Blue Gown
Encyclopedia
Blue Gown was a British
Thoroughbred
racehorse that was the winner of the 1868 Epsom Derby
and Ascot Gold Cup
. He was a bay
horse sired by the 1858 Epsom Derby winner Beadsman out of the Stockwell
bred mare Bas Bleu. Blue Gown derived his name from the long blue gowns Scottish
beadsmen
would wear to collect alms
for the poor in the name of the reigning monarch. Blue Gown was bred and owned by Sir Joseph Hawley
.
Blue Gown was retired from racing as a four-year old and was sent to Germany
as a stud horse, where he was very successful. In 1879, Blue Gown was transferred back to England to the Marden Deer Park Stud in Caterham
, Surrey
. He was bought by American
horseman James R. Keene
in 1880 for £13,300 ($20,000) and was placed aboard the steamship Victoria for his trans-Atlantic crossing to New York. The ship ran into very stormy weather on November 25, leading to the destruction of its rudder and to the death of Blue Gown, who thrashed about in his cabin and ruptured a bowel.[1] The body of the horse was cast overboard by the crew into the Atlantic Ocean.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Thoroughbred
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 that was the winner of the 1868 Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
and Ascot Gold Cup
Ascot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
. He was a bay
Bay (color)
Bay is a hair coat color of horses, characterized by a reddish brown body color with a black mane, tail, ear edges, and lower legs. Bay is one of the most common coat colors in many horse breeds....
horse sired by the 1858 Epsom Derby winner Beadsman out of the Stockwell
Stockwell (horse)
Stockwell was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and a Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland seven times; he was second on the sires' list a further four times during a 14-year period.-Breeding:...
bred mare Bas Bleu. Blue Gown derived his name from the long blue gowns Scottish
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
beadsmen
Beadsman
Bedesman, or beadsman was generallya pensioner or almsman whose duty it was to pray for hisbenefactor....
would wear to collect alms
Alms
Alms or almsgiving is a religious rite which, in general, involves giving materially to another as an act of religious virtue.It exists in a number of religions. In Philippine Regions, alms are given as charity to benefit the poor. In Buddhism, alms are given by lay people to monks and nuns to...
for the poor in the name of the reigning monarch. Blue Gown was bred and owned by Sir Joseph Hawley
Sir Joseph Henry Hawley, 3rd Baronet
Sir Joseph Henry Hawley Bt. was a noted Thoroughbred race horse owner and breeder in nineteenth century England.Four of his horses won the Epsom Derby: Teddington , Beadsman , Musjid and Blue Gown...
.
Blue Gown was retired from racing as a four-year old and was sent to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
as a stud horse, where he was very successful. In 1879, Blue Gown was transferred back to England to the Marden Deer Park Stud in Caterham
Caterham
Caterham is a town in the Tandridge District of Surrey, England. The town is geographically divided into two sections: Caterham on the Hill and Caterham Valley - the main town centre. The town lies close to the A22, a few miles south of Croydon, in a valley cut into the dip slope of the North Downs...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. He was bought by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
horseman James R. Keene
James R. Keene
James Robert Keene was a Wall Street stock broker and a major thoroughbred race horse owner and breeder.-Biography:He was born in London, England in 1838. He was fourteen years of age when his family emigrated to the United States in 1852...
in 1880 for £13,300 ($20,000) and was placed aboard the steamship Victoria for his trans-Atlantic crossing to New York. The ship ran into very stormy weather on November 25, leading to the destruction of its rudder and to the death of Blue Gown, who thrashed about in his cabin and ruptured a bowel.[1] The body of the horse was cast overboard by the crew into the Atlantic Ocean.