The Thoroughbred played an integral role in the development of many horse breeds. The athleticism of most modern performance horses can be attributed to Thoroughbred ancestry. In the case of the American Quarter Horse, the Thoroughbred influence is ongoing. The names of many Thoroughbreds can be found stamped on the papers of proven barrel racing, cutting, pleasure and halter horses.
The Thoroughbred is the result of a selective breeding program that began at the turn of the 17th century. Stallions imported from the Mediterranean Middle East were crossed with strong English mares. Their excellence was tested on the race track and became a popular sporting event in Europe. As horse racing spread into North America, colonists sought to make the sport their own. Thrilling quarter-mile races were held as early as 1674 in Virginia. To meet the demand of these short races, some breeding programs shifted to produce a type of Thoroughbred that was suitable for sprinting. Like the sprinters of today, they were muscular, compact and athletic.
The phrase ‘Celebrated American Quarter Running Horse’ denoted top sprinters in early Thoroughbred stud books. The phrase was later shortened and became the designation of a new breed in 1940 when the American Quarter Horse Association was founded. The first twenty foundation sires registered with the AQHA are all descended from Thoroughbreds. Actulally of the first twenty, Rialto, Chief, Colonel, Sheik, Whiskaway, and Little Richard have Thoroughbred grandparents, and Joe Reed and Oklahoma Star have Thoroughbred parents.
Even after the new breed was established, Thoroughbreds such as Piggin String, Woven Web and Brigand continued to set track records and earn Champion Quarter Running Horse titles. Then in the 1960s, a Thoroughbred mare named Little Lena Bars equaled the world record at 220 yards, and set new world records at 250, 300 and 330 yards. She also equaled and set new track records at 400 and 440 yards. Her dominance prompted retaliation from the AQHA. When the organization realized that nearly all the records in Quarter Horse racing belonged to a Thoroughbred, they deleted all mention of times and records set by Thoroughbreds and banned the breed from major Quarter Horse races.
Despite this pushback, Thoroughbreds remained vital to the Quarter Horse industry. Old-school horseman have said that the best qualities of running horses come directly from Thoroughbreds. This is could be why they are just as influential today as they were one hundred years ago. To preserve their legacy, The Western Thoroughbred has compiled a list of Thoroughbreds that contributed to the improvement of western performance horses. Click on a horse’s name to read more about them. An asterisk denotes a horse that has been inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame.
Advantage (1932)
Aforethought (1963)
Afton Creek (1950)
American Champ (1994)
Anaqua (1955)
Anchor Watch (1953)
Annahi (1944)
Apollo (1988)
Arch Oldham (1902)
Ariel (1925)
Ashwell (1907)
Attila’s Storm (2002)
Away From Holme (1967)
Baby Steel
Bag
Band Play
Band Time
Bar Admiral
Barbara Lam
Barre Granite
Barrera
Bayard
Bayard II
Be Sure Now
Beadsman
Beat the Feet
Beau Max
Begger Boy
Big Klu
Big Noise
Big Red Bar
Bimelech
Blob
Blue Chord
Blue Gray
Bold Ego
Bold Venture
Boojum
Boyarsky
Brenda Beauty
Brettenham
Buggins
Bull Boy
Bullanguero
Buster Brown
Bymeabond
Cambridgeshire
Candyman Bee
Candy Mark
Captains Courageous
Cattail
Chain Lay
Cherokee Arrow
Cherry Lake*
Chicaro
Chicle
Chimney Sweep
City Street
Close Watch
Coldstream
Confidant
Count Giacamo
Crafty Actor
Credit Balance
Creole Dancer
Cuvee
Dark Quarry
Decathlon
Deep Note
Deep Sun
Dennis Reed
Desert Spirit
Devon Lane
Dewey
Distinctive
Doc Horn
Dolly Dimples
Domino
Donie Dune
Dorothy E
Dothan
Double Feature
Dr Mack
Drayab
Duck Dance
Eck Davis
Editorial Comment
Eight Again
Eskrine Dale
Esters Little Klu*
Everett
Experteeser
George Lewis
Gin Squirt
Glass Bar
Good Bird
Grand Slam
Green Flash
Greenock
Grey Leg
Grog
Fairway’s Gal
Fame We Will
Fast Fellow
Father John
Feast
Feel the Velvet
Find A Buyer
Fire Dog
First Ambassador
Fix-n-Mix
Fleet Kirsch
Fleeting Time
Flying Squirrel
For Really
Forever Young
Hadif
Handy Shot
Hawkins Special
Heisanative
Hempaces
Hennessy
Hijo Beauty
Hoist Bar
Horace H
Hy Aethel
Hy Diamond
Hy Lucky Jay
Hygro
Hysition
I’ll Go
In Excess
In Excessive Bull
In the Curl
Jacks Jet
Jackstraw Jr
Jerry Crow
Jetalong
Jimmer
Joe Blair
Johnny X
Jon Ian
Kate Shannon
Kicapu Kid
Killoqua
King O’Neill
King Plaudit
Kliptydoo
Lady Albert G
Lady Johnnie
Lady Woodchuck
Lake Erie
Lani Chief
Lanolark
Lantana Belle
Lawyer
Leannie
Lilsalady
Line Up
Lite the Fuse
Little Request
Little Vic
L’Natural
Long Chance
Los Molinos
Lost Cause
Louisiana Slew
Lucky Bar
Lucky Mose
Luke McLuke
Mad Way
Madder Music
Magic Cat
Magic Spots
Magical Mile
Major Speck
Mary Greenock
Master Bunting
Master Gould
Maynard L
Mayshego
Mi Camila
Midway
Miss Bank
Miss Pines
Miswaki
Money Lender
Moolah Bux
Mr. Crimson Ruler
Mr Good
Mr. Nightlinger
Munnings
Murrtheblurr
Nassak
Native Orphan
Nativo
No Cat
Noholme
Noo Music
Now Is The Time
Ochoco Kitten
Official
Oil Rig
Olympic Win
Orto Mambo
Osage Streaker
Pancho Press
Pappa Top
Pass Em Up
Past Due
Patriotic
Peace Pipe
Phone Trick
Pleasure Fund
Pocket Coin
Polamandy
Pondariel
Porte Drapeau
Power Jam
Prince Vic
Princely Pleasure
Provocation
Pukka Gent
R Smith
Raffles
Raise a Lady
Raise a Rascal
Raise Cain
Rancocas
Real Dish
Really Rugged
Reb’s Policy
Red
Red Jewel
Rejected
Relagate
Rene Depot
Reno Lord
Restless Runner
Rhonda K
Riches and Honor
Roll Hennessy Roll
Roulade
Royal Bob
Royal Charger
Rulla Bux
Salutation
Scott’s Poppy
Scout Leader
Sculptor’s Whim
Seabiscuit
Sheridan
Shirley’s Champion
Sin Tacha
Slewacide
Smash It
Snow Bound
Spanish Way
Sparkling Native
Special Sound
Spot Cash
Spy Song
Stage Street
Star Shoot
Strate Stuff
Sunny South
Sweetwater Miss
Swissle Stick
Tale of the Cat
Texas Dancer
Thermos
Three Martinis
Tilt The Odds
Top Conference
Tricky Fun
Trippy Dip*
Truly Truckle
Truxton King
Uncle Jimmy Gray
Universe
Venetian Jester
Very Sharp
Very Wise
Victory Stride
Vikingson
War Bam
Wave of Erie
Wayward Irving
Wee Folk
Western Hand
Westy Rambler
What Luck
What’s Cookin
What’s Dat
Will Win
With Regards
Yankee Doll
