Citation (horse)

Infobox last modified on 7 December 2007.

Citation (* 11 April 1945; † August 8, 1970 ) was an American racehorse. He was born on the Calumet Farm in Lexington, Kentucky and raised as the son of Bull Lea and mother Hydroplane II, he was trained by Horace A. "Jimmy" Jones, winning his first race as a two year old in Havre de Grace, Maryland. This year he had nine races of which he won eight and earned $ 155,680. Citation was the first racehorse that won over a million $.

Citation began the 1948 racing season by winning against his stablemate Armed, who in 1947 was race horse of the year. Although Jimmy Jones was the coach of Citation, the colt ran in the name of the Father, so that he could break the record for most wins by a coach. Jockey Eddie Arcaro Citation Under the Kentucky Derby won by 3 ½ lengths and then the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore with 5 ½ lengths. Then he won the Jersey Derby and was in Elmont, New York also winner of the Belmont Stakes. He became the eighth Triple Crown winner. At the end of the season he had in 29 races won 27 times and had become second twice. For this he was elected to the racehorse of the year.

In 1949, he could not walk because of injuries, but in 1950 he came back and won the Golden Gate Mile Handicap, but lost several other races, and the season was not very successful for him. In 1951 he showed at three races of poor performance, but won his last three races, including the Hollywood Gold Cup, and became the first racehorse that won over a million U.S. dollars. 1951 Citation, was retired as one of the best racehorses that it had ever been out of the racing. Then on the Calumet Farm he cared for offspring, but none of his offspring was similarly successful. These included Silver Spoon and Fabius, who won the Preakness Stakes in 1956. 1956 Citation was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame.

Citation died on 8 August 1970 at the age of 25 years. In the created by the Bloodhorse Magazine list of the most important U.S. racehorses he is on the 3rd place. The two horses to space 1 and 2, Man o 'War and Secretariat were very large, both of which were also known as " Big Red ", while the Citation was rather small and wiry.

Trivia

A statue of Citation can be seen in the movie The Godfather II.

• Racehorse