The second consecutive Kentucky Oaks winner sired by King Alfonso, Vera went into the race as a hot favorite off her victory in the Ashland Oaks at Lexington. She ran to her odds, passing her field in the last quarter-mile with a fine turn of foot and winning by a length. However, when she ran into Miss Woodford later that year in the Alabama Stakes, she proved no match for the future Hall of Fame member and was beaten a good six lengths at level weights. She was a winner at Saratoga and Lexington as a 4-year-old in selling races. She accomplished nothing of note as a broodmare.
Race record
Complete record unavailable
1881:
1882:
As an individual
A bay mare, Vera was on the small side but was considered quite attractive. She showed an excellent turn of foot in her Kentucky Oaks win.
As a producer
Vera produced eight named foals. The only one of any significance was Veronica (by Onondaga), dam of multiple stakes winner Dick Bernard (by Florist).
Connections
Vera was bred in Kentucky by A. J. Alexander at the famed Woodburn Stud. She initially raced for John S. Clark at 2 but later became the property of Milton Young, who bought her for US$3,000 in August of her juvenile year. Young then sold her (along with his entire racing stable) to R. C. Pate of St. Louis in a package deal for US$25,000 in September 1882. As part of the sale terms, Young retained Vera's breeding rights, and the filly actually returned to his ownership as a 4-year-old while she was still racing. Vera was trained by James Murphy at 2, by J. Pate at 3, and by Ed Brown at 4. She remained in Young's ownership throughout her broodmare career.
Pedigree notes
Vera is inbred 5x4 to Muley, a good sire and broodmare sire whose son Leviathan was a five-time champion sire in the United States. A half sister to Maxim (by Planet), the third dam of 1898 Kentucky Oaks winner Crocket, Vera is out of Veritas, whose dam is the Yorkshire mare Verona. The female line reached the United States via Verona's dam Britannia, a daughter of Muley who was imported to Mississippi.
Fun facts
Last updated: July 2, 2022
Race record
Complete record unavailable
1881:
- Won Filly S. (USA, 4FD, Lexington)
- Won Colt and Filly S. (USA, 6FD, Lexington)
- Won Walnut Hill Stakes (USA, 8FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd St. Nicholas Hotel Stakes (USA, 4FD, Lexington)
- 2nd Tennessee Stakes (USA, 6FD, Churchill Downs; dead heat with Bondholder)
1882:
- Won Kentucky Oaks (USA, 12FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Ashland Oaks (USA, 10FD, Lexington)
- 2nd Illinois Oaks (USA, 10FD, Chicago)
- 3rd Alabama Stakes (USA, 9FD, Saratoga; third of 3)
- 3rd Clarendon Hotel Stakes (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
As an individual
A bay mare, Vera was on the small side but was considered quite attractive. She showed an excellent turn of foot in her Kentucky Oaks win.
As a producer
Vera produced eight named foals. The only one of any significance was Veronica (by Onondaga), dam of multiple stakes winner Dick Bernard (by Florist).
Connections
Vera was bred in Kentucky by A. J. Alexander at the famed Woodburn Stud. She initially raced for John S. Clark at 2 but later became the property of Milton Young, who bought her for US$3,000 in August of her juvenile year. Young then sold her (along with his entire racing stable) to R. C. Pate of St. Louis in a package deal for US$25,000 in September 1882. As part of the sale terms, Young retained Vera's breeding rights, and the filly actually returned to his ownership as a 4-year-old while she was still racing. Vera was trained by James Murphy at 2, by J. Pate at 3, and by Ed Brown at 4. She remained in Young's ownership throughout her broodmare career.
Pedigree notes
Vera is inbred 5x4 to Muley, a good sire and broodmare sire whose son Leviathan was a five-time champion sire in the United States. A half sister to Maxim (by Planet), the third dam of 1898 Kentucky Oaks winner Crocket, Vera is out of Veritas, whose dam is the Yorkshire mare Verona. The female line reached the United States via Verona's dam Britannia, a daughter of Muley who was imported to Mississippi.
Fun facts
- Vera was the second of three Kentucky Oaks winners for her sire King Alfonso. The others were Katie Creel (1882) and Lizzie Dwyer (1885).
- Vera was the first of three Kentucky Oaks winners ridden by John Stoval, a prominent black jockey and the first jockey to ride as many as three Oaks winners. His other victories were on Katie Creel and Jewel Ban (1889). Banned from racing for alleged "unfair riding" in New Jersey in 1890, Stoval later supported himself as an exercise rider and was killed in 1900 when a horse he was working fell and rolled onto him.
- Vera was the third of six Kentucky Oaks winners produced from daughters of Lexington, the most successful broodmare sire in the history of the race. The others were Lucy May (1881), Katie Creel (1882), Lizzie Dwyer (1885), Pure Rye (1886) and Miss Hawkins (1891).
Last updated: July 2, 2022