Apollo (USA)
1879 – November 1887
Ashstead (GB) or Lever (USA) x Rebecca T. Price (USA), by The Colonel (USA)
American Family 15
1879 – November 1887
Ashstead (GB) or Lever (USA) x Rebecca T. Price (USA), by The Colonel (USA)
American Family 15
Unraced at two, Apollo made up for lost time by running down heavily favored Runnymede to win the Kentucky Derby; he won five other stakes races at 3. A gelding, he raced on at 4 and 5, but a brutal 30-race schedule at 4 apparently took its toll, as he made but four starts at 5 before disappearing from the racing scene.
Race record
55 starts, 24 wins, 15 seconds, 9 thirds, US$21,680
1882:
1883:
As an individual
A gelding, Apollo was described as “a large, handsome light-chestnut colt of impressive appearance and good motion” in the wake of his Kentucky Derby victory. According to The Kentucky Livestock Record, he stood 15 hands and one half-inch at the time of his Derby win and had a deep chest, long quarters and hips, and clean legs; his neck was set rather high on his shoulders. He did not race at 2 due to injury. He was consistent and hard-trying but was not a top-flight runner and needed some distance to show his best.
Connections
Foaled in Fayette County, Kentucky, Apollo was bred by Daniel Swigert, who had also bred the previous year's winner, Hindoo. Swigert sold Apollo to Green B. Morris and James D. Patton for a sum variously reported as US$800 or US$1200. Apollo was trained by Morris. Following his racing career, he was given to a friend of Morris' wife and was used as a saddle horse. He died of tetanus in 1887.
Pedigree notes
Apollo is inbred 5x5 to the important early American sire Sir Archy and 5x5 to 1829 English champion sire Blacklock. If Lever (a son of Lexington) is accepted as his actual sire, he is a full brother to 1878 Louisville Cup winner Mahlstick and to Japonica, dam of multiple stakes producer Lucasta (by Hayden Edwards).
Apollo's dam Rebecca T. Price was produced from an unnamed daughter of Margrave and the Sir Charles mare Rosalie Somers. The female line traces back to the mare Miss Bell (possibly by Starling), who was imported into Virginia in the early 1750s.
Fun facts
Last updated: April 20, 2020
Race record
55 starts, 24 wins, 15 seconds, 9 thirds, US$21,680
1882:
- Won Kentucky Derby (USA, 12FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Cottrill Stakes (USA, 12FD, New Orleans)
- Won Coal Stakes (USA, 12FD, Pittsburgh)
- Won St. Leger Stakes (USA, 16FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Drummers Stakes (USA, 12FD, Little Rock)
- Won Montgomery Stakes (USA, 12FD, Memphis)
- 2nd Kenner Stakes (USA, 16FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd United States Stakes (USA, 12FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Glass Stakes (USA, 8FD, Pittsburgh)
- 2nd Pickwick Stakes (USA, 10FD, New Orleans)
- 3rd Clark Stakes (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
1883:
- Won Merchants' Stakes (USA, 10FD, Chicago)
- 2nd Cotton Stakes (USA, 10FD, Memphis)
- 2nd Howard Cup (USA, 18FD, New Orleans)
- 3rd Excelsior Stakes (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Tennessee Club Post Stakes (USA, 12FD, Memphis)
As an individual
A gelding, Apollo was described as “a large, handsome light-chestnut colt of impressive appearance and good motion” in the wake of his Kentucky Derby victory. According to The Kentucky Livestock Record, he stood 15 hands and one half-inch at the time of his Derby win and had a deep chest, long quarters and hips, and clean legs; his neck was set rather high on his shoulders. He did not race at 2 due to injury. He was consistent and hard-trying but was not a top-flight runner and needed some distance to show his best.
Connections
Foaled in Fayette County, Kentucky, Apollo was bred by Daniel Swigert, who had also bred the previous year's winner, Hindoo. Swigert sold Apollo to Green B. Morris and James D. Patton for a sum variously reported as US$800 or US$1200. Apollo was trained by Morris. Following his racing career, he was given to a friend of Morris' wife and was used as a saddle horse. He died of tetanus in 1887.
Pedigree notes
Apollo is inbred 5x5 to the important early American sire Sir Archy and 5x5 to 1829 English champion sire Blacklock. If Lever (a son of Lexington) is accepted as his actual sire, he is a full brother to 1878 Louisville Cup winner Mahlstick and to Japonica, dam of multiple stakes producer Lucasta (by Hayden Edwards).
Apollo's dam Rebecca T. Price was produced from an unnamed daughter of Margrave and the Sir Charles mare Rosalie Somers. The female line traces back to the mare Miss Bell (possibly by Starling), who was imported into Virginia in the early 1750s.
Fun facts
- In Greek and Roman mythology, Apollo was the god of the sun, archery, prophecy, medicine, poetry, and music. The son of Zeus and the Titaness Leto, he was the twin brother of the moon goddess Artemis. He is traditionally portrayed as a beardless, athletic youth.
- The 1882 Kentucky Derby drew 64 nominations, the largest number named to the race up to that time.
- As a condition of running their colt Runnymede in the Kentucky Derby, the Dwyer Brothers demanded to be allowed to bring bookmakers from the East, as they did not like betting through either the auction pools that were then the typical method of betting in Kentucky or through the pari-mutuels. They got their way, and Runnymede went off as a heavy favorite, only to lose to Apollo in the final strides.
- The 1882 Kentucky Derby was the first to be tainted with a suspicion of foul play, as wealthy Pittsburgh horseman Captain S. S. Brown alleged following the race that bookmakers (many of whom stood to be ruined if Runnymede had won) had arranged for Runnymede to lose. While there is no known hard evidence of such a collusion, Runnymede did encounter repeated traffic trouble during the Derby and Green Morris reportedly made some US$10,000 by betting on the race. Those supporting the allegation could also point to the Clark Stakes, which was run six days after the Derby and in which Runnymede easily defeated Apollo (though in fairness, the shorter distance of the Clark probably favored Runnymede).
- Less than a month before the Kentucky Derby, Apollo ran in a selling race for a purse of US$300 at New Orleans. Not only did he fail to win (he finished second), but he also failed to change hands at an asking price of US$900.
- Apollo's Kentucky Derby was the slowest up to that time with the 12 furlongs going in 2:40-1/4.
- After Apollo, no horse managed to win the Kentucky Derby without having made at least one start at 2 until 2018. That year, Justify not only broke the so-called “curse of Apollo” but went on to win the American Triple Crown.
Last updated: April 20, 2020