Kincsem

Background

Kincsem was bred at the stud of Ernő Blaskovich at Tápiószentmárton, in The Hungarian part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Her sire, Cambuscan, was bred by Queen Victoria and in 1864 went on to win the July Stakes and place in the St. Leger Stakes. He was sold to Hungarian interests and was brought to stand at the Hungarian National Stud in the Kisbér District in 1873. Cambuscan was by Newminster, while his dam, The Arrow, was by Slane. Kincsem was out of the Hungarian mare Waternymph, a daughter of the English horse Cotswold. Kincsem's third dam, Seaweed was also by Slane, making Kincsem inbred to him in the third and fourth generations (3x4).

At that time, there were thieves in Hungary called betyars who stole cattle and horses. One night they tried to steal horses from an open summer stable of Blaskovich that had only a crossbar through the door. They made a noise, so stable staff chased them away and the horses, including Waternymph, were saved. This legend was later distorted and attributed to Kincsem, who in the new version was allegedly stolen by wandering Gypsies and later returned to her owner.

Another distorted legend says that Kincsem was once offered for sale as part of a package deal with six other yearlings for 7000 gulden but she were rejected by the buyer, Baron Alex Orczy.

In fact, according to a newspaper article about the auction, Kincsem was not on the list. Blaskovich later wrote that he didn't want to sell her because she had an unusually long, easy galloping stride and he loved her very much for her calm and very affectionate nature.

In November 1875, Blaskovich sent her to Göd, seventy kilometers away, where trainer Robert Hesp opened a new stable that year. Kincsem arrived there “on the hoof” and the journey took two days. Englishman Robert Hesp trained her throughout her career and she was ridden by other Englishmen Elijah Madden (42 wins), Archie Wainwright (9 wins) and Tom Busby (3 wins).

Kincsem was a liver chestnut without any white markings who stood 16.1 hands (65 inches, 165 cm) high at maturity. Several descriptions were written during her life. The first was written even before her first race, in the spring of 1876, when the editors of the racing newspaper Sportblatt visited the leading stables and described Kincsem as the best two-year-old in Austria-Hungary. Sportblatt from 8 April 1876: "The chestnut mare by Cambuscan from the Waternymph looks most like a racehorse. She is over and over full of quality, long and deep, stands on dry, strong, flawless legs and shows herself to great advantage in a fast gallop. We think we are not mistaken in expressing the view that [she] is destined to play an excellent role on the racetrack." During her stay in England, newspapers described her movement as admirable - long, flat, spacious, and it was said that there was no horse with a better stride at Newmarket. A few weeks later in France, a journalist under the pseudonym Freemann wrote in the newspaper Le Jockey: "It is rare to see a more complete type of racehorse than Kincsem, when she appeared on the track with her tall figure, magnificent lines, excellence, strength, lightness, with a figure as perfect as a gallop, and we understood why Captain Matchell, one of the greatest connoisseurs in the world, offered £10,000 to her owner, who refused it." Another journalist, Robert Milton, wrote in Le Figaro: "Mr. Blaskovich's mare is the most beautiful I have ever seen in my life. All the breeders admire her and her victory was met with great applause."

Racing career

1876: Two-year-old season

Another legend, used in the Hungarian movie Kincsem, speculates that Kincsem started her career in Germany because Blaskovich was ashamed of her, but the real reason was a summer break on Austrian and Hungarian racetracks. During the three-month break, Austrian and Hungarian stables traveled to German racetracks with their best horses, particularly the two-year-olds who did not have races in Austria-Hungary until September. Trainer Robert Hesp traveled to the Berlin with some of his horses and the first to start was Csalogany, who won easily at odds of 3–2. Kincsem made her debut three days later on 21 June and beat three German horses by 4 lengths as the 1/3 odds-on favourite.

The next stop was Hannover, where on 1 July Csalogany won the Zukunfts-Rennen by 1 length in front of the Austro-Hungarian colt Hamburg. On the next day, Kincsem won the Vergleichspreis also by 1 length with Hamburg in second. Third was a three-year-old, Double Zero, who would later win the Deutsches Derby. On 3 July, Csalogany added another victory and the expedition continued to Hamburg. On 9 July, Kincsem won the Hamburger Criterium by 1+1⁄2 lengths ahead of the German filly Adelaide and colt Hamburg. Csalogany ran two races in three days in Hamburg, winning the Vergleichs-Rennen ahead of the filly Little Luder. She was subsequently beaten by the great four-year-old colt Basnas in Pokal and got a break.

Kincsem added three more victories in Germany, beating the Austro-Hungarian colt Blücher by 1+1⁄2 lengths at the Royal Meeting in Bad Doberan and German filly Regimentstochter by 10 lengths in a match race in the Louisa Rennen in Frankfurt. Her sixth victory came on 31 August in the Zukunfts-Rennen (Zukunftspreis that time) in Baden Baden, where she beat her stablemate Criterium by 2 lengths.

The stable then returned to Hungary for the fall campaign. On 2 October, Kincsem showed her best two-year-old form when beating Little Luder in the Polgárok dija in Sopron by a huge margin. The Hungarian horseracing newspaper Vadász- és Versenylap reported that she won by 15 to 20 lengths. A description of Kincsem was published after the race in Sportblatt: "Despite the fact that this two-year-old filly measures 16 hands (64 inches, 163 cm), all her limbs are built perfectly proportionally and impress with their regularity and colossal strength, in which the durability peculiar to the filly ad oculos is demonstrated."

1877: three-year-old season

Over the winter, Kincsem was made the even-money favourite for the Nemzeti Dij (Hungarian 2000 Guineas) ahead of Csalogany, and was the 2/1 favourite for the Austrian Derby. She was not entered in the Deutsches Derby, in which the 6/1 favourite was Blücher, who had finished second behind her in the Erinnerungsrennen in Doberan.

Both the "world wonder fillies" of trainer Hesp opened the season on 27 April in Bratislava. In the Trial Stakes (Austro-Hungarian 2000 Guineas), Kincsem set the pace and beat Blücher "hands down" by one length in field of eight horses. However, Csalogany shockingly disappointed that day when she finished third behind Pfeil in the Staatspreis (State Prize) at odds of 2/10. Csalogany lost again two days later and both fillies went to Budapest.

A week later, Kincsem won two races in three days. The Nemzeti Dij and Hazafi Dij were recognized as the Hungarian equivalent of 2000 Guineas and 1000 Guineas respectively, but were restricted races at that time to Hungarian-bred horses. In the Nemzeti dij on 6 May, Camillo set the pace, followed by Kincsem and Csalogany. At the halfway point, Kincsem moved to the front, and continued to draw away. She won as she willed ahead of Camillo and Csalogany. The final margin was not disclosed in any available sources from 1877 but the final time has been published - 1:47 for 1600 metres. In the Hazafi dij on 8 May, Kincsem had a fair start but waited behind opponents in a bunched field of six. Halfway through the race, she moved to the front with Bimbo, and then pulled ahead to win easily by 1+1⁄2 lengths in a time of 1:45 with Csalogany unplaced.

After the meeting in Pest, Kincsem along with 11 of Hesp's other horses went to the Derby meeting in Vienna. In the Preis des Jockey-Club (Austrian Derby) on 21 May, her main rival would be Tallós, a colt that had finished second in the Criterion Stakes at Newmarket. He was owned by Alexander Baltazzi, who had won the previous year's Epsom Derby with Kisber. At the start, Tallós lost several lengths but soon moved close to Kincsem, who waited in third place behind Premier Coup and Pfeil. Before the last turn, Blücher moved to the lead but Kincsem responded. In the 700-meter long straight, Kincsem set a strong pace to the last 200 meters, then cantered home. Her jockey Madden reportedly had the reins in one hand and was patting her with the other. Tallós was second by two lengths, three lengths ahead of Pfeil and Blücher in a field of eight runners, according to the Viennese newspaper Sportblatt. The Budapest racing bulletin Vadász és Versenylap reported that she won by 10 lengths and that was the biggest discrepancy in her race reports.

1878: four-year-old season

In the spring, the form of previously undistinguished three-year-old horses can improve dramatically, which posed problems for Kincsem in her first two starts of the season, in the two cheapest races she ran that year. In the Eröffnungsrennen on Easter Monday 22 April, Kincsem looked to have little competition in a field of five runners on paper form. However, the three-year-old Wild Rover stayed on strongly under 53.5 kg and Madden had to ride hard until Kincsem, under 65.5 kg, broke his resistance 50 meters before the finish and won by two lengths. Wild Rover had been unplaced at two but developed into one of the best three-year-old horses of 1878 with five victories and four second-place finishes.

Another up-and-coming three-year-old colt met Kincsem three days later in the Praterpreis over 2000 meters, where she set the early pace under 67.5 kg. Count Henckel's Oroszvar under 54.5 kg challenged her in the straight and come close, but Madden pushed Kincsem home three lengths ahead of the colt, who later won the Trial Stakes (A-H 2000 Guineas), Union Rennen, Deutsches Derby and Renard Rennen.

On the way back from Vienna, Kincsem made a stop in Bratislava, where she met Count Henckel's Prince Giles The First for the third time. In a match race in the Államdij over 2400 meters, Kincsem set a moderate pace, easily repulsed a short attack of Prince Giles The First, and won by 5 lengths while giving him a 5 kg advantage.

On 14 May, Kincsem met Prince Giles The First again in Budapest, in the Allamdij over two miles. The three-year-old filly Gondolat set the pace under 46 kg and led by 30-40 lengths ahead of Kincsem (67 kg), followed by Prince Giles (62.5 kg). At the halfway point, Kincsem made her move and easily went by Gondolat. Turning into the stretch, she led by five lengths and cantered home 5 to 6 lengths ahead of Prince Giles The First. Two days later, Kincsem beat Prince Giles The First for the fifth time. In a match race in the Kisbéri dij over 2000 metres, Kincsem set a slow pace under 69.5 kg, then increased the pace after half a mile. Prince Giles the First under 65 kg could barely hold her and Kincsem won "as she willed" by two lengths.

In the Allamdij over 2400 metres on 19 May, Count Henckel sent former champion mare Konotoppa against Kincsem in a field that also included the best three-year-old filly Altona, who like Kincsem was trained by Hesp. Kincsem (69.4 kg) took the early lead setting a slow pace, then Altona (51 kg) took over as the pace picked up. In the last turn, Kincsem struck and beat her stablemate by a couple of lengths. A further 4 to 5 lengths behind was Konotoppa (66.5 kg), who was reported in foal and went to Henckel's stud Hugo Telep in Oroszvar (Rusovce) after the race.

1879: five-year-old season

After the 1878 season, Kincsem's stable friend Csalogany went to the stud and become a successful broodmare, producing 10 winners from 10 foals, including Hungarian and Austrian Oaks winner Csalfa. Madden, who had ridden Kincsem in all 42 of her victories to date and who had been champion jockey in Austria-Hungary from 1876 to 1878, left Hesp's stable. After 17 years in Austria-Hungary, Madden went to Germany, to the stable of Prince Hohenlohe-Oehringen.

Kincsem's new jockey arrived in Vienna from England in the spring of 1879, a 23-year-old jockey Archie Wainwright. On 28 April, he rode Kincsem for the first time in a much anticipated race against Tallos, who not met her since finishing second in the 1877 Derby. With three victories in 1878, Tallos was regarded as the clear second-best horse in Austrian-Hungary, despite an unsuccessful trip to England where he faded to fifth in the Cambridgeshire Handicap and was unplaced in the Lincolnshire Handicap, when Isonomy lands the famous gamble. He came into the race against Kincsem with two straight victories in 1879. Vadász- és Versenylap reported that Kincsem was much calmer than her two restless opponents and looked good but not "fit", having had only three or four true workouts before the race. A strong pace was set by three-year-old lightweight Myrtle from Hesp's stable, followed by Kincsem four lengths behind, then Tallos. On halfway, Kincsem moved forward. Tallos made an effort to match the move but Kincsem under 72 kg quickly built up a 10 length lead before turning into the short straight. She cantered home 8 to 10 lengths ahead of Tallos (73.5 kg) "in the midst of the cracking joy of the audience".

Next week in Budapest, Kincsem did not find an opponent in the Gróf Károlyi dij over 3600 meters and won by walkover. On 6 May over 3200 meters, she won by two lengths, beating Austrian Derby and Hungarian St Leger winner Nil Desperandum with her former jockey Madden up. On 8 May, she won by two lengths over 2400 metres, beating the up-and-coming three-year-old Harry Hall, later winner of Hungarian St Leger, giving him the advantage of 24 kg (53 pounds). Unplaced in the field of five runners was Prince Giles The First, who then met Kincsem again on 18 May in Vienna, where he was beaten by 10 lengths over 2800 meters. and 20 May in tenth and final race against Kincsem he was last, being beaten by Kincsem and her pacemaker over 3200 m

The stables then moved to Germany, where the Austro-Hungarian horses won all the major races at the Berlin meeting. Count Henckel's Picklock and Ilona won the Union-Rennen and Stutenrennen (Preis der Diana), and Kincsem won the Silberner Schild Sr. Majestät des Kaisers over 2400 meters. She was not disturbed by a great storm and led all the way, easy beating her stablemate Altona by two lengths with the sole German runner Vitus 20 lengths behind. A great fan of Kincsem, German Emperor Wilhelm I, regardless of the rain and lightning came down from the stand to take a close look at the "Wonder Mare".

1880: six-year-old season

In January 1880, Vadász- és Versenylap published a short message stating that Kincsem would stay in training as a six-year-old. A later message said that her new jockey would be Tom Osborne. The April issue reported that the Kincsem was as good as ever, having become a bit wider. She had been seen galloping with such ease as before and her legs were as clean as ever. According to the article, she was to run in Budapest and Vienna in May and then travel to Germany and France. That year Kincsem's own brother Szent Marton arrived at Hesp's stable but he proved a disappointment. He was unraced at two, was injured at three in a spring workout, and from two starts on the flat, he gained only one second-place finish and 415 florins in earnings. He was renamed as Marczi and won five small races over hurdles.

Kincsem was supposed to start the season on 2 May in Bratislava but was withdrawn. Two weeks later, a report was published that she had been kicked by a stablemate. Although the bruise healed, Blaskovich decided to retire her. Kincsem went to the National Stud in Kisber and on 26 May, she was covered by Verneuil.

Race record

Source: Vadász- és Versenylap 1876–79, Galopp-Sieger

Breeding record

Kincsem produced five live foals:

Budagyöngye (1882), filly by Buccaneer, 14: 4-5-2, classic winner, 23,897.50 fl

Olyan Nincs (1883), filly by Buccaneer, 34: 8-8-3, classic winner, 32,061 fl

Talpra Magyar (1885), colt by Buccaneer, 23-2-6-4, 6,531 fl

Kincsőr (1886), colt by Doncaster, 10: 3-2-1, 17,190 fl

Kincs (1887), filly by Doncaster, unraced

Vadász- és Versenylap once wrote that Kincsem alone was never sick and never hurt. Her offspring were not always so fortunate.

Kincsem was barren when covered by Verneuil in 1880. In 1881, she was again covered by Verneuil but was reported barren, so was subsequently covered by Buccaneer, which was successful. Kincsem produced her first foal on 1 January 1882 at five in the afternoon at the train station in Buda – Kincsem had been travelling to Kisber in anticipation of her next breeding session during her "foal heat". The filly was named Budagyöngye – Pearl of Buda. She was a promising two-year-old with three victories and three seconds, but was injured in the spring of her three-year-old campaign before the classic season. After three bad runs, she finished third in Austrian Derby at odds of 40–1, then was 2nd in the Union Rennen. The highlight of her career came with a victory in the Deutsches Derby. Before the Grosser Preis von Baden, she was injured again and went to stud. She produced two classic winning fillies, Viglány and Dicso, and become a highly influential broodmare. From her branch of Kincsem's female family among others become 29 classic winners in 11 European countries, including Calandria (French St Leger), Oberon (Derby Italiano), Polygamy (Epsom Oaks), Camelot (2000 Guineas, Epsom Derby, Irish Derby) and most recently Constitution River (French Derby).

Olyan Nincs raced from age two to four. In the spring of her three-year-old campaign, she developed a cough, but recovered by the fall to win five races, including the Hungarian St Leger. She also become a highly influential broodmare. From her branch of Kincsem's female family came 33 classic winners in 8 European countries, including Falada (German Oaks), Wolke (German Oaks and Derby), Wauthi (German 2000 Guineas and St Leger), Wahnfried and Wicht (both German St Leger), Walesiana and Well Proved (both German 1000 Guineas), Widschi (German 2000 Guineas) and German Derby winners Windstoss and Weltstar.

Legacy

Kincsem Park, Hungary's premier racecourse and located in Budapest, is named in her honour. There is a life sized statue of her by the entrance to the old grandstand. Blaskovich's stud farm now houses the Kincsem Equestrian Park and Kincsem Museum, which contains a room devoted to the mare's career. Streets named for Kincsem are in Tápiószentmárton, where she was born, in Kisbér where she died, in Göd, where she was trained, and in Dunakeszi, the biggest training centre in Hungary. There is also a Kincsem Street in Iffezheim (Baden Baden). Kincsem's training stable in Göd was abandoned for many years but in 2016-17 was reconstructed and a statue Kincsem was placed there. Many small businesses around the stable are named after her. A photo of the skeleton of Kincsem was used in an advertisement for her descendant Westorkan in 1967.

When including Kincsem in his book of the 100 Greatest Racehorses, racing commentator Julian Wilson noted that although the competition she faced in Hungary was difficult to evaluate, she was "probably one of the best mares to ever race in Europe." Taking into account her ability to handle heavy weights and the range of distances over which she was successful, turf historian Richard Sowers wrote that there was "little question that [she] compares favorably with any Thoroughbred in history."

Film

A Hungarian film, Kincsem — Bet on Revenge, directed by Gábor Herendi, was released in 2017. The feature film presented Kincsem's history with fictitious details. The movie set a record as the most expensive domestic movie ever produced with a total cost of 3 billion forint. The Hungarian National Film Fund contributed 2,078 billion forint toward the total production cost. The movie was released in Hungarian cinemas on 16 March 2017 and was later shown at the Cannes Film Festival.

Automotive tribute

In 2021, Tibor Bak (a Swiss-based Hungarian who named his company after the racehorse) showed proposals for an electric hypercar called the Kincsem Hyper-GT, with 54 production models due to be built as a tribute to the 54 races that the horse won.

Pedigree

Although Kincsem is Hungarian bred, her pedigree is mainly British. She was also the result of a mistake: Blaskovich had planned to breed his mare Waternymph to Buccaneer, but instead the mare was mated with Cambuscan. Both stallions had been imported from England to stand at the Hungarian National Stud. Cambuscan had earned nine victories including the July Stakes during four seasons of racing. Originally retired to stud in England, Cambuscan was not considered a great success though he did sire 2000 Guineas winner Camballo. In his new country, Cambuscan sired multiple champions including Altona (won Preis der Diana, Kanczadij - Hungarian Oaks), Illona (Preis der Diana, Kanczadij - Hungarian Oaks, Nemzeti dij - Hungarian 2000 Guineas), Gamiani (German Derby), Mereny (Preis der Diana, Kanczadij - Hungarian Oaks, Union-Rennen), Isolani (Nemzeti dij - Hungarian 2000 Guineas, Hungarian St Leger), La Gondola (Grosser Preis von Baden), Gyongyvirág (Zukunfts Rennen, Kanczadij - Hungarian Oaks), Cambrian (Kanczadij - Hungarian Oaks), Frangepan (Hungarian St Leger), Czimer (Union-Rennen) and Pasztor (Hungarian St Leger).

Kincsem's dam Waternymph (or Water Nymph in some sources) won the Hungarian equivalent of the Oaks and 2000 Guineas. In addition to Kincsem, Waternymph also produced Hungarian Oaks winner Harmat. Waternymph was a daughter of British sire Cotswold, who had been imported to Germany in 1858. The Hungarian studbook lists The Mermaid as Waternymph's dam, a British mare who had won the King John Stakes as a two-year-old. Kincsem's full pedigree can be found on the Jockey Club's official online database, Equineline.