Swaps (USA)
March 1, 1952 – November 3, 1972
Khaled (GB) x Iron Reward (USA), by Beau Pere (GB)
American Family 4
March 1, 1952 – November 3, 1972
Khaled (GB) x Iron Reward (USA), by Beau Pere (GB)
American Family 4
The first California-bred to win the Kentucky Derby since Morvich in 1922, Swaps was a very good 3-year-old but reached greatness at 4. That year the “California Comet” set four world time records and equaled another at distances ranging from a mile to 13 furlongs. He survived a career-ending hind leg fracture to become a good stallion whose name persists in pedigrees through several daughters.
Race record
25 starts, 19 wins, 2 seconds, 2 thirds, US$848,900
1954:
1955:
1956:
Honors
Assessments
Swaps was ranked #20 among the top 100 American racehorses of the 20th century by an expert panel assembled by The Blood-Horse (Thoroughbred Champions, Eclipse Press, 7th printing, 2005).
In their book A Century of Champions (1999, Portway Press Ltd.), British experts John Randall and Tony Morris rated Swaps as the 10th best North American racehorse of the 20th century.
Rated at 111 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1954, 17 pounds below Summer Tan and 16 pounds below the official champion, Nashua.
Co-highweight with Horse of the Year Nashua on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1955.
Highweighted at 132 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1956, 1 pound above second-rated Nashua.
As an individual
A chestnut, Swaps stood 16.2 hands. Author Abram Hewitt called him "a horse of commanding presence and scope," while artist Richard Stone Reeves called him "a picture horse." Charles Hatton of the Daily Racing Form described Swaps as having much about him of his grandsire Hyperion but on a larger scale, with particularly notable development of the forearms and gaskins and a long pelvis. His knees were slightly over the vertical and somewhat open, an issue that never seemed to give him trouble; he was also slightly long in the back. He had unusually fluid movement for so large a horse, especially through the hindquarters. Swaps was also noted for his sensible, equable temperament and his intelligence, but trainer Meshach Tenney noted that the big horse had hair-trigger reactions and "was a wildcat by nature."
Swaps suffered an infection in his right forefoot after winning the San Vicente Stakes, his second race of 1955. The foot's structure was permanently weakened and required careful management for the remainder of his career. A recurrence of the infection may have been a factor in his loss to Nashua in the colts' famous match race.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Swaps sired 258 winners (60.0%) and 35 stakes winners (8.1%) from 430 named foals.
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
Affectionately (USA), Change Water (USA), Chateaugay (USA), Intriguing (USA), Lady Vi-E. (USA), Laramie Trail (USA), No Robbery (USA), Primonetta (USA), Soaring (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Agitate (USA), Alma North (USA), Cheriepe (USA), Cum Laude Laurie (USA), Fall Aspen (USA), Likely Exchange (USA), Maximova (FR), Mehmet (USA), Northern Tempest (USA), Numbered Account (USA), Personality (USA), Prince Thou Art (USA), Princess Carimar (PR), Segula C. (VEN)
Connections
Swaps was bred and owned by Rex Ellsworth. He was trained by Meshach Tenney. After Swaps stood his first season to a limited book at Ellworth's California ranch in 1957, Ellsworth sold a half interest in Swaps for US$1 million to John Galbreath of Darby Dan Farm with the understanding that Swaps would alternate stud seasons at Darby Dan in Kentucky and at Ellsworth's California ranch. After Galbreath came out to inspect Ellsworth's ranch, he found himself shocked by the spartan (though functional) conditions there. His wife shortly afterward bought out the remaining half of Swaps and the stallion remained at Darby Dan until 1967. At age 15, Swaps was syndicated and transferred to Spendthrift Farm, where he died in late 1972.
Pedigree notes
Swaps is inbred 5x4 to Polymelus and 5x5 to Bay Ronald. He is a full brother to stakes winners Like Magic and The Shoe. He is also a full brother to 1962 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Track Medal, dam of four good stakes winners, and to stakes producers Molly Maid and Iron Age. Swaps' dam, 1955 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Iron Reward, is a half sister to 1957 Kentucky Derby winner Iron Liege (by Bull Lea) and two other stakes winners. His second dam, Iron Maiden, is a stakes-winning daughter of War Admiral and is a half sister to two other stakes winners.
Books and media
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: November 22, 2023
Race record
25 starts, 19 wins, 2 seconds, 2 thirds, US$848,900
1954:
- Won June Juvenile Stakes (USA, 5FD, Hollywood)
- 3rd Haggin Stakes (USA, 5FD, Hollywood)
- 3rd Westchester Stakes (USA, 5.FD, Hollywood)
1955:
- Won Kentucky Derby (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Santa Anita Derby (USA, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- Won American Derby (USA, 9.5FT, Washington Park; equaled American record 1:54-3/5)
- Won San Vicente Stakes (USA, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Californian Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Hollywood; new world record 1:40-2/5)
- Won Westerner Stakes (USA, 10FD, Hollywood)
- Won Will Rogers Stakes (USA, 8FD, Hollywood)
- 2nd match race with Nashua (USA, 10FD, Washington)
1956:
- Won Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap (USA, 10FD, Hollywood; new track record 1:58-3/5)
- Won American Handicap (USA, 9FD, Hollywood; equaled world record 1:46-4/5)
- Won Sunset Handicap (USA, 13FD, Hollywood; new world record 2:38-1/5)
- Won Washington Park Handicap (USA, 8FD, Washington Park; new track record 1:33-2/5)
- Won Argonaut Handicap (USA, 8FD, Hollywood; new world record 1:33-1/5)
- Won Inglewood Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Hollywood; new world record 1:39)
- Won Broward Handicap (USA, 8f+70yD, Gulfstream Park; new world record 1:39-3/5)
- 2nd Californian Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Hollywood)
Honors
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1966)
- Arcadia Historical Society's Racing Walk of Champions (inducted as part of the inaugural class in 2014)
- California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Racing Hall of Fame (inducted as part of the inaugural class in 1987)
- American Horse of the Year (1956)
- American champion older male (1956)
Assessments
Swaps was ranked #20 among the top 100 American racehorses of the 20th century by an expert panel assembled by The Blood-Horse (Thoroughbred Champions, Eclipse Press, 7th printing, 2005).
In their book A Century of Champions (1999, Portway Press Ltd.), British experts John Randall and Tony Morris rated Swaps as the 10th best North American racehorse of the 20th century.
Rated at 111 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1954, 17 pounds below Summer Tan and 16 pounds below the official champion, Nashua.
Co-highweight with Horse of the Year Nashua on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1955.
Highweighted at 132 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1956, 1 pound above second-rated Nashua.
As an individual
A chestnut, Swaps stood 16.2 hands. Author Abram Hewitt called him "a horse of commanding presence and scope," while artist Richard Stone Reeves called him "a picture horse." Charles Hatton of the Daily Racing Form described Swaps as having much about him of his grandsire Hyperion but on a larger scale, with particularly notable development of the forearms and gaskins and a long pelvis. His knees were slightly over the vertical and somewhat open, an issue that never seemed to give him trouble; he was also slightly long in the back. He had unusually fluid movement for so large a horse, especially through the hindquarters. Swaps was also noted for his sensible, equable temperament and his intelligence, but trainer Meshach Tenney noted that the big horse had hair-trigger reactions and "was a wildcat by nature."
Swaps suffered an infection in his right forefoot after winning the San Vicente Stakes, his second race of 1955. The foot's structure was permanently weakened and required careful management for the remainder of his career. A recurrence of the infection may have been a factor in his loss to Nashua in the colts' famous match race.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Swaps sired 258 winners (60.0%) and 35 stakes winners (8.1%) from 430 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- 5th on the American general sire list in 1962; 7th in 1965; 9th in 1963.
- 4th on the American broodmare sire list in 1978; 6th in 1982; 8th in 1977; 10th in 1974
Per The Blood-Horse:
- 5th on the American general sire list in 1962; 7th in 1965; 9th in 1963.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 5th on the American general sire list in 1962; 7th in 1965; 9th in 1963.
- 3rd on the American broodmare sire list in 1982; 4th in 1978; 8th in 1977; 10th in 1974.
Notable progeny
Affectionately (USA), Change Water (USA), Chateaugay (USA), Intriguing (USA), Lady Vi-E. (USA), Laramie Trail (USA), No Robbery (USA), Primonetta (USA), Soaring (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Agitate (USA), Alma North (USA), Cheriepe (USA), Cum Laude Laurie (USA), Fall Aspen (USA), Likely Exchange (USA), Maximova (FR), Mehmet (USA), Northern Tempest (USA), Numbered Account (USA), Personality (USA), Prince Thou Art (USA), Princess Carimar (PR), Segula C. (VEN)
Connections
Swaps was bred and owned by Rex Ellsworth. He was trained by Meshach Tenney. After Swaps stood his first season to a limited book at Ellworth's California ranch in 1957, Ellsworth sold a half interest in Swaps for US$1 million to John Galbreath of Darby Dan Farm with the understanding that Swaps would alternate stud seasons at Darby Dan in Kentucky and at Ellsworth's California ranch. After Galbreath came out to inspect Ellsworth's ranch, he found himself shocked by the spartan (though functional) conditions there. His wife shortly afterward bought out the remaining half of Swaps and the stallion remained at Darby Dan until 1967. At age 15, Swaps was syndicated and transferred to Spendthrift Farm, where he died in late 1972.
Pedigree notes
Swaps is inbred 5x4 to Polymelus and 5x5 to Bay Ronald. He is a full brother to stakes winners Like Magic and The Shoe. He is also a full brother to 1962 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Track Medal, dam of four good stakes winners, and to stakes producers Molly Maid and Iron Age. Swaps' dam, 1955 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Iron Reward, is a half sister to 1957 Kentucky Derby winner Iron Liege (by Bull Lea) and two other stakes winners. His second dam, Iron Maiden, is a stakes-winning daughter of War Admiral and is a half sister to two other stakes winners.
Books and media
- Swaps, by Barry Irwin, is the 14th book in the Thoroughbred Legends series and was released in 2002 by Eclipse Press.
- Swaps' rivalry with Nashua was featured in the eighth chapter of Horse Racing's Greatest Rivalries (2008, Eclipse Press), a compilation produced by the staff of The Blood-Horse.
- Swaps is profiled in chapter 57 of Abram Hewitt's Sire Lines (1977, The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; updated and reprinted by Eclipse Press in 2006) and in chapter 8 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
- Swaps 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.
Fun facts
- Swaps was the first California-bred horse to be named American Horse of the Year since official polling began in 1936.
- Swaps' match race with Nashua was ranked #6 in Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments, a review of racing in the 20th century compiled by The Blood-Horse and released in 2006. Swaps' record-breaking 4-year-old season also made the list, checking in at #88.
- Swaps' world record for 8.5 furlongs was actually 3/5 of a second faster than his world record for a mile and 70 yards, a distance 40 yards shorter.
- When Swaps broke a leg while training for the Washington, D.C., International, it was his rival Nashua's trainer, “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons, who provided the sling that helped save the colt's life.
- Swaps was originally buried at Spendthrift Farm along a fence line near the Lions Circle. On April 16, 1986, Swaps' remains were moved from Spendthrift Farm to the grounds of the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs.
- A life-sized bronze statue of Swaps with Bill Shoemaker in the saddle was placed in the clubhouse entrance gardens at Hollywood Park and dedicated on July 1, 1958. Designed by Millard Sheets and executed by Albert Stewart, the statue is now a focal point in a public-access section of the development on what was once the racing plant.
- In 2014, 77-year-old trainer Art Sherman, who had once been Swaps' exercise rider, visited the grave prior to the Kentucky Derby and asked Swaps to lend some of his talent to his colt California Chrome. Chrome won. He had previously won the San Felipe Stakes and Santa Anita Derby in fine style, prompting Sherman to call him “my Swaps.”
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: November 22, 2023