Crab (horse) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crab |
|
|---|---|
| Sire | Alcock's Arabian |
| Dam | Basto mare |
| Damsire | Basto |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1722 |
| Country | Great Britain |
| Colour | Grey |
| Breeder | Charles Pelham |
| Owner | 1st Earl of Portmore Mr. Cotton Thomas Panton |
| Major wins | |
| Match against Cleopatra (1728) Newmarket King's Plate (1729) |
|
| Awards | |
| Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland (1748, 1749, 1750) |
|
Crab, also known as Old Crab, was a famous British Thoroughbred racehorse born in 1722. After he finished racing, he became a very successful father to many racehorses. He was even named the top father horse in Great Britain and Ireland for three years in a row: 1748, 1749, and 1750. Crab was owned by a few different people during his life, including the 1st Earl of Portmore, Mr. Cotton, and Thomas Panton. He passed away in December 1750.
About Crab
Crab was a grey colt, which means he was a young male horse with grey fur. He was born in 1722 and bred by Charles Pelham. His father was a horse named Alcock's Arabian, and his mother was a daughter of another famous horse called Basto. When he was young, Crab was sold to the 1st Earl of Portmore.
Grey horses were quite common when Thoroughbreds first started, but they became rarer over time. Interestingly, almost all grey Thoroughbreds you see today can trace their family tree back to Crab! This is because of a special mare (female horse) from his family, born in 1787, and her great-great-grandson, Drone, born in 1823.
Crab's Racing Days
Crab's first race was in 1727 at Newmarket. He came in fourth place in a race where the prize was 20 guineas (an old type of British money). After this race, he was sold to Mr. Cotton.
In April 1728, Crab was supposed to race against a horse named Weaver. However, Weaver's owner decided not to race and paid a fee instead, so the race didn't happen. Later that year, in October, Crab won a big race! He beat a horse named Cleopatra in a 500-guinea race that was four miles long.
In April 1729, Crab won the important King's Plate at Newmarket. He beat two other horses, Victorious and Spot. But in May of the same year, while racing in Stamford, he became lame, meaning he hurt his leg. Because of this injury, Crab never raced again.
Life as a Sire
After his racing career ended, Crab became a stallion, which is a male horse used for breeding. He lived at Newmarket with his owner, Thomas Panton. Crab became very successful at fathering new racehorses. He was named the top father horse in Great Britain and Ireland for three years in a row: 1748, 1749, and 1750.
Some of his most famous children who won the King's Plate races included Brilliant, Bustard, Grasshopper, Othello, Sloe, and Spinster. Crab lived a full life and passed away in December 1750.
