| Private Terms | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Private Account |
| Grandsire | Damascus |
| Dam | Laughter |
| Damsire | Bold Ruler |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1985 |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Dark Brown |
| Breeder | Stuart Janney, Jr. |
| Owner | Stuart Janney, Jr. |
| Trainer | Charles Hadry |
| Record | 17: 13-0-0 |
| Earnings | US$1,243,947 |
| Major wins | |
| Wood Memorial Stakes(1988) Gotham Stakes (1988) Massachusetts Handicap (1989) Federico Tesio Stakes (1988) General George Handicap (1989) Federico Tesio Stakes (1988) Damascus Handicap (1989) Governors' Cup Handicap (1989) Prelude Stakes (1987) Never Bend Handicap (1989) |
|
| Horse (Equus ferus caballus) | |
Private Terms (1985–2010) was a millionaire American Thoroughbred racehorse and successful stallion. He was the son of Private Account, who in turn was the son of the great Damascus. Bred in Kentucky by Stuart Janney, Jr., he finished racing with a record of 13-0-0 in 17 starts with career earnings of $1,243,947. Private Terms was best known for his wins in the grade one Wood Memorial Stakes and the grade two General George Handicap.[1]
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At age three, Private Terms began to show great promise as he won one race after another. In his fifth start he won the grade two Gotham Stakes at 1-1/16 miles at Aqueduct Racetrack. In that race he beat Seeking the Gold and Perfect Spy under jockey Chris Antley. Then he won most impressive race of his career in the $500,000 grade one Wood Memorial Stakes. In that race he defeated Seeking the Gold again and ignited the beginning of a heated rivalry with his foe that would last two years.
He went into the gate in the 1988 Kentucky Derby unbeaten in seven starts and the second favorite in the race behind only Winning Colors. He was not the most perfect physical specimen in the world. Minutes before the race on the Derby broadcast, Charlsie Cantey once said, "that while his legs were not set on perfectly that he put one in front of the other faster than all of his opponents to date.” Obviously, Private Terms’ unbeaten record fell in the Kentucky Derby, where he ran ninth behind Winning Colors, Forty Niner and Risen Star beaten just under six lengths.
Private Terms returned in the $500,000 grade one Preakness Stakes as a 3-1 third choice in a field of ten graded stakes winners. In the "Run for the Black-Eyed Susan," he had no excuses and had the perfect trip in a stalking position within easy striking distance. At the top of the stretch he rallied late and moved from seventh to fourth but lacked enough punch and ended fourth behind Risen Star, Brian's Time and Winning Colors just four lengths back.
He did not contest the Belmont, which Risen Star won, but did win the listed Governor’s Handicap at Pimlico Race Course. He then ran fourth behind Forty Niner and Seeking the Gold in the grade one Haskell Invitational Handicap. Later that year it looked like he might be a threat in the grade one Super Derby when he won a prep race in the Prelude Stakes, but he ran fourth in the big race behind Seeking the Gold, Happyasalark Tomas and Lively One. That event marked the end of his sophomore year as finished with a record of 9-0-0 in 13 starts.[2]
Private Terms ran successfully at age four, making four starts and winning all but one of them. One of those wins was the grade two Massachusetts Handicap at Suffolk Downs. His other two wins came in listed stakes, the appropriate named Damascus Handicap at Laurel Park Racecourse after his grandsire and the Never Bend at Pimlico.
The almost black colt retired with 12 wins in 17 starts and earnings of $1,243,947. He never hit the board except for his wins, and owned not a single second or third. He was a true “all or nothing horse”.
Private Terms was retired but was never bred to the bloated books of many mares that sires see today. He had 16 crops containing 623 foals, an average of 39 foals per year. Of those crops he had gotten 75% starters, 54% winners and 14% stakes winners. He has also sired 3% graded stakes placed horses. Soul of the Matter and Afternoon Deelites were his two best runners. Soul of the Matter avenged his sire’s loss in the Super Derby of 1994 and won or placed in eight other graded races, including a second in the Dubai World Cup. Sadly, he was exported to Japan where he did not do well at stud, and is now in California. Afternoon Deelites has done better. Now at stud in Louisiana, he previously stood at Airdrie Stud in the Bluegrass State. He’s sired 4% stakes winners and has consistently led the sire list in his new home state. Now there is one more horse, La Reine’s Terms has done most of his racing in Maryland-bred events had won 16 of 40 starts and $804,591. There is another horse who fits into this category, and that is Private Lap, which is also listed as a colt. This fellow, out of the Dynaformer mare Just Like Jill, has won almost $700,000 and is a listed stakes winner.[2]