This is an original 1926 photo of Crusader and Albert Johnson after winning the Cincinnati Derby.
He was owned and bred by Samuel D. Riddle.
Crusader was by Man o’ War out of Star Fancy by Star Shoot, the winner of the 1900 Hurst Park Foal Plate.
He was a full brother:
to Gun Boat: the winner of the 1926 Glendale Steeplechase Handicap;
to Sister Ship: the dam of Signalman, the winner of the 1928 Decoration Day Purse; and the second dam of Eurasian, the winner of the 1943 Travers Stakes winner.
In a lengthy article in a 1937 Turf and Sport Digest, it was alleged that Star Fancy, the dam of Crusader, and another filly also by Star Shoot were mixed up at the sales and although Riddle ended up with both fillies, it caused a great many problems at the time.
Crusader made 42 Starts with 18 wins 8 seconds 4 thirds Earnings: $203,261.
At two in 1925, Crusader won the Manor Handicap over Corvette, the winner of the 1926 Gazelle Handicap, and Blondin, the winner of the 1926 Empire City Handicap.
He finished third in the National Stakes behind Gaffsman and Corvette.
At three in 1926, he won: the Huron Handicap over Espino, the winner of the 1926 Saratoga Cup, and Black Maria, the 1927 and the 1928 Champion Handicap Mare; the Riggs Handicap over Mars, the winner of the 1926 Travers Stakes, and Gaffsman; the Maryland Handicap over Chance Play, the 1927 Horse of the Year, and Gaffsman; the Havre de Grace Handicap equaling the track record by five lengths over Son of John, the winner of the 1928 Bowie Inaugural Handicap, and Display, the 1926 Preakness winner, with Sarazen, the the 1924 and the 1925 Horse of the Year fourth; the Jockey Club Gold Cup over Espino, the half brother of Bull Lea, and Altawood, the winner of the 1924 Latonia Cup; the Suburban Handicap over American Flag, the winner of the 1925 Belmont Stakes, and King Solomon’s Seal, the winner of the 1923 Avalon Handicap; the Belmont Stakes over Espino and Haste, the winner of the 1926 Fairmount Derby; the Dwyer over Chance Play and Espino while setting a course record; and the Cincinnati Derby setting a new track record defeating Display and Boot to Boot, the winner of the 1926 American Derby.
Crusader was second: in the Lawrence Realization to Espino and ahead of Mars; in the Withers to Haste and ahead of Espino; and in the Pimlico Cup Handicap to Edith Cavell and ahead of Princess Doreen the 1925 and the 1926 Champion Handicap Mare.
He was named the 1926 Champion Three Year Old and the 1926 Horse of the Year.
At four in 1927, Crusader won the Suburban Handicap over Black Maria and Macaw, the winner of the 1926 Queens County Handicap; and the Delaware Handicap over Bostonian, the winner of the 1927 Preakness, and Navigator, the winner of the 1927 Kings County Handicap.
After being kicked at the start of the Brooklyn Handicap, Crusader finished sixth and was never the same after that.
At five in 1928, he finished third: in the Havre de Grace Handicap behind Osmand and Sun Beau, the 1929, 1930, and the 1931 Champion Handicap Horse; and in the Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap behind Display and Mike Hall, the 1928 Champion Handicap Horse.
Crusader started his stud career in Kentucky, but later stood stud in California and died there in 1940. Crusader’s final resting place at Rancho Casitas is now under Lake Casitas, which was a man-made lake created in 1959.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.
Crusader had 120 foals with 63 winners and only six stakes winners.
His best progeny were:
Crossbow II: the winner of the 1935 Sanford Stakes. He was a half brother to Easy Lass the dam of: Coaltown, the 1949 Co-Horse of the Year; and Wistful, the 1949 Co-Champion Three Year Old Filly.
Moralist: the winner of the Viking Stakes.
Chaser: the winner of the Cincinnati Handicap.
Royal Crusader: the winner of the 1942 Churchill Downs Handicap.
