Sir Archy

Sir Archy (or Archy, Archie, or Sir Archie; 1805–1833) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse considered one of the best racehorses of his time and later one of the most important sires in American history. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 1955.

Sir Archy
Engraving of Sir Archy from Frank Forester's Horse and Horsemanship of the United States vol. 1, published 1857
Sire	Diomed GB
Grandsire	Florizel GB
Dam	Castianira GB
Damsire	Rockingham GB
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1805
Country	United States (Virginia)
Colour	Dark Bay
Breeder	Capt. Archibald Randolph Col. John Tayloe III
Owner	Ralph Wormely VI Col. William R. Johnson at 3 Gen. William R. Davie, William Amis at stud at Mowfield Plantation
Trainer	Thomas Larkin Arthur Taylor
Record	21 Starts: 18–2–1
Earnings	Unknown
Major wins
Post Stakes (1809) Jockey Club Purse, Fairfield (1809) Jockey Club Purse, Petersburg (1809) Match race with the splendid four-miler, Blank (1809)
Honours
U.S. Racing Hall of Fame (1955)
Last updated on December 19, 2007

Early life

Born and bred in Virginia by two Americans, Capt. Archibald Randolph and Col. John Tayloe III, Sir Archy's sire was the inaugural Epsom Derby winner Diomed, who had been imported from England as an older horse by Tayloe. His dam, a blind mare named Castianira, had been purchased in England by Tayloe for his own Mount Airy Farm, but was bred on shares with his friend Randolph. Sir Archy, Castianira's second foal, was born on Randolph's Ben Lomond Plantation on the James River in Goochland County. The colt, dark bay with a small patch of white on his right hind pastern, was originally named "Robert Burns"; Tayloe changed the colt's name in honor of Randolph.

On the track

When Sir Archy was two, Tayloe and Randolph sold him to Ralph Wormely IV for $400 and an unknown filly. When Wormely later decided to quit horse racing Sir Archy was offered for sale, but there were no takers. Still owned by Wormely, Sir Archy made his first start in the Washington Jockey Club Sweepstakes late in his three-year-old season. At this point, he already stood 16 hands (64 inches, 163 cm) high. Though Sir Archy had not yet recovered from a case of strangles, Wormely ran him rather than pay a forfeit fee. Still unwell, Sir Archy made his second start a month later at the Fairfield Sweepstakes in Richmond, Virginia. Though he won only the third heat and finished third overall to Col. William Ransom Johnson's colt True Blue, Johnson promptly bought Sir Archy for $1,500.

Now in the hands of Johnson's trainer, Arthur Taylor, Sir Archy became one of the greatest runners of his day, excelling in four-mile heats. Johnson wrote, "I have only to say that, in my opinion, Sir Archy is the best horse I ever saw, and I well know that I never had any thing to do with one that was at all his equal; and this I will back; for, if any horse in the world, will run against him at any half way ground, four mile heats, according to the rules of racing, you may consider me $5000 with you on him. He was in good condition this fall, (1809) and has not run with any horse that could put him to half speed towards the end of the race."

One of his most important matches was with Blank, in which Sir Archy won the first heat in 7:53 – the fastest time ever run to that point south of the James River. Following that race, he was purchased for $5,000 by General William Richardson Davie, the governor of North Carolina. Davie retired the horse to stud because there were no opponents willing to race against him. His record on the racetrack was 7 starts, with 4 wins and 1 second.

At stud

Sir Archy by Diomed out of Castianira by Alvan Fisher, ca. w/ caretaker Hardy. 1823-25. In the collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Sir Archy then became what most experts consider to be the first great Thoroughbred stallion bred in America. He went to stud, at first under Davie, then under Davie's son, who appears to have stood the stallion in Virginia for a couple of years. Then William Amis bought Sir Archy, and stood the horse for 25 or his 28 years at his plantation, Mowfield, near the Roanoke River in Northampton County, North Carolina. Even at the advanced age of 24, Sir Archy's stud fee was $100. Amis' son estimated that during the years he stood at Mowfield, Sir Archy earned $76,000 in stud fees.

The stallion became known as the Godolphin Arabian of America, meaning that his influence on the American Thoroughbred was as important as the Godolphin Arabian's influence on European breeding. Like the "Blind Hero of Woodburn", Lexington — who was his great–grandson — Sir Archy became one of America's greatest foundation sires. Throughout the 1820s, the fastest horses in America were descendants of Sir Archy.

In 1827, the Washington DC Jockey Club and the Maryland Jockey Club announced that only a limited number of horses were eligible to run in their races. Although the fine points of the announcement were complex, it effectively barred all horses sired by Sir Archy; his offspring were so successful that few, if any, horses not sired by Sir Archy bothered to race. Both Jockey Clubs admitted they were concerned about their long-term viability.

Sir Archy's progeny

Turf historian John Hervey wrote: "Before nor since, nothing has been known in America to equal the manner in which the Archys dominated both turf and stud for over half a century, beginning with the debut of his first crop of foals, in 1814 and culminating with the last of the sixteen seasons of premiership of his inbred great-grandson Lexington in 1878."

As sire

Siring at least 31 racing champions, and influencing the American Quarter Horse through his son Copperbottom, the following is a list of some of his most notable offspring:

• Timoleon (foaled 1814; considered the best racehorse of his day, sire of Boston)
• Bertrand (foaled 1826; Some call him Sir Archy's best; became a national leading sire in his own right)
• Sir Charles (foaled 1816; national leading sire in 1830, 1831, 1832, 1833 and 1836)
• Sumpter (foaled 1818; won eight consecutive races when races were grueling heats. Became a broodmare sire of great note)
• Stockholder (foaled 1819; most popular sire in Tennessee at the time. His daughters were extremely successful producers)
• Lady Lightfoot (foaled 1812; records are incomplete but she may have won 30 – 40 races, racing through age 11. In her first try, she ran the fastest heats in Maryland up to that time. As a broodmare, she produced eight foals in nine years. One, Black Maria, was considered better than her dam)
• Reality (foaled 1813; a filly rated at least as good as Sir Archy or Boston by William R. Johnson. He owned all three at various times)
• Henry (foaled 1819; a very good racehorse, a popular sire, and the only horse to ever defeat American Eclipse)
• Sally Hope (foaled 1822; won 22 of her 27 races, the last 18 in succession)
• Flirtilla (foaled 1828; influential carrier of Sir Archy's blood)

As grandsire and beyond

Into the second generation, Sir Archy's influence became even more pronounced. This was partly because inbreeding to Sir Archy and to his sire, Diomed, became quite fashionable among American breeders. In Sir Archy's case, he was bred back to his daughters and his sire's daughters. This kind of inbreeding, ordinarily risky, was successful for the Sir Archy-Diomed line.

• Bonnets o' Blue (by Sir Charles out of Reality; dam of Fashion)
• Boston, sired by Timoleon
• Lexington, sired by Boston, who was sired by Timoleon

Retirement

At the age of 26 Sir Archy ended his stud career in 1831, living for two more years until his death in 1833 on June 7. Coincidentally, this was the same day that one of his greatest sons (Sir Charles) also died.

Sir Archy was one of the first few horses inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1955.

Sir Archy's burial location is disputed between two locations:

• Claimed site one: Sir Archy is buried, along with his groom and canine companion, at Ben Lomond Farm in Goochland, Virginia where he was born. A historical marker, erected by the Goochland County (Virginia) Historical Society in 1972, marks his grave. The grave is surrounded by a stone wall and is now hidden by trees in the southeast corner of a field at the top of the farm acreage.
• Claimed site two: Sir Archy is buried at the Mowfield Plantation in Northampton County North Carolina, just west of the town of Jackson. He resided there from 1818 until his death in 1833. His exact location of burial is unknown. The original plantation house still stands. However, when it was renovated, the property owners preferred to live in the house, and updated the interior for modern convenience.

Sire line tree

Sir Archy descendants (click to expand)

Sir Archy Cicero Sir Arthur Director Aratus John Henry Grey Archy Spring Hill Tecumseh Young Sir Archy Columbus Reap Hook Warbler Walk-In-The-Water Timoleon Washington Marquis Sir John Falstaff Hotspur Jackson Boston Arlington Cost Johnson Ringgold Woodford Ringmaster Tipperary Commodore Gen Rosseau Red Eye Cracker Billy Cheatham Bruce Big Boston Jack Hawkins Odd Fellow Arrow Bob Johnson Wade Hampton Lecomte Sherrod Umpire Lexington Daniel Boone Goodwood Colton Lightning Optomist Uncle Vic Bulletin Jack Malone Lexington (Embry) Thunder Avalanche Censor Frank Boston Harper Jim Sherwood Lexington (Hunter) War Dance Union Jack Copec Rogers Asteroid Beacon Chesapeake Cincinnati Donerail Kentucky Loadstone Norfolk Ulverston Woodburn Ansel Bay Dick Gilroy Harry of the West Luther Veto Edinborough Jonesboro King Lear Lee Paul Lever Merrill Norway Red Dick Watson Baywood Concord King Tom Marion Bayonet Crossland General Duke Hazard Paris Pat Malloy Vauxhall Barney Willams Chillecothe Foster Kingfisher Pilgrim Preakness Creole Dance Harry Bassett Monarchist Pimlico Wanderer Tom Bowling Acrobat Breathitt Jack Boston King Bolt Tom Ochiltree Charley Howard Fiddlesticks Shirley Brown Prince Frederick the Great Duke of Magenta Uncas Piketon Zero Judge Leonard Lawrence Carolinian Contention Kosciusko Pulaski Clermont Minor Woodford Romulus Greybeard Napoleon Sir Solomon Virginian Byron Mercury Sidi Hamet Berthune Don Juan Andrew Hamet Rattler Marylander Sir Charles Collier Andrew Count Zaldivar Frank Jim Bell Wagner Oliver Voucher Whale Rupee Restless Monte Cary Bell Ashland Charley Ball Wagner Joe Jack Gamble Jack Gamble Jr Red Jacket Starke Wissehrad Endorser Excel Joe Stoner Neil Robinson Rynodyne Blarneystone Sir William Childers Roanoke Grey Beard Santa Anna John Hancock Muckle John Sumpter Almanzor Brunswick Henry Robin Hood Gerow John Richards Corsica Stockholder Pumpkin Boy Tempest Bob Perkins Arab Union Bertrand McDonough Richard Singleton Woodpecker Grey Eagle Bulwer Bertrand Jr Hero Jeff Davis John Bascombe Gauglion Gangle Cherokee Whalebone Arnold Harris Marion Cymon John Blount Phoenomenon Sir Richard Sir William of Transport Sir Leslie Celestian Gazan Monarch Plato Janus Rinaldo Robin Adair Gohanna Occupant Waxy Pacific Chesterfield Epsilon Castor Bill Alexander Memnon Saxe Weimer Crusader Pirate Sir Archy Montorio Rodolph Giles Scroggins Industry Goldboy Merlin Red Gauntlet Tariff Hyazim Wild Bill Gandor Copperbottom Rock Rocket Buck Longwaist Zinganee George Martin

Pedigree

Pedigree of Sir Archy, bay stallion, 1805

Sire Diomed 1777	Florizel 1786	Herod*	Tartar
			Cypron
		Cygnet Mare	Cygnet
			Young Cartouch Mare
	Sister to Juno 1763	Spectator	Crab
			Partner Mare
		Horatia	Blank
			Sister One to Steady
Dam Castianira 1796	Rockingham 1781	Highflyer	Herod*
			Rachel
		Purity	Matchem
			Pratt's Old Mare
	Tabitha 1782	Trentham	Gowers Sweepstakes
			Miss South
		Bosphorus Mare	Bosphorus
			Forester Mare (family: 13)

* Sir Archy is inbred 3S x 4D to the stallion Herod, meaning that he appears third generation on the sire side of his pedigree and fourth generation on the dam side of his pedigree.

Further reading

• Blanchard, Elizabeth Amis Cameron; Wellman, Manly Wade (1958). Lasker, Edward; Lasker, Cynthia (eds.). The Life and Times of Sir Archie: The Story of America's Greatest Thoroughbred, 1805–1833. University of North Carolina Press.

External links

• Sir Archy's pedigree and illustration