SWAPS

[Shammy Davis]

I've always admired this horse. As a sire, he seemed to cross well with just about all good sire lines of his time. I'm not familar with how he did as a broodmare sire. I noted that he was the sire of SOARING in SAINT BALLADO'S tail female line. Were there other significant roles for this great horse on the female side? SAINT BALLADO'S sire earnings were astonishing last year. Did I really read $9 million plus? I guess I've not been paying any attention because I was totalling surprised. For whatever reason, I just thought he was a middle of the road regional sire.

[Timber]

At one time, having Swaps on the bottom side was considered a precursor of success.

[Mahubah]

Swaps sired several other important broodmares. His champion daughter Primonetta was a Broodmare of the Year with four major stakes winners to her credit, while Change Water produced G1 winner and Broodmare of the Year Fall Aspen, whose 10 stakes winners include 4 G1 winners. Change Water also produced the good regional sire Allen's Prospect. Another important Swaps daughter was Intriguing, whose produce included champion Numbered Accound; Numbered Account, in turn, produced the good sire Private Account. Swaps' champion daughter Affectionately produced 1970 Horse of the Year Personality but unfortunately left no producing daughters to carry on her line.

Swaps' male line is pretty much gone unless it still survives in sport-horse circles as his champion son Chateaugay had only modest success at stud. Chateaugay's best son, multiple G1 winner True Knight, turned out a poor sire, but Chateaugay did sire Chateaupavia, second dam of the Kentucky Derby winner Grindstone. Another Swaps son, Laramie Trail, had a fairly good record as a sire in Argentina.

[louis finochio]

Swaps was born with a foot problem and his owner Rex Ellsworth didnt want anyone to know that he had this problem.

Now that all of Swaps connections have passed on, I will get the story from a groom that was told of the foot problem and post it later.

This is a part of history that should be told, as it is the missing link that hasnt surfaced.

[roving boy]

NO ROBBERY was another son of Swaps that was a successful sire, and later a pretty good broodmare sire (Champion Track Robbery). It has always been a puzzle that Swaps' first two crops were very good (Primonetta, Chateaugay, No Robbery), but he tailed off after that - the same puzzle as Slew O' Gold.

[TBG]

I have to agree especially about Slew o' Gold. That has always puzzled me. He had some awesome horses starting off. Eventually, he stood for a very low price and didn't get many mares. Why does something like that happen?

[fastappy]

Also Swaps is the broodmare sire of Toussaud's 3rd Dam, Ortalan. When line bred to Swaps via Woodman's 2nd dam, resulted in G1 winner Chiselling (4s x 5d).

[louis finochio]

Both Swaps and Slew O' Gold were better BMS than Sire of Sires, It is my belief that both of those sires had a background of better BMS in their family than Sire of Sires.

To reverse that BMS pattern, you would breed their daughters to stallions that were noted as being a sire of sires, rather than a BMS only.

[louis finochio]

Graydon who is a groom for Roger Stein, said that when Swaps was foaled he had a deformed coffin bone.

Most TB that have that problem have to train in a bar shoe to protect the foot from spreading out and causing much pain. On race days the bar shoe is replaced with regular shoes.

Thanks Graydon for your true story of the foot problem of Swaps, as Rex Ellsworth wanted to keep this info quiet.

[Shammy Davis]

You all have certainly given foundation to my feelings about SWAPS. I remember as a teenager watching his Derby win in black and white. I was not aware that the line was near terminal, but if Louis is right, SWAPS on the tail-female line seems significant. As I'm a firm believer in the added importance on the female side of breeding, I conclude that having SWAPS is a plus. Louis didn't describe the foot problem. I am interested in knowing whether what it was and if it was congential. Thanks all for your posts. Isn't TB history grand.

[Timber]

Dad was a horse-player and I began following the races and listening to the rebroadcasts by Joe Hernandez when I was just a lad. Some of my favorites were Reigh Reigh, Bull Reigh, Olhaverry, Bric A Bac, El Lobo, Triplicate, Bymeabond, Hasta La Vista, Neke, Galla Damion, On Trust, Cover Up, Noor, etc. Never forget dad hitting a $101 winner named Green Bush. Those were the war years and just after. (WWII) Just remembering those horses and names brings back a lot of nostalgic memories. Probably not a whole lot of us left who recall those horses. Santa Anita routinely saw crowds of 35,000. We were once there in a crowd of 60,000. Even the infield was crowded. In those days everyone regularly had flat tires, vapor locks, boiling over, etc. on the way to the track. No freeways or TV then. Saw Round Table, Citation, others I don't recall now, didn't see Spectacular Bid or Secretariat, they were later and saw on TV. But by far the best and most brilliant horse I ever saw was Swaps. That was in the 1950s. When his foot was right, he was right, and no horse or world record was a match for him. In fact, far as I can recollect he was always under restraint, even while setting world records. I think he set five and equalled one. When he was four he went on an eastern campaign traveling by train. Nashua ducked a rematch with him. I didn't see him race at four as I was serving in the Army overseas. Those who did said he was awe-inspiring and even better than he was at three. All of that and a kind horse as well. I heard Shoemaker rode him over to the railbirds and let them pet his face during that eastern swing. Can you feature a jockey doing that today with a horse who is setting world records?

[roving boy]

I think the "good broodmare sire" term is often a misnomer, as many of the stallions so designated were bred to the best mares available. These stallions usually dragged their mares down (AEI vs. CI).

In other words, these great racehorses that passed very little quality along, or actually diminished the quality of their mares in that first generation. When the daughters of those great mares were bred to successful stallions, the genetic influence of their sire (the "good broodmare sire") is necessarily lessened and the quality of the female line overpowers his negative influence.

I am not saying that there are not true "Good Broodmare Sires", I am just saying that some stallions that are described as such do not deserve that seemingly positive designation.

[louis finochio]

Mares that are from a family sire of sires will carry on that tradition if they are bred to stallions that are from a family of sire of sires themselves.

As both Slew o Gold and Swaps when bred to those mares that bred Chateaugay and Primonneta were inclined to be a better BMS that a sire of sires.

When both of those sires career's was over we can see how they influenced the breed with their female superior runners.

[Khaled]

Graydon who is a groom for Roger Stein, said that when Swaps was foaled he had a deformed coffin bone.

Most TB that have that problem have to train in a bar shoe to protect the foot from spreading out and causing much pain. On race days the bar shoe is replaced with regular shoes.

Thanks Graydon for your true story of the foot problem of Swaps, as Rex Ellsworth wanted to keep this info quiet.

Sorry to put a wrench in your story Louis. His foot problem did not show up till the end of his 2 year old season or the first of this 3 yr old season. I think it was after the San Vicente, but I might be wrong. The inside of the hoof cracked and got infected. This was the beginning of long problem that lasted till the beginning of his 4 yr old season. It was not a deformed coffin bone.

As far as this conspiracy theory rubbish that Rex did not want anyone to know of this deformed hoof, it does not make sense. You make it sound like Swaps was destined to greatness as a foal and therefore somehow the knowledge that his foot was bad would have some huge repercussion in the future. This is ridiculous. Swaps was not the best 2-year old that Mesh was training in '54. Actually Swaps was not at first showing any desire to run. Mesh would come back from the track, and Rex would ask him how the horses trained. When he would ask about Swaps, Mesh would say he was doing a little better but nothing special. Then one day Swaps ran a bullet in a workout, Mesh was so surprised he nearly fell out of his seat. He could not believe that Swaps would or could run so fast. After that Swaps started to really improve.

Th problem with such stories as you heard is some people have itchy ears and love gossip. When someone does not speak, they assume that there is a devious reason for the silence. Rex was not the easiest person to get information (good or bad) from, even for his family. So the fact that he did not comment on his horses is not unusual, but it does not mean that there must be a conspiracy underneath. I do not who this groom Graydon is that gave you this info, but he got a hold of some bad info.

Khaled

[mbj]

I met Swaps a couple times as a kid and loved him for his intelligence and temperament as well as his looks and talent. Also am thrilled to see him in the pedigree of any sporthorse prospect.