While his name might suggest otherwise, The Commoner was a well-bred horse. He was also a speedy one, winning 12 of his 18 starts at 2, though he did not compete with the top colts of his division. He continued to show well in sprints during the first half of 1895 but was less successful at intermediate distances and stopped badly in the 10-furlong Liberty Stakes at the Oakley meeting on June 27, finishing dead last. He did not return to action until 1896 and again was successful mostly in sprints, though he ran the best race of his career to run second to Henry of Navarre in the 1896 Suburban Handicap, beating Clifford for place money. He sired two winners of the Kentucky Oaks and a winner of the Queen's Plate, but his most important contribution to the breed was probably Grace Commoner, ancestress of champions Real Delight, Forward Pass, Our Mims, and Christmas Past as well as 1990 American champion sire Alydar.
Race record
32 starts, 18 wins
1894:
1895:
1896:
As an individual
A chestnut horse of good size and substance, The Commoner had a high head carriage and a good shoulder. He developed a dipped topline as a stallion, and a contemporary photograph suggests that he had curby hocks. He could be difficult at the start of his races. He had leg trouble since his 3-year-old season and bowed a tendon in his left foreleg during a workout at Gravesend on July 6, 1896, ending his racing career.
As a stallion
Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967 credits The Commoner with 23 stakes winners. He was an influence for speed and precocity, and was arguably Hanover's second best son at stud (pride of place going to 1905 American champion sire Hamburg).
Notable progeny
Bettie Sue (USA), Countless (USA), Parmer (CAN), Wainamoinen (USA)
Connections
Bred by J. B. and H. H. Stanhope, The Commoner was owned and trained by Byron McClelland, who bought the colt as a yearling for US$650. McClelland raced The Commoner until September 1894, when he sold the colt to his cousin, owner-trainer William M. Wallace, for US$5,000. The Commoner entered stud at The Talbot Brothers' farm near Paris, Kentucky, in 1897. In 1900, he was sent to the auction block and sold to the partnership of the Baker Brothers, Kinzea Stone, and J. B. Ewing for US$5,025. The partners then turned around and resold him in 1901; the buyer was General William H. Jackson, who paid US$15,000 for the horse and stood him at his Belle Meade Stud near Nashville, Tennessee. Jackson was in failing health and ended up dispersing the Belle Meade bloodstock at auction in October 1902, with The Commoner going to E. S. Gardner for US$41,000.
Gardner, as it turned out, was acting on behalf of Jackson's son William Harding Jackson, and The Commoner remained at Belle Meade, where the younger Jackson acted as the farm manager until his death from typhoid fever in July 1903. That sent The Commoner back to the sale ring, where he brought US$15,000 on a bid from Charles P. Gaither. The Commoner continued to stand at Belle Meade until it closed for good as a Thoroughbred nursery in 1904. At that time, he and the remaining bloodstock on the premises passed to the ownership of Walter Parmer and his associates and were moved to Edenwold Stud. The original Edenwold was sold in August 1906, and The Commoner moved to his owner's new farm (also named Edenwold), where he dropped dead in July 1914.
Pedigree notes
The Commoner is inbred 5x4 to the great 4-mile heat racer Boston, a three-time American champion sire, and 5x5 to the important matron Alice Carneal. He is a full brother to Rhoda B., dam of 1907 Derby Stakes and Irish Derby winner Orby (by Orme) and 1908 One Thousand Guineas winner Rhodora (by St. Frusquin), and to Marechal Neil, second dam of the good stakes winner Sand Marsh. The Commoner is also a half brother to Margerique (by Order), dam of 1901 American champion 2-year-old male Nasturtium (by Watercress).
The Commoner and his siblings were produced from Margerine, whose sire Algerine won the 1876 Belmont Stakes. Margerine, in turn, was produced from the imported Doncaster mare Sweet Songstress, whose dam Melodious was sired by Forester or Peppermint.
Fun facts
Last updated: July 5, 2024
Race record
32 starts, 18 wins
1894:
- Won a 2-year-old sweepstakes (USA, 6FD, Morris Park)
- Won McGrathiana Stud Stakes (USA, 5FD, Saratoga)
- Won G. H. Mumm & Co. Handicap (USA, 5FD, Saratoga)
- Won a 2-year-old sweepstakes (USA, 5FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- Won Essex Stakes (USA, 6FD, Morris Park)
- 3rd Pansey Stakes (USA, 6FT, Sheepshead Bay)
- 3rd June Stakes (USA, about 5.75FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- 3rd Double Event #1 (USA, 5FD, Sheepshead Bay)
1895:
- 2nd Distillers' Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Lexington)
- 2nd Phoenix Hotel Stakes (USA, 9FD, Lexington)
- Also set new track record of 1:14 for 6 furlongs on dirt at Lexington
1896:
- Won Cincinnati Press Stakes (USA, 6FD, Oakley)
- 2nd Louisville Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Frank Fehr Selling Stakes (USA, 8FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Suburban Handicap (USA, 10FD, Sheepshead Bay)
As an individual
A chestnut horse of good size and substance, The Commoner had a high head carriage and a good shoulder. He developed a dipped topline as a stallion, and a contemporary photograph suggests that he had curby hocks. He could be difficult at the start of his races. He had leg trouble since his 3-year-old season and bowed a tendon in his left foreleg during a workout at Gravesend on July 6, 1896, ending his racing career.
As a stallion
Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967 credits The Commoner with 23 stakes winners. He was an influence for speed and precocity, and was arguably Hanover's second best son at stud (pride of place going to 1905 American champion sire Hamburg).
Notable progeny
Bettie Sue (USA), Countless (USA), Parmer (CAN), Wainamoinen (USA)
Connections
Bred by J. B. and H. H. Stanhope, The Commoner was owned and trained by Byron McClelland, who bought the colt as a yearling for US$650. McClelland raced The Commoner until September 1894, when he sold the colt to his cousin, owner-trainer William M. Wallace, for US$5,000. The Commoner entered stud at The Talbot Brothers' farm near Paris, Kentucky, in 1897. In 1900, he was sent to the auction block and sold to the partnership of the Baker Brothers, Kinzea Stone, and J. B. Ewing for US$5,025. The partners then turned around and resold him in 1901; the buyer was General William H. Jackson, who paid US$15,000 for the horse and stood him at his Belle Meade Stud near Nashville, Tennessee. Jackson was in failing health and ended up dispersing the Belle Meade bloodstock at auction in October 1902, with The Commoner going to E. S. Gardner for US$41,000.
Gardner, as it turned out, was acting on behalf of Jackson's son William Harding Jackson, and The Commoner remained at Belle Meade, where the younger Jackson acted as the farm manager until his death from typhoid fever in July 1903. That sent The Commoner back to the sale ring, where he brought US$15,000 on a bid from Charles P. Gaither. The Commoner continued to stand at Belle Meade until it closed for good as a Thoroughbred nursery in 1904. At that time, he and the remaining bloodstock on the premises passed to the ownership of Walter Parmer and his associates and were moved to Edenwold Stud. The original Edenwold was sold in August 1906, and The Commoner moved to his owner's new farm (also named Edenwold), where he dropped dead in July 1914.
Pedigree notes
The Commoner is inbred 5x4 to the great 4-mile heat racer Boston, a three-time American champion sire, and 5x5 to the important matron Alice Carneal. He is a full brother to Rhoda B., dam of 1907 Derby Stakes and Irish Derby winner Orby (by Orme) and 1908 One Thousand Guineas winner Rhodora (by St. Frusquin), and to Marechal Neil, second dam of the good stakes winner Sand Marsh. The Commoner is also a half brother to Margerique (by Order), dam of 1901 American champion 2-year-old male Nasturtium (by Watercress).
The Commoner and his siblings were produced from Margerine, whose sire Algerine won the 1876 Belmont Stakes. Margerine, in turn, was produced from the imported Doncaster mare Sweet Songstress, whose dam Melodious was sired by Forester or Peppermint.
Fun facts
- The Commoner may have been named in honor of William Jennings Bryan, an American politician and orator of the time who earned the soubriquet “The Great Commoner” because of his sympathy for the common man and traditional religious values.
- Byron McClelland was said to have won US$20,000 in a betting coup on The Commoner's maiden victory, which took place at New York's Morris Park on June 11, 1894.
- At the peak of his stud career at Belle Meade, General Jackson reportedly set a price of US$100,000 on The Commoner.
Last updated: July 5, 2024