Chris Evert (horse)

Chris Evert (1971–2001) was an American Hall of Fame Champion Thoroughbred filly racehorse. Carl Rosen (1918–1983), owner of clothing manufacturer Puritan Fashions Corp., purchased the filly at a Keeneland yearling sale. He named her for the rising young star tennis player Chris Evert, whom he had signed to endorse his company's line of sportswear.

Chris Evert began racing at age two. Of her five starts, she won four and finished second in the other. At age three, she dominated her class, winning the U.S. Filly Triple Crown and earning the Eclipse Award for Outstanding 3-Year-Old Filly.

The Match Race

In 1974, Aaron Jones, the owner of West Coast based filly Miss Musket, issued a challenge to Chris Evert's owner for their horses to meet in a match race. Miss Musket's record included winning the Hollywood Oaks, and her confident owner offered to put up $100,000 if Chris Evert's owner would match it. Hollywood Park Racetrack offered another $150,000 to the winner-take-all race that they would host and would bill as the Hollywood Special Stakes. Carl Rosen could not pass up that kind of money and accepted the offer for a match race to be held on July 20, 1974. Chris Evert won by an astounding 50 lengths, the large purse significantly contributing to her becoming 1974's leading money earner in U.S. Thoroughbred racing.

At age four, Chris Evert won two more times but was retired early after competing in only four races. Rosen decided to use her as the foundation mare to...
Read More