Quicken Tree (horse)
Quicken Tree (April 18, 1963 – October 22, 1970) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse known for his come-from-behind style of running and his ability to win at classic and marathon distances. His California breeder, Louis Rowan, a co-founder of the Oak Tree Racing Association, named the horse after one of the folk names given to the Rowan plant. Background Quicken Tree was foaled in California at Louis Rowan's Summit Lake Farm. He was sired by 1959 Preakness Stakes winner Royal Orbit, a grandson of Nearco whom Thoroughbred Heritage calls "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century". Louis Rowan owned Quicken Tree's dam, Mother Wit, a daughter of 1951 American Horse of the Year Counterpoint, who was a son of 1943 U.S. Triple Crown champion and Hall of Fame inductee Count Fleet. Rowan, a co-founder of the Oak Tree Racing Association, raced him in partnership with Wheelock Whitney, Jr. Racing career Quicken Tree was extremely high-strung, and trainer Clyde Turk had a great deal of difficulty training him. The decision was then made to geld the horse. The operation changed little, but time and patience paid off, and Quicken Tree made his racing debut at age three in January