Imp (1894–1909) was a pure black

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 c ...

racing filly with a white, diamond-shaped star between her eyes. She was sired by Wagner (GB) out of Fondling (by

Fonso Fonso (1877–1903) was an U.S., American Thoroughbred racehorse and was the winner of the 1880 Kentucky Derby under jockey George Garret Lewis. Fonso was bred in Kentucky and was a chestnut colt sired by King Alfonso out of the mare Weatherwitch ...

) and was foaled on March 5, 1894. Owned and bred by Daniel R. Harness of

Chillicothe, Ohio Chillicothe ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Ross County, Ohio, United States. Located along the Scioto River 45 miles (72 km) south of Columbus, Chillicothe was the first and third capital of Ohio. It is the only city in Ross Count ...

, and trained by both Charles E. Brossman and Peter Wimmer (when she was seven), Imp's male line of descent was the great

Eclipse An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object or spacecraft is temporarily obscured, by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer. This alignment of three ce ...

. Imp, nicknamed "My Coal Black Lady" after a popular song of the day, was a bit of a homely-looking thing, the daughter of parents who each raced only once. Her sire won the Wilton Park Stakes in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

but her dam was injured in her only start.

Racing record

Imp, who began racing in

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

and

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

, started out inauspiciously, winning three of eleven starts as a two-year-old. But by her second season she became the talk of the racing world by making fifty starts. She won only 14 of them, but was in the money 33 times. In her fourth season she was shipped to

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

to challenge the big-name horses in the

Suburban Handicap The Suburban Stakes is an American Grade II Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is now run at the mile distance on dirt for a $700,000 purse. Named after the City and Su ...

. She lost that first time, but returned the following year, 1899, and took the race. She was the first mare to ever win the $10,000 Suburban. All in all, Imp started in a grueling 171 races, coming in the money in 126 of them. She won 62 times, placed 35 times, and came in third 29 times. A sprinter as well as a stayer, My Coal Black Lady defeated the best males of her times. She also won the

Brighton Handicap The Brighton Handicap was an American thoroughbred horse race run annually from 1896 through 1907 at the Brighton Beach Race Course in Brighton Beach, Coney Island, New York and in 1910 at Empire City Race Track. Open to horses age three and older ...

while giving nine pounds to champion Ethelbert. At six, she won the Advance Stakes by 30 lengths and set an American record for 1¾ miles. Ridden in many of her races by future Hall of Fame jockey,

Nash Turner Nash Turner (1881–1937) was an American Hall of Fame jockey who competed in Thoroughbred horse racing in the United States and France. A native of Texas, Nash Turner began his professional riding career in 1895 and by 1900 was one of the top te ...

, Imp's best races included: *Firsts: Memorial Day Handicap, Monadnock Stakes, Austin Stakes, Speed Stakes, Hawthorne Dash Stakes,

, Islip Handicap,

Ocean Handicap The Ocean Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Sheepshead Bay Race Track in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, New York from 1894 thru 1909. A race for horses of either sex age three and older, it was run on dirt over a dist ...

, Turf Handicap, Oriental Handicap, Special Handicap (which she won three times), Parkway Handicap,

Advance Stakes The Advance Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually from 1899 through 1910 at the Sheepshead Bay Race Track in Brooklyn, New York. An important race open to horses age three and older, it was raced on dirt. The final running t ...

(by 30 lengths), and the Mahopac Handicap. *Places: New Rochelle Handicap, Coney Island Handicap, Brookdale Handicap,

Long Island Handicap The Long Island Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in November at Aqueduct Racetrack, in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. The race is for fillies and mares, age three and up, willing to race the one and one-half miles on the ...

, Brighton Cup, Municipal Handicap,

Empire City Handicap The Empire City Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race inaugurated on October 22, 1900, as part of the opening day racecard at Empire City Race Track in Yonkers, New York. Sometimes referred in newspaper reports as the Empire City Stakes ...

, and the Idlewild Handicap. *Shows: Sapphire Stakes, Oakwood Handicap, Claremont High-weight Handicap, Long Island Handicap, Fall Handiap, 1st Bennings Spring Handicap, 2nd Bennings Spring Handicap,

Metropolitan Handicap The Metropolitan Handicap, frequently called the "Met Mile", is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of one mile (8 furl ...

Sheepshead Bay Handicap The Sheepshead Bay Stakes is a Grade II American thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares ages four-years-old and older run over a distance of one and three-eighth miles on the turf scheduled annually in early May at Belmont Park in Elmont, ...

, Brighton Handicap, Islip Handicap, and the

Saratoga Cup The Saratoga Cup was an American Thoroughbred horse race open to horses of either sex age three and older although geldings were not eligible from 1865 through 1918. Between 1865 and 1955 it was hosted by Saratoga Race Course, in Saratoga Springs, ...

. When Imp returned to Chillicothe, Ohio for a visit, there was a band and a parade. The town declared it a public holiday. Of course the band played My Coal Black Lady.

Broodmare record

When Harness died in 1902, she was sold to

John E. Madden John Edward Madden (December 28, 1856 – November 3, 1929) was a prominent American Thoroughbred and Standardbred owner, breeder and trainer in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. He owned Hamburg Place Stud in Lexington, Kentucky ...

. She produced five foals under his care, among them the stakes winner Faust and the winning colt Devilkin. Extremely popular in the ''

Gay Nineties The Gay Nineties is an American nostalgic term and a periodization of the history of the United States referring to the decade of the 1890s. It is known in the United Kingdom as the Naughty Nineties, and refers there to the decade of supposedly ...

'', she retired at seven years of age, having set records at 1 1/16, 1¼, 1½ and 1¾ mile. Imp won the U.S. Horse of the Year honors in 1899, as well as the U.S. Champion Handicap Mare, the same year Admiration (b. 1896) by Kingston out of Hypocrite by

Longfellow Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet and educator. His original works include "Paul Revere's Ride", ''The Song of Hiawatha'', and ''Evangeline''. He was the first American to completely transl ...

was three-year-old filly champion. She repeated as Champion Handicap Mare in 1900. Her life earnings amounted to $70,069. She died in 1909 and was buried at Hamburg Place,

Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a city in Kentucky, United States that is the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, Fayette County. By population, it is the List of cities in Kentucky, second-largest city in Kentucky and List of United States cities by popul ...

. (See external links for

Walmart Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...

's treatment of her burial site.) More than five decades after her death, Imp was inducted into the

National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American Thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers. In 1955, the museum moved to its current location on Union Av ...

Saratoga Springs Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area, which has made Saratoga a popular resort destination for over 2 ...

in 1965. In a poll among members of the American Trainers Association, conducted in 1955 by

Delaware Park Racetrack Delaware Park (also known as ''DelPark'') is an American Thoroughbred horse racing track, casino, and golf course in Stanton, Delaware. It is located just outside the city of Wilmington, and about 30 miles from Philadelphia. Thoroughbred racing ...

, Imp was voted the tenth greatest filly in American racing history.

Gallorette Gallorette (1942–1959) was a Maryland-bred chestnut thoroughbred filly who became a Hall of Fame race horse. Sired by Challenger II, out of Gallette, Gallorette's damsire was Sir Gallahad III. Breeding Trainer Preston M. Burch bought Gal ...

was voted first.

References

Imp's pedigree, with photo

Home Depot and Wal-Mart to Move Horse Graves, which include Imp's, Sir Barton
's, and 1925 Kentucky Derby">Sir Barton"> Home Depot and Wal-Mart to Move Horse Graves, which include Imp's, Sir Barton
's, and 1925 Kentucky Derby winner, Flying Ebony, as well as a host of others.]
Imp in Thoroughbred Heritage

Imp in the U.S. Hall of Fame
* '' Women of the Year - Ten Fillies Who Achieved Horse Racing's Highest Honor'' by the Staff and Correspondents of The Blood-Horse magazine (2004)

Eclipse Press Blood-Horse Publications is an American multimedia publishing house focused on horse-related magazines headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky. It began in 1916 through its flagship magazine, ''The Blood-Horse''. From 1961 to 2015, Blood-Horse Publica ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Imp (Horse) 1894 racehorse births 1909 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Ohio Racehorses trained in the United States American Thoroughbred Horse of the Year United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees Horse monuments Thoroughbred family 4-r Individual mares