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    Kentucky's Famous Racehorses
    Kentucky's Famous Racehorses
    Kentucky's Famous Racehorses
    Ebook183 pages1 hour

    Kentucky's Famous Racehorses

    By Patricia L. Thompson

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    About this ebook

    Central Kentucky is home to many magnificent horses and their farms. Although there are numerous places to witness these beautiful animals, including Keeneland, Churchill Downs, Pimlico, and Belmont, their history often gets overwhelmed by their statistics. Images of America: Kentucky's Famous Racehorses goes beyond the numbers and provides insight into the character of these beloved creatures by featuring stories straight from those closest to the horses--the grooms.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateSep 18, 2012
    ISBN9781439622520
    Kentucky's Famous Racehorses
    Author

    Patricia L. Thompson

    Patricia L. Thompson was born in Louisville and moved to Lexington as a child. There, she was educated in the local Catholic schools. Patricia worked in radio until 1968, when she was married to Gene; after the wedding, they moved to Aiken, South Carolina, and Palatine, Illinois. They have since returned to their hometown of Lexington, where Patricia works at the University of Kentucky. Patricia has three children and five grandchildren, and horses remain a part of her life.

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      Book preview

      Kentucky's Famous Racehorses - Patricia L. Thompson

      work.

      INTRODUCTION

      Most of the time, when someone talks about a racehorse, only the horse’s racing or breeding statistics are discussed. This book does not cover that information. Instead, I am sharing the personality of the horses, some of the little known facts about them, and their particular quirks.

      When I began researching information for this book, I mentioned to an old friend and well-respected horseman, Neville Collins, the difficulties in getting the information I wanted regarding the personality of the horse. Collins told me I needed to talk to the grooms: stallion grooms, broodmare grooms, and race track grooms. I found that frequently horsemen who are normally rather shy and not particularly talkative will easily talk about the horses—their horses.

      Horses are perceptive. They can sense fear and strength, and they know affection when they get it. Some horses are practical jokers, some are mean, some have a streak of independence, some are grateful, and some are skittish. They all develop their own individual personality.

      Arrange for several horse farm tours; each tour will add to your knowledge. On a tour, the guide will point out interesting things about the area before even setting foot onto the farm proper. Once on the farm, visitors are met by a farm employee who will know the farm’s history and horses. The guide may go over the tour rules for visitors’ protection. Racehorses can be skittish and are probably worth more money than the average tourist.

      The person introducing visitors to the horses loves these animals. On a tour, visitors will discover where and how the horses live, their daily routine, and the particular quirks that will endear the horse to the visitors or cause them to use extra caution. Either way, tourists see a beautiful animal that has done his or her job well. These horses can be derby and breeders’ cup winners, including some of the most famous and expensive horses in the world. The guides will bring the horse to the visitors for an up-close experience, and visitors may even be allowed to give the horse a carrot or mint. Often, tourists are allowed to take photographs. The horses are quite used to it, and some will automatically strike a pose.

      While I do not speak car or electronics, I do speak a little horse. If horse is not your native tongue, please see the Glossary on page 126 to assist in your translation.

      One

      BREEDING IS NOT EVERYTHING

      LEXINGTON, 1850–1875. A blood bay standing just over 15 hands high, Lexington’s earnings totaled $56,500. He spent his final years blind, a disability that fortunately did not affect his offspring. Lexington’s first appearance on a racetrack was in 1853 under the name Darley in the Association Stakes for three year olds. At that time, a horse would be entered in a race that might be 4 miles long but divided into heats. Half way through the heats, he was sold to Richard Broeck, who renamed him Lexington. He stood his first season at stud in 1855, was sold to R. A. Alexander for $15,000, and stood at stud at Woodburn Farm until his death. Lexington founded a line of offspring unequalled by any other sire in this country or England. Lexington also sired Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s favorite horse, Cincinnati. During the Civil War, horses were conscripted from Kentucky farms to serve as mounts in battles. Lexington, 15 years old and blind, was hidden to save him from this fate. His remains are currently in the Smithsonian Museum under catalogue number 16020. (Courtesy of author; artwork by L. Maurer, reprint from lith by N. Currier.)

      ARISTIDES, 1872–1893. Aristides, owned by Hal Price McGrath, was named for McGrath’s best friend, Aristides Welch, another noted horseman. Aristides won the first Kentucky Derby in 1875. He did not receive a blanket of roses because they were not given until 1896, the same year the distance of the derby was reduced to its present 1.25 miles. Aristides raced 21 times with nine wins, five places, and one show. (Courtesy of author; artwork by R.H. Polenske.)

      SALVATOR, 1886–1909. Salvator was bred by Daniel Swigert of Elmendorf Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, and was born in California. Ben Ali Haggin purchased Salina, Salvator’s dam, in foal. Being one of the wealthiest men in the country, he wanted the largest breeding operation in the world, so he began purchasing farms and breeding horses from everywhere that bred fine thoroughbreds. He bought Swigert’s Elmendorf Farm and moved his base of operations there. Eventually Elmendorf was broken up, becoming Spendthrift, Normandy, Old Kenney, Green Gates and Clovelly Farms. Haggin had his eastern trainer chose the best young horses to take back to the East Coast. One of these horses was Salvator. (Courtesy of Anne Peters.)

      SALVATOR. Salvator raced against the best of his day: Proctor Knott and Tenny. Proctor Knott was Salvator’s racing nemesis as a two year old. Then along came Tenny, and the two competed for the three-year-old honors. Tenny and Salvator competed in the Suburban Handicap, and Salvator won. A match race was set up, and Salvator won that too. Salvator beat everything he ran against, so he raced the clock and beat that too. That would be his last race. Standing stud, he and Tenny were both good sires. They competed in everything, but he beat Tenny again when he died first in 1909

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