Counterpoint

Counterpoint (1948–1969) was an American ChampionThoroughbred racehorse. He was sired by 1943 U.S. Triple Crown champion Count Fleet and out of the racemare Jabot, a multiple stakes winner and Santa Anita Parktrack record setter against 13 of the premier stake racers in the United States. Racing career As a yearling he injured an ankle bone severely enough that his racing future was put in doubt. However, he healed to where he could be trained and at age two he started in two races but showed little, most likely hampered by the effects of injury and a late start in developing his strength. 1951: three-year-old season In his three-year-old campaign in 1951, Counterpoint was entered in the Blue Grass Stakes, an important test race for Kentucky Derby hopefuls. That year, the race was contested in two divisions because of the number of entrants. Counterpoint finished fourth in the second division of the Blue Grass but was moved up to third place after the winner, Sonic, was disqualified. His handlers then put him in the Kentucky Derby, where Counterpoint made a move at the three quarters pole but tired badly and finished eleventh to Count Turf, another son of Count Fleet. Despite his poor showing in the Kentucky Derby, Counterpoint competed in the 1951 Preakness Stakes. Dismissed by bettors, he went off as a longshot at 25:1. He finished second, seven lengths behind Brookmeade Stable's winning colt Bold in the second-fastest time in Preakness history.