Temperence Hill (USA)
March 6, 1977 – 2003
Stop the Music (USA) x Sister Shannon (USA), by Etonian (USA)
Family 2-f
March 6, 1977 – 2003
Stop the Music (USA) x Sister Shannon (USA), by Etonian (USA)
Family 2-f
A long-striding stayer, Temperence Hill was able to show his talent to its best advantage at Belmont's 12-furlong main oval and Saratoga's 9-furlong oval. While he raced well at other tracks, he lacked the tactical speed and fluid change of gears which marks truly great horses, and he suffered at stud from the perception that he was something of a plodder. Nonetheless, he was an honest and deserving champion in an ordinary year for the American 3-year-old male division.
Race record
31 starts, 11 wins, 4 seconds, 2 thirds, US$1,567,650
1980:
1981:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 3-year-old male (1980)
Assessments
Weighted at 126 pounds atop the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for 3-year-old males of 1980, 1 pound above Plugged Nickle (who was voted champion sprinter).
Rated at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1981, 4 pounds below champion and Horse of the Year John Henry.
As an individual
A big, strong bay horse, Temperence Hill was leggy and slightly over at the knee with a good shoulder. Backward as a juvenile, he matured into a one-paced stayer who handled off going well. He did not like going between horses and was inclined to loaf if not kept to his business with the whip. His trainer, Joe Cantey, described him as being stubborn and self-willed.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Temperence Hill sired 435 winners (59.8%) and 32 stakes winners (4.4%) from 727 named foals.
Notable progeny
El Estelar (USA), Temperate Sil (USA), Temperence Oaks (USA), Ulises (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Habibti (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Temperence Hill was bred by Dr. Albert F. Polk, Jr., at his Oriskany Farm. A US$80,000 purchase from the 1978 Keeneland September yearling sale, he was owned by John Ed Anthony and his then-wife, Mary Lynn Dudley, who raced the colt in the name of their Loblolly Stable. He was trained by Joseph B. Cantey. Temperence Hill entered stud in 1982 in Kentucky at Gainesway Farm. He later moved to Arkansas, where he stood at D-Lan Farms and Starr Farm before being exported to Thailand in the fall of 1996. He died in 2003 at Sawang Jai Farm.
Pedigree notes
Temperence Hill is inbred 5x5 to two-time English champion sire Nearco, an undefeated champion on the race course. He is a half brother to Canadian stakes winner Across the Channel (by Jean-Pierre) and to Populi (by Star Envoy), dam of 1985 American champion older male Vanlandingham (by Cox's Ridge), listed stakes winner Jenkins Ferry (by True Colors) and multiple stakes winner Popular Tune (by Stop the Music). Populi is also the second dam of 1999 Dewhurst Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Distant Music, 2009 Coaching Club American Oaks (USA-G1) winner Funny Moon, Grade/Group 2 winner Kirkwall, and Grade 3 winner Top Hit. In addition, she is the third dam of 2008 Sprint Cup (ENG-G1) winner African Rose, 2009 Moyglare Stud Stakes (IRE-G1) winner Termagant, French Group 2 winner Canticum, and French Group 3 winner Helleborine.
Sister Shannon, the dam of Temperence Hill, is also the dam of Andover College (by Affiliate), dam of stakes winners Saxon Cottage (by Our Native) and Well Aware (by Inverness Drive). A daughter of the stakes-placed Owen Tudor horse Etonian, she is a full sister to juvenile stakes winner Shannon Run and a half sister to 1967 Hutcheson Stakes winner Glengary (by Dead Ahead) and juvenile stakes winner Patsy's Girl (by Crimson Satan). She was produced from the Princely Gift mare Idaliza, a daughter of the Fair Copy mare Pearl Fishing. The female line traces back to Althea (by Hurry On), a three-quarters sister to 1926 Derby Stakes and St. Leger Stakes winner Coronach who also had important descendants in France and Italy.
Books and media
Temperence Hill is profiled in Chapter 10 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Last updated: May 30, 2022
Race record
31 starts, 11 wins, 4 seconds, 2 thirds, US$1,567,650
1980:
- Won Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (USA-G1, 12FD, Belmont)
- Won Belmont Stakes (USA-G1, 12FD, Belmont)
- Won Super Derby Invitational Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Louisiana Downs),
- Won Travers Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Saratoga)
- Won Arkansas Derby (USA-G2, 9FD, Oaklawn)
- Won Rebel Handicap (USA, 8f+70yD, Oaklawn)
- 2nd Dwyer Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Withers Stakes (USA-G2, 8FD, Aqueduct)
1981:
- Won Suburban Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Belmont)
- Won Oaklawn Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Oaklawn)
- Won Razorback Handicap (USA-G3, 8.5FD, Oaklawn)
- 2nd Californian Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Hollywood)
- 3rd Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Belmont)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 3-year-old male (1980)
Assessments
Weighted at 126 pounds atop the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for 3-year-old males of 1980, 1 pound above Plugged Nickle (who was voted champion sprinter).
Rated at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1981, 4 pounds below champion and Horse of the Year John Henry.
As an individual
A big, strong bay horse, Temperence Hill was leggy and slightly over at the knee with a good shoulder. Backward as a juvenile, he matured into a one-paced stayer who handled off going well. He did not like going between horses and was inclined to loaf if not kept to his business with the whip. His trainer, Joe Cantey, described him as being stubborn and self-willed.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Temperence Hill sired 435 winners (59.8%) and 32 stakes winners (4.4%) from 727 named foals.
Notable progeny
El Estelar (USA), Temperate Sil (USA), Temperence Oaks (USA), Ulises (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Habibti (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Temperence Hill was bred by Dr. Albert F. Polk, Jr., at his Oriskany Farm. A US$80,000 purchase from the 1978 Keeneland September yearling sale, he was owned by John Ed Anthony and his then-wife, Mary Lynn Dudley, who raced the colt in the name of their Loblolly Stable. He was trained by Joseph B. Cantey. Temperence Hill entered stud in 1982 in Kentucky at Gainesway Farm. He later moved to Arkansas, where he stood at D-Lan Farms and Starr Farm before being exported to Thailand in the fall of 1996. He died in 2003 at Sawang Jai Farm.
Pedigree notes
Temperence Hill is inbred 5x5 to two-time English champion sire Nearco, an undefeated champion on the race course. He is a half brother to Canadian stakes winner Across the Channel (by Jean-Pierre) and to Populi (by Star Envoy), dam of 1985 American champion older male Vanlandingham (by Cox's Ridge), listed stakes winner Jenkins Ferry (by True Colors) and multiple stakes winner Popular Tune (by Stop the Music). Populi is also the second dam of 1999 Dewhurst Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Distant Music, 2009 Coaching Club American Oaks (USA-G1) winner Funny Moon, Grade/Group 2 winner Kirkwall, and Grade 3 winner Top Hit. In addition, she is the third dam of 2008 Sprint Cup (ENG-G1) winner African Rose, 2009 Moyglare Stud Stakes (IRE-G1) winner Termagant, French Group 2 winner Canticum, and French Group 3 winner Helleborine.
Sister Shannon, the dam of Temperence Hill, is also the dam of Andover College (by Affiliate), dam of stakes winners Saxon Cottage (by Our Native) and Well Aware (by Inverness Drive). A daughter of the stakes-placed Owen Tudor horse Etonian, she is a full sister to juvenile stakes winner Shannon Run and a half sister to 1967 Hutcheson Stakes winner Glengary (by Dead Ahead) and juvenile stakes winner Patsy's Girl (by Crimson Satan). She was produced from the Princely Gift mare Idaliza, a daughter of the Fair Copy mare Pearl Fishing. The female line traces back to Althea (by Hurry On), a three-quarters sister to 1926 Derby Stakes and St. Leger Stakes winner Coronach who also had important descendants in France and Italy.
Books and media
Temperence Hill is profiled in Chapter 10 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Like other Loblolly Stable horses, Temperence Hill was named for a place in the state of Arkansas—in his case, the site of a 19th-century Methodist church.
- Temperence Hill was the first horse to win both the Belmont Stakes and the Travers Stakes since Arts and Letters in 1969.
- Temperence Hill's Belmont Stakes payoff of US$108.80 for a US$2 wager was the second highest for a Belmont winner up to that time. Only Sherluck, who spoiled Carry Back's bid for the Triple Crown in 1961, had gone off at longer odds, paying US$132.10 on a US$2 win ticket.
- The Temperence Hill Stakes is a race at Oaklawn Park for horses 4 years and up. As of 2020, it is carded at 12 furlongs on the main track.
Last updated: May 30, 2022