St. Columba was foaled on February 6th, 1969. He was bred by Mrs. Linell C. Smith in Kentucky. St. Columba was by Restless Native, a son of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Native Dancer. Restless Native won two races before a bowed tendon forced his early retirement. He stood at Sagamore Farm in Maryland. He sired more than 400 Thoroughbred foals. Dismasted, Twixt, Restless Con, Jolly Johu, Local Problem, Peace Corps, Sweet Woodruff, Silver Doctor, Bix and Akita were some of his best runners. His sons Loaded Or Busted and Native Hat sired Quarter Horses.
Secret Recipe, the dam of St. Columba, was bred by E. Barry Ryan in Kentucky. She was by Mahmoud, the winner of the 1936 Epsom Derby. Mahmoud was purchased by Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney and brought to the United States where he became a leading sire and broodmare sire. First Flight, Oil Capitol, The Axe II, Cohoes and Vulcan’s Forge were among his seventy stakes winners. Many of his sons were successful sires of sporthorses. His son Moolah Bux was a leading Thoroughbred sire of racing and performing Quarter Horses. Mahmoud’s sons Boodle, Ever Best, Fort Salonga and Speculation also sired a few Quarter Horses.
Secret Recipe won one race. She produced four Thoroughbred foals for E. Barry Ryan before she sold to Mrs. Linell C. Smith. Her foals Borgia’s Brew and Cold Iron were race winners. Her daughter Smart Secret was the second dam of South African stakes winner Soho Secret. Secret Recipe produced her seventh and final foal in 1970 when she was fifteen years old.
As a two-year-old, St. Columba made fifteen starts and won two races. He showed great early speed. He was clocked running the quarter in 21.8 seconds. St. Columba ran best at distances from 5 to 6 furlongs. His quickness was recognized with a Supreme Sprinter Award. He retired from racing at age four after he sustained a sesamoid injury. His final record was 33 starts, 7 wins, 6 seconds and 4 thirds, with $22,900 in earnings, which is the equivalent of about $170,000 today.
St. Columba was owned by W. L. “Bill” Jones. He stood at Western Hills Ranch in Abilene, Texas. In his prime, St. Columba stood 16 hands and weighed 1,350 pounds. He was correct and muscular with an elegant head and neck. His first foals arrived in 1975. His first foal crop included Racing Register of Merit earners Imasaint, Miss Native Rose, Native Lover, Restless St and St Chicky.
Other Racing ROM earners by St. Columba included Columbo Pistol, My Native Rose, Miss St Columba, Calico Aimee, Columbia Moon, Classy Saint, Carolina Native, Something Original and Gray Secret. Some of his foals were shown at halter. St Top Deck and Restless Countess earned performance points. St. Columba was primarily advertised to Quarter Horse mares, but he did sire a few Thoroughbreds. Classy Cody, Columba Rose and St. Lee were his best Thoroughbred starters. In total, he sired 118 Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse foals that earned $189,621 on the track.
Native Lover Two, Hail Columbia and Blue Rojo were St. Columba’s only sons that sired Quarter Horses. His daughters produced 147 AQHA registered foals that earned $25,272 on the track and 208.0 points in the area. Goliad Gold was the leading racing earner out of a St. Columba mare. My Count Conner and Oh Columbas earned Performance ROMs.
St. Columba died in 1979 when he was just 10 years old. His last foal, Columbas Girl, was born in 1980. Although his five foal crops made small impact on the Western industry, his pedigree, conformation and speed make St. Columba a Thoroughbred worth highlighting.
Sources: Equineline, Equibase, American Quarter Horse Association, All Breed Database
The Western Thoroughbred 