General Duke
SireLexington
GrandsireBoston
DamLilla
DamsireYorkshire
SexStallion
Foaled1865
Died1888
CountryUnited States
ColourChestnut
BreederRobert A. Alexander
Woodburn Stud
OwnerMcConnell & Harness
TrainerA. Thompson
Record32 starts, 18 wins in 6 years
Earnings$17,915 (equivalent to $375,000 in 2022)
Major wins
Sequel Stakes (1868)
Providence Stakes (1868)

American Classics wins:
Belmont Stakes (1868)

Honours
American Champion Three-Year-Old Colt (1868)

General Duke (born 1865) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the second running of the Belmont Stakes in 1868.[1][2] A son of Lexington, he was bred by Robert A. Alexander in Kentucky. He raced as a two-year-old, winning twice, including a stakes race. As a three-year-old, he raced nine times, winning six races, including several stakes. His final racing record was 18 wins from 32 starts. He was later known as Judge Curtis, and after his racing career ended he was a breeding stallion in Canada before dying in Illinois in 1888. Three of his daughters won stakes races.

Early life

General Duke was sired by Lexington, and out of Lilla, who was by the imported stallion Yorkshire. General Duke was foaled in 1865 and was a chestnut stallion. He was bred by Robert A. Alexander at Woodburn Stud in Kentucky.[3] Both of his back legs were white to the pastern.[4]

Racing career

General Duke's first start on the racetrack was in 1867, in the Saratoga Stakes on August 9. He placed third in that race, which was 3⁄4 mile (1,200 meters) and limited to two-year-old horses. He carried 90 pounds (41 kilograms) and raced for McConnell and Harness.[5] He then raced on August 12, for the same owners at the same distance in a race for two-year-olds, which he won in 1 minute 201⁄4 seconds.[6] Both of these races were at Saratoga Race Course in New York.[5][6] On September 26, 1867, General Duke started a race at Cincinnati, Ohio, the Cincinnati Stakes. This was a 1 mile (1,600 m) race for two-year-olds, which General Duke won in 1 minute 451⁄2 seconds carrying 86 pounds (39 kg). He was at that time still owned by McConnell and Harness.[7]

As a three-year-old, General Duke first started at the Secaucus Racetrack in New Jersey, on May 29, 1868. This race was a mile-heat race, run as three separate 1 mile (1,600 m) races. Racing again for McConnell and Harness, General Duke finished 3rd in each of the three heats.[8] The next race he started was the Belmont Stakes on June 10, 1868, which was run at the Jerome Park Racetrack. The Belmont was run at a 1+5⁄8 miles (2,600 m). General Duke won while carrying 110 pounds (50 kg), in a time of 3 minutes and 2 seconds.[9] His jockey for the race was R. Swim.[2] and the trainer was A. Thompson.[10] The horse led from the start, even though he had reared up with his jockey before the beginning of the race.[4] He was the first of four winners of the Belmont sired by Lexington.[11]

On June 17, General Duke came in second in a sweepstakes race at 2 miles (3,200 m) distance.[12] On July 2, he won a sweepstakes race for three-year-olds at a distance of a 1+3⁄4 miles (2,800 m).[13] On August 10, at Saratoga, he won the Sequel Stakes over 2 miles (3,200 m) in a time of 3 minutes 403⁄4 seconds. He carried 115 pounds (52 kg) in that race.[14] On August 25, 1868, he won the Providence Stake at Narragansett Race Track, in Rhode Island. This race was a 1+1⁄2 miles (2,400 m), and he carried 110 pounds (50 kg) during his winning time of 2 minutes and 44 seconds.[15] The same day, he won a heat race, with two 2 miles (3,200 m) heats, placing first in both heats.[16] He next started at the Jerome Park Racetrack in New York on October 7, 1868, in a cup race over 2+1⁄8 miles (3,400 m). He placed second while carrying 95 pounds (43 kg).[17] His last start of the year was on October 8, when he won a 1+3⁄4 miles (2,800 m) race with a time of 3 minutes and 13 seconds.[18]

General Duke's final racing career totals were 32 starts and 18 wins, with total earnings on the track of $17,915 (equivalent to $375,000 in 2022).[19][20] His career spanned six years on the track.[4] He was named Champion Three-Year-Old in 1868.[19] In 1870 he was the first horse to run a mile in 1 minute, 4.5 seconds.[4] When he was four and five, he was owned by Charles Littlefield, but was subsequently sold to Joseph O'Donnell. O'Donnell changed the horse's name, to Judge Curtis; something that has never happened to any other winner of a United States Triple Crown race.[10]

As Judge Curtis, he was used as a breeding stallion in Canada but died in 1888 in Monmouth, Illinois.[4] Three of his daughters won stakes races:[21] His daughter Bonnie Bird, foaled in 1876, won the Queen's Plate at Woodbine Racetrack in 1880. Her full sister Bonnie Duke, foaled in 1882, won the same race in 1887.[22] His 1882 daughter Curtolima won the 1885 Woodstock Plate Handicap, now called the Woodstock Stakes.[23]

Pedigree

Pedigree of General Duke
Sire
Lexington[24]

1850

 Boston

1833

 Timoleon Sir Archy
Saltram Mare
Sister to Tuckahoe Balls Florizel
Alderman Mare
Alice Carneal

1836

 Sarpedeon Emilius
Icaria
Rowena Sumpter
Lady Grey
Dam
Lilla

1856

 Yorkshire[24]

1834

 St. Nicholas Emilius
Sea Mew
Miss Rose Tramp
Sancho Mare
Victoire[25]

1847

 Margrave[26] Muley
Election Mare
Argentile Bertrand
Allegrante

Citations

  1. ↑ New York Racing Association "Belmont Stakes Archived July 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine" The Belmont Stakes
  2. 1 2 Daily Racing Form American Racing Manual p. 215A
  3. ↑ Bruce American Stud Book Vol. 1 p. 653
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Vosburgh "Belmont Stakes" Daily Racing Form
  5. 1 2 Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 2 1866, 1867 p. 143
  6. 1 2 Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 2 1866, 1867 p. 145
  7. ↑ Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 2 1866, 1867 p. 179
  8. ↑ Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 3 1868, 1869 p. 30
  9. ↑ Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 31868, 1869 p. 32
  10. 1 2 Sowers Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes p. 10
  11. ↑ Dunstan "Reflections" Daily Racing Form
  12. ↑ Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 31868, 1869 p. 36
  13. ↑ Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 31868, 1869 p. 39
  14. ↑ Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 31868, 1869 p. 43
  15. ↑ Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 31868, 1869 p. 47
  16. ↑ Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 31868, 1869 p. 48
  17. ↑ Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 31868, 1869 p. 74
  18. ↑ Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 31868, 1869 p. 76
  19. 1 2 Hewitt Great Breeders p. 18
  20. ↑ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  21. ↑ Hogan Index to Stakes Winners p. 606
  22. ↑ Hogan Index to Stakes Winners p. 131
  23. ↑ Hogan Index to Stakes Winners p. 491
  24. 1 2 Bruce Horse-Breeder's Guide p. 33
  25. ↑ Bruce American Stud Book Vol. 1 p. 192
  26. ↑ Bruce American Stud Book Vol. 1 p. 35

References

  • Bruce, S. D. (1884). American Stud Book. Vol. 1 (Revised ed.). New York: Turf, Field, and Farm. OCLC 9320888.
  • Bruce, S. D. (1883). Horse-Breeder's Guide and Hand Book. New York: Turf, Field and Farm. OCLC 63337475.
  • Crickmore, H. G. (1901). Racing Calendars: Vol. 2 1866, 1867. New York: W. C. Whitney. OCLC 950904302.
  • Crickmore, H. G. (1901). Racing Calendars: Vol. 3 1868, 1869. New York: W. C. Whitney. OCLC 950904302.
  • Daily Racing Form (1948). The American Racing Manual 1948 Edition. Chicago, IL: Triangle Publications. OCLC 960092630.
  • Dunstan, Nelson (June 8, 1949). "Reflections". Daily Racing Form. p. 40. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  • Hewitt, Abram S. (1982). The Great Breeders and Their Methods. Lexington, KY: Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. OCLC 12739523.
  • Hogan, Clio D. (n.d.). Index to Stakes Winners 1865–1967. Solvang, CA: Flag Is Up Farms. OCLC 29213840.
  • New York Racing Association (2010). "Belmont Stakes". The Belmont Stakes. New York Racing Association. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  • Sowers, Richard (2014). The Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes: A Comprehensive History. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-7698-5.
  • Vosbaugh, W. S. (April 9, 1922). "The Belmont Stakes". Daily Racing Form. p. 8. Retrieved April 3, 2022.

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