Eager (horse) facts for kids

Eager (born in 1788) was a famous British Thoroughbred racehorse. He raced from 1791 to 1795, competing in twenty-two races and winning ten of them. In 1791, Eager showed he was one of the best young horses of his time. He won the important Derby race and four other races that year. He won four more races in 1792. After that, his racing performance slowed down, and he won only one more race in his last three years of racing. Later in his career, he became a gelding, which means he was no longer able to have foals.

About Eager

Eager was a brown male horse, known as a colt. He was bred by his owner, the 5th Duke of Bedford. Eager's father was a horse named Florizel. Florizel won many big races between 1772 and 1774. He also became a very successful father to other racehorses. For example, he was the father of Diomed, who won the Derby in 1780. Eager's mother was an unnamed mare (female horse) by a horse named Matchem. Eager was the sixth of sixteen foals born to his mother. The Duke of Bedford sent Eager to be trained by his personal trainer, Matthew Stephenson. Matthew Stephenson also rode Eager in some of his races, including the Derby.

Eager's Racing Career

1791: Eager's First Year Racing

The Duke of Bedford, who owned and bred Eager.

Before 1913, racehorses in Britain did not always have official names. In the late 1700s, horses were often called by their owner's name, their color, or their family tree. So, in 1791, Eager raced without a name. People usually called him "the brother to Fidget," because his sister Fidget was also a famous racehorse. Later, when people wrote about the 1791 Derby, they started calling him "Eager."

On April 25, "D.of Bedford's brother to Fidget, by Florizel" raced for the first time. This was in a Sweepstakes race at Newmarket. He was the favorite to win and beat his only opponent, a filly named Wagtail.

At Epsom on June 9, Eager raced in the Derby. He was the second favorite among nine horses. His trainer, Matthew Stephenson, rode him. Eager won the race, beating Lord Foley's horse Vermin, who was the favorite. Proteus finished third.

A month after winning the Derby, Eager raced at Stockbridge. On July 7, he won a one-mile Sweepstakes without even having to run. All the other horses entered were taken out of the race by their owners. This is called a walkover. The next day, he won another Sweepstakes race, beating only one other horse, Hector.

Eager's winning streak ended on October 4 at Newmarket. He lost to Vermin in a race called the 1400 Guineas Stakes. A month later, Eager raced Vermin again in a special match race. Eager carried less weight than Vermin and won, even though he was not expected to. He won a prize of 300 guineas.

1792: Eager's Four-Year-Old Season

In 1792, the horse officially got the name Eager. Even then, people sometimes still called him "Fidget's brother" in racing records. Eager started his season on April 11 in the Oatlands Stakes. This was a very valuable race, worth more than £5,000. Eager finished fifth out of twenty horses.

A few days later, Eager won another valuable prize for his owner without racing. He had another walkover in a Sweepstakes race. Four days after that, he won the Fortescue Stakes. He beat Vermin for the fourth time in five races. Eager also won another prize when Mr. Fox pulled his horse out of a planned match race. On May 8, Eager won the Jockey Club Plate, beating the favorite, Halbert. Vermin finished third in that race.

In the summer, Eager went to Stockbridge for a two-mile Sweepstakes. Again, he won by walkover because no other horses showed up. A week later, Eager's winning streak ended when he lost to Sir John Lade's horse Don Quixote. This was in a four-mile Sweepstakes at Winchester.

Later in the year, a planned race against Vermin did not happen. Lord Foley decided to pull Vermin out of the race. Eager then lost to a six-year-old horse named Skylark. In his last race of the year, Eager lost a 200-guinea match race.

1793: Eager's Five-Year-Old Season

Eager raced four times in the spring of his five-year-old season. On April 2, he lost a match race to a horse named Mendoza. Two weeks later, Eager got his only win of the year in a Subscription race. He was the strong favorite and beat his only opponent, Fergus. On April 30, Eager raced twice. He finished second in one race and last in another.

1794: Eager's Six-Year-Old Season

Eager raced as a six-year-old on May 9. He finished third in a £50 race. This was his last race for the Duke of Bedford. Before his next race, Eager was sold to a new owner, Mr. Morant.

On September 3, Eager raced at Egham. This race had several heats, and the first horse to win two heats would win the prize. Eager finished second in the first heat and fourth in the second. He was then taken out of the race.

1795: Eager's Final Season

Eager's last racing season included two races in the summer. On July 12 at Ascot, he raced for Mr. Wood. He finished third and fourth in the first two heats and was then taken out of the race. On July 30, he raced at Blandford for Mr. Stag. He finished second in both heats to a horse named Highflyer. In this race, it was noted that Eager was now a gelding.

Eager's Family Tree

* Eager's family tree shows that he is inbred to the stallion Partner. This means Partner appears on both his father's side and his mother's side of the family tree.

* Eager is also inbred to the stallion Godolphin Arabian. This means Godolphin Arabian also appears on both his father's side and his mother's side of the family tree.