Wise Counsellor (USA)
1921 – 1942
Mentor (USA) x Rustle (USA), by Russell (USA)
Family 4-r
1921 – 1942
Mentor (USA) x Rustle (USA), by Russell (USA)
Family 4-r
The son of a hundred-dollar mare and a stallion that had been banished to Missouri as a well-bred failure, Wise Counsellor was one of the most exciting juveniles of his year and went into winter quarters as an early favorite for the “Golden Jubilee” Kentucky Derby. Unfortunately, he had injured a hind hoof during his brilliant 2-year-old season, and the injury never completely healed during a Derby preparation that was overconfident on one hand and rushed on the other. Instead of competing for the roses, he ended up sidelined until the fall, when he turned in an excellent performance to defeat Épinard in the first of three celebrated “International Special” races. He was a stakes winner again at 4 but never fully recovered the reputation he had enjoyed as a youngster. As a stallion, he sired high percentages of winners and minor stakes winners but never begot anything approaching his own brilliance when at his best, effectively ending the male line of the great Hindoo.
Race record
22 starts, 10 wins, 3 seconds, 4 thirds, US$115,570
1923:
1924:
1925:
Honors
American co-champion 2-year-old male (1923)
Assessments
Rated second among American juvenile males of 1923 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated eighth among American 3-year-old males of 1924 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A strapping, strongly made chestnut horse with a long, sloping pelvis, Wise Counsellor stood over 16 hands. He had excellent action. He was plagued by a quarter crack in his right hind hoof for much of his career.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by the Jockey Club, Wise Counsellor sired 212 winners (79.9%) and 28 stakes winners (10.5%) from 266 named foals of racing age. He was primarily a sire of speed and precocity.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual series:
Per The Blood-Horse:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Wise Bessa (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Bolero (USA)
Connections
Foaled at Spring Valley Farm in Kentucky, Wise Counselor was officially bred by S. K. Nichols. He was owned by Thomas C. Bradley, who according to The Blood-Horse was actually the owner of Rustle at the time of Wise Counsellor's foaling (having bought Rustle for US$100 at the Tattersalls at Keeneland sale in the early winter of 1920) but did not get official credit as the colt's breeder. Bradley and his brother, Dr. Ernest Bradley, owned Wise Counsellor through his first three races and then sold him to the partnership of John S. Ward and Fred A. Burton for US$66,000. Wise Counsellor was initially trained by Auval “Jack” Baker; after his sale, he was trained by Roscoe Goose. Ward took over Wise Counsellor’s training at the beginning of the colt’s 3-year-old season. Wise Counsellor stood at Hillside Farm near Paris, Kentucky. He died in 1942.
Pedigree notes
Wise Counsellor is inbred 4x4x4 to four-time American champion sire Leamington. His sire, Mentor, was by the talented but fragile Blackstock (by Hanover out of Domino’s full sister Mannie Himyar) and was produced from the winning Onondaga mare Meta. Wise Counsellor is a half brother to Nell McDonald (by High Cloud), dam of stakes winners British Buddy (by Pilate) and Unselfish (by Carlaris), and to Faithful Friend (by Ballot), dam of stakes winner Faithful Maud (by Sun Flag).
Wise Counsellor and his siblings were produced from Rustle, who won two selling stakes as a juvenile. Her sire, Russell, was one of the better 2-year-olds of 1890 and at 3 won the Brooklyn Derby (a race now known as the Dwyer Stakes).
Rustle, in turn, was produced from the stakes-placed Iroquois mare Lady Louise, whose half sister Tara Blackburn (by Luke Blackburn) is the second dam of 1912 King’s Plate winner Heresy. Their dam, Tarantula (Great Tom x Tallulah, by Planet), is a half sister to Blithesome (by Bonnie Scotland), dam of 1888 Clipsetta Stakes winner Kee-Vee-Na (by Enquirer); to Bonnie Meade (by Bonnie Scotland), dam of stakes winner Reporter (by Enquirer); and to Bribery (by Bonnie Scotland), dam of stakes winners Miss Ford and Zuleika (both by Enquirer). In addition, Tarantula is a half sister to Talluda (by Enquirer), dam of stakes winner Toledo (by Altamax), and to Barbary (by Bonnie Scotland), second dam of 1919 Ladies Handicap winner Salvestra.
Fun facts
Last updated: September 10, 2026
Race record
22 starts, 10 wins, 3 seconds, 4 thirds, US$115,570
1923:
- Won Harold Stakes (USA, 5FD, Latonia)
- Won Cincinnati Trophy (USA, 6FD, Latonia)
- Won Queen City Handicap (USA, 8FD, Latonia)
- Won Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (USA, 8FD, Churchill Downs)
1924:
- Won International Special #1 (USA, 6FD, Belmont)
- Won Laurel Handicap (USA, 8FD, Laurel)
- 3rd International Special #2 (USA, 8FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Saranac Handicap (USA, 8FD, Saratoga)
1925:
- Won Jennings Handicap (USA, 6FD, Laurel)
- Won Capitol Handicap (USA, 6FD, Laurel)
- 2nd Pimlico Fall Serial Weight-for-Age #1 (USA, 6FD, Pimlico)
- 3rd Pimlico Fall Serial Weight-for-Age #2 (USA, 8FD, Pimlico)
Honors
American co-champion 2-year-old male (1923)
Assessments
Rated second among American juvenile males of 1923 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated eighth among American 3-year-old males of 1924 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A strapping, strongly made chestnut horse with a long, sloping pelvis, Wise Counsellor stood over 16 hands. He had excellent action. He was plagued by a quarter crack in his right hind hoof for much of his career.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by the Jockey Club, Wise Counsellor sired 212 winners (79.9%) and 28 stakes winners (10.5%) from 266 named foals of racing age. He was primarily a sire of speed and precocity.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual series:
- 6th on the American general sire list in 1935; 9th in 1937 and 1941; 10th in 1939.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- 6th on the American general sire list in 1935; 8th in 1938; 9th in 1937 and 1941; 10th in 1939.
- Led the American juvenile sire list in 1934 and 1938.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 6th on the American general sire list in 1935; 8th in 1938; 9th in 1937 and 1941; 10th in 1939.
Notable progeny
Wise Bessa (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Bolero (USA)
Connections
Foaled at Spring Valley Farm in Kentucky, Wise Counselor was officially bred by S. K. Nichols. He was owned by Thomas C. Bradley, who according to The Blood-Horse was actually the owner of Rustle at the time of Wise Counsellor's foaling (having bought Rustle for US$100 at the Tattersalls at Keeneland sale in the early winter of 1920) but did not get official credit as the colt's breeder. Bradley and his brother, Dr. Ernest Bradley, owned Wise Counsellor through his first three races and then sold him to the partnership of John S. Ward and Fred A. Burton for US$66,000. Wise Counsellor was initially trained by Auval “Jack” Baker; after his sale, he was trained by Roscoe Goose. Ward took over Wise Counsellor’s training at the beginning of the colt’s 3-year-old season. Wise Counsellor stood at Hillside Farm near Paris, Kentucky. He died in 1942.
Pedigree notes
Wise Counsellor is inbred 4x4x4 to four-time American champion sire Leamington. His sire, Mentor, was by the talented but fragile Blackstock (by Hanover out of Domino’s full sister Mannie Himyar) and was produced from the winning Onondaga mare Meta. Wise Counsellor is a half brother to Nell McDonald (by High Cloud), dam of stakes winners British Buddy (by Pilate) and Unselfish (by Carlaris), and to Faithful Friend (by Ballot), dam of stakes winner Faithful Maud (by Sun Flag).
Wise Counsellor and his siblings were produced from Rustle, who won two selling stakes as a juvenile. Her sire, Russell, was one of the better 2-year-olds of 1890 and at 3 won the Brooklyn Derby (a race now known as the Dwyer Stakes).
Rustle, in turn, was produced from the stakes-placed Iroquois mare Lady Louise, whose half sister Tara Blackburn (by Luke Blackburn) is the second dam of 1912 King’s Plate winner Heresy. Their dam, Tarantula (Great Tom x Tallulah, by Planet), is a half sister to Blithesome (by Bonnie Scotland), dam of 1888 Clipsetta Stakes winner Kee-Vee-Na (by Enquirer); to Bonnie Meade (by Bonnie Scotland), dam of stakes winner Reporter (by Enquirer); and to Bribery (by Bonnie Scotland), dam of stakes winners Miss Ford and Zuleika (both by Enquirer). In addition, Tarantula is a half sister to Talluda (by Enquirer), dam of stakes winner Toledo (by Altamax), and to Barbary (by Bonnie Scotland), second dam of 1919 Ladies Handicap winner Salvestra.
Fun facts
- Wise Counsellor’s time of 1:37-1/5 for a mile in the 1923 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes was said to have been the fastest ever turned in by a 2-year-old in Kentucky up to that time.
- After John Ward announced that he intended to start Wise Counsellor in the Preakness Stakes (in 1924, scheduled five days before the Kentucky Derby) and then the Derby, the bookies laid odds of 40-1 against the colt’s completing the double. It was estimated at the time that, had Wise Counsellor succeeded, the bookies taking those bets would have collectively been on the hook for over US$1 million (nearly US$19.5 million in 2026 currency). Because of rumors concerning possible attempts to harm the colt and keep him from making his Preakness and Derby engagements, Ward hired three security guards to keep a round-the-clock watch on Wise Counsellor until he shipped from his home base at Churchill Downs to Pimlico. As it turned out, Wise Counsellor did not start in either race.
- Following the 1920 breeding season (during which Wise Counsellor was conceived), Mentor was sold to the U.S. Army Remount Service.
Last updated: September 10, 2026