Cougar II (CHI)

Biography

Bred in Chile, Cougar II was a major stakes winner in his home country before enjoying success on both dirt and turf in America and winning the 1972 Eclipse Award for Champion Turf Horse.

Upon the advice of Hall of Fame trainer Charlie Whittingham, Mary Jones purchased Cougar II from Joe Hernandez as a 4-year-old in 1970 for $125,000. Cougar II earned his first American stakes victory that year in the Escondido Handicap.

In 1971, Cougar II defeated Fort Marcy in both the San Juan Capistrano Handicap and the Ford Pinto Invitational Handicap. He also won the Hollywood Invitational Turf Handicap, Oak Tree Invitational Stakes, and Californian Handicap that year to post an overall record of 6-3-2 in 12 starts with earnings of $416,022.

Cougar II won the Eclipse Award for Champion Turf Horse in 1972 when he repeated in the Oak Tree Invitational Stakes and Californian Handicap and also won the Century Handicap (setting an American record for 11 furlongs of 2:11), San Marcos Stakes, and Carleton F. Burke Handicap. Cougar II finished 1972 with a record of 4-3-2 from nine starts and earnings of $321,350.

After finishing second in the Santa Anita Handicap in both 1971 and 1972, Cougar II finally won the race in 1973 as a 7-year-old under high weight of 126 pounds, edging Kennedy Road by a nose. He also won the Century Handicap again that year and added a win in the Sunset Handicap. His career earnings topped $1 million, making him the first foreign-bred horse to achieve that milestone in North America. Cougar II was retired with a lifetime record of 20-7-17 from 50 starts and earnings of $1,169,058. Eighteen of his wins were in stakes events.

Following his retirement, Cougar II stood at Spendthrift Farm and later at Stone Farm, where he sired his most famous offspring, 1982 Kentucky Derby winner Gato Del Sol. Overall, Cougar II sired 24 stakes winners. He died in 1989 at the age of 23. 

Achievements

Eclipse Award Champion Turf Horse — 1972

Notable

Won the Oak Tree Invitational Stakes — 1971, 1972
Won the Century Handicap — 1972, 1973
Won the Cabrillo Handicap — 1970
Won the Escondido Handicap — 1970
Won the Californian Stakes — 1971
Won the Ford Pinto Invitational Handicap — 1971
Won the San Gabriel Handicap — 1971
Won the San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap — 1971
Won the San Marcos Handicap — 1971
Won the Californian Stakes — 1972
Won the Carleton F. Burke Handicap — 1972
Won the Santa Anita Handicap — 1973
Won the Sunset Handicap — 1973

Horse Profile for Cougar II | Equibase is Your Official Source for Thoroughbred Racing Information