Query: Phil T. Chinn & Himyar Stud
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Query: Phil T. Chinn & Himyar Stud
Here I am -- back bugging everyone with odd questions! (The last one was about an old photo that may have been Count Fleet.) Despite the fact that I have a pretty decent thoroughbred library, I find that it tells me little about Colonel Phil T. Chinn and Himyar Stud, other than that he was a racing "mover & groover" and owned/bred some outstanding animals, such as Sarazen. I'm interested in his background because I just bought a lovely photograph of Man O' War that he gave as a gift to someone. I wonder if any of you would be able to help -- anything from the basic to the more esoteric would be much appreciated! You can write me here or at [email protected] Thanking you in advance, Abigail (Terlingua)
There's a whole chapter about Colonel Chinn in John H. Clark's book "Trader Clark: Six Decades of Racing Lore." Shouldn't be too hard a book to locate. It was published by Thoroughbred Publications in 1991.
"A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher...You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse." C. S. Lewis
Phil stopped bidding on ManOWar at $4,000 when his partner got cold feet. Later he was told by Mr. Riddle's(buyer) man that he was given instructions not to go over $5,000.
So the picture could have been a joke to his old partner...
So the picture could have been a joke to his old partner...
Brian L. Chinn
Himyar Bloodstock
"Always good horses; always good business."
Himyar Bloodstock
"Always good horses; always good business."
A couple of my favorite Col. Chinn stories... (admittedly, perhaps they are lore)... go somewhat as follows:
One story involves the good Col. and a trusty helper moving the eighth pole at Keeneland. Apparently this was done to improve the time of a horse being worked and, subsequentially, sold to an Eastern buyer.
Another story involves foals being born a little earlier than Jan. 1. In fact, I think the quote attributed to Col. Chinn was something about, "... never had any surprise Christmas presents, but had a few on New Year's morning...".
Given his apparent appetite for humor, I would think the above explanation for the picture would fit perfectly with the "persona" attributed to the Col.
One story involves the good Col. and a trusty helper moving the eighth pole at Keeneland. Apparently this was done to improve the time of a horse being worked and, subsequentially, sold to an Eastern buyer.
Another story involves foals being born a little earlier than Jan. 1. In fact, I think the quote attributed to Col. Chinn was something about, "... never had any surprise Christmas presents, but had a few on New Year's morning...".
Given his apparent appetite for humor, I would think the above explanation for the picture would fit perfectly with the "persona" attributed to the Col.