Affectionately /

Affectionately (April 26, 1960 - 1979) was the daughter of 1956 American Horse of the Year Swaps, out of the exceptional racing mare Searching. Searching’s dam was Big Hurry, by Black Toney and out of the best “Blue Hen” mare of them all, La Troienne. Searching’s sire was War Admiral, winner of the American Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, whose own sire was Man o' War, arguably the greatest American race horse of the twentieth century. In the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century, with Affectionately’s great grand damsire at no. 1, her dam sire at no. 13, her sire at no. 20, and Affectionately herself at no. 81, Affectionately’s heritage consists of a tradition of Thoroughbred breeding and racing at its best. Foaled on April 26, 1960 at the farm of Dr. Charles Hagyard near Lexington, Kentucky, she was bred by the partnership of owner/trainer Hirsch Jacobs and Isidor Bieber. Jacobs, who was a Hall of Fame conditioner, said of her: “She’s the best horse I’ve ever trained.” Jacobs had trained Stymie and Hail to Reason. Campaigned under the name of Jacob’s wife, Ethel Jacobs, Affectionately won nine of her first ten starts. In the Matron