Your Host, the American thoroughbred racehorse
Sired by the imported British stallion Alibhai out of the Irish dam Buodoir, the American thoroughbred racehorse was foaled in California in the year 1947.
The chestnut coloured stallion was bred and owned by Louis B. Mayer (the head of Metro Goldwyn Mayer) and William Goetz (the Hollywood film producer). The great colt retired with total career earnings of $ 384,795 under the seasoned jockey Harry L. Daniels.
What makes this particular thoroughbred so special and unique in the horse racing industry is the fact that he was born with numerous problems, which included his right eye and ear being higher than the left ones.
Moreover, he also had a twisted neck, light flanks and low withers. His veterinarians claimed that his neck had been crooked due to a youthful injury, while his groom believed that the racehorse developed that bend in his neck because he always positioned
his head in an oddly manner to overcome his problem of sight imbalance.
Although, he was chestnut coloured, he possessed some white stockings that were thought to be unlucky by some people. The colt suffered from serious illnesses at the age of two, nonetheless his competitive veterinarians and his will power to stay alive saved
his life.
Your Host started his racing career at the age of two. The first race that was contended by him was the California Breeders’ Champion Stakes. He won this meet and it is considered one of his major wins. He then went on to win the Del Mar Futurity Stakes
the same racing season. The champion colt finished second in the Salinas Handicap and the Homebred Stakes.
Continuing his spectacular performances in the next racing season, Your Host took over the field in the San Felipe Stakes and the Santa Anita Derby. The legendary colt then went on to contend the race that took place at Keeneland Race Course in which he
managed to hold off Oil Capitol (Flamingo Stakes winner) and Mr. Trouble (the Blue Grass Stakes winner) by a distance of six and a half lengths.
On the basis of his remarkable performances and victories the racehorse began to be known as “The Magnificent Cripple”. He was thus also sent out to compete in the 76th running of the Kentucky Derby in the year 1950. However, things did not turn
out to be the way his fans and connections were expecting.
Your Host failed to win one of the most significant meets of the industry, even though he was ridden by the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame and the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame winner jockey Johnny Longden. Your Host lost this race to Middleground,
who finished the event in the second fastest Derby winning time of 2 minutes and 1 3/5 seconds.
Most of the racehorse’s major wins of his career were bagged by him in the racing season of 1950. Apart from the aforementioned events, he also won the Thanksgiving Day Handicap (not run anymore), the Golden Gate Breeders’ Handicap.
Moreover, he took over the field in the Kent Stakes, d**k Welles Stakes and Sheridan Handicap. He also finished third in the American Derby and the Arlington Classic the same year. As a three year old racehorse, Your Host managed to beat the colt Hill Prince
(who later became the Horse of the Year and was the second place finisher of the 1950 Kentucky Derby). Another Kentucky Derby winner Ponder was also defeated by Your Host.
During Your Host’s fourth racing season, he finished the San Carlos Handicap in the second spot. Meanwhile he went on to win the Santa Catalina Stakes, the 1 1/8 miles race that he finished in a time of 1 minute and 48 1/5 seconds.
The racehorse died in the year 1961 at the age of fifteen and will always be fancied by the fans of the sport and those involved in the thoroughbred racing industry.
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