Gen. Duke (1954–1958) was an American
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. Thoroughbreds are c ...
racehorse who won the 1957
Florida Derby
The Florida Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses held annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Since 2005, it has been run five weeks before the Kentucky Derby, which is held on the first Saturd ...
.
Background
Gen. Duke was sired by
Bull Lea
A bull is an intact (i.e., not Neutering, castrated) adult male of the species ''Cattle, Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e., Cattle, cows), bulls have long been an important symbol i ...
, who was by the imported stallion Bull Dog and out of Rose Leaves by Ballot. Gen. Duke's dam was
Wistful
Wistful (foaled in 1946 in Kentucky) was an American Champion Thoroughbred racemare. The daughter of Sun Again and granddaughter of Sun Teddy is best remembered for wins in the Kentucky Oaks, the Coaching Club American Oaks, the Black-Eyed Susa ...
, a daughter of Sun Again by Sun Teddy.
[ Wistful earned the 1949 Filly Triple Crown by winning the ]Kentucky Oaks
The Kentucky Oaks is a Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred Filly, fillies staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The race currently covers at Churchill Downs; the horses carry . The Kentucky O ...
, the Pimlico Oaks {{Short description, Former horse race held at Pimlico Race Course in Maryland, US
The Pimlico Oaks was a listed Thoroughbred horse race at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. Run at the beginning of April at a distance of 1 1/16 miles on d ...
, and the Coaching Club American Oaks
The Coaching Club American Oaks is a race for thoroughbred three-year-old fillies and the second leg of the Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing. Originally run at Belmont Park, the Grade I $500,000 stakes race was moved to Saratoga Race Course in 2 ...
.[Hewitt ''American Classic Pedigrees'' pp. 256–258] Gen. Duke's second dam, or maternal grandmother, was Easy Lass by the imported stallion Blenheim.[ Easy Lass was the 1949 Broodmare of the Year.][ Gen. Duke was foaled on April 15, 1954, and bred by ]Calumet Farm
Calumet Farm is a Thoroughbred breeding and training farm established in 1924 in Lexington, Kentucky, United States by William Monroe Wright, founding owner of the Calumet Baking Powder Company. Calumet is located in the heart of the Bluegras ...
, in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is a city in Kentucky, United States that is the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, Fayette County. By population, it is the List of cities in Kentucky, second-largest city in Kentucky and List of United States cities by popul ...
. He was named for General Duke, the 1868 Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over 1.5 miles (2,400 m). Colts and geldings carry a weight of ; fillies carry . The race, nicknamed Th ...
winner as well as Basil Duke, a Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
general in the American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
.[Estes, et al. ''American Race Horses 1957'' pp. 106–111]
Racing career
Gen. Duke raced twice as a two-year-old, with a single maiden win and a third. As a three-year-old, he faced eventual 3-year-old champion Bold Ruler
Bold Ruler (April 6, 1954 – July 11, 1971) was an American Thoroughbred National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame racehorse who was the 1957 American Horse of the Year, Horse of the Year. This following a three-year-old campaign t ...
4 times leading up to the Kentucky Derby, with each winning twice. At Hialeah Park
The Hialeah Park Race Track (also known as the Hialeah Race Track or Hialeah Park) is a historic racetrack in Hialeah, Florida, Hialeah, Florida. Its site covers 40 square blocks of central-east side Hialeah from Palm Avenue east to East 4th Avenu ...
, Gen. Duke ran second to Bold Ruler January 30 in the mile Bahamas Stakes
The Bahamas Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in January at Hialeah Park Race Track in Hialeah, Florida. A seven furlong race on dirt, it was the first important test of the calendar year for newly turned three-year-olds. ...
, with Bold Ruler giving up 12 pounds. Gen. Duke, again receiving 12 pounds from his rival, won the mile Everglades Stakes
The Everglades Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Hialeah Park in Hialeah, Florida. For three-year-old horses, the mile race was run on dirt until 1994 when it was converted to a race on turf. It was elevated to Grade ...
February 15. At equal weights, Gen. Duke finished second by a neck to Bold Ruler on March 2 in the mile Flamingo Stakes
The Flamingo Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run over a distance of a mile and one-eighth. Run as the Florida Derby until 1937, the inaugural event took place at Tampa Downs on February 27, 1926. There was ...
, with the winner establishing a new track record of 1:47. In their fourth and final meeting March 30 in the mile Florida Derby
The Florida Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses held annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Since 2005, it has been run five weeks before the Kentucky Derby, which is held on the first Saturd ...
at Gulfstream Park
Gulfstream Park, owned by The Stronach Group, is a Thoroughbred race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Thoroughbred horse racing occurs year-round, defined by three distinct race meets ...
, Gen. Duke, with Hall of Fame
A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
jockey Bill Hartack
William John Hartack Jr. (December 9, 1932 – November 26, 2007), born in Colver, Pennsylvania, was a Hall of Fame jockey. Colver is in the northwestern part of Cambria Township, 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Ebensburg, the county seat.
...
aboard and coupled with eventual Kentucky Derby winner Iron Liege
Iron Liege (March 11, 1954 – December 14, 1972) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1957 Kentucky Derby.
Background
Iron Liege was a bay horse bred and owned by Calumet Farm. He was sired by Calumet's leading s ...
in the 5 horse field, defeated Bold Ruler at equal weight of 122 pounds by lengths in the final time of 1:. His winning time established a new track record, equaled the world record held by Noor, Alidon, and Swaps, and continues to be the fastest Florida Derby ever run.[Simon "A Race to Remember" ''Daily Racing Form''][Bowen ''Dynasties'' p. 57]
After his sensational victory in the Florida Derby over the 3:5 favorite, Gen. Duke was projected to be the Kentucky Derby favorite over perhaps the strongest field ever assembled for the race: Bold Ruler, eventual Horse of the Year Round Table
The Round Table ( cy, y Ford Gron; kw, an Moos Krenn; br, an Daol Grenn; la, Mensa Rotunda) is King Arthur's famed table in the Arthurian legend, around which he and his knights congregate. As its name suggests, it has no head, implying that e ...
, and eventual Belmont Stakes winner Gallant Man
Gallant Man (March 20, 1954 – September 7, 1988) was a thoroughbred racehorse, named for a horse in a Don Ameche movie. He was one of the most successful racehorses foaled outside the United States with his near miss in the 1957 Kentucky D ...
, along with his stablemate Iron Liege. A foot injury, apparently sustained during his Florida Derby win, was initially described as a bruise by trainer Jimmy Jones, but after finishing a disappointing second to sprinter Federal Hill in the Derby Trial
The Pat Day Mile Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on dirt over a distance of one mile scheduled on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The current purse is $500,000.
History ...
, Jones determined Gen. Duke would not run in the Derby. While in training leading up to the Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held on Armed Forces Day which is also 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 ...
, Gen. Duke returned lame after a breeze, and his 3-year-old campaign was shut down. It was determined finally in July that he had a slight fracture in his hoof, and would need a long rest to recover.[ His earnings in 1957 were $139,385 ($ currently), with $133,010 ($ currently) coming from ]stakes race
Glossary of North American horse racing:
Additional glossaries at:
*Glossary of Australian and New Zealand punting
*Glossary of equestrian terms
This is a basic glossary of equestrian terms that includes both technical terminology and jargon ...
earnings.Daily Racing Form
The ''Daily Racing Form'' (DRF) (referred to as the ''Racing Form'' or "Form" and sometimes "telegraph" or "telly") is a tabloid newspaper founded in 1894 in Chicago, Illinois, by Frank Brunell. The paper publishes the past performances of race ...
''American Racing Manual 1958 Edition'' p. 241
Retirement
Gen. Duke's career ended with a total of 12 starts, with 5 wins, 5 seconds, and 2 thirds and a total earnings of $142,020 ($ currently).[Bloodstock Research ''Sires of American Stakes Horses'' p. 107] As a four-year-old he developed wobbler syndrome, which is a neurological condition affecting balance.[ He was never able to sire any offspring.][Bowen ''Dynasties'' p. 89] He died in 1958 and is buried at Calumet Farm.[Thoroughbred Heritage]
Grave Matters: Calumet Farm, Lexington, Kentucky
''Grave Matters: Thoroughbred Index''
Citations
References
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External links
{{Use mdy dates, date=July 2017
1954 racehorse births
1958 racehorse deaths
Thoroughbred family 7-e
Racehorses bred in Kentucky
Racehorses trained in the United States
Horse racing track record setters