Black Servant seemed destined to become Colonel Edward Riley Bradley's first Kentucky Derby winner after taking the lead in the stretch, but he was nipped on the wire by his stablemate Behave Yourself, a colt he had beaten handily in the Blue Grass Stakes. The stories vary as to exactly what happened: some say that Black Servant checked stride at a crucial moment because a spectator had thrown a hat across his path, and others claim that Charles Thompson on Behave Yourself disregarded orders to let Black Servant win if possible and caught Lawrence Lyke napping on Black Servant with a final all-out drive. Regardless, there was no question that Colonel Bradley would have preferred to see Black Servant win, not least because the colt was a son of his stallion Black Toney. Black Servant did not win another major stakes during his career but ran an excellent race against Horse of the Year Grey Lag in the Devonshire International before retiring to stud, where he was moderately successful. His greatest contribution to the Thoroughbred was his son Blue Larkspur, an excellent sire and broodmare sire.
Race record
22 starts, 7 wins, 7 seconds, 2 thirds, US$31,215
1920:
1921:
Assessments
Ranked fourth among American 3-year-old males of 1921 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A brown horse, Black Servant was a smoothly made, elegant animal with an excellent shoulder and a short back. He was retired as a 5-year-old due to a bowed tendon.
As a stallion
Black Servant sired 121 winners (72.0%) and 11 stakes winners (6.5%) from 168 named foals according to Jockey Club records.
Sire rankings
Per The Blood-Horse:
Notable progeny
Baba Kenny (USA), Barn Swallow (USA), Big Pebble (USA), Blue Larkspur (USA)
Connections
Black Servant was bred and owned by Colonel E. R. Bradley. He stood at Bradley's Idle Hour Stock Farm, where he died suddenly in his stall at the age of 25.
Pedigree notes
Black Servant is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to Beginner's Luck, dam of stakes winner Blind Bowboy (by Épinard) and second dam of stakes winner Wise Bob, and to Beauty Slave, dam of stakes winner Boy Angler (by Burgoo King) and second dam of stakes winner Barrister Bob. Black Servant is also a half brother to 1926 American Derby winner Boot to Boot (by North Star III) and multiple stakes winner Best Pal (by Helmet).
Black Servant's dam Padula is a half sister to Padilla (by Macheath), whose daughter Vaila (by Fariman) won a minor stakes in England before being imported to the United States by Colonel Bradley. For Bradley, Vaila produced 1919 American co-champion 2-year-old filly Miss Jemima (by Black Toney), who raced in the colors of Charles Rowe;1922 Pimlico Futurity winner Blossom Time (by North Star III); 1924 Latonia Oaks winner Befuddle (by Black Toney); 1925 Latonia Derby winner Broadway Jones (by Black Toney); and stakes-winning steeplechaser Beelzebub (by Black Servant). Miss Jemima in turn produced 1933 Arlington Futurity winner Far Star and minor stakes winner King's Heir (both by North Star III), while Blossom Time produced 1929 American Horse of the Year Blue Larkspur. Another daughter of Vaila, Bridal Colors (by Black Toney), produced 1937 Hopeful Stakes winner Relic (by War Relic), a good sire.
Padula and Vaila were produced from Padua (by Uncas or Thurio). A winner of six of 40 starts at distances ranging from 5 to 12 furlongs, Padua was tough and versatile but not very classy.
Books and media
Black Servant is profiled in Chapter 35 of Abram S. Hewitt's Sire Lines (1977, The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; updated and re-released in 2006 by Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photograph by Sutcliffe; commissioned for Colonel Bradley's private photo album. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: November 11, 2020
Race record
22 starts, 7 wins, 7 seconds, 2 thirds, US$31,215
1920:
- 3rd United States Hotel Stakes (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
1921:
- Won Blue Grass Stakes (USA, 9FD, Lexington)
- Won Proctor Knott Handicap (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Kentucky Derby (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Devonshire International (CAN, 9FD, Devonshire)
- 2nd Latonia Championship (USA, 14FD, Latonia)
Assessments
Ranked fourth among American 3-year-old males of 1921 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A brown horse, Black Servant was a smoothly made, elegant animal with an excellent shoulder and a short back. He was retired as a 5-year-old due to a bowed tendon.
As a stallion
Black Servant sired 121 winners (72.0%) and 11 stakes winners (6.5%) from 168 named foals according to Jockey Club records.
Sire rankings
Per The Blood-Horse:
- 6th on the American general sire list in 1929 and 1930; 8th in 1941.
Notable progeny
Baba Kenny (USA), Barn Swallow (USA), Big Pebble (USA), Blue Larkspur (USA)
Connections
Black Servant was bred and owned by Colonel E. R. Bradley. He stood at Bradley's Idle Hour Stock Farm, where he died suddenly in his stall at the age of 25.
Pedigree notes
Black Servant is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to Beginner's Luck, dam of stakes winner Blind Bowboy (by Épinard) and second dam of stakes winner Wise Bob, and to Beauty Slave, dam of stakes winner Boy Angler (by Burgoo King) and second dam of stakes winner Barrister Bob. Black Servant is also a half brother to 1926 American Derby winner Boot to Boot (by North Star III) and multiple stakes winner Best Pal (by Helmet).
Black Servant's dam Padula is a half sister to Padilla (by Macheath), whose daughter Vaila (by Fariman) won a minor stakes in England before being imported to the United States by Colonel Bradley. For Bradley, Vaila produced 1919 American co-champion 2-year-old filly Miss Jemima (by Black Toney), who raced in the colors of Charles Rowe;1922 Pimlico Futurity winner Blossom Time (by North Star III); 1924 Latonia Oaks winner Befuddle (by Black Toney); 1925 Latonia Derby winner Broadway Jones (by Black Toney); and stakes-winning steeplechaser Beelzebub (by Black Servant). Miss Jemima in turn produced 1933 Arlington Futurity winner Far Star and minor stakes winner King's Heir (both by North Star III), while Blossom Time produced 1929 American Horse of the Year Blue Larkspur. Another daughter of Vaila, Bridal Colors (by Black Toney), produced 1937 Hopeful Stakes winner Relic (by War Relic), a good sire.
Padula and Vaila were produced from Padua (by Uncas or Thurio). A winner of six of 40 starts at distances ranging from 5 to 12 furlongs, Padua was tough and versatile but not very classy.
Books and media
Black Servant is profiled in Chapter 35 of Abram S. Hewitt's Sire Lines (1977, The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; updated and re-released in 2006 by Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Like his sire Black Toney, Black Servant was named in honor of an African-American man known only as "Toney," who was Colonel Bradley's longtime butler and cook.
- While rumor said that Colonel Bradley lost up to US$250,000 in potential winnings from winter book bets because of Behave Yourself's victory over Black Servant, Bradley's longtime farm manager Olin Gentry steadfastly denied that Bradley had any bets riding on the outcome. Nonetheless, many of Bradley's friends and employees lost money on the Derby by betting on Black Servant rather than the entry.
Photo credit
Photograph by Sutcliffe; commissioned for Colonel Bradley's private photo album. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: November 11, 2020