American Eclipse
Encyclopedia
American Eclipse was an undefeated American Thoroughbred
racehorse, who raced when three to four mile heats were common.
), out of Miller's Damsel (known as the "Queen of the Northern Turf," by Messenger
). Interestingly enough, Miller’s Damsel’s dam was a mare (foaled in 1792) by Pot8os
who was by the original Eclipse.
American Eclipse was a chestnut
stallion
that was only 15 hand
s 1 inch high and named after the great English
champion Eclipse
. The original Eclipse (1764 to 1789) so outstanding that may people named their horses Eclipse in the vain hope they had another Eclipse, about whom it was said: "Eclipse first—the rest nowhere."
At five he raced for Cornelius W. Van Ranst who had purchased him from Coles for $3,000. At five he maintained his form, but Van Ranst put him out to stud
at six. At ages six and seven he bred to a number of mares for a fee of $12.50. To assist the newly opened Union Course, Van Ranst put him back into training. In his next start he defeated the good mare, Lady Lightfoot
(a winner of 31 races) by Sir Archy
, in the first heat. He distanced her in the second heat when they were the only starters, since all others had withdrawn. In his next race, all other horses scratched after contesting American Eclipse in the first heat, except Sir Walter who was then easily defeated by American Eclipse.
At this point a match race was organized between American Eclipse and James J. Harrison’s noted horse, Sir Charles. Sir Charles, with 20 wins to his credit, injured himself in a workout and Harrison was required to forfeit the match, which American Eclipse won. A second match was arranged, only a single heat, and this time Sir Charles raced, but broke down leaving American Eclipse, an easy winner.
Union Course. (This kind of thing was often done, with no one knowing what condition a horse might be in after six months, and in this case, with the South not having to name the horses challenging.) The South's noted horseman William Johnson trained six horses from the South before deciding that Henry was to race American Eclipse. The race was to be decided with the best two in three four-mile heats for a purse of $10,000. Over 60,000 people attended to see American Eclipse contest Henry (only three-years-old and by Sir Archy). Also racing were John Richards and Washington, not tested at such a distance, but with so much time before the race, their owners intended they would be. By the time the race came round, two Southern horses had pulled out: Washington for proving not good enough in his training, and John Richards for injury.
Among the great crowd at Union Course on May 27, 1823 was Andrew Jackson
, then American
governor of Florida
. So was the Vice-President of the United States, Daniel Tompkins, and the infamous Aaron Burr
, who shot and killed Alexander Hamilton
in a duel about 19 years earlier (July 11, 1804).
Racing against Henry and ridden by William Crafts, American Eclipse lost the first heat, by a length, (the only time he was ever beaten) to Henry whose time of 7.37 was the best yet seen in America over four miles. American Eclipse, at nine, carried 126 pounds (57 kg) to his much younger rival carrying only 108 pounds (49 kg). The famed turf historian Cadwallader R. Colden (who wrote under the name "An Old Turfman”) said that American Eclipse was ridden badly by Crafts, who whipped and spurred him in the first heat. American Eclipse was defeated for the first time by Henry, in the fastest time ever recorded in America. William Crafts was replaced after this heat, by the noted Samuel Purdy who had retired, but gladly rode a horse he'd ridden in his youth. In the second heat American Eclipse raced close to Henry and went on to win this heat. In the third and last heat, the horses were exhausted, but the older horse, American Eclipse, was the more seasoned horse, as well as the better horse, and he won by three lengths to the jubilation of the North.
In his eight race starts he won eight times, earning $25,000.
for $8,050 to Walter Livingstone who permanently retired him to stud in New York. It was in New York that he sired his best son, Medoc. Then he was sent to Virginia
and finally, in 1837, to Kentucky
. American Eclipse produced numerous stakes winners and others including, Ariel, a filly
who won 42 of 57 starts, including 18 four-mile heats, Black Maria (out of Lady Lightfoot, his old rival) who won 11 races with three- and four-mile heats, Lize (second dam of Enquirer), Ten Broeck (not the Nantura Farm Ten Broeck), Monmouth Eclipse, Bay Maria, and Gano.
Last owned by Jilson Yates, American Eclipse died in Shelby County, Kentucky
, in August 1847, when he was 33 years old.
One hundred and twenty three years later, in 1970, he was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
.
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...
racehorse, who raced when three to four mile heats were common.
Breeding
He was bred on Long Island, New York by General Nathaniel Coles. American Eclipse was by Duroc (by the founding stallion DiomedDiomed
Diomed, foaled in 1777, was an English-bred Thoroughbred race horse who won the inaugural running of the Epsom Derby and was subsequently a successful sire in the United States of America.-Bright Beginnings:...
), out of Miller's Damsel (known as the "Queen of the Northern Turf," by Messenger
Messenger (horse)
Messenger was an English Thoroughbred stallion bred by a John Pratt and imported into the newly formed United States of America just after the American Revolution.-Breeding:...
). Interestingly enough, Miller’s Damsel’s dam was a mare (foaled in 1792) by Pot8os
Potoooooooo
Potoooooooo or Pot-8-Os was a famous 18th century Thoroughbred racehorse who defeated some of the greatest racehorses and later became an influential sire....
who was by the original Eclipse.
American Eclipse was a chestnut
Chestnut (coat)
Chestnut is a hair coat color of horses consisting of a reddish-to-brown coat with a mane and tail the same or lighter in color than the coat. Genetically and visually, chestnut is characterized by the absolute absence of true black hairs...
stallion
Stallion
A Stallion is a male horse.Stallion may also refer to:* Stallion , an American pop rock group* Stallion , a figure in the Gobot toyline* Stallion , a character in the console role-playing game series...
that was only 15 hand
Hand (unit)
The hand is a non-SI unit of measurement of length, now used only for the measurement of the height of horses in some English-speaking countries, including Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA. With origins in ancient Egypt, it was originally based on the breadth of a human hand...
s 1 inch high and named after the great English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
champion Eclipse
Eclipse (horse)
Eclipse was an outstanding, undefeated 18th-century British Thoroughbred racehorse who was later a phenomenal success as a sire.-Breeding:...
. The original Eclipse (1764 to 1789) so outstanding that may people named their horses Eclipse in the vain hope they had another Eclipse, about whom it was said: "Eclipse first—the rest nowhere."
Racing record
American Eclipse proved himself worthy of his name as soon as he began training and was entered in his first trial. Coles didn't start him until he was a three-year-old, and then he raced him sparingly. He had a few race starts at four and was victorious each time. He was according to all who saw him, the greatest American racehorse of his day.At five he raced for Cornelius W. Van Ranst who had purchased him from Coles for $3,000. At five he maintained his form, but Van Ranst put him out to stud
Horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
at six. At ages six and seven he bred to a number of mares for a fee of $12.50. To assist the newly opened Union Course, Van Ranst put him back into training. In his next start he defeated the good mare, Lady Lightfoot
Lady Lightfoot
Lady Lightfoot , was an American Thoroughbred racing mare by one of America's foremost stallions, Sir Archy. A product of his very first crop, Lady Lightfoot is almost certainly his best daughter....
(a winner of 31 races) by Sir Archy
Sir Archy
Sir Archy was an American Thoroughbred racehorse.-Early life:Born and bred in Virginia by two Americans, Capt. Archibald Randolph and Col. John Tayloe III, Sir Archy's sire was the Epsom Derby winner Diomed, who had been imported from England as an older horse...
, in the first heat. He distanced her in the second heat when they were the only starters, since all others had withdrawn. In his next race, all other horses scratched after contesting American Eclipse in the first heat, except Sir Walter who was then easily defeated by American Eclipse.
At this point a match race was organized between American Eclipse and James J. Harrison’s noted horse, Sir Charles. Sir Charles, with 20 wins to his credit, injured himself in a workout and Harrison was required to forfeit the match, which American Eclipse won. A second match was arranged, only a single heat, and this time Sir Charles raced, but broke down leaving American Eclipse, an easy winner.
American Eclipse versus Sir Henry match Race
When American Eclipse was nine years old, another challenge was issued, intending to race five of the very best horses against American Eclipse, representing, of course, the North. The race was to be run six months from the date of the challenge over the old Long IslandLong Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
Union Course. (This kind of thing was often done, with no one knowing what condition a horse might be in after six months, and in this case, with the South not having to name the horses challenging.) The South's noted horseman William Johnson trained six horses from the South before deciding that Henry was to race American Eclipse. The race was to be decided with the best two in three four-mile heats for a purse of $10,000. Over 60,000 people attended to see American Eclipse contest Henry (only three-years-old and by Sir Archy). Also racing were John Richards and Washington, not tested at such a distance, but with so much time before the race, their owners intended they would be. By the time the race came round, two Southern horses had pulled out: Washington for proving not good enough in his training, and John Richards for injury.
Among the great crowd at Union Course on May 27, 1823 was Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
, then American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
governor of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. So was the Vice-President of the United States, Daniel Tompkins, and the infamous Aaron Burr
Aaron Burr
Aaron Burr, Jr. was an important political figure in the early history of the United States of America. After serving as a Continental Army officer in the Revolutionary War, Burr became a successful lawyer and politician...
, who shot and killed Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury...
in a duel about 19 years earlier (July 11, 1804).
Racing against Henry and ridden by William Crafts, American Eclipse lost the first heat, by a length, (the only time he was ever beaten) to Henry whose time of 7.37 was the best yet seen in America over four miles. American Eclipse, at nine, carried 126 pounds (57 kg) to his much younger rival carrying only 108 pounds (49 kg). The famed turf historian Cadwallader R. Colden (who wrote under the name "An Old Turfman”) said that American Eclipse was ridden badly by Crafts, who whipped and spurred him in the first heat. American Eclipse was defeated for the first time by Henry, in the fastest time ever recorded in America. William Crafts was replaced after this heat, by the noted Samuel Purdy who had retired, but gladly rode a horse he'd ridden in his youth. In the second heat American Eclipse raced close to Henry and went on to win this heat. In the third and last heat, the horses were exhausted, but the older horse, American Eclipse, was the more seasoned horse, as well as the better horse, and he won by three lengths to the jubilation of the North.
In his eight race starts he won eight times, earning $25,000.
Stud record
He was sold at a public auctionAuction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
for $8,050 to Walter Livingstone who permanently retired him to stud in New York. It was in New York that he sired his best son, Medoc. Then he was sent to Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and finally, in 1837, to Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. American Eclipse produced numerous stakes winners and others including, Ariel, a filly
Filly
A filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.*In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old....
who won 42 of 57 starts, including 18 four-mile heats, Black Maria (out of Lady Lightfoot, his old rival) who won 11 races with three- and four-mile heats, Lize (second dam of Enquirer), Ten Broeck (not the Nantura Farm Ten Broeck), Monmouth Eclipse, Bay Maria, and Gano.
Last owned by Jilson Yates, American Eclipse died in Shelby County, Kentucky
Shelby County, Kentucky
Shelby County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population was 42,074. Its name is in honor of Isaac Shelby, the first Governor of Kentucky. Its county seat is Shelbyville...
, in August 1847, when he was 33 years old.
One hundred and twenty three years later, in 1970, he was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
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...
.