First Samurai (horse)
| First Samurai | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Giant's Causeway |
| Grandsire | Storm Cat |
| Dam | Freddie Frisson |
| Damsire | Dixieland Band |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | February 2, 2003 |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Chestnut |
| Breeder | John D. Gunther |
| Owner | Bruce Lunsford, Tom Hansen, Tom Morris & Lansdon B. Robbins III |
| Trainer | Frank L. Brothers |
| Record | 8: 5–1–1 |
| Earnings | $915,075 |
| Major wins | |
| Hopeful Stakes (2005) Champagne Stakes (2005) Fountain of Youth Stakes (2006) | |
| Last updated on August 7, 2019 | |
First Samurai is an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse foaled on February 2, 2003. A talented colt with a strong pedigree, he emerged as one of the top juveniles of his generation. As a two-year-old in 2005, he captured the prestigious Hopeful Stakes and the Champagne Stakes, quickly marking himself as a contender for the Triple Crown in 2006.
Going into his three-year-old season, expectations were high. He began the year with a victory in the Fountain of Youth Stakes, albeit via disqualification of the original winner. However, in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland Race Course, a starting gate incident hampered his performance, and he finished fifth. Two weeks later, veterinary examinations revealed that he had sustained two broken ribs during the race, diagnosed via ultrasound. As a result, he was withdrawn from the Kentucky Derby, and the Blue Grass proved to be the final race of his career.