Chance Play

Chance Play (foaled 1923) was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse and Champion sire. In a career which lasted from 1925 to 1928 he ran in thirty-nine races and won sixteen of them. Although he was successful in his early career over sprint distances, he did not reach his peak until the age of four in 1927, when he was arguably the best horse in the United States, winning several major races including the two-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Background

Bred by August Belmont, Jr., he was out of the mare Quelle Chance, a daughter of 1900 Metropolitan Handicap winner, Ethelbert. He was sired by Fair Play who also sired Man o' War. Chance Play was as well a full brother to 1927 Belmont Stakes winner, Chance Shot.

In 1923, New York city financiers W. Averell Harriman and Bert Walker bought a stable of Thoroughbred horses which they raced under the nom de course Log Cabin Stable, sporting orange and white silks. As part of a private purchase of twenty horses, in January 1925 Harriman and Walker acquired Chance Play from the estate of August Belmont, Jr. Chance Play was conditioned for racing by Louis Feustel who had been the trainer of Man o' War.