Just in time for Veteran's Day - the story of Armed

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ARMED 1941 (g) Bull Lea x Armful by Chance Shot

The story of Armed must begin with his fabled sire, Bull Lea of Calumet Farm. Bull Lea was purchased by Warren Wright Sr. at the 1936 Saratoga Yearling Sales for $14,000. During his racing career, he more than justified his purchase price, earning $94,825 and winning 10 of 27 starts. After three years on the track, he was retired to stud for $750 and it was there that he etched his name in the history books.


Bull Lea as a young stallion

He became one of the most successful sires in American breeding history while standing at Calumet Farm. Bull Lea's first foal crop included no less than 3 champions, all trained by Ben A. Jones. Durazna and Twilight Tear, both fillies, achieved success during their juvenile season and were named co-champion 2 year old fillies. Twilight Tear went on to be named Horse Of The Year the following season. The third champion from Bull Lea's first crop, the brown gelding Armed, wasn't so distinguished until 1946 when he earned championship honors in the handicap division.

Racing for Calumet Farm, Armed made 81 starts in his career, winning 41 times and earning $817,475. He was named Horse Of The Year in 1947 and repeat Champion Handicap Male. However, he didn't start out at the top.  Untrainable and wild as a juvenile, he was small but loved to kick and bite. He was gelded at age 2 and given the rest of the year to mature. When he returned he was better behaved, but Jimmy Jones still enjoyed a prank on visitors and would often show them a fierce Armed, ears pinned, teeth barred, saying "All the Bull Lea's bite, but this one is the worst of all."  Then he would enter the stall and visitors would watch amazed as Armed allowed himself to be handled, gentle as a lamb.


Armed

It wasn't until age 4 that Armed raced in stakes company but he made up for lost time by reeling off 6 wins in a row. Then 4 near misses including a second to Busher, 1945 Horse Of The Year and Champion 3 Year Old Filly in the Washington Park Handicap. The most important of Armed's ten victories that season was the Pimlico Special, in which he upset the season's champion handicap horse, Stymie, as well as Preakness winner Polynesian and Pimlico Oaks winner Gallorette.


Armed

In 1946 Armed reached the top of his division, winning 11 of his 18 starts and earning the impressive sum of $288,725. He won the Widener Handicap, carried 130 pounds to victory in the Suburban Handicap and was voted 1946 Champion Handicap Horse, becoming the third champion from Bull Lea's first crop.



As a six year old, Armed was the star of the most successful stable in the country. Also racing for Calumet in 1947 were the juvenile stars Bewitch, Citation and Coaltown as well as Preakness winner Faultless. Armed won 11 of 17 starts that season with victories including his second straight Widener Handicap. He earned $100,000 of his $376,375 in a winner take all match race at Pimlico, soundly defeating Assault, whose Triple Crown the previous season had helped him edge Armed for Horse Of The Year title. Winning the Sysonby Mile, Armed brought his career winnings to $761,500 and reigned as thoroughbred racing's all time leading money winner for sixteen days. Stymie's win in the Gallant Fox Handicap put him back on top but he could not threaten the Calumet gelding's fame. Armed was named 1947 Horse of the Year and Champion Handicap Male.



1948 began with a second place finish to his younger stable mate, Citation, in an allowance race at Hialeah, and throughout the rest of his career, Armed continued to take a back seat to Calumet's younger stars, failing to win another stakes race. He did win races however, scoring victories in six of his last twenty-four starts and earning the praise of Jimmy Jones who said "They will have to rank him with the great of all time. He's lost that old zing and the things he did easily come hard now, but when he was at his best there wasn't anything around that could touch him."



Armed raced until the age of nine, earning $55,975 in the last three years of his racing career, and while he didn't win a stakes race again after age six, he did run second in five of them, including the Churchill Downs Handicap behind stable mate, Free America. He was the world's leading money winning gelding and had set or equaled nine track records. He went out a winner, winning one final race at Gulfstream Park in March of 1950 before retiring to Calumet Farm, where he lived as a pensioner. He passed away from old age on May 5, 1964, a year after being elected to the Racing Hall Of Fame



On Monday, for Veteran's Day, hug a Vet! All that you enjoy today was bought with the dedicated service of all the members of our Armed Forces. They deserve our honor and our respect.


My wallpaper tribute to Armed.
Photo credit: Bottom Right: James W. Sames III from the collection of Barbara Livingston