Sir Gaylord

Sir Gaylord (February 12, 1959 – May 10, 1981) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who later became a successful sire.

He was bred and raced by Christopher Chenery. Sir Gaylord was sired by the British-bred, American-raced Turn-To out of the mare Somethingroyal and was therefore the half-brother of Secretariat.

One of the leading two-year-old colts of 1961, Sir Gaylord was the favorite going into the 1962 Kentucky Derby. Shortly before the Derby, on May 4, he suffered a hairline fracture of the sesamoid bone in his right foreleg during a workout which ended his racing career.^[1]

Sir Gaylord was successful as a sire. He stood at stud in the United States until 1972, when he was sent to Haras du Quesnay (France). His best-known progeny included:

• Sir Ivor (1965) – 1968 Epsom Derby winner and champion broodmare sire. Sir Ivor was the sire of Sir Tristram a champion sire in Australia and New Zealand, as was his son Zabeel.
• Habitat (1966), a top-level stakes winner in England and France and also a successful sire.^[2]

He died in France of kidney failure on May 10, 1981 aged 22.