Man O' War - Original Release

Few horse names evoke so much admiration as does the name Man O' War.  Foaled in 1917 and named for submarine that debuted for the Great War, this 16.2-hand, copper chestnut with a little round star and faint stripe became the great racehorse the world has known, according to many sources.  His owner, Samuel Riddle, who was new to racing, took great care of his star colt, not allowing him to race in the Kentucky Derby because he believed it was too early in a horse's life for him to run that distance.  He handily won the Preakness and Belmont, though, and then beat the one-year-older Triple Crown Winner Sir Barton in a match race by 7 lengths, leading the whole way.

Riddle retired Man O' War after that race, refusing to put him through carrying the huge weights handicappers insisted he'd have to carry to make the race fair to bettors.  Instead, he brought the four-year-old to stud, where he became the most prolific sire of Thoroughbred champions in history.  With the care of Mr. Riddle and the superb grooms he hired, Man O' War lived to be 30 years old.  Riddle commissioned a life-sized statue of him to stand over his grave, and after Riddle's death, the property that included Man O' War's (and his son War Admiral's) graves was donated to the city of Lexington to become a park.  In the early 1970s, the horses were re-interred at the newly developed Kentucky Horse Park, where you can visit them today.

This fellow is Near Mint with a tiny, light scratch (only into the shading) on his left neck, and a neat round of "separation dappling" which often occurs on chestnut-coated models of this era, where faint, lighter dapples can be seen in the coat.  His look intentional and give him extra depth of color to what's usually a somewhat boring coat color.  He features a neatly stenciled star, very little muzzle shading, and dark inner ears.  USA stamp.

Size:  Traditional

Breyer Model #47