Kincsem

by Kathleen Jones

Kincsem

The greatest racehorse of all time must be, without a doubt, a Hungarian filly by the name of Kincsem. Her name stems from the root word "Kincs" which is Hungarian for "treasure" or "jewel", and the entire word means "My Treasure". Over the course of four full seasons, from ages 2 - 5, she faced the best that all of Europe had to offer, and emerged victorious in all 54 of her races.

Her pedigree:

Kincsem
ch.f. 1874		Cambuscan
1861		 Newminster
1848		Touchstone
1831		Camel, 1822
Banter, 1826
Beeswing
1833		Dr. Syntax, 1811
Androssan mare, 1817
The Arrow
1850		Slane
1833		Royal Oak, 1823
Orville mare, 1819
Southdown
1836		Defence, 1824
Feltona, 1819
Waternymph
1860		Cotswold
1853		 Newcourt
1840		Sir Hercules, 1826
Sylpha, 1824
Aurora
1848		Pantaloon, 1824
Lady, 1833
The Mermaid
1853		Melbourne
1834		Humphrey Clinker, 1822
Cervantes mare, 1825
Seaweed
1841		Slane, 1833
Sakale, 1835

As you can see, Kincsem was chiefly of British origin; her pedigree incorporating many of the same names which populate the roll-call of early English classics. But she was a product of Hungarian breeding, and remains to this day, an example of perfection in the breed.

The following is the complete list of her victories, which is for her, a complete listing of all of her starts. Kincsem's glorious career:


At age 2 (1876) - 10 starts - 10 wins

21-JunGER-BerlinErtes Criterium1000m (5f)
 KINCSEM (118 lb) - Boreas - Alpenstock4 lengths
02-JulGER-HannoverVergleichspreis1000m (5f)
 KINCSEM (118 lb) - Hamburg - Double Zero1 length
09-JulGER-HamburgHamburger Criterium950m (~4˝f)
 KINCSEM (124 lb) - Adelaide - Hamburg1˝ lengths
29-JulGER-Bad DoberanErinnerungs Rennen947m (~4˝f)
 KINCSEM (129 lb)- Blucher - Miss Harriet1˝ lengths
20-AugGER-FrankfurtLouisa Rennen1000m (5f)
 KINCSEM (128 lb) - Regimenstochter10 lengths
31-AugGER-Baden-BadenZukunfstpreis1000m (5f)
 KINCSEM (123 lb) - Criterium - Miss Harrietdistance
02-OctHUN-SopronPolgárok Dija1200m (6f)
 KINCSEM (114 lb)- Little Luder - Der Landgrafdistance
15-OctHUN-BudapestKetévesek Versenye948m (~4˝f)
 KINCSEM (124 lb) - Csalogany - Little Luder˝ length
22-OctAUT-ViennaKladruber Preis1600m (8f)
 KINCSEM (121 lb) - Der Landgraf - Hamburg10 lengths
29-OctCZE-PragueKladruber Criterium1400m (7f)
 KINCSEM (123 lb) - Criterium - Hildadistance


At age 3 (1877) 17 starts - 17 wins

27-AprHUN-PozsonyTrial Stakes1800m (9f)
 KINCSEM (115˝ lb)- Blucher - Erbprinz1 length
06-MayHUN-BudapestEgyesult Nemzeti Dij1600m (8f)
 KINCSEM (114˝ lb)- Camillo - Csalogánydistance
08-MayHUN-BudapestHafazi Dij1600m (8f)
 KINCSEM (114˝ lb)- Bimbó - Légyott1˝ lengths
21-MayAUT-ViennaAustrian Derby2400m (12f)
 KINCSEM (119 lb)- Tallós - Pfeildistance
24-MayAUT-ViennaTrial Stakes1600m (8f)
 KINCSEM (125 lb)- V Secko Jedno - Hamburg2 lengths
27-MayAUT-ViennaKaiserspreis Erster Classe3200m (16f)
 KINCSEM (110 lb)- Hírnök - Talisman10 lengths
24-JunGER-HannoverGrosser Preis von Hannover3000m (15f)
 KINCSEM (123 lb)- Konotoppa - Double Zero6 lengths
09-JulGER-HamburgRenard Rennen2800m (14f)
 KINCSEM (121 lb)- Pirat - Konotoppa4 lengths
02-SepGER-Baden-BadenGrosser Preis von Baden3200m (16f)
 KINCSEM (112 lb)- Konotoppa - Mambrin3 lengths
08-SepGER-FrankfurtWaldchens Preis2400m (12f)
 KINCSEM (121 lb)- Pfeil - Schnell10 lengths
29-SepHUN-SopronAllami Dij (open stakes)2400m (12f)
 KINCSEM (130 lb)- Prince Grégoire3 lengths
30-SepHUN-SopronAllami Dij (open stakes)2000m (10f)
 KINCSEM (114˝ lb)- Blankensee1 length
07-OctHUN-BudapestPesti St. Leger2800m (14f)
 KINCSEM (114˝ lb)- Prince Giles the First - Lörincz10 lengths
10-OctHUN-BudapestKancadij (Oaks)2400m (12f)
 KINCSEM (133 lb)- Konotoppa - Erzsi3 lengths
14-OctAUT-ViennaFreudenauer Preis2400m (12f)
 KINCSEM (133 lb)walk-over
21-OctCZE-PragueKaiserspreis Dritter Classe2400m (12f)
 KINCSEM (135 lb)- Prince Giles the First - Héléne1 length
23-OctCZE-PragueKaiserspreis Zwetter Classe3200m (16f)
 KINCSEM (134 lb)walk-over


At age 4 (1878) 15 starts - 15 wins

22-AprAUT-ViennaEröffnungs Rennen1600m (8f)
 KINCSEM (144 lb)- Wold Rover - Achilles2 lengths
25-AprAUT-ViennaPrater Preis2000m (10f)
 KINCSEM (148˝ lb)- Oroszvár - Tharak3 lengths
05-MayHUN-PozsonyAllami Dij (open stakes)2400m (12f)
 KINCSEM (152 lb)- Prince Giles the First5 lengths
14-MayHUN-BudapestMásodosztályú Allami Dij3200m (16f)
 KINCSEM (148˝ lb)- Prince Giles the First - Gondolat5 lengths
16-MayHUN-BudapestKisberi Dij2000m (10f)
 KINCSEM (153 lb)- Prince Giles the First3 lengths
19-MayHUN-BudapestElsö Osztályú Allami-Dij2400m (12f)
 KINCSEM (153 lb)- Altona - Konotoppadistance
26-MayAUT-ViennaStaatspreis Zweiter Classe2800m (14f)
 KINCSEM (153 lb)- Erzsi - Rococo1 length
28-MayAUT-ViennaTrial Stakes1600m (8f)
 KINCSEM (143 lb)- Prince Giles the First - Mlle Buccaneerdistance
30-MayAUT-ViennaStaatspreis Erster Classe3200m (16f)
 KINCSEM (153 lb)- Rococo - Herodes5 lengths
01-AugENG-GoodwoodThe Goodwood Cup4000m (2˝ miles)
 KINCSEM (119 lb)- Pageant - Lady Golightly2 lengths
18-AugFRA-DeauvilleGrand Prix de Deauville2400m (12f)
 KINCSEM (135 lb)- Fontainebleu - Cift˝ length
09-SepGER-Baden-BadenGrosser Preis von Baden3200m (16f)
 KINCSEM (137˝ lb)- PRINCE GILES THE FIRST (122 lbs) - PurpleDead-Heat
29-SepHUN-SopronAllami Dij (open stakes)3200m (16f)
 KINCSEM (152 lb)- Lörinczdistance
20-OctHUN-BudapestRitter Dij2800m (14f)
 KINCSEM (134 lb)walk-over
22-OctHUN-BudapestKanca-dij2400m (12f)
 KINCSEM (148˝ lb)- Altona˝ length


At age 5 (1879) 12 starts - 12 wins

28-AprHUN-PozsonyAlami Dij (open stakes)2400m (12f)
 KINCSEM (158 lb)- Tallós - Myrtle8 lengths
04-MayHUN-BudapestGróf Károlyi Dij3600m (18f)
 KINCSEM (136 lb)walk-over
06-MayHUN-BudapestOsztályú Allami Dij3200m (16f)
 KINCSEM (160˝ lb)- Nil Desperandum - Tallér2 lengths
08-MayHUN-BudapestOsztályú Allami Dij2400m (12f)
 KINCSEM (168 lb)- Harry Hall - Clarisse2 lengths
18-MayAUT-ViennaStaatspreis Zweiter Classe2800m (14f)
 KINCSEM (159˝ lb)- Prince Giles the First10 lengths
20-MayAUT-ViennaStaatspreis Erster Classe3200m (16f)
 KINCSEM (160˝ lb)- Bolygó - Prince Giles the First2 lengths
17-JunGER-BerlinSilberner Schild Ks. Wilhelm I2400m (12f)
 KINCSEM (160˝ lb)- Altona - Vitus3 lengths
25-AugGER-FrankfurtEhrenpreis Landgrafen von Hessen2800m (14f)
 KINCSEM (139 lb)- Blue Rock - Little Digby4 lengths
02-SepGER-Baden-BadenGrosser Preis von Baden3200m (16f)
 KINCSEM (141 lb)- Kunstlerin - Hessenpreis3/4 length
29-SepHUN-SopronAllami-Dij (open stakes)3200m (16f)
 KINCSEM (158 lb)walk-over
19-OctHUN-BudapestRitter Dij2800m (14f)
 KINCSEM (139 lb)walk-over
21-OctHUN-BudapestKanca-dij2400m (12f)
 KINCSEM (159˝ lb)- Ilona - Dagmar10 lengths


The following article from the pages of the English racing paper "The Daily Telegraph", dated August 1878, describes the mare's famous win in Britain:

UNVANQUISHED HUNGARIAN MARE
WINS AT GOODWOOD

A tamer Goodwood Cup has never been known, as of the nine coloured on the card, only three went to post. Betting at the outset had been 7-to-4 against Pageant and 3-to-1 each against Kincsem and Lady Golightly; but when the fact became known that they alone would form the field, layers reduced the prices 5-to-4 against Pageant and 2-to-1 against Lady Golightly, the Hungarian mare being the worst favoured at 3-to-1 (offered freely). She was not liked when stripped, good judges pronouncing her too lengthy, but she looked very hard and well.

Pageant settled down with the lead a couple of lengths in advance of Lord Falmouth's mare, the foreigner lying off. In this way they ran round the loop, but about six furlongs from home Kincsem began to close up, and as Archer was hard at work on Lady Golightly before entering the straight, the contest reduced to a match.

Half-way down the hill, 10-to-1 was freely offered on Pageant, on whom Cannon was sitting still, whilst Madden was asking Kincsem, and the Kingsclere horse appeared to be having it all his own way. The mare however stuck to her work and when finally called upon Pageant proved unequal to the effort of drawing away, Kincsem, amidst the cheering of the fielders, won in a canter by two lengths. She is obviously a rare animal, and little need be said to recommend her further than that she has now won 37 consecutive races.

Mr. E. Blaskovitz purchased her at the break-up of Prince Esterhazy's stud, and has been amply repaid by her unprecedented success. Her stamina is undoubtedly her strong point, and in a fast-run race she would have won by a hundred yards...



Thoroughbred Champions would like to thank Westényi Gábor for supplying the data necessary to construct this brief page. We acknowledge that the contents contained herein were sourced from the books "KINCSEM - a Magyar Csoda" by Dr. Fehér Deszö, and "KINCSEM Családja" by Westényi Gábor; two highly valuable reference works written exclusively in Hungarian, but which deserves to be read by the world.
 



© 2002 Thoroughbred Champions