An American champion at 2 (an honor he shared with the great gelding Parole), Vagrant continued on a similar plane at 3 for as long as he remained sound and is generally considered the co-champion American 3-year-old male of 1876 with the similarly sired Vigil. He suffered a leg injury while winning his next start after the Kentucky Derby and did not race at all at 4. He returned to racing at ages 5 through 10 but never recovered his earlier form. As a gelding, he had no prospects for a stud career, and for a time, he ended up drawing a buggy or even a vegetable cart through the streets of Lexington according to contemporary newspapers. According to an article published in the Daily Racing Form on May 19, 1910, he was being used as a lady's saddle horse at the time of his death.
Race record
88 starts, 20 wins, 12 seconds, 12 thirds, US$13,875
1875:
1876:
Honors
As an individual
A brown gelding, Vagrant appears to have had exceptionally powerful hindquarters even allowing for the artistic conventions of his time. The Kentucky Livestock Record described him as having an excellent, lengthy body; good shoulders, "immense" hips and quarters; and sound feet and legs. His action was said to be "easy and graceful" with a low, "daisy-cutting" stride.
Connections
Vagrant was bred by Milton H. Sanford, who sold Vagrant to T. J. Nichols for US$250 when the animal was a yearling. Vagrant changed hands again two weeks before the Kentucky Derby, when Colonel S. D. Bruce paid US$7,000 in cash for him as agent for wealthy New Yorker William Astor. The gelding was trained to his Derby win by James Williams and was later trained by A. Davis Pryor. Vagrant raced for J. J. Bevin during the later part of his racing career.
Pedigree notes
Vagrant is inbred 5x4 to two-time American champion sire Medoc, the best racing and sire son of undefeated American Eclipse. His dam Lazy is a half sister to Austria (by Australian), dam of 1885 Alabama Stakes winner Ida Hope (by King Alfonso) and third dam of 1900 Champagne Stakes winner Garry Herrmann. Lazy is also a half sister to Dora (by Australian), second dam of 1887 American co-champion 2-year-old male Raceland.
Lindora, the dam of Lazy and her siblings, was sired by 16-time American champion sire Lexington from the Medoc mare Picayune. The family cannot be connected with certainty to any of the families in the Bruce Lowe numbering system; however, evidence collected by historian Fairfax Harrison suggests that the female line traces back to a daughter of the Godolphin Arabian known as the Randolph of Chatsworth Mare via a great-great-granddaughter named Fluvia (by Meade's Celer).
Fun facts
Last updated: March 20, 2022
Race record
88 starts, 20 wins, 12 seconds, 12 thirds, US$13,875
1875:
- Won Alexander Stakes (USA, 4FD, Lexington)
- Won Belle Meade Stakes (USA, 6FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Sanford Stakes (USA, 8FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Colt Stakes (USA, 6FD, Lexington)
- Won Colt and Filly Stakes (USA, 8FD, Lexington)
- 3rd Tennessee Stakes (USA, 6FD, Churchill Downs)
1876:
- Won Kentucky Derby (USA, 12FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Phoenix Hotel Stakes (USA, 9FD, Lexington)
- Won Grand Exposition Stakes (USA, 12FD, Point Breeze Park)
- 2nd Clark Stakes (USA, 16FD, Churchill Downs)
Honors
- American co-champion 2-year-old male (1875)
- American co-champion 3-year-old male (1876)
As an individual
A brown gelding, Vagrant appears to have had exceptionally powerful hindquarters even allowing for the artistic conventions of his time. The Kentucky Livestock Record described him as having an excellent, lengthy body; good shoulders, "immense" hips and quarters; and sound feet and legs. His action was said to be "easy and graceful" with a low, "daisy-cutting" stride.
Connections
Vagrant was bred by Milton H. Sanford, who sold Vagrant to T. J. Nichols for US$250 when the animal was a yearling. Vagrant changed hands again two weeks before the Kentucky Derby, when Colonel S. D. Bruce paid US$7,000 in cash for him as agent for wealthy New Yorker William Astor. The gelding was trained to his Derby win by James Williams and was later trained by A. Davis Pryor. Vagrant raced for J. J. Bevin during the later part of his racing career.
Pedigree notes
Vagrant is inbred 5x4 to two-time American champion sire Medoc, the best racing and sire son of undefeated American Eclipse. His dam Lazy is a half sister to Austria (by Australian), dam of 1885 Alabama Stakes winner Ida Hope (by King Alfonso) and third dam of 1900 Champagne Stakes winner Garry Herrmann. Lazy is also a half sister to Dora (by Australian), second dam of 1887 American co-champion 2-year-old male Raceland.
Lindora, the dam of Lazy and her siblings, was sired by 16-time American champion sire Lexington from the Medoc mare Picayune. The family cannot be connected with certainty to any of the families in the Bruce Lowe numbering system; however, evidence collected by historian Fairfax Harrison suggests that the female line traces back to a daughter of the Godolphin Arabian known as the Randolph of Chatsworth Mare via a great-great-granddaughter named Fluvia (by Meade's Celer).
Fun facts
- Vagrant was the first gelding to win the Kentucky Derby.
- Vagrant's sire Virgil shared his son's fate of being used as a buggy horse, but this was before his first crop (which included Vagrant) came to the races. After Vagrant and several other good runners emerged from Virgil's few foals, Virgil returned to full-time stallion service and became the premier stallion of Milton Sanford's stud.
- Vagrant was the first of three Kentucky Derby winners sired by Virgil. The others were Hindoo (1881) and Ben Ali (1886). No stallion has ever sired more than three Kentucky Derby winners.
Last updated: March 20, 2022