Thoroughbred (series) - List of Major Characters

List of Major Characters

• Ashleigh Griffen, the jockey of Wonder in the Breeder's Cup Classic, a trainer at Whitebrook Farm, and eventually the owner of Whitebrook Farm. She marries

Mike Reese in Thoroughbred No. 9, Pride's Challenge, and has a daughter, Christina. Ashleigh has been in all of the books. *Clay Townsend, the owner of Townsend Acres when the series opened. He was much more kind to Ashleigh and the other characters than his son or daughter-in-law, although he turned a blind eye when it came to his son. *'Charlie Burke', a crusty old trainer with a soft spot for young people, who helped Ashleigh nurse Wonder back to health, train, and race her. He was also instrumental in getting Ashleigh's jockey career started. He died in the ninth book, "Pride's Challenge", from a heart attack on Ashleigh's wedding day. *Samantha McLean, Ashleigh's close friend, the jockey of Sierra. She marries Tor Nelson. Later in the series, she runs an eventing school, Whisperwood, which is attended by Christina and Parker. *Brad and Lavinia Townsend, the aristocratic owners of Townsend Acres, where Ashleigh once lived. They are the parents of Parker.

• Cindy Blake, or Cindy McLean, Samantha's adopted sister. She was a jockey until she tore her rotator cuff in an accident.
• Ian McLean, Head trainer and breeding manager at Whitebrook Farm. Cindy's adoptive father, married to Beth Raines, Cindy's adoptive mother.
• Beth Raines, Cindy's adoptive mother. She is a part owner of an aerobics company and is strict on meal times, eating healthily and bedtimes. She is married to Ian McLean, Cindy's adoptive father.
• Mandy Jarvis, Bold little girl who has leg braces. Owns a pony called Butterball and hopes to jump in the olympics.
• Christina Reese, Ashleigh's daughter, the jockey of Wonder's Star. Her boyfriend is Parker Townsend.
• Melanie Graham, Christina's cousin, also a jockey.
• Parker Townsend, Christina's boyfriend, the son of Brad and Lavinia. He competes in three-day-eventing.
• Allie Avery, the daughter of Jilly Gordon and Craig Avery. Cindy and Ben al-Rihani adopt her after her parents died.
• Jilly Gordan, the mother of Allie Avery, and was the jockey of Ashleigh's Wonder.

==List of major Horse characters

• Ashleigh's Wonder, the sickly foal who Ashleigh nurses to health and trains to become a champion winning the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeder's Cup Classic. Clay Townsend then offer's Ashleigh half-interest in Wonder, which then sets up a majority of plots in the early series as conflicts occur around the management and training of her off-spring. She is the daughter of Townsend Holly and Townsend Pride, half sister to Shining (through her sire) and the dam of six foals throughout the series Wonder's Pride, Townsend Princess, Mr. Wonderful, Wonder's Champion, Wonder's Legacy and Wonder's Star. She dies after complications of the birth of her last foal. (Book #36, Without Wonder).
• Townsend Prince, Wonder's half-brother and racing rival, he dies in an accident early in the series once Wonder has her first foals.
• Fleet Goddess a filly by Battlecry, Fleet Goddess became Ashley's first horse trained and purchased after Wonder's retirement. She had a successful career, but also became well known as a successful broodmare, with her off-spring being featured as minor characters throughout the series, Fleeting Moment, Precocious, Limitless Time, Fleet Street.
• Wonder's Pride, Wonder's first colt, a very successful racehorse winning the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Breeder's Cup Classic. He retired from racing due to complications from a twisted intestine that nearly killed him in Book # 10 Pride's Last Race.
• Townsend Princess, Wonder's first and only filly featured in the series, had a rough start. Injured early in her training by Lavinia Townsend, Princess was forced to spend months healing from the fractured canon bone. She would later repeat the injury in the Blue Grass Stakes race and have to retire from racing at an early age. Princess is the dam of Wonder's first granddaughter Honor Bright (by Union Honour) who would feature as the main horse in Book # 23.
• Mr. Wonderful, Wonder's second colt, often described as honey coloured, was not featured as a major character throughout the stories (Shining and Glory had arisen as more of the stars of Whitebrook). He injured a tendon in his two-year-old season. He won the Champagne Stakes in #18 Glory's Rival.He retired from racing due to a mysterious virus when he was 4 and was put up to stud alongside his older brother.
• Shining Wonder's half-sister purchased at an Auction by Mike Reese in Book # 11, was given to Samantha McLean as a gift due to her involvement nursing the abused and neglected filly back to health. Shining became the star racer of Whitebrook Farm winning several stakes races including the Breeder's Cup Distaff (#18 Glory's Rival). Shining was the dam of Lucky Chance a filly the same age as Wonder's granddaughter, Honor Bright
• Wonder's Champion, Wonder's arguably most successful foal (by Townsend Victor), won the Triple Crown and the Dubai World Cup (Books 21 and 22) after a rough start in Book 20. He was characterized as mischievous and would often misbehave and get himself into trouble, which nearly cost him his racing career.
• Sierra, a liver chestnut colt/stallion who Samanthat McLean and her boyfriend Tor Nelson trained to be a successful steeplechaser, after his flop as a flat racer.
• Lord Ainsley, a colt purchased by Brad Townsend, Pride's main racing rival
• Her Majesty, a filly owned by Lavinia Townsend, would appear as a rival to Samantha Nelson (McLean)'s filly Shining
• March to Glory, a stolen horse, rescued by Cindy McLean and would later become the Star of the Whitebrook racing line for books 14-18, half-interest in Glory was given to the Townsends in order to keep Champion training at Whitebrook (Book 18 Glory's Rival) Glory was the subject of a scandal as a fellow trainer and veterarian tried to drug and kill him in #16 Glory in Danger. Glory won the Breeder's Cup Classic by 30 lengths setting a new world record in Glory's Rival (#18).
• Storm's Ransom, a grey sprinter, purchased at the Saratoga Yearling Sale in Book # 17 Ashleigh's Farewell, and was the subject of Book 19 as he contracted a fatal illness and died. Cindy was responsible for his early training and would continue to visit his grave throughout the series.
• Wonder's Legacy, a forgotten colt who was Wonder's 5th foal, given to Christina Reese (#24) who would later trade her half-interest for Sterling Dream a thoroughbred she would later train to become a successful eventer. Legacy was given to Allie Avery in the last books.
• Sterling Dream,Was owned by Christina Reese, and became an eventing horse after coming off the track and was abused by a groom. In Legacy's Gift (#72) Sterling was the dam of Allie's Wonder

Wonders Star- Ashleigh's Wonder's last colt, and won the last to legs of the Triple Crown. He runs his best for Christina Reese.