{{Short description|Canadian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}} {{Infobox racehorse | horsename = Chief Bearhart | image = | caption = | sire = Chief's Crown | grandsire = Danzig | dam = Amelia Bearhart | damsire = Bold Hour | sex = Stallion | foaled = 1993 | country = Canada | colour = Chestnut | breeder = Richard D. Maynard | owner = Sam-Son Farm | trainer = Mark Frostad | record = 26: 12-5-3 | earnings = $3,381,557 | race = {{ubl |Elkhorn Stakes (1997) |King Edward Breeders' Cup Stakes (1997) |Canadian International Stakes (1997) |Sky Classic Stakes (1997, 1998) |Niagara Breeders' Cup Turf Handicap (1998) |Manhattan Handicap (1998) |{{spaces}} |'''Canadian Classic Race wins:''' |Breeders' Stakes (1996) |{{spaces}} |'''Breeders' Cup wins:''' |Breeders' Cup Turf (1997) }} | awards= {{ubl |American Champion Male Turf Horse (1997) |Canadian Male Turf Champion (1996, 1997, 1998) |Canadian Champion Older Male Horse (1997) |Canadian Horse of the Year (1997, 1998) }} | honours = {{ubl |Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (2002) |Chief Bearhart Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack }} }}

'''Chief Bearhart''' (February 1, 1993 – September 18, 2012) was a Canadian Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. A turf specialist, he won six Sovereign Awards and was voted American Champion Male Turf Horse for 1997.

== Background == Chief Bearheart was bred by Richard D. Maynard and sired by Chief's Crown out of the mare Amelia Bearhart by Bold Hour. His grandsire was Danzig. He was owned by Sam-Son Farm of Milton, Ontario and was trained by Mark Frostad.

== Racing career == In 1995, at age two, injuries kept Chief Bearhart out of all but one race. At age 3, he had only modest success until his trainer switched him from racing on dirt tracks to racing on turf. He then won the 1996 Breeders' Stakes, the final and only leg on grass of the Canadian Triple Crown. On July 25, 1996, Chief Bearhart won an allowance race of about a mile and three-eighths on turf at Woodbine Racetrack in a track record time of 2:16 flat.

Popular with racing fans because he almost always came from well back in the field, in 1997 Chief Bearhart blossomed into a star. Ridden by José A. Santos he won five of seven races with two second-place finishes. Among his wins were the prestigious Canadian International Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack and at Hollywood Park Racetrack in the United States he won the Breeders' Cup Turf by a half length. For his 1997 performances, Chief Bearhart earned more than $2 million in purses and was voted the Sovereign Award for Horse of the Year and the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Male Turf Horse.

Racing at age five, in 1998 Chief Bearhart won his second Canadian "Horse of the Year" title after winning the Niagara Breeders' Cup Handicap, the Sky Classic Handicap and setting a course record in winning the Grade I Manhattan Handicap. He was retired after the 1998 racing season<ref name="Durso1998" /> and in 2002 was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.

== Stud career == Chief Bearhart stood at stud at the Shizunai Stallion Station in Japan. He sired six stakes winners for 10 stakes wins.<ref name="Studbook" /> He died of heart failure on September 18, 2012.<ref name="Tallon2012" />

== Pedigree == {{Pedigree |name = Chief Bearhart{{spaces|thin}}<ref name="equineline" /><ref name="PedigreeQuery" /> |f = Chief's Crown |m = Amelia Bearhart |ff = Danzig |fm = Six Crowns |mf = Bold Hour |mm = Myrtlewood Lass |fff = Northern Dancer |ffm = Pas De Nom |fmf = Secretariat |fmm = Chris Evert |mff = Bold Ruler |mfm = Seven Thirty |mmf = Ribot |mmm = Gold Digger |ffff = Nearctic |fffm = Natalma |ffmf = Admiral's Voyage |ffmm = Petitioner |fmff = Bold Ruler |fmfm = Somethingroyal |fmmf = Swoon's Son |fmmm = Miss Carmie |mfff = Nasrullah |mffm = Miss Disco |mfmf = Mr. Music |mfmm = Time To Dine |mmff = Tenerani |mmfm = Romanella |mmmf = Nashua |mmmm = Sequence |}}

== References == {{Reflist|refs= <ref name="Durso1998">{{cite news |last1=Durso |first1=Joseph |title=HORSE RACING; Pace Hurts Chief Bearhart, And Cetewayo Gets Victory |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/08/16/sports/horse-racing-pace-hurts-chief-bearhart-and-cetewayo-gets-victory.html |url-access=limited |access-date=October 11, 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=August 16, 1998 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729050059/https://www.nytimes.com/1998/08/16/sports/horse-racing-pace-hurts-chief-bearhart-and-cetewayo-gets-victory.html |archive-date=July 29, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> <ref name="Studbook">{{cite web |title=Chief Bearhart (CAN) 1993 |url=https://www.studbook.org.au/Horse.aspx?hid=638699 |website=Australian Stud Book |access-date=October 11, 2022}}</ref> <ref name="Tallon2012">{{cite news |last=Tallon |first=Bill |url=https://www.drf.com/news/two-time-canadian-horse-year-chief-bearhart-dies-19 |title=Two-time Canadian Horse of the Year Chief Bearhart dies at 19 |work=Daily Racing Form |date=September 18, 2012 |access-date=September 22, 2012}}</ref> <ref name="equineline">{{cite web |url=http://www.equineline.com/Free-5X-Pedigree.cfm?page_state=ORDER_AND_CONFIRM&reference_number=1412182&registry=T&horse_name=Chief%20Bearhart&dam_name=Amelia%20Bearhart&foaling_year=1993&nicking_stats_indicator=Y |title=Chief Bearhart pedigree |website=equineline.com |date=May 8, 2012 |access-date=September 22, 2012}}</ref> <ref name="PedigreeQuery">{{cite web |title=Chief Bearhart Horse Pedigree and racing Stats |url=https://www.pedigreequery.com/chief+bearhart |website=Pedigree Query |access-date=October 11, 2022}}</ref> }}

== External links == * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGGD26xhzUw Chief Bearheart - 1997 Breeders Cup Turf (Partial)] via YouTube

Category:1993 racehorse births Category:2012 racehorse deaths Category:Racehorses bred in Ontario Category:Racehorses trained in Canada Category:Horse racing track record setters Category:Breeders' Cup Turf winners Category:Eclipse Award winners Category:Sovereign Award winners Category:Canadian Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Category:Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductees Category:Thoroughbred family 13-c