Whichone (1927–1944) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was named the American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt of 1929. Although Whichone earned important race wins as a three-year-old, injuries hampered his racing career including a bowed tendon sustained in the running of the 1930 Travers Stakes that ended his career.
Background
A Harry Payne Whitney homebred, Whichone was a full brother to Mother Goose, herself an American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly in 1924. Their sire was Chicle who was bred and foaled in France by their American owner due to the complete shutdown of horseracing in 1911 and 1912 in the state of New York as a result of the Legislature's passage of the Hart–Agnew Law. Brought to the United States by owner/breeder Harry Payne Whitney, Chicle would become the Leading sire in North America in 1929 and the Leading broodmare sire in North America in 1942. Chicle was the son of Spearmint, winner of the Epsom Derby in England and the Grand Prix de Paris in France, both races the then most prestigious in their country. Spearmint became the outstanding sire whose progeny included Johren, Plucky Liege Royal Lancer, Spion Kop. Danny Maher, U. S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee and twice the British flat racing Champion Jockey was quoted as saying that Spearmint was the best horse he ever rode. Spearmint's sire Carbine was a New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame and Australian Racing Hall of Fame inductee.
Chicle won the 1915 Champagne Stakes in fast time beating a field of six other runners including Friar Rock who in 1916 would be named American Horse of the Year. Chicle beat Friar Rock again in the 1916 Brooklyn Derby.
The dam of Whichone, and Mother Goose, was the unraced Flying Witch. She was a daughter of the three time Leading sire and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Broomstick who in turn was sired by Ben Brush, twice a U.S. National Champion runner and Leading Sire as well as a U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee.
1929: Two-year-old season
Trained by Jimmy Rowe Jr. and ridden by Linus McAtee, in 1929 the two-year-old Whichone had wins in three stakes races. His first came in the August 10 Saratoga Special Stakes at Saratoga Race Course where he won by six lengths in beating eight other juveniles. On August 31, Whichone finished second in the Hopeful Stakes to his H. P. Whitney owned stablemate Boojum. The colt's biggest win would come on September 9 in the Belmont Futurity. In a field of 17, Whichone defeated Hi-Jack by four lengths with Gallant Fox another length further back. Not only was the Futurity the richest race anywhere in the world, Whichone earned $100,730 marking the first time in American history any horse had earned $100,000 for first place money. The win cemented Whichone's two-year-old Champion honors. Whichone's final stakes win of 1929 came in the Champagne Stakes, a race won by his sire Chicle in 1915. For his efforts, Whichone earned $5,825, a minuscule purse compared to the Futurity. but one that would prove costly because the colt came out of the race with an injury that would keep him out of the 1930 Kentucky Derby won by Gallant Fox who he had easily beaten by lengths in the Futurity.
1930: Three-year-old season
T. J. Healey, the Whitney stable's head trainer took over Whichone's race conditioning for his three-year-old campaign. Jimmy Rowe Jr. become head trainer for Greentree Stable belonging to Harry Whitney's sister-in-law, Helen Hay Whitney.
By early May 1930, Whichone's injury seemed behind him and he was back in training. In mid May it was reported the colt appeared sound and was scheduled to make his first start of the year on May 31 in the one mile Withers Stakes at Belmont Park. In a tune-up race for the 1930 Belmont Stakes Whichone showed very good form with an easy win in the May 28 Ballot Handicap over one mile at Belmont Park. Three days later, on a slow Belmont Park track, Whichone almost leisurely captured the May 31 Withers Stakes by four lengths in the slow time of 1:38 1/5 for the mile. Under instructions from trainer Healey, jockey Raymond Workman continued running for another quarter mile in preparation for the mile and one-half Belmont Stakes.