Leonatus
Leonatus | |
---|---|
1886 engraving by Henry H. Cross | |
Sire | Longfellow |
Grandsire | Leamington |
Dam | Semper Felix |
Damsire | Phaeton |
Sex | Stallion |
Foaled | 1880 |
Country | USA |
Colour | Bay |
Breeder | John Henry Miller |
Owner | Jack P. Chinn & George W. Morgan |
Trainer | Raleigh Colston Sr. John McGinty |
Record | 11 Starts: 10–1-0 |
Earnings | $21,435 |
Major wins | |
Illinois Derby (1883) Hindoo Stakes (1883) Blue Ribbon Stakes (1883) Tobacco Stakes (1883) Woodburn Stakes (1883) Ripple Stakes (1883) Himyar Stakes (1883) Dearborn Stakes (1883) Green Stakes (1883)
Kentucky Derby (1883) | |
Awards | |
American Champion Three-Year-Old Colt (1883) | |
Last updated on October 16, 2019 |
Leonatus (foaled in 1880 in Kentucky, died 1898 in Kentucky) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1883 Kentucky Derby.
Background
Leonatus was the son of Uncle John Harper's great racer and sire Longfellow, himself a son of the imported English stud Leamington. Leonatus' dam was the Daniel Swigert-bred Semper Felix, whose dam was by the great nineteenth-century American foundation stallion, Lexington, himself by Boston.
Purchased by the partnership of Jack P. Chinn and George W. Morgan, and thereafter stabled in Mercer County, Kentucky, Leonatus was trained by African American horseman Raleigh Colston Sr. as well as by John McGinty.
Leonatus raced in a new world of English "dash" races on the kind of racetracks we recognize today.
Racing career
Racing only once as juvenile, Leonatus finished second. As a three-year-old, he won ten stakes, all in either Kentucky or Illinois, within the space of 49 days. Although there were no official awards given until 1936, Leonatus was retrospectively chosen the American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse of 1883.
Winning the 1883 Kentucky Derby was a major accomplishment. Carrying 105 pounds and the 2-1 favorite, Leonatus was piloted by Billy Donohue, the jockey who'd ridden Sligo in the 1881 Derby, coming in fourth. Running in mud on a clear, cold day, Leonatus was up against the colt Drake Carter, trained by Green B. Morris, who hoped to take his second consecutive Derby (he'd won with Apollo in 1882). Drake Carter leaped into the lead, but Leonatus caught him at a quarter of a mile. A quarter of a mile farther on, Leonatus was ahead by three lengths. In the homestretch, Lord Raglan made a strong bid, but though it carried him forward, he tired. Leonatus won over Drake Carter by three lengths, earning $3,760.
Leonatus distinguished himself by eating the presentation roses. (Blankets of roses were not recorded being draped over the winning horse until 1896, when Ben Brush wore them.)
Stud record
Leonatus was retired to stud at the Clay Brothers' Runnymede Farm near Paris, Kentucky. He remained there until he was eighteen years old, dying in 1898. He proved a fine sire, producing the 1898 American Derby winner Pink Coat and 1898 Suburban Handicap winner Tillo. Leonatus lies in an unmarked grave on a bend of the Elkhorn Creek that runs through Runnymeade Farm. Near him lie Hindoo, Billet, and Sir Dixon.[1]
Pedigree
Sire Longfellow 1867 | Leamington 1853 | Faugh-a-Ballagh | Sir Hercules |
---|---|---|---|
Guiccioli | |||
Pantaloon Mare | Pantaloon | ||
Daphne | |||
Nantura 1855 | Brawner's Eclipse | American Eclipse | |
Henry Mare | |||
Quiz | Bertrand | ||
Lady Fortune | |||
Dam Semper Felix 1878 | Phaeton 1865 | King Tom | Harkaway |
Pocahontas | |||
Merry Sunshine | Storm | ||
Falstaff Mare | |||
Crucifix 1866 | Lexington | Boston | |
Alice Carneal | |||
Lightsome | Glencoe I | ||
Levity |
References
- ^ "Grave Matters Thoroughbreds".
- v
- t
- e
- 1875 Aristides
- 1876 Vagrant
- 1877 Baden-Baden
- 1878 Day Star
- 1879 Lord Murphy
- 1880 Fonso
- 1881 Hindoo
- 1882 Apollo
- 1883 Leonatus
- 1884 Buchanan
- 1885 Joe Cotton
- 1886 Ben Ali
- 1887 Montrose
- 1888 Macbeth II
- 1889 Spokane
- 1890 Riley
- 1891 Kingman
- 1892 Azra
- 1893 Lookout
- 1894 Chant
- 1895 Halma
- 1896 Ben Brush
- 1897 Typhoon II
- 1898 Plaudit
- 1899 Manuel
- 1900 Lieut. Gibson
- 1901 His Eminence
- 1902 Alan-a-Dale
- 1903 Judge Himes
- 1904 Elwood
- 1905 Agile
- 1906 Sir Huon
- 1907 Pink Star
- 1908 Stone Street
- 1909 Wintergreen
- 1910 Donau
- 1911 Meridian
- 1912 Worth
- 1913 Donerail
- 1914 Old Rosebud
- 1915 Regret ♥
- 1916 George Smith
- 1917 Omar Khayyam
- 1918 Exterminator
- 1919 Sir Barton ₩
- 1920 Paul Jones
- 1921 Behave Yourself
- 1922 Morvich
- 1923 Zev
- 1924 Black Gold
- 1925 Flying Ebony
- 1926 Bubbling Over
- 1927 Whiskery
- 1928 Reigh Count
- 1929 Clyde Van Dusen
- 1930 Gallant Fox ₩
- 1931 Twenty Grand
- 1932 Burgoo King
- 1933 Brokers Tip
- 1934 Cavalcade
- 1935 Omaha ₩
- 1936 Bold Venture
- 1937 War Admiral ₩
- 1938 Lawrin
- 1939 Johnstown
- 1940 Gallahadion
- 1941 Whirlaway ₩
- 1942 Shut Out
- 1943 Count Fleet ₩
- 1944 Pensive
- 1945 Hoop Jr.
- 1946 Assault ₩
- 1947 Jet Pilot
- 1948 Citation ₩
- 1949 Ponder
- 1950 Middleground
- 1951 Count Turf
- 1952 Hill Gail
- 1953 Dark Star
- 1954 Determine
- 1955 Swaps
- 1956 Needles
- 1957 Iron Liege
- 1958 Tim Tam
- 1959 Tomy Lee
- 1960 Venetian Way
- 1961 Carry Back
- 1962 Decidedly
- 1963 Chateaugay
- 1964 Northern Dancer
- 1965 Lucky Debonair
- 1966 Kauai King
- 1967 Proud Clarion
- 1968 Forward Pass (Dancer's Image disqualified)
- 1969 Majestic Prince
- 1970 Dust Commander
- 1971 Canonero II
- 1972 Riva Ridge
- 1973 Secretariat ₩
- 1974 Cannonade
- 1975 Foolish Pleasure
- 1976 Bold Forbes
- 1977 Seattle Slew ₩
- 1978 Affirmed ₩
- 1979 Spectacular Bid
- 1980 Genuine Risk ♥
- 1981 Pleasant Colony
- 1982 Gato Del Sol
- 1983 Sunny's Halo
- 1984 Swale
- 1985 Spend a Buck
- 1986 Ferdinand
- 1987 Alysheba
- 1988 Winning Colors ♥
- 1989 Sunday Silence
- 1990 Unbridled
- 1991 Strike the Gold
- 1992 Lil E. Tee
- 1993 Sea Hero
- 1994 Go for Gin
- 1995 Thunder Gulch
- 1996 Grindstone
- 1997 Silver Charm
- 1998 Real Quiet
- 1999 Charismatic
- 2000 Fusaichi Pegasus
- 2001 Monarchos
- 2002 War Emblem
- 2003 Funny Cide
- 2004 Smarty Jones
- 2005 Giacomo
- 2006 Barbaro
- 2007 Street Sense
- 2008 Big Brown
- 2009 Mine That Bird
- 2010 Super Saver
- 2011 Animal Kingdom
- 2012 I'll Have Another
- 2013 Orb
- 2014 California Chrome
- 2015 American Pharoah ₩
- 2016 Nyquist
- 2017 Always Dreaming
- 2018 Justify ₩
- 2019 Country House (Maximum Security disqualified)
- 2020 Authentic
- 2021 Mandaloun (Medina Spirit disqualified)
- 2022 Rich Strike
- 2023 Mage
- 2024 Mystik Dan
Legend – ₩ = Triple Crown winners, ♥ = Filly