Lexington
Lexington is likely one of the most famous racehorses that has ever lived. He was a beautiful bay that stood at 15 hands and 3 inches and was born in 1850. Lexington was sired by Boston and from the mare Alice Carneal. This amazing racehorse was bred for Dr Elisha Warfield, who named him Darley. The then Darley was trained by a former slave, known as Burbridge's Harry, who became a renowned trainer. Darley could not be entered into races by Burbridges, due to him being black, and ran under Dr Elisha Warfields name. His first two races he won with ease and it was at these races that Richard Ten Broeck saw Darley, and approached Dr Warfield to make a price for the horse. Richard Ten Broeck bought Darley and renamed him Lexington.
After Ten Broeck had acquired Lexington, he sent his new racehorse
to be
trained by J.B. Prior in Mississippi. Lexington was entered into
four-mile
races at the tender age of three and four, and the four-mile races were
long, exhausting and grueling. He raced in seven events, of which he
won six
and secured a second place in the seventh. He was the most popular and
impressive racehorse during his racing days, and on 2 April 1855,
Lexington
was raced against the clock. He complete four miles in just seven
minutes
and 19 ¾ seconds, which was a record speed that he held for more than
twenty
years. Unfortunately in 1855, just as his sire Boston did, Lexington
started
going blind. This put and end to his racing career and left him
standing at
the Nantura Stock Farm for a lengthy amount of time.
Robert A. Alexander, paid $15,000 to purchase Lexington, which at
that
time, was the highest price to have been paid for a racehorse.
Alexander
moved Lexington to his Woodburn Farm, that was located in Kentucky, and
it
was here that Lexington really became famous. He was the sire to many
race
winners and famous racehorses. He was lovingly known as The Blind Hero
of
Woodburn, and his sons and daughters were winners of the Travers
Stakes,
nine winners within the first fifteen races ever run. Lexington sired
Tom
Ochiltree that won the Preakness Stakes in 1875, Shirley that won in
1876
and the Duke of Magenta that won in 1878. The Duke of Magenta, who was
the
last horse he sired, also won the Travers Stakes, Belmont Stakes and
Withers
Stakes. One of his most famous offspring must be the horse Cincinnati.
Cincinnati was the favorite horse of General Ulysses S. Grant. Grant,
together with this trusted steed, can be seen in various statues today.
When
the American Civil War broke out, Alexander hid Lexington, to avoid
this
great horse being used in the bloody battles.
Lexington passed away on 1 July 1875, at the farm that had become
his
home, Woodburn Farm. Alexander buried his beloved horse in front of his
stables, but was convinced to donate Lexingtons’ bones to United States
National Museum in 1978. In 1955, Lexington was inducted into the
National
Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.
