As the world recognizes what would have been John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s 100th birthday today, Bourbon and Barns has chosen to take a different approach to remembering America’s 35th President. Today, Bourbon and Barns takes a look at a horse whose name was inspired by President John F. Kennedy.
Only one horse has been named John F Kennedy and he was certainly bred to be worthy of the name.
John F Kennedy (the horse) was born on February 7, 2012 in Ireland. His sire was Galileo who became one of the top sires in the world after winning the Epsom Derby and Irish Derby as a three-year-old. His dam was Rumplestiltskin who was the Champion two-year-old filly in Europe in 2005. Further proof that John F Kennedy was from a regally bred family is that Rumplestiltskin’s dam was a full sister to the three-year-old French Champion Kingmambo who became an influential international sire.
John F Kennedy had some of the most famous and accomplished connections in all of horse racing. He was bred by Orpendale and Niarchos and was owned by the famous horse racing partnership of Mrs. John Magnier and Michael Tabor.
Unfortunately, John F Kennedy’s racing career has been met with mixed success. He raced three times as a two-year-old, breaking his maiden in his second start at The Curragh before making a big splash by winning the Group-3 Juvenile Turf Stakes at Leopardstown in September 2014.
John F Kennedy became the favorite for the Irish Derby after his Group-3 win, but in his next four races he failed to meet those high expectations. John F Kennedy finished last in his next two starts (both graded stakes races) at Leopardstown and York. He made one more start in Ireland in September 2015, finishing third.
In January 2016, John F Kennedy was sold to a group with the intention of racing him in the United States before retiring him to stud in Argentina. John F Kennedy raced once in the U.S., finishing seventh in an allowance race at Santa Anita in April 2016. John F Kennedy suffered an injury in the race and has been retired to stud in Argentina.