Horse Racing: Swaps, the American thoroughbred racehorse
The California bred racehorse was foaled on the 1st of March 1952. Sired by Khaled out of Iron Reward, Swaps is ranked #20 in the list of the top 100 United States thoroughbred champions of the 20th century. The chestnut coloured stallion
was bred and owned by Rix C. Ellsworth. At the end of his racing career, he had earned $ 848,900 under the training of Mesh Tenney.
The champion racehorse started his athletic career at the age of three. The first major race that was contended and won by Swaps was 1955 San Vicente Stakes, which he won over a muddy track. The muddy water on the track also caused an infection in the sole
of the colt’s right front hoof which was treated immediately after the race ended.
Swaps was then sent to Kentucky by rail to run in the 1955 Kentucky Derby. The race was won by the racehorse under the jockey Willie Shoemaker by holding off Belair’s Nashua (under the jockey Eddie Arcaro).
After taking over the field in the Kentucky Derby, the talented thoroughbred went on to give brilliant performances in races that were run on different surfaces and distances, although he could not manage to win the other two legs of the Triple Crown, the
Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. He was held off by his arch rival Nashua in these two meets. The two champion racehorses again met at Chicago’s Washington Park to run in the prestigious American Derby on the 31st of August 1955. The 1 3/16
miles race was won by the colt in a track record time of 1 minute and 54 3/5 seconds.
After this start, the racehorse injured his hoof again during a practise session, due to which Swaps could not contend the scheduled match race at Washington Park. His trainer and owner sent him out to run in the meet despite his injury. Naturally, the racehorse
could not perform up to the mark and the race was thus won by Nashua under the jockey Arcaro.
On the basis of Nashua’s spectacular performance in the event, he was adorned with the 1955 United States Horse of the Year Award. On the other hand, Swaps did not participate in any other race that racing season. The other two victories that Swaps clinched
that season also include the Santa Anita Derby and Californian Stakes.
The racehorse then made an effective comeback as a four year old colt. Swaps’ injured hoofs kept bothering him throughout the season, but he continued to display his talent and potential at its best. The first race that was won by Swaps in 1956 was the Broward
Handicap. He then went on to win some of the significant races of American racing season including the Sunset Handicap (1956), American Handicap (1956), Argonaut Handicap (1956), Hollywood Gold Cup (1956) and the Washington Park Handicap (1956). The great
achievement earned the champion colt the United States Horse of the Year Award. In the year 1956, Ribot was named the best racehorse in the world by European racing industry; meanwhile American continued flaunting Swaps as the best racing colt of the time.
In the book “History of Thoroughbred Racing in America”, the writer William H. P. Robertson referred to Swaps’ summer of 1956 to as “The most amazing exhibition of speed in the history.”
America horse racing industry has honoured the champion racehorse by erecting a Life-size statue of the colt at Hollywood Park Racetrack. Moreover, Swaps Stakes are also held at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Swaps honour. He was also inducted into the National
Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs in the year 1966. The racehorse was then euthanized in November 1972 at the age of 20 and was buried in the Lions Circle at Green Gates Farm. His remains are known to be displayed at Kentucky Derby Museum
at Churchill Downs.
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