In a race many consider the "Race of the Century," Damascus won the 1967 Woodward by 10 lengths over both Dr. Fager and Buckpasser after his connections, as well as those of Buckpasser, used stablemates to set a blistering pace that weakened Dr. Fager who never was able to rate. In Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century, Dr. Fager is ranked 6th and Buckpasser is ranked 14th, while Damascus is ranked 16th.
In the Dwyer Stakes, Damascus closed from 12 lengths back and carried 16 pounds more than the second placed horse.
A high-strung horse, Damascus was enervated by the humidity and spooked by the crowd noise in the Kentucky Derby, so he was thereafter given a stable pony to calm him.
He bowed a tendon while racing in his second Jockey Club Gold Cup, coming in last, which was the only time in his career he was out of the top three. Whiteley then retired him to stud.
In his three-year-old season, Damascus set an earnings record for a single season ($817,941) that held until Secretariat surpassed it almost a decade later.
Out of 32 lifetime starts, Damascus won 21 times, placed seven times, and came home third three times. His career earnings amounted to $1,176,781. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1974.
Stud record
At stud at Arthur B. Hancock Jr.'sClaiborne Farm near Paris, Kentucky, Damascus sired 71 stakes winners before being pensioned in 1989. He was especially successful with his daughters who produced champions. He died in his paddock at the age of 31 on August 8, 1995, and was buried at Claiborne.
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