Damascus (KY)

Damascus was named Horse of the Year and set a single-season earnings record in 1967 when he turned in one of the most impressive seasons by a 3-year-old in American racing history.

Inducted

1974

Foaled

1964

Sire

Sword Dancer

Dam

Kerala

Damsire

My Babu

Breeder

Edith W. Bancroft

Owner

Edith W. Bancroft

Trainer

Frank Whiteley, Jr.

Career

1966-1968

Earnings

$1,176,781

Racing Record

32

Starts

Year	Starts	First	Second	Third	Earnings
Year	Sts	1	2	3	$
1966	4	3	1	0	$25865 $25,865
1967	16	12	3	1	$817941 $817,941
1968	12	6	3	2	$332975 $332,975

Biography

Damascus was named Horse of the Year and set a single-season earnings record in 1967 when he turned in one of the most impressive seasons by a 3-year-old in American racing history.

Bred and owned by Edith W. Bancroft and trained by Hall of Famer Frank Whiteley, Jr., Damascus was sired by Hall of Famer Sword Dancer out of the My Babu mare Kerala.

After winning three of four starts as a 2-year-old in 1966, including the Remsen Stakes, Damascus won the Wood Memorial, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, Leonard Richard Stakes, Dwyer Handicap, American Derby, Travers Stakes, Aqueduct Stakes, Woodward Stakes, and Jockey Club Gold Cup as a 3-year-old to earn Horse of the Year and Champion 3-Year-Old Male honors for 1967. He posted a record of 12-3-1 from 16 starts that year and a single-season earnings record of $817,941 (which stood until surpassed by Secretariat in 1973).

It was a season for the ages. In the Woodward, Damascus defeated Hall of Famers Dr. Fager and Buckpasser in what many historians consider to be among the top races of the 20th century. Under Hall of Famer Bill Shoemaker, Damascus pulled away to win by 10 lengths before a crowd of 55,259 at Aqueduct. In the Travers, Damascus won by a record 22 lengths, equaling Buckpasser’s track record of 2:01⅗ for 1¼ miles. He also set a track record in the American Derby.

As a 4-year-old in 1968, Damascus won the Malibu Stakes and San Fernando Stakes in California before returning to the East and adding wins in the Brooklyn Handicap, du Pont Handicap, and Aqueduct Stakes. In the Brooklyn, Damascus set a track record in defeating Dr. Fager and became the eighth horse in North American history to surpass $1 million in career earnings. Damascus bowed a tendon in the Jockey Club Gold Cup and finished last. It was his final career start and the only time in 32 career races he finished off the board.

Damascus was retired to Claiborne Farm in Kentucky with a career record of 21-7-3 from 32 starts and earnings of $1,176,781. He sired 71 stakes winners, including Private Account, Time for a Change, Timeless Moment, Ogygian, Zen, and Crusader Sword.

Damascus died Aug. 8, 1995, at Claiborne at the age of 31.