Hindoo (1878–1901) was an outstanding American Thoroughbred race horse who won 30 of his 35 starts, including the Kentucky Derby, the Travers Stakes, and the Clark Handicap. He later sired Preakness Stakes winner Buddhist and Belmont Stakes winner and Leading sire in North America Hanover.
Hindoo was a bay colt bred by Daniel Swigert of Elmendorf Farm in Kentucky. Hindoo was sired by Virgil (sire of the Kentucky Derby winners, Vagrant and Ben Ali). His dam, Florence, was by the racehorse and sire Lexington. He was a brother to Florida, who was the dam of the racemare Firenze, who won 47 of her 82 starts.
Racing record Hindoo was trained by future Hall of Fame inductee Edward D. Brown. Hindoo was sold for $15,000 during his two-year-old season to the Dwyer Brothers Stable of Mike and Phil Dwyer, and his training was taken over by another future Hall of Fame inductee, James G. Rowe Sr.Thoroughbred Heritage: Hindoo Retrieved 2010-9-14
1881 Kentucky Derby Hindoo was a 3–1 favorite heading into Kentucky Derby. Ridden by Jim McLaughlin, when the race started, Hindoo, as expected, took the lead. Then, at the halfway pole, Lexex took the lead. As the horses went into the turn, Hindoo regained the lead, and when he entered the stretch he was in command and won by four lengths going away.
After the Derby On September 1, 1881, Hindoo won his 19th consecutive race in a purse event at Sheepshead Bay Race Track. His winning streak ended six days later when he finished third in the September Handicap at Sheepshead.
Hindoo also won: Colt and Filly Stakes, Alexander Stakes, Tennessee Stakes, Juvenile Stakes, Jockey Club Stakes, Criterion Stakes, Tremont Hotel Stakes, Blue Ribbon Stakes, Clark Stakes, Tidal Stakes, Coney Island Stakes, Ocean Stakes, Lorillard Stakes, Monmouth Sweepstakes, Travers Stakes, Sequel Stakes, United States Hotel Stakes, Kenner Stakes, Louisville Cup, Merchants' Stakes, Turf Handicap, Coney Island Handicap, Coney Island Cup, Champion Stakes, Jersey Stakes, and St. Leger Stakes.
Hindoo placed second in the Day Boat Line Stakes, Brighton Beach Cap, and Dixiana Stakes. Hindoo finished third in the Windsor Hotel Stakes and the September Cup.
In thirty-five starts, Hindoo was never out of the money. He won thirty times, was second three times, and was third twice. As a three-year-old, he won the 1881 Kentucky Derby in a season where he recorded eighteen straight wins over the course of a few months— nineteen if a dead-heat run-off on the same day is counted. Over the course of his racing career, he won $71,875, making him America's leading money earner. In 1881, he was America's Champion Three-Year-Old Male.
At stud In his first season at stud, Hindoo's mating with Bourbon Belle produced the champion Hanover, who became the leading sire in the United States for four consecutive years.
Hindoo sired the following top racehorses: Hanover Buddhist, the 1889 Preakness Stakes winner Jim Gore, won the 1887 Clark Handicap and was second in the 1887 Kentucky Derby Sallie McLelland (1888), a good race-mare who later produced the Kentucky Oaks winner Audience
Hindoo is the damsire of the following racehorses: Whimsical, the 1906 Preakness Stakes winner Helios, 1912 American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt Blue Girl, the 1901 & 1902 American Champion filly
Hindoo died on July 4, 1901, at Runnymede Stud in Paris, Kentucky. Following the creation of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1955, he was one of the first handful of horses inducted.
Sire line tree
HindooByerley Turk LinePortrait: HindooAmerican Classic Pedigree: HindooHall of Fame: HindooHINDOO BEFORE AND BEYOND THE KENTUCKY DERBYHindoo, the hall of fame horse that raced on avenue x in Sheapshead Bay HanoverPortrait: HanoverAmerican Classic Pedigree: Hanover Buck Massie Jake Buckleya HalmaAmerican Classic Pedigree: Halma Alan-a-DaleAmerican Classic Pedigree: Alan-A-Dale Barnsdale Smart Set Acacia Oversight Mirebeau Insight Hammon Handsome The CommonerAmerican Classic Pedigree: The Commoner Simon D Johnnie Blake Doctor Boots Countless Parmer Great Britain Ben Holladay Handspring Major Daingerfield Handout Trouble Heywood Palo Alto HamburgPortrait: HamburgHall of Fame: HamburgAmerican Classic Pedigree: Hamburg Inflexible Textile Pluvious Strephon Dandelion Battleaxe BurgomasterAmerican Classic Pedigree: Burgomaster Bourgeois Burgoright Glasgow Sebastolbol Portugal Orison Pegasus The Irishman Baby Wolf Hillside Borrow Buskin Prince Eugene Happy Go Lucky Handball Handsel Grover Hughes Colonel Livingstone Sanders Half Time Handcuff David Garrick Star of Hanover Withers Admonition Holstein Abe Frank Blackstock Mentor Wise Counsellor Kaffir Kaffir Boy King Hanover Prince Ahmed Luck and Charity Serpent Yankee Dinna Ken Yankee Gun Joe Madden Marse Abe Marse Hughes Naushon Nonpareil Penobscot Jim Gore Beau Gallant Gorman Merry Lark Buddhist Dungarvan J H Houghton Merry Monarch Aryan Macy Benroe Howland Miller Alard Scheck
Pedigree
See also List of leading Thoroughbred racehorses
References
Hall of Fame page, with images America's Champion Three-Year-Old Males