While the Kentucky Derby field of 1909 was still lacking in quality compared to the entries drawn in the race's early years, the improvements instituted by Churchill Downs management beginning in 1903 continued to pay off in terms of field size. The 1909 Derby drew 10 entrants, its largest field since 1886, and Wintergreen who had been specially prepared by his owner and trainer for the race, won easily. It was the colt's only major stakes victory, although he placed in several good events. He was gelded as a 5-year-old and ended up dying in a stable fire a few years later.
Race record
61 starts, 16 wins, 14 seconds, 8 thirds, US$12,820
1908:
1909:
1910:
1911:
As an individual
A blood bay, Wintergreen was held to have excellent conformation. He was said to be gentle and playful of disposition as well. He was an unenthusiastic worker in the mornings. A wrenched ankle suffered in his first post-Derby start may have negatively impacted the rest of his career.
Connections
Foaled at Woodlawn Farm near Cincinnati, Ohio, Wintergreen was bred and owned by Jerome. B. “Rome” Respess, a wealthy brewer who had also owned and raced the colt's sire. Wintergreen was trained to his Kentucky Derby win by Charles Mack and was later trained by Respess. After being gelded at 5, he was sold to H. S. Steward, who bought the horse from Respess in a private transaction around June 1912. By August 1912, Wintergreen had become the property of owner-trainer D. Fisk and was running mostly in selling races. His last known race was as a 7-year-old; he finished fifth. He was owned by Fisk when he was killed in a stable fire at Latonia in April 1914.
Pedigree notes
Wintergreen is inbred 4x5 to two-time English champion sire King Tom, 5x5 to 1851 St. Leger Stakes winner and four-time English champion sire Touchstone, and 5x5 to the great English matriarch Pocahontas. He was produced from Winter (by 1889 Brooklyn Handicap winner Exile), who was not a stakes winner but was nonetheless accounted a good runner.
Winter was produced from the Mr. Pickwick mare Wildflower, making her a half sister to 1897 Kentucky Oaks winner White Frost (by Iroquois; dam of Canadian stakes winner Fort Johnson, by Chuctanunda). Wildflower, in turn, was was produced from Woodflower (by The Ill-Used), a full sister to 1882 Belmont Stakes winner Forester; to Wood Violet, second dam of 1905 Travers Stakes winner Dandelion; and to Wood-Nymph, second dam of 1909 Great Eastern Handicap winner Livonia and third dam of 1915 American champion 3-year-old male The Finn. Woodflower is also a half sister to Woodvine (by Magnetizer), dam of stakes winners Woodsaw (by Octagon), Woolwich (by Hastings), Woodlane (by Octagon; dam of multiple juvenile stakes winner Harry Kelly, by Ultimus) and Woodtrap (by Trap Rock).
Woodbine (by Censor or Kentucky), the dam of Woodflower and her siblings, was a high-class race mare who won the 1872 Alabama Stakes and Monmouth Oaks among other good races. Produced from the imported Newminster mare Fleur des Champs, she is a half sister to Nellie James (by Dollar), dam of 1883 Preakness Stakes winner Jacobus (by The Ill-Used), 1889 St. Louis Oaks winner Queen of Trumps (by The Ill-Used) and 1893 Great Eastern Handicap winner Jack of Spades (by Magnetizer).
Fun facts
Last updated: January 8, 2020
Race record
61 starts, 16 wins, 14 seconds, 8 thirds, US$12,820
1908:
- 3rd Hurricane Stakes (USA, 5FD, Belmont)
- Also set new track record of 1:00-1/5 for 5FD at Latonia
1909:
- Won Kentucky Derby (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Saranac Handicap (USA, 8FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Saratoga Cup (USA, 14FD, Saratoga)
1910:
- 3rd Brewers' Exchange Stakes (USA, 6FD, Latonia)
1911:
- 3rd Merchants' Selling Stakes (USA, 8FD, Latonia)
As an individual
A blood bay, Wintergreen was held to have excellent conformation. He was said to be gentle and playful of disposition as well. He was an unenthusiastic worker in the mornings. A wrenched ankle suffered in his first post-Derby start may have negatively impacted the rest of his career.
Connections
Foaled at Woodlawn Farm near Cincinnati, Ohio, Wintergreen was bred and owned by Jerome. B. “Rome” Respess, a wealthy brewer who had also owned and raced the colt's sire. Wintergreen was trained to his Kentucky Derby win by Charles Mack and was later trained by Respess. After being gelded at 5, he was sold to H. S. Steward, who bought the horse from Respess in a private transaction around June 1912. By August 1912, Wintergreen had become the property of owner-trainer D. Fisk and was running mostly in selling races. His last known race was as a 7-year-old; he finished fifth. He was owned by Fisk when he was killed in a stable fire at Latonia in April 1914.
Pedigree notes
Wintergreen is inbred 4x5 to two-time English champion sire King Tom, 5x5 to 1851 St. Leger Stakes winner and four-time English champion sire Touchstone, and 5x5 to the great English matriarch Pocahontas. He was produced from Winter (by 1889 Brooklyn Handicap winner Exile), who was not a stakes winner but was nonetheless accounted a good runner.
Winter was produced from the Mr. Pickwick mare Wildflower, making her a half sister to 1897 Kentucky Oaks winner White Frost (by Iroquois; dam of Canadian stakes winner Fort Johnson, by Chuctanunda). Wildflower, in turn, was was produced from Woodflower (by The Ill-Used), a full sister to 1882 Belmont Stakes winner Forester; to Wood Violet, second dam of 1905 Travers Stakes winner Dandelion; and to Wood-Nymph, second dam of 1909 Great Eastern Handicap winner Livonia and third dam of 1915 American champion 3-year-old male The Finn. Woodflower is also a half sister to Woodvine (by Magnetizer), dam of stakes winners Woodsaw (by Octagon), Woolwich (by Hastings), Woodlane (by Octagon; dam of multiple juvenile stakes winner Harry Kelly, by Ultimus) and Woodtrap (by Trap Rock).
Woodbine (by Censor or Kentucky), the dam of Woodflower and her siblings, was a high-class race mare who won the 1872 Alabama Stakes and Monmouth Oaks among other good races. Produced from the imported Newminster mare Fleur des Champs, she is a half sister to Nellie James (by Dollar), dam of 1883 Preakness Stakes winner Jacobus (by The Ill-Used), 1889 St. Louis Oaks winner Queen of Trumps (by The Ill-Used) and 1893 Great Eastern Handicap winner Jack of Spades (by Magnetizer).
Fun facts
- Wintergreen was the first horse bred in Ohio to win the Kentucky Derby.
- Wintergreen's owner, Rome Respess, reportedly thought so much of his colt from birth that within a few weeks of Wintergreen's foaling, he was showing the colt to friends as “the winner of the Kentucky Derby in 1909.” Nonetheless, he set a price of US$3,000 on the colt when contacted by W. B. Sink, Jr., regarding a possible sale. Sink declined to meet the price and Wintergreen remained in Respess' possession.
- “Wintergreen” is the common name for a group of shrubs from the genus Gaultheria. The best-known is the American wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens), which yields a mintlike flavoring commonly used in chewing gum, candies, smokeless tobacco, and dental hygiene products.
Last updated: January 8, 2020