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Pensive

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Pensive
SireHyperion
GrandsireGainsborough
DamPenicuik
DamsireBuchan
SexStallion
Foaled1941
CountryUnited States
ColorChestnut
BreederCalumet Farm
OwnerCalumet Farm
TrainerBen A. Jones
Record22:7-5-4
Earnings$167,715
Major wins
Champagne Stakes (1943)
Oden Bowie Stakes (1943)
Rowe Memorial Handicap (1944)

Triple Crown race wins:
Kentucky Derby (1944)
Preakness Stakes (1944)

Last updated on September 22, 2006

Pensive (February 5, 1941 – May 20, 1948) was a bright chestnut Thoroughbred racehorse that in 1944 won the first two legs of the U.S. Triple Crown. Pensive also began only the second sire line "hat trick" in the Kentucky Derby, as his son Ponder won the 1949 Derby, and Ponder's son Needles won the 1956 edition.[1]

Background

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He was sired by Hyperion, out of Penicuik II (by Buchan). Pensive was brought to the United States still in utero by Arthur B. Hancock, who then sold the mare to the owner of Calumet Farm, Warren Wright. Wright had inherited Calumet from his father, William Monroe Wright, president of the Calumet Baking Powder Company. Pensive began his training under Calumet's future Hall of Fame trainer Ben A. Jones.

Racing career

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At two, Pensive raced five times, winning twice. His three losses all came in stakes races. At three, he ran a checkered season, winning and losing fairly equally. He beat older horses in the Rowe Memorial Handicap, but lost to an older horse, Tola Rose, in the Bowie Handicap. Tola Rose had defeated Whirlaway in the Butler Memorial Handicap.[2]

Pensive, ridden by Conn McCreary, won the Kentucky Derby going away by four and a half lengths. A week later, he took the Preakness. That year, the Belmont (at the time the least of the three races), had upped its purse to $50,000. Pensive was in the lead when Bounding Home inched by to take the race by less than half a length.

Following his loss in the Belmont, Pensive lost all eight of his final starts.

Stud record

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Pensive was retired to stud, producing the winner of the 1949 Kentucky Derby, Ponder. He died 13 days after Ponder's win[3] Pensive is buried at Calumet Farm.

Breeding

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Pedigree of Pensive
Sire
Hyperion

ch. 1930

Gainsborough

bay 1915

Bayardo Bay Ronald
Galicia
Rosedrop St. Frusquin
Rosaline
Selene

bay 1919

Chaucer St.Simon
Canterbury Pilgrim
Serenissima Minoru
Gondolette
Dam
Penicuik

ch. 1934

Buchan

bay 1916

Sunstar Sundridge
Doris
Hamoaze Torpoint
Maid of the Mist
Pennycomequick

brown 1926

Hurry On Marcovil
Tout Suite
Plymstock Polymelus
Winkipop

References

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  1. ^ "Kentucky Derby of 1944, 1949 & 1956: Remembering Pensive, Ponder and Needles". 2011-04-07.
  2. ^ New York Times July 5, 1942 article titled "34,728 See Upset" Retrieved July 18, 2018
  3. ^ "Kentucky Derby countdown | Pensive, 1944".