Foolish Pleasure (FL)
An undefeated Eclipse Award winner as a 2-year-old, Foolish Pleasure won the Kentucky Derby in 1975 and was a successful handicapper as a 4-year-old, winning the Donn Handicap and defeating Forego in the Suburban Handicap.
Racing Record
26
Starts
1974 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | $284595 $284,595 |
1975 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 1 | $716278 $716,278 |
1976 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 2 | $215832 $215,832 |
Biography
An undefeated Eclipse Award winner as a 2-year-old, Foolish Pleasure won the Kentucky Derby in 1975 and was a successful handicapper as a 4-year-old, winning the Donn Handicap and defeating Forego in the Suburban Handicap.
A bay son of What a Pleasure out of the Tom Fool mare Fool Me Not, Foolish Pleasure was a $20,000 Saratoga yearling purchase. He was bred by Waldemar Farms and campaigned by John L. Greer.
Trained by Hall of Famer LeRoy Jolley, Foolish Pleasure won all seven of his starts as a 2-year-old in 1974, including Grade 1 victories in the Sapling, Hopeful, and Champagne stakes.
Foolish Pleasure suffered his first loss when he finished third in the 1975 Florida Derby, but he bounced back to win the Wood Memorial and then defeated the likes of Avatar, Diablo, and Master Derby in the Kentucky Derby. Foolish Pleasure also finished second in both the Preakness and Belmont.
Foolish Pleasure won the Donn Handicap as a 4-year-old in 1976 under 129 pounds and added victories in the Arlington Golden Invitational Handicap and a memorable win over Hall of Famer and three-time Horse of the Year Forego in the Suburban Handicap.
Foolish Pleasure was retired after his 1976 season with a career record of 16-4-3 from 26 starts and earnings of $1,216,705. He died in 1994 at the age of 22.
Achievements
Eclipse Award Champion 2-Year-Old Colt — 1974
Triple Crown Highlights
Won the Kentucky Derby — 1975
Notable
Won the Champagne Stakes — 1974
Won the Cowdin Stakes — 1974
Won the Hopeful Stakes — 1974
Won the Sapling Stakes — 1974
Won the Tremont Stakes — 1974
Won the Flamingo Stakes — 1975
Won the Arlington Golden Invitational Handicap — 1976
Won the Wood Memorial Stakes — 1975
Won the Donn Handicap — 1976
Won the Suburban Handicap — 1976
Horse Profile for Foolish Pleasure | Equibase is Your Official Source for Thoroughbred Racing Information
Media
![Foolish Pleasure, 1974 (Ray Woolfe, Jr./Museum Collection) Foolish Pleasure in the paddock in 1974 (Ray Woolfe, Jr./Museum Collection)](https://racingmuseum.org/sites/default/files/hall-of-fame/horse/FoolishPleasure_1993.24.1507_RayWoolfeJr.jpg)
![Foolish Pleasure, Jacinto Vasquez up, winning the 1974 Sapling Stakes at Monmouth Park (Museum Collection) Foolish Pleasure (Jacinto Vasquez up) winning the 1974 Sapling Stakes at Monmouth Park (Museum Collection)](https://racingmuseum.org/sites/default/files/hall-of-fame/horse/FoolishPleasure_1993.24.1509_NMR.jpg)
![Foolish Pleasure returning from a race, 1974 (Ray Woolfe, Jr./Museum Collection) Foolish Pleasure returning from a race in 1974 (Ray Woolfe, Jr./Museum Collection)](https://racingmuseum.org/sites/default/files/hall-of-fame/horse/FoolishPleasure_1993.24.1506_RayWoolfeJr.jpg)
![Win composite photograph, 1975 Wood Memorial, won by Foolish Pleasure, Jacinto Vasquez up (NYRA) Win composite photograph of the 1975 Wood Memorial, won by Foolish Pleasure (Jacinto Vasquez up) (NYRA/Museum Collection)](https://racingmuseum.org/sites/default/files/hall-of-fame/horse/FoolishPleasure_2016.14.13_NYRA.jpg)