Lenin (foaled 1937) was a South African bred Thoroughbred racehorse who was a Champion at two and three years of age in South Africa. He was purchased for 650 guineas by Maurice Lipschitz at the 1939 Rand Yearling Sales in Johannesburg. He raced from 1939 to 1943 in South Africa and won 18 of his 44 starts and R32 422, an earnings record at the time. Among his wins were The South African Derby, Johannesburg Summer Handicap , Champion Stakes, Benoni Guineas and Natal Guineas. He won from 1000m to 3200m. He is regarded as the best racehorse to have run in South Africa in the first half of the 20th century.
Background South African horse racing at that time was dominated by handicaps and there were very few equal weight races outside of age group (two and three year old) races. As a result Lenin carried 133lbs or more in 33 of his 44 starts. Had he raced in the modern era with its many weight-for-age races it is almost certain he would have won many more races. Edmund Nelson wrote in 1966 in the South African Racehorse magazine that "the allocation of the big money should be on merit, not the whim of the handicapper. Our big handicaps are too rich in value, and they encourage false values in assessing the official statistics". Writing in 1982 renowned racecourse commentator Ernie Duffield wrote "The present record stake-earner Politician, would never have won the number of races he did win if he had raced in the old days, because we did not have the number of weight-for-age races and he would have been penalised correctly for every one of his wins".
Lenin was foaled at the famous Vogel Vlei Stud owned by the Birch Brothers. His birth "encapsulated the Birch philosophy of never mollycoddling horses. Lenin was actually born out in the veld during a snowstorm.” “Nobody could get to him for a whole week, but Drohsky suckled him and kept him alive all that time". "Lenin’s mother was an imported English mare called Drohsky, who is still revered among the Birches and ascribed “foundation mare” status. Drohsky’s family threw dozens of great racehorses, with her grand-daughter Maritime producing no less than two July winners, Sea Cottage and Naval Escort, and a July second, Top Gallant."
Lenin “remained the greatest hero of the (South African) turf for some 25 years until two great horses, Colorado King and Sea Cottage, began vying for the title" Lenin was retired to Lion Hill Stud in 1943 by his owner Maurice Lipschitz. Two of his daughters produced two decent stakes performers in Cuff Link (Johannesburg Summer Handicap, Gold Cup twice) and Casbah (Johannesburg Spring Handicap, Johannesburg Summer Handicap)
Race record Source: At 26 starts 4 wins 1 third R5 0161939/404thSouth African Produce Stakes (1000m Gosforth Park) beaten 4 lengths12/02/39WonSouth African Nursery Plate (1000m Turffontein) by 2.50 lengths12/23/393rdDoornfontein Juvenile Handicap (1200m Turffontein) beaten 1 length03/23/40WonB Division Handicap (1400m Gosforth Park) by 2 lengths04/13/40WonGosforth Park Juvenile Plate (1400m Gosforth Park) by 4 lengths05/15/40WonAfrican Breeders’ Plate (1400m Greyville) by 4 lengths carrying 140lbs in a new race record07/10/40At 38 starts 5 wins 1 second R13 8201940/41WonChampion Stakes (1800m Greyville) by 4 lengths08/03/40WonNatal Guineas (1600m Greyville) by 5 lengths10/05/40WonBenoni Guineas (1600m Gosforth Park) by 10 lengths11/02/40WonJohannesburg Summer Handicap (2000m Turffontein) beaten 0.50 lengths but won on disqualification of the winner12/21/40WonSouth African Derby (2400m Turffontein) by 6 lengths12/26/402ndJohannesburg Winter Handicap (1600m Turffontein) beaten a head carrying 138lbs05/31/415thDurban July Handicap (2000m Greyville) carrying 134 lbs, 6 lbs more than any other horse and 32lbs more than the winner07/05/41UnplClairwood Winter Handicap (1600m Clairwood)07/19/41At 414 starts 4 wins 3 seconds 2 thirds R7 6981941/422ndChampion Stakes (1800m Greyville) beaten 1 length08/02/41WonJohannesburg Spring Handicap (1600m Turffontein) by 2.5 lengths10/04/41UnplJohannesburg Summer Handicap (2000m Turffontein) carried 138lbs12/20/41WonCharles Marx Memorial Plate (1800m Turffontein) by 6 lengths and carrying 141lbs12/27/41WonJohannesburg Merchants Handicap (1200m Turffontein) by 0.50 lengths carrying 145lbs01/01/42UnplPeninsula Summer Handicap (1600m Kenilworth) carrying 141lbs01/31/422ndProvincial Summer Handicap (2000m Milnerton) beaten a head carrying 149lbs02/14/42UnplRosmead Handicap (2000m Kenilworth) carrying 138lbs02/28/422ndJohannesburg Autumn Handicap (2000m Turffontein) beaten 1.5 lengths carrying 137lbs04/04/42WonChairman’s Handicap (1600m Turffontein) by 3.5 lengths carrying 143lbs04/11/423rdA Division Handicap (1000m Clairwood) beaten 2 lengths carrying 146lbs06/13/425thDurban July Handicap (2100m Greyville) carrying 132lbs, 24 lbs more than the winner07/04/42UnplDurban Merchants Handicap (1200m Greyville) carrying 136lbs07/11/423rdClairwood Winter Handicap (1600m Clairwood) carrying 127lbs07/18/42At 512 starts 3 wins 1 second 1 third R4 3121942/433rdJohannesburg Spring Handicap (1600m Turffontein) beaten a neck carrying 139lbs10/03/42WonSpring Goldfields Handicap (2400m Turffontein) by 4 lengths carrying 141lbs10/05/42UnplJohannesburg Summer Handicap (2000m Turffontein) carrying 142lbs12/19/422ndJohannesburg Goldfields Handicap (2800m Turffontein) beaten a short head carrying 145lbs12/26/42WonTransvaal Handicap (3200m Turffontein) by 3.50 lengths carrying 145lbs01/01/43UnplGrandstand Handicap (2000m Gosforth Park) carrying 148lbs03/06/43UnplA Division Handicap (1000m Gosforth Park) carrying 146lbs04/10/434thA Division Handicap (1200m Newmarket) carrying 149lbs04/21/43UnplJohannesburg Winter Handicap (1600m Turffontein) carrying 145lbs05/31/43WonGeneral JJ Pienaar Handicap (320m Turffontein) by 2 lengths carrying 149lbs06/02/43UnplGoldfields Handicap (2400m Turffontein) carrying 156lbs06/12/43UnplVictory Handicap (1600m Gosforth Park) carrying 149lbs06/19/43At 64 starts 2 wins 1 second R1 5461943/44UnplJohannesburg Spring Handicap (1600m Turffontein) carrying 142lbs10/02/43WonSpring Goldfields Handicap (2400m Turffontein) by 3.50 lengths carrying 150lbs10/04/432ndFarewell Handicap (1600m Turffontein) beaten a neck carrying 150lbs10/08/43WonWest Rand October Handicap (2000m Newmarket) by 0.50 lengths carrying 152lbs10/20/43
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