George Kinney was an American

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 best known for winning the 1883 Belmont Stakes.

Background

George Kinney was bred in Tennessee by Captain James Franklin at Kennesaw Stud. His dam was Kathleen, a daughter of the great sire Lexington, and his father was Bonnie Scotland, a great imported sire. He was sold to the Dwyer Brothers Stable, owned by Philip J. Dwyer and Michael F. Dwyer.

Racing career

As a two-year-old, George Kinney won the Flash Stakes, the Hopeful Stakes, and the

Kentucky Stakes The Kentucky Stakes was a Thoroughbred horse race run between 1870 and 1938 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Raced on dirt, it was originally open to two-year-olds of either sex but after the event was placed on hiatus fol ...

. His win at the Flash Stakes was particularly notable, as he beat his stablemate and top filly

Miss Woodford Miss Woodford (1880–1899) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who was one of the top American fillies of all time, winning 16 consecutive races. Background Miss Woodford was bred in Kentucky by the Ezekiel Clay & Catesby Woodford b ...

. During his three-year-old season, George Kinney won the

Withers Stakes The Withers Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three years old horses over the distance of miles on the dirt scheduled annually in February at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. The event currently carries a purse ...

, and was the heavy favorite in the 1883 Belmont Stakes. His winning of the race was considered such a sure thing that bookmakers offered a special bet that included all of three of the other horses that would be running against him. George Kinney ended up winning the race by two lengths. George Kinney went on to win a number of other races as a three-year-old, including the Lorillard Stakes, the

Jerome Stakes The Jerome Stakes is a stakes race for thoroughbred race horse, horses run each January at Aqueduct Racetrack. Open to three year olds, the race is run at one mile and carries a purse of $150,000. It is a Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifying race, ...

, the Kenner Stakes, the Dixie Stakes, and the Grand National Handicap. He came second in Pimlico Stakes, beaten by the filly he'd previously triumphed over, Miss Woodford. He also came second in that year's Ocean Stakes, and third in the Sequel Stakes. He was beaten in the Potomac Stakes by Duke Carter, and did not place in that race. As a four-year-old, George Kinney was starting to slow down. He came second in that year's Ocean Stakes, beaten once again by Miss Woodford. Overall, he started 38 times, won 25, placed 9 times, and came in third twice. His total career earnings were $63,875.

Pedigree

References

{{Belmont Stakes Winners 1880 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Tennessee Racehorses trained in the United States Belmont Stakes winners