The Tetrarch

The Tetrarch
The Tetrarch & jockey Steve Donoghue, 1913
Sire	Roi Herode (FR)
Grandsire	Le Samaritain
Dam	Vahren
Damsire	Bona Vista
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1911
Country	Ireland
Colour	Grey
Breeder	Edward Kennedy
Owner	Dermot McCalmont
Trainer	Atty Persse
Record	7: 7–0–0
Earnings	£11,336
Major wins
Woodcote Stakes (1913) Coventry Stakes (1913) National Breeders' Produce Stakes (1913) Rous Memorial Stakes (1913) Champagne Stakes (1913)
Awards
Leading sire in GB & Ireland (1919)
Honours
Britain's two-year-old of the 20th century Tetrarch Stakes at the Curragh
Last updated on February 17, 2011

The Tetrarch (1911–1935) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He was undefeated in a racing career of seven starts and was voted the best British-trained two-year-old of the 20th century according to the National Horseracing Museum. He did not race after 1913 and was retired to stud where he became an influential sire.

Foaled at Straffan Station Stud, near Ardclough, in County Kildare in Ireland, he was sired by Roi Herode (France) out of Vahren. His damsire (Bona Vista) was by Bend Or (after whom Bend-Or spots are named). The Tetrarch was a gangly and less-than-attractive colt whose grey coat was sprinkled with white blotches. Dismissed as having no racing potential by some buyers, he was ultimately sold by his breeder to Major Dermot McCalmont and placed under the care of trainer Atty Persse.

Sent to the track as a two-year-old, under jockey Steve Donoghue The Tetrarch easily defeated his competition. Quickly dubbed the "Spotted Wonder," he easily won all seven of his 1913 starts. In his one real test he came from behind to capture the National Breeders' Produce Stakes by a neck, but that one close finish only resulted after a mix-up at the start that left him four or five lengths back. An injury in October 1913 ended The Tetrarch's two-year-old racing campaign. The following spring he reinjured himself in training. His handlers were hoping he would heal sufficiently to return to racing, but by the end of 1914 came to the conclusion that he would never race again.

There is (as with many star two-year-olds) the question of what The Tetrarch's – and his competition's – continued physical development would have meant to his racing performance at age three. In 1913 The Tetrarch easily beat all comers including Stornoway, who won several races that year; among them were the Gimcrack and Norfolk Stakes (now The Flying Childers Stakes). However (as noted in the Thoroughbred Heritage website), none of The Tetrarch's races were more than six furlongs (¾ mile) and because he never raced at age three, he was not tested at standard mile to mile-and-a-half distances. His bloodlines, though, pointed to stamina.