J.O. Tobin

J. O. Tobin
At Spendthrift Farm in 1981
Sire	Never Bend
Grandsire	Nasrullah
Dam	Hill Shade
Damsire	Hillary
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	March 28, 1974
Country	United States
Colour	Dark Bay or Brown
Breeder	George A. Pope, Jr.
Owner	George A. Pope, Jr.
Trainer	Noel Murless John H. Adams Laz Barrera
Record	21:12-2-2
Earnings	$659,416
Major wins
Richmond Stakes (1976) Champagne Stakes (1976) Coronado Handicap (1977) Swaps Stakes (1977) Malibu Stakes (1978) Californian Stakes (1978) Tom Fool Handicap (1978) Los Angeles Handicap (1978) San Bernardino Handicap (1978) Premiere Handicap (1978)
Awards
Top-rated British two-year-old (1976) American Champion Sprint Horse (1978)

J. O. Tobin (March 28, 1974 – 1994) was an American-bred thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old, he was sent to Europe, where he won his first three races, including the Richmond Stakes and Champagne Stakes, and was the highest-rated juvenile of the season in Britain. In the following year, he was transferred to the United States, where he recorded his most famous victory as he ended the undefeated streak of the Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew with a win in the Swaps Stakes. In the following year, he won a succession of major stakes races and was named American Champion Sprint Horse.

J.O. Tobin was an "impressive-looking" brown colt, with a small white star bred in Maryland by his owner, George A. Pope, Jr.. He was sired by Never Bend, the American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt of 1962 who went on to become a very successful breeding stallion whose other progeny included Mill Reef, Riverman, and Triple Bend. J.O. Tobin's dam, Hill Shade, was an American-bred mare who raced in Europe, winning the Nassau Stakes and Sun Chariot Stakes in 1968 and being awarded a rating of 116 by Timeform. Before foaling J.O. Tobin, she had produced an outstanding performer in Mysterious, winner of the 1000 Guineas and Oaks Stakes in 1973.