The Porter (May 15, 1915 – October 1944) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He won 26 times from 54 starts in a career that lasted five years, and was second in the 1918 Preakness Stakes. He became an important sire, leading the North American sire list in 1937. Background The Porter was a bay horse bred in Kentucky by David Stevenson. He was sired by Sweep, a champion at both age two and three on the racetrack, and a leading sire and broodmare sire at stud. His dam Ballet Girl was a half-sister to champion Ballot. The Porter was a small horse, standing about at the withers, with a long body and short legs. He was known for his soundness and ability to carry high weights. At the start of his racing career, The Porter was owned by Samuel Ross. He was sold early in 1918 to E. B. McLean, who sent him into training with John Schorr. Racing career Racing mainly in Maryland and Kentucky, The Porter started 54 times, accumulating 26 wins, 10 seconds and 8 thirds. He was the fifth-ranked three-year old of 1918 according to The Blood-Horse. That year, he won the Blue and Grey Highweight Handicap and Baltimore Handicap, beating the highly regarded colts Omar Khayyam and Cudgel in the latter in what was called the "surprise of the season". He was also second in the Preakness Stakes. In 1919, he earned a reputation as one of the best handicap horses in "the West" (as racing in Kentucky was then known). He then traveled to Saratoga where he won the Plattsburgh Handicap. Returning to Maryland, he won The Harford Handicap, in which he defeated future Hall of Famer Exterminator, followed by a win over Triple Crown champion Sir Barton in the feature race on September 24 at Havre de Grace. He won a string of three handicap races at Laurel in October, before finishing second to Sir Barton in the Pimlico Serial. In 1920, he was the third-ranked older horse (behind Sir Barton and Exterminator) according to the Blood-Horse after he won several major races. On May 24, He set a track record for seven furlongs of 1:25 at Churchill Downs, followed by a win in the Inaugural Handicap at Latonia on June 5. On September 11, he won the $5,000 Harford Handicap at Havre de Grace for the second time, beating Boniface by four