In late September 1929, Sickle arrived at Joseph E. Widener’s Elmendorf Farm near Lexington, Kentucky, on a three-year lease from Lord Derby. Lord Derby was known for breeding and racing sons of Phalaris and Selene, a Chaucer offspring. Even before being unloaded from the USS Minnewaska in New York and transported by train to Kentucky, Sickle had already gained unexpected popularity, with his filly record fully booked for the next three years.
Sickle was the first of three consecutive stakes winners by Selene, noted as the best filly at both two and three years old. Phalaris was a highly influential stallion, and Selene’s early success as a dam made Sickle a horse destined for the spotlight. While leased to Widener’s Elmendorf Ranch, Sickle’s breeding rights were limited to 35 mares annually, with a stud fee of $1,000.
Most breeders endorsing Sickle were initially unfamiliar with the horse himself but were drawn by the impressive reputations of his sire and dam. Selene, in contrast, was a small yet talented mare who wasn’t nominated for classic races due to her size. Instead of competing in the Oaks at Epsom, she ran in the Coronation Cup, finishing second to the older horse Franklin. Had she been allowed classic nominations, she likely would have won at least one. Over three years, Selene won eight of 11 races, including the Nassau Stakes, Park Hill Stakes, and Liverpool Autumn Cup against older horses.
Despite hopes for a stronger four-year-old campaign, Lord Derby sent Selene directly to stud, where she produced Sickle on February 8, 1924. Sickle was a medium-sized, well-balanced stallion who won three stakes, including the 1926 Prince of Wales Stakes as a two-year-old, and placed second in both the Middle Park and July Stakes. By the end of his juvenile year, Sickle was ranked second in the British free handicap behind The Satrap. However, his three-year-old season was marred by injury, preventing any wins and leading to a third-place finish in the 2,000 Guineas and fifth in the Derby. He never raced again and only entered stud at Lord Derby’s Woodland Stud at age five in 1929.
During this time, Selene produced two more stakes winners, bringing her record to three foals—all stakes winners. Sickle’s younger brother, Faramond, won the important Middle Park Stakes as a two-year-old in 1927. Another half-brother, Hunter’s Moon, was physically large but underpowered at two, yet later won the Newmarket Stakes and placed fourth in the Derby before being sold to an Argentine breeder.
By the end of 1929, Faramond was put up for sale at 10,000 pounds (roughly $50,000) and was eventually purchased by American breeder Hal Price Headley for £4,000 ($20,000), then brought to Kentucky’s Beaumont Ranch. Meanwhile, Sickle was still for sale at a high price amidst emerging stallions like Fairway who could replace Phalaris.
Widener, after exploring stud farms across Europe, found Sickle most appealing and entered a three-year lease-purchase agreement with Lord Derby, including an option to buy for $100,000. However, this came just weeks before the stock market crash on October 28, 1929. Sickle joined Elmendorf’s stud in spring 1930, with his first British-born foals racing in 1932, including two stakes winners. Following this, Widener exercised his option to buy Sickle outright.
Around the same time, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected president, a period that coincided with Sickle’s growing popularity and success. He led the general stallion list in 1936 and 1938, with his half-brother Faramond finishing second in 1938. Hunter’s Moon flourished in Argentina, but perhaps the most famous sibling was Hyperion, who won the 1933 Derby and St. Leger and became one of the greatest stallions in history.
Sickle sired notable horses like Stage Hand, winner of the Santa Anita Derby and Handicap; Leaping Reward, a Latonia Derby winner; Brevity, winner of the Champagne and Florida Derbies; and Cravat, who placed second in the Preakness and third in the Belmont. His legacy continued through his son Unbreakable, who sired Polynesian—winner of the 1945 Preakness and influential sire of the legendary Native Dancer.
This enduring male lineage includes Raise a Native, Triple Crown winner Affirmed, leading sire Alidar, and the legendary Mr. Prospector, marking a profound impact on generations of Thoroughbred racing.
Fan Take: This story highlights the profound legacy of bloodlines in horse racing and how the meticulous breeding of horses like Sickle shapes the sport’s future. Understanding the historical impact of these stallions reminds fans why pedigree matters and how it continues to influence competition at the highest levels.
