Culpepper was an American

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

. He won the 1874

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually on Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland (except in 2026 when it will move to Laurel Park (race track), Laurel Park dur ...

Background

Culpepper was bred by D. J. Crouse in the state of Ohio. His sire was Revolver, and his dam was Gentle Annie.

Racing Career

As a two-year-old, Culpepper ran in the July Stakes, coming in third. At some point after the two-old-season, Culpepper was sold to trainer Hugh Gaffney. As a three-year-old, he ran in the Preakness Stakes, ridden by William Donohue. The favorite to win the race was

Saxon The Saxons, sometimes called the Old Saxons or Continental Saxons, were a Germanic people of early medieval "Old" Saxony () which became a Carolingian " stem duchy" in 804, in what is now northern Germany. Many of their neighbours were, like th ...

, a British-bred horse who would go on to win that year's

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over the worldwide classic distance of . Colt (horseracing), Colt ...

. He ended up coming in last in the Preakness, and Culpepper won the race. Culpepper's success was not replicated in the

Withers Stakes The Withers Stakes is a Listed American Thoroughbred horse race for three years old horses over the distance of miles on the dirt scheduled annually in February at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. The event currently carries a purse of $2 ...

, in which he came 13th. He then came fifth in the Sequel Stakes. His performance started to pick up again when he came second in the Summer Handicap, won a sweepstakes at Prospect Park in Buffalo, New York on August 18, came second in another sweepstakes on September 9, came second in a mile heat two days later, and won another sweepstakes on September 14.

Pedigree

*^ Culpepper is

inbred Inbreeding is the production of offspring from the mating or breeding of individuals or organisms that are closely related genetically. By analogy, the term is used in human reproduction, but more commonly refers to the genetic disorders an ...

5S x 5D x 4D x 5D to the stallion

Sir Archy Sir Archy (or Archy, Archie, or Sir Archie; 1805–1833) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse considered one of the best racehorses of his time and later one of the most important sires in American history. He was inducted into the National M ...

, meaning that he appears fifth generation (via Sir Charles)^ on the sire side of his pedigree and fourth generation once and fifth generation twice (via

Timoleon Timoleon ( Greek: Τιμολέων), son of Timodemus, of Corinth (–337 BC) was a Greek statesman and general. As a brilliant general, a champion of Greece against Carthage, and a fighter against despotism, he is closely connected with the h ...

and Old Flirtilla)^ on the dam side of his pedigree.

References

1871 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Ohio Racehorses trained in the United States Preakness Stakes winners Thoroughbred family A37 {{Racehorse-stub