EARLY HORSES
Ace of Hearts (1904, 14:2 hands) was by The Dundserstadt Horse by Sykes Rondo, out of Queen by Dedier (a.k.a. Old D.J.). This early foundational stallion appears somewhere in the pedigree of all the horses named in this article. Correctly conformed, substantial and sound, he was a noted match racer in his day but was also an easy horse to handle, known for his levelheaded temperament. Zantanon (1917, 15 hands) was by Little Joe by Traveler, out of Jeanette who was a granddaughter of Big Jim. Jeanette’s dam was out of a mare by Sykes Rondo. Horses of this breeding are speedy because Old Bald Peg, the Hobby-Barb who is a major fount of Thoroughbred short speed, lies buried multiple times at the root of their pedigrees. Zantanon was known as “The Man o’ War of Mexico” and outran everything matched against him at tracks and ranches in the Southwest. Zantanon is the sire of King P-234.
Chicaro Bill (1930, 15:1 hands) was by Chicaro, a 16-hand Thoroughbred of the Touchstone branch of the Eclipse family, and out of Verna Grace by Little Joe. Verna Grace’s dam was a Thoroughbred mare called Johnny Wilkens by Horace H., but not related to the stallion Johnny Wilkins stood by the JA. Chicaro, a son of the imported *Chicle, was the first Thoroughbred used at the King Ranch but he had sired numerous foals before, including Flying Bob. He is the grandsire or great-grandsire of several horses in this article. He exemplifies conformation predisposing to racing ability, with a more sloping pelvis, longer cannon bones and longer back than would be desired in a cutter, reiner or rope horse.