PEDIGREE

Man o' War, born at August Belmont II's Nursery Stud in 1917, was a son of the leading sire Fair Play, and Mahubah, a daughter of the English Triple Crown winner Rock Sand [GB].

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Man o' War's sire, the golden chestnut Fair Play, was an exceptional racehorse, however his race record was affected by one of those extraordinary strokes of luck that seem to plague horses of above average ability -- namely, he arrived in the same year as a superstar.  Fair Play had the misfortune of being born in the foal crop of Colin, one of the best American racehorses of the 20th century.  He spent much of his two and three year old seasons chasing Colin, then was exported to England to try his luck there.  By that time, temperamental Fair Play was somewhat jaded and track-sour.  His races were far below the caliber one would expect from his earlier form.

 Belmont returned Fair Play to the USA for breeding.  At stud, Fair Play's success was phenomenal, and he is considered one of the pivotal American sires of the turn of the century, along with Domino and Ben Brush.  Apart from his swift youngsters who had the ability to pass on their speed, Fair Play sired exceptional jumpers.  This talent was passed to Man o' War as well.

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Fair Play's moody temperament was an inheritance from his sire. Hastings, winner of the Belmont Stakes, who was very fast with lots of stamina, but proved difficult to train.  He was a rogue who tried to savage other racers and attacked his handlers repeatedly.  Hastings was the half-brother of another classic winner, Kentucky Derby winner Plaudit.

Fair Play's dam, Fairy Gold was an exceptional breeder, producing champions Friar Rock and Golden Measure [GB], stakes winner Fair Gain, winner Flittergold, stakes-placed Farrier, producer St. Lucre, and was the second dam of stakes winners Rock View and Dark Legend.

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Mahubah, Man o' War's dam, was lightly raced, only starting five times, winning once.  This followed a pattern established by August Belmont, her breeder.  He wasn't particularly interested in racing his fillies, preferring to concentrate on breeding them.  Mahubah's confirmation resembled that of her sire Rock Sand.  She was gentle, but exceedingly nervous (Man o' War was said to have inherited Mahubah's tendency to fret.  When stabled, he paced his stall.  When laying down to sleep, Man o' War would chew his hooves, much like a nervous person might chew their fingernails.)  The only horse Mahubah was bred to was Fair Play.  Her dam, Merry Token, was a stakes winner.  Merry Token, like her daughter, was a bay.  Mahubah had a stakes-winning half-brother named Sand Mole who became a sire of modest stakes winners.

Mizpah, Mahubah's granddam, was also the dam of stakes winner Tanzmeister, the broodmare sire of multiple stakes winner Purchase. Purchase was renown for his confirmation and good looks.

Fair Play and Mahubah gained great fame in the horseracing world as the sire and dam of Man o' War, but he wasn't their only issue.

At the time of Man o' War's birth in 1917, he had one sibling, an older sister named Masda.  She was born in 1915 and was extremely fast.  Masda won a number of races, including stakes races.  She was considered exceptionally swift, but very temperamental.  As a broodmare, Masda produced three stakes winners in Dazzler, Meada and Incandescent.  Her son Brilliant was stakes placed.  Meada was the sire of 1949 co-champion sprinter Delegate.  Incandescent was the second dam of Triple Crown winner Assault.  Irish champion Solford is also one of Masda's descendants.  Miesque [FR], champion in the United States, England, and France, is another.  Miesque was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.

Man o' War's brother Playfellow, born in 1918, was a disappointment.  He ran sensationally in his first two starts as a two year old, smothering his opposition with a burst of speed.  His time for the mile (1:36 3/5) was remarkably fast for the era.  As his career progressed he slowed down and lost to inferior horses.  Playfellow never regained his brilliant form or won again.  The day Man o' War won the Lawrence Realization Stakes by an estimated 100 lengths, Playfellow came in last in the preceding race.  He didn't produce much as a stud either, although admittedly he had a limited opportunity to do so.

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In 1919 Man o' War's brother My Play was born.  My Play was a extremely quick colt too, though he matured later than his siblings.  He was an excellent handicap horse.  Among other stakes wins, My Play won the prestigious Jockey Club Gold Cup.  In the stud My Play had a very short career, starting at the age of six and dying at the age of eleven, but he was the sire of the 1933 champion three-year-old colt Head Play.  Head Play's granddaughter Spectacular was the dam of Horse of the Year Spectacular Bid.  Another descendant, My Play's granddaughter Floradora, was the dam of champion Star Pilot.

The last offspring of the Fair Play / Mahubah cross was the delicate filly Mirabelle, born in 1920.  Mirabelle was raced twice, unplaced, at two.  She was highly nervous and an erratic breeder.  Although she produced a handful of  minor stakes winners, her most successful  descendant was 1988 French champion three-year-old colt, Fijar Tango, through the progeny of her daughter First Love.

Mahubah became barren in 1921 and never foaled again, despite every attempt made by experts in the industry.  When the Nursery Stud was dispersed in 1925, Mahubah, Fair Play and Mirabelle all went to the same bidder, Elmendorf Farm.  The owners of Elmendorf, the Wideners, treated Man o' War's family like royalty. Mirabelle was pastured with her pensioned mother to keep Mahubah company.

Fair Play died in 1926.  Mahubah died in 1931.  They were buried next to one another on Elmendorf, which has been renamed Normandy Farm.  A statue of golden Fair Play still gazes haughtily over the countryside.  Mahubah is buried at his feet.