Patricia L. Thompson - Kentuckys Famous Racehorses

LEXINGTON, 18501875. A blood bay standing just over 15 hands high, Lexingtons earnings totaled $56,500. He spent his final years blind, a disability that fortunately did not affect his offspring. Lexingtons 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. Grants 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, 18721893. Aristides, owned by Hal Price McGrath, was named for McGraths 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, 18861909. Salvator was bred by Daniel Swigert of Elmendorf Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, and was born in California. Ben Ali Haggin purchased Salina, Salvators 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 Swigerts 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 Salvators 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 at age 20. (Courtesy of Anne Peters.)

SALVATOR INDUCTED. Salvator was one of the first horses to be inducted into the newly formed National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1955. (Courtesy of Anne Peters.)

BEN BRUSH, 18931918. Ben Brush was the first horse to win the Kentucky Derby at its modern distance of 1.25 miles. It was the 22nd running of the derby and the first to present a blanket of roses. The roses were said to be pink and white. Ben Brush was named after the superintendent of the old Gravesend Race Track to show appreciation to him for allowing the owner, African American Ed Brown, stall space when it was scarce. Ben Brush could be very tough, but when it came to his namesake, he was lenient. When others complained of his favoritism, legend says he would reply, Not a damn one of you fellows ever named a horse Ben Brush! People of the eastern tracks referred to Ben Brush as an overrated little goat. Ben Brush was sold to Mike Dwyer, who had raced Ben Brushs sire, named Bramble. Ben Brush was ridden by Willie Simms, an African American considered one of the greatest riders of the day and the only African American jockey to have won the derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. (Courtesy of author.)