Whirlaway

Whirlaway (1938-1959) was a champion thoroughbred racehorse.

Related Topics:
1938 - 1959 - Thoroughbred - Racehorse

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A chestnut colt, he was sired by "Blenheim II," out of the dam "Dustwhirl" at Calumet Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.

Related Topics:
Calumet Farm - Lexington, Kentucky

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Trained by Ben A. Jones and ridden by Eddie Arcaro, in 1941 he won the U.S. Triple Crown by capturing the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. He was voted Horse of the Year for 1941 and repeated as Horse of the Year in 1942.

Related Topics:
Ben A. Jones - Eddie Arcaro - 1941 - U.S. Triple Crown - Kentucky Derby - Preakness Stakes - Belmont Stakes - Horse of the Year - 1942

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///// Whirlaway ridden by George Woolf, who won the Pimlico Special in 1938 (Seabiscuit), 1940 (Challedon), and 1942 (Whirlaway), rode the 1941 Triple Crown winner at a leisurely pace during the 1942 Special in a walkover. No opponent had been found to challange the great horse for the race.

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Arcaro, who successfully rode Whirlaway in all his three year old victories, missed the 1942 season because of racing infractions and was warned off all American tracks. Woolf who gleefully took the reins of Whirlaway for most of the 1942 season, was busted after bringing Whirlaway to the position of all-time-money winner. After the race that brought Whirlaway the title of all-time-money winner, Woolf was asked by turfwriters if Whirlaway was the greatest horse he had ever ridden, Woolf made the most outspoken mistake of his career by declaring that "...No, Seabiscuit was the greatest horse I have ever ridden." Woolf an outspoken, but knowledgeable critic of pedigree, had stated publically many times that he didn't respect Blenheim II as a stud, even though Blenheim had great bloodlines himself, Woolf wasn't off-target by much. Whirlaway, Jet Pilot, and Fervent were about the only champions from literally 100's and 100's of offspring to prove out. Jet Pilot won the Kentucky Derby in 1947. Fervent won the Pimlico Special in 1947. Woolf didn't witness these horses or their victories, having been killed at Santa Anita in January, 1946.///// L. Reinwand (Woolf Biographer)

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At age five, Whirlaway was retired to stud and later shipped to France to stand at stud for Marcel Boussac. Out of his 60 races, Whirlaway finished his career with 32 wins, 15 seconds, and 9 thirds.

Related Topics:
France - Marcel Boussac

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Whirlaway was elected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1959. In The Blood-Horse ranking of the top 100 U.S. thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century, Whirlaway was ranked #26.

Related Topics:
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame - The Blood-Horse - Top 100 U.S. thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century

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