Jerry

Jerry (1821 – 14 May 1851) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire best known for winning the classic St Leger Stakes in 1824. In a racing career which lasted from 1824 until 1827 he ran ten times and won five races. Unraced as a two-year-old, he was beaten on his first appearance in 1824 but then won the York St Leger and the XYZ Stakes at Newcastle before defeating twenty-two opponents in the St Leger at Doncaster. Jerry missed the entire 1825 season and showed little form in 1826, but won twice as a six-year-old in 1827. He was retired to stud, where he proved to be a successful sire of winners. Background Jerry was a black horse bred in Yorkshire by his owner Richard Gascoigne. According to a description written in 1827, he stood 15.3 hands high and possessed "immense muscular power". Jerry was one of two classic winners sired by the 1813 Epsom Derby winner Smolensko, the other being the Oaks winner Gulnare. Jerry was the third of fifteen foals produced by Gascoigne's mare Louisa between 1819 and 1837. Her dam Thomasina was a half-sister of the classic winners Symmetry (St Leger) and Theophania (Oaks). Gascoigne sent his colt into training with James Croft at East Wilton near Middleham.