A.P. Indy facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids A.P. Indy
A.P. Indy in 2010.
Sire	Seattle Slew
Grandsire	Bold Reasoning
Dam	Weekend Surprise
Damsire	Secretariat
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	(1989-03-31)March 31, 1989 Versailles, Kentucky, U.S.
Died	February 21, 2020(2020-02-21) (aged 30) Versailles, Kentucky, U.S.
Country	United States
Colour	Dark Bay or Brown
Breeder	William Farish III William S. Kilroy
Owner	Tomonori Tsurumaki (1990) Farish, Goodman, Kilroy and Tsurumaki (1992)
Trainer	Neil Drysdale
Record	11: 8-0-1
Earnings	$2,979,815
Major wins
Hollywood Futurity (1991) San Rafael Stakes (1992) Santa Anita Derby (1992) Peter Pan Stakes (1992) U.S. Triple Crown wins: Belmont Stakes (1992) Breeders' Cup wins: Breeders' Cup Classic (1992)
Awards
U.S. Champion 3-Yr-Old Colt (1992) United States Horse of the Year (1992) Leading sire in North America (2003, 2006) Leading broodmare sire in North America (2015)
Honours
United States Racing Hall of Fame (2000) A. P. Indy Stakes at Keeneland (1997–2002)
Last updated on 17 October 2022

A.P. Indy (born March 31, 1989 – died February 21, 2020) was a very famous American Thoroughbred racehorse. He won two of the biggest races in horse racing: the Belmont Stakes and the Breeders' Cup Classic in 1992. Because of his amazing wins, he was named the American Horse of the Year.

His time in the Belmont Stakes was super fast. It was the second-fastest ever, almost as quick as his grandfather, Secretariat. After his racing career, A.P. Indy became a very important "dad" horse, meaning he had many champion babies. He lived most of his life at Lane's End Farm in Kentucky, where he was born. For many years, he was the oldest living horse to have won the Breeders' Cup Classic and the Belmont Stakes.

A.P. Indy is special because he is part of the only three-generation family to all win the Belmont Stakes. His dad, Seattle Slew, won in 1977, and his daughter, Rags to Riches, won in 2007. He was put into the Hall of Fame in 2000. People in horse racing often say he was the perfect horse: a top-priced baby, a champion racer, and a game-changing father of champions.

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About A.P. Indy

A.P. Indy was a dark bay or brown horse. He had a narrow white stripe on his face and a white "sock" on his right back leg. He was born in Versailles, Kentucky, on March 31, 1989. His parents were famous too: his dad was Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew. His mom, Weekend Surprise, was also a great racer and was named the best "broodmare" (a mom horse who has many good babies) in 1992. Her dad was the legendary Triple Crown winner, Secretariat.

Because of his amazing family and perfect looks, A.P. Indy was sold for a huge amount of money as a young horse: $2.9 million! His first owner, Tomonori Tsurumaki, named him after his new racetrack, Nippon Autopolis. Later, A.P. Indy's breeders bought back part of him. When he was fully grown, he was about 16 hands (about 5 feet 4 inches) tall. He had a smooth way of running, much like his grandfather Secretariat.

A.P. Indy's Racing Career

A.P. Indy before the 1992 Belmont Stakes.

A.P. Indy was trained by Hall of Famer Neil Drysdale. In 1991, when he was two years old, he won three out of four races, including the important Hollywood Futurity.

When he was three years old in 1992, he started strong with wins in the San Rafael Stakes and Santa Anita Derby. He was expected to do very well in the 1992 Kentucky Derby, but he had to miss the race. He got a small bone bruise in his hoof right before the race. His trainer, Neil Drysdale, had to fix a tiny crack in his hoof with a special patch. This meant A.P. Indy also missed the Preakness Stakes.

Before the Belmont Stakes, A.P. Indy raced in the Peter Pan Stakes. He won easily by 5½ lengths, showing he was ready for the big race.

Winning the Belmont Stakes

A.P. Indy before the 1992 Belmont Stakes

On June 6, A.P. Indy entered the Belmont Stakes. This race is known as the "Test of the Champion" because it's very long. The track was a bit muddy because of heavy rains, but it improved to "good" by race time. A.P. Indy started the race calmly, staying behind the leaders. As they came around the last turn, he moved wide and started to catch up.

He battled with another horse, Pine Bluff, down the final stretch. A.P. Indy pulled ahead to win by ¾ of a length. Even though the track wasn't "fast," A.P. Indy finished the mile and a half race in 2 minutes and 26 seconds. This was the second-fastest time ever for the Belmont Stakes, matching Easy Goer's record. It was only two seconds slower than his grandfather Secretariat's amazing record from 1973.

Winning the Breeders' Cup Classic

After the Belmont, A.P. Indy rested to let his hoof heal completely. He had a couple of tough races later that year, but then came the Breeders' Cup Classic on October 31. This race had 14 top horses, many of whom had won big races. A.P. Indy was one of the favorites.

He started the race near the back of the pack, saving his energy. On the final turn, he found a gap between other horses and burst through. He pulled away to win by 2 lengths, showing he was truly a champion.

A.P. Indy was voted the Eclipse Awards for American Horse of the Year and the best three-year-old male horse. In his career, he raced 11 times, winning 8 races and placing third once. He earned nearly $3 million! In 2000, A.P. Indy was honored by being inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, along with his trainer, Neil Drysdale.

A.P. Indy's Life as a Sire

A.P. Indy in January 2017 after he was retired from breeding.

After his racing career, A.P. Indy became a "stallion" at Lane's End Farm in 1993. This means he would become a father to new racehorses. People in horse racing were very excited about him because he was such a great racer and had such a strong family tree.

A.P. Indy became a "breed-shaping" sire, which means he had a huge impact on horse breeding. For many years, his breeding fee was $300,000! He was the top sire in North America in 2003 and 2006. He had 88 babies who won important races and 12 who became champions. A very high number of his babies became winners.

He was also a great "broodmare sire" in 2015. This means his daughters became excellent mothers, giving birth to many champions themselves. His daughters produced famous horses like Royal Delta and Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver. A.P. Indy was known for passing on "stamina" to his babies, meaning they could run well in longer races.

A.P. Indy had his last babies in 2010. He retired from breeding in 2011 because he was getting older and couldn't have more foals. He continued to live at Lane's End Farm, close to some of his famous sons. A.P. Indy lived to be 31 years old, which is a very long life for a horse. He passed away on February 21, 2020, due to old age.

Famous Babies of A.P. Indy

Some of his most famous children include:

Pulpit (1994) – Won the Blue Grass Stakes.
Secret Status (1997) – Won the Kentucky Oaks.
Mineshaft (1999) – Named Horse of the Year in 2003.
Tempera (1999) – Won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.
Bernardini (2003) – Won the 2006 Preakness Stakes.
Rags to Riches (2004) – Won the 2007 Belmont Stakes.
Music Note (2005) – Won 5 Grade 1 races.
Honor Code (2011) – Won the Metropolitan Handicap and Whitney Handicap.

A.P. Indy's Family Tree (Sire Line)

Many of A.P. Indy's sons and grandsons have also become important sires, continuing his famous family line. Here are some of the most notable:

Pulpit (A.P. Indy's son):
- Tapit – A very successful sire, leading the North American sire list multiple times.
  - Untapable – Won the Kentucky Oaks and Breeders' Cup Distaff.
  - Tonalist – Won the 2014 Belmont Stakes.
  - Creator – Won the 2016 Belmont Stakes.
  - Tapwrit – Won the 2017 Belmont Stakes.
  - Constitution – His son Tiz the Law won the 2020 Belmont Stakes.
- Lucky Pulpit (Stakes winner)
  - California Chrome – Won the 2014 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, and the 2016 Dubai World Cup.
Bernardini (A.P. Indy's son):
- Stay Thirsty – Won the Travers Stakes.
Malibu Moon (A.P. Indy's son):
- Orb – Won the 2013 Kentucky Derby.
Honor Code (A.P. Indy's son):
- Max Player – Won the Jockey Club Gold Cup.
Mineshaft (A.P. Indy's son):
- Dialed In – Won the Florida Derby.
Flatter (A.P. Indy's son):
- West Coast – Won the Travers Stakes.
Stephen Got Even (A.P. Indy's son):
- Stevie Wonderboy – Won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

A.P. Indy's Daughters as Mothers (Broodmare Sire)

A.P. Indy's daughters have also become excellent mothers, producing many champions:

Tapitsfly (A.P. Indy's daughter) produced:
- Gran Alegria – Won 6 Grade 1 races.
Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Indy's daughter) produced:
- Malathaat – Won the Kentucky Oaks.
Music Note (A.P. Indy's daughter) produced:
- Mystic Guide – Won the 2021 Dubai World Cup.
Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy's daughter) produced:
- Rhett Butler – Champion in Hungary and Serbia.