Gladiator

Bred in Yorkshire by G Walker, Gladiator was sold as a yearling, first to John and William Scott for £100, then to Lord Wilton for £200 plus half of the Derby and St Leger stakes money should he have won either. Standing 15.3 hands he was admired for his shape and vigour. He was said to possess a strong frame with much scope and good feet. He was described as "the ideal of the handsome and powerful racehorse".

In his only start on the turf Gladiator finished 2nd in the Derby Stakes at Epsom to Lord Jersey's Bay Middleton (b c 1833 Sultan), beating a field of 19 others, including Mr J Day's Venison (br c 1833 Partisan) and Colonel Peel's Slane (b c 1833 Royal Oak). A favourite for the approaching St Leger Stakes he was taken out of training due to lameness. He retired to the stud, first at Malton, then at Althorp, getting some good winners.

Sent to England in 1846 to purchase stallions by the French government, Monsieur de Place, equerry to Louis Philippe, saw Gladiator at Dean's Hill and was much taken with his elasticity and muscular development. M de Place had first looked at Lanercost (br c 1835 Liverpool) but Mr Kirby had refused his offer of 3,000 guineas, however, after an initial hesitation Colonel Anson accepted his offer of £2,000 for Gladiator, thus M de Place secured for France one of the best bargains of the century. At the same time he acquired the stallions Ionian (b c 1841 Ion), Sting (b c 1843 Slane) and The Prime Warden (b c 1834 Cadland).

Among the winners got by Gladiator were Great Yorkshire Stakes winner Prize-Fighter (ch c 1840), Great Yorkshire Stakes winner Miss Sarah (b f 1842), Cambridgeshire winner Dacia (ch f 1845), Prix du Jockey Club winner Celebrity (ch c 18151), Prix de Diane winner Honesty (ch f 1851), Prix de Diane winner Mlle de Chantilly (b f 1854), Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Brocoli (b c 1855), Prix de la Foret and Prix Lupin winner Union Jack (b c 1856), Grosser Preis von Baden winner Capucine (ch f 1857), and Prix de Diane winner Surprise (b f 1857). His stallion sons include Doncaster Cup and Queen's Vase winner Sweetmeat (br c 1842), Fitz Gladiator (ch c 1850), and Prix du Jockey Club winner Ventre St Gris (b c 1855).

Notable Gladiator Mares

1.	Miss Sarah (b f 1842), Great Yorkshire Stakes winner and ancestress of a large part of Family 21-a.
2.	Queen Mary (b f 1843), taproot mare of Family 10-a and dam of Derby and Oaks Stakes winner Blink Bonny (b f 1854 Melbourne) and Queen's Vase winner Blinkhoolie (b c 1864 Rataplan).
3.	Vesuvienne (b f 1847), dam of Royal Hunt Cup winner Crater (b c 1857 Orlando) and ancestress of a number of good winners in Family 22-b.
4.	Annette (ch f 1848), dam of Poule d'Essai des Poulins winner Baronello (ch c 1861 The Baron).
5.	Constance (ch f 1848), taproot mare of Family 6-d and dam of Woodcote Stakes winner Le Sarrazin (b c 1865 Monarque).
6.	Regrettee (b f 1852), dam of Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Isabella (ch f 1858 The Baron).
7.	Miss Gladiator (b f 1854), dam of English triple crown winner Gladiateur (b c 1862 Monarque).
8.	Mlle de Chantilly (b f 1854), Prix de Diane and Prix Lupin winner and dam of Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Novateur (b c 1871 Monarque).
9.	Fulvie (ch f 1856), dam of Doncaster Cup winner Dutch Skater (br c 1866 The Flying Dutchman).
10.	Papillotte (b f 1856), dam of Prix du Jockey Club and Prix Royal Oak winner Patricien (b c 1864 Monarque).
11.	Rosati (b f 1856), dam of Grosser Preis von Baden winner Ruy Blas (b c 1864 West Australian).
12.	Surprise (b f 1857), winner of the Prix de Diane and dam of Prix de Diane, Doncaster Cup and Grand Prix de Paris winner Sornette (ch f 1867 Light).