The Latonia Derby was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually from 1883 through 1937 at Latonia Race Track in Latonia, Kentucky . Open to three-year-old horses, for its first 52 years the Latonia Derby was contested at a mile and a half then in 1935 the distance was shortened to a mile and a quarter. It was run as the Hindoo Stakes from inception in 1883 to 1886 in honor of the Kentucky-bred U.S. Racing Hall of Fame horse, Hindoo . The race usually attracted the Kentucky Derby winner; it became so popular that in 1912 a motion picture was made by Independent Motion Picture Co. entitled Winning the Latonia Derby , featuring silent film star King Baggot .
12-461: The inaugural 1883 Latonia Derby was won by Kentucky Derby winner Leonatus . Future Derby winners Kingman (1891), Halma (1895), Ben Brush (1896), Lieut. Gibson (1900), Elwood (1904) and Sir Huon (1906) also won the race; the 1918 edition was won by Harry Payne Whitney's Belmont Stakes -winning colt, Johren . In 1936, Rushaway won the Illinois Derby during the afternoon, then
24-530: A horse named Castaway II winning the race. Sir Dixon was retired from racing shortly afterwards. After his retirement from racing, Sir Dixon was sold back to his original breeders at Runnymede Farm for $ 10,000. Sir Dixon had a successful career as a sire, and headed the American list of sires in 1901. He was the third leading sire in America the following year. On March 23, 1909, Sir Dixon broke his hip in
36-514: A new world of English "dash" races on the kind of racetracks we recognize today. 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
48-590: 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
60-621: The Withers Stakes and beat out Prince Royal by a nose. The race was controversial, with some believing victory had been awarded to the wrong horse by the judges. Following the Withers Stakes, Sir Dixon's jockey William Fitzpatrick was replaced by Jim McLaughlin . One June 9, 1888, nine days after the Withers Stakes, Sir Dixon ran in the Belmont Stakes. The only horse he was competing against was Prince Royal, and Sir Dixon
72-429: 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
84-410: 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
96-754: The winning horse until 1896, when Ben Brush wore them.) 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 . 1867 1853 1855 1878 1865 1866 Legend – ₩ = Triple Crown winners, ♥ = Filly Sir Dixon Sir Dixon (1885–1909)
108-550: Was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1888 Belmont Stakes . Sir Dixon was bred by Ezekiel F. Clay and Catesby Woodford at Runnymede Farm in Kentucky. His sire was Billet, an English stakes winner, and his dam was Jaconet, a daughter of leading sire Leamington and a full sister to the 1879 Preakness Stakes winner Harold and Iroquois , who had a successful racing career in England. Sir Dixon
120-751: Was heavily favored to win. Sure enough, Sir Dixon won the race by 12 lengths. After his victory in the Belmont, Sir Dixon ran in the Lorillard Stakes. He was the heavy favorite to win, and won the race by two lengths. He then came first in the Travers Stakes , and third in the Brooklyn Derby . As a five-year-old, Sir Dixon ran in the Brooklyn Handicap and was heavily favored to win, but ended up not placing at all, with
132-634: Was shipped 300 miles (480 km) overnight to win the Latonia Derby the following afternoon. Speed record: Most wins by a jockey : Most wins by a trainer : ¹ Most wins by an owner: Leonatus Leonatus (foaled in 1880 in Kentucky , died 1898 in Kentucky) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1883 Kentucky Derby . Leonatus was the son of Uncle John Harper's great racer and sire Longfellow , himself
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#1732801464848144-800: Was sold at some point to Green B. Morris. As a two-year-old, Sir Dixon won the Camden Stakes, the Select Stakes , and the Flatbush Stakes . After his victory in the Flatbush Stakes, the Dwyer Brothers Stable , impressed with his performance, purchased him from Green B. Morris for $ 20,000. Sir Dixon began his three-year-old season by running in the Analostan Stakes, which he won. He then ran in
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