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Coastal (April 6, 1976 - September 29, 2005) Foaled at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky, Coastal was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1979 Belmont Stakes.

Background

He was sired by U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Majestic Prince out of the mare Alluvial, who was in turn was sired by U.S. Racing Hall of Fame stallion Buckpasser. He was a half-brother, through Alluvial, to Slew o' Gold. He was owned by William Haggin Perry and trained by David A. Whiteley.

Racing career

In 1979, the three-year-old Coastal did not run in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, having made his first start in April as a result of a serious eye injury that had cut short his racing at age two. Prior to entering the mile and one-half Belmont Stakes, Coastal had raced only three times that year. He won all three under Ruben Hernandez, but at distances of six then seven furlongs followed by the Peter Pan Stakes at a mile and one-eighth. His owner decided to pay the supplemental nomination fee and run the colt in the Belmont Stakes. Coastal and Hernandez then won the Belmont in a huge upset over Spectacular Bid, (who placed third), becoming the first supplemental entry to ever win the race.

Coastal next won the Dwyer Stakes on July 7, 1979, and the Haskell Invitational Handicap on August 4. He finished second to Affirmed in the Woodward Stakes and third in the Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap behind Spectacular Bid and General Assembly. Then, in the Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup, in a stretch battle with rivals Spectacular Bid and Affirmed, he again placed third, with Affirmed winning the race.

Retirement

Coastal was retired to stud at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky. In 1988, he was sent to Mick Goss' Summerhill Stud in South Africa. He sired graded stakes winners Cherry Jubilee, Dangers Hour, Little Brianne, and Canadian multiple stakes winner Triple Wow.

Pensioned in the spring of 2003, Coastal died on September 29, 2005.

Pedigree

References

1. "Suddenly, Bid Has Belmont Competition". The Washington Post. 1979-06-09. Retrieved 2021-06-27.
2. The NYRA.com The Peter Pan Archived June 11, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
3. "Coastal Wins Belmont". New York Times, page 1. 1979-06-10. Retrieved 2021-06-26.
4. "Statistics – Dwyer Stakes". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
5. "Haskell Invitational History" (PDF). www.monmouthpark.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2016.

External links

• Pedigree and partial statistics
• Video at YouTube of Coastal winning the 1979 Belmont Stakes

• 1976 racehorse births
• 2005 racehorse deaths
• Racehorses bred in Kentucky
• Racehorses trained in the United States
• Belmont Stakes winners
• Thoroughbred family 9-f