Peter Pan (horse)

There have been several racehorses named "Peter Pan". They include:

1904
Peter Pan (1904–1933) was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse whose sire and grandsire were also Hall of Fame inductees, as was his daughter Top Flight.

Bred and raced by prominent horseman, James R. Keene, Peter Pan was out of the mare Cinderella whose sire was Hermit, the 1867 winner of England's most important race, the Epsom Derby. Peter Pan was sired by Commando, a Hall of Fame inductee and a 1901 American Classic Race winner who in turn was a son of Domino, himself a Hall of Fame inductee and the 1893 United States Horse of the Year.

Conditioned by future Hall of Fame trainer James G. Rowe, Sr., at age two Peter Pan won four of his eight starts including the prestigious 1906 Hopeful Stakes.

For 1907, Peter Pan won six of his nine starts with two seconds, one of which was in the spring in the Withers Stakes. At a time where the U.S. Triple Crown concept had not been formed, three-year-old Peter Pan was not entered in the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness Stakes. However, he won the then 1⅜ miles Belmont Stakes, a race that is now the third leg of the Triple Crown series. In winning the Belmont, he defeated Frank Gill who had beaten him in the Withers Stakes. In 1907, Peter Pan also won the important Brooklyn Derby, the Standard Stakes at Gravesend Race Track, as well as the Advance and the Tidal Stakes at Sheepshead Bay Race Track. Shortly after winning the Brighton Handicap he suffered a tendon injury and was retired to stallion duty at his owner's Castelton Stud.

Peter Pan stood at his owner's Castleton Stud in Lexington, Kentucky then was sold for US$100,000 in 1912 to a breeding farm in France. Brought back to the United States, he was sold to Harry Payne Whitney and stood at Brookdale Farm in New Jersey until 1915 when he became the foundation sire for the new Whitney Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.

1929
Peter Pan (1929–?) was a chestnut Australian Thoroughbred stallion by Pantheon (GB) out of Alwina by St Alwyne (GB). He was foaled at the Baroona Stud north of Sydney Australia in 1929. His sire Pantheon was an outstanding racehorse winning 10 races from 44 starts in England and Australia. Alwina did not race, but was a good broodmare.

Conditioned by future Hall of Fame trainer, Frank McGrath, Sr., Peter Pan raced early in the 1930s during the Great Depression, and with Phar Lap, Chatham and Rogilla, all household names at the time. Frank McGrath, Sr. and many others considered Peter Pan to be a much better horse than Phar Lap. Peter Pan returning to scale at Flemington jockey Darby Munro

Peter Pan was famous for winning the Melbourne Cup twice, in 1932 and 1934. In the running of the 1932 Melbourne Cup, Peter Pan, carrying Billy Duncan, was travelling at the rear of the pack when he clipped the heels of the horse in front and fell to his knees. Running behind him was his stablemate Dennis Boy who bumped the champion back onto his feet. From there, Peter Pan can be seen racing past the pack to take out the cup by a neck. When Peter Pan was led in to the winner's circle a grass stain was clearly visible on his face. In 1933 Peter Pan fought a near fatal viral disease that swept Sydney's racing stables and did not contest the Melbourne Cup. Frank McGrath Snr. personally nursed the great horse back to health. Peter Pan won his 1934 Melbourne Cup carrying Darby Munro at 9st 10 lb on his back and from an outside draw on a heavy track, hence his long odds of 14/1. In 1932 he also won the VRC Derby and the MacKinnon Stakes.

To win two Melbourne Cups is a rare feat, and this with his fine record gained him a place in the Australian Racing Hall of Fame. In 1935, Peter Pan suffered a recurrence of the illness that nearly killed him in 1933. Once again, Frank McGrath Snr. nursed him back to health but the horse was not his old self. Out of loyalty to the enormous public following that Peter Pan had gained, Rodney R. Dangar and Frank McGrath Snr reluctantly agreed to start Peter Pan in the 1935 Melbourne Cup. The great horse carried 10st 5 lb (the weight carried by Carbine to win the 1890 Melbourne Cup but finished 13th. He was immediately retired to stud.

Peter Pan stood at Rodney R. Dangar's country property Baroona, Whittingham, Singleton, New South Wales where he exclusively covered his owner's mares. His stud career was cut short when he broke his leg in 1941 and was destroyed. Peter Pan is buried at Baroona, Whittingham, Singleton, New South Wales.

Peter Pan sired the stakeswinners Grampian, Peter and Precept, who won the Moonee Valley Stakes and VRC Derby. Peter won the Williamstown Cup and placed 2nd in the 1944 Melbourne Cup