The world is buzzing about the coming solar eclipse. So, we share this story of a temperamental, spirited, fast steed that changed horse racing forever. The greatest racehorse of the 18th century was allegedly born during the 1764 solar eclipse, which tracked from Iberia to Scandinavia, at noon on April Fool’s Day. He was named, appropriately, Eclipse. Seventeen months later he was retired because he won so consistently that no one bet on any other horse.
Source: Atlas Obscura, August 2, 2017.
A piece of Eclipse remains spread far and wide across the country—his blood. A mating tour covering 300 or more mares resulted in a great many foals, who in turn reproduced. Today over 90 percent of all British racehorses are directly descended from the one born when the Moon’s shadow passed over Europe in 1764.
Does an eclipse affect animals? This piece from the August 7 issue of The Washington Post examines the possibility.