Tom Ochiltree
Tom Ochiltree | |
---|---|
Tom Ochiltree | |
Sire | Lexington |
Grandsire | Boston |
Dam | Katona |
Damsire | Voucher |
Sex | Stallion |
Foaled | 1872 |
Country | United States |
Colour | Bay |
Breeder | Woodburn Stud (A. J. Alexander) |
Owner | J. F. Chamberlain W. H. Chamberlain George L. Lorillard |
Trainer | R. Wyndham Walden Anthony Taylor |
Record | 33: 21-5-3 |
Earnings | $41,455[1] |
Major wins | |
Annual Sweepstakes (1875) Dixie Stakes (1875) Baltimore Cup (1876, 1877) Monmouth Cup (1876) Saratoga Cup (1876) Continental Cup (1876) Westchester Cup (1877) Grand National Handicap (1877) All-Aged Stakes (1877) Triple Crown wins: Preakness Stakes (1875) | |
Awards | |
American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse (1875) American Co-Champion Older Male Horse (1876) | |
Honours | |
United States Racing Hall of Fame inductee (2016) |
Tom Ochiltree (1872–1897) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1875 Preakness Stakes and several other major stakes. In 1877, he lost in one of the most famous match races of the nineteenth century – a race that had been so anticipated that both houses of Congress were adjourned so members could attend. In 2016, Tom Ochiltree was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.
Background
Tom Ochiltree was bred by A.J. Alexander's Woodburn Stud and was one of the last offspring of the great foundation stallion, Lexington. He was an enormous colt, eventually reaching 17 hands (68 inches, 173 cm) high with a girth of 76 inches. According to racing historian Walter Vosburgh, "For size, bone, and coarseness, Tom Ochiltree surpassed all contemporaries."[1]
Purchased by J. F. Chamberlain at the 1873 Woodburn yearling sale for $500, he was later resold to tobacco heir George Lynde Lorillard. He was named after Colonel Thomas P. Ochiltree, who joined the Texas Rangers at age 14, fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War, became a newspaper editor and served as a United States Congressman.[1] The colt was originally trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Wyndham Walden, the founder of Bowling Brook Farm in Carroll County, Maryland).
Tom Ochiltree had two great rivals, Ten Broeck and Parole. Ten Broeck was foaled in the same year as Tom Ochiltree at the neighboring Nantura Stock Farm. Parole was born one year later, bred by Pierre Lorillard IV, the brother and racing rival of Tom Ochiltree's owner.[2] In 1877, these three would ignite the racing world in one of its biggest match races.[3]
Racing career
Because he was still growing, Tom Ochiltree did not race at age two. At three, he won in his career debut in a six-furlong race at Pimlico Racetrack. Two days later, he returned to win the third running of the Preakness Stakes, then run at a distance of 1+1⁄2 miles. He then finished third in the Belmont Stakes and Jersey Derby, and last in the Ocean Hotel Stakes. He was given some time off and was switched to trainer Anthony Taylor. Returning in October, he won the 2+1⁄2 mile Annual Stakes and the two-mile Dixie Stakes before finishing third in the Breckenridge Stakes to Aristides, winner of the first Kentucky Derby. Tom Ochiltree finished 1875 with a record of four wins from nine starts and earnings of $6,150.[1]
At age four, Tom Ochiltree returned to trainer Walden and became one of the top handicap horses on the East Coast. He won eight of ten starts, including the Baltimore Cup at 2+1⁄4 miles, the Jockey Club Handicap at two miles, the Centennial Stakes at 2+3⁄4 miles, the Monmouth Cup at 2+1⁄2 miles, Capital Stakes at three miles, Saratoga Cup at 2+1⁄4 miles, Maturity Stakes at three miles and the Centennial Cup at four miles. One of his few losses that year was to Parole in the 1+1⁄4-mile All Ages Sweepstakes, but he then beat Parole in the Saratoga Cup despite carrying 21 more pounds than his rival.[1]
At age 5, Tom Ochiltree won nine of 14 starts, also finishing second four times. His wins included the Westchester Cup at 2+1⁄4 miles, the Grand National Handicap at 2+1⁄4 miles, the All-Aged Stakes at 1+1⁄4 miles and a second Baltimore Cup at 2+1⁄4. He beat Parole in both the Grand National and All-Aged Stakes, carrying higher weights every time.[1]
At the same time, Ten Broeck was winning all his races. These two were then considered the best horses in the Union, with Parole a distant third. In those days, that could mean only one thing: a match race.[4]
The Pimlico Match
On October 24, 1877, at Baltimore, Maryland's Pimlico a "match" race was run between Parole, Ten Broeck and Tom Ochiltree. It was scheduled for the first day of the October meeting of the Maryland Jockey Club. By this time Ten Broeck ("King of the Western Turf") was winning everything in the midwest, while Tom Ochiltree and Parole were exchanging wins on the east coast that were so heated that a backer of Parole attempted to poison Tom Ochiltree, an attempt that sickened his stablemate Leander instead.[2] That July Parole had beaten Tom Ochiltree in the Saratoga Cup but Tom Ochiltree had come back and beaten Parole twice that October in the Grand National Stakes and All-Aged Handicap. On the day of the three-way match, perhaps 20,000 people showed up, filling every place in the stands or sitting in their carriages to watch. Both houses of Congress adjourned so that members could attend. At 3:15 in the afternoon, the horses went to post. Ten Broeck wore red ribbons in his mane, his stable colors. Parole wore cherry and black. Tom Ochiltree wore orange and blue. In the two-and-one-half mile race, Ten Broeck immediately led, followed by Tom Ochiltree, then Parole. And so it went in this order for quite some time. Twice Tom Ochiltree made a bid for the lead and won it on his second try. Parole was still trailing. And then, suddenly, Parole came on with a rush, passed both horses, and won by four lengths.
Aftermath
The result was a surprise. No one had ever beaten Ten Broeck and Tom Ochiltree had beaten Parole more times than he was beaten. Later, the owners of both horses explained away their losses. Ten Broeck had been seen for some time before the race to have had a cough. As for Tom Ochiltree, before the race, Wyndham Walden had telegraphed George Lorillard to warn him Tom Ochiltree had a cough. Lorillard had instructed him to run Tom Ochiltree "…so as not to spoil the race." But he also put $500 on Parole's nose.
A gelding, Parole raced on, becoming one of the few American horses to win a major English race. Both Ten Broeck and Tom Ochiltree were retired to stud.
Tom Ochiltree died on December 29, 1897, at the Middleburg, Maryland farm of his owner Wyndham Walden at the age of 25.[5] In 2016, he was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, joining both Ten Broeck and Parole.[1]
Sire line tree
Pedigree
Sire Lexington 1850 | Boston 1833 | Timoleon | Sir Archy |
---|---|---|---|
Saltram Mare | |||
Sister to Tuckahoe | Balls Florizel | ||
Alderman Mare | |||
Alice Carneal 1836 | Sarpedon | Emilius | |
Icaria | |||
Rowena | Sumpter | ||
Lady Grey | |||
Dam Katona 1857 | Voucher 1845 | Wagner | Sir Charles |
Maria West | |||
Britannia | Muley | ||
Nancy | |||
Countess 1847 | Margrave | Muley | |
Election Mare | |||
American Eclipse Mare | American Eclipse | ||
Rattler Mare |
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Tom Ochiltree - National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame". www.racingmuseum.org. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
- ^ a b New York Times, 8/09/1876
- ^ Nantura, 1795–1905 by Jonelle Fisher, St. Crispian Press, 2004
- ^ The History of Thoroughbred Racing in America by William H.P. Robertson, Bonanza Books, New York
- ^ "Gossip of the turf". Daily Racing Form. January 7, 1898. Retrieved 4 December 2010.
- ^ Herod Sire Line
- ^ Hall of Fame: Tom Ochiltree
External links
- Tom Ochiltree's pedigree, image and stats
- v
- t
- e
- 1873 Survivor
- 1874 Culpepper
- 1875 Tom Ochiltree
- 1876 Shirley
- 1877 Cloverbrook
- 1878 Duke of Magenta
- 1879 Harold
- 1880 Grenada
- 1881 Saunterer
- 1882 Vanguard
- 1883 Jacobus
- 1884 Knight of Ellerslie
- 1885 Tecumseh
- 1886 The Bard
- 1887 Dunboyne
- 1888 Refund
- 1889 Buddhist
- 1890 Montague
- 1894 Assignee
- 1895 Belmar
- 1896 Margrave
- 1897 Paul Kauvar
- 1898 Sly Fox
- 1899 Half Time
- 1900 Hindus
- 1901 The Parader
- 1902 Old England
- 1903 Flocarline ♥
- 1904 Bryn Mawr
- 1905 Cairngorm
- 1906 Whimsical ♥
- 1907 Don Enrique
- 1908 Royal Tourist
- 1909 Effendi
- 1910 Layminster
- 1911 Watervale
- 1912 Colonel Holloway
- 1913 Buskin
- 1914 Holiday
- 1915 Rhine Maiden ♥
- 1916 Damrosch
- 1917 Kalitan
- 1918 War Cloud
- 1918 Jack Hare Jr.
- 1919 Sir Barton ₩
- 1920 Man o' War
- 1921 Broomspun
- 1922 Pillory
- 1923 Vigil
- 1924 Nellie Morse ♥
- 1925 Coventry
- 1926 Display
- 1927 Bostonian
- 1928 Victorian
- 1929 Dr. Freeland
- 1930 Gallant Fox ₩
- 1931 Mate
- 1932 Burgoo King
- 1933 Head Play
- 1934 High Quest
- 1935 Omaha ₩
- 1936 Bold Venture
- 1937 War Admiral ₩
- 1938 Dauber
- 1939 Challedon
- 1940 Bimelech
- 1941 Whirlaway ₩
- 1942 Alsab
- 1943 Count Fleet ₩
- 1944 Pensive
- 1945 Polynesian
- 1946 Assault ₩
- 1947 Faultless
- 1948 Citation ₩
- 1949 Capot
- 1950 Hill Prince
- 1951 Bold
- 1952 Blue Man
- 1953 Native Dancer
- 1954 Hasty Road
- 1955 Nashua
- 1956 Fabius
- 1957 Bold Ruler
- 1958 Tim Tam
- 1959 Royal Orbit
- 1960 Bally Ache
- 1961 Carry Back
- 1962 Greek Money
- 1963 Candy Spots
- 1964 Northern Dancer
- 1965 Tom Rolfe
- 1966 Kauai King
- 1967 Damascus
- 1968 Forward Pass
- 1969 Majestic Prince
- 1970 Personality
- 1971 Canonero II
- 1972 Bee Bee Bee
- 1973 Secretariat ₩
- 1974 Little Current
- 1975 Master Derby
- 1976 Elocutionist
- 1977 Seattle Slew ₩
- 1978 Affirmed ₩
- 1979 Spectacular Bid
- 1980 Codex
- 1981 Pleasant Colony
- 1982 Aloma's Ruler
- 1983 Deputed Testamony
- 1984 Gate Dancer
- 1985 Tank's Prospect
- 1986 Snow Chief
- 1987 Alysheba
- 1988 Risen Star
- 1989 Sunday Silence
- 1990 Summer Squall
- 1991 Hansel
- 1992 Pine Bluff
- 1993 Prairie Bayou
- 1994 Tabasco Cat
- 1995 Timber Country
- 1996 Louis Quatorze
- 1997 Silver Charm
- 1998 Real Quiet
- 1999 Charismatic
- 2000 Red Bullet
- 2001 Point Given
- 2002 War Emblem
- 2003 Funny Cide
- 2004 Smarty Jones
- 2005 Afleet Alex
- 2006 Bernardini
- 2007 Curlin
- 2008 Big Brown
- 2009 Rachel Alexandra ♥
- 2010 Lookin At Lucky
- 2011 Shackleford
- 2012 I'll Have Another
- 2013 Oxbow
- 2014 California Chrome
- 2015 American Pharoah ₩
- 2016 Exaggerator
- 2017 Cloud Computing
- 2018 Justify ₩
- 2019 War of Will
- 2020 Swiss Skydiver ♥
- 2021 Rombauer
- 2022 Early Voting
- 2023 National Treasure
- 2024 Seize the Grey
Legend – ₩ = Triple Crown Winners, ♥ = Filly