# First Flight (racehorse)

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American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

This article is about the 1940s champion racehorse. For the medical research horse used to develop the first botulinum antitoxin, see [First Flight (medical research horse)](/source/First_Flight_(medical_research_horse)). For other uses, see [First Flight (disambiguation)](/source/First_Flight_(disambiguation)).

First Flight Sire Mahmoud Grandsire Blenheim Dam Fly Swatter Damsire Dis Donc Sex Filly Foaled 1944 Country United States Colour Bay Breeder Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney Owner Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney Trainer Sylvester E. Veitch Record 24: 11-3-3 Earnings US$197,965 Major wins Fashion Stakes (1946) Astoria Stakes (1946) Matron Stakes (1946) Futurity Stakes (1946) Monmouth Oaks (1947) Fall Highweight Handicap (1948) Awards American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly (1946)

**First Flight** (foaled 1944 in Kentucky) was an American [Thoroughbred](/source/Thoroughbred) racehorse who was voted the [American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly](/source/American_Champion_Two-Year-Old_Filly) of 1946[1]

## Background

First Flight was bred and raced by [Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney](/source/Cornelius_Vanderbilt_Whitney)[2] and conditioned for racing by [Hall of Fame](/source/National_Museum_of_Racing_and_Hall_of_Fame) inductee, [Sylvester Veitch](/source/Sylvester_E._Veitch).

## Racing career

Her first season started in May 1946 where she equaled a [Belmont Park](/source/Belmont_Park) [track record](/source/Glossary_of_North_American_horse_racing#track_record/course_record) in winning her racing debut with [Arnold Kirkland](/source/Arnold_Kirkland) aboard in the [Fashion Stakes](/source/Fashion_Stakes).[3] After a "going away" victory in the [Astoria Stakes](/source/Astoria_Stakes) during June, the filly received some time off. She went on to win the [Matron Stakes](/source/Matron_Stakes_(United_States)) on September 28. 7 days later the filly defeated [colts](/source/Colt_(horse)) in winning (the then) most prestigious race for [juveniles](/source/Glossary_of_North_American_horse_racing#juvenile), the [Futurity Stakes](/source/Belmont_Futurity_Stakes) in October. Ridden by [Eddie Arcaro](/source/Eddie_Arcaro), First Flight beat I Will by one and a half lengths with the future [Kentucky Derby](/source/Kentucky_Derby) winner [Jet Pilot](/source/Jet_Pilot_(horse)) in third. In doing so, she became the first filly to win the Futurity since the Whitney-owned [Top Flight](/source/Top_Flight) in 1931.[4] Her 5 for 6 season gained her the Two-Year-Old Filly Championship

At age three, she won two races with her main victory coming in the [Monmouth Oaks](/source/Monmouth_Oaks).

At age four, her major win came against males when she captured the 1948 [Fall Highweight Handicap](/source/Fall_Highweight_Handicap). She won three other races that year to compile a record of 11 wins in 24 lifetime starts.

## Pedigree

Pedigree of First Flight Sire Mahmoud Blenheim Blandford Swynford Blanche Malva Charles O'Malley Wild Arum Mah Mahal Gainsborough Bayardo Rosedrop Mumtaz Mahal The Tetrarch Lady Josephine Dam Fly Swatter Dis Donc Sardanapale Prestige Gemma Lady Hamburg Hamburg Lady Frivoles Miss Whisk Whisk Broom Broomstick Audience Wonder Disguise Curiosity

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [ Displaying Abstract ] (9 May 1897). ["New York Times - May 9, 1897"](https://www.nytimes.com/1897/05/09/archives/it-was-voters-race-the-metropolitan-handicap-won-by-james-r-keenes.html). *The New York Times*. Retrieved 2012-02-11.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["First Flight's pedigree"](http://www.pedigreequery.com/first+flight). Pedigreequery.com. Retrieved 2012-02-11.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Richardson, William D. (1946-05-08). ["New York Times - May 8, 1946"](https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0B16F9345413738DDDA10894DD405B8688F1D3). Select.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2012-02-11.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Whitney's speedy filly collects $50,000 Futurity"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eYstAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MZ0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1954,4258781&dq=first-flight+filly&hl=en). Reading Eagle. 6 October 1946. Retrieved 2012-02-11.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [First Flight (racehorse)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Flight_(racehorse)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Flight_(racehorse)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.