Arts and Letters

Arts and Letters was an American Hall of Fame Champion Thoroughbred racehorse.

Owned and bred by American sportsman and noted philanthropist Paul Mellon, and trained by future Hall of Famer Elliott Burch, the colt began racing at age two. He won two of his six starts in 1968, then at age three won two important Kentucky Derby prep races before finishing second in both the Derby and the Preakness Stakes to the undefeated California colt Majestic Prince.

He carried the well-known dark grey, yellow braids, sleeves, and cap. Arts and Letters came back to win the 1½ mile Belmont Stakes, after which second-place finisher Majestic Prince was retired due to injury. Arts and Letters went on to win several more important races in 1969, and was voted three Eclipse Awards, including the most prestigious: American Horse of the Year.

At age four, Arts and Letters won one of three races. His career ended after he suffered an injury in the Californian Stakes.

Standing at stud at Greentree Farm, he met with reasonable success. The most notable of his stakes winning offspring was Codex, who gave trainer D. Wayne Lukas his first win in the U.S. Triple Crown race by capturing the 1980 Preakness Stakes.

In 1994, Arts and Letters was inducted in the United States' National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

Arts and Letters died at the advanced age of 32 in 1998 (though this date is listed as 2000 with the Jockey Club). He was buried at Greentree Farm, which is now part of Gainesway Farm.