The longest shot in a field of five, Elwood beat an indifferent group for the Kentucky Derby, largely on the basis of superior fitness. He added the Latonia Derby to his tally later in the season but accomplished nothing of significance after that. He was gelded as a 4-year-old, raced on for two more years, and eventually became a saddle horse before becoming lost in obscurity.
Race record
58 starts, 8 wins, 7 seconds, 5 thirds, US$15,590
1903:
1904:
As an individual
A long, lanky bay, Elwood was not considered very attractive.
Connections
Bred in Missouri by Mrs. J. B. Prather (born Emma Holt) at her Faustiana Farm, Elwood was purchased as a yearling for US$700 by Charles Elwood "Boots" Durnell, who trained the horse throughout his career and initially raced him in partnership with Emil Herz. In August 1903, the partnership was dissolved and Durnell bought Elwood out of the dispersal sale for US$3,500. He then gave te colt to his wife Lasca Durnell, who owned Elwood until July 1904. At that time, Mrs. Durnell (who was racing her stable in Chicago) ran afoul of a new rule at the Chicago Jockey Club that forbade married women from making race entries in their own names. The ban forced Mrs. Durnell to disperse her horses in a paddock sale, where her husband bought back most if not all of them. When Durnell was ruled off from racing in New York in December 1907, he was forced to disperse his Burlingame Stables and Elwood (who had been gelded as a 4-year-old) went to the auction block once more. According to a May 1910 article in the Daily Racing Form, he ended up being used as a lady's saddle horse in California.
Pedigree notes
Elwood is inbred 5x5x5 to the great 19th-century broodmare Pocahontas. He is a full brother to Night Gown, dam of multiple stakes winner Dishabille (by King's Counsel).
Petticoat, the dam of Elwood, is a full sister to Fidele, dam of 1895 Tennessee Derby winner Fandango (by Farandole). The sisters were produced from the Leamington mare Lady Scarborough, a full sister to 1882 Hunter Handicap winner Miss Lumley. Produced from the English import Lady Lumley (by the fine English stayer Rataplan), Lady Scarborough is also a half sister to Rataplan (by Alarm or Reform), winner of the 1884 Travers Stakes, and to Luminous (by Alarm), dam of 1892 Alabama Stakes winner Ignite (by Woodlands) and, through her, second dam of 1900 Preakness Stakes winner Hindus and 1906 Kentucky Derby winner Sir Huon.
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: June 12, 2024
Race record
58 starts, 8 wins, 7 seconds, 5 thirds, US$15,590
1903:
- 2nd Youngster Stakes (USA, 5FD, Harlem)
- 2nd Competition Stakes (USA, 5.5FD, Hawthorne)
1904:
- Won Kentucky Derby (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Latonia Derby (USA, 12FD, Latonia)
- 2nd California Derby (USA, 12FD, Los Angeles)
- 3rd St. Louis Derby (USA, 12FD, St. Louis)
As an individual
A long, lanky bay, Elwood was not considered very attractive.
Connections
Bred in Missouri by Mrs. J. B. Prather (born Emma Holt) at her Faustiana Farm, Elwood was purchased as a yearling for US$700 by Charles Elwood "Boots" Durnell, who trained the horse throughout his career and initially raced him in partnership with Emil Herz. In August 1903, the partnership was dissolved and Durnell bought Elwood out of the dispersal sale for US$3,500. He then gave te colt to his wife Lasca Durnell, who owned Elwood until July 1904. At that time, Mrs. Durnell (who was racing her stable in Chicago) ran afoul of a new rule at the Chicago Jockey Club that forbade married women from making race entries in their own names. The ban forced Mrs. Durnell to disperse her horses in a paddock sale, where her husband bought back most if not all of them. When Durnell was ruled off from racing in New York in December 1907, he was forced to disperse his Burlingame Stables and Elwood (who had been gelded as a 4-year-old) went to the auction block once more. According to a May 1910 article in the Daily Racing Form, he ended up being used as a lady's saddle horse in California.
Pedigree notes
Elwood is inbred 5x5x5 to the great 19th-century broodmare Pocahontas. He is a full brother to Night Gown, dam of multiple stakes winner Dishabille (by King's Counsel).
Petticoat, the dam of Elwood, is a full sister to Fidele, dam of 1895 Tennessee Derby winner Fandango (by Farandole). The sisters were produced from the Leamington mare Lady Scarborough, a full sister to 1882 Hunter Handicap winner Miss Lumley. Produced from the English import Lady Lumley (by the fine English stayer Rataplan), Lady Scarborough is also a half sister to Rataplan (by Alarm or Reform), winner of the 1884 Travers Stakes, and to Luminous (by Alarm), dam of 1892 Alabama Stakes winner Ignite (by Woodlands) and, through her, second dam of 1900 Preakness Stakes winner Hindus and 1906 Kentucky Derby winner Sir Huon.
Fun facts
- Elwood was given his name in honor of the maiden name of the mother of Charles Durnell.
- According to Derby lore, Elwood raced in the Kentucky Derby solely because Mrs. Durnell entered the colt without her husband's knowledge. Boots Durnell had nominated the colt before he ever raced, however, and had kept up the eligibility payments through the final one on March 1, 1904.
- Prior to his Kentucky Derby win, Elwood was derisively nicknamed the “Missouri Mule”—not without reason, as he had been running in selling races in California for purses of as little as US$300 prior to coming east for the Derby. He was the first Kentucky Derby winner to race in January or February of his 3-year-old season and had raced 17 times in 1904 prior to the Derby.
- Elwood was the first Kentucky Derby starter owned by a woman, the first Derby winner owned by a woman, and the first Derby winner bred by a woman. He was also the first and only Derby winner to be bred in Missouri.
- Elwood's 15-1 odds were the longest for a Kentucky Derby winner up to that time.
- As a 4-year-old, Elwood ran in a race restricted to jockeys that had never ridden a winner in a race.
- By the time Elwood won the Kentucky Derby, his sire Free Knight (a stakes-winning son of the great Ten Broeck) had been sold for US$45 for use as a farm horse.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: June 12, 2024