Firm Ground was foaled in 1952. He was by Middleground, the second Kentucky Derby winner bred and owned by the King Ranch. Middleground was by Bold Venture and out of Verguenza, by Chicaro. He was trained by Max Hirsch and ridden by apprentice jockey Bill Boland. After Middleground won the Derby, he placed second in the Preakness and won the Belmont Stakes. He was named the 1950 Champion Three-Year-Old Colt and Horse of the Year. Middleground broke down in the Jerome Handicap and was retired to stud at the King Ranch. He sired seven stakes winners including Resaca, Chistosa and Here and There. Middleground died in 1972 and was inducted into the Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2000.
Otra, the dam of Firm Ground, was bred by Greentree Stable in Kentucky. She was by Equipoise and out of Tenez, by Friar Rock. Otra was purchased by the King Ranch and, like Middleground, was trained by Max Hirsch. She won two races and placed second in the 1939 Pimlico Oaks. In 1940, Otra was bred to Bold Venture. Her first foal, Morani, was a race winner as were her foals Retama, Armagh and Renewal. By 1957, Otra had sold to Harold Kitchen in Kentucky. Under his ownership, she produced Chocolate Beau, winner of the 1960 Ohio Valley Stakes. She also produced race winners Bonnie Google and Judge Joe W. Otra produced her last foal when she was 24 years old. Altogether, she produced twelve Jockey Club registered foals. Her daughters produced stakes winners Bonnie and Gay, Big Felly, Lady Offshore, Resaca, Satin Gold and Tamarona. Notably, Otra is the fourth dam of 1986 British Horse of the Year, Dancing Brave.
Firm Ground was unraced. He stood at Forman Farms in Anton, Texas. His first foals were born in 1956. Jet Charge, the best Thoroughbred starter by Firm Ground, won three races and placed third in the 1962 Ruidoso Thoroughbred Derby. Davilla’s Ground, his best Quarter Horse starter, placed second in the 1963 Autumn Live Oak Derby. His Quarter Horse foals Firm Deck, Grounded, Prince Ground, Caviar and Firm Arrow earned Racing Register of Merits. Playground, a black mare by Firm Ground and out of Blue Babe Wheeler, earned performance points. Altogether, Firm Ground sired 110 Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse foals in fifteen foal crops. They had earnings of $216,465 on the track.
Firm Boy and Around My Ground were the only sons of Firm Ground to sire any registered foals. His daughters produced 127 Quarter Horse foals. They included 23 ROM earners and 21 race winners. Koosh Koosh, the highest earner out of a Firm Ground mare, placed second in the 1976 Louisiana Breeders Winter Derby. Bright Miss, a brown mare by Bright Charge and out of Firm Miss, by Firm Ground, placed fourth in Senior Working Hunter at the 1974 World Show. She also placed fifth in Working Hunter in the Youth division of the 1975 World Show. Bright Miss earned Performance ROMs in the Open and Youth divisions. Christy Dell, a half-sister to Bright Miss, also earned a Performance ROM. Firm Vandy, a bay mare by Vandy and out of Solid Ground, by Firm Ground, earned halter points.
Perhaps the only surviving line of Firm Ground descendants stems from his Thoroughbred daughter, Candle Lighter. Candle Lighter produced Magic Spots, the dam of multiple stakes winners Magic Injun and Rocket’s Magic. Magic Injun was a sorrel gelding by Jet Injun. He won the Old South Futurity, Louisiana Breeders Winter Derby and Golden Triangle Derby. In total, Magic Injun made 42 starts, won 21 races and earned $234,725 on the track. Rocket’s Magic, a chestnut stallion by Rocket Wrangler, won the Old South Futurity, Florida QHA Futurity and ran the fastest qualifier for the 1975 All American Futurity. Rocket’s Magic retired due to an injury with six wins and $117,075 in earnings. He went on to sire 503 Quarter Horse foals. His best starters included Carnahan’s Magic, Deck of Magic Moon, Magic Magic Magic and Magic Satin. Rocket’s Magic was inducted into the Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Association Hall of Fame in 2016.
Firm Ground’s last foal was born in 1972, when he would have been 20 years old. Although his impact on the western industry was small, he is a great example of one of the many King Ranch Thoroughbreds that stood to Quarter Horse mares.
Sources: Equineline, Equibase, The American Quarter Horse Association, All Breed Database
The Western Thoroughbred 