Nashua (1952-1982) was an American-born thoroughbred racehorse, perhaps best remembered for a 1955 match race against the horse that had defeated him in the Kentucky Derby.
Nashua's sire was the good, but temperamental, European champion Nasrullah. Nashua's dam was Segula, a good broodmare who has had influence through her female descendants.
Owned by William Woodward, Jr.'s famous Belair Stud in Bowie, Maryland, Nashua was trained by Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons and ridden by jockey Eddie Arcaro. As a two-year-old in 1954 Nashua entered eight races, winning six and finishing second twice, a performance that earned him champion 2-year-old honors. The following year, he earned the United States Horse of the Year award.
Nashua won his famous match race with the great thoroughbred Swaps who had defeated him in the 1955 Kentucky Derby.
Following the death of William Woodward, Jr., the Belair Stud horses were auctioned off. In 1955 a syndicate purchased Nashua for a record $1,251,200 from the estate of William Woodward Jr., with majority interests owned by the Christopher J. Devine senior partner and founder of C.J. Devine & Co.[1] the largest dealer in U.S. Government Securities from 1933 to 1963, Leslie Combs 2d, and John W Hanes. John Wesley Hanes Sr. and his wife Hope were involved not only in the syndication of Nashua but also, Royal Charger and My Babu. He was an Under Secretary of the Treasury in the Roosevelt Administration, the head of the New York Racing Association and a part owner in the company that made Hanes hosiery and underwear.[2] In 1956 the syndicate leased Nashua to Combs to race under the Combs colors.[3]
At the end of his 1956 season, after thirty career races with a top three record of 22-4-1, Nashua was retired to stand at stud at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. Nashua retired as only the second horse to earn more than $1 million. His earnings of $1,288,565 surpassed the great Citation's record and stood as the earnings record until surpassed by Round Table in the autumn of 1958.
In 1965, he was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. In The Blood-Horse ranking of the top 100 U.S. thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century, Nashua was ranked 24.
Nashua died in 1982, and is buried at Spendthrift Farm. In the mid-Eighties, the farm commissioned a statue to be raised over him. The sculptress was Lisa Todd, the daughter of Mike Todd and Elizabeth Taylor.
At stud, Nashua was consistent, and his fillies were usually better runners than his colts. His progeny included the Hall of Fame racemare Shuvee,Gold Digger the dam of Mr. Prospector and Melbourne Cup winner Beldale Ball.
| Sire Nasrullah b. 1940 |
Nearco b. 1935 |
Pharos | Phalaris |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scapa Flow | |||
| Nogara | Havresac | ||
| Catnip | |||
| Mumtaz Begum b. 1932 |
Blenheim II | Blandford | |
| Malva | |||
| Mumtaz Mahal | The Tetrarch | ||
| Lady Josephine | |||
| Dam Segula b. 1942 |
Johnstown b. 1936 |
Jamestown | St. James |
| Mlle. Dazie | |||
| La France | Sir Gallahad III | ||
| Flambette | |||
| Sekhmet b. 1929 |
Sardanapale | Prestige | |
| Gemma | |||
| Prosopopee | Sans Souci | ||
| Peroraison |
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