Ansel Williamson

Last updated
Ansel Williamson
Occupation Racehorse trainer
Born Virginia
Major racing wins
Jersey Derby (1866, 1873, 1875)
Travers Stakes (1866, 1873)
Jerome Handicap (1873, 1875)
July Stakes (1874)
Withers Stakes (1875)

American Classics wins:
Kentucky Derby (1875)
Belmont Stakes (1875)

Honors
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame (1998)
Significant horses
Aristides, Calvin, Merrill, Tom Bowling, Virgil

Ansel Williamson (1806-1881) was an American thoroughbred horse racing trainer and a member of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. He trained horses who won the Kentucky Derby, Travers Stakes, Belmont Stakes, Jerome Handicap, Phoenix Stakes and Withers Stakes. [1]

Williamson was born a slave in Virginia in 1806. [2] His early horse racing experience came for owner Thornton Boykin Goldsby, where he notably trained champion horse Brown Dick to victories in top races in Atlanta, Mobile, New Orleans and Charleston. [3] In 1864 he was purchased by Robert A. Alexander, owner of the famous Woodburn Stud near Midway, Kentucky. Taught the breeding and training of horses, after he was freed Williamson remained in Alexander's employ. He conditioned a number of successful horses including the undefeated U.S. champion three-year-old male, Norfolk and the undefeated Asteroid.

Williamson was the trainer for Merrill, ridden by Abe Hawkins when he won the third Travers Stakes in 1866. Willamson won that prestigious race again in 1873 with Tom Bowling who would win 14 of his 17 career races.

Following Robert Alexander's death in 1867, Williamson went on to train many great horses including Virgil who was the sire of the great Hindoo. However, he is best remembered for having trained Aristides, the winner of the inaugural Kentucky Derby in 1875. That same year, his horse Calvin won the Belmont Stakes. In addition, Williamson trained horses who won other major races such as the Jerome Handicap and the Withers Stakes.

In 1998 Ansel Williamson was inducted posthumously into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. [4]

Related Research Articles

Middleground was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1950 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes and came second in the Preakness Stakes. He was named the 1950 American Horse of the Year and Champion Three-Year-Old Male.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aristides (horse)</span> American thoroughbred racehorse

Aristides (1872–1893) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that won the first Kentucky Derby in 1875.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hindoo (horse)</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Hindoo (1878–1901) was an outstanding American Thoroughbred race horse who won 30 of his 35 starts, including the Kentucky Derby, the Travers Stakes, and the Clark Handicap. He later sired Preakness Stakes winner Buddhist and Belmont Stakes winner and Leading sire in North America Hanover.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Hildreth</span>

Samuel Clay Hildreth was an American Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame trainer and owner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Loftus</span> American jockey (1895–1976)

John Patrick Loftus was an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Turner</span> American horse trainer (1940–2021)

William H. Turner Jr. was an American Thoroughbred flat racing trainer best known for winning the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in 1977 with Seattle Slew.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Taral</span> American jockey (1867–1925)

Frederick J. Taral was an American Hall of Fame jockey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damascus (horse)</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Damascus was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 1967 Horse of the Year after winning the Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, Travers Stakes, Jockey Club Gold Cup, Woodward Stakes, and Dwyer Stakes. Damascus also came third in the Kentucky Derby that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bimelech</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Bimelech was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse who won two Triple Crown races and was a Champion at both age two and three. He was ranked #84 among U.S. racehorses of the 20th century. After retiring to stud, he sired 30 stakes winners and his daughters produced 50 stakes winners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry of Navarre (horse)</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Henry of Navarre (1891–1917) was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred Champion racehorse.

Chateaugay was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse who won two of the three U.S. Triple Crown races. Bred at Darby Dan Farm near Lexington, Kentucky by his prominent owner, John W. Galbreath, Chateaugay was a son of Swaps, the 1956 U.S. Horse of the Year and a Racing Hall of Fame inductee.

Edward Riley Bradley was an American steel mill laborer, gold miner, businessman and philanthropist. As well as a race track proprietor, he was the preeminent owner and breeder of Thoroughbred racehorses in the Southern United States during the first three decades of the 20th century. Testifying before a United States Senate committee in April 1934, Bradley identified himself as a "speculator, raiser of race horses and gambler". He appeared on the cover of Time magazine on May 7, 1934. In the year 2000, the Florida Department of State honored him as one of their Great Floridians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Pan (American horse)</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Peter Pan (1904–1933) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and sire, bred and raced by prominent horseman, James R. Keene. As winner of the Belmont Stakes, the Brooklyn Derby and the Brighton Handicap, he was later inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. His progeny included many famous American racehorses, including several winners of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes.

King James was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred by one of America's most important breeders, John E. Madden, he was the son of 1898 Kentucky Derby winner Plaudit. Although burdened by a bad stride that limited his racing ability, King James raced for five years, won a number of top events, and is acknowledged as the historical American Champion Older Male Horse of 1909.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kentucky (horse)</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Kentucky (1861–1875), was a successful American Thoroughbred racehorse who won 21 of his 23 starts, including 20 consecutive wins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louis Feustel</span> American racehorse trainer

Louis C. Feustel was an American Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame trainer best known as the trainer of Man o' War.

Pavot was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. In a career that lasted from 1944 to 1946 he ran thirty-two times and won fourteen races. He was the leader of his generation in 1944 when he was named American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt. The following year he recorded his most important win in the Belmont Stakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Bassett</span> 19th-century American Thoroughbred racehorse

Harry Bassett (1868–1878) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse, winner of the 1871 Belmont Stakes and an outstanding racehorse of the 19th century. He also won a number of other stakes races, and was named the Champion male of his age group in 1870, 1871 and 1872. He was retired to stud duties in New Jersey when his five-year racing career ended, having recorded 23 wins from 36 starts. Harry Bassett died in New Jersey in 1878 and was inducted into the United States Racing Hall of Fame in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Fool</span> American Thoroughbred racehorse

Tom Fool was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 1953 American Horse of the Year and was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame. He sired the champion racehorses Buckpasser and Tim Tam.

Grenada was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He won the 1880 Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, and Travers Stakes. He is one of only seven horses to have won these three races.

References

  1. Kentucky Horse Park
  2. International Museum of the Horse
  3. "Ansel Williamson | National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame".
  4. Ansel Williamson Archived July 20, 2014, at the Wayback Machine - Retrieved 2014-06-07