Ben Brush
Ben Brush | |
---|---|
Saddling up for the Kentucky Derby | |
Sire | Bramble |
Grandsire | Bonnie Scotland |
Dam | Roseville |
Damsire | Reform |
Sex | Stallion |
Foaled | 1893 (1893) |
Died | 1918(1918-00-00) (aged 24–25) |
Country | United States |
Color | Bay |
Breeder | Clay & Woodford partnership |
Owner | H. Eugene Leigh & Edward D. Brown Michael F. Dwyer James R. Keene (at stud) |
Trainer | Edward D. Brown Hardy Campbell, Jr. |
Record | 40: 25–5–5[1] |
Earnings | $65,108[1] |
Major wins | |
Champagne Stakes (1895) Nursery Stakes (1895) Suburban Handicap (1897) Latonia Derby (1896) Brighton Handicap (1897) First Special Stakes (1897) Second Special Stakes (1897) American Classics wins: | |
Awards | |
American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt (1895) American Champion Older Male Horse (1897) Leading sire in North America (1909) | |
Honors | |
United States Racing Hall of Fame (1955) |
Ben Brush (1893–1918)[2] was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1896 Kentucky Derby.[3]
Background
Ben Brush was a bay stallion sired by Bramble (1879 champion handicap horse) out of Roseville (a sister to Azra, the 1892 Kentucky Derby and Travers Stakes winner) by Reform. Walter Vosburgh (after whom the Vosburgh Stakes was named), spoke highly of Bramble, saying he was "a breed as tough as pine nuts."
Ben Brush's dam, Roseville, was purchased by Ezekiel Clay & Catesby Woodford breeding partnership in 1891 from the horseman H. Eugene Leigh. At the time, she was in foal to Leigh's La Belle Stud stallion Bramble, a son of Bonnie Scotland who was the leading sire in North America in 1880 and 1882. When the resulting thoroughbred colt was offered for sale by Clay and Woodford, Leigh and his new partner, the African-American Hall of Famer Ed Brown, bought him for $1,200.
Ben Brush was bred in Kentucky and foaled at Clay's Runnymede Farm.[4] Leigh and Brown were reportedly offered $5,000 for the yearling colt soon after they purchased him. Leigh was eager to take the deal, but Brown insisted that they keep the colt for the early part of his career. Leigh accepted and the colt remained with his new owners.[5]
Brown named the colt Ben Brush in honor of the superintendent of the old Gravesend Race Track at Sheepshead Bay in Gravesend on Coney Island, New York, who provided them with valuable stall space. The original Ben Brush was a strict disciplinarian, although Leigh and Brown found him very lenient. When others complained of his double standards, Brush said, "Not a damn one of you fellows ever named a horse Ben Brush!"
Joe Palmer said of Ben Brush in his "Names in Pedigrees" that he was "not a particularly impressive-looking animal." The colt was a "rather small horse, a bit longer for his height than Bramble, almost equally coarse about the head."
Racing career
1895: Two-year-old season
Under his trainer Brown, Ben Brush began racing in Louisville. Ben Brush won his first race at two by five lengths. In his second start, he came home by three lengths. His third effort saw him gallop home ahead of Nimrod. Ben Brush then went to Ohio, winning the Emerald Stakes and the Diamond Stakes.
After five wins in five starts, Ben Brush went to New York, where he came third at Sheepshead Bay, but then won an overnight handicap, giving 19 pounds to his nearest rival. He then lost to the high-class Requital in the Flatbush Stakes. He ran out of energy for the first time in the Great Eastern Handicap but then won the Holly Handicap.
Ben Brush was then sold to the famous gambler Mike Dwyer, who had, with his brother Philip, raced his sire Bramble, as well as the champions Hindoo, Hanover, Miss Woodford, and Luke Blackburn.[6] Ben Brush was the last champion to carry Mike Dwyer's colours. The reported sale was $18,000. (A race for three-year-olds, the Dwyer Stakes, held at Belmont Park since 1918, was named in their honour.)
Now ridden by Hall of Famer Willie Simms, an African-American considered one of the greatest riders of his day, and trained by Hardy Campbell Jr., Ben Brush won six more races as a two-year-old. He earned $21,398 with 13 wins in 16 starts. In 1895, he was Champion Two-Year-Old Colt.[6] At this point, Walter Vosburgh said he "could have beaten any three-year-old of that season."
(Willie Simms also rode in England, where he was the first to introduce the short-stirrup style. After his stint in Europe, he was retained by Dwyer as his stable rider, but such was Simms's stature that he had the freedom to accept mounts from other stables as well. The nation's leading rider of 1893–94, he remains the only African-American jockey to have won the Derby, Preakness, and Belmont).
1896: Three-year-old season
Ben Brush's first race in the 1896 season was the 22nd Kentucky Derby on May 6.[7] The 1896 race was the first to be run at its current, shorter distance of 1¼ miles (at its inception in 1875, the Derby had been staged over 1½ miles, the length of the original Derby at Epsom Downs in England). The race was also the first time a blanket of red roses were draped over the shoulders of the winner. The tradition has remained, and why the Kentucky Derby is often called, "The Run for the Roses".
Without the benefit of a prep race, and having never run farther than seven furlongs in his career, Ben Brush stumbled coming away from the barrier, nearly unseating Simms. By the time they recovered, the race seemed over. However, Ben Brush made a tremendous move on the backstretch, caught First Mate on the turn for home, and battled fiercely with Ben Elder down the stretch before winning the Derby by a nose.[8]
The correspondent for the "Spirit of the Times" wrote, "Simms made one last and desperate rally with Ben Brush, displaying as vigorous a piece of riding as was ever seen, and gradually but surely gaining on the other Ben, he finally beat him out by a nose in a terrific and hair-raising finish, which elicited a wild and spontaneous shout from the grandstand." When Simms saw how deeply his spurs had cut his mount, and that his sides were covered in blood, he cried with shame. (Col. Clark, the guiding force behind the development of Churchill and then serving as the track's presiding judge, credited Simms with the victory. "It was a great race—one of the greatest I ever saw," Clark said. "There was no doubt in the world about the finish. Simms simply lifted Brush a foot or so in front at the last jump.")
Ben Brush finished the season with four wins and almost $27,000 in earnings.
1897: Four-year-old season
In the view of many, Ben Brush's 1897 campaign, as Palmer put it, "perhaps put the stamp of greatness on him more unmistakably than did his performances at two and three." During this last racing season, Ben Brush met Ornament, the American Champion Three-Year-Old Colt and 1897's American Horse of the Year, giving Ornament nine pounds and winning by three lengths. He beat the 1895 Preakness Stakes and Belmont winner Belmar; 1896 Belmont winner Hastings, the grandsire of Man o' War; 1897 Champion Three-Year-Old Ornament, the winner of 20 of 33 lifetime starts; and the high-class Clifford, who twice defeated Henry of Navarre and Domino in 1894–95.[6]
Overall racing record
Overall, Ben Brush raced 40 times. He won 25 of those races, placed in five, and showed in 5, earning prize money of $65,208.[9]
Stud career
Ben Brush was a success at stud, so much so that he became one of the building blocks of the American Thoroughbred. Although his direct male line no longer exists, he continues to influence the breed. Ben Brush appears in the pedigrees of 48 of the last 50 Derby winners, including every Derby winner from 1972 onwards.
As the leading sire of 1909, Ben Brush produced Delhi, the 1904 Belmont Stakes winner and Champion Three Year Old Colt; Pebbles, the Juvenile Champion of 1914;[6] and Broomstick, who won the 1904 Travers Stakes,[10] and set a new American record for a mile and a quarter in the Brighton Handicap, before leading the sire's list from 1913 until 1915 (including siring Regret, the first filly to win the Kentucky Derby). He was ranked 71st in the top 100 U.S. Thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century by Blood-Horse magazine. And Ben Brush produced twice leading sire Sweep, winner of the 1910 Belmont Stakes, and a champion at two and three years-old. His most influential daughter was Belgravia, who produced Black Toney, sire of Black Gold.
Ben Brush died in Versailles, Kentucky on June 8, 1918, at the age of 25. His headstone erroneously reads 1917.
Ben Brush was part of the inaugural class inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1955.[11]
Pedigree
Sire Bramble (USA) | Bonnie Scotland | Iago | Don John |
---|---|---|---|
Scandal | |||
Queen Mary | Gladiator | ||
Plenipotentiary mare | |||
Ivy Leaf | Australian | West Australian | |
Emilia | |||
Bay Flower | Lexington | ||
Bay Leaf | |||
Dam Roseville (USA) | Reform | Leamington | Faugh-a-Ballagh |
Pantaloon mare | |||
Stolen Kisses | Knight of Kars | ||
Defamation | |||
Albia | Alarm | Eclipse | |
Maud | |||
Elastic | Kentucky | ||
Blue Ribbon (family: A1) |
External links
- Pedigree of Ben Brush, including photo
References
- ^ a b Ahnert, Rainer L. (editor in chief), "Thoroughbred Breeding of the World", Pozdun Publishing, Germany, 1970
- ^ "Ben Brush (horse)". American Classic Pedigrees. Retrieved 2024-04-12.
- ^ Julep, Mint (2024-02-09). "Kentucky Derby Winner Ben Brush 1896". Kentucky Derby Winners. Retrieved 2024-04-12.
- ^ "Ben Brush". www.tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2024-04-12.
- ^ Bartholomew, Kaeli (2021-01-15). "Ben Brush: The First Horse To "Wear The Roses"". Champs of the Track. Retrieved 2024-04-12.
- ^ a b c d The Bloodhorse.com Champion's history charts Archived September 4, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Ben Brush - 1896". Churchill Downs Incorporated. 1896-05-06. Retrieved 2016-10-30.
- ^ Bartholomew, Kaeli (2021-01-15). "Ben Brush: The First Horse To "Wear The Roses"". Champs of the Track. Retrieved 2024-04-12.
- ^ "Ben Brush (KY) | National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame". www.racingmuseum.org. Retrieved 2024-04-12.
- ^ "Underappreciated Horse Racing Stars of 19th Century: Ben Brush, Domino, and Henry of Navarre". www.americasbestracing.net. Retrieved 2024-04-12.
- ^ "Ben Brush". RacingMuseum.org. 1955-01-01. Archived from the original on 2006-05-08. Retrieved 2006-05-08.
4. "Why The Kentucky Derby is Often Called The Run for The Roses" https://flowerpowerdaily.com/why-the-kentucky-derby-is-called-the-run-for-the-roses-and-other-fun-facts/ 2019. Retrieved 2023-03-14.
- v
- t
- e
- 1875 Aristides
- 1876 Vagrant
- 1877 Baden-Baden
- 1878 Day Star
- 1879 Lord Murphy
- 1880 Fonso
- 1881 Hindoo
- 1882 Apollo
- 1883 Leonatus
- 1884 Buchanan
- 1885 Joe Cotton
- 1886 Ben Ali
- 1887 Montrose
- 1888 Macbeth II
- 1889 Spokane
- 1890 Riley
- 1891 Kingman
- 1892 Azra
- 1893 Lookout
- 1894 Chant
- 1895 Halma
- 1896 Ben Brush
- 1897 Typhoon II
- 1898 Plaudit
- 1899 Manuel
- 1900 Lieut. Gibson
- 1901 His Eminence
- 1902 Alan-a-Dale
- 1903 Judge Himes
- 1904 Elwood
- 1905 Agile
- 1906 Sir Huon
- 1907 Pink Star
- 1908 Stone Street
- 1909 Wintergreen
- 1910 Donau
- 1911 Meridian
- 1912 Worth
- 1913 Donerail
- 1914 Old Rosebud
- 1915 Regret ♥
- 1916 George Smith
- 1917 Omar Khayyam
- 1918 Exterminator
- 1919 Sir Barton ₩
- 1920 Paul Jones
- 1921 Behave Yourself
- 1922 Morvich
- 1923 Zev
- 1924 Black Gold
- 1925 Flying Ebony
- 1926 Bubbling Over
- 1927 Whiskery
- 1928 Reigh Count
- 1929 Clyde Van Dusen
- 1930 Gallant Fox ₩
- 1931 Twenty Grand
- 1932 Burgoo King
- 1933 Brokers Tip
- 1934 Cavalcade
- 1935 Omaha ₩
- 1936 Bold Venture
- 1937 War Admiral ₩
- 1938 Lawrin
- 1939 Johnstown
- 1940 Gallahadion
- 1941 Whirlaway ₩
- 1942 Shut Out
- 1943 Count Fleet ₩
- 1944 Pensive
- 1945 Hoop Jr.
- 1946 Assault ₩
- 1947 Jet Pilot
- 1948 Citation ₩
- 1949 Ponder
- 1950 Middleground
- 1951 Count Turf
- 1952 Hill Gail
- 1953 Dark Star
- 1954 Determine
- 1955 Swaps
- 1956 Needles
- 1957 Iron Liege
- 1958 Tim Tam
- 1959 Tomy Lee
- 1960 Venetian Way
- 1961 Carry Back
- 1962 Decidedly
- 1963 Chateaugay
- 1964 Northern Dancer
- 1965 Lucky Debonair
- 1966 Kauai King
- 1967 Proud Clarion
- 1968 Forward Pass (Dancer's Image disqualified)
- 1969 Majestic Prince
- 1970 Dust Commander
- 1971 Canonero II
- 1972 Riva Ridge
- 1973 Secretariat ₩
- 1974 Cannonade
- 1975 Foolish Pleasure
- 1976 Bold Forbes
- 1977 Seattle Slew ₩
- 1978 Affirmed ₩
- 1979 Spectacular Bid
- 1980 Genuine Risk ♥
- 1981 Pleasant Colony
- 1982 Gato Del Sol
- 1983 Sunny's Halo
- 1984 Swale
- 1985 Spend a Buck
- 1986 Ferdinand
- 1987 Alysheba
- 1988 Winning Colors ♥
- 1989 Sunday Silence
- 1990 Unbridled
- 1991 Strike the Gold
- 1992 Lil E. Tee
- 1993 Sea Hero
- 1994 Go for Gin
- 1995 Thunder Gulch
- 1996 Grindstone
- 1997 Silver Charm
- 1998 Real Quiet
- 1999 Charismatic
- 2000 Fusaichi Pegasus
- 2001 Monarchos
- 2002 War Emblem
- 2003 Funny Cide
- 2004 Smarty Jones
- 2005 Giacomo
- 2006 Barbaro
- 2007 Street Sense
- 2008 Big Brown
- 2009 Mine That Bird
- 2010 Super Saver
- 2011 Animal Kingdom
- 2012 I'll Have Another
- 2013 Orb
- 2014 California Chrome
- 2015 American Pharoah ₩
- 2016 Nyquist
- 2017 Always Dreaming
- 2018 Justify ₩
- 2019 Country House (Maximum Security disqualified)
- 2020 Authentic
- 2021 Mandaloun (Medina Spirit disqualified)
- 2022 Rich Strike
- 2023 Mage
- 2024 Mystik Dan
Legend – ₩ = Triple Crown winners, ♥ = Filly