Alan-a-Dale was a fast colt but also a bad-legged one. He owed his Kentucky Derby victory to a skilled ride by Jimmy Winkfield, who noted where the going was easiest and kept his mount there while riding his opponents out into deeper footing. Alan-a-Dale just lasted to the line and did not start again at 3. He was a good winner again at 4 and raced two years after that with limited success. His stud career was generally undistinguished.
Race record
37 starts, 17 wins, 7 seconds, 1 third, US$25,195
1901:
1902:
1903:
1904:
1905:
As an individual
A handsome chestnut horse of great presence, Alan-a-Dale was light-boned and heavy-topped with suspect knees. A tendon injury suffered during the running of the Kentucky Derby kept him away from the races for the rest of 1902. He had a high turn of speed and was completely game in competition but by the end of his racing career was disinclined to train.
As a stallion
Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967 credits Alan-a-Dale with three stakes winners, including 1908 Kentucky Oaks winner Ellen-a-Dale. In his later years, Alan-a-Dale was used to sire hunters and jumpers.
Noted progeny
Ellen-a-Dale (USA)
Connections
Alan-a-Dale was bred, owned, and trained by Major Thomas C. McDowell, who reportedly refused an offer of US$25,000 for the colt when Alan-a-Dale was still a juvenile. After breaking down as a 3-year-old, Alan-a-Dale stood in the spring of 1903, 1904 and 1905 before returning to the track each year, retiring for good after the 1905 season.
Pedigree notes
Alan-a-Dale is inbred 4x3 to four-time American champion sire Leamington and 5x5x4 to 16-time American champion sire Lexington. He is a half brother to stakes winner Batten (by Hayden Edwards or Candlemas) and to Lady McNairy (by Duke of Magenta), dam of 1899 Carter Handicap winner Duke of Middleburg.
Sudie McNairy, the dam of Alan-a-Dale, was produced from the Jeff Davis mare Nannie McNairy, whose dam Elizabeth McNairy was sired by the English import Ambassador. The female line traces back to an unnamed daughter of Tayloe's Bellair II and cannot be linked to any of the Bruce Lowe female families.
Fun facts
Last updated: May 25, 2024
Race record
37 starts, 17 wins, 7 seconds, 1 third, US$25,195
1901:
- Won Brighton Junior Stakes (USA, 6FD, Brighton Beach)
- Also set a new track record of 1:00-1/5 for 5 furlongs at Washington Park
1902:
- Won Kentucky Derby (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
1903:
- 2nd Oakwood Handicap (USA, 9FD, Washingon Park)
- Also set a new world's record of 1:37-3/5 for a mile over an oval track at Washington Park
1904:
- 2nd Fall Handicap (USA, 6FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- 2nd Ocean Handicap (USA, 8FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- 3rd Flight Stakes (USA, 7FD, Sheepshead Bay)
1905:
- Equaled track record of 1:26 for 7 furlongs at Churchill Downs
As an individual
A handsome chestnut horse of great presence, Alan-a-Dale was light-boned and heavy-topped with suspect knees. A tendon injury suffered during the running of the Kentucky Derby kept him away from the races for the rest of 1902. He had a high turn of speed and was completely game in competition but by the end of his racing career was disinclined to train.
As a stallion
Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967 credits Alan-a-Dale with three stakes winners, including 1908 Kentucky Oaks winner Ellen-a-Dale. In his later years, Alan-a-Dale was used to sire hunters and jumpers.
Noted progeny
Ellen-a-Dale (USA)
Connections
Alan-a-Dale was bred, owned, and trained by Major Thomas C. McDowell, who reportedly refused an offer of US$25,000 for the colt when Alan-a-Dale was still a juvenile. After breaking down as a 3-year-old, Alan-a-Dale stood in the spring of 1903, 1904 and 1905 before returning to the track each year, retiring for good after the 1905 season.
Pedigree notes
Alan-a-Dale is inbred 4x3 to four-time American champion sire Leamington and 5x5x4 to 16-time American champion sire Lexington. He is a half brother to stakes winner Batten (by Hayden Edwards or Candlemas) and to Lady McNairy (by Duke of Magenta), dam of 1899 Carter Handicap winner Duke of Middleburg.
Sudie McNairy, the dam of Alan-a-Dale, was produced from the Jeff Davis mare Nannie McNairy, whose dam Elizabeth McNairy was sired by the English import Ambassador. The female line traces back to an unnamed daughter of Tayloe's Bellair II and cannot be linked to any of the Bruce Lowe female families.
Fun facts
- Alan-a-Dale was named for the minstrel who was part of Robin Hood's legendary band of outlaws.
- Alan-a-Dale was the first Kentucky Derby winner to be sired by another Kentucky Derby winner.
- The Kentucky Derby was Alan-a-Dale's only start at 3.
- Thanks to Alan-a-Dale's victory, Major Thomas Clay McDowell became the first man to breed, own, and train a Kentucky Derby winner. His feat was not duplicated until 1913, when Donerail—bred, owned, and trained by Thomas P. Hayes—won.
- Alan-a-Dale's soundness was so uncertain that McDowell did much of the colt's training with the animal pulling a buggy rather than carrying a rider; this was done to reduce the strain on Alan-a-Dale's fragile legs.
- Alan-a-Dale's victory made Jimmy Winkfield the second man to ride back-to-back Kentucky Derby winners, as he had ridden His Eminence the year before. The first man to accomplish the feat was Isaac Murphy, who won back-to-back runnings on Riley (1890) and Kingman (1891).
- Jimmy Winkfield later admitted to using a bit of trickery to get the Derby mount on Alan-a-Dale. Because he knew that McDowell's contract jockey, Nash Turner, would have the first pick between McDowell's colts Alan-a-Dale and The Rival, Winkfield deliberately held Alan-a-Dale in during speed drills while giving The Rival his head. Fooled by The Rival's seemingly more impressive workouts, Turner picked him, leaving Alan-a-Dale as Winkfield's Derby mount.
- Jimmy Winkfield was the last African-American jockey to ride a Kentucky Derby winner, in no small part due to what amounted to boycotts of African-American riders at Churchill Downs (the phenomenon was also observed at other tracks). Prior to Winkfield's two wins, African-American riders had won half of the Kentucky Derby runnings of 1875-1900.
- Alan-a-Dale placed second to Adam in a class for active Thoroughbred stallions at the 1908 Bluegrass Fair in Lexington.
Last updated: May 25, 2024