Archduke (horse) facts for kids

Archduke (born in 1796) was a famous British Thoroughbred racehorse and a sire, meaning he was a male horse used for breeding. He raced only four times between April and October in 1799, winning two of those races. His most important win was the Epsom Derby, a very famous horse race. After his racing career, Archduke was sent to the United States to become a breeding stallion.

About Archduke's Early Life

Archduke was a brown horse born in 1796. His owner and breeder was Sir Frank Standish, who lived at Duxbury Hall. Archduke's father was a horse named Sir Peter Teazle, often called "Sir Peter." Sir Peter was also a Derby winner in 1787. He became one of the most successful breeding stallions of his time. He was named the Champion sire ten times between 1799 and 1809.

Archduke's mother was Horatia, a very successful broodmare (a female horse used for breeding). Horatia had many successful foals (baby horses). Before Archduke, she gave birth to Stamford, who won the Doncaster Cup twice. Later, she also produced Paris, who won the Derby in 1806. Both Stamford and Paris were also sired by Sir Peter.

Archduke's Racing Career

1799: A Three-Year-Old Star

In 1799, when Archduke was three years old, British racehorses didn't always have official names right away. So, for his first race on April 10, 1799, he was simply called "Sir F. Standish's c. by Sir Peter out of Horatia." This race was a 100 guinea Sweepstakes at the Newmarket Craven meeting. A guinea was an old British coin. A sweepstakes is a race where the prize money comes from the entry fees of the horses. Archduke was the favourite to win, with odds of 6/4. He won the race, beating three other horses, including Lord Grosvenor's John Bull filly.

Winning the Epsom Derby

Archduke got his official name when he raced in the Derby at Epsom on May 9. His stablemate, "Brother to Spread Eagle" (later named Eagle), was the top favourite to win. Archduke was considered less likely to win, with odds of 12/1 among eleven horses. He was ridden by an experienced jockey named John Arnull. Archduke surprised everyone by winning the Derby! He beat the Precipitate colt, with Eagle finishing third. This win was similar to the 1796 Derby. In that race, another horse owned by Sir Frank Standish, Didelot, won even though his stablemate was the favourite.

Later Races and Retirement

After his big Derby win, Archduke took a long break from racing. He returned in the autumn for races at Newmarket. On September 30, he was the favourite in a Sweepstakes race. However, he finished third out of four horses. Two days later, Archduke raced in the Town Plate. He finished last among the three horses. This was his final race. He was later pulled out of other planned races and retired from racing.

Archduke's Breeding Career

After his racing days, Archduke became a breeding stallion in England for two years. In 1803, he was sold to John Hoomes and sent to Virginia in the United States to continue his breeding career. Before he left England, he fathered a horse named Roseden, who became a successful sire in Ireland. After John Hoomes passed away in 1805, Archduke was sold again. In 1807, he was standing at stud in Chesterfield County, Virginia for Thomas Branch.

Archduke's Family Tree

* Archduke's family tree shows that a horse named Blank appears on both his father's side (fourth generation back) and his mother's side (third generation back). This is called inbreeding.

^ The horse Regulus also appears multiple times in Archduke's family tree, on both his father's and mother's sides.

~ The famous horse Godolphin Arabian also appears several times in Archduke's family tree, showing his important influence.