The horse credited with influencing the modern Thoroughbred more
than any other was none other than an Arabian. This horse, commonly known
as the Darley Arabian, was foaled in 1700 and bought by Thomas Darley
in Aleppo (Syria) in 1704. The horse was shipped to Yorkshire, England
where he was became the main stud at the Darley Estate in Aldby, Yorkshire.
While he himself never raced, the most successful matings were with Betty
Leeds, which resulted in two very important colts: Flying Childers and
Bartlet's Childers. Through the Childers line, the Darley Arabian was the
great-great-grandsire of Eclipse who gained the description "Eclipse first,
the rest nowhere." Eclipse was so named because he was supposedly
born on the day with a total eclipse of the sun. Eclipse was undefeated
in 21 races, but more impressively, approximately 90% of today's Thoroughbreds
trace to him in their male lines.