Sham (horse)
| Sham | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Pretense |
| Grandsire | Endeavour |
| Dam | Seqoia |
| Damsire | Princequillo |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1970 |
| Country | USA |
| Colour | Dark Bay |
| Breeder | Claiborne Farm |
| Owner | Claiborne Farm Sigmund Sommer |
| Trainer | Frank "Pancho" Martin |
| Jockey | Laffit Pincay Jr |
| Record | 13: 5-5-1 |
| Earnings | $204,808 |
| Major wins | |
|
Santa Catalina Stakes (1973) Kentucky Derby 2nd (1973) Preakness Stakes 2nd (1973) |
|
| Honours | |
| Sham Stakes at Santa Anita Park | |
| Last updated on January 22, | |
Santa Catalina Stakes (1973)
Santa Anita Derby (1973)
Sham (April 9, 1970 – April 3, 1993), an American thoroughbred race horse, was one of the leading racehorses of the 20th century but was overshadowed by his more famous peer, Secretariat. Sham was a dark seal brown in color. While racing, he wore green and yellow blinkers. His preferred running style was that of a closer, stalking from behind to make a late rally.
Sham was a large horse at 16.2hh. He also had a very large heart, about twice the size of the average horse's, according to Dr. Thomas Swerczek, a University of Kentucky veterinary scientist.
Sham, who along with Linda's Chief were campaigning at Santa Anita Park, were considered the principal candidates from the West to contest 1972 Two Year Old champion and Horse of the Year Secretariat for the 1973 Kentucky Derby. On February 17 Sham earned his fourth consecutive win and first stakes win in the Santa Catalina Stakes at 1 1⁄16 miles. On March 1 Linda's Chief, trained by Robert Frankel, had established himself credibly with a track record time of 1:33 4/5 in winning the mile San Jacinto Stakes. These two would subsequently meet for the first time March 17 in the 1 1⁄16 mile San Felipe Handicap, with Linda's Chief taking the win and Sham, the slight favorite, finishing fourth.
These two would meet again two weeks later March 31 in the 1 1⁄8 mile Santa Anita Derby. Linda's Chief, with Braulio Baeza up, was assigned post 5 and was sent off 1:2 favorite. The Frank Martin entry of Sham, ridden by Laffit Pincay Jr., and the lesser regarded stablemate, California Juvenile stakes winner Knightly Dawn, was the post time 5:2 second choice. Jorge Tejeira, a leading rider at the time, had originally been assigned the mount on Knightly Dawn, but on the morning of the race Tejeira was removed and Ismael Valenzuela, years past his top form as a highly regarded jockey (including regular rider of Kelso) was assigned the mount. The start was good, but Knightly Dawn, from post 6, angled in and sawed off Linda's Chief 40 yards leaving the gate. Linda's Chief, a typical pacesetter, and Baeza found themselves 4 lengths back going into the first turn. Sham who would go on to win the race equaling the stakes record of 1:47 established in 1965 by Lucky Debonair, with Linda's Chief in second place 2 1⁄2 lengths back. Baeza would file a claim of foul with the stewards over the start, as any claim upheld against Knightly Dawn would also result in Sham's disqualification due to their mutuel coupling, and would move Linda's Chief up to first placing. The stewards ruled there would be no change in the order of finish. (Ancient Title came out of his box and hit Linda's Chief). This would be Linda's Chief last encounter with Sham, with Linda's Chief going on to win the California Derby, while Sham would move forward to the Wood Memorial Stakes in New York.
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