Key to the Mint
{{Short description|American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse}}
{{Infobox racehorse
| horsename = Key to the Mint
| image =
| caption =
| sire = Graustark
| grandsire = Ribot
| dam = Key Bridge
| damsire = Princequillo
| sex = Stallion
| foaled = 1969
| country = United States
| colour = Bay
| breeder = Paul Mellon
| owner = Rokeby Stables
| trainer = J. Elliott Burch
| record = 29: 14-4-3
| earnings = $576,015
| race = Remsen Stakes (1971)
Withers Stakes (1972)
Woodward Stakes (1972)
Derby Trial Stakes (1972)
Brooklyn Handicap (1972)
Whitney Stakes (1972)
Travers Stakes (1972)
Suburban Handicap (1973)
Excelsior Handicap (1973)
|awards = American Champion 3-Year-Old Colt (1972)
|honours =
|updated=
}}
Key to the Mint (1969–1996) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse.
Background
Bred by Paul Mellon and raced under his Rokeby Stable colors, Key to the Mint was trained by future Hall of Fame inductee Elliott Burch.
Racing career
Key to the Mint did not run in the Kentucky Derby, the first race of the U.S. Triple Crown series, then finished third to winner Bee Bee Bee in the Preakness Stakes and fourth to Riva Ridge in the Belmont Stakes.
Following the Triple Crown races, Key to the Mint dominated his age group in 1972 and was voted the Eclipse Award for American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse. He continued to race at age four, notably winning the 1973 Excelsior Handicap and won on a sloppy track for 10 furlongs in winning the Suburban Handicap.
Stud record
Retired to stud duty, Key to the Mint sired Plugged Nickle, the 1980 American Champion Sprint Horse; Java Gold, a multiple Grade 1 winner and sire of Kona Gold; and Jewel Princess, the 1996 American Champion Older Female Horse. He is also the damsire of European Champion Swain and Canadian Champion 3-Year-Old Male Horse Key to the Moon.
Key to the Mint was euthanized due to infirmities of old age on September 21, 1996.
Pedigree
{{Pedigree
|name = Key to the Mint
|f = Graustark
chestnut 1963
|m = Key Bridge
bay 1959
|ff = Ribot
bay 1952
|fm = Flower Bowl
bay 1952
|mf = Princequillo
bay 1940
|mm = Blue Banner
bay 1952
|fff = Tenerani
bay 1944
|ffm = Romanella
chestnut 1943
|fmf = Alibhai
bay 1938
|fmm = Flower Bed
bay 1946
|mff = Prince Rose
bay 1928
|mfm = Cosquilla
bay 1933
|mmf = War Admiral
brown 1934
|mmm = Risqué Blue
bay 1941
|ffff = Bellini
|fffm = Tofanella
|ffmf = El Greco
|ffmm = Barbara Burrini
|fmff = Hyperion
|fmfm = Teresina
|fmmf = Beau Pere
|fmmm = Boudoir
|mfff = Rose Prince
|mffm = Indolence
|mfmf = Papyrus
|mfmm = Quick Thought
|mmff = Man o' War
|mmfm = Brushup
|mmmf = Blue Larkspur
|mmmm = Risqué
|}}
References
- [http://www.pedigreequery.com/key+to+the+mint Key to the Mint's pedigree and partial racing stats]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvEmAEkb5CA Video at YouTube of Key to the Mint winning the 1972 Travers Stakes]
Category:1969 racehorse births
Category:1996 racehorse deaths
Category:Racehorses bred in Virginia
Category:Racehorses trained in the United States
Category:Eclipse Award winners