Crusader (horse)

Crusader was sired by Man o' War from the mare Star Fancy, from the same family which also produced leading performers such as Whisk Broom, Venetian Way, Timber Country and Dubai Millennium.{{cite web|url=http://www.bloodlines.net/TB/Families/Family4m.htm |title=Magnolia – Family 4-m |publisher=Bloodlines.net |access-date=2012-03-03}} As a son of Man o' War, Crusader was a representative of the Godolphin Arabian sire line, unlike the majority of modern thoroughbreds, who descend from the Darley Arabian. He was bred by Samuel D. Riddle and was raced by his Glen Riddle Farm. He was usually ridden by either Earl Sande or Albert Johnson.

As a two-year-old in 1925, Crusader won the Potomac Purse at Belmont Park, but his most important win of the year came in the $10,000 Manor Handicap at Laurel Park Racecourse on October 24.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=heXfYpSh-_EC&q=Crusader+Manor+Handicap&pg=PA28 |title=War Admiral |author=Edward L. Bowen |publisher=The Blood-horse Inc |page=28 |date=2002-06-25 |isbn=9781581500783 |access-date=2012-03-04}}

In 1926, Crusader defeated older horses including his stable companion American Flag to win the Suburban Handicap.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=heXfYpSh-_EC&q=Crusader+Manor+Handicap&pg=PA28 |title=War Admiral |author=Edward L. Bowen |publisher=The Blood-horse Inc |page=29 |date=2002-06-25 |isbn=9781581500783 |access-date=2012-03-04}} He won the Belmont Stakes against his own age group a week later, beating Espino by a length in front of a crowd of 25,000.{{cite news|last=Ilsley |first=Henry R. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1926/06/13/archives/25000-see-crusader-win-belmont-stakes-cheer-man-o-war-colt-as-he.html |title=25,000 SEE CRUSADER WIN BELMONT STAKES |newspaper=The New York Times|date=1926-06-13 |access-date=2012-03-03}} On July 3 at Aqueduct, he won the Dwyer Stakes by a nose from Chance Play, setting a course record of 2:29.6 for the mile and a half.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WPRPAAAAIBAJ&pg=4182,6190458&dq=crusader&hl=en |title=Crusader Breaks Record |work=Evening Independent |date=1926-07-03 |access-date=2012-03-03}} In the $30,000 Cincinnati Derby on July 25, Crusader set another track record of 2:02.0 for ten furlongs, beating the Preakness Stakes winner Display with "remarkable ease" by three lengths.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YilAAAAAIBAJ&pg=6757,4500818&dq=crusader&hl=en |title=Crusader Wins Second Cincinnati Derby |work=Youngstown Vindicator |date=1926-07-25 |access-date=2012-03-03}}

On September 26 at Havre de Grace Racetrack, Crusader won the Havre de Grace Handicap by ten lengths from Son of John, Display and Sarazen equaling the nine furlong track record of 1:50.0. According to The New York Times, the win was "wildly acclaimed" and established Crusader as the Horse of the Year.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1926/09/26/archives/crusader-is-victor-as-25000-look-on-son-of-man-o-war-wildly.html |title=CRUSADER IS VICTOR AS 25,000 LOOK ON |newspaper=The New York Times|date=1926-09-26 |access-date=2012-03-03}} Crusader finished fourth to Croyden when favourite for the Laurel Stakes but returned to win the inaugural running of the Riggs Handicap at Pimlico Race Course on November 1.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XPNPAAAAIBAJ&pg=2898,1528536&dq=crusader&hl=en |title=Crusader Takes Baltimore Race |work=Evening Independent |date=1926-11-02 |access-date=2012-03-03}} On his final start of the season he finished second when attempting to concede thirty-three pounds in weight to the filly Edith Cavell in the two and a quarter mile Pimlico Cup.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EiVAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1503,4254572&dq=crusader&hl=en |title=Edith Cavell Wins Pimlico |work=Youngstown Vindicator |date=1926-11-14 |access-date=2012-03-03}} After this race it was reported that Crusader would be retired to a stud career in Europe.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ORseAAAAIBAJ&pg=2805,1879822&dq=crusader&hl=en |title=Sports Done Brown |author=Norman E. Brown |work=Sarasota Herald-Tribune |date=1926-11-24 |access-date=2012-03-03}}

Although there were no formal awards in 1926, Crusader was recognised as the Champion 3-year-old Male Horse and the Horse of the Year. His earnings of $166,033 made him the season's leading money-winner.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GaQuAAAAIBAJ&pg=3358,5708331&dq=crusader&hl=en |title=Greenbacks Make This Golden Era |work=Ottawa Citizen |date=1927-05-11 |access-date=2012-03-03}}

In 1927, Crusader's early runs were disappointing, but he returned to form to become the first horse to win successive runnings of the Suburban Handicap, beating Black Maria by eight lengths on June 4.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6w0nAAAAIBAJ&pg=1695,1793610&dq=crusader&hl=en |title=Crusader Triumphs in Suburban Handicap |work=Sunday Morning Star |date=1927-06-05 |access-date=2012-03-04}} In his next race, the Brooklyn Handicap, he sustained career-threatening injuries when he was kicked in the leg by another horse.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=p69QAAAAIBAJ&pg=5784,8171768&dq=crusader&hl=en |title=Crusader Out With Injuries |work=Milwaukee Journal |date=1927-06-21 |access-date=2012-03-04}} Although he returned to racing after a break, he was unable to recapture his best form.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ozOLKZl9XzsC&q=Crusader&pg=PA114 |title=American Classic Pedigrees (1914-2002) |author=Avalyn Hunter |author-link=Avalyn Hunter |publisher=Blood-Horse Publications|page=120 |date=2003-05-25 |isbn=9781581500950 |access-date=2012-03-04}}

Crusader's five-year-old campaign was a disappointment as he failed to win in seven starts.

Crusader began his stud career at Colonel Phil T. Chinn's Himyar Stud in 1929, but returned to Riddle's own Faraway Farm stud to stand at a fee of $1,500 when Chinn was declared bankrupt a year later.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2FIC9EvanI0C&q=Crusader&pg=PA83 |title=Great breeders and their methods |author=Rommy Faversham|via=Google Books |publisher=Russell Meerdink Company Ltd |page=111 |year=2005 |isbn=9780929346779 |access-date=2012-03-04}} He was not a great success as a stallion, attracting a disappointingly small number of mares and siring only six stakes winners.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ozOLKZl9XzsC&q=Crusader&pg=PA114 |title=American classic pedigrees (1914-2002) |author=Avalyn Hunter |author-link=Avalyn Hunter |publisher=Blood-Horse Publications|page=122 |date=2003-05-25 |isbn=9781581500950 |access-date=2012-03-04}} He did get Crossbow II (Sanford Stakes) and Royal Crusader (Del Mar Handicap). In 1938 Riddle leased Crusader to the Rancho Casitas, at Ventura, California, where he died in 1940.

Crusader was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1995.{{cite web |url=http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall-of-fame/horses-view.asp?varID=52 |title=National Museum of Racing, Hall of Fame, Thoroughbred Horses |publisher=Racingmuseum.org |access-date=2012-03-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120602193509/http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall-of-fame/horses-view.asp?varID=52 |archive-date=2012-06-02 }}

{{Pedigree

|name = Crusader (USA), chestnut stallion, 1923{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2FIC9EvanI0C&q=Crusader&pg=PA83 |title=Great breeders and their methods |author=Rommy Faversham|via=Google Books |publisher=Russell Meerdink Company Ltd |page=59 |year=2005 |isbn=9780929346779 |access-date=2012-03-04}}

|inf =

|f = Man o' War (USA)
1917

|m = Star Fancy (USA)
1916

|ff = Fair Play
1905

|fm = Mahubah
1910

|mf = Star Shoot
1898

|mm = Dolly Higgins
1907

|fff = Hastings

|ffm = Fairy Gold

|fmf = Rock Sand

|fmm = Merry Token

|mff = Isinglass

|mfm = Astrology

|mmf = Migraine

|mmm = Frances McClelland

|ffff = Spendthrift

|fffm = Cinderella*

|ffmf = Bend Or

|ffmm = Dame Masham

|fmff =Sainfoin

|fmfm = Roquebrune

|fmmf = Merry Hampton

|fmmm = Mizpah

|mfff = Isonomy

|mffm = Dead Lock

|mfmf =Hermit

|mfmm = Stella

|mmff = Top Gallant

|mmfm = Cinderella*

|mmmf = Bermuda

|mmmm = Sallie McClelland(Family:4-m)}}

* Crusader is inbred 4S × 4D to the mare Cinderella, meaning that she appears fourth generation on the sire side of his pedigree and fourth generation on the dam side of his pedigree.

{{Reflist|2}}

{{Belmont Stakes Winners}}

{{American Horse of the Year winners}}

Category:1923 racehorse births

Category:1940 racehorse deaths

Category:Racehorses bred in Kentucky

Category:Racehorses trained in the United States

Category:Belmont Stakes winners

Category:American Thoroughbred Horse of the Year

Category:United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees

Category:Thoroughbred family 4-m

Category:Godolphin Arabian sire line