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Assault (horse)

Assault
Assault in 1946.jpg
Assault, with Eddie Arcaro up
Sire Bold Venture
Grandsire St. Germans
Dam Igual
Damsire Equipoise
Sex Stallion
Foaled 1943
Country United States
Colour Chestnut
Breeder King Ranch
Owner King Ranch
Trainer Max Hirsch
Record 42: 18-6-7
Earnings $675,470
Major wins

Flash Stakes (1945)
Wood Memorial (1946)
Dwyer Stakes (1946)
Westchester Handicap (1946)
Pimlico Special (1946)
Grey Lag Handicap (1947)
Suburban Handicap (1947)

Triple Crown race wins:
Kentucky Derby (1946)
Preakness Stakes (1946)
Belmont Stakes (1946)
Awards
7th U.S. Triple Crown Champion (1946)
U.S. Champion 3-Yr-Old Colt (1946)
United States Horse of the Year (1946)
Honours
United States Racing Hall of Fame (1964)
#33 - Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century
Last updated on September 16, 2006

Flash Stakes (1945)
Wood Memorial (1946)
Dwyer Stakes (1946)
Westchester Handicap (1946)
Pimlico Special (1946)
Grey Lag Handicap (1947)
Suburban Handicap (1947)

Assault (March 26, 1943 – September 2, 1971) was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse who won the U.S. Triple Crown in 1946.

Foaled at King Ranch in Texas, Assault was sired by Bold Venture, who had won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. His dam was the unraced Igual, by Horse of the Year Equipoise. Assault's third dam was Masda, who was a full sister to Man o' War. His full-brother was Air Lift.

Described as being "on the delicate side" by his later jockey, Eddie Arcaro, Assault was plagued with injuries and illnesses from the start. As a youngster, he stepped on what is believed to have been a surveyor's stake, driving it through his front right hoof. The hoof was permanently deformed, and the colt developed a limp to accommodate the odd shape of his foot; however, the "Club-footed Comet", as he was later dubbed, showed no signs of abnormality when he was at a full gallop. Throughout his career, Assault also overcame kidney, splint bone, fetlock, knee and bleeding problems.

Aside from his physical troubles, Assault faced another major hurdle. He had been foaled and bred at King Ranch, a Texas ranch that primarily raised cattle and Quarter Horses for racing. At the time, the vast majority of major stakes-winners were bred and foaled in Kentucky. (To date, Assault remains the only Texas-bred Triple Crown winner.)


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