THE ISINGLASS FAMILY
This is the last family that typically produces Thoroughbreds with angular, “framey” conformation. They are muscular yet balanced. This is also the first Birdcatcher family to contain stallions with chronic soundness problems who were nonetheless bred because of their capability for speed.
Star Shoot 1898 (by Isinglass out of Astrology, by a Touchstone-bred sire but carrying a good deal of Herod). This horse represents a nice blend of sprinter muscularity while yet retaining level balance, visible “frame” and excellent bone.
Sir Barton 1916 (by Star Shoot out of Lady Sterling, a granddaughter of the great Herod-line champion Hindoo, and tracing to Matchem in tail-female). The first winner of the Triple Crown and possessed of a wonderful pedigree, this horse should have epitomized the ideal of speed combined with toughness. Unfortunately, he suffered from chronic hoof cracks, perhaps a factor in his 1920 loss in a famous match race against Man o’ War. Forgotten thereafter by the public, he spent most of the next decade at Fort Robinson, Nebraska, as a U.S. Army remount sire, and near the end of his life on a Wyoming ranch where he sired “usin’ hosses.”
Swynford 1907 (by John O'Gaunt out of Canterbury Pilgrim, a Touchstone-bred mare tracing to Herod in tailfemale). Though a lovely horse with a pleasant temperament, and like Sir Barton possessed of a goodly amount of nonEclipse blood through his dam, Swynford was retired to stud when he broke a fetlock at 4 years of age, having started only 12 times.
Gallorette 1942 (by Challenger ll out of Gallette, a Teddy-family mare with close-up St. Simon, tracing directly to Regulus and Flying Childers several times without going through Eclipse in tailfemale). I present this mare as the best representative of her bloodline. Gallorette beat almost all the colts who challenged her, including the brilliant Stymie. She exemplifies ideal Thoroughbred conformation and raced sound through the end of her 6-year-old year, compiling an “iron horse” record of 72 starts in which she won or placed 54 times.