Oedipus (KY)

Bred by the late Col. E. R. Bradley’s Idle Hour Stock Farm, Oedipus was America’s champion steeplechaser in 1950 and 1951 and shared the honor in 1952 with Jam.

Inducted

1978

Foaled

1946

Sire

Blue Larkspur

Dam

Be Like Mom

Damsire

Sickle

Breeder

Edward R. Bradley

Owner

Lillian Bostwick Phipps

Trainer

James E. "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons

George H. "Pete" Bostwick

Career

1948-1954

Earnings

$132,405

Racing Record

58

Starts

Year	Starts	First	Second	Third	Earnings
Year	Sts	1	2	3	$
1948	6	0	0	0	$0 $0
1949	7	1	3	1	$3645 $3,645
1950	15	5	3	2	$40450 $40,450
1951	11	5	2	2	$54875 $54,875
1952	9	2	2	2	$21810 $21,810
1953	5	1	1	2	$10450 $10,450
1954	5	0	1	0	$1175 $1,175

Biography

Bred by the late Col. E. R. Bradley’s Idle Hour Stock Farm, Oedipus was America’s champion steeplechaser in 1950 and 1951 and shared the honor in 1952 with Jam.

A son of Hall of Famer Blue Larkspur out of the Sickle mare Be Like Mom, Oedipus was a weanling when Bradley died in August of 1946. Ogden Phipps, Greentree Stable, and King Ranch purchased and divided the Bradley stock, with Oedipus among the horses going to Phipps.

Carrying the rose and yellow silks of Lillian Bostwick Phipps, Oedipus was originally trained by Hall of Famer James “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons, but the brown colt failed to place in six starts as a juvenile in 1948. He was then gelded and turned over to steeplechase specialist and Hall of Famer Pete Bostwick, who schooled the horse over jumps at Aiken, South Carolina.

Winner once in seven starts over jumps as a 3-year-old in 1949, Oedipus blossomed at age 4 in 1950, setting a course record in the Shillelah Steeplechase at Saratoga and then winning the Broad Hollow and Brook steeplechases at Belmont to be named champion. In 1951, at age 5, he won the Corinthian at Belmont, the Beverwyck at Saratoga, and then swept what was regarded as steeplechasing’s Triple Crown at the time: the Broad Hollow with 158 pounds, the Brook with 161, and the Grand National with 165, giving weight to all his rivals. Oedipus was once again an easy choice as America’s champion steeplechaser.

At 6, Oedipus, won the Broad Hollow for the third consecutive year (in course-record time). He also won the Shillelah for the second time and split champion honors with Jam. Oedipus defeated Jam in the Broad Hollow, but his rival turned the tables in the Brook, while in receipt of five pounds. Jam was named champion by Daily Racing Form, while Oedipus took the honor from the Thoroughbred Racing Associations.

Oedipus won the C. L. Appleton Steeplechase at Belmont in 1953 at age 7 for his final career victory. He continued to race through 1954, making nine more starts. Oedipus was retired with a career record of 14-12-9 from 58 starts and earnings of $132,405.

Oedipus died at the age of 32 in 1978, the year he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.