His Eminence (1898 – c.1906) was an
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 racehorse that was bred in
Kentucky and is best known for winning the 1901
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The competition is a Grade I stakes race for three-year ...
. He was a
bay
A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a Gulf (geography), gulf, sea, sound (geography), sound, or bight (geogra ...
colt sired by the great turf-racer Falsetto out of the mare Patroness. His dam (with His Eminence in utero) was sold to Overton H. Chenault at the 1897
Woodburn Stud
Woodburn Stud was an American horse breeding farm located in Woodford County, Kentucky about ten miles (16 km) from the city of Lexington. It was established in the 18th century as an original land grant property of General Hugh Mercer to ...
dispersal sale for $75. As a yearling, he was sold to J. B. Lewman for $500
/sup>.
His Eminence was ridden in the 1901 Derby by African-American jockey James Winkfield
James Winkfield (April 12, c. 1880–1882 – March 23, 1974) was a Thoroughbred jockey and horse trainer
A horse trainer is a person who tends to horses and teaches them different disciplines. Some of the responsibilities trainers have are ca ...
. His Eminence also won the Clark Handicap as a three-year-old.
The colt was purchased in the latter part of 1901 for $15,000 by millionaire racing enthusiast Clarence Mackay
Clarence Hungerford Mackay (; April 17, 1874 – November 12, 1938) was an American financier. He was chairman of the board of the Postal Telegraph and Cable Corporation and president of the Mackay Radio and Telegraph Company.
Early life
He ...
as a stud horse, but was later sold in 1902 due to the death of Mackay's father. His Eminence was then returned to racing by his new owner, Fred Gebhard, as a five-year-old, winning the 1903 Omnium Handicap
The Omnium Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Sheepshead Bay Race Track in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, New York (state), New York from 1885 thru 1909. A race for horses of either sex age three and older, it was run on ...
at the Sheepshead Bay Race Track
Sheepshead Bay Race Track was an American Thoroughbred horse racing facility built on the site of the Coney Island Jockey Club at Sheepshead Bay, New York.
Early history
The racetrack was built by a group of prominent businessmen from the New Yo ...
.
The stallion was once again sold at auction in September 1903 to A.C. Jaeger for $2,900. He was again sold to William Collins Whitney who trained him for steeplechasing
Steeplechase may refer to:
* Steeplechase (horse racing), a type of horse race in which participants are required to jump over obstacles
* Steeplechase (athletics), an event in athletics that derives its name from the steeplechase in horse raci ...
, but His Eminence was killed while trying to jump a hurdle sometime before 1910. ''Daily Racing Form.'' "Careers of Kentucky Derby winners." May 19, 1910.
/ref>
Pedigree
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:His Eminence (Horse)
1898 racehorse births
Racehorses trained in the United States
Racehorses bred in Kentucky
Kentucky Derby winners
Thoroughbred family 12