Virgil (horse)
Encyclopedia
Virgil was an American
thoroughbred
racehorse that was bred in Kentucky
by Hyman C. Gratz. He was a brown to dark bay stallion, was approximately 16 hands high and had a prominent white star
on his forehead.[2] His sire, Vandal, was the second leading sire of the time, behind the great Lexington
. Virgil was a direct descendant of the thoroughbred foundation sire Herod
and was the leading sire in the United States
in 1885.
Virgil was trained as a flat-racer, buggy racer and jumper. He had a total of 8 starts on the flat racing circuit, netting 6 wins. Virgil tended to run his best in races less than 1½ miles. In 1869, Virgil was bought by R.W. Simmons, who trained him for steeple chasing
.
After his racing and jumping career, he was briefly contracted as a logging horse, which took its toll on his joints and appearance.[1]
He was eventually bought in the 1870s by Milton Sanford. His stud career and Milton Sanford's Elmendorf Farm
was started by accident when Virgil was allowed to stand in for Sanford's regular stallion, Glenelg
. Sanford briefly sold Virgil to B.G. Bruce, but bought him back for $2500 after Vagrant
won the Kentucky Derby in 1876.[2] Virgil remained at Elmendorf Stud until his death at the age of 22 in September 1886.[2]
He is the sire of three Kentucky Derby
winners: Vagrant
(1876), Hindoo
(1881) and Ben Ali
(1886). He also sired other successful flat-racers Tremont
, Virgilian and Carley B, winner of the 1882 Travers Stakes
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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 bred in 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...
by Hyman C. Gratz. He was a brown to dark bay stallion, was approximately 16 hands high and had a prominent white star
Horse markings
Markings on horses usually are distinctive white areas on an otherwise dark base coat color. Most horses have some markings, and they help to identify the horse as a unique individual. Markings are present at birth and do not change over the course of the horse's life...
on his forehead.[2] His sire, Vandal, was the second leading sire of the time, behind the great Lexington
Lexington (horse)
Lexington was a United States Thoroughbred race horse who won six of his seven race starts. Perhaps his greatest fame came however as the most successful sire of the second half of the nineteenth century; he was the Leading sire in North America 16 times, and of his many brood mare and racer...
. Virgil was a direct descendant of the thoroughbred foundation sire Herod
Herod (horse)
Herod , formerly King Herod, later shortened to just Herod in common usage, was a Thoroughbred racehorse. He was one of the three foundation sires of the modern Thoroughbred racehorse, along with Matchem and Eclipse...
and was the leading sire in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1885.
Virgil was trained as a flat-racer, buggy racer and jumper. He had a total of 8 starts on the flat racing circuit, netting 6 wins. Virgil tended to run his best in races less than 1½ miles. In 1869, Virgil was bought by R.W. Simmons, who trained him for steeple chasing
Steeplechase
Steeplechase may refer to:* Steeplechase, an event in horse racing* SteepleChase, a Danish jazz label* Steeplechase , a 1975 arcade game released by Atari...
.
After his racing and jumping career, he was briefly contracted as a logging horse, which took its toll on his joints and appearance.[1]
He was eventually bought in the 1870s by Milton Sanford. His stud career and Milton Sanford's Elmendorf Farm
Elmendorf Farm
Elmendorf Farm is a Kentucky Thoroughbred horse farm in Fayette County, Kentucky, and has been involved with horse racing since the early 19th century...
was started by accident when Virgil was allowed to stand in for Sanford's regular stallion, Glenelg
Glenelg (horse)
Glenelg was a thoroughbred bred in England but born in the United States after his dam was imported into the US in 1866. Bred from two horses of no notable talent he would go on to become one of the most influetal sires of his time...
. Sanford briefly sold Virgil to B.G. Bruce, but bought him back for $2500 after Vagrant
Vagrant (horse)
Vagrant, was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that is best known for his 1876 Kentucky Derby win. Vagrant was the first of nine geldings to win the Kentucky Derby and was a white-stockinged bay colt sired by Virgil out of the mare Lazy . Virgil was notable for breeding successful nineteenth...
won the Kentucky Derby in 1876.[2] Virgil remained at Elmendorf Stud until his death at the age of 22 in September 1886.[2]
He is the sire of three 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...
winners: Vagrant
Vagrant (horse)
Vagrant, was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that is best known for his 1876 Kentucky Derby win. Vagrant was the first of nine geldings to win the Kentucky Derby and was a white-stockinged bay colt sired by Virgil out of the mare Lazy . Virgil was notable for breeding successful nineteenth...
(1876), Hindoo
Hindoo (horse)
Hindoo was an outstanding American Thoroughbred race horse who won 30 of his 35 starts, including the Kentucky Derby, the Travers Stakes and the Clark Handicap. He later sired the Preakness Stakes winner Buddhist and the Belmont Stakes winner and Leading sire in North America, Hanover.He was a bay...
(1881) and Ben Ali
Ben Ali (horse)
Ben Ali was the winner of the 1886 Kentucky Derby and was named after his owner James Ben Ali Haggin, a man of Turkish heritage that had struck gold in the California Gold Rush of 1849. Ben Ali was foaled in Kentucky and was a large bay colt sired by Virgil. His damsire was also the great...
(1886). He also sired other successful flat-racers Tremont
Tremont (horse)
Tremont an American Thoroughbred racehorse who, according to the New York Racing Association, was acclaimed by 19th Century Thoroughbred Horse Racing historians as the best two-year-old ever bred in the United States....
, Virgilian and Carley B, winner of the 1882 Travers Stakes
Travers Stakes
The Travers Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.First held in 1864, it was named for William R. Travers, the president of the old Saratoga Racing Association. His horse, Kentucky, won the first running of the Travers...
.