Nasturtium, a "racy-looking and powerful" chestnut horse standing 15.2 hands high[1] was bred at James Haggin's Rancho El Paso stud in California and was sired by the imported British stallion Watercress out of Margerique.

Margerique was an unraced mare by the imported British stallion Order out of Margerine, who also foaled another successful racer The Commoner.

[7] His arrival at Newmarket, Suffolk was reported to have caused "considerable interest,"[1] and was offered at odds of 6/1 for the Epsom Classic.

[8] Despite all Whitney's precautions however, Nasturtium fell ill shortly after his arrival[9] and was unable to run in England as intended.

Nasturtium was found dead in his stall at Stoll's The Meadows stud farm in Lexington on June 26, 1916.