Himyar (horse)

Himyar (1875 – December 30, 1905) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Although successful as a racehorse he is most notable as the sire of 1898 Kentucky Derby winner Plaudit and Domino, the grandsire of Colin and Peter Pan. Himyar lived to be thirty years old, outliving both Domino and his famous grandson Commando, who both died young.

Himyar
Portrait of Himyar by Harry Lyman (1888)
SireAlarm
GrandsireEclipse
DamHira
DamsireLexington
SexStallion
Foaled1875
CountryUnited States
ColourBay
BreederMajor Barak G. Thomas
Owner1) Dixiana Farm
2) Edward S. Gardner
Record27 starts:14–6–4
Earnings$11,650
Major wins
Colt Stakes (1877)
Colt and Filly Fall Stakes (1877)
Belle Meade Stakes (1877)
Phoenix Hotel Stakes (1878)
Belle Meade Stakes (1878)
January Stakes (1878)
Merchant's Stakes (1880)
Turf Stakes (1880)
American Classic Race placing:
Kentucky Derby 2nd (1878)
Awards
Leading sire in North America (1893)

Early years and racing career

Himyar was a light bay colt sired by Alarm, who was a son of the British-bred stallion Eclipse (by Orlando). His dam Hira was sired by the 19th-century foundation sire, Lexington. Himyar was foaled in 1875 at Dixiana Farm, the Lexington stud farm of Major Barak Thomas, who also owned Himyar's sire Alarm. Himyar did not have a gentle disposition but did develop into a promising runner as a two-year-old, winning many high dollar stakes races. Himyar was second in the 1878 Kentucky Derby, losing to Day Star by two lengths. Himyar injured his leg in May 1881 and was retired from racing at six years old.[1]

Stud career

Himyar stood at stud for 16 years at Dixiana Farm but was sold in 1897 by Thomas, who was experiencing financial difficulties and was then bought by Edwin Sumner Gardner of Saundersville, Tennessee for $2,500.[2] Himyar died at Gardner's Avondale Stud farm on December 30, 1905, of old age[3] and was buried with the epitaph, "From his ashes speed springs eternal."[4] Himyar's most notable offspring are the colts, Domino, who was nicknamed 'the black whirlwind' during his racing career, and Plaudit. He also sired the filly Correction in 1888, who won 38 major stakes races and was considered one of the fastest fillies of the time. Through Plaudit, Himyar appears in the pedigrees of many Quarter Horses and his tail-male line is carried through the descendants of Holy Bull (through Plaudit) and Broad Brush (through Domino). The Himyar sire-line also produced the 1983 Epsom Derby winner Teenoso.

Honors

The town of Himyar, Kentucky was named in honor of the racehorse.[5]

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References
  1. NY Times. May 2, 1881
  2. Thomas B. Merry. The American Thoroughbred. 1905. p. 120.
  3. Daily Racing Form. August 30, 1912
  4. Daily Racing Form. May 1, 1948
  5. Rennick, Robert M. (1987). Kentucky Place Names. University Press of Kentucky. p. 141. Retrieved April 28, 2013.

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