Delhi
Delhi, circa 1912.
SireBen Brush
GrandsireBramble
DamVeva
DamsireMortemer
SexStallion
Foaled1901
CountryUnited States
ColourBrown
BreederJames R. Keene
Owner1) James R. Keene (1901–1913)
2) Wickliffe Stud (1913–1918)
3) Cresswood Stock Farm (1918-c. 1925)
TrainerJames G. Rowe Sr.
Record23: 8-2-1
Earnings$115,640
Major wins
Hopeful Stakes (1903)
Withers Stakes (1904)
Saratoga Derby (1904)
Great Republic Stakes (1904)
Brooklyn Handicap (1905)
American Classic Race wins:
Belmont Stakes (1904)
Honours
American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse (1904)
American Champion Older Male Horse (1905)
Last updated on 19 July 2021

Delhi (1901–1925) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that won the 1904 Belmont Stakes. He was the top money-winner of 1904 and was consequently named the co-historical American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse with Ort Wells. The following year, he was also the historical American Champion Older Male Horse, co-champion once again with Ort Wells. While Delhi did have limited success in the stud, he is not considered to be an influential sire.

Pedigree

Delhi was foaled at Castleton Stud, the Thoroughbred breeding farm of James R. Keene in Lexington. He was sired by Ben Brush, the 1896 Kentucky Derby winner, who also sired noted stallions Broomstick and Sweep. His dam, Veva, was sired by the imported French stallion Mortemer which won the 1871 Ascot Gold Cup. Fully grown, Delhi stood 16.11⁄2 hands high, weighed 1240 pounds with a girth of 75 inches and had a cannon bone length of eight inches.[1][2]

Racing career

Delhi was an inauspicious two-year-old, winning only the $25,650 Hopeful Stakes in 1903.[3] His record improved as a three-year-old, notably securing the 1904 Belmont Stakes from Graziallo in a time of 2:061⁄2 over a distance of 11⁄4 miles.[4] Delhi placed second in the 1904 Tidal Stakes behind Ort Wells while being ridden by jockey George M. Odom.[5] Other wins included the 1904 Withers Stakes, the Saratoga Derby (run in conjunction with the Hopeful Stakes) and the Great Republic Stakes. Delhi also won the Brooklyn Handicap as a four-year-old, but he only made three, unplaced starts as a five-year-old before being retired by Keene.[6] In his racing career, he started 23 times, with 8 wins, 2 places and 1 show.[7]

Stud career

Delhi was retired from racing as a five-year old in June 1906 and was sent to Castleton Farm for use as a breeding stallion.[8] Delhi's most notable offspring for Keene was the colt Dominant (br. 1913 out of Dominoes by Domino) which was the 1915 Champion two-year-old colt and won the 1915 Hopeful Stakes and Saratoga Special Stakes.[9] He also produced Outram (b. 1909 out of Gingham by Domino), the first American-bred horse to win the Lincolnshire Handicap run at Doncaster Racecourse in Britain.[9][10]

After the death of James R. Keene in 1913, Delhi was owned by his son Foxhall P. Keene until being sold in September 1913 to Price McKinney for $2,500.[11] McKinney partnered with steel-magnate and noted turfman James C. Corrigan to form the Wickliffe Stud, which also housed Colin and Ultimus until the entire stable was dispersed in 1918.[12] Delhi was sold in January 1918 to Thomas Piatt, who owned Cresswood Stock Farm in Lexington in partnership with J.D. and T.B. Carr, for $2,400.[13] Delhi became the principal stallion at the farm, producing foals until 1925.[14][15] Delhi died on May 19, 1925, at Runner's Rest, the farm of Lucas B. Coombs, in Lexington at the age of 24.[16]

Delhi was considered to be a commendable broodmare sire, with his descendants through the female-line accumulating over $50,000 in purse money in 1921.[17] His daughter Tripping produced the 1920 Futurity Stakes winner Step Lightly, a filly whose photograph is often mistaken for Man o' War.[18]

References

  1. ^ Carter, William H. (July 1912). "The charger". Journal of the United States Cavalry Association. 23 (91): 5–13. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
  2. ^ Danford, Robert M. (1912). "Breeding army horses". The Rasp: 182. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
  3. ^ "Irish Lad's champion race" (PDF). The New York Times. August 16, 1903. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
  4. ^ "Delhi won all the way" (PDF). The New York Times. May 26, 1904. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
  5. ^ "Ort Wells beats Delhi" (PDF). The New York Times. June 19, 1904. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
  6. ^ "The campaigners in 1906". Daily Racing Form. January 18, 1907. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
  7. ^ "Great money-winning horses of America and England". Daily Racing Form. September 19, 1912. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  8. ^ "Delhi sent to the stud" (PDF). The New York Times. June 3, 1906. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
  9. ^ a b "Delhi's Stakes Race winners". Thoroughbred Database. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
  10. ^ "American horse the winner". Boston Evening Transcript. March 26, 1914. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
  11. ^ "Noted Keene horses sell for $229,200" (PDF). The New York Times. September 3, 1913. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
  12. ^ "James W. Corrigan drops dead at 47". The New York Times. January 24, 1928.
  13. ^ "$26,000 for Ultimus top price at Corrigan sale". The Washington Post. January 16, 1918.
  14. ^ Connelley, William Elsey; Ellis Merton Coulter (1922). History of Kentucky. The American Historical Society. p. 37. Retrieved 9 August 2010. delhi thomas piatt.
  15. ^ "Registered progeny". Thoroughbred Database. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
  16. ^ "Good sire Delhi dead". Daily Racing Form. May 20, 1925. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
  17. ^ "Great broodmare sires". Daily Racing Form. January 21, 1921. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
  18. ^ "Step Lightly Pedigree". Thoroughbred Database. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
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