The second winner of the Belmont Stakes, General Duke was a good juvenile and near the top of his division at 3 and 4 before injury began taking a toll. Unusually for a top racehorse, he had his name changed as a 5-year-old (then legal) while still an active racer and then stood at stud under his new name, “Judge Curtis.” He begot two winners of the Queen’s Plate and was the broodmare sire of two more but sired little else of note.
Race record
32 starts, 18 wins, US$17,915
1867:
1868:
1869:
1870:
1871:
Honors
According to some sources, General Duke is considered the American champion 3-year-old male of 1868.
As an individual
A powerfully made colt, General Duke was troubled by a quarter crack during the latter part of his 4-year-old season. He was not reliably sound at 5 and broke down in the final 100 yards of the 1871 Long Branch Stakes as a 6-year-old.
As a stallion
Under the name of “Judge Curtis,” General Duke stood in Canada and later in Illinois. Clio Hogan’s Index to Stakes Winners 1867-1967 Vol. II credits him with three stakes winners.
Notable progeny
Bonnie Bird (CAN), Bonnie Duke (CAN)
Notable progeny of daughters
Colonist (CAN), Kitestring (CAN)
Connections
Foaled at the famous Woodburn Stud in Kentucky, General Duke was bred by Robert A. Alexander. He was owned by McConnell and Harness, who purchased him sight unseen on the recommendation of Capt. T. G. Moore as part of a US$4,500 package deal with Bayonet and Vauxhall. It turned out to be one of the best such deals in history as Bayonet and Vauxhall also turned out to be high-class racehorses. McConnell and Harness turned down an offer of US$10,000 for General Duke following his Belmont Stakes win. The colt was trained by Mr. E. Thompson and later by Anthony Taylor. By the fall Jerome Park meeting of 1868, General Duke had become the property of John O'Donnell and was trained by Ward Thompson; he returned to Anthony Taylor's care at age 5. He was siring foals at least as late as 1885. According to the Daily Racing Form of April 9, 1922, he stood in Canada and later in Monmouth. Illinois, dying in the latter location in 1888.
Pedigree notes
General Duke is inbred 4x4 to 1823 Derby Stakes winner and two-time English champion sire Emilius, 4x5x5 to the top American racehorse and sire Sir Archy (a member of the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame), and 5x5x5 to Emilius’s sire Orville, who won the 1802 St. Leger Stakes and was a two-time English champion sire. He is a full brother to Chilicothe, winner of the 1871 Fordham Handicap at Jerome Park, and to Lilly Duke, dam of 1885 Kentucky Oaks winner Lizzie Dwyer and 1884 Jerome Handicap winner Water Lily (both by King Alfonso), second dam of 1904 California Oaks winner Cap and Gown and 1903 Aqueduct Handicap winner Wild Thyme, and third dam of 1902 Saratoga Handicap winner Francesco. Another full sister to General Duke, Lemonade, is the dam of 1878 Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes winner Saunterer and 1878 Hopeful Stakes winner Idler (both by Leamington) and is the second dam of 1902 California Oaks winner Muresca.
General Duke was produced from Lilla, whose sire Yorkshire was well known as a good sire of both runners and broodmares following his importation from England. She is a half sister to Vandalia (by Vandal), dam of the juvenile stakes winner Ceylon (by Asteroid), and to Zaidee (by Belshazzar), dam of 1874 Withers Stakes winner Dublin (by Kentucky). She was produced from Victoire, whose sire Margrave was considered the best colt of his crop in England and had influence as a broodmare sire in the United States.
Argentile, the dam of Victoire, was sired by Bertrand, a good racing son of Sir Archy who was the American champion sire of 1835. Produced from Allegrante (by the French import Young Truffle), she also produced Minnie Mansfield, dam of 1873 Ladies’ Stakes winner Katy (or Katie) Pease and the good racehorse Hubbard to covers by Planet.
Fun facts
Last updated: September 4, 2025
Race record
32 starts, 18 wins, US$17,915
1867:
- Won Cincinnati Stakes (USA, 8FD, Buckeye Club Course; his time of 1:45-1/2 was said to be a new American record for a juvenile)
- 3rd Saratoga Stakes (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
1868:
- Won Belmont Stakes (USA, 13FD, Jerome Park; new track record 3:02)
- Won Sequel Stakes (USA, 16FD, Saratoga)
- Won a 3-year-old sweepstakes (USA, 14FD, Jerome Park)
- Won Providence Stakes (USA, 12FD, Narragansett Park)
- Won a $1,000 purse (USA, 2-mile heats, Narragansett Park)
- 2nd in a 3-year-old sweepstakes (USA, 16FD, Jerome Park)
- 2nd Stewards' Cup (USA, 17FD, Jerome Park)
1869:
- Won Manhattan Handicap (USA, Jerome Park)
- Won a handicap sweepstakes (USA, 10FD, Jerome Park)
- Won Consolation Premium (USA, 10FD, Jerome Park)
- Won Park Handicap (USA, 16FD, Prospect Park)
- Won a handicap sweepstakes (USA, 10FD, Jerome Park)
- 2nd Fordham Stakes Handicap (USA, 10FD, Jerome Park)
- 2nd Consolation Premium (USA, 9FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Westchester Cup (USA, 18FD, Jerome Park)
1870:
- Won Americus Club Purse (USA, 1-mile heats, best of 5, Monmouth; set a new American record for best 3 consecutive 1-mile heats)
- Also set a new American record for a mile of 1:43-1/4 at Saratoga
1871:
- 2nd Long Branch Stakes (USA, 16FD, Monmouth)
Honors
According to some sources, General Duke is considered the American champion 3-year-old male of 1868.
As an individual
A powerfully made colt, General Duke was troubled by a quarter crack during the latter part of his 4-year-old season. He was not reliably sound at 5 and broke down in the final 100 yards of the 1871 Long Branch Stakes as a 6-year-old.
As a stallion
Under the name of “Judge Curtis,” General Duke stood in Canada and later in Illinois. Clio Hogan’s Index to Stakes Winners 1867-1967 Vol. II credits him with three stakes winners.
Notable progeny
Bonnie Bird (CAN), Bonnie Duke (CAN)
Notable progeny of daughters
Colonist (CAN), Kitestring (CAN)
Connections
Foaled at the famous Woodburn Stud in Kentucky, General Duke was bred by Robert A. Alexander. He was owned by McConnell and Harness, who purchased him sight unseen on the recommendation of Capt. T. G. Moore as part of a US$4,500 package deal with Bayonet and Vauxhall. It turned out to be one of the best such deals in history as Bayonet and Vauxhall also turned out to be high-class racehorses. McConnell and Harness turned down an offer of US$10,000 for General Duke following his Belmont Stakes win. The colt was trained by Mr. E. Thompson and later by Anthony Taylor. By the fall Jerome Park meeting of 1868, General Duke had become the property of John O'Donnell and was trained by Ward Thompson; he returned to Anthony Taylor's care at age 5. He was siring foals at least as late as 1885. According to the Daily Racing Form of April 9, 1922, he stood in Canada and later in Monmouth. Illinois, dying in the latter location in 1888.
Pedigree notes
General Duke is inbred 4x4 to 1823 Derby Stakes winner and two-time English champion sire Emilius, 4x5x5 to the top American racehorse and sire Sir Archy (a member of the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame), and 5x5x5 to Emilius’s sire Orville, who won the 1802 St. Leger Stakes and was a two-time English champion sire. He is a full brother to Chilicothe, winner of the 1871 Fordham Handicap at Jerome Park, and to Lilly Duke, dam of 1885 Kentucky Oaks winner Lizzie Dwyer and 1884 Jerome Handicap winner Water Lily (both by King Alfonso), second dam of 1904 California Oaks winner Cap and Gown and 1903 Aqueduct Handicap winner Wild Thyme, and third dam of 1902 Saratoga Handicap winner Francesco. Another full sister to General Duke, Lemonade, is the dam of 1878 Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes winner Saunterer and 1878 Hopeful Stakes winner Idler (both by Leamington) and is the second dam of 1902 California Oaks winner Muresca.
General Duke was produced from Lilla, whose sire Yorkshire was well known as a good sire of both runners and broodmares following his importation from England. She is a half sister to Vandalia (by Vandal), dam of the juvenile stakes winner Ceylon (by Asteroid), and to Zaidee (by Belshazzar), dam of 1874 Withers Stakes winner Dublin (by Kentucky). She was produced from Victoire, whose sire Margrave was considered the best colt of his crop in England and had influence as a broodmare sire in the United States.
Argentile, the dam of Victoire, was sired by Bertrand, a good racing son of Sir Archy who was the American champion sire of 1835. Produced from Allegrante (by the French import Young Truffle), she also produced Minnie Mansfield, dam of 1873 Ladies’ Stakes winner Katy (or Katie) Pease and the good racehorse Hubbard to covers by Planet.
Fun facts
- According to the New York Tribune of November 18, 1870, General Duke’s renaming as “Judge Curtis” was in honor of the Judge of the Marine Court.
Last updated: September 4, 2025