Fashion (1837–1860), was a

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 ...

four-mile (6,400 meter)

racemare Glossary of North American horse racing: Additional glossaries at: * Glossary of Australian and New Zealand punting *Glossary of equestrian terms This is a basic glossary of equestrian terms that includes both technical terminology and jarg ...

that defeated

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

and set a record of 7:32½, for that distance, before the

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. Until her meeting with Peytona, Fashion had started 24 times, and won 23 races, 14 of which were of four-mile heats, 6 of 3-mile heats and 3 of 2-mile heats for earnings of $35,600. She was sired by Trustee out of Bonnets o' Blue.

Racing career

Owned and bred by William Gibbons in

Madison, New Jersey Madison is a borough in Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 16,937. Located along the Morris & Essex Lines, it is noted for Madison's historic railroad station becoming on ...

(the farm was located on land that today accommodates

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), the

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Fashion was considered the best race mare of her generation, or any generation that came before her. In 36 starts, Fashion won 32 times and defeated

twice. She was sired by Trustee (foaled in

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in 1829) out of Bonnets o' Blue (foaled in 1827 and by Sir Charles by

Sir Archy Sir Archy (or Archy, Archie, or Sir Archie; 1805–1833) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse considered one of the best racehorses of his time and later one of the most important sires in American history. He was inducted into the National Muse ...

). Trustee was taken out of retirement at the age of twenty to prove to the young folks how good he had been in his racing days. At that age, he ran a four-mile heat in eight minutes flat. Bonnets O'Blue won the National ''Colt'' Stakes and a $10,000 match race against Goliah, by

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, over the

Union Course Union Course was a horse racing course in what is now Woodhaven, Queens, in New York City. It hosted some of the most famous horse races in American history, including the 1823 match between American Eclipse and Sir Henry. The track was located ...

in 1831. Her dam was Reality, by Sir Archy, making Bonnets O'Blue inbred to

(by

Diomed Diomed, foaled in 1777, was an English Thoroughbred race horse who won the inaugural running of the Derby in 1780. He was subsequently a successful sire in the United States. Racing years A bright chestnut standing 15 hands 3 inchesAhner ...

) in the second generation. In Fashion's day, races were four miles (6,400 meters) long and run in grueling heats with each heat usually covering four miles. These races were not contested on tracks; they could be set anywhere the race organizers decided to set them. William Gibbons was a modest man who only raced horses he'd bred himself, and he never bet. He disliked ostentation, but the public demand for Fashion's match races was huge and he gave in to their pressure more than once. It is said that 70,000 people showed up for the match between Boston and Fashion.

Carrier pigeons The homing pigeon, also called the mail pigeon or messenger pigeon, is a variety of domestic pigeons (''Columba livia domestica'') derived from the wild rock dove, selectively bred for its ability to find its way home over extremely long dista ...

carried the news of each heat to

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newspapers. Samuel Laird of Colts Neck Inn,

Colts Neck, New Jersey Colts Neck Township is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. It is located in the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 9,957, down from the 10,142 counted in the 2010 census, i ...

, trained Fashion throughout her career, and Laird's son, Joseph T Laird, always rode as

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

North versus South Match Race

On 10 May 1842, at the age of five years, Fashion met

in a well-publicized match race at the

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, with 70,000 people witnessing the event. In the first heat, the nine-year-old Boston (carrying 126 pounds) cut open a long, jagged gash on his hip against a rail. He and five-year-old Fashion (carrying 124 pounds) were upset by the crowd often surging onto the track. Boston led for three miles, but Fashion won by 35 lengths setting a new world record of 7:32½ for a four-mile race.

Peytona versus Fashion

Boston and Fashion did not meet again, although there was pressure to do so. Instead a new rival from the south, a mare called Peytona who had amassed more money over a shorter career than Fashion, appeared. Peytona won her stake money by racing in one particular event, an affair very reminiscent of today's "futurities" where bets are placed well in advance of a race, in this case years in advance. Peytona was an undefeated mare with a long stride of , which would have rivaled the great

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's stride. The match was set for May 15, 1845, again at the Union Course. It was the last epic match race held at that location. The crowd estimate was a possible 100,000 people. Fashion was the slight favorite. The biggest betting was not on who might win, but on the time the race would be run in. By the day of Peytona's winning race, only four horses showed up, Peytona won a huge stake, and the organizer lost money. On the morning of the match, reports came down that Fashion was under the influence of her estrous cycle, but the race went on. The smaller Fashion carried 123 pounds. The larger mare, Peytona, carried 116 pounds. Peytona won in straight heats. However, Fashion came out of the match in good condition, while Peytona came out feverish in both front legs. Both mares had been entered in the Jockey Club Purse a few days later but only Fashion competed, winning easily. When Peytona and Fashion met again, this time Fashion won. Fashion continued racing until she was eleven years old. She ran in a total of 68 heats and won 55, with earnings of $41,500.

Stud record

Fashion produced seven foals in nine years, three of which were by her half-brother, Mariner (by Shark). The two fillies by him, Etiquette (1853) and A la Mode (1854), were winners. In 1855 Fashion was sold in foal to Monarch, along with her weanling filly, Young Fashion (by Monarch), and A La Mode, to John Reber of Lancaster, Ohio. Young Fashion produced ten foals, six of which were winners, and the mares continued the family for several generations. Her daughter, Bonnie Kate, produced the speedy stakes mare, Bonnie Lizzie. Another Young Fashion daughter, Columbia, was the dam of Double Cross, the sire of Guido, an American record holder for mile heats.Thoroughbred Heritage: Fashion
Retrieved 2010-12-31 Fashion died in 1860.

Honors

Ladies' gloves were devised in Fashion's name, as were men's

cigar A cigar is a rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco leaves made to be smoked. Cigars are produced in a variety of sizes and shapes. Since the 20th century, almost all cigars are made of three distinct components: the filler, the binder l ...

s. She had more than one

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named after her and more than one

hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a re ...

. Fashion 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 horse racing, Thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and Horse trainer, trainers. In 1955, the museum ...

in 1980, 120 years after her death.

Pedigree

References

External links

Making the American Thoroughbred

Fashion's page in the Hall of Fame

Fashion's pedigree
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fashion (Horse) Racehorses bred in New Jersey 1837 racehorse births 1860 racehorse deaths Racehorses trained in the United States United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees Thoroughbred family A44