Lenin (horse)

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Lenin
SireSunstone
GrandsireSunstar
DamDrohsky
DamsirePolyphontes
SexStallion
Foaled1937
CountrySouth Africa
ColourBay
BreederBirch Brothers, Vogel Vlei Stud
OwnerM Lipschitz
TrainerWW Pickering, JA Pickering, W Murphy
Record44: 18-6-4
EarningsZAR32,422
Major wins
South African Nursery Plate (1939)
Gosforth Park Juvenile Plate (1940)
African Breeders Stakes (1940)
Champion Stakes (1940)
Natal Guineas (1940)
Benoni Guineas (1940)
South African Derby (1940)
Johannesburg Summer Handicap (1940)
Johannesburg Merchants (1942)
Awards
South African Champion Two-Year Old (1939/40)
South African Champion Three-Year Old (1940/41)

Lenin[1] (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 ZAR32,422, an earnings record at the time. Among his wins were The South African Derby,[2] 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[edit]

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.[3] 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[4]".

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."[5]

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"[6] 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[7][edit]

At 2 6 starts  4 wins 1 third  ZAR5,016 1939/40
4th South African Produce Stakes (1000m Gosforth Park) beaten 4 lengths 12/02/39
Won South African Nursery Plate (1000m Turffontein) by 2.50 lengths 12/23/39
3rd Doornfontein Juvenile Handicap (1200m Turffontein) beaten 1 length 03/23/40
Won B Division Handicap (1400m Gosforth Park) by 2 lengths 04/13/40
Won Gosforth Park Juvenile Plate (1400m Gosforth Park) by 4 lengths 05/15/40
Won African Breeders’ Plate (1400m Greyville) by 4 lengths carrying 140lbs in a new race record[8] 07/10/40
At 3 8 starts  5 wins 1 second  ZAR13,820 1940/41
Won Champion Stakes (1800m Greyville) by 4 lengths 08/03/40
Won Natal Guineas (1600m Greyville) by 5 lengths 10/05/40
Won Benoni Guineas (1600m Gosforth Park) by 10 lengths 11/02/40
Won Johannesburg Summer Handicap (2000m Turffontein) beaten 0.50 lengths but won on disqualification of the winner 12/21/40
Won South African Derby (2400m Turffontein) by 6 lengths 12/26/40
2nd Johannesburg Winter Handicap (1600m Turffontein) beaten a head carrying 138lbs 05/31/41
5th Durban July Handicap (2000m Greyville) carrying 134 lbs, 6 lbs more than any other horse and 32lbs more than the winner 07/05/41
Unpl Clairwood Winter Handicap (1600m Clairwood) 07/19/41
At 4 14 starts  4 wins 3 seconds  2 thirds  ZAR7,698 1941/42
2nd Champion Stakes (1800m Greyville) beaten 1 length 08/02/41
Won Johannesburg Spring Handicap (1600m Turffontein) by 2.5 lengths 10/04/41
Unpl Johannesburg Summer Handicap (2000m Turffontein) carried 138lbs 12/20/41
Won Charles Marx Memorial Plate (1800m Turffontein) by 6 lengths and carrying 141lbs 12/27/41
Won Johannesburg Merchants Handicap (1200m Turffontein) by 0.50 lengths carrying 145lbs 01/01/42
Unpl Peninsula Summer Handicap (1600m Kenilworth) carrying 141lbs 01/31/42
2nd Provincial Summer Handicap (2000m Milnerton) beaten a head carrying 149lbs 02/14/42
Unpl Rosmead Handicap (2000m Kenilworth) carrying 138lbs 02/28/42
2nd Johannesburg Autumn Handicap (2000m Turffontein) beaten 1.5 lengths carrying 137lbs 04/04/42
Won Chairman’s Handicap (1600m Turffontein) by 3.5 lengths carrying 143lbs 04/11/42
3rd A Division Handicap (1000m Clairwood) beaten 2 lengths carrying 146lbs 06/13/42
5th Durban July Handicap (2100m Greyville) carrying 132lbs, 24 lbs more than the winner 07/04/42
Unpl Durban Merchants Handicap (1200m Greyville) carrying 136lbs 07/11/42
3rd Clairwood Winter Handicap (1600m Clairwood) carrying 127lbs 07/18/42
At 5 12 starts  3 wins 1 second  1 third  ZAR4,312 1942/43
3rd Johannesburg Spring Handicap (1600m Turffontein) beaten a neck carrying 139lbs 10/03/42
Won Spring Goldfields Handicap (2400m Turffontein) by 4 lengths carrying 141lbs 10/05/42
Unpl Johannesburg Summer Handicap (2000m Turffontein) carrying 142lbs 12/19/42
2nd Johannesburg Goldfields Handicap (2800m Turffontein) beaten a short head carrying 145lbs 12/26/42
Won Transvaal Handicap (3200m Turffontein) by 3.50 lengths carrying 145lbs 01/01/43
Unpl Grandstand Handicap (2000m Gosforth Park) carrying 148lbs 03/06/43
Unpl A Division Handicap (1000m Gosforth Park) carrying 146lbs 04/10/43
4th A Division Handicap (1200m Newmarket) carrying 149lbs 04/21/43
Unpl Johannesburg Winter Handicap (1600m Turffontein) carrying 145lbs 05/31/43
Won General JJ Pienaar Handicap (320m Turffontein) by 2 lengths carrying 149lbs 06/02/43
Unpl Goldfields Handicap (2400m Turffontein) carrying 156lbs 06/12/43
Unpl Victory Handicap (1600m Gosforth Park) carrying 149lbs 06/19/43
At 6 4 starts  2 wins 1 second  ZAR1,546 1943/44
Unpl Johannesburg Spring Handicap (1600m Turffontein) carrying 142lbs 10/02/43
Won Spring Goldfields Handicap (2400m Turffontein) by 3.50 lengths carrying 150lbs 10/04/43
2nd Farewell Handicap (1600m Turffontein) beaten a neck carrying 150lbs 10/08/43
Won West Rand October Handicap (2000m Newmarket) by 0.50 lengths carrying 152lbs 10/20/43

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Pedigree Chart".
  2. ^ "South African Triple Crown".
  3. ^ Faull, Charles (1982). FORM STALLION REGISTER Volume II. South Africa: Form Stallion Register. p. 18. ISBN 0620062150.
  4. ^ Duffield, Ernie (1982). Through My Binonculars. South Africa: Schuter and Shooter (Pty) Ltd. p. 84. ISBN 0869856553.
  5. ^ "Birch Brothers – horse breeders par excellence". www.tabnews.co.za. 25 April 2012.
  6. ^ Jaffee, Jean (1980). They Raced To Win 1797-1979 : A History of Racing in South Africa. South Africa: C. Struik (Pty) Ltd. p. 104. ISBN 0869771299.
  7. ^ "Thoroughpedia.com : Lenin Profile".
  8. ^ Fourie, J.G. (1946). South African Bloodstock Breeders Review Vol I. South Africa: A.P.B. Bookstore. p. 140.
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