Apollo (1879–1887) was a champion
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...
racehorse who won the
1882 Kentucky Derby
The 1882 Kentucky Derby was the 8th running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 16, 1882.
Full results
Payout
*The winner received a purse of $4,560.
*Second place received $200.
References
{{Kentucky Derby
1882
Kentucky ...
. He was the only horse to have won the Derby without racing at age two until
Justify equalled the achievement in 2018. Apollo went on to race 21 times as a three-year-old, 30 times as a four-year-old, and 4 times as a five-year-old. He won a total of 24 races.
Background
Apollo was bred by
Daniel Swigert
Daniel is a masculine given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It means "God is my judge"Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 68. (cf. Gabriel—"God is my strength"), ...
, who subsequently founded
Elmendorf Farm
Elmendorf Farm is a Kentucky Thoroughbred horse farm in Fayette County, Kentucky, involved with horse racing since the 19th century. Once the North Elkhorn Farm, many owners and tenants have occupied the area, even during the American Civil War. Mo ...
. Apollo's dam was Rebecca T. Price, who had earlier produced stakes-winner Mahlstick. At the advanced age of 20, Rebecca T. Price was bred to two stallions, Ashstead and Lever. Her resulting foal of 1879 was a chestnut colt, subsequently
gelded
A gelding is a castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. Castration, as well as the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male equine to be calmer and better-behaved, makin ...
, with a white
sock on his left hind leg. As DNA testing was not available at the time, his paternity was typically listed with both stallions named. The pedigree available on Equineline.com, run by
The Jockey Club
The Jockey Club is the breed registry for Thoroughbred horses in the United States and Canada. It is dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing and fulfills that mandate by serving many segments of the industry through its s ...
, shows Ashstead as the sire. However, Apollo was said to resemble Lever's sire, Lexington, more closely, leading to the common belief that Lever was Apollo's sire.
Originally trained for Swigert by Henry Brown, Apollo was injured as a two-year-old. He was then sold to trainer
Green B. Morris and his partner James D. Patton for $1,200.
Racing career
Unraced at age two, Apollo made his first three starts as a three-year-old in April 1882 in New Orleans. He finished second in his first start on April 11 in the Pickwick Stakes, run at a distance of miles. He then finished second in a couple of one-mile heats a week later. On April 26, he broke his maiden in the Cottrill Stakes over a distance of miles.
On May 16, Apollo entered the
1882 Kentucky Derby
The 1882 Kentucky Derby was the 8th running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 16, 1882.
Full results
Payout
*The winner received a purse of $4,560.
*Second place received $200.
References
{{Kentucky Derby
1882
Kentucky ...
, then run at a distance of miles, as part of a field of fourteen. The 4-5 favorite was Runnymede, a multiple stakes winner, while Apollo was grouped with two other horses as a field entry at 10–1. Apollo broke near the back of the pack but worked his way up to sixth after a mile. Runnymede was in third, positioned on the outside to avoid traffic. Turning into the stretch, Runnymede made his move and took the lead in deep stretch, looking the likely winner. However, Apollo closed with a "cyclonic rush" and caught up in the final strides, winning by half a length.
The two horses met up again just six days later in the
Clark Stakes
The Clark Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late November at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Among the oldest races in the United States, it was first run in 1875, the year the racetrack opened for business. ...
, with Runnymede winning "in a canter" while Apollo finished third. Runnymede and Belmont Stakes winner Forester were retroactively acknowledged as the co-champion three-year-olds of 1882. Apollo had a solid season himself, winning a total of ten races from 21 starts and only finishing out of the money once. In addition to the Derby and his maiden win in the Cottrill Stakes, he also won the Coal, St. Leger, Drummers and Montgomery Stakes.
As a four-year-old in 1883, Apollo started 30 times, winning fourteen of them, including the Merchant Stakes. He also finished second seven times and had six third-place finishes. In September alone, he won seven consecutive races.
Retirement and death
Apollo was injured as a five-year-old and was retired from racing. He was given to a friend of Morris' wife that lived in
Charleston for use as a saddle horse. He died in November 1887 of lockjaw.
[''The Sun'' (New York) November 30, 1887]
Pedigree
The pedigree shown here assumes Apollo was sired by Ashstead rather than Lever.
References
External links
Longshot Apollo wins the Kentucky Derby, 1882
{{DEFAULTSORT:Apollo (Horse)
Racehorses bred in Kentucky
Racehorses trained in the United States
Kentucky Derby winners
1879 racehorse births
1887 racehorse deaths
Thoroughbred family A15