Fair Play

[Roger]

I'm reading Bowen's Dynasties and I love this passage. Quoting Peter A. B. Widener.
"The course of our lives had been changed by a golden horse. The horse was the grand old man of the American turf, Fair Play, sire of Man o' War. I'll never forget him as he stood in the sale ring. The bright Kentucky sun streaked down upon him, burnishing his chestnut sides as if with gilt. He looked a king...The energy of the twenty-year old horse, his royal impatience got me. Then, too it was touching thing to see how well-loved he was. Members of the many faiiles that had had a hand in the raising and training of Fair Play wept openly as the great horse was auctioned off."

[starlitlaughter]

What a wonderful passage - thank you for sharing. You've now inspired me to go dig out my copy of that book to refresh my memory of the old stallions.

[Firebrand]

Here's a photo of Fair Play at the auction. He was a good looking old guy. I believe he sold for $100,000.

[dublino]

Here's a photo of Fair Play at the auction. He was a good looking old guy. I believe he sold for $100,000.

Was he not a homebred?

[Jorge]

Is there any 21st century tail-male-lineage descendant from Fair Play other than Man O'War?

[Roger]

Here's a photo of Fair Play at the auction. He was a good looking old guy. I believe he sold for $100,000.

Thanks for sharing that wonderful old picture. Yes Dublino, he was a home bred.

[Firebrand]

Here's a photo of Fair Play at the auction. He was a good looking old guy. I believe he sold for $100,000.

Was he not a homebred?

He was sold at the Nursery Stud dispersal sale after his breeder, August Belmont died. Joseph Widener purchased both Fair Play and Mahubah at the sale. Here's a nice post about it by Anne Peters, along with photos of the graves of Fair Play and Mahubah.

http://www.tbheritage.com/TurfHallmarks ... mandy.html