Blue Larkspur (KY)

Blue Larkspur is considered the best of the 128 stakes winners bred by his owner, Col. E. R. Bradley, at Idle Hour Stock Farm.

Inducted

1957

Foaled

1926

Sire

Black Servant

Dam

Blossom Time

Damsire

North Star III

Breeder

Idle Hour Stock Farm

Owner

Edward R. Bradley

Trainer

Herbert J. Thompson

Career

1928-1930

Earnings

$272,070

Racing Record

16

Starts

Year	Starts	First	Second	Third	Earnings
Year	Sts	1	2	3	$
1928	7	4	1	1	$66970 $66,970
1929	6	4	1	0	$153450 $153,450
1930	3	2	1	0	$51650 $51,650

Biography

Blue Larkspur is considered the best of the 128 stakes winners bred by his owner, Col. E. R. Bradley, at Idle Hour Stock Farm.

Trained by Hall of Famer Herbert J. Thompson, Blue Larkspur was a son of Black Servant out of the North Star III mare Blossom Time. Blue Larkspur’s sire finished second in the 1921 Kentucky Derby and his dam won the Pimlico Futurity.

As a 2-year-old in 1928, Blue Larkspur won the Juvenile Stakes, National Stallion Stakes, and Saratoga Special Stakes. He started seven times as a juvenile with a record of 4-1-1 and earnings of $66,970.

After finishing fourth in the Kentucky Derby in May 1929, Blue Larkspur won the Withers Stakes and then the Belmont Stakes by two lengths. He added a five-length victory in the Arlington Classic before in an injury in August ended his season with a ledger of 4-1-0 and earnings of $153,450 in six starts. Blue Larkspur was recognized as Horse of the Year and Champion 3-Year-Old Male.

As a 4-year-old, Blue Larkspur won the Stars and Stripes Handicap, clipping a full second off the track record with a time of 1:49⅖ for 1⅛ miles at Arlington Park. Blue Larkspur stayed at Arlington to win the Arlington Cup in July.

Following the Arlington Cup, Blue Larkspur developed another injury and was retired to Idle Hour, concluding his career with a record of 10-3-1 from 16 starts with earnings of $272,070. At the time of his retirement, Blue Larkspur was the third-highest money earner in American racing history.

At stud, Blue Larkspur produced 44 stakes winners, including Hall of Fame filly Myrtlewood and Hall of Fame steeplechaser Oedipus. Blue Larkspur ranked among the top 10 broodmare sires from 1944 through 1960.

After Bradley died in 1946, Blue Larkspur was acquired by King Ranch and sent to stand temporarily at Greentree Farm near Lexington, Kentucky. He was bred to 13 mares the following spring before dying of a heart attack May 6, 1947.

Racing historian John Hervey termed Blue Larkspur “the most beautifully gaited runner we have seen in 40 years or more.”