1903 Horse Racing Recap

While the Major League Baseball season is headed for its first championship, horse racing's Triple Crown races have been run once again.  While no horse managed to capture all three jewels, each race was full of excitement for all fans.  Which horses managed to make winners out of their owners?  The results are below.

1903 Kentucky Derby

The Field (Odds in Parenthesis):

Bad News (5-1)

Early (1-1)

Woodlake (4-1)

Judge Hines (10-1)

Bourbon (4-1)

Treacy (15-1)

Much of the early action at the betting windows seemed to favor Early, who came into the race as an even favorite.  Woodlake, Bourbon and Bad News came in just behind in a close field, while Judge Hines and Treacy were seen as long shots without much of a chance to win, let along place or show.

At the start, Early and Bad News were quick out of the gate, while Treacy and Judge Hines brushed against each other and were slowed.  When the horses reached the middle post, Judge Hines had begun to close the gap on the two leading racers, having passed Woodlake and Bourbon.  A quarter mile later, and Judge Hines was running neck and neck with Bad News and Early, and the three horses ran stride for stride with each other down the stretch.

As they reached the finish line, Judge Hines got an extra jolt from the whip of his jockey and stretched ahead to claim the surprising victory.  Bad News took second place, just ahead of Early.  Woodlake and Bourbon finished in fourth and fifth, while Treacy never recovered from it's brush against Judge Hines at the start of the race and finished a distant sixth.

Final Race Standings:

Win-Judge Hines (2:07)

Place-Bad News

Show-Early

Judge Hines, who made a stunning comeback to capture the 1903 Kentucky Derby.

1903 Preakness Stakes

The Field (Odds in Parenthesis):

Flocarline (8-1)

St. Daniel (4-1)

Fire Eater (3-1)

Tugai Bey (30-1)

Mackey Dwyer (8-5)

Rightful (5-1)

A solid group of six horses arrived at Gravesend Track to see who would claim the 1903 Preakness Stakes.  The odds on favorite was Mackey Dwyer, followed by Fire Eater and St. Daniel.  Rightful had seen some late action at the windows to pull in to the starting gate as a 5-1 favorite.  Flocarline was attempting to become the first filly to win the Preakness, and Tugai Bey rounded out the field as the clear underdog.

When the horses left the starting gate, everyone but Tugai Bey got off to a good start.  By the first turn, St. Daniel and Mackey Dwyer began to pace the field with Flocarline and Rightful right behind.  The four lead horses stayed close together through the middle post, and as they reached the one mile marker, it was still St. Daniel in the lead, with Mackey Dwyer right behind.  Mackey Dwyer made a late run down the stretch, but St. Daniel held off the charge and captured the Preakness Stakes.  Mackey Dwyer managed to finish in second, with Flocarline taking third.  Rightful crossed the finish line in fourth, while Fire Eater took fifth and Tugai Bey placed an unsurprising sixth.

Final Race Standings:

Win-St. Daniel (1:43.8)

Place-Mackey Dwyer

Show-Flocarline

1903 Belmont Stakes

The Field (Odds in Parenthesis):

 Whorler (2-1)

Africander (4-5)

Rigdon (6-1)

Red Knight (6-1)

With only four horses making the trip to the Belmont Stakes, there was no clear favorite that the oddsmakers saw.  Africander was seen as having a slight advantage, but Whorler wasn't far behind in the odds.  Rigdon and Red Knight brought up the rear in bets, but neither was seen as being a complete underdog.  In short, the 1903 Belmont Stakes was anyone's race.

Unfortunately for those expecting a close race due to the odds, Africander quickly squashed those hopes.  He broke out to a quick lead, leaving Whorler, Rigdon and Red Knight several lengths behind.  Several attempts to catch Africander yielded no gains, and by the time the race reached its halfway mark, the winner was no longer in doubt.  Africander won going away, closing the 1903 Triple Crown races with the most dominant win of the year.  Whorler managed to finish second, a good eight lengths behind Africander, and Rigdon placed third.  Red Knight rounded out the field with it's fourth place finish.

Final Race Standings:

Win-Africander (2:17.8)

Place-Whorler

Show-Rigdon