd Kentucky Derby (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
1956:
- Won Gallant Fox Handicap (USA, 13FD, Jamaica; new track record 2:41-3/5)
- Won Pimlico Special (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- Won Vosburgh Handicap (USA, 7FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Hawthorne Gold Cup (USA, 10FD, Hawthorne)
- 2nd Washington Park Handicap (USA, 8FD, Washington Park)
- 2nd Arlington Handicap (USA, 9.5FT, Arlington Park)
- 2nd Trenton Handicap (USA, 10FD, Monmouth)
- 2nd Whitney Stakes (USA, 9FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Edgemere Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Jamaica)
1957:
- Won McLellan Handicap (USA, 9FD, Hialeah)
Assessments
Highweighted at 128 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap, one pound ahead of the official divisional champion, Nashua.
Weighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3yo males of 1955, 4 pounds below co-highweights Nashua (the official divisional champion and Horse of the Year) and Swaps.
Weighted at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1956, 7 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Swaps.
Weighted at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1957, 4 pounds below champion Dedicate.
Ranked second among American juvenile males of 1955, third among American 3-year-old males of 1955, fourth among American older males of 1956, and fourth among American older males of 1957 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A strong, well-made bay colt with clean legs and refined but not delicate lines, Summer Tan had a good disposition while racing and was an honest, resolute runner. He needed some time between his races to be at his best. He could handle both fast and sloppy going. He was injured while finishing third in the 1955 Kentucky Derby and did not reappear under silks for the rest of his 3-year-old season. He was injured again while running fourth in the 1957 Widener Handicap and was retired to stud. He typically raced on or near the pace.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Summer Tan sired 158 winners (66.1%) and 21 stakes winners (8.8%) from 239 named foals of racing age.
Notable progeny
Summer Scandal (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Friendswood (USA), Lord Durham (CAN), Proud Truth (USA), Silver Series (USA), Summer Siren (USA), Tempest Queen (USA), Top Knight (USA), Typecast (USA), What a Summer (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Summer Tan was bred and owned by Mrs. Russell A. Firestone. He was trained by Sherrill W. Ward. He stood at Darby Dan Farm in Kentucky, where he died of a heart attack in October 1969.
Pedigree notes
Summer Tan’s pedigree is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to Thoris, whose grandson Honey Jay (by Double Jay) was a multiple stakes winner and a perennial leading sire in Ohio. Thoris is also the second dam of 1974 Santa Anita Derby (USA-G1) winner Destroyer (by Vitriolic). Another half sister to Summer Tan, Lady in White (by Helioscope), is the third dam of Panamanian Group 3 winners El Fariseo and Yaeaar.
Summer Tan was produced from the winning Omaha mare Miss Zibby, whose dam Fairisk (by Stimulus) is a full sister to the high-class juvenile filly Donita M., dam of 1944 Beldame Handicap winner Donitas First (by Reaping Reward), and to to Reckless, dam of stakes winners Restless (by Gallant Fox), Reckon (by Bahram), and Rogue (by Bahram). Fairisk is also a half sister to Venture On (by Isolater), second dam of 1965 Trenton Handicap winner Slystitch, and to Risk Me (by Some Chance), second dam of 1967 National Jockey Club Handicap winner Royal Course.
Fairisk and her siblings are out of My Risk (by 1916 American champion 2-year-old male Campfire). Produced from the Sir Martin mare Venturesome II, My Risk is a half sister to Risky (by Diadumenos), dam of 1930 Spinaway Stakes and 1931 Alabama Stakes winner Risque (by Stimulus) and multiple stakes winner Riskulus (by Stimulus) and ancestress of an important American branch of Bruce Lowe family 2-n.
Fun facts
- Just a few days after his tour de force in the 1954 Garden State Stakes (which he won by 9 lengths), Summer Tan developed life-threatening blood clots in the arteries leading to his large intestine. That he not only survived but returned to racing at the top level is a testament to the colt’s vitality.
- In Hialeah Race Course’s annual poll of its racing officials, constituting six off-the-beaten-track questions centered around the previous year’s racing, longtime officials Charles J. McClennan and Marshall Cassidy picked Summer Tan as “Most Likely to Succeed” at 3 among 1954’s 2-year-olds. They also selected Native Dancer and Turn-to as their “Hard Luck Champions” of 1954, Stan as “Best Grass Horse,” Fisherman as “Most Versatile,” and Pet Bully as “Most Remarkable Comeback.” The two split in the “Biggest Disappointment” category, for which Cassidy picked Porterhouse and McClennan chose Grecian Queen.
Last updated: September 21, 2024