Top Deck (horse) facts for kids

Top Deck (1945–1965) was a special horse. He was a Thoroughbred stallion, which means a male horse used for breeding. Even though he never raced himself, he became very famous. He was known for being a great father to many fast Quarter Horses.

Top Deck's Life Story

Top Deck was born in 1945. When he was a young foal (a baby horse), he got hurt. This injury meant he could not become a racehorse. His father was a horse named Equestrian. Equestrian was the grandson of a very famous racehorse called Man o' War. Top Deck's mother was River Boat. Her father, Chicaro, was known for being very fast over short distances.

His Amazing Breeding Record

Top Deck became a super important sire (father horse). He had 440 Quarter Horse foals in his lifetime. Many of his children became champions. For example, he was the father of Go Man Go and Moon Deck. Both of these sons became so famous that they were put into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame.

Top Deck's offspring earned many awards.

• 219 of his children earned a Race Register of Merit. This award shows they were great at racing.
• Twelve earned a Performance Register of Merit. This means they were good at other horse activities.
• Twenty-one received Superior Race Horse awards. This is for horses with outstanding racing careers.
• Two of his children, Astro Deck and War Machine, even won the AQHA Supreme Champion award. This is one of the highest honors for a Quarter Horse.

Death and Special Honors

Top Deck lived for 20 years. He passed away in 1965 in Purcell, Oklahoma. His legacy as a sire was so strong that he was honored many years later. In 1990, Top Deck was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame. This means he is remembered as one of the most important horses in Quarter Horse history.

• All Breed Pedigree Database Pedigree of Top Deck
• American Quarter Horse Foundation – Top Deck
• AQHA Hall of Fame