J. K. L. Ross
Encyclopedia
John Kenneth Leveson Ross CBE
(1876 - 1951) was a Canadian
businessman, sportsman, Thoroughbred
racehorse
owner/breeder, and philanthropist
. He is best remembered for winning the first United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
in 1919 with his Hall of Fame
colt, Sir Barton
.
, the only child of Kingston, New York
native Annie Kerr and her husband James Ross
, a wealthy co-founder of the Canadian Pacific Railway
, a prominent art collector and the first Canadian to be made a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron
. He grew up in the Golden Square Mile
at his father's French
Chateau
-style mansion, 3644 Peel Street, designed by architect Bruce Price
which was eventually bought by John W. McConnell
and donated to McGill University
which renamed it Chancellor Day Hall. Ross was sent to study at Bishop's College School
in Lennoxville, Quebec
then at McGill University
. He played for the McGill ice hockey
team and was a member of the university's Canadian football championship team.
and others, Ross established Côte St. Luc Realties in 1911 which built the town of Hampstead, Quebec
. In 1909 he built another home at 3647 Peel Street, opposite his father's, now known as J.K.L. Ross House, designed by William Sutherland Maxwell
. But, after his father's death in 1913 (when he also inherited $16 million) he moved back to his childhood home and used the second one to house guests, the newer one being too small for parties. It was purchased by Marianopolis College
in 1961 and used as administration offices until 1976 when McGill University acquired the property.
At one time, father James Ross owned a controlling interest in Dominion Coal Company and Dominion Iron and Steel Company. As a result, Jack Ross spent a number of summers at St. Ann's Bay in the northern part of Victoria County, Nova Scotia
on Cape Breton Island
. After his father's death, Jack Ross moved to Nova Scotia where for a time he was involved in the management of the companies.
which set a record for the largest fish caught with a rod
and reel
(line). The Yarmouth County Museum and Archives in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
has a photo of J.K.L. Ross and the fish. http://content.lib.washington.edu/cgi-bin/viewer.exe?CISOROOT=/fishimages&CISOPTR=49397&CISORESTMP=&CISOVIEWTMP=
, Jack Ross donated three large yachts for use in the war effort by the Royal Canadian Navy
and took command of one of them in the North Atlantic. He was made a Commanderof the Order of the British Empire
for distinguished naval service. Afterwards, the media would commonly refer to him as "Commander J.K.L. Ross." Ross was the second Canadian (after his father) to be made a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron
.
, Quebec
and his son continued the family's philanthropy
. In 1916, acting on his late father's desire to support the Royal Victoria Hospital, Jack Ross donated $1 million for the building of the first major addition to the hospital which became known as the Ross Pavilion.
During the First World War he donated $500,000 in cash to the Royal Navy
as well as three costly patrol vessels. He also gave a further $500,000 to be distributed between the families of enlisted men killed in the war. He donated money to fund a new building (Ross Boarding House) at his alma mater, Bishop's College School
, Lennoxville, and also gave liberally to McGill University
.
horse racing
and breeding
. In 1915 he purchased twelve Thoroughbreds that immediately paid dividends when Damrosch
won the 1916 Preakness Stakes
. Later that year, he acquired a 2000 acres (8.1 km²) farm property at Vercheres, Quebec
where he established his own breeding operation. Ross contracted jockey
s Earl Sande
, Carroll Shilling
and John Loftus
, all of whom would be elected to the United States Racing Hall of Fame
, plus he hired H. Guy Bedwell
who became one of America's leading trainers and who, too, was inducted in the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame. Running one of the most successful racing stables in North America
, at Toronto's
Old Woodbine Race Course
, his horses won numerous races including five editions each of the Maple Leaf Stakes
, the Connaught Cup
, and the Grey Stakes. Racing success led Jack Ross to build a second breeding and racing stable near Toronto he called Agincourt Farms and a third such operation in the State of Maryland
called the Yarrow Brae Stud Farm.
and the 1918 American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt, Billy Kelly, finished one-two in the 1919 Kentucky Derby
. Sir Barton then went on to win the Preakness Stakes
and the Belmont Stakes
to become the first-ever winner of the U.S. Triple Crown
. For 1919, Sir Barton was voted American Horse of the Year.
The following year, Sir Barton set a world record for 1 3/16 miles on dirt in winning the August 28, 1920, Merchants and Citizens Handicap
at the Saratoga Race Course
. However, plagued by tender hooves, Sir Barton was beaten in a now-famous match race
on the hard dirt surface of the Kennilworth Park in Windsor, Ontario
by the great Man o' War
. In 1957, Sir Barton was inducted in the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E02E1DC103FE432A2575AC2A96E9C946195D6CF.
In addition to Sir Barton, notable among the Ross stable of racehorses were:
Financial reverses forced Jack Ross to disband his entire racing operations in 1927. In 1920, he had been appointed president of Blue Bonnets Raceway in Montreal, and although no longer a stable owner after 1927, he held the position until 1931 when he retired to a home in Jamaica
.
says that the United States press called him "the best sportsman Canada has ever sent to this country." On one race he put down $20,000 and won back $160,000, but he spotted an irregularity, and although legally he was allowed to keep his winnings he gave $40,000 back to the bookies. Though he betted frequently, he won as often as he lost, but he is remembered on one occasion for winning $50,000 from a notoriously sharp New Yorker.
The Rosses lived lavishly, even by many of his contemporaries standards. Princess Patricia of Connaught
, who became engaged at Ross' fishing lodge in Cape Breton
, was heard to remark that the Rosses lived more royally than royalty. He did keep thirty servants, but many of his supposed trappings were fictional: He had one or sometimes two Rolls-Royces, not eight, and his single private railway car was not an entire private train.
To own a few mediocre horses is an expensive luxary. To own many good ones demands a truly vast sum of money. In those days a large racing establishment, even a highly successful one, never made back it's expenses.
) into an apartment. After his wife divorced him he went to Jamaica where he met his new wife, Iris. He bought a house on Montego Bay
(which after his death was purchased by Lord Beaverbrook), was made deputy governor of the island and apart from occasional visits to Montreal
remained there until his death in 1951, happier (he told his confidantes), than when he was rich.
In accordance with his wishes, J.K.L. Ross was buried at sea. On its formation in 1976, he was inducted posthumously into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
. In 1956, his only son, James K. M. (Jim) Ross, who shared his father's passion for racing, published a book titled Boots and Saddles : The Story of the Fabulous Ross Stable in the Golden Days of Racing.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(1876 - 1951) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
businessman, sportsman, 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
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
owner/breeder, and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
. He is best remembered for winning the first United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
In the United States, the "Triple Crown" is usually the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, a series of three Thoroughbred horse races for three-year-old horses run in May and early June of each year consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.While Daily Racing Form...
in 1919 with his 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...
colt, Sir Barton
Sir Barton
Sir Barton, , was a chestnut thoroughbred colt who in 1919 became the first winner of the American Triple Crown.He was sired by leading stud Star Shoot out of the Hanover mare Lady Sterling. His grandsire was the 1893 English Triple Crown champion, Isinglass.Sir Barton was bred in Kentucky by...
.
Early life
J.K.L. Ross was born in Lindsay, OntarioLindsay, Ontario
Lindsay is a community of 19,361 people on the Scugog River in the Kawartha Lakes region of south-eastern Ontario, Canada. It is approximately west of Peterborough...
, the only child of Kingston, New York
Kingston, New York
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...
native Annie Kerr and her husband James Ross
James Ross (Canadian businessman)
James L. Ross , was a Scottish-born Canadian civil engineer and businessman, who developed his fortune in railway construction.-Early life:...
, a wealthy co-founder of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
, a prominent art collector and the first Canadian to be made a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron
Royal Yacht Squadron
The Royal Yacht Squadron is the most prestigious yacht club in the United Kingdom and arguably the world. Its clubhouse is located in Cowes Castle on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom...
. He grew up in the Golden Square Mile
Golden Square Mile
The Golden Square Mile was the name of a luxurious neighbourhood at the foot of Mount Royal in the west-central section of downtown Montreal, Canada...
at his father's French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Chateau
Château
A château is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally—and still most frequently—in French-speaking regions...
-style mansion, 3644 Peel Street, designed by architect Bruce Price
Bruce Price
Bruce Price was the American architect of many of the Canadian Pacific Railway's Château-type stations and hotels...
which was eventually bought by John W. McConnell
John Wilson McConnell
John Wilson McConnell was a Canadian businessman, newspaper publisher, humanitarian, and the most significant philanthropist in the history of the province of Quebec, Canada.-Early life:...
and donated to McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
which renamed it Chancellor Day Hall. Ross was sent to study at Bishop's College School
Bishop's College School
This article is about the school in Canada. Alternatively, visit Diocesan College in Cape Town, South Africa.Bishop's College School is a private school in Lennoxville, Quebec, Canada....
in Lennoxville, Quebec
Lennoxville, Quebec
Lennoxville is an arrondissement, or borough, of the city of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. Lennoxville is located at the confluence of the St. Francis and Massawippi Rivers approximately five kilometers south of downtown Sherbrooke....
then at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
. He played for the McGill ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team and was a member of the university's Canadian football championship team.
Business ventures
In cooperation with prominent Montreal businessman, Sir Herbert HoltHerbert Samuel Holt
Sir Herbert Samuel Holt was an Irish-born Canadian civil engineer who became a businessman, banker, and corporate director....
and others, Ross established Côte St. Luc Realties in 1911 which built the town of Hampstead, Quebec
Hampstead, Quebec
-History:The Town of Hampstead was founded in 1914. It was designed to be an exclusive garden city. There are no retail shops within municipal boundaries. Houses were assigned relatively large lots to allow space for trees and shrubbery. The town's roads were designed with curves in order to slow...
. In 1909 he built another home at 3647 Peel Street, opposite his father's, now known as J.K.L. Ross House, designed by William Sutherland Maxwell
William Sutherland Maxwell
William Sutherland Maxwell was a well-known Canadian architect and a Hand of the Cause in the Bahá'í Faith. He was born in Montreal, Canada to parents Edward John Maxwell and Johan MacBean.-Education:...
. But, after his father's death in 1913 (when he also inherited $16 million) he moved back to his childhood home and used the second one to house guests, the newer one being too small for parties. It was purchased by Marianopolis College
Marianopolis College
Marianopolis College is a private, subsidized CEGEP in Montreal nestled against the side of Mount Royal in Westmount, Quebec, Canada. It is one of the smallest anglophone colleges, with a student body of fewer than 2,000...
in 1961 and used as administration offices until 1976 when McGill University acquired the property.
At one time, father James Ross owned a controlling interest in Dominion Coal Company and Dominion Iron and Steel Company. As a result, Jack Ross spent a number of summers at St. Ann's Bay in the northern part of Victoria County, Nova Scotia
Victoria County, Nova Scotia
Victoria County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.The shire town and largest municipality is the village of Baddeck.-History:Named after Queen Victoria, it was established by statute in 1851...
on Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
. After his father's death, Jack Ross moved to Nova Scotia where for a time he was involved in the management of the companies.
Tuna Fishing
It was while staying at St. Ann's Bay that Ross developed a passion for the sport of deep-sea fishing and on August 28, 1911, after a struggle of four hours and forty five minutes he landed a 680 pound tunaTuna
Tuna is a salt water fish from the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. Tuna are fast swimmers, and some species are capable of speeds of . Unlike most fish, which have white flesh, the muscle tissue of tuna ranges from pink to dark red. The red coloration derives from myoglobin, an...
which set a record for the largest fish caught with a rod
Fishing rod
A fishing rod or a fishing pole is a tool used to catch fish, usually in conjunction with the pastime of angling, and can also be used in competition casting. . A length of fishing line is attached to a long, flexible rod or pole: one end terminates in a hook for catching the fish...
and reel
Fishing reel
A fishing reel is a "cylindrical device attached to a fishing rod used in winding the line". Modern fishing reels usually have fittings which make it easier to retrieve the line and deploy it for better accuracy or distance. Fishing reels are traditionally used in the recreational sport of angling...
(line). The Yarmouth County Museum and Archives in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
Yarmouth is a town and fishing port located on the Gulf of Maine in rural southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada. It is the shire town of Yarmouth County. The town is located in the heart of the world's largest lobster fishing grounds and has Canada's highest lobster catch.- History :The townsite may...
has a photo of J.K.L. Ross and the fish. http://content.lib.washington.edu/cgi-bin/viewer.exe?CISOROOT=/fishimages&CISOPTR=49397&CISORESTMP=&CISOVIEWTMP=
World War I
During World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Jack Ross donated three large yachts for use in the war effort by the Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
and took command of one of them in the North Atlantic. He was made a Commanderof the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for distinguished naval service. Afterwards, the media would commonly refer to him as "Commander J.K.L. Ross." Ross was the second Canadian (after his father) to be made a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron
Royal Yacht Squadron
The Royal Yacht Squadron is the most prestigious yacht club in the United Kingdom and arguably the world. Its clubhouse is located in Cowes Castle on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom...
.
Philanthropy
James Ross had used his enormous wealth to become a major benefactor to the city of MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and his son continued the family's philanthropy
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
. In 1916, acting on his late father's desire to support the Royal Victoria Hospital, Jack Ross donated $1 million for the building of the first major addition to the hospital which became known as the Ross Pavilion.
During the First World War he donated $500,000 in cash to the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
as well as three costly patrol vessels. He also gave a further $500,000 to be distributed between the families of enlisted men killed in the war. He donated money to fund a new building (Ross Boarding House) at his alma mater, Bishop's College School
Bishop's College School
This article is about the school in Canada. Alternatively, visit Diocesan College in Cape Town, South Africa.Bishop's College School is a private school in Lennoxville, Quebec, Canada....
, Lennoxville, and also gave liberally to McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
.
Thoroughbred racing
Jack Ross owned several riding horses that led to an interest in ThoroughbredThoroughbred
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...
horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
and breeding
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...
. In 1915 he purchased twelve Thoroughbreds that immediately paid dividends when Damrosch
Damrosch (horse)
Damrosch was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1916 Preakness Stakes. Bred by August Belmont, Jr. at his Nursery Stud near Lexington, Kentucky, he was sired by the 1903 English Triple Crown winner, Rock Sand. Damrosch was out of the mare Dissembler, a daughter of the...
won the 1916 Preakness Stakes
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
. Later that year, he acquired a 2000 acres (8.1 km²) farm property at Vercheres, Quebec
Verchères, Quebec
Verchères is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in Montérégie, Quebec, located on the south bank of the Saint Lawrence River. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 5,243.- History :...
where he established his own breeding operation. Ross contracted jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
s Earl Sande
Earl Sande
Earl H. Sande was an American Hall of Fame jockey and thoroughbred horse trainer.Born in Groton, South Dakota, Earl Sande started out as a bronco buster in the early 1900s but then became a successful American quarter horse rider before switching to thoroughbred horse racing in 1918...
, Carroll Shilling
Carroll H. Shilling
Carroll Hugh Shilling was an American Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey. In his 1926 autobiography, "The Spell of the Turf," Hall of Fame trainer Sam Hildreth wrote that Shilling was the greatest rider he ever saw....
and John Loftus
John Loftus
John Joseph Loftus is an American author, former US government prosecutor and former Army intelligence officer. He is a president of The Intelligence Summit and, although he is not Jewish, a president of the Florida Holocaust Museum. Loftus also serves on the Board of Advisers to Public...
, all of whom would be elected to the United States Racing 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...
, plus he hired H. Guy Bedwell
H. Guy Bedwell
Harvey Guy Bedwell was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse trainer and owner who was the first trainer to win the U.S. Triple Crown.Born in Roseburg, Oregon he was known by his middle name...
who became one of America's leading trainers and who, too, was inducted in the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame. Running one of the most successful racing stables in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, at Toronto's
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
Old Woodbine Race Course
Greenwood Raceway
Greenwood Raceway is a defunct horse racing facility in Toronto.Inaugurated in 1874 as Woodbine Race Course at the foot of Woodbine Avenue and Lake Ontario, it was owned and operated by two gentlemen named Pardee and Howell. Within a few years financial problems resulted in the property reverting...
, his horses won numerous races including five editions each of the Maple Leaf Stakes
Maple Leaf Stakes
The Maple Leaf Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Run during the first part of November, the ungraded stakes is open to fillies aged three or older...
, the Connaught Cup
Connaught Cup Stakes
The Connaught Cup Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Run in late May, the Grade III race is open to horses aged four and older. Raced over a distance of seven furlongs on turf, it currently offers a purse of $150,000.The Connaught...
, and the Grey Stakes. Racing success led Jack Ross to build a second breeding and racing stable near Toronto he called Agincourt Farms and a third such operation in the State of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
called the Yarrow Brae Stud Farm.
Sir Barton
In 1919, Ross owned two of the best three-year-olds in North America. Sir BartonSir Barton
Sir Barton, , was a chestnut thoroughbred colt who in 1919 became the first winner of the American Triple Crown.He was sired by leading stud Star Shoot out of the Hanover mare Lady Sterling. His grandsire was the 1893 English Triple Crown champion, Isinglass.Sir Barton was bred in Kentucky by...
and the 1918 American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt, Billy Kelly, finished one-two in the 1919 Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
. Sir Barton then went on to win the Preakness Stakes
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
and the Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
to become the first-ever winner of the U.S. Triple Crown
United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
In the United States, the "Triple Crown" is usually the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, a series of three Thoroughbred horse races for three-year-old horses run in May and early June of each year consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.While Daily Racing Form...
. For 1919, Sir Barton was voted American Horse of the Year.
The following year, Sir Barton set a world record for 1 3/16 miles on dirt in winning the August 28, 1920, Merchants and Citizens Handicap
Merchants and Citizens Handicap
The Merchants and Citizens Handicap is a defunct American Thoroughbred horse race which was held annually at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York...
at the Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It opened on August 3, 1863, and is the oldest organized sporting venue of any kind in the United States. It is typically open for racing from late July through early September.-History:John...
. However, plagued by tender hooves, Sir Barton was beaten in a now-famous match race
Match race
A match race is a race between two competitors, going head-to-head.The term may be best known as a race between two sailing boats racing around a course...
on the hard dirt surface of the Kennilworth Park in Windsor, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
by the great Man o' War
Man O' War
Man O' War, man o' war or manowar may refer to:* Man-of-war, a warship* Man of war for uses with this spelling - Places :...
. In 1957, Sir Barton was inducted in the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E02E1DC103FE432A2575AC2A96E9C946195D6CF.
In addition to Sir Barton, notable among the Ross stable of racehorses were:
- DamroschDamrosch (horse)Damrosch was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1916 Preakness Stakes. Bred by August Belmont, Jr. at his Nursery Stud near Lexington, Kentucky, he was sired by the 1903 English Triple Crown winner, Rock Sand. Damrosch was out of the mare Dissembler, a daughter of the...
(b. 1913), won 1916 Preakness StakesPreakness StakesThe Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb... - CudgelCudgel (horse)Cudgel was an American two-time Champion Thoroughbred racehorse.Owned by J. K. L. Ross and trained by future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee H. Guy Bedwell, Cudgel is probably best remembered for his win in the 1919 Havre de Grace Handicap in which he defeated two future Hall of Fame inductees,...
(b. 1914), American Champion Older Male Horse (1918, 1919) - MilkmaidMilkmaid (horse)Milkmaid was an American two-time Champion Thoroughbred filly racehorse. She was bred by J. Hal Woodford at his farm in Bourbon County, Kentucky. Woodford had bred and raced the 1907 Kentucky Derby winner, Pink Star...
(b. 1916), American Co-Champion 3-Year-Old Filly (1919), American Champion Older Female Horse (1920) - Constancy (b. 1917), American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly
- Hallucination (b. 1920), multiple stakes winner including the AutumnAutumn Stakes (Canada)The Autumn Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Run in mid November, it is open to horses aged three and older. It was raced on dirt until 2006 when the track's owners installed the new synthetic Polytrack surface...
and Durham CupsDurham Cup StakesThe Durham Cup Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Run in mid October, the Grade III race is open to horses age three and older. Raced over a distance of 1⅛ miles on Polytrack synthetic dirt, it currently offers a purse of...
Financial reverses forced Jack Ross to disband his entire racing operations in 1927. In 1920, he had been appointed president of Blue Bonnets Raceway in Montreal, and although no longer a stable owner after 1927, he held the position until 1931 when he retired to a home in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
.
Reputation
Jack Ross was widely respected for his good manners and sportsmanship, the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of FameCanadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 at the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario to honor those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and thoroughbred horse racing in Canada....
says that the United States press called him "the best sportsman Canada has ever sent to this country." On one race he put down $20,000 and won back $160,000, but he spotted an irregularity, and although legally he was allowed to keep his winnings he gave $40,000 back to the bookies. Though he betted frequently, he won as often as he lost, but he is remembered on one occasion for winning $50,000 from a notoriously sharp New Yorker.
The Rosses lived lavishly, even by many of his contemporaries standards. Princess Patricia of Connaught
Princess Patricia of Connaught
Princess Patricia of Connaught was a member of the British Royal Family, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria...
, who became engaged at Ross' fishing lodge in Cape Breton
Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia
Cape Breton Regional Municipality often shortened to simply CBRM, is a regional municipality in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton County.According to the 2006 Census of Canada, the population within the Cape Breton Regional Municipality is 102,250...
, was heard to remark that the Rosses lived more royally than royalty. He did keep thirty servants, but many of his supposed trappings were fictional: He had one or sometimes two Rolls-Royces, not eight, and his single private railway car was not an entire private train.
Bankruptcy
There was no doubt that he spent a fortune on parties, horse racing and yachts, but there was no single cause for the financial downfall that befell him in 1928, when he was down to his final $300 after inheriting $16 million fifteen years earlier. His investments in Turner Valley and the Mexican oil wells had been premature, and he had been exceedingly generous in his philanthropy and to many friends alike. His saddest memory was when his friends to who he'd been so generous before crossed the street when they saw him coming. Certainly his passion for horse racing though cost him dearly as his son explained,To own a few mediocre horses is an expensive luxary. To own many good ones demands a truly vast sum of money. In those days a large racing establishment, even a highly successful one, never made back it's expenses.
Retirement
He was saved from penury by a trust fund, and moved from his Montreal mansion (afterwards bought by his close friend the 2nd Baron ShaughnessyBaron Shaughnessy
Baron Shaughnessy, of the City of Montreal in the Dominion of Canada and of Ashford in the County of Limerick, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1916 for the businessman and public servant Thomas Shaughnessy, president of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company...
) into an apartment. After his wife divorced him he went to Jamaica where he met his new wife, Iris. He bought a house on Montego Bay
Montego Bay
Montego Bay is the capital of St. James Parish and the second largest city in Jamaica by area and the fourth by population .It is a tourist destination with duty free shopping, cruise line terminal and the beaches...
(which after his death was purchased by Lord Beaverbrook), was made deputy governor of the island and apart from occasional visits to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
remained there until his death in 1951, happier (he told his confidantes), than when he was rich.
In accordance with his wishes, J.K.L. Ross was buried at sea. On its formation in 1976, he was inducted posthumously into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 at the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario to honor those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and thoroughbred horse racing in Canada....
. In 1956, his only son, James K. M. (Jim) Ross, who shared his father's passion for racing, published a book titled Boots and Saddles : The Story of the Fabulous Ross Stable in the Golden Days of Racing.