Hill Rise

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Hill Rise
Sire Hillary
Grandsire Khaled
Dam Red Curtain
Damsire Russia
Sex Stallion
Foaled 1961
Country USA Flag of the United States
Colour Bay
Breeder George A. Pope, Jr.
Owner El Peco Ranch
Trainer William B. Finnegan
Noel Murless (in England)
Record 43: 15-8-6
Earnings : $653,160
Major Racing Wins, Awards and Honours
Major Racing Wins
California Breeders' Champion Stakes (1963)
San Felipe Stakes (1964)
Santa Anita Derby (1964)
Derby Trial (1964)
Man O' War Stakes (1965)
Santa Anita Handicap (1965)
San Fernando Stakes (1965)
San Antonio Handicap (1966)
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (1966)
Racing Awards
United Kingdom Champion Miler (1966)
Honours
Hill Rise Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Infobox last updated on: October 25, 2006.

Hill Rise (1961-1982) was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. He was bred at El Peco Ranch in Madera, California by George A. Pope, Jr. (1901-1979) who also owned and bred 1962 Kentucky Derby winner Decidedly. The winner of California Breeders' Champion Stakes at age two, in his three-year-old campaign Hill Rise scored the widest margin of victory in the fastest Santa Anita Derby ever run and was undefeated in 8 starts going into the 1964 Kentucky Derby.

For the Derby, trainer Horatio Luro, who had trained Decidedly, offered Bill Shoemaker the chance to ride his colt Northern Dancer. However, the future Hall of Fame jockey chose to ride the favored Hill Rise instead and wound up 2nd in the Derby and 3rd in the Preakness Stakes to Northern Dancer.

At age four Hill Rise won the Man O' War Stakes on grass and the following year, after racing in the U.S. and winning the San Antonio Handicap, he was sent to race on the grass in England. Of his four races there he won the Rous Memorial Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot Racecourse. His victory made him the first California-bred horse to win a major stakes in the United Kingdom since 1908. The effort earned Hill Rise 1966 Champion Miler honors in the UK.


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