Majesty's Prince
| Majesty's Prince | |
|---|---|
| Sire | His Majesty |
| Grandsire | Ribot |
| Dam | Pied Princess |
| Damsire | Tom Fool |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1979 |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Chestnut |
| Breeder | John D. Marsh |
| Owner | John D. Marsh |
| Trainer | Joseph B. Cantey |
| Record | 43: 12-10-10 |
| Earnings | US$2,075,119 |
| Major wins | |
|
Belmont Lexington Stakes (1982) Lamplighter Handicap (1982) Hill Prince Stakes (1982) Rothmans International (1982, 1984) Man o' War Handicap (1983, 1984) Sword Dancer Handicap (1983, 1984) | |
Majesty's Prince (foaled 1979 in Virginia, euthanized in 2009) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred at John D. Marsh's farm in Gainesville, Virginia, he was out of the mare Pied Princess, a daughter of 1953 American Horse of the Year and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Tom Fool. He was sired by His Majesty who also sired the 1981 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner, Pleasant Colony. Grandsire, Ribot, was a European superstar runner who went undefeated in sixteen career starts including back-to-back wins in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, and who was a three-time Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland.
Trained by Joe Cantey, at age two Majesty's Prince's best result was a third in the then Grade I Laurel Futurity Stakes at Maryland's Laurel Park Racecourse. As a three-year-old, in March 1982 he ran second in the Rebel Stakes. Then, after finishing ninth in the Kentucky Derby, did not run in the remaining two legs of the U.S. Triple Crown series.
Switch to turf racing
Unsuccessful on dirt, the handlers of Majesty's Prince decided to try him on turf. Eleven days after the Kentucky Derby, he debuted on grass with a win in the Hill Prince Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack. He went on to win the Lexington Stakes at Belmont Park and the Lamplighter Handicap at Monmouth Park Racetrack.
On October 17, 1982, Majesty's Prince won the first major event of his career, the Rothmans International at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Canada.The race was the list leg of a series of three turf races that featured top North American and European entrants. Following his Canadian victory, the three-year-old colt ran second to April Run in the next two legs of a series, the October 23rd Turf Classic at New York's Belmont Park, and the November 7th Washington, D.C. International Stakes at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland.
Racing at age four in 1983, Majesty's Prince won the Man o' War Handicap and Sword Dancer Handicap. He ran third to the great filly All Along in the Rothmans International and the Washington D.C.International Stakes. In 1984, Majesty's Prince earned his second consecutive win in both the Man o' War Handicap and Sword Dancer Handicap. He won his second Rothmans International and was third to John Henry in the Turf Classic. He ran sixth to winner Lashkari in the inaugural running of the Breeders' Cup Turf in 1984.
Retired to stud duty, Majesty's Prince met with limited success. Among his racing offspring, he notably sired 1993 Bowling Green Handicap winner, Dr. Kiernan.
Majesty's Prince was recently euthanized at age 30 due to the infirmities of old age.
References
- Majesty's Prince's pedigree and partial racing stats
- October 22, 1984 New York Times article on Majesty's Prince's upset win in the Rothmans International