Nellie Morse

Nellie Morse
Sire	Luke McLuke
Grandsire	Ultimus
Dam	La Venganza
Damsire	Abercorn
Sex	Filly
Foaled	1921
Country	United States
Color	Bay
Breeder	J. Oliver Keene & William Cleveland
Owner	Bud Fisher
Trainer	Albert B. Gordon
Record	34: 7-?-?
Earnings	$73,565
Major wins
Fashion Stakes (1923) Pimlico Oaks (1924) American Triple Crown race wins: Preakness Stakes (1924)
Awards
American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly (1924)
Honors
Nellie Morse Stakes at Laurel Park Racecourse
Last updated on June 28, 2007

Nellie Morse (1921–1941) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the fourth filly to win the Preakness Stakes. After her retirement from racing, she became a successful and influential broodmare.

Background

Her sire was Luke McLuke, who won the 1914 Belmont Stakes and was a son of the important but unraced Ultimus, who was sired by Commando. From the mare La Venganza, Nellie Morse's damsire was the Australian multi-race winner Abercorn.^[1]

Owned by the prominent American cartoonist Bud Fisher, Nellie Morse was trained by Albert B. Gordon.

Racing career

Sent to the track at age two, the filly won the five-furlong Fashion Stakes at Belmont Park and was second in the Spinaway Stakes. In the Matron Stakes, she finished ahead of future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Princess Doreen but was second to Greentree Stables' winning filly Tree Top.

In 1924, she won the 1⅛ mile Pimlico Oaks at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. Racing against colts, on May 12, 1924, Nellie Morse won the second of what became the American Classic Races: the Preakness Stakes. She was the fourth filly to win the Preakness since its inception fifty-one years earlier in 1873, and was the last filly winner until Rachel Alexandra won the 2009. Nellie Morse then finished third - placed second via disqualification of the apparent winner Glide - to Princess Doreen in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.^[2]

Breeding record

Retired from racing to serve as a broodmare, Nellie Morse was notably mated to Reigh Count, producing Count Morse, winner of the 1937 Ben Ali Stakes and Clark Handicap. Her mating to American Flag produced the filly Nellie Flag, who was the 1934 American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly. Through Nellie Flag, her later descendants include Mark-Ye-Well, Bold Forbes and Bet Twice.^[3]

Nellie Morse died in 1941 at age twenty.

Breeding

Pedigree of Nellie Morse

Sire Luke McLuke bay 1911	Ultimus ch. 1906	Commando	Domino
			Emma C.
		Running Stream	Domino
			Dancing Water
	Midge black 1902	Trenton	Musket
			Frailty
		Sandfly	Isonomy
			Sandiway
Dam La Venganza bay 1902	Abercorn ch. 1884	Chester	Yattendon
			Lady Chester
		Cinnamon	Goldsborough
			Brown Duchess
	Colonial brown 1897	Trenton	Musket
			Frailty
		Thankful Blossum	Paradox
			The Apple

References

1. "Nellie Morse pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
2. "Nellie Morse wins the Preakness, 1924". Colins Ghost. 2009-05-14. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
3. "Thoroughbred Bloodlines - Toxophilite Mare - Family 9-f".