Pretense (horse)
American Thoroughbred racehorse
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Pretense (April 19, 1963 – 1987) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Bred and raced by Mary Elizabeth "Liz" Tippett's Llangollen Farm, he won stakes races on dirt and turf and at distances from six furlongs to 11⁄4 miles.[1]
| Pretense | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Endeavour II |
| Grandsire | British Empire |
| Dam | Imitation |
| Damsire | Hyperion |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | April 19, 1963 |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Dark bay or brown |
| Breeder | Mary Elizabeth "Liz" Tippett |
| Owner | Llangollen Farm |
| Trainer | F. Walters Charlie Whittingham |
| Record | 31: 13–5–6 |
| Earnings | $494,602 |
| Major wins | |
| Palos Verdes Handicap (1966) Sheridan Handicap (1966) San Pasqual Handicap (1967) San Antonio Handicap (1967) Santa Anita Handicap (1967) Gulfstream Park Handicap (1967) American Handicap (1967) Inglewood Handicap (1967) Bing Crosby Handicap (1968) | |
| Last updated on July 2026 | |
Pretense won the Palos Verdes Handicap and Sheridan Handicap as a three-year-old in 1966. At four, he won the San Pasqual Handicap, San Antonio Handicap, Santa Anita Handicap, Gulfstream Park Handicap, American Handicap, and Inglewood Handicap.[1][2][3] On the 1967 Daily Racing Form Free Handicap for American older males, he was rated at 130 pounds, six pounds below Buckpasser.[1]
At stud, Pretense sired 22 stakes winners from 501 named foals.[1] His progeny included Sham, winner of the 1973 Santa Anita Derby and runner-up in the 1973 Kentucky Derby and 1973 Preakness Stakes, and Fall Aspen, a Grade I winner and the 1994 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year.[1][4][5]
Background and breeding
Pretense was foaled in Virginia on April 19, 1963.[1] He was bred by Mary Elizabeth "Liz" Tippett and raced for her Llangollen Farm.[1] He was by Endeavour II, an Argentine-bred son of British Empire, and out of the British-bred mare Imitation, a daughter of Hyperion.[1]
Pretense was a member of Thoroughbred family 3-i.[1] His dam, Imitation, was a half-sister to Light Comment, the dam of stakes winners Faultless Speech and Minor Portion. His tail-female line traced to Fifinella, winner of the 1916 Epsom Derby and Epsom Oaks.[1]
Pretense was a dark bay or brown horse who stood 16.2 hands. He had a good shoulder, deep girth, and substantial frame, but was somewhat long-backed and had a short croup.[1] He was trained at three by F. Walters and at four and five by Charlie Whittingham.[1]
Racing career
1966: Three-year-old season
Pretense did not race as a two-year-old.[2] As a three-year-old in 1966, he won the Palos Verdes Handicap at Santa Anita and the Sheridan Handicap at Arlington Park, both at six furlongs on dirt. He also finished third in the Quaker City Handicap at Garden State Park.[1]
On the 1966 Daily Racing Form Free Handicap for American sprinters, Pretense was assigned 116 pounds. Bold Lad and Impressive were rated above him, with Impressive named the official champion sprinter.[1]
1967: Older-horse campaign
Pretense developed into a leading handicap horse in 1967. Early in the year at Santa Anita, he finished third to Native Diver in the San Carlos Handicap and third to Buckpasser in the San Fernando Stakes. He then won the San Pasqual Handicap and San Antonio Handicap.[1][2]
On February 18, Pretense won the Santa Anita Handicap under Bill Shoemaker. Native Diver set the pace while carrying seven pounds more than Pretense. Pretense raced closest to Native Diver among the other runners, took the lead in the stretch, and won by three lengths in 2:004⁄5 for 11⁄4 miles.[2] The win followed his victory in the San Antonio Handicap earlier in the meeting.[2]
Pretense then traveled east for the Gulfstream Park Handicap. He won the 11⁄4-mile race over Amberoid and Quinta, carrying more weight than the other leading finishers.[3] By late March, he had won four of his first seven starts of the year and had earned $278,400 during the season.[3]
Later in 1967, Pretense won the American Handicap and the second division of the Inglewood Handicap at Hollywood Park. His Inglewood Handicap win came on turf at 11⁄16 miles in 1:394⁄5, a course record.[1] He also finished second in the Hollywood Gold Cup, Washington Park Handicap, and Sunset Handicap, and third in the San Juan Capistrano Handicap and Californian Stakes.[1]
On the 1967 Daily Racing Form Free Handicap for American older males, Pretense was assigned 130 pounds, second to Buckpasser, who was assigned 136.[1]
1968: final season
Pretense returned as a five-year-old in 1968. He won the Bing Crosby Handicap at Del Mar, completing six furlongs in 1:074⁄5 and equaling the track record.[1][6] On the 1968 Daily Racing Form Free Handicap for American older males, he was rated at 119 pounds, 17 pounds below Horse of the Year and champion handicap horse Dr. Fager.[1]
Racing style
Pretense was effective at sprint and route distances and won on both dirt and turf.[1] He generally raced close to the pace before making a sustained move in the stretch.[1] He handled different types of footing, but tended to run wide on turns. Whittingham used a pronged bit and one-cup blinker to address that habit.[1]
Pretense was regarded around the barn as having the good disposition associated with many of Endeavour II's offspring.[1]
Stud career
Pretense sired 236 winners and 22 stakes winners from 501 named foals, according to Jockey Club records cited by American Classic Pedigrees.[1] He was classified as a Classic chef-de-race in the Roman dosage system.[1]
His best-known son was Sham, who won the 1973 Santa Catalina Stakes and Santa Anita Derby and finished second to Secretariat in the 1973 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.[4] Other stakes winners by Pretense included An Act and Anne's Pretender.[1]
Pretense was also the sire of Fall Aspen. A Grade I winner as a two-year-old, Fall Aspen produced nine stakes winners, including Grade or Group 1 winners Timber Country, Fort Wood, Hamas, and Northern Aspen.[5][7] She was named Kentucky Broodmare of the Year in 1994.[5][8]
Through his daughters, Pretense appeared in the pedigrees of international winners including Fort Wood, Hamas, Northern Aspen, One Dreamer, Polytain, and Timber Country.[1]
Pretense died in 1987.[1]
Pedigree
| Sire Endeavour II |
British Empire | Colombo | Manna |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lady Nairne | |||
| Rose of England | Teddy | ||
| Perce-Neige | |||
| Himalaya | Hunter's Moon | Hurry On | |
| Selene | |||
| Partenope | Perrier | ||
| Mystify | |||
| Dam Imitation |
Hyperion | Gainsborough | Bayardo |
| Rosedrop | |||
| Selene | Chaucer | ||
| Serenissima | |||
| Flattery | Winalot | Son-in-Law | |
| Gallenza | |||
| Fickle | Solario | ||
| Fifinella |
Pretense was inbred 4x3 to Selene, the dam of Hyperion, Sickle, Pharamond, and Hunter's Moon. He was also inbred 5x5x4 to Chaucer and carried additional linebreeding to Serenissima and Gallenza.[1]