Lenin (horse)


Lenin was a South African bred Thoroughbred racehorse who was a Champion at two and three years of age in South Africa. He was purchased for 650 guineas by Maurice Lipschitz at the 1939 Rand Yearling Sales in Johannesburg. He raced from 1939 to 1943 in South Africa and won 18 of his 44 starts and R32 422, an earnings record at the time. Among his wins were The South African Derby,, Champion Stakes, Benoni Guineas and Natal Guineas. He won from 1000m to 3200m. He is regarded as the best racehorse to have run in South Africa in the first half of the 20th century.

Background

South African horse racing at that time was dominated by handicaps and there were very few equal weight races outside of age group races. As a result Lenin carried 133lbs or more in 33 of his 44 starts. Had he raced in the modern era with its many weight-for-age races it is almost certain he would have won many more races. Edmund Nelson wrote in 1966 in the South African Racehorse magazine that "the allocation of the big money should be on merit, not the whim of the handicapper. Our big handicaps are too rich in value, and they encourage false values in assessing the official statistics". Writing in 1982 renowned racecourse commentator wrote "The present record stake-earner Politician, would never have won the number of races he did win if he had raced in the old days, because we did not have the number of weight-for-age races and he would have been penalised correctly for every one of his wins".
Lenin was foaled at the famous owned by the . His birth "encapsulated the Birch philosophy of never mollycoddling horses. Lenin was actually born out in the veld during a snowstorm.” “Nobody could get to him for a whole week, but Drohsky suckled him and kept him alive all that time". "Lenin’s mother was an imported English mare called Drohsky, who is still revered among the Birches and ascribed “foundation mare” status. Drohsky’s family threw dozens of great racehorses, with her grand-daughter Maritime producing no less than two July winners, Sea Cottage and Naval Escort, and a July second, Top Gallant."
Lenin “remained the greatest hero of the turf for some 25 years until two great horses, Colorado King and Sea Cottage, began vying for the title" Lenin was retired to Lion Hill Stud in 1943 by his owner . Two of his daughters produced two decent stakes performers in and

Race record

Source:
At 26 starts  4 wins 1 third  R5 0161939/40
4thSouth African Produce Stakes beaten 4 lengths12/02/39
WonSouth African Nursery Plate by 2.50 lengths12/23/39
3rdDoornfontein Juvenile Handicap beaten 1 length03/23/40
WonB Division Handicap by 2 lengths04/13/40
WonGosforth Park Juvenile Plate by 4 lengths05/15/40
WonAfrican Breeders’ Plate by 4 lengths carrying 140lbs in a new race record07/10/40
At 38 starts  5 wins 1 second  R13 8201940/41
WonChampion Stakes by 4 lengths08/03/40
WonNatal Guineas by 5 lengths10/05/40
WonBenoni Guineas by 10 lengths11/02/40
Won beaten 0.50 lengths but won on disqualification of the winner12/21/40
WonSouth African Derby by 6 lengths12/26/40
2ndJohannesburg Winter Handicap beaten a head carrying 138lbs05/31/41
5thDurban July Handicap carrying 134 lbs, 6 lbs more than any other horse and 32lbs more than the winner07/05/41
UnplClairwood Winter Handicap 07/19/41
At 414 starts  4 wins 3 seconds  2 thirds  R7 6981941/42
2ndChampion Stakes beaten 1 length08/02/41
WonJohannesburg Spring Handicap by 2.5 lengths10/04/41
UnplJohannesburg Summer Handicap carried 138lbs12/20/41
WonCharles Marx Memorial Plate by 6 lengths and carrying 141lbs12/27/41
WonJohannesburg Merchants Handicap by 0.50 lengths carrying 145lbs01/01/42
UnplPeninsula Summer Handicap carrying 141lbs01/31/42
2ndProvincial Summer Handicap beaten a head carrying 149lbs02/14/42
UnplRosmead Handicap carrying 138lbs02/28/42
2ndJohannesburg Autumn Handicap beaten 1.5 lengths carrying 137lbs04/04/42
WonChairman’s Handicap by 3.5 lengths carrying 143lbs04/11/42
3rdA Division Handicap beaten 2 lengths carrying 146lbs06/13/42
5thDurban July Handicap carrying 132lbs, 24 lbs more than the winner07/04/42
UnplDurban Merchants Handicap carrying 136lbs07/11/42
3rdClairwood Winter Handicap carrying 127lbs07/18/42
At 512 starts  3 wins 1 second  1 third  R4 3121942/43
3rdJohannesburg Spring Handicap beaten a neck carrying 139lbs10/03/42
WonSpring Goldfields Handicap by 4 lengths carrying 141lbs10/05/42
UnplJohannesburg Summer Handicap carrying 142lbs12/19/42
2ndJohannesburg Goldfields Handicap beaten a short head carrying 145lbs12/26/42
WonTransvaal Handicap by 3.50 lengths carrying 145lbs01/01/43
UnplGrandstand Handicap carrying 148lbs03/06/43
UnplA Division Handicap carrying 146lbs04/10/43
4thA Division Handicap carrying 149lbs04/21/43
UnplJohannesburg Winter Handicap carrying 145lbs05/31/43
WonGeneral JJ Pienaar Handicap by 2 lengths carrying 149lbs06/02/43
UnplGoldfields Handicap carrying 156lbs06/12/43
UnplVictory Handicap carrying 149lbs06/19/43
At 64 starts  2 wins 1 second  R1 5461943/44
UnplJohannesburg Spring Handicap carrying 142lbs10/02/43
WonSpring Goldfields Handicap by 3.50 lengths carrying 150lbs10/04/43
2ndFarewell Handicap beaten a neck carrying 150lbs10/08/43
WonWest Rand October Handicap by 0.50 lengths carrying 152lbs10/20/43