Kincsem facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kincsem |
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Kincsem painted by Emil Adam in 1887, from a print.
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| Sire | Cambuscan (GB) |
| Grandsire | Newminster |
| Dam | Water Nymph |
| Damsire | Cotswold (GB) |
| Sex | Filly |
| Foaled | March 17, 1874 |
| Died | March 16, 1887 |
| Country | Hungary (As Austria-Hungary) |
| Colour | Chestnut |
| Breeder | Ernő Blaskovich |
| Owner | Ernő Blaskovich |
| Trainer | Robert Hesp |
| Record | 54: 54–0–0 |
| Earnings | ƒ199,754.50 = €2.56 millions in 2020 |
| Major wins | |
| Hungarian Two Thousand Guineas (1877) Hungarian One Thousand Guineas (1877) Hungarian Autumn Oaks (1877, 1878, 1879) Hungarian St. Leger (1877) Austrian Derby (1877) Austrian Kaiserpreis (1877) Grosser Preis von Hanover (1877) Grosser Preis von Baden (1877, 1878, 1879) Staatspreis Erster Classe (1878) Goodwood Cup (1878) Grand Prix de Deauville (1878) |
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| Honours | |
| Kincsem Park in Budapest, Hungary Kincsem Museum, Budapest, Hungary Kincsem Horse Park, Tápiószentmárton, Hungary Kincsem Hotel, Kisbér, Hungary Kincsem Farm, Archer, Florida Life-sized statue at Kincsem Park, Budapest |
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Kincsem (which means "My Precious" or "My Treasure" in Hungarian) was an amazing Thoroughbred racehorse from Hungary. She was born on March 17, 1874, and holds an incredible world record. Kincsem won all of her 54 races! No other racehorse has ever won so many races without a single loss. To give you an idea, the next closest is Black Caviar, who won 25 races.
Kincsem was born in Kisbér, Hungary. She is a national hero in Hungary and is seen as one of the best racehorses of the 1800s. Over four racing seasons, Kincsem raced against both female and male horses. She won many important races across Europe, including in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Germany. She even traveled to England to win the Goodwood Cup and then to France for the Grand Prix de Deauville.
After her racing career, Kincsem became a mother. She had five foals, and two of them became famous race winners too. Her daughters also had successful foals, and her family line still influences racehorses today. Famous horses like Polygamy and Camelot are her modern descendants.
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Kincsem's Early Life and Personality
Kincsem was born at the farm of Ernő Blaskovich in Tápiószentmárton, Hungary. Her father, named Cambuscan, was a horse bred by Queen Victoria. He won races in England before coming to Hungary. Kincsem's mother was a Hungarian mare named Waternymph.
There's a fun legend about Kincsem. Some people say she was once stolen by Gypsies and later returned to her owner. However, the real story is that thieves tried to steal horses from her mother's stable, but they were chased away.
When Kincsem was young, she was offered for sale with six other young horses. But the buyer thought she wasn't good enough and rejected her! So, Kincsem raced for her breeder, Ernő Blaskovich. Her trainer was an Englishman named Robert Hesp, and her main jockey was Elijah Madden. Kincsem was very attached to her groom, Frankie Kincsem, who traveled with her everywhere.
Kincsem was a dark brown horse with no white markings. She was quite tall, about 165 cm (16.1 hands). Even though she was a super-talented horse, some people thought she looked a bit plain.
Kincsem was known for her unique personality. A popular story says she always traveled with a cat and wouldn't move without it. A painting even shows her with a cat! However, old newspapers mention her traveling with a horse named Csalogany, not a cat. Kincsem was also very picky about her food and water. She would only eat hay and grain from her home farm. Once, she refused to drink for two days until special water was found for her!
Kincsem's Amazing Racing Career
Some stories say Kincsem started racing in Germany because her owner was embarrassed by her looks. But the real reason was that there was a break in races in Austria and Hungary. So, trainers took their best young horses to Germany. Kincsem made her first race on June 21, 1876, and won easily!
She continued to win race after race in Germany. In one race, she won by a huge distance – 15 to 20 lengths! People were amazed by her strength and perfect build.
Kincsem's Three-Year-Old Season (1877)
Kincsem kept winning as a three-year-old. She won the Hungarian 2000 Guineas and 1000 Guineas, which are very important races. Then she won the Austrian Derby by a big margin. Her jockey, Madden, was so confident he reportedly held the reins in one hand and patted her with the other!
She continued her winning streak in Germany, beating other top horses. She won the Grosser Preis von Baden for the first time. Back in Austria-Hungary, she won many races, sometimes even by herself (called a "walkover") because no other horse dared to race against her. She finished the year with 17 wins!
Kincsem's Four-Year-Old Season (1878)
In 1878, Kincsem was four years old. This meant she had to carry more weight in races than younger horses. But she still kept winning! She won nine races in just 39 days across different tracks.
Her biggest challenge came when she traveled to England for the Goodwood Cup. This was her only race outside of Central Europe. She won by two lengths, but her jockey, Madden, was criticized for riding her too hard. Newspapers said he rode her "shamefully" and "like a butcher" because she had spur marks. But Kincsem still won!
After England, Kincsem went to France and won the Grand Prix de Deauville. Then she returned to Germany for the Grosser Preis von Baden again. This race was very dramatic! It was raining heavily, and the track was muddy. Kincsem had a tough fight with another horse, Prince Giles The First. They finished at the exact same time, a "dead heat"!
The owners decided to have a second race right away. During this race, a dog jumped out and scared both horses! But Kincsem, even though she was tired, fought back and won by five lengths. She was completely exhausted after this. She finished the year with 15 more victories.
Kincsem's Five-Year-Old Season (1879)
For her last racing season, Kincsem got a new jockey, Archie Wainwright. She continued her winning ways, easily beating her rivals. She won her 50th race in Frankfurt!
She won the Grosser Preis von Baden for the third time. Before this race, her trainer suspected her jockey might have been bribed, so he replaced him with another jockey, Tom Busby. Kincsem still won, even though the race was a tough sprint on muddy ground.
Her very last race was the Kanczadij in Budapest. She won by a huge 10 lengths, making her final record 54 wins from 54 starts!
Kincsem's Retirement (1880)
Kincsem was supposed to race as a six-year-old in 1880. But she was kicked by another horse in her stable. Even though the injury healed, her owner decided it was time for her to retire. Kincsem went to a special farm to become a mother.
Kincsem's Legacy: Her Foals and Influence
Kincsem had five foals in her lifetime. Not all of them were as lucky as she was, but many were very successful.
- Budagyöngye (born 1882): Kincsem's first foal was a filly named Budagyöngye, meaning "Pearl of Buda." She won the Deutsches Derby (German Derby), a very important race. Her family line has produced many famous race winners, including Epsom Oaks winner Polygamy and 2000 Guineas and Epsom Derby winner Camelot.
- Olyan Nincs (born 1883): Another filly, Olyan Nincs, also became a classic winner. Her family line has produced even more classic winners in Europe, including many German Derby and Oaks winners.
- Talpra Magyar (born 1885): Kincsem's first colt. He was named after a Hungarian national poem. He became a father to a very popular horse named Tokio, who won many races.
- Kincsőr (born 1886): Kincsem's second colt, meaning "Treasurer." He was a promising racer but sadly died before a big race.
- Kincs (born 1887): Kincsem's last foal was a filly. She was injured and never raced, but she became a good mother to other classic winners.
Kincsem herself died on March 16, 1887, just one day before her 13th birthday, from a type of stomach pain called colic. Her skeleton is now on display in the Museum of Hungarian Agriculture.
Kincsem's Enduring Honors
Many places are named after Kincsem to honor her. Kincsem Park in Budapest is Hungary's main racecourse. There's a life-sized statue of her there. The farm where she was born now has the Kincsem Equestrian Park and a Kincsem Museum. Streets in several Hungarian towns are named after her, and even a street in Germany! Her old training stable has been rebuilt, and there's a statue of her there too.
Experts like Julian Wilson and Richard Sowers believe Kincsem was one of the best mares to ever race in Europe. They say her ability to win with heavy weights and over many different distances proves she was truly special.
Kincsem in Film
A Hungarian movie about Kincsem, called Kincsem — Bet on Revenge, was released in 2017. It was the most expensive Hungarian movie ever made! The film tells her story with some fictional details. It was shown in cinemas and at the Cannes Film Festival.
Kincsem's Automotive Tribute
In 2021, a Hungarian company named after Kincsem showed plans for an electric sports car called the Kincsem Hyper-GT. They plan to build 54 of these cars, one for each of Kincsem's amazing victories!
Images for kids
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Kincsem's measurements by Emil Adam
