Bred by Mr Ridsdale, who also bred Trustee (ch c 1829 Catton), he was a half brother to Wagtail (b f 1818 Prime Minister), taproot mare of Family 21-a.

Tranby won the Oatlands Stakes in 1832 and finished 2nd in the Brighton Stakes in 1830, but possibly his most interesting race was run against time. Tranby was one of the horses ridden by George Osbaldeston in his famous match against time in which he successfully attempted to ride an unlimited number of horses over 200 miles in 10 hours. He rode Tranby four separate times over a total of 16 miles within this match. Tranby's contribution was highly regarded, his second round being the fastest of the match and his four rounds over 16 miles were completed in 33 minutes and 15 seconds.

He spent a year or so at stud in England without success. Sold to Merritt and Company he was sent to Virginia in 1835, leaving a few offspring in the Virginia and Maryland regions before moving to Kentucky in 1836. His stud career appears to have been fairly limited, still, he produced several good mares and he can be found in some trotting pedigrees. Tranby died in Kentucky in 1841.