John Eric "Johnny" Longden was an American Hall of Fame and National Champion jockey and a trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses who was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England. His father emigrated to Canada in 1909, settling in Taber, Alberta.
The Travers Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is nicknamed the "Midsummer Derby" and is the third-ranked race for American three-year-olds according to international classifications, behind only the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. First held in 1864, it is the oldest stakes race in the United States specifically for 3-year-olds, and was named for William R. Travers, the president of the old Saratoga Racing Association. His horse, Kentucky, won the first running of the Travers. The race was not run in 1896, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1911, and 1912. From 1943-5, it was run at Belmont Park instead of Saratoga due to the war.
Count Fleet was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the sixth winner of the American Triple Crown. He won the Belmont Stakes by a then record margin of twenty-five lengths. After an undefeated season, he was named the 1943 Horse of the Year and champion three-year-old. Also a champion at age two, he is ranked as one of the greatest American racehorses of the twentieth century, ranking fifth on the Bloodhorse magazine's listing. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1961.
American Terri Farley is an American writer of predominantly children's literature and young adult fiction. She is the best-selling author of Seven Tears into the Sea, The Phantom Stallion series for young readers about the contemporary and historic West, and many nonfiction magazine articles.
Idle Hour Stock Farm was a 400-acre (1.6 km2) thoroughbred horse breeding and training farm near Lexington, Kentucky, United States established in 1906 by Colonel Edward R. Bradley.
The Black Stallion, known as the Black or Shêtân, is the title character from author Walter Farley's bestselling series about the Arab stallion and his young owner, Alec Ramsay. The series chronicles the story of a Sheikh's prized stallion after he comes into Alec's possession through a ship journey gone awry. Later books in the series furnish the Black's backstory. Shaytan is the Arabic word for "devil".
Gallorette (1942–1959) was a Maryland-bred chestnut thoroughbred filly who became a Hall of Fame race horse. Sired by Challenger II, out of Gallette, Gallorette's damsire was Sir Gallahad III.
Carry Back was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1961 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and was named the 1961 Champion Three-Year-Old. He won 21 of his 61 races, including the Metropolitan Handicap, Monmouth Handicap, Whitney Stakes, and Trenton Handicap. He became only the fourth horse after Citation, Nashua, and Round Table to earn $1 million in prize money. Trained by the outspoken and unconventional Jack Price, Carry Back's modest beginnings and come-from-behind racing style made him one of the most popular racehorses of his era.
Busher (1942–1955) was a thoroughbred racing filly who was a champion at ages two and three, and the American Horse of the Year in 1945. She was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1964. On the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century, Busher was ranked 40th.
Silky Sullivan was an American thoroughbred racehorse best known for his come-from-behind racing style.
Tomy Lee was a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1959 Kentucky Derby defeating Sword Dancer, First Landing, Royal Orbit and the filly Silver Spoon. Tomy Lee became only the second non-American bred horse to ever win the Kentucky Derby and Bertie Kerr became the first non-American agent to buy a winner.
Challedon (1936–1958) was an American Hall of Fame Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred in Maryland by William L. Brann and Robert S. Castle, he raced under the colors of their Branncastle Farm.
George Royal (1961–1981) was a Canadian Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse.
The Canadian Derby is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the Century Mile Racetrack and Casino in Leduc County, Alberta. A Grade III event held in August, it is open to three-year-old horses and is raced on dirt over a distance of one mile and a quarter.
Jean Donahue was an American film and television actress. She appeared in approximately 65 films in her 38-year career.
Herbert William Joseph Kerr, also known as Bertie Kerr or Bert Kerr, was an Irish association football player during the 1910s and 1920s. Kerr played for Bohemians, the League of Ireland XI and Ireland. In 1924, he was a member of the first Ireland team selected by the FAI and at the same time he represented Ireland at the 1924 Olympics. He was also the first player to captain an FAI Ireland team in a home international. After retiring as a footballer, Kerr established himself a worldwide reputation as a leading bloodstock agent. Among the many racehorses he bought and sold were Nasrullah and Tomy Lee, who won the 1959 Kentucky Derby. Kerr also traded horses that won the Aintree Grand National, the Grand Prix de Paris, the French Derby, the Irish 2,000 Guineas, and the Irish St. Leger. His younger brother Kevin also played for Bohemians and was a successful horse trainer. His niece, Virginia Kerr, is one of Ireland's leading opera singers.
Francis Morgan Farley was an American actor on the stage and in films and television.
Pussy was a Thoroughbred racehorse that won the 1834 Epsom Oaks. In a racing career that lasted from 1833 until 1837, Pussy started 25 times winning eight races. She initially raced under Thomas Cosby's name and was sold in 1835 to Lord Bentinck but raced under the Duke of Richmond's name. Pussy was retired to Bentinck's stud in 1837 but did not produce any noteworthy offspring. She was sold at auction in 1846, and her last foal was born in 1848.
Apology (1871–1888) was a British Thoroughbred racemare who was the third winner of the Fillies' Triple Crown, winning The Oaks, 1,000 Guineas Stakes and St. Leger Stakes in 1874. Apology was bred and owned by the Reverend John William King, the vicar of Ashby de la Launde, whose ownership of the mare caused a minor scandal in the Church of England after Apology won the St. Leger Stakes. King ultimately had to resign his clerical appointments due to the scandal and died shortly thereafter of a chronic illness. Apology raced until she was five years old, winning the Ascot Gold Cup in 1876. She was retired from racing at the end of 1876 to become a broodmare initially for the widow of John King, and then for Clare Vyner. Apology was euthanised in 1888 after an extended illness.
Roy J. Waldron was a batboy for the St. Louis Browns before he turned to training Thoroughbred racehorses. He is best known for winning the 1940 Kentucky Derby with Gallahadion, a colt he race conditioned for Ethel V. Mars of chocolate bar fame.
