His Eminence (horse)

His Eminence
1901 drawing
SireFalsetto
GrandsireEnquirer
DamPatroness
DamsirePat Malloy
SexStallion
Foaled1898
CountryUnited States
ColourBay
BreederOverton H. Chenault
Owner1) J. B. Lewman
2) Frank B. Van Meter
3) Clarence Mackay
4) Fred Gebhard
5) A.C. Jaeger
6) William Collins Whitney
TrainerFrank B. Van Meter
Record53: 11-7-8
Earnings$16,295
Major wins
Clark Handicap (1901)
Omnium Handicap (1903)
Triple Crown race wins:
Kentucky Derby (1901)

His Eminence (1898 – c.1906) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that was bred in Kentucky and is best known for winning the 1901 Kentucky Derby. He was a bay colt sired by the great turf-racer Falsetto out of the mare Patroness. His dam (with His Eminence in utero) was sold to Overton H. Chenault at the 1897 Woodburn Stud dispersal sale for $75. As a yearling, he was sold to J. B. Lewman for $500[1].

His Eminence was ridden in the 1901 Derby by African-American jockey James Winkfield.[1] His Eminence also won the Clark Handicap as a three-year-old.

The colt was purchased in the latter part of 1901 for $15,000 by millionaire racing enthusiast Clarence Mackay as a stud horse, but was later sold in 1902 due to the death of Mackay's father.[2] His Eminence was then returned to racing by his new owner, Fred Gebhard, as a five-year-old, winning the 1903 Omnium Handicap at the Sheepshead Bay Race Track.[3]

The stallion was once again sold at auction in September 1903 to A.C. Jaeger for $2,900.[4] He was again sold to William Collins Whitney who trained him for steeplechasing, but His Eminence was killed while trying to jump a hurdle sometime before 1910.[5]

  1. ^ His Eminence Pedigree
  2. ^ "Mackay Stable to be sold." NY Times. July 29, 1902
  3. ^ "His Eminence just won." NY Times. Sept. 10, 1903
  4. ^ "Good prices for racehorses" NY Times. Sept. 27, 1903.
  5. ^ Daily Racing Form. "Careers of Kentucky Derby winners." May 19, 1910.[permanent dead link]