166-765: Santa Anita Park is a Thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California , United States. It offers some of the prominent horse racing events in the United States during early fall, winter and in spring. The track is home to numerous prestigious races including both the Santa Anita Derby and the Santa Anita Handicap as well as hosting the Breeders' Cup in 1986, 1993, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019, and 2023. In 1984, Santa Anita
332-416: A gumshoe detective . Other sources reported that Gummo was the family's hypochondriac, having been the sickliest of the brothers in childhood, and therefore wore rubber overshoes , called gumshoes, in all kinds of weather. Still others reported that Milton was the troupe's best dancer, and dance shoes tended to have rubber soles. Groucho stated that the source of the name was Gummo wearing galoshes. Whatever
498-529: A male line to the present; the Byerley Turk's male line was preserved by Herod (or King Herod), a great-great-grandson; and the male line of the Darley Arabian owes its existence to great-great-grandson Eclipse , who was the dominant racehorse of his day and never defeated. One genetic study indicates that 95% of all male Thoroughbreds trace their direct male line (via the Y chromosome ) to
664-477: A "low point", where all seems lost for both the Marxes and the romantic leads. He instituted the innovation of testing the film's script before live audiences before filming began, to perfect the comic timing, and to retain jokes that earned laughs and replace those that did not. Thalberg restored Harpo's harp solos and Chico's piano solos, which had been omitted from Duck Soup . The first Marx Brothers/Thalberg film
830-419: A 2001 study, 78% of alleles in the population can be traced to 30 foundation animals, 27 of which are male. Ten foundation mares account for 72% of maternal (tail-female) lineages, and, as noted, one stallion appears in 95% of tail male lineages. Thoroughbred pedigrees are generally traced through the maternal line, called the distaff line. The line that a horse comes from is a critical factor in determining
996-464: A Mangy Lover (1964) and The Groucho Letters (1967). Groucho and Chico briefly appeared in a 1957 color short film promoting The Saturday Evening Post entitled Showdown at Ulcer Gulch , directed by animator Shamus Culhane , Chico's son-in-law. Groucho, Chico, and Harpo worked together (in separate scenes) in The Story of Mankind (1957). In 1959, the three began production of Deputy Seraph ,
1162-493: A TV series starring Harpo and Chico as blundering angels, and Groucho (in every third episode) as their boss, the " Deputy Seraph ". The project was abandoned when Chico was found to be uninsurable (and incapable of memorizing his lines) due to severe arteriosclerosis . On March 8 of that year, Chico and Harpo starred as bumbling thieves in The Incredible Jewel Robbery , a half-hour pantomimed episode of
1328-594: A candle burning at both ends. During this period Chico and Groucho starred in a radio comedy series, Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel . Though the series was short lived, much of the material developed for it was used in subsequent films. The show's scripts and recordings were believed lost until copies of the scripts were found in the Library of Congress in the 1980s. After publication in a book they were performed with Marx Brothers' impersonators for BBC Radio . Their last Paramount film, Duck Soup (1933), directed by
1494-467: A career. Other celebrity fans of the comedy ensemble have been Antonin Artaud , The Beatles , Anthony Burgess , Alice Cooper , Robert Crumb , Salvador Dalí , Eugene Ionesco , George Gershwin (who dressed up as Groucho once), René Goscinny , Cédric Klapisch , J. D. Salinger and Kurt Vonnegut . Salvador Dalí once made a drawing depicting Harpo. The epic graphic novel, Cerebus
1660-604: A common ancestor; in 19 mare lines studied, the haplotypes revealed that they traced to only 15 unique foundation mares, suggesting either a common ancestor for foundation mares thought to be unrelated or recording errors in the GSB. By the end of the 18th century, the English Classic races had been established. These are the St. Leger Stakes , founded in 1776, The Oaks , founded in 1779, and The Derby in 1780. Later,
1826-557: A contract with Paramount Pictures and embarked on their film career at Paramount's studios in New York City's Astoria section. Their first two released films (after an unreleased short silent film titled Humor Risk ) were adaptations of the Broadway shows The Cocoanuts (1929) and Animal Crackers (1930). Both were written by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind . Production then shifted to Hollywood, beginning with
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#17327940960921992-514: A decreased chance of injury. Studies have shown that track surfaces, horseshoes with toe grabs, use of certain legal medications, and high-intensity racing schedules may also contribute to a high injury rate. One promising trend is the development of synthetic surfaces for racetracks, and one of the first tracks to install such a surface, Turfway Park in Florence, Kentucky , saw its rate of fatal breakdowns drop from 24 in 2004–05 to three in
2158-590: A distance of "about" 6½ furlongs (exact distance is 1,408.5 yards (1,287.9 m)), as well as longer races at 1.25 miles, 1.5 miles and 1 mile 1,232 yards. This type of track is one of the few of its kind in America. In August 2020, Santa Anita broke ground on a new backstretch turf chute. The new turf chute is expected to be finished in time for the 2020/2021 winter meet, and will be used primarily for turf sprints at distances up to 6½ furlongs. Santa Anita effectively ended downhill turf sprints following an incident in
2324-482: A drainage problem with the new material, but intensive maintenance and the addition of a liquid binder greatly improved the artificial surface. Santa Anita restored the all natural dirt surface in December 2010. Santa Anita occupies 320 acres (1.3 km). It has a 1,100-foot (340 m)-long grandstand, which is a historic landmark that seats 26,000 guests. The grandstand facade is rendered in an Art Deco style and
2490-636: A factor in the decision. TVG , which acquired Horse Racing TV (HRTV) in 2015, is a 24-hour television based multimedia network dedicated to horse racing which features racing action from many of the sport's greatest racetracks around the world. TVG broadcasts live from Santa Anita Park. Talents from HRTV are now employed by TVG Network or XBTV (Xpressbet TV). Santa Anita talent now host the simulcast feed. Expert American television personality commentators employed by HRTV: Santa Anita Simulcast Hosts Megan has appeared as an on-air analyst at TVG, Turfway Park, Ellis Park, Horse Racing Radio Network (HRRN) and
2656-479: A family of artists, and their musical talent was encouraged from an early age. Harpo was particularly talented, learning to play an estimated six different instruments throughout his career. He became a dedicated harpist, which gave him his nickname. Chico was an excellent pianist, Groucho a guitarist and singer, and Zeppo a vocalist. They got their start in vaudeville , where their uncle Albert Schönberg performed as Al Shean of Gallagher and Shean . Groucho's debut
2822-698: A guest appearance to introduce the Tonight Show's new host, Johnny Carson . Around 1960, acclaimed director Billy Wilder considered writing and directing a new Marx Brothers film. Tentatively titled A Day at the U.N. , it was to be a comedy of international intrigue set around the United Nations building in New York. Wilder had discussions with Groucho and Gummo, but the project was put on hold because of Harpo's ill health, and abandoned when Chico died on October 11, 1961, from arteriosclerosis , at
2988-408: A highly distinctive stage persona. After the group essentially disbanded in 1950, Groucho went on to a successful second career in television, while Harpo and Chico appeared less prominently. The two younger brothers, Gummo and Zeppo, never developed their stage characters to the same extent as the elder three. Both left the act to pursue business careers at which they were successful, and for a time ran
3154-502: A keen racegoer and owner, and Anne, royal support was given to racing and the breeding of race horses. With royal support, horse racing became popular with the public, and by 1727, a newspaper devoted to racing, the Racing Calendar , was founded. Devoted exclusively to the sport, it recorded race results and advertised upcoming meets. All modern Thoroughbreds trace their origin to one of three stallions imported into England from
3320-495: A large theatrical agency through which they represented their brothers and others. Gummo was not in any of the movies; Zeppo appeared in the first five films in relatively straight (non-comedic) roles. The early performing lives of the brothers owed much to their mother, Minnie Marx (the sister of vaudeville comic Al Shean ), who acted as their manager until her death in 1929. The Marx Brothers were born in New York City ,
3486-528: A lifesize bronze of Zenyatta was unveiled prior to the running of the race renamed in her honor. Since 1950, Santa Anita Park has annually presented the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award to a rider who demonstrates high standards of personal and professional conduct, on and off the racetrack. South African native Trevor Denman served as Santa Anita's full-time announcer from the 1983 Oak Tree meet until his retirement from
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#17327940960923652-424: A majority of animals who are prone to bleeding from the lungs ( exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage ), 10% with low fertility, and 5% with abnormally small hearts. Thoroughbreds also tend to have smaller hooves relative to their body mass than other breeds, with thin soles and walls and a lack of cartilage mass, which contributes to foot soreness, the most common source of lameness in racehorses. One argument for
3818-582: A meet in Milan was founded in 1842. Modern flat racing came to Rome in 1868. Later importations, including the Derby Stakes winners Ellington (1856) and Melton (1885), came to Italy before the end of the 19th century. Modern Thoroughbred breeding in Italy is mostly associated with the breeding program of Federico Tesio , who started his breeding program in 1898. Tesio was the breeder of Nearco , one of
3984-499: A plan In April 2007 to develop an 830,000 square foot commercial, retail, and office complex in the south parking area, where the barracks that housed interned Japanese Americans during World War II are located. The proposal planned to tear down the South Ticket Gate and the 1938 Saddling Barn, and to install a simulcast facility in the center of the historic grandstand. In April 2008, a plan was approved to use large parts of
4150-547: A race in the United States, an average of two horses per day. The state of California reported a particularly high rate of injury, 3.5 per 1000 starts. Other countries report lower rates of injury, with the United Kingdom having 0.9 injuries/1,000 starts (1990–1999) and the courses in Victoria, Australia , producing a rate of 0.44 injuries/1,000 starts (1989–2004). Thoroughbreds also have other health concerns, including
4316-524: A renaming of many stakes races held at the fall meeting that were formerly associated with Oak Tree. For example, the Norfolk, Goodwood, Yellow Ribbon, Lady's Secret, and Oak Leaf, were renamed at the FrontRunner, Awesome Again, Rodeo Drive, Zenyatta and Chandelier respectively. Prosperity continued at Santa Anita throughout the 1970s and the 1980s. In 1984, Santa Anita hosted the equestrian events at
4482-578: A row. After the American Civil War , the emphasis in American racing changed from the older style of four-mile (6 km) races in which the horses ran in at least two heats. The new style of racing involved shorter races not run in heats, over distances from five furlongs up to 1.5 miles (2.4 km). This development meant a change in breeding practices, as well as the age that horses were raced, with younger horses and sprinters coming to
4648-454: A runaway mule. The audience hurried out to see what was happening. Groucho was angered by the interruption and, when the audience returned, he made snide comments at their expense, including "Nacogdoches is full of roaches" and "the jackass is the flower of Tex-ass". Instead of becoming angry, the audience laughed. The family then realized that it had potential as a comic troupe. (However, in his autobiography Harpo Speaks , Harpo Marx stated that
4814-565: A short back, good depth of hindquarters, a lean body, and long legs. Thoroughbreds are classified among the "hot-blooded" breeds, which are animals bred for agility and speed and are generally considered spirited and bold. Thoroughbreds born in the Northern Hemisphere are officially considered a year older on the first of January each year; those born in the Southern Hemisphere officially are one year older on
4980-456: A short film that was included in Paramount's twentieth anniversary documentary, The House That Shadows Built (1931), in which they adapted a scene from I'll Say She Is . Their third feature-length film, Monkey Business (1931), was their first movie not based on a stage production. Horse Feathers (1932), in which the brothers satirized the American college system and Prohibition ,
5146-587: A significant portion of their time in Santa Anita waiting in line for meals or to use the sanitary facilities. The Assembly Center remained open for seven months, and in the meantime, Japanese-Americans took up jobs in camp at the camouflage net factory, the hospital or various administrative departments, and set up schools to ensure their children's education would not be interrupted. Transfer to War Relocation Authority camps began on August 26, 1942, when 901 Japanese-Americans left for Poston , Arizona, and over
Santa Anita Park - Misplaced Pages Continue
5312-474: A stallion . Artificial insemination (AI) and embryo transfer (ET), though commonly used and allowable in many other horse breed registries, cannot be used with Thoroughbreds. One reason is that a greater possibility of error exists in assigning parentage with artificial insemination, and although DNA and blood testing eliminate many of those concerns, artificial insemination still requires more detailed record keeping. The main reason, however, may be economic;
5478-462: A stallion has a limited number of mares who can be serviced by live cover. Thus the practice prevents an oversupply of Thoroughbreds, although modern management still allows a stallion to live cover more mares in a season than was once thought possible. As an example, in 2008, the Australian stallion Encosta De Lago covered 227 mares. By allowing a stallion to cover only a couple of hundred mares
5644-438: A stooped walk. Harpo stopped speaking onstage and began to wear a red fright wig and carry a taxi-cab horn. Chico spoke with a fake Italian accent, developed off-stage to deal with neighborhood toughs, while Zeppo adopted the role of the romantic (and "peerlessly cheesy", according to James Agee ) straight man . The on-stage personalities of Groucho, Chico, and Harpo were said to have been based on their actual traits. Zeppo, on
5810-652: A successful businessman in San Francisco who greatly enhanced his wealth through an investment in the famous Comstock Lode . Baldwin became a successful breeder and owner of Thoroughbred racehorses and in 1904 built a racetrack adjacent to the present site. On February 4, 1909 the California State Legislature passed an anti-racetrack gambling bill known as the Walker–Otis Law . Similar in its goal to New York State's 1908 Hart–Agnew Law ,
5976-547: A third. Only 56,810 people were at the park for Santa Anita Derby Day 2007 to witness a Grade I event. In 1997, Santa Anita Park was acquired by Meditrust when it purchased the Santa Anita Companies for its unique real estate investment trust paired share corporate structure. Following the elimination of the special tax treatment accorded Pair Share REITs , Meditrust sold the track to Magna Entertainment Corp. In 2006, Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita cohosted
6142-503: A total of only 27 or 28 stallions from the 18th and 19th centuries. The mares used as foundation breeding stock came from a variety of breeds, some of which, such as the Irish Hobby , had developed in northern Europe prior to the 13th century. Other mares were of oriental breeding, including Barb, Turk and other bloodlines, although most researchers conclude that the number of Eastern mares imported into England during
6308-580: A total value of 43,033,881 guineas, making an average of 15,110 guineas per horse. Australian prices at auction during the 2007–2008 racing and breeding season were as follows: 1,223 Australian weanlings sold for a total of $ 31,352,000, an average of $ 25,635 each. Four thousand, nine hundred and three yearlings sold for a total value of A$ 372,003,961, an average of A$ 75,853. Five hundred two-year-olds sold for A$ 13,030,150, an average of A$ 26,060, and 2,118 broodmares totalled A$ 107,720,775, an average of A$ 50,860. Averages, however, can be deceiving. For example, at
6474-473: A year rather than the couple of thousand possible with artificial insemination, it also preserves the high prices paid for horses of the finest or most popular lineages. Concern exists that the closed stud book and tightly regulated population of the Thoroughbred is at risk of loss of genetic diversity because of the level of inadvertent inbreeding inevitable in such a small population. According to
6640-420: A young horse (including foals) may actually be beneficial to the overall soundness of the animal. This is because, during the training process, microfractures occur in the leg followed by bone remodeling. If the remodeling is given sufficient time to heal, the bone becomes stronger. If proper remodeling occurs before hard training and racing begins, the horse will have a stronger musculoskeletal system and will have
6806-415: A younger age than in the past and that had more speed. In the early 18th century, the emphasis had been on longer races, up to 4 miles (6.4 km), that were run in multiple heats. The older style of race favored older horses, but with the change in distances, younger horses became preferred. Selective breeding for speed and racing ability led to improvements in the size of horses and winning times by
Santa Anita Park - Misplaced Pages Continue
6972-569: Is a horse breed developed for horse racing . Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are considered " hot-blooded " horses that are known for agility, speed, and spirit. The Thoroughbred was developed in 17th- and 18th-century England, when native mares were crossbred with imported stallions of Arabian , Barb , and Turkoman breeding. All modern Thoroughbreds can trace their pedigrees to three stallions imported into England in
7138-692: Is a proper noun referring to this specific breed, though often not capitalized, especially in non-specialist publications, and outside the US. For example, the Australian Stud Book, The New York Times , and the BBC do not capitalize the word. Flat racing existed in England by at least 1174, when four-mile races took place at Smithfield , in London. Racing continued at fairs and markets throughout
7304-407: Is a large agribusiness , generating around $ 34 billion in revenue annually in the United States and providing about 470,000 jobs through a network of farms, training centers, and race tracks . Unlike a significant number of registered breeds, a horse cannot be registered as a Thoroughbred (with The Jockey Club registry) unless conceived by live cover , the witnessed natural mating of a mare and
7470-488: Is also a lifesize bronze of Seabiscuit in the walking ring at Seabiscuit Court; a similar bronze of John Henry was unveiled near the Seabiscuit statue in December 2009. Buried near the paddock is Emperor of Norfolk , the best horse Lucky Baldwin ever owned, along with three other great Baldwin horses: Volante, Silver Cloud , and Rey El Santa Anita, all four of them winners of the prestigious American Derby . In 2012,
7636-405: Is also used for show jumping and combined training because of its athleticism, and many retired and retrained race horses become fine family riding horses, dressage horses, and youth show horses. The larger horses are sought for hunter/jumper and dressage competitions, whereas the smaller horses are in demand as polo ponies. Thoroughbred horses are primarily bred for racing under saddle at
7802-407: Is largely the original from the 1930s. The track infield area, which resembles a park with picnic tables and large trees, can accommodate 50,000 or more guests. The Park also contains 61 barns, which house more than 2,000 horses, and an equine hospital. In 2000, the racetrack was named to America's "Most Endangered Historic Places" list. The Santa Anita Racetrack was determined eligible for listing in
7968-610: Is thought to be largely responsible for the gray coat color in Thoroughbreds. In all, about 160 stallions have been traced in the historical record as contributing to the creation of the Thoroughbred. The addition of horses of Eastern bloodlines, whether Arabian, Barb, or Turk, to the native English mares ultimately led to the creation of the General Stud Book (GSB) in 1791 and the practice of official registration of horses. According to Peter Willett, about 50% of
8134-403: Is very rare, but is a recognized color separate from gray. The face and lower legs may be marked with white, but white will generally not appear on the body. Coat patterns that have more than one color on the body, such as Pinto or Appaloosa , are not recognized by mainstream breed registries. Good-quality Thoroughbreds have a well-chiseled head on a long neck, high withers , a deep chest,
8300-541: The General Electric Theater on CBS. Groucho made a cameo appearance (uncredited, because of constraints in his NBC contract) in the last scene, and delivered the only line of dialogue ("We won't talk until we see our lawyer!"). According to a September 1947 article in Newsweek , Groucho, Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo all signed to appear as themselves in a biographical film entitled The Life and Times of
8466-539: The 1984 Olympics , and in 1985, the track set an attendance record of 85,527 people on Santa Anita Handicap Day. Recognizing the potential revenue boon to the State of California, the California Legislature expanded off track betting, bring operating betting parlors within closer driving distance of the race-day tracks. While the Santa Anita meeting could still draw large crowds, attendance had decreased by
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#17327940960928632-478: The 2,000 Guineas Stakes and the 1,000 Guineas Stakes were founded in 1809 and 1814. The 1,000 Guineas and the Oaks are restricted to fillies , but the others are open to racehorses of either sex aged three years. The distances of these races, ranging from one mile (1.6 km) to 1.75 miles (2.82 km), led to a change in breeding practices, as breeders concentrated on producing horses that could race at
8798-578: The American Civil War were both between Lexington and Lecompte. The first was held in 1854 in New Orleans and was won by Lecompte. Lexington's owner then challenged Lecompte's owner to a rematch, held in 1855 in New Orleans and won by Lexington. Both of these horses were sons of Boston, a descendant of Sir Archy. Lexington went on to a career as a breeding stallion, and led the sires list of number of winners for sixteen years, fourteen of them in
8964-676: The American Colonies was Bulle Rock , imported in 1730. Maryland and Virginia were the centers of Colonial Thoroughbred breeding, along with South Carolina and New York. During the American Revolution importations of horses from England practically stopped but were restarted after the signing of a peace treaty. Two important stallions were imported around the time of the Revolution; Messenger in 1788 and Diomed before that. Messenger left little impact on
9130-605: The American Film Institute (AFI) as among the top 100 comedy films , with two of them, Duck Soup (1933) and A Night at the Opera (1935), in the top fifteen. They are widely considered by critics, scholars and fans to be among the greatest and most influential comedians of the 20th century. The brothers were included in AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars list of the 25 greatest male stars of Classical Hollywood cinema,
9296-472: The COVID-19 outbreak , racing resumed without fans; two weeks later, racing was suspended until May 15, 2020. In early March 2019, all races were cancelled following the 21st fatality of the winter season; racing resumed late in the month. Races were postponed so that the dirt surface could be studied. Seven of the 21 deaths occurred during races on the dirt oval with nine happening during training on dirt and
9462-709: The Dutch Warmblood , Hanoverian , and Selle Français . Some warmblood registries note the percentage of Thoroughbred breeding, and many warmblood breeds have an open stud book that continues to allow Thoroughbred crossbreeding. Although Thoroughbreds are seen in the hunter-jumper world and in other disciplines, modern Thoroughbreds are primarily bred for speed, and racehorses have a very high rate of accidents as well as other health problems. One tenth of all Thoroughbreds suffer orthopedic problems, including fractures. Current estimates indicate that there are 1.5 career-ending breakdowns for every 1,000 horses starting
9628-500: The Middle Ages and into the reign of King James I of England . It was then that handicapping , a system of adding weight to attempt to equalize a horse's chances of winning as well as improved training procedures, began to be used. During the reigns of Charles II , William III , Anne , and George I , the foundation of the Thoroughbred was laid. The term "thro-bred" to describe horses was first used in 1713. Under Charles II,
9794-1079: The Morgan , a breed that went on to influence many of the gaited breeds in North America. Other common crosses with the Thoroughbred include crossbreeding with Arabian bloodlines to produce the Anglo-Arabian as well as with the Irish Draught to produce the Irish Sport Horse . Thoroughbreds have been foundation bloodstock for various Warmblood breeds due to their refinement and performance capabilities. Crossbred horses developed from Thoroughbreds, (informally categorized as "hot bloods" because of temperament) crossed on sturdy draft horse breeds, (classified as "cold bloods" for their more phlegmatic temperament) are known as "warmbloods," which are commonly seen in competitive events such as show jumping and dressage. Examples include
9960-517: The National Register of Historic Places in 2006, but continued to be threatened by developer's plans. A themed entertainment complex proposal was aborted, but there were new plans are in the works for the parking and support areas adjacent to the historic race track and grandstands. In 2006, there was a proposal to close Santa Anita Park and use its location as the site of a new retail/entertainment complex. The Arcadia City Council approved
10126-644: The Selective Service caught up with Marxes, and each was rejected except Gummo, who was drafted; he spent the war serving in Illinois. Following this, Zeppo (the youngest brother) joined the team. By this time, "The Four Marx Brothers" had begun to incorporate their unique style of comedy into their act and to develop their characters. Both Groucho's and Harpo's memoirs say that their now-famous on-stage personae were created by Al Shean . Groucho began to wear his trademark greasepaint mustache and to use
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#173279409609210292-617: The Sunshine Millions , a day of competition with $ 3.6 million in stakes races between horses bred in the State of Florida and those bred in the State of California . At Santa Anita standardbred racing was also conducted. At Santa Anita Park's European-style paddock there are statues of jockeys George Woolf , Johnny Longden , Bill Shoemaker and Laffit Pincay Jr. plus a memorial bust of announcer Joe Hernandez and one of trainer Charlie Whittingham with his dog, Toby. There
10458-457: The U.S. Army used Thoroughbred stallions as part of their Remount Service , which was designed to improve the stock of cavalry mounts. Thoroughbreds began to be imported to France in 1817 and 1818 with the importation of a number of stallions from England, but initially the sport of horse racing did not prosper in France. The first Jockey Club in France was not formed until 1833, and in 1834
10624-535: The United States before Messenger and Diomed, became important broodmare and dam sires by producing foundation stock , and their daughters and granddaughters were bred primarily to Diomed . After the American Revolution, the center of Thoroughbred breeding and racing in the United States moved west. Kentucky and Tennessee became significant centers. Andrew Jackson , later President of
10790-567: The gallop . Thoroughbreds are often known for being either distance runners or sprinters, and their conformation usually reflects what they have been bred to do. Sprinters are usually well muscled, while stayers , or distance runners, tend to be smaller and slimmer. The size of the horse is one consideration for buyers and trainers when choosing a potential racehorse. Although there have been champion racehorses of every height, from Zenyatta who stood 17.2 hands, to Man o' War and Secretariat who both stood at 16.2 hands, down to Hyperion , who
10956-496: The 'establishment', [and] at his hilarious biting best with his film soundtrack one-line zingers on his love life, his son, politics, big business, society, etc.". Village Voice critic Robert Christgau was less enthusiastic, however, grading the LP a C-plus and recommending it only to fanatics of the comedy group, also expressing displeasure with the interspersing of small portions of "annoying music" and Owens's commentary. In 1970,
11122-424: The 100 years after 1660 was small. The 19th-century researcher Bruce Lowe identified 50 mare "families" in the Thoroughbred breed, later augmented by other researchers to 74. However, it is probable that fewer genetically unique mare lines existed than Lowe identified. Recent studies of the mtDNA of Thoroughbred mares indicate that some of the mare lines thought to be genetically distinct may actually have had
11288-709: The 17th and 18th centuries, and to a larger number of foundation mares of mostly English breeding. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Thoroughbred breed spread throughout the world; they were imported into North America starting in 1730 and into Australia, Europe, Japan and South America during the 19th century. Millions of Thoroughbreds exist, and around 100,000 foals are registered each year worldwide. Thoroughbreds are used mainly for racing, but are also bred for other riding disciplines such as show jumping , combined training , dressage , polo , and fox hunting . They are also commonly crossbred to create new breeds or to improve existing ones, and have been influential in
11454-494: The 1830s, the Australian colonies began to import Thoroughbreds, almost exclusively for racing purposes, and to improve the local stock. Each colony formed its own racing clubs and held its own races. Gradually, the individual clubs were integrated into one overarching organization, now known as the Australian Racing Board . Thoroughbreds from Australia were imported into New Zealand in the 1840s and 1850s, with
11620-510: The 1920s, the Marx Brothers had become one of America's favorite theatrical acts, with their sharp and bizarre sense of humor. They satirized high society and human hypocrisy, and they became famous for their improvisational comedy in free-form scenarios. A famous early instance was when Harpo arranged to chase a fleeing chorus girl across the stage during the middle of a Groucho monolog, to see if Groucho would be thrown off. However, to
11786-556: The 1940s onward Chico and Harpo appeared separately and together in nightclubs and casinos. Chico fronted a big band , the Chico Marx Orchestra (with 17-year-old Mel Tormé as a vocalist). Groucho made several radio appearances during the 1940s and starred in You Bet Your Life , which ran from 1947 to 1961 on NBC radio and television. He authored several books, including Groucho and Me (1959), Memoirs of
11952-522: The 2007 Fall Yearling sale at Keeneland, 3,799 young horses sold for a total of $ 385,018,600, for an average of $ 101,347 per horse. However, that average sales price reflected a variation that included at least 19 horses that sold for only $ 1,000 each and 34 that sold for over $ 1,000,000 apiece. The highest price paid at auction for a Thoroughbred was set in 2006 at $ 16,000,000 for a two-year-old colt named The Green Monkey . Record prices at auction often grab headlines, though they do not necessarily reflect
12118-484: The 2019 San Simeon Stakes ; under their plans, the hillside turf course will continue to be used for distance races. To comply with a State of California mandate, Santa Anita replaced its dirt racing surface with a new synthetic surface , a mixture of silica sand, synthetic fibers, elastic fiber, granulated rubber and a wax coating. The new track opened for training on Sept 4, 2007 and hosted its first live race on Sept 26, 2007. The track lost 11 racing dates in 2008 due to
12284-587: The American Thoroughbred, but is considered a foundation sire of the Standardbred breed. Diomed, who won the Derby Stakes in 1780, had a significant impact on American Thoroughbred breeding, mainly through his son Sir Archy . John F. Wall, a racing historian, said that Sir Archy was the "first outstanding stallion we can claim as native American." He was retired from the racetrack because of lack of opponents. Medley and Shark, who arrived in
12450-686: The British Racing Authority states there were 8,556 horses in training for flat racing for 2007, and those horses started 60,081 times in 5,659 races. Statistically, fewer than 50% of all race horses ever win a race, and less than 1% ever win a stakes race such as the Kentucky Derby or Epsom Derby . Any horse who has yet to win a race is known as a maiden. Horses finished with a racing career that are not suitable for breeding purposes often become riding horses or other equine companions. A number of agencies exist to help make
12616-653: The California law resulted in the permanent closing of the Baldwin racetrack. In 1912 the racing facility burned to the ground. In 1933, California legalized parimutuel wagering and several investor groups worked to open racetracks. In the San Francisco area, a group headed by Dr. Charles H "Doc" Strub was having trouble locating a site. In the Los Angeles area, a group headed by movie producer Hal Roach
12782-500: The Darley Arabian. However, in modern Thoroughbred pedigrees, most horses have more crosses to the Godolphin Arabian (13.8%) than to the Darley Arabian (6.5%) when all lines of descent (maternal and paternal) are considered. Further, as a percentage of contributions to current Thoroughbred bloodlines, Curwen's Bay Barb (4.2%) appears more often than the Byerley Turk (3.3%). The majority of modern Thoroughbreds alive trace to
12948-520: The English Thoroughbred's General Stud Book was one of the first breed registries created, in modern usage horse breeders consider it incorrect to refer to any animal as a thoroughbred except for horses belonging to the Thoroughbred breed. Nonetheless, breeders of other species of purebred animals may use the two terms interchangeably, though thoroughbred is less often used for describing purebred animals of other species. The term
13114-602: The GSB. The act was not repealed until 1949, after which a horse was only required to show that all its ancestors to the ninth generation were registered in a recognized Stud Book. Many felt that the Jersey Act hampered the development of the British Thoroughbred by preventing breeders in the United Kingdom from using new bloodlines developed outside the British Isles. The first Thoroughbred horse in
13280-650: The Marx Brothers . In addition to being a non-fiction biography of the Marxes, the film would have featured the brothers re-enacting much of their previously unfilmed material from both their vaudeville and Broadway eras. The film, had it been made, would have been the first performance by the Brothers as a quartet since 1933. The five brothers made only one television appearance together, in 1957, on an early incarnation of The Tonight Show called Tonight! America After Dark , hosted by Jack Lescoulie . Five years later (October 1, 1962) after Jack Paar's tenure, Groucho made
13446-424: The Marx Brothers' Paramount films were collected and released on an LP album, The Original Voice Tracks from Their Greatest Movies , by Decca Records . The excerpts were interspersed with voice-over introductions by disc jockey and voice actor Gary Owens . The album was praised by Billboard as "a program of zany antics"; the magazine highlighted the excerpts of Groucho, who was "way ahead of his time in spoofing
13612-445: The Marx Brothers. Most of the comedians provided their own voices for their animated counterparts, except for Fields and Chico Marx (both of whom had died) and Zeppo Marx (who had left show business in 1933). Voice actor Paul Frees filled in for all three (no voice was needed for Harpo). The Marx Brothers' segment was a re-working of a scene from their Broadway play I'll Say She Is , a parody of Napoleon that Groucho considered among
13778-589: The Marx family wondered whether he was real, but Manfred's death certificate from the Borough of Manhattan reveals that he died, aged seven months, on July 17, 1886, of enterocolitis , with " asthenia " contributing, i.e., probably a victim of influenza. He is buried in Washington Cemetery (Brooklyn, NY) , beside his grandmother, Fanny Sophie Schönberg (née Salomons), who died on April 10, 1901. During
13944-785: The Middle East in the late 17th and early 18th centuries: the Byerley Turk (1680s), the Darley Arabian (1704), and the Godolphin Arabian (1729). Other imported stallions were less influential, but still made noteworthy contributions to the breed. These included the Alcock's Arabian , D'Arcy's White Turk, Leedes Arabian, and Curwen's Bay Barb . Another was the Brownlow Turk, who, among other attributes,
14110-504: The Paramount contract Zeppo left the act to become an agent. He and brother Gummo went on to build one of the biggest talent agencies in Hollywood, working with the likes of Jack Benny and Lana Turner . Groucho and Chico did radio, and there was talk of returning to Broadway. At a bridge game with Chico, Irving Thalberg began discussing the possibility of the Marxes joining Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer . They signed, now billed in films before
14276-765: The Races , leaving the Marxes without an advocate at the studio. After a short experience at RKO ( Room Service , 1938), the Marx Brothers returned to MGM and made three more films: At the Circus (1939), Go West (1940) and The Big Store (1941). Prior to the release of The Big Store the team announced they were retiring from the screen. Four years later, however, Chico persuaded his brothers to make two additional films, A Night in Casablanca (1946) and Love Happy (1949), to alleviate his severe gambling debts. Both pictures were released by United Artists . From
14442-640: The Santa Anita Handicap in his last start. In 1942, racing at Santa Anita was suspended due to the Second World War. Santa Anita was used as an assembly center for Japanese Americans excluded from the West Coast. For several months in 1942, over 18,000 people lived in horse stables and military-style barracks constructed on the site, including actor George Takei , then a young boy. After the track reopened in 1945, it went through
14608-536: The United States , was a breeder and racer of Thoroughbreds in Tennessee. Match races held in the early 19th century helped to popularize horse racing in the United States. One took place in 1823, in Long Island, New York , between Sir Henry and American Eclipse . Another was a match race between Boston and Fashion in 1838 that featured bets of $ 20,000 from each side. The last major match races before
14774-539: The United States have historically been used not only for racing but also to improve other breeds. The early import Messenger was the foundation of the Standardbred, and Thoroughbred blood was also instrumental in the development of the American Quarter Horse . The foundation stallion of the Morgan breed is held by some to have been sired by a Thoroughbred. Between World War I and World War II,
14940-463: The United States, and from £2000 to £75,000 or more in Britain. The record stud fee to date was set in the 1980s, when the stud fee of the late Northern Dancer reached $ 1 million. During the 2008 Australian breeding season seven stallions stood at a stud fee of A$ 110,000 or more, with the highest fee in the nation at A$ 302,500. Although the Thoroughbred is primarily bred for racing , the breed
15106-411: The age of 74. Three years later, Harpo died on September 28, 1964, at the age of 75, following a heart attack one day after heart surgery . In 1966, Filmation produced a pilot for a Marx Brothers cartoon. Groucho's voice was supplied by Pat Harrington Jr. and other voices were done by Ted Knight and Joe Besser (of The Three Stooges fame). In 1969, audio excerpts of dialogue from all five of
15272-414: The anatomy of the horse cannot always cope with." Poor breeding may be encouraged by the fact that many horses are sent to the breeding shed following an injury. If the injury is linked to a conformational fault , the fault is likely to be passed to the next generation. Additionally, some breeders will have a veterinarian perform straightening procedures on a horse with crooked legs. This can help increase
15438-417: The animal's future success; in the case of The Green Monkey, injuries limited him to only three career starts before being retired to stud in 2008, and he never won a race. Conversely, even a highly successful Thoroughbred may be sold by the pound for a few hundred dollars to become horsemeat . The best-known example of this was the 1986 Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand , exported to Japan to stand at stud, but
15604-483: The audience's delight, Groucho merely reacted by commenting, "First time I ever saw a taxi hail a passenger." When Harpo chased the girl back in the other direction, Groucho calmly checked his watch and ad-libbed, "The 9:20's right on time. You can set your watch by the Lehigh Valley ." The brothers' vaudeville act had made them stars on Broadway under Chico's management and with Groucho's creative direction, with
15770-543: The audience," Groucho recalled. (Zeppo stood in for Groucho in the film version of Animal Crackers . Groucho was unavailable to film the scene in which the Beaugard painting is stolen, so the script was contrived to include a power failure, which allowed Zeppo to play the Spaulding part in near-darkness.) In December 1917, the Marx brothers were noted in an advertisement playing in a musical comedy act "Home Again". By
15936-537: The average weanling sold for $ 44,407, the average yearling sold for $ 55,300, average sale price for two-year-olds was $ 61,843, broodmares averaged $ 70,150, and horses over two and broodmare prospects sold for an average of $ 53,243. For Europe, the July 2007 Tattersall's Sale sold 593 horses at auction, with a total for the sale of 10,951,300 guineas , for an average of 18,468 guineas. Also in 2007, Doncaster Bloodstock Sales, another British sales firm, sold 2,248 horses for
16102-627: The average height of a Thoroughbred in 1700 was about 13.3 hands high. By 1876 this had increased to 15.3. In 2007, there were 71,959 horses who started in races in the United States, and the average Thoroughbred racehorse in the United States and Canada ran 6.33 times in that year. In Australia, there were 31,416 horses in training during 2007, and those horses started 194,066 times for A$ 375,512,579 of prize money. During 2007, in Japan, there were 23,859 horses in training and those horses started 182,614 times for A$ 857,446,268 of prize money. In Britain,
16268-407: The best Arabian of the time, Asil. The race was over 3 miles (4,800 m), and although Iambic was handicapped by carrying 4.5 stone (29 kg; 63 lb) more than Asil, he still managed to beat Asil by 20 lengths. The improvement of the breed for racing in this way was said by noted 19th century racing writer, Nimrod, to have created "the noblest animal in the creation". An aspect of
16434-492: The brothers cause mayhem in a sanitarium and at a horse race. The film features Groucho and Chico's famous "Tootsie Frootsie Ice Cream" sketch. In a 1969 interview with Dick Cavett , Groucho said that the two movies made with Thalberg were the best that they ever produced. Despite the Thalberg films' success, the brothers left MGM in 1937; Thalberg had died suddenly on September 14, 1936, two weeks after filming began on A Day at
16600-478: The brothers' funniest routines. The sketch featured animated representations – if not the voices – of all four brothers. Romeo Muller is credited as having written special material for the show, but the script for the classic "Napoleon Scene" was probably supplied by Groucho. On January 16, 1977, the Marx Brothers were inducted into the Motion Picture Hall of Fame. With
16766-498: The brothers' personalities and Gus Mager 's Sherlocko the Monk , a popular comic strip of the day that included a supporting character named " Groucho ". As Fisher dealt each brother a card, he addressed them, for the first time, by the names they kept for the rest of their lives. The reasons behind Chico's and Harpo's stage names are undisputed, and Gummo's is fairly well established. Groucho's and Zeppo's are far less clear. Arthur
16932-413: The center's population soon topped 18,000, peaking at 18,719 by August of that year. Six mess halls, each seating approximately 850 at a time, fed some 3,000 people daily at a cost of 33 cents per person. The sanitary facilities faced similar overcrowding, with a ratio of 30 people to each shower after the number of showers was increased from 150 to 225 in early July. Consequently, those in the center spent
17098-472: The city fathers wrote to Paramount and asked the studio to remove all references to Freedonia because "it is hurting our town's image". Groucho fired back a sarcastic retort asking them to change the name of their town, because "it's hurting our picture". On March 11, 1933, the Marx Brothers founded a production company, the "International Amalgamated Consolidated Affiliated World Wide Film Productions Company Incorporated, of North Dakota". After expiration of
17264-478: The creation of the Quarter Horse , Standardbred , Anglo-Arabian , and various warmblood breeds. Thoroughbred racehorses perform with maximum exertion, which has resulted in high accident rates and health problems such as bleeding from the lungs . Other health concerns include low fertility , abnormally small hearts, and a small hoof-to-body-mass ratio. There are several theories for the reasons behind
17430-724: The deaths of Gummo in April 1977, Groucho in August 1977, and Zeppo in November 1979, the brothers were gone. But their effect on the entertainment community continues well into the 21st century. Among famous comedians who have cited them as influences on their style have been Woody Allen , Alan Alda , Gabe Kaplan , Judd Apatow , Mel Brooks , John Cleese , Elliott Gould , Spike Milligan , Monty Python , Carl Reiner , as well as David Zucker , Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams . Comedian Frank Ferrante made impersonations of Groucho
17596-462: The details, the name relates to rubber-soled shoes. The reason that Julius was named Groucho is perhaps the most disputed. There are three explanations: I kept my money in a 'grouch bag'. This was a small chamois bag that actors used to wear around their neck to keep other hungry actors from pinching their dough. Naturally, you're going to think that's where I got my name from. But that's not so. Grouch bags were worn on manly chests long before there
17762-582: The dominant sires of Thoroughbreds in the later part of the 20th century. Other countries in Europe have Thoroughbred breeding programs, including Germany, Russia, Poland, and Hungary. Horses arrived in Australia with the First Fleet in 1788 along with the earliest colonists. Although horses of part-Thoroughbred blood were imported into Australia during the late 18th century, it is thought that
17928-610: The early 1910s, led to the Jersey Act of 1913. It prohibited the registration of any horse in the General Stud Book (GSB) if they could not show that every ancestor traced to the GSB. This excluded most American-bred horses, because the 100-year gap between the founding of the GSB and the American Stud Book meant that most American-bred horses possessed at least one or two crosses to horses not registered in
18094-423: The early 20th century, Minnie helped her younger brother Abraham Elieser Adolf Schönberg (stage name Al Shean ) to enter show business; he became highly successful in vaudeville and on Broadway as half of the musical comedy double act Gallagher and Shean , and this gave the brothers an entrée to musical comedy, vaudeville and Broadway at Minnie's instigation. Minnie also acted as the brothers' manager, using
18260-453: The elder brothers Chico, Harpo, and Groucho, leaving little room for the younger brothers. Gummo and Zeppo both became successful businessmen: Gummo left the act early and gained success through his talent agency activities and a raincoat business, Zeppo stayed with the act through its Broadway years and the beginnings of its film career, but then quit and later became a multi-millionaire through his engineering business. The brothers were from
18426-460: The event draws up to 100,000 attendees per 3-day weekend, four times a year during the summer. More than 250 vendors sell food, merchandise, crafts and art. There is also a stage with live music, an Art Walk, cosplay contest and b-boy dance competitions. Arcadia High School holds its annual graduation ceremony at Santa Anita Park during the month of June and holds alumni reunions during September and October. Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred
18592-482: The existing track parking lot to construct a mall, the "Shops at Santa Anita". As of May 2011, the plans to build another mall next to Santa Anita Park were abandoned. Protests against the project by the Westfield Group , owner of the adjacent Westfield Santa Anita mall (built in 1974 on the site of the old barns and training track), and the bankruptcy of Magna International , owner of Santa Anita Park, were
18758-519: The first Santa Anita Handicap was run. The race's $ 100,000 purse, largest of any race ever in the United States until that time, produced its nickname the Big 'Cap. In its heyday, the track's races attracted such stars as Betty Grable , Lana Turner , Edgar Bergen , Jane Russell , Cary Grant , Clark Gable , and Esther Williams , among others. Bing Crosby , Joe E. Brown , Al Jolson , and Harry Warner were all stockholders. In 1940, Seabiscuit won
18924-551: The first direct importation from England occurring in 1862. Thoroughbreds have been exported to many other areas of the world since the breed was created. Oriental horses were imported into South Africa from the late 17th century in order to improve the local stock through crossbreeding. Horse racing was established there in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and Thoroughbreds were imported in increasing numbers. The first Thoroughbred stallions arrived in Argentina in 1853, but
19090-441: The first mares did not arrive until 1865. The Argentine Stud Book was first published in 1893. Thoroughbreds were imported into Japan from 1895, although it was not until after World War II that Japan began a serious breeding and racing business involving Thoroughbreds. The number of Thoroughbred foals registered each year in North America varies greatly, chiefly linked to the success of the auction market which in turn depends on
19256-438: The first of August. These artificial dates have been set to enable the standardization of races and other competitions for horses in certain age groups. The Thoroughbred is a distinct breed of horse, although people sometimes refer to a purebred horse of any breed as a thoroughbred . The term for any horse or other animal derived from a single breed line is purebred . While the term probably came into general use because
19422-531: The first pureblood Thoroughbred was a stallion named Northumberland who was imported from England in 1802 as a coach horse sire. By 1810, the first formal race meets were organized in Sydney, and by 1825 the first mare of proven Thoroughbred bloodlines arrived to join the Thoroughbred stallions already there. In 1825, the Sydney Turf Club , the first true racing club in Australia, was formed. Throughout
19588-878: The fore. It was also after the Civil War that the American Thoroughbred returned to England to race. Iroquois became the first American-bred winner of the Epsom Derby in 1881. The success of American-bred Thoroughbreds in England led to the Jersey Act in 1913, which limited the importation of American Thoroughbreds into England. After World War I , the breeders in America continued to emphasize speed and early racing age but also imported horses from England, and this trend continued past World War II. After World War II , Thoroughbred breeding remained centered in Kentucky, but California , New York, and Florida also emerged as important racing and breeding centers. Thoroughbreds in
19754-431: The foundation stallions appear to have been of Arabian bloodlines, with the remainder being evenly divided between Turkoman and Barb breeding. Each of the three major foundation sires was, coincidentally, the ancestor of a grandson or great-great-grandson who was the only male descendant to perpetuate each respective horse's male line: Matchem was the only descendant of his grandsire, the Godolphin Arabian, to maintain
19920-592: The four Marx Brothers had a brief reunion of sorts in the animated ABC television special The Mad, Mad, Mad Comedians , produced by Rankin-Bass animation (of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer fame). The special featured animated re-workings of various famous comedians' acts, including W. C. Fields , Jack Benny , George Burns , Henny Youngman , the Smothers Brothers , Flip Wilson , Phyllis Diller , Jack E. Leonard , George Jessel and
20086-494: The health issues involving Thoroughbreds suggests that inbreeding is the culprit. It has also been suggested that capability for speed is enhanced in an already swift animal by raising muscle mass, a form of selective breeding that has created animals designed to win horse races . Thus, according to one postulation, the modern Thoroughbred travels faster than its skeletal structure can support. Veterinarian Robert M. Miller states that "We have selectively bred for speeds that
20252-407: The highly regarded Leo McCarey , is the highest rated of the five Marx Brothers films on the American Film Institute 's "100 years ... 100 Movies" list. It did not do as well financially as Horse Feathers , but was the sixth-highest grosser of 1933. The film sparked a dispute between the Marxes and the village of Fredonia, New York . "Freedonia" was the name of a fictional country in the script, and
20418-554: The horse's price at a sale and perhaps help the horse have a sounder racing career, but the genes for poor legs will still be passed on. A high accident rate may also occur because Thoroughbreds, particularly in the United States, are first raced as 2-year-olds, well before they are completely mature. Though they may appear full-grown and are in superb muscular condition, their bones are not fully formed. However, catastrophic injury rates are higher in 4- and 5-year-olds than in 2- and 3-year-olds. Some believe that correct, slow training of
20584-471: The jump to Broadway , and then to Paramount films. During World War I, anti-German sentiments were common, and the family tried to conceal its German origin. Upon Minnie Marx learning that farmers were excluded from the draft, she purchased a 27-acre (11 ha) poultry farm near Countryside, Illinois ; Stefan Kanfer wrote that "Each night, rats made off with the day's eggs." During this time, Groucho discontinued his "German" stage personality. In 1917,
20750-408: The middle of the 19th century. Bay Middleton , a winner of the Epsom Derby, stood over 16 hands high, a full hand higher than the Darley Arabian. Winning times had improved to such a degree that many felt further improvement by adding additional Arabian bloodlines was impossible. This was borne out in 1885, when a race was held between a Thoroughbred, Iambic, considered a mid-grade runner, and
20916-454: The modern British breeding establishment is that they breed not only for flat racing, but also for steeplechasing . Up until the end of the 19th century, Thoroughbreds were bred not only for racing but also as saddle horses. Soon after the start of the 20th century, fears that the English races would be overrun with American-bred Thoroughbreds because of the closing of US racetracks in
21082-407: The most common breeds for use in polo in the United States. They are often seen in the fox hunting field as well. Thoroughbreds are often crossed with horses of other breeds to create new breeds or to enhance or introduce specific qualities into existing ones. They have been influential on many modern riding horse breeds, such as the American Quarter Horse , the Standardbred , and possibly
21248-419: The musical revue I'll Say She Is (1924–1925). Its success helped secure playwright George S. Kaufman and songwriter Irving Berlin —two of Broadway's best talents—for the musical comedy The Cocoanuts (1925–1926) and later Animal Crackers (1928–1929). Out of their distinctive costumes, the brothers looked alike, even down to their receding hairlines. Zeppo could pass for a younger Groucho and played
21414-481: The name "Gummo" never appeared in print during his time in the act. Other sources reported that the Marx Brothers went by their nicknames during their vaudeville era, but briefly listed themselves by their given names when I'll Say She Is opened because they were worried that a Broadway audience would reject a vaudeville act if they were perceived as low class. The Marx Brothers' stage shows became popular just as motion pictures were evolving to " talkies ". They signed
21580-414: The name Minnie Palmer so that agents did not realize that she was also their mother. All the brothers confirmed that Minnie Marx had been the head of the family and the driving force in getting the troupe launched, the only person who could keep them in order; she was said to be a hard bargainer with theater management. As the comedy act developed, it increasingly focused on the stage characters created by
21746-650: The name of national defense, the Western Defense Command began ordering Japanese Americans living on the West Coast to present themselves for "evacuation" from the newly created military zones. Seventeen temporary "assembly centers" were designated to house the evicted population until construction on the more permanent and isolated internment camps was finished. Most, like the Santa Anita Assembly Center , were converted from former uses like racing tracks or fairgrounds. Santa Anita
21912-413: The next month the remaining Japanese-Americans were sent to Poston and several other camps. The Santa Anita Assembly Center closed on October 27, 1942. Santa Anita has a one-mile (1,609 m) natural dirt main track which rings a turf course measuring 0.9 mile, or 1,584 yards (1,448 m). In addition, it has an unusual hillside turf course which crosses the dirt and had been used mainly to run turf races at
22078-410: The nicknames. He asked them why they used their real names publicly when they had such wonderful nicknames, and they replied, "That wouldn't be dignified." Woollcott answered with a belly laugh. Woollcott did not meet the Marx Brothers until the premiere of I'll Say She Is , which was their first Broadway show, so this would mean that they used their real names throughout their vaudeville days, and that
22244-409: The only performers to be included collectively. The brothers are almost universally known by their stage names: Chico , Harpo , Groucho , Gummo , and Zeppo . There was a sixth brother, the firstborn, named Manfred (Mannie), who died in infancy; Zeppo was given the middle name Manfred in his memory. The core of the act was the three elder brothers: Chico, Harpo, and Groucho, each of whom developed
22410-558: The operator of the autumn meet at Santa Anita Park. This meet usually ran from the end of September until early November. Many key stakes races were held during the Oak Tree Meeting, including many preps to the Breeders' Cup races. The Oak Tree meet relocated to Hollywood Park for 2010 but the California Horse Racing Board awarded the fall dates to Santa Anita in its own right in 2011. This prompted
22576-463: The other hand, was considered the funniest brother offstage, despite his straight stage roles. He was the youngest and had grown up watching his brothers, so he could fill in for and imitate any of the others when illness kept them from performing. "He was so good as Captain Spaulding [in Animal Crackers ] that I would have let him play the part indefinitely, if they had allowed me to smoke in
22742-738: The others occurring on the turf track. Thirty-seven horses died at the facility in 2019, causing the above noted suspension of races, and resulting in the California Racing Commission considering rule changes. Following the death of the 30th horse in late June, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer , who had trained four of the horses that died, was banned forever by the Stronach Group from all of its facilities. In February 1942, after President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066 , which authorized military commanders to exclude "any or all persons" from certain areas in
22908-499: The pace and win—going away. The 1960s brought about a major renovation of Santa Anita Park, including a much-expanded grandstand as well as major seating additions. In 1968, Del Mar Racetrack relinquished its dates for a fall meeting. A group of horsemen including Clement Hirsch intervened and established the not-for-profit Oak Tree Racing Association . Oak Tree had no facilities of its own and rented Santa Anita Park for its first autumn meeting in 1969. The Oak Tree Association became
23074-551: The position in 2015. Denman is noted for his calls beginning with "And awaaay they go..." and his distinctive gravelly voice. Queensland, Australia native Michael Wrona was chosen to succeed Denman in March 2016, and continued through fall 2018. Frank Mirahmadi took over after that. Starting in 2014, Santa Anita began adding more racing cards due to the closure of Hollywood Park Racetrack , hosting Hollywood Park's old spring dates from late April until June. In mid-March 2020, due to
23240-486: The postwar years with prosperity. A downhill turf course, which added a distinctly European flair to racing at Santa Anita, was added in 1953. Due to its proximity to Los Angeles, Santa Anita has traditionally been associated with the film and television industries. The racetrack sequences in the Marx Brothers 1937 classic A Day at the Races were filmed there, and The Story of Seabiscuit with Shirley Temple
23406-453: The prevalence of accidents and health problems in the Thoroughbred breed, and research on the subject is ongoing. The typical Thoroughbred ranges from 15.2 to 17.0 hands (62 to 68 inches, 157 to 173 cm) high, averaging 16 hands (64 inches, 163 cm). They are most often bay , dark bay or brown , chestnut , black , or gray . Less common colors recognized in the United States include roan and palomino . White
23572-407: The price for a young horse. Prices of Thoroughbreds vary greatly, depending on age, pedigree , conformation , and other market factors. In 2007, Keeneland Sales , a United States–based sales company, sold 9,124 horses at auction, with a total value of $ 814,401,000, which gives an average price of $ 89,259. As a whole for the United States in 2007, The Jockey Club auction statistics indicated that
23738-530: The racing and regulation functions were split off to a new society, the Société d'Encouragement pour l'Amélioration des Races de Chevaux en France , better known as the Jockey-Club de Paris . The French Stud Book was founded at the same time by the government. By 1876, French-bred Thoroughbreds were regularly winning races in England, and in that year a French breeder-owner earned the most money in England on
23904-623: The role of Groucho's son in Horse Feathers . A scene in Duck Soup finds Groucho, Harpo, and Chico all appearing in the famous greasepaint eyebrows, mustache, and round glasses while wearing nightcaps; the three are indistinguishable, enabling them to carry off the "mirror scene" perfectly. The stage names of the brothers (except Zeppo) were coined by monologist Art Fisher during a poker game in Galesburg, Illinois , based both on
24070-650: The runaway mule incident occurred in Ada, Oklahoma . A 1930 article in the San Antonio Express newspaper stated that the incident took place in Marshall, Texas.) The act slowly evolved from singing with comedy to comedy with music. The brothers' sketch "Fun in Hi Skule" featured Groucho as a German-accented teacher presiding over a classroom that included students Harpo, Gummo, and Chico. The last version of
24236-501: The school act was titled Home Again and was written by their uncle Al Shean . The Home Again tour reached Flint, Michigan , in 1915, where 14-year-old Zeppo joined his four brothers for what is believed to be the only time that all five Marx Brothers appeared together on stage. Gummo then left to serve in World War I , reasoning that "anything is better than being an actor!" Zeppo replaced him in their final vaudeville years and in
24402-528: The sons of Jewish immigrants from Germany and France. Their mother Miene "Minnie" Schoenberg (professionally known as Minnie Palmer, later the brothers' manager) was from Dornum in East Frisia . She came from a family of performers. Her mother was a yodeling harpist and her father a ventriloquist ; both were funfair entertainers. Around 1880, the family emigrated to New York City, where Minnie married Sam Marx in 1884. Samuel ("Sam"; born Simon) Marx
24568-556: The state of the economy. The foal crop was over 44,000 in 1990, but declined to roughly 22,500 by 2014. The largest numbers are registered in the states of Kentucky, Florida and California. Australia is the second largest producer of Thoroughbreds in the world with almost 30,000 broodmares producing about 18,250 foals annually. Britain produces about 5,000 foals a year, and worldwide, there are more than 195,000 active broodmares , or females being used for breeding, and 118,000 newly registered foals in 2006 alone. The Thoroughbred industry
24734-415: The title as "Groucho — Chico — Harpo — Marx Bros", with the same ordering in the cast list. Unlike the free-for-all scripts at Paramount, Thalberg insisted on a strong story structure that made the brothers more sympathetic characters, interweaving their comedy with romantic plots and non-comic musical numbers, and targeting their mischief-making at obvious villains. Thalberg was adamant that scripts include
24900-600: The track. World War I almost destroyed French breeding because of war damage and lack of races. After the war, the premier French race, the Grand Prix, resumed and continues to this day. During World War II , French Thoroughbred breeding did not suffer as it had during the first World War, and thus was able to compete on an equal footing with other countries after the war. Organized racing in Italy started in 1837, when race meets were established in Florence and Naples and
25066-631: The transition from the racetrack to another career, or to help find retirement homes for ex-racehorses. In addition to racing, Thoroughbreds compete in eventing , show jumping and dressage at the highest levels of international competition, including the Olympics . They are also used as show hunters , steeplechasers , and in Western riding speed events such as barrel racing . Mounted police divisions employ them in non-competitive work, and recreational riders also use them. Thoroughbreds are one of
25232-404: The year following Polytrack installation. The material is not perfected, and some areas report problems related to winter weather, but studies are continuing. Marx Brothers The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act that was successful in vaudeville , on Broadway , and in 14 motion pictures from 1905 to 1949. Five of the Marx Brothers' fourteen feature films were selected by
25398-400: Was A Night at the Opera (1935), a satire on the world of opera, where the brothers help two young singers in love by throwing a production of Il Trovatore into chaos. The film, including its famous scene where an absurd number of people crowd into a tiny stateroom on a ship, was a great success. It was followed two years later by an even bigger hit, A Day at the Races (1937), in which
25564-416: Was Pauline, or "Polly". Leonard Joseph "Chico" Marx was the eldest of the brothers, born in 1887. Adolph "Harpo" Marx was born in 1888, Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx in 1890, Milton "Gummo" Marx in 1892, and the youngest, Herbert Manfred "Zeppo" Marx, in 1901. Family lore told privately of the firstborn son, Manny, born in 1886 but surviving for only three months, and dying of tuberculosis. Some members of
25730-549: Was a Groucho. Herbert was not nicknamed by Art Fisher, since he did not join the act until Gummo had departed. As with Groucho, three explanations exist for Herbert's name "Zeppo": Maxine Marx reported in The Unknown Marx Brothers that the brothers listed their real names (Julius, Leonard, Adolph, Milton, and Herbert) on playbills and in programs, and only used the nicknames behind the scenes, until Alexander Woollcott overheard them calling one another by
25896-591: Was a native of Mertzwiller , a small Alsatian village, and worked as a tailor. His name was changed to Samuel Marx, and he was nicknamed "Frenchy". The family lived in New York City's Upper East Side in the Yorkville district centered in the Irish, German and Italian quarters. The Marx Brothers also had an older sister (actually a cousin, born in January 1885) who had been adopted by Minnie and Frenchy. Her name
26062-418: Was filmed on location in 1949. It was also featured in A Star Is Born (1937). Several stars, including Bing Crosby , Spencer Tracy , Errol Flynn , Alex Trebek , and MGM mogul, Louis B. Mayer , have owned horses that raced at the park. The 1958 Santa Anita Derby was attended by 61,123 people, making the attendance that day a record crowd. They had come to watch Silky Sullivan come from 28 lengths off
26228-430: Was fired from Santa Anita Park in November 2018. The following Graded events were held at Santa Anita Park in 2022 with inaugural runnings in parentheses. Grade I Grade II Grade III In 2023, Santa Anita will host the Breeders' Cup for a record 11th time. Highlights of the previous events include: Santa Anita Park is also an event venue, most notably for popular food festival 626 Night Market . Since 2013,
26394-561: Was in 1905, mainly as a singer. By 1907, he and Gummo were singing together as "The Three Nightingales" with Mabel O'Donnell . The next year, Harpo became the fourth Nightingale and by 1910, the group briefly expanded to include their mother Minnie and their Aunt Hannah. The troupe was renamed "The Six Mascots". One evening in 1912, a performance at the Opera House in Nacogdoches, Texas , was interrupted by shouts from outside about
26560-486: Was in need of further funds. These two groups combined and the newly formed Los Angeles Turf Club opened the present day track on Christmas Day in 1934, making it the first formally-established racetrack in California. Architect Gordon Kaufmann designed its various buildings in a combination of Colonial Revival and a type of Art Deco known as Streamline Moderne , painted primarily in Santa Anita's signature colors of Persian Green and Chiffon Yellow . In February 1935,
26726-411: Was named Harpo because he played the harp, and Leonard became Chico (pronounced "Chick-o") because he was, in the slang of the period, a "chicken-chaser". ("Chickens" – later "chicks" – was period slang for women. "In England now," said Groucho, "they were called 'birds'.") In his autobiography, Harpo explained that Milton became Gummo because he crept about the theater like
26892-407: Was only 15.1, the best racehorses are generally of average size. Larger horses mature more slowly and have more stress on their legs and feet, predisposing them to lameness. Smaller horses are considered by some to be at a disadvantage due to their shorter stride and a tendency of other horses to bump them, especially in the starting gate. Historically, Thoroughbreds have steadily increased in size:
27058-478: Was the site of equestrian events at the 1984 Olympics . Since 2011, the Stronach Group are the current owners. " Rancho Santa Anita " was owned originally by former San Gabriel Mission Mayor-Domo, Claudio Lopez, and named after a family member, "Anita Cota". The ranch was later acquired by rancher Hugo Reid , a Scotsman . The property's most widely known owner would be multimillionaire Lucky Baldwin ,
27224-404: Was their most popular film yet, and won them the cover of Time magazine. It included a running gag from their stage work, in which Harpo produces a ludicrous array of props from inside his coat, including a wooden mallet, a fish, a coiled rope, a tie, a poster of a woman in her underwear, a cup of hot coffee, a sword and (just after Groucho warns him that he "can't burn the candle at both ends")
27390-531: Was turned over to the Wartime Civilian Control Administration, the government body responsible for oversight of the temporary detention facilities, in March 1942, and army engineers soon after built 500 barracks on the parking lot and converted the horse stables and the area underneath the grandstand into residential "apartments". Japanese-Americans began arriving in April, most coming from the surrounding Los Angeles County, and
27556-470: Was ultimately slaughtered in 2002, presumably for pet food. However, the value of a Thoroughbred may also be influenced by the purse money it wins. In 2007, Thoroughbred racehorses earned a total of $ 1,217,854,602 in all placings, an average earnings per starter of $ 16,924. In addition, the track record of a race horse may influence its future value as a breeding animal. Stud fees for stallions that enter breeding can range from $ 2,500 to $ 500,000 per mare in
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