Olympia (horse)
Olympia was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won top races at age two through four then became a foundation sire for Florida breeder, Fred W. Hooper. Bred by Hall of Fame jockey turned trainer, Ivan H. Parke, he was
sired by Champion sire Heliopolis and out of the mare, Miss Dolphin.
After a very successful two-year-old season, Olympia won the San Felipe Stakes, the Flamingo Stakes, the Wood Memorial Stakes and the Derby Trial Stakes that resulted in him being sent off as the heavy betting favorite for the 1949 Kentucky Derby, in which he finished sixth.
Olympia developed into a top class sprinter who retired from racing with a record of 15-12-4 in 41 starts, and earnings of $365,632.Champion broodmare sire
Olympia was retired to stud duty. He stood at Danada Farm in Lexington, Kentucky but on his death at age 28 in 1974 was buried at Hooper Farm in Ocala, Florida.
Among his successful progeny were two Eclipse Award winners. Decathlon was voted the American Champion Sprint Horse in 1956 and 1957 and Pucker Up the 1957 American Champion Older Female Horse. Olympia's other good runners included:
Olympia was the damsire of Darby Dan Farm's very good runner True Knight who was instrumental in Olympia becoming the 1974 Leading broodmare sire in North America.
