Common (horse)

Common
Circa 1891 photograph by Clarence Hailey.
Sire	Isonomy
Grandsire	Sterling
Dam	Thistle
Damsire	Scottish Chief
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1888
Country	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Colour	Brown
Breeder	Henry Sturt, 1st Baron Alington
Owner	Sir Frederick Johnstone, 8th Baronet and Lord Alington Sir John Blundell Maple, 1st Baronet
Trainer	John Porter
Record	5: 4-0-1
Earnings	£
Major wins
2000 Guineas (1891) Epsom Derby (1891) St. James's Palace Stakes (1891) St. Leger Stakes (1891)

Common (1888–1912) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from May to September 1891 he ran five times and won four races. He became the fifth, and the most lighty-raced horse to win the English Triple Crown by winning the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, the Derby at Epsom and the St Leger at Doncaster.

Common was a “big, lathy, sinewy” brown horse, standing just over 16 hands high bred at Crichel in Dorset by Henry Sturt, 1st Baron Alington who owned him during his racing career in partnership with Sir Frederick Johnstone. The colt was sent into training with John Porter at Kingsclere, and was ridden in all his races by George Barrett. Common’s sire Isonomy was one of the outstanding British racehorses of the 19th Century, winning the Ascot Gold Cup in 1879 and 1880. He went on to become a successful stallion; apart from Common he sired Isinglass, thus being the first of two horses to father two winners of the English Triple Crown. Common’s dam Thistle, who had been a successful racehorse, went on to produce the New Stakes winner Goldfinch and the filly Throstle who won the St Leger in 1894.