Spokane (horse)

Last updated
Spokane
Sire Hyder Ali
Grandsire Leamington
DamInterpose
DamsireIntruder
Sex Stallion
Foaled1886
Country United States
Colour Chestnut
Breeder Noah Armstrong
Owner Noah Armstrong
Trainer John Rodegap
Record17: 5-4-2
Earnings$26,805.00
Major wins
American Derby (1889)
Clark Handicap (1889)
American Classic Race wins:
 Kentucky Derby (1889)

Spokane was a chestnut thoroughbred stallion foaled in 1886. Winner of the 1889 Kentucky Derby, he was owned and bred by Noah Armstrong. [1] of Montana. Spokane was sired by the Leamington son Hyder Ali and out of the mare Interpose by Intruder.

Contents

Spokane is the only horse foaled and trained in Montana to win the Kentucky Derby. In those days, it was still the Montana Territory. He is also one of only eight horses foaled west of the Mississippi to win. [2] The barn in which Spokane was born, the Doncaster Round Barn, located about two miles north of Twin Bridges, Montana, has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. [3] Armstrong was on a business trip to Spokane Falls, Washington Territory when Interpose gave birth, which is where the colt got his name. [4]

Armstrong new right away he had a special colt. In February the year he was born in 1886 he boasted, "I may not win [the Kentucky Derby] boys, but I'll get a place." [5]

Spokane's Kentucky Derby and racing success in 1889 coincided with Montana's statehood, as it was admitted to the Union on November 8 that same year.

Racing career

Two-year-old, 1888

Spokane was sent to Tennessee to train with John Rodegap, who had been a trainer for five years at that point. [4] His first race was the Hyde Park Stakes at Washington Park in Chicago, where he finished fourth. His next race was in the fall in Louisville, Kentucky where he was unplaced. He finally for his first win at Latonia beating thirteen horses in a six furlong maiden race. In Nashville he won another race beating six horses going five furlongs. Out of five races that year, he won two and was off the board in the rest. He spent the winter in Memphis preparing for his three-year-old season. [6] [7]

Unimpressed with how the colt was handled at two, Armstrong fired his trainer and took to training Spokane himself. [8]

Three-year-old, 1889

He began the year on against older horses on April 24 in the Peabody Hotel Stakes in Memphis where he finished second, going nine furlongs. [4] [6]

The Kentucky Derby in 1889 on May 9 was an exciting one for fans as thousands packed into Churchill Downs (then called the Louisville Jockey Club) to see the field of eight take on the reigning two-year-old champion Proctor Knott. It was the largest crowd the track had seen since the Ten Broeck–Mollie McCarty match race in 1878, with an estimated 16,000 in attendance. [6]

Ridden by Tennessee native Tom Kiley and sent off at 6-1 odds, Spokane got on the rail and closed in the stretch to the cheers of the crowd, running down the Proctor Knott to win by a nose in the final strides. In a time before photo finish, it was left to the judges who awarded the win to Spokane after deliberation. [6] He set a new Kentucky Derby record for 1½ miles at 2:34.50, nearly beating the record set by Luke Blackburn (the sire of Proctor Knott) in 1880. [6] His time remains the fastest Kentucky Derby at that distance, however it has not been run at 1½ miles since 1894. Kiley said after the race that he wagered $25 to win on Proctor Knott. [4]

The people of Montana were thrilled by the victory, particularly in Helena where people who passed each other on the street would say "What's the matter with Spokane?" or "Hurrah Spokane!" Helana's Independent-Record called the Derby win the "biggest feather that has ever been placed in Montana's cap." While he was entered to run in the Helena Derby, he never made the appearance. [5]

After the Derby, many still doubted Spokane as the best of the crop with Proctor Knott so narrowly beaten. The pair met again a few days later on May 14 in the Clark Stakes, this time over a wet track. Proctor Knott was again the favorite, and again went to the lead. Just like the Derby, Spokane closed quickly to take the Clark by three lengths proving that his Derby victory a few days prior was not a fluke. [9]

The pair went up to Washington Park to run in the prestigious 1½ miles American Derby on June 21, with a purse of $15,400 (more than the Derby, Preakness, and Belmont combined). [4] There was much excitement for the third match, with a crowd of 30,000 (with some claiming up to 75,000.) Proctor Knott once again took the early lead with Spokane settling midpack. With a quarter mile to go, Spokane started his move and closed fast to claim the victory, with Proctor Knott finishing last. Finishing time was 2:41 ¼. After the victory, he was adorned with a saddle of flowers in Washington Park Club colors. Armstrong was asked how much he would sell the horse for, and while insisting the horse was not for sale, he would not accept anything less than $50,000 for the colt. [8] The American Derby would be Spokane's final victory.

The two would meet again in the Sheridan Stakes on July 4 again at Washington Park, this time going 1¼ miles. Carrying 10lbs more than his rival at 125, Spokane finally conceded to Proctor Knott in front of a crowd of 20,000. [10]

He ended his three-year-old year with eight starts, winning three times, second twice, and third once. His other finishes included second in the Peabody Hotel Handicap, and a third in the Pelham Bay Handicap. He was unplaced in the Twin Cities Handicap (still finishing ahead of Proctor Knott) and Drexel Stakes. [7] [11] [12]

Four-year-old, 1890

A four, he was winless in four races but came in second twice and third another time. [7]

Retirement

He was retired from racing by November 14, at one point in the year being sick with pneumonia. Spokane initially started his stud career at the Woolley Breeding Farm near Lexington, Kentucky. [13] [14] He stood at stud at Fairhaven Farm, Niddervale Farm, and Elmendorf Farm all in Kentucky at some point, but suffered from fertility issues. [11] In 1898, he was sold at auction for the low price of $170 to Woodward and Shanklins Thoroughbreds. [15] [16]

Spokane is listed in the 1900 Catalogue for the National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden, with the exhibitor listed as J. Hume Carter. [17]

The later years of Spokane's life are unknown. Some records indicate he returned to Montana at age six, some that he was fatally stabbed by a pitchfork, or died in a railway accident, or died peacefully at age 30 in Montana. There were calls in the Northwest to buy the horse and give him a proper retirement, but there is no confirmation if that came to fruition. [4] [11] [15]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Spokane
Sire
Hyder Ali

1872

 Leamington

1853

 Faugh-a-Ballagh Sir Hercules
Guiccioli
Pantaloon MarePantaloon
Daphne
Lady Duke

1860

 Lexington Boston
Alice Carneal
MagdalenMedoc
Sumpter Mare
Dam
Interpose

1877

Intruder

1871

Crater Orlando
Vesuvienne
Lady BountifulRataplan
Plentiful
Lilac

1863

Lightning Lexington
Blue Bonnet
Dolly Carter Glencoe I
Myrtle

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Secretariat (horse)</span> 1973 US Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing winner

Secretariat, also known as Big Red, was a champion American thoroughbred racehorse who was the ninth winner of the American Triple Crown, setting and still holding the fastest time record in all three of its constituent races. He is considered by many to be the greatest racehorse of all time. He became the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years and his record-breaking victory in the Belmont Stakes, which he won by 31 lengths, is widely regarded as one of the greatest races in history. During his racing career, he won five Eclipse Awards, including Horse of the Year honors at ages two and three. He was nominated to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1974. In the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century, Secretariat was second to Man o' War.

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

Omaha was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the third winner of the American Triple Crown.

Bold Ruler was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse who was the 1957 Horse of the Year. This following a three-year-old campaign that included wins in the Preakness Stakes and Trenton Handicap, in which he defeated fellow Hall of Fame inductees Round Table and Gallant Man. Bold Ruler was named American Champion Sprinter at age four, and upon retirement became the leading sire in North America eight times between 1963 and 1973, the most of any sire in the twentieth century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Simon (horse)</span> British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

St. Simon was an undefeated British Thoroughbred racehorse and one of the most successful sires in the history of the Thoroughbred. In May 1886 The Sporting Times' carried out a poll of one hundred experts to create a ranking of the best British racehorses of the 19th century. St. Simon was ranked fourth, having been placed in the top ten by 53 of the contributors.

Charismatic was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the first two legs of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in 1999.

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

Salvator (1886–1909) was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse considered by many to be one of the best racers during the latter half of the 19th century.

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

Rags to Riches is a retired champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2007 Belmont Stakes, the first filly to win it in over a century.

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

Luke Blackburn (1877–1904) was a thoroughbred race horse born and bred in Tennessee by Capt. James Franklin. He was inducted into the US Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 1956.

Proctor Knott was an American Thoroughbred racehorse gelding. His sire was the Hall of Famer Luke Blackburn, and his dam Tallapaloosa. He was bred by Belle Meade Stud and like his father, who had been named for the then-current governor of Kentucky, he was named for Governor J. Proctor Knott. He was owned during his racing career by George Scoogan and Sam Bryant, who purchased him at auction for $450.

The 1889 Kentucky Derby was the 15th running of the Kentucky Derby, won by Spokane. The race took place on May 9, 1889. The winning time of 2:34.50 set a new Derby record for a distance of 1+1⁄2 miles (2.4 km), and remains the Derby record for the distance This was the first Derby where $2 win wagers were available.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frankel (horse)</span> British Thoroughbred racehorse

Frankel is a retired champion British Thoroughbred racehorse and current sire. He was unbeaten in his fourteen-race career and was the highest-rated racehorse in the world from May 2011. He was trained by Henry Cecil in Newmarket and ridden in all his races by Tom Queally.

Nadir was a Thoroughbred racehorse who was one of two colts voted the American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt of 1957. He was bred and raced by Bull Hancock's Claiborne Farm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Formosa (horse)</span> British Thoroughbred racehorse

Formosa (1865–1881) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse that was the first winner of the English Fillies Triple Crown in addition to running a dead heat with the colt Moslem for the 2,000 Guineas Stakes. Formosa was bred by James Cookson and was foaled in 1865 at his Neasham Hall stud farm. Formosa was sold to William Graham in 1866 and raced her entire three-year racing career under his ownership. After her racing career ended in 1871, she became a broodmare for Graham until his death in 1876. Formosa was exported to France in 1879 and died there in February 1881. While she did not produce offspring that excelled at racing, her daughters that were exported to Germany and New Zealand did produce descendants that were successful racers.

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

Palace Malice is an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 2013 Belmont Stakes. After winning one minor race as a two-year-old he made steady improvement in the early part of 2013, being placed in the Risen Star Stakes and Blue Grass Stakes and running prominently in the Kentucky Derby before winning the Belmont Stakes, and the 2014 Metropolitan Handicap. He went on to win the Jim Dandy Stakes and finish second against older horses in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. As a four-year-old in 2014 he won his first four races including the Gulfstream Park Handicap, New Orleans Handicap and Metropolitan Handicap. After two races in 2015, he was retired as a five-year-old and sent to stand at stud at Three Chimneys Farm.

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

Wicked Strong is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He established himself as a contender for the 2014 Kentucky Derby with a win in the Wood Memorial Stakes. He finished fourth in both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes before winning the Jim Dandy Stakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noah Armstrong</span>

Noah Armstrong was a superintendent of the Glendale smelter and discoverer of the Hecla Mine in western Montana. Later in life he moved to Seattle, where he established the Seattle Transfer Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doncaster Round Barn</span> United States historic place

The Doncaster Round Barn, also called "Bayers' Barn" and "the Round Barn at Twin Bridges" is a three-story, wood-framed round barn located about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of Twin Bridges, Montana. Built about 1882 by mining entrepreneur Noah Armstrong to house his race horses, and featuring a 20 feet (6.1 m)-wide indoor circular aisle that was used for exercising horses, it is a National Register of Historic Places property notable for its unique architecture and as the birthplace of the Thoroughbred racehorse, Spokane, winner of the 1889 Kentucky Derby.

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

Nyquist is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2016 Kentucky Derby and 2015 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, only the second horse to complete the Juvenile-Derby double. He became the eighth undefeated winner of the Kentucky Derby, and the first since Big Brown in 2008. He received the 2015 Eclipse Award for Champion Two-Year-Old. He is the second Kentucky Derby winner after Morvich to win the race while undefeated after winning Champion Two Year Old the year before, and then never winning again.

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

Exaggerator is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse, winner of the 2016 Preakness Stakes. Racing as a two-year-old in 2015, he won three of his six starts including the Saratoga Special Stakes and the Delta Jackpot Stakes as well as finishing second in the Breeders' Futurity and fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. The following spring, he finished second in the San Vicente Stakes and third in the San Felipe Stakes before establishing himself as a contender for the 2016 Kentucky Derby with a six length win in the Santa Anita Derby. After finishing second to Nyquist in the Derby, he turned the tables to win the 2016 Preakness Stakes. He ran poorly in the 2016 Belmont Stakes but defeated Nyquist again in the Haskell Invitational. Tactically, Exaggerator was a "closer" – one who prefers to come from behind in his races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surefoot</span> British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Surefoot was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire whose exceptional racing ability was combined with a violent and unpredictable temperament. As a juvenile in 1889 he was regarded as the best colt of his generation in England after winning three of his four races including the Woodcote Stakes and New Stakes. He also demonstrated his precocity by reportedly siring a foal as a two-year-old. In 1890 he was an emphatic winner of the 2000 Guineas but despite being regarded as a near certainty for the Epsom Derby he finished fourth after spending much of the race attempting to savage other horses and jockeys. He went on to win a minor race at Royal Ascot and later defeated a strong field to take the valuable Prince of Wales' Stakes at Leicester Racecourse. As a four-year-old he showed little worthwhile form early in the season but returned to his best to win the Eclipse Stakes. After his retirement from racing he stood as a breeding stallion in England and France but had limited success as a sire of winners.

References

  1. ↑ Noah Armstrong
  2. ↑ "Media Guide - Birthplaces". Kentucky Derby Media Guide. 2023.
  3. ↑ Briggeman, Kim. "1889 Derby Winner Directed National Attention to Iconic Round Barn in Twin Bridges". Missoulian, May 3, 2015 edition. Accessed May 3, 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mooney, Bill (30 April 2014). "Spokane, the Kentucky Derby winner of 1889, a part of Montana folklore". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  5. 1 2 "Montana's Pride". The Independent-Record. 10 May 1890. p. 1. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Royal Derby - Spokane Defeats the Favorite". The Courier-Journal. 10 May 1889. p. 1. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 Kentucky Derby Media Guide. Louisville, KY, USA: Churchill Downs. 2012. p. 127.
  8. 1 2 "Spokane the Victor - Noah Armstrong's Colt Captures the Great American Derby". The Chicago Tribune. 22 June 1889. pp. 9–10. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  9. ↑ "Spokane's Great Victory". The Sun. 15 May 1889. p. 1. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  10. ↑ "Won By Proctor Knott". The Chicago Tribune. 5 July 1889. p. 1. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  11. 1 2 3 Spokane's pedigree and partial racing stats
  12. ↑ Spokane's Kentucky Derby
  13. ↑ "Poor Spokane - The Gallant Derby Winner Will Never Face The Starter Again". The Spokane Daily Chronicle. 14 November 1890. p. 5.
  14. ↑ "Noah Armstrong Home". The Helena Independent. 20 November 1890. p. 5. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  15. 1 2 "Poor Old Spokane". Spokane Chronicle. 2 December 1898. p. 3. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  16. ↑ "Famous Horses Sold Ridiculously Low". Lexington Herald-Leader. 23 December 1898. p. 2. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  17. ↑ Official Catalogue, Sixteenth Annual Horse Show, Madison Square Garden. New York City. 1990. p. 124.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.