Alydar (USA) 1975 ch. 16,2 hh (166cm)
~ ALYDAR ~ Rankt under the top 100 U.S. thoroughbred champions of the 20th century
Winnings: 26 Starts: 14 - 9 - 1 , $ 957,195
He was a dark chestnut colt by the leading sire Raise a Native, who had earned a juvenile co-championship for Harbor View Farm before retiring prematurely in 1961, and out of Calumet Farm's outstanding broodmare Sweet Tooth, the dam of champion Our Mims. Alydar's broodmare sire was On-and-On, a stakes winning son of the leading sire Nasrullah and Calumet Farm's champion filly Two Lea. Sweet Tooth's stakes winning dam Plum Cake was a daughter of Ponder, the 1949 Kentucky Derby winner, and the champion mare Real Delight, both of whom carried the Calumet colors.
As a stallion, Alydar was extremely successful, near the top of the American Sire's List a number of times, and finally leading it in 1990. His offspring brought home the classic victories and Eclipse awards that their famous sire had so narrowly missed earning himself.
One of Alydar's most famous sons was 1988 Horse of the Year Alysheba. Winner of the 1987 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, Alysheba failed in his Triple Crown bid when archrival Bet Twice avenged his two previous defeats in taking the Belmont Stakes. Named Champion Three Year Old Colt in 1987, Alysheba returned at four to win, among other things, the Santa Anita Handicap, the Woodward Stakes, and the Breeders' Cup Classic. Named Horse of the Year, he retired as the world's leading money winner, with $6,679,242 in earnings.
Alydar's son Criminal Type became the last champion to carry the famed red and blue silks of Calumet Farm. After racing in France as a two and three-year-old, the dark chestnut returned to the United States to win a pair of allowance races in 1989. Conditioned by D. Wayne Lukas and racing for Calumet Farm and Jurgen Arnemann, Criminal Type began his five-year-old season by winning an allowance race at Santa Anita. He then took the San Pasqual and San Antonio Handicaps before running second to the millionaire Ruhlmann in the Santa Anita Handicap. He was again beaten by Ruhlmann in the San Bernardino Handicap.
In May, Criminal Type turned the tables on Ruhlmann, taking the Pimlico Special in the track record time of 1:53. Sixteen days later he handed defeat to the champion sprinter Housebuster and classic winner Easy Goer, also a son of Alydar, in the Metropolitan Handicap. In the Hollywood Gold Cup, Criminal Type faced 1989 Horse of the Year and dual classic winner Sunday Silence, as well as the top horse Opening Verse. Victorious, Criminal Type took his place as the nation's leading handicapper. After defeating Dancing Spree and Mi Selecto in the Whitney Handicap, he was retired due to lameness. Having earned $2,352,093, Criminal Type became Calumet's sixth and final Horse of the Year.
In addition to Criminal Type and Alysheba( Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and the Breeders' Cup Classic), Alydar also sired Easy Goer, winner of the 1989 Belmont Stakes, Travers Stakes, Woodward Stakes, and Jockey Club Gold Cup, as well as the champion filly Althea, the millionaire Turkoman, the 1991 Kentucky Derby winner Strike the Gold, the top filly Miss Oceana, and the undefeated juvenile star Saratoga Six. The list goes on.
What is unusual about Alydar, unlike Secretariat and Buckpasser, who also disappointed as sires of sires, is that he has not been an outstanding broodmare sire of sires. The most notable exceptions to that principle would be Peintre Celebre in Europe and Australia, and Easing Along in South America, while Arch (TrueNicks,SRO) has a second dam by Alydar. He is also the broodmare sire of Cat Thief, Anees, Ajina, Aly's Alley, Gio Ponti, and Lure.
Alydar died prematurely in the fall of 1990 after breaking his already injured hind leg in a barn accident. The insurance settlement paid Calumet a record amount of fifty million dollars, but the mighty sum pales in comparison to the deeds of Alydar and his offspring on the racetrack. Alydar is buried at the legendary Calumet Farm where his maternal ancestors are at rest.
Leading Sire in North America in 1990.
Stood at Calumet Farm for $40,000 fee in 1981.
Total progeny earnings over $60 million.
https://www.spiletta.com/UTHOF/alydar.html
https://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/truenicks/archive/2010/05/18/the-influence-of-alydar.aspx
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alydar
https://www.pedigreequery.com/alydar
www.sporthorse-data.com
* All copyright and credit for the posted phots of Alydar go solely to the photograph, who took tht pictures. All rights are therein reserved.