Potoooooooo (GB)
 
 


Potoooooooo

 

 

 

Sire Line


Pot8os

 

 

 Potoooooooo ch c 1773 (Eclipse - Sportsmistress, by Warren's Sportsman). Sire Line Pot8os. Family 38.

Bred by Willoughby Bertie (1740-1799), 4th Earl of Abingdon, Pot8os was the first foal of his dam, Sportsmistress (ch f 1765 Sportsman), who also produced the Derby winner Sir Thomas (ch c 1785 Pontac) along with the winners Jocundo (b c 1777 Marske), Roscius (ch c 1781 Garrick) and Sulky (ch c 1786 Garrick).

Potatoes acquired the peculiar spelling of his name when his lad was asked to write it on a corn bin or stall door. The lad's version, Potoooooooo, was said to amuse his lordship enough to adopt it, and so it appears in the General Stud Book. Later writers shortened it to Pot-8-O's and similar variants.

A horse of great quality, power and endurance, many of his races were run over the Beacon Course, upwards of four miles. Not surprisingly he was considered the best horse of his time, winning twenty-eight races over the span of seven years, including the Jockey Club Purse three times, and the Craven Stakes. (Some sources say he ran more than forty times and won over thirty races). He was sold to Richard, 1st Earl Grosvenor, for 1500 guineas at five years of age, after his first race in 1778.

He stood at Oxcroft Farm near Balsham, Cambridgeshire, for a fee of 20 guineas along with Justice (br c 1774 Herod). He was moved to Upper Hare Park near Newmarket in 1796. A great success in the stud, he sired 165 winners of £57,595 and 3 Cups. His best son was Waxy (ch c 1773) who ensured the continuance of the Eclipse sire line down to the present day.

Potoooooooo died at Upper Hare Park in November of 1800.

Pedigree
Pot8os Eclipse Marske Squirt
Ruby Mare
Spilletta Regulus
Mother Western
Sportsmistress Warren's Sportsman Cade
Silvertail
Golden Locks Oroonoko
Crab Mare
Race Record

At 4: 2nd in a 100 guineas each sweep, plus one hogshead of claret each, at Newmarket, won by Lord Grosvenor's Yellow Jack (ch c 1773 Dux), beating thirteen others over the Beacon Course, 2nd in a 1025 guineas sweepstake at Nottingham, won by Mr Swinfen's colt (ch c Chrysolite), 3rd in a 100 guineas each sweep at Newmarket, won by Lord Grosvenor's Grey Robin (gr c 1773 Gimcrack), beating sixteen others, 5th in the Great Subscription Purse at York, won by Sir Thomas Gascoigne's Cannibal (ch c 1773 Matchem).

At 5: won 1200 guineas at Newmarket, Second Spring, beating Grey Robin and Lord Ossory's Titan (b c 1773 Otho) over the Beacon Course, won the 140 guineas at Newmarket, won £50 at Swaffham, walked-over for 175 guineas at Ipswich, 2nd Jockey Club Plate, won by Sir Thomas Gascoigne's Magog (gr c 1773 Matchem), 2nd in the 140 guineas at Newmarket, October, won by Dictator, beating Dorimant, 6th and last for the Oxford Cup, won by Dorimant (ch c 1772 Otho).

At 6: won a 50 sovereigns purse at Newmarket, beating the Duke of Grafton's Caractacus (b c Herod), won the 140 guineas subscription at Newmarket, Second Spring, beating Sir J Shelley's Comet (ch c 1774 Matchem), won a 150 guineas sweep, beating the Hon R Vernon's Pastorella (b f 1774 Otho) and three others over the Beacon Course, won a 300 guineas each sweep at Newmarket October, beating Lord Derby's Laburnum (br c 1774 Herod), won the 140 guineas subcription at Newmarket, October, beating the Hon R Vernon's Freeholder (b c 1772 Chrysolite), walked-over for the Clermont Cup at Newmarket, walked-over for the Gold Cup at Newmarket, October.

At 7: won the 140 guineas subscription at Newmarket, Second Spring, beating Mr O'Kelly's King Fergus (ch c 1775 Eclipse) and Lord Ossory's Dorimant (ch c Otho), won the Jockey Club Plate, beating Mr Shafto's Tandem (b c 1773 Syphon) over the Beacon Course, won a 500 guineas sweep at Newmarket, October, beating Laburnum, won 150 guineas, beating Woodpecker, walked-over for the Clermont Cup, walked-over for the Gold Cup at Newmarket, October, walked-over for the 140 guineas at Newmarket, October, 3rd in a 1400 guineas handicap sweep at Newmarket, First Spring, won by Sir C Davers's Woodpecker (ch c 1773 Herod), beating Mr Douglas's Bourdeaux (gr c 1774 Herod).

At 8: won a 200 guineas each handicap sweep at Newmarket, First Spring, beating Woodpecker and Lord Derby's Guildford (ch c 1775 Herod) and two others, won a 400 guineas sweep at Newmarket, Second Spring, beating Sir C Davers's Buccaneer (ch c 1776 Herod), walked-over for the Jockey Club Plate at Newmarket, Second Spring, was paid 85 guineas not to start at Newmarket, First October, for the 140 guineas subscription, won by Lord Clermont's Hollandaise (gr f 1775 Matchem), who had previously won the St Leger for Sir Thomas Gascoigne, with Lord Derby's Bridget (ch f 1776 Herod), who had won the Oaks, and three others in the field, 2nd for the 140 guineas, Newmarket, Second October, won by Woodpecker.

At 9: won the Craven Stakes at Newmarket, beating Hollandaise, the Duke of Cumberland's Io (b f 1778 Pyrrhus), and Mr O'Kelly's Mercury (ch c 1778 Eclipse), won £50 at Newmarket, First Spring, beating two others, won the Jockey Club Plate, beating Buccaneer and Mercury, won a 50 sovereigns purse, beating Hollandaise and Lord Ossory's Alaric (br c Paymaster), over the Beacon Course, walked-over for the Clermont Cup and 200 guineas, and the next day walked-over for the 140 guineas subscription purse, 2nd in the 140 guineas subscription at Newmarket, First October, won by Sir John Lade's Crop (gr c 1778 Turf), beating the Duke of Grafton's Puzzle (b f 1778 Matchem), ran once unplaced.

At 10: won 200 guineas each and the Whip at Newmarket, Second Spring, beating Sir J Lade's Nottingham (br c 1776 Tantrum), lost a 300 guineas match to Lord Egremont's Derby winner Assassin (b c 1779 Sweetbriar) at Newmarket, First Spring, 3rd and last in a 200 guineas sweep, won by Mr Parker's Anvil (b c 1777 Herod) followed by Lord Egremont's Boxer (gr c 1776 Herod).
 
Notable Pot8os Mares
 
1. Co-Heiress (ch f 1786), 3rd dam of the half-brothers, Blacklock (b c 1814 Whitelock) and St Leger winner Theodore (b c 1819 Woful). Blacklock was a Champion Sire in 1829. His best known son was Voltaire (br c 1826).
2. Dabchick (br f 1798), 2nd dam of One Thousand Guineas winner Catgut (br f 1816 Juniper or Comus).
3. Sister to Edwin (b f 1794), taproot mare of Family 3-i, and 4th dam of the Derby and St Leger winner The Flying Dutchman (br c 1846 Bay Middleton).
4. Mandane (ch f 1800), a winner of two races, she was the taproot mare of Family 11-g, the dam of the St Leger winner Altisidora (ch f 1810 Dick Andrews), the Oaks winner Manuella (b f 1809 Dick Andrews), and the stallions Brutandorf (b c 1821 Blacklock) and Lottery (br c 1820 Tramp).
5. Nightshade (b f 1785), winner of Oaks Stakes and 3rd dam of the Ascot Gold winner Sir Huldibrand (br c 1818 Octavius).
6. Outcast (b f 1793), winner of 4 races at five years of age.
7. Parasol b f 1800 (Pot8os - Prunella, by Highflyer). Sire Line Pot8os. Family 1-e. Bred by the 3rd Duke of Grafton, she won thirty-one races, including the Jockey Club Plate, four King's Plates, and placed 3rd in the Oaks Stakes. She became the dam of One and Two Thousand Guineas winner Pastille (b f 1819 Rubens) and Two Thousand Guineas winner Pindarrie (b c 1817 Phantom).
8. Pot8os Mare (f 1793), dam of the Oaks winner Maid of Orleans (b f 1806 Sorcerer) and the Woodcote Stakes winner Rivulet (ch f 1813 Rubens). Pot8os Mare was also the 3rd dam of the One Thousand Guineas and Oaks winner Galata (br f 1829 Sultan).
9. Pot8os Mare (b f 1796), 2nd dam of the Two Thousand Guineas winner Interpreter (b c 1815 Soothsayer) and 2nd dam of the Two Thousand Guineas winner Nectar (b c 1813 Walton).
10. Sister to Timidity* (ch f 1792) was quite an influential matron in America where she produced Cole's Bright Phoebus (c 1804 Messenger*), one of few who beat Sir Archy (b c 1805 Diomed*), and Millers Damsel (gr f 1802 Messenger*), the dam of American Eclipse (ch c 1814 Duroc).
 
Other Notable Offspring
 
Alderman (GB)*
(b c 1787) was a stallion in America, where his daughters contributed to the build up of several native families. Alderman Mare (b f 1799) was the 2nd dam of Boston (ch c 1833 Timoleon) who was probably the greatest American racehorse of the 19th century and also the sire of Lexington (b c 1850).

Asparagus (GB)
(ch c 1787), sire of the One Thousand Guineas winner Rhoda (b f 1813) and the stallion Teddy the Grinder (b c 1798).

Coriander (GB)
(b c 1786), sire of Coriander Mare (b f 1799), the grandaughter of Co-Heiress [see Co-Heiress, above]. Coriander Mare was inbred to 2x3 to Pot8os, and the dam of Blacklock and Theodore. Coriander also sired Hyacinthus (ch c 1797), sire of Hyacinthus Mare (ch f 1804), taproot of Family 2-f, and Variety (b f 1808), taproot of Family 20-a.

Tyrant (GB)
(b c 1799), winner of the Derby Stakes and a 300 guineas sweepstakes against Julia (br f 1799 Whiskey).

Vespasian (GB)
(b c 1793), sire of Pomona (ch f 1815), the dam of Champagne Stakes winner Bud (b c 1827 Partisan). Pomona was also the 2nd dam of the One Thousand Guineas and Park Hill Stakes winner Sorella (ch f 1841 The Saddler) and the Union-Rennen winner My Hope (ch f 1853 Birdcatcher).

Worthy (GB)
(b c 1795), winner of a King's Plate and the Oxford Cup.
   
   
Champion (GB) b c 1797 (Pot8os - Huncamunca, by Highflyer). Sire Line Pot8os. Family 3-b.
   
Waxy (GB) b c 1790 (Pot8os - Maria, by Herod). Sire Line Pot8os. Family 18.