Prince Hellstrom

I just got Andy's paperwork a few days ago in the mail. Of course, I poured over it thoroughly, and read on his Coggin's test that he had a tattoo. I knew he was registered, but for some reason didn't think he had a tattoo, which in hindsight is dumb, but I'm not really knowledgeable about the Jockey Club or breed registries in general. Anyways, the Jockey Club is pretty much the best kept breed registry there is, and I figured that I might be able to find some info on his with his tattoo number. Say, maybe his real age! So I went to the Jockey Club website and used their tattoo identification service, and OMG I found a freaking goldmine!

My darling Andy was a bonafide race horse! He started in 9 races. Granted, he was a pretty crummy racehorse, with a career earning of $789, thanks to one third-place finish. But he raced! I think it's so cool that I get to ride a thoroughbred that at one time paraded in front of a grandstand, loaded into a starting gate, and then thundered around a track at 35 mph!!!

I also found out that the registered name that someone told me he had was wrong. His actual name is Prince Hellstrom. Ummm.....Yeah, let's just stick with Andy. His sire was Just Behavin' and his dam was Dazzling Dancer. Nothing too remarkable in his pedigree until you go back 5 generations, and then you'll find MAN 'O WAR!!!!! Only the best race horse of all time. That's right, I own a descendant of Man 'O War. A great, great, great-grandson, but a descendant nonetheless. I also found out that he is 19, originally from Illinois, and is a Taurus (born May 4th), although officially his birthday is January 1st, like all the thoroughbreds in the northern hemisphere...but fuck that, he gets a birthday party on both days!

He hasn't been raced in 16 years, but I wonder if he still remembers it? It would explain his old reputation as a crazy runaway, especially outdoors. It would also explain how he sometimes takes off at a gallop, and is difficult to pull up. Granted, since I've moved his to his new barn, reduced his grain, and gave him daily turnout out he's much more likely to be lazy and not want to canter than be a nutso and bolt.

I'm so happy to have found all this! I just wish I knew the inbetween. How did he get from Illinois to Corvallis? What happened in between? Oh well. At least I know he will be happy, fat, and lazy for the rest of his life.

Here is a picture of Andy (Aka Prince Hellstrom) biting his old buddy Ritz.