General Duke (horse)

General Duke (born 1865) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the second running of the Belmont Stakes in 1868.[1][2]

This article is about the 19th-century racehorse. For the 20th-century racehorse, see Gen. Duke.
General Duke
SireLexington
GrandsireBoston
DamLilla
DamsireYorkshire
SexStallion
Foaled1865
CountryUnited States
ColourChestnut
BreederRobert A. Alexander
Woodburn Stud
OwnerMcConnell & Harness
TrainerA. Thompson
Record32 starts, 18 wins
Earnings$17,915 (approximately $45,000 as of 2021)
Major wins
Sequel Stakes (1868)
Providence Stakes (1868)

American Classics wins:
Belmont Stakes (1868)

Honours
American Champion Three-Year-Old Colt (1868)

Early life

General Duke was sired by Lexington, and out of Lilla, who was by the imported stallion Yorkshire. General Duke was foaled in 1865 and was a chestnut stallion. He was bred by Robert A. Alexander at Woodburn Stud in Kentucky.[3]

Racing career

General Duke's first start on the racetrack was in 1867, in the Saratoga Stakes on August 9. He placed third in that race, which was 3⁄4 mile (1,200 meters) and limited to two-year-old horses. He carried 90 pounds (41 kilograms) and raced for McConnell and Harness. The winner's time was 1 minute 20 seconds.[4] He then raced on August 12, for the same owners at the same distance in a race for two-year-olds, which he won in 1 minute 20​1⁄4 seconds.[5] Both of these races were at Saratoga Race Course in New York.[4][5] On September 26, 1867, General Duke started a race at Cincinnati, Ohio, the Cincinnati Stakes. This was a 1 mile (1,600 m) race for two-year-olds, which General Duke won in 1 minute 45​1⁄2 seconds carrying 86 pounds (39 kg). He was at that time still owned by McConnell and Harness.[6]

As a three-year-old, General Duke first started at the Secaucus Racetrack in New Jersey, on May 29, 1868. This race was a mile-heat race, run as three separate 1 mile (1,600 m) races. Racing again for McConnell and Harness, General Duke finished 3rd in each of the three heats.[7] The next race he started was the Belmont Stakes on June 10, 1868, which was run at the Jerome Park Racetrack. The Belmont was run at a 1 5⁄8 miles (2,600 m). General Duke won while carrying 110 pounds (50 kg), in a time of 3 minutes and 2 seconds.[8] His jockey for the race was R. Swim.[2] On June 17, he came in second in a sweepstakes race at 2 miles (3,200 m) distance.[9] On July 2, he won a sweepstakes race for three-year-olds at a distance of a 1 3⁄4 miles (2,800 m).[10] On August 10, at Saratoga, he won the Sequel Stakes over 2 miles (3,200 m) in a time of 3 minutes 40​3⁄4 seconds. He carried 115 pounds (52 kg) in that race.[11] On August 25, 1868, he won the Providence Stake at Narragansett Race Track, in Rhode Island. This race was a 1 1⁄2 miles (2,400 m), and he carried 110 pounds (50 kg) during his winning time of 2 minutes and 44 seconds.[12] The same day, he won a heat race, with two 2 miles (3,200 m) heats, placing first in both heats.[13] He next started at the Jerome Park Racetrack in New York on October 7, 1868 in a cup race over 2 1⁄8 miles (3,400 m). He placed second while carrying 95 pounds (43 kg).[14] His last start of the year was on October 8, when he won a 1 3⁄4 miles (2,800 m) race with a time of 3 minutes and 13 seconds.[15]

General Duke's final racing career totals were 32 starts and 18 wins, with total earnings on the track of $17,915 (approximately $45,000 as of 2021).[16][17] He was named Champion Three-Year-Old in 1868.[16]

After General Duke's racing career, he was known as Judge Curtis.[18]

Sire line tree
  • General Duke[19]
    • Bonnie Duke

Citations
  1. New York Racing Association "Belmont Stakes Archived July 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine" The Belmont Stakes
  2. Daily Racing Form American Racing Manual 1948 Edition p. 215A
  3. Bruce American Stud Book 1 p. 653
  4. Crickmore Racing Calendars 1866, 1867 p. 143
  5. Crickmore Racing Calendars 1866, 1867 p. 145
  6. Crickmore Racing Calendars 1866, 1867 p. 179
  7. Crickmore Racing Calendars 1868, 1896 p. 30
  8. Crickmore Racing Calendars 1868, 1896 p. 32
  9. Crickmore Racing Calendars 1868, 1896 p. 36
  10. Crickmore Racing Calendars 1868, 1896 p. 39
  11. Crickmore Racing Calendars 1868, 1896 p. 43
  12. Crickmore Racing Calendars 1868, 1896 p. 47
  13. Crickmore Racing Calendars 1868, 1896 p. 48
  14. Crickmore Racing Calendars 1868, 1896 p. 74
  15. Crickmore Racing Calendars 1868, 1896 p. 76
  16. Hewitt Great Breeders p. 18
  17. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  18. Wallace "Giving Good Names to Horses" Wallace's Monthly p. 984
  19. Herod Sire Line

References
  • Bruce, S. D. (1884). American Stud Book. 1 (Revised ed.). New York: Turf, Field, and Farm.
  • Crickmore, H. G. (1901). Racing Calendars 1866, 1867. New York: W. C. Whitney.
  • Crickmore, H. G. (1901). Racing Calendars 1868, 1869. New York: W. C. Whitney.
  • Daily Racing Form (1948). The American Racing Manual 1948 Edition. Chicago, Illinois: Triangle Publications.
  • Hewitt, Abram S. (1982). The Great Breeders and Their Methods. Lexington, KY: Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. OCLC 12739523.
  • New York Racing Association (2010). "Belmont Stakes". The Belmont Stakes. New York Racing Association. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  • Wallace, John (December 1877). "Giving Good Names to Horses". Wallace's Monthly.

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