Thomas Clay McDowell
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Thomas Clay McDowell (March 9, 1866 - February 9, 1935) was an American businessman,
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
owner Ownership is the state or fact of legal possession and control over property, which may be any asset, tangible or intangible. Ownership can involve multiple rights, collectively referred to as title, which may be separated and held by different ...
/
breeder A breeder is a person who selectively breeds carefully selected mates, normally of the same breed to sexually reproduce offspring with specific, consistently replicable qualities and characteristics. This might be as a farmer, agriculturalist, ...
, and trainer. He was a great-grandson of Henry Clay.


Early life and education

Born at Ashland Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, Thomas was the fourth of the seven children of Anne Clay (1837–1917) and her husband, Major Henry Clay McDowell (1832–1899). His mother was the daughter of Henry Clay, Jr. In 1883 she and her husband purchased the estate from other Clay descendants. Henry Clay McDowell bred
Standardbred The Standardbred is an American horse breed best known for its ability in harness racing, where members of the breed compete at either a trot or pace. Developed in North America, the Standardbred is recognized worldwide, and the breed can trace i ...
horses for harness racing, and Thomas became interested in the breeding and training of racehorses.


Marriage and family

In 1888 Thomas McDowell married Mary Mann Goodloe (1866–1953), with whom he had two children: Ann Clay McDowell (b. 1891) and son, William Cassius Goodloe McDowell (1895-1974).


Career

In the early 1900s, McDowell worked as a trainer for the Thoroughbred stable of
William Kissam Vanderbilt William Kissam "Willie" Vanderbilt I (December 12, 1849 – July 22, 1920) was an American heir, businessman, philanthropist and horsebreeder. Born into the Vanderbilt family, he managed his family's railroad investments. Early life William Kiss ...
in Kentucky. He also had his own horses. McDowell is most notable as the breeder, owner, and trainer of the
colt Colt(s) or COLT may refer to: *Colt (horse), an intact (uncastrated) male horse under four years of age People * Colt (given name) *Colt (surname) Places *Colt, Arkansas, United States *Colt, Louisiana, an unincorporated community, United States ...
Alan-a-Dale Alan-a-Dale (first recorded as Allen a Dale; variously spelled ''Allen-a-Dale'', ''Allan-a-Dale'', ''Allin-a-Dale'', ''Allan A'Dayle'' etc.) is a figure in the Robin Hood legend. According to the stories, he was a wandering minstrel who became a ...
, which won the 1902 Kentucky Derby. McDowell's other top horses included four
fillies A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use: *In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old. *In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, t ...
which each won the
Kentucky Oaks The Kentucky Oaks is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The race currently covers at Churchill Downs; the horses carry . The Kentucky Oaks is held on the Friday ...
, and The Manager, named the 1912 American Horse of the Year for his record of wins and money earned."Record of Thomas McDowell"
Churchill Downs Incorporated Kentucky Derby Website"Record of Thomas McDowell"
Churchill Downs Incorporated Kentucky Oaks Website In 1925 Thomas McDowell acquired Buck Pond Farm in
Versailles, Kentucky Versailles () is a home rule-class city in Woodford County, Kentucky, United States. It lies by road west of Lexington and is part of the Lexington-Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area. Versailles has a population of 9,316 according to 2017 cen ...
from the estate of Louis Marshall. McDowell introduced Thoroughbred horses to Buck Pond and operated it until his death in 1935. Joseph K. Nelson, a wealthy
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
businessman and native of
Woodford County, Kentucky Woodford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,871. Its county seat is Versailles. The area was home to Pisgah Academy. Woodford County is part of the Lexington-Fayette, KY Metro ...
, purchased the farm from McDowell's heirs in 1936.


References


External links


Reprint of a 1902 ''New York Telegraph'' interview with Thomas McDowell
{{DEFAULTSORT:McDowell, Thomas Clay 1866 births 1935 deaths Businesspeople from Lexington, Kentucky American racehorse owners and breeders Owners of Kentucky Derby winners Henry Clay family