by Barbaraanne Helberg

Created on: July 18, 2011   Last Updated: July 21, 2011

Eclipse, the great English Thoroughbred champion who was foaled in 1764 and unbeaten in 18 career races, passed bloodline genes to ninety percent of today's American racing Thoroughbreds. The American Eclipse Award, given to the season's most accomplished Thoroughbreds, as well as their owners, trainers, and jockeys, honors that famous stallion.

The greatest majority of Thoroughbreds are born to race. Many Thoroughbreds, as well as Standardbreds (harness racing horses), may also be trained for equestrian competition, or use in general saddle pleasure. 

Thoroughbred Origins:

The Darley Arabian, one of three stallions imported to America to strengthen racehorse bloodlines, was a great-great grandsire to Eclipse. The Darley was owned by Thomas Darley of Yorkshire, England. Arabian horses are known for great racing speed.

Known as a "Barb", from the Barbary Coast region in the Mediterranean, the Godolphin Arabian added more stamina to the American Thoroughbred line. Progenitor of the early ancestry of the fabulous Man o' War, Matchem was a Godolphin grandson. He was foaled in 1748 and furthered the Godolphin's reputation as a second foundation stallion to America's great runners.

Owned by Captain Robert Byerley of Midridge Grange, south County Durham, England, the Byerley Turk founded the sire line of the swift "The Tetrarch" (foaled 1911). The Byerley Turk, reportedly captured by Byerley from the Turks, was the earliest of the three foundation stallions of the American Thoroughbred.

Thoroughbred Colors:

Betting on the bay may seem a sure thing, as the majority of Thoroughbreds are variations of that color in degrees of light and dark. Seattle Slew, an American Triple Crown winner (1977), was a stunning dark bay, or brown. Unbeaten filly Ruffian was usually referred to as black, as her coat was darker yet than Seattle Slew's.

The manes and tails of lighter bays are black. Big Brown was a bay who looked light brown of coat and sported the dark mane and tail of the light-colored bay.

Secretariat was a red chestnut. His coat grew visibly more dark as he steamed through a race. A liver chestnut, like Man o' War, is much lighter. Chestnuts retain their body coloring on their manes and tails.

Gray, or roan (speckled), is another striking color of the Thoroughbred. The great runner Native Dancer, nicknamed the Gray Ghost of Sagamore, was a gray who became a television star in the 1950s.

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