Probably the best of the 19th-century Kentucky Derby winners, Hindoo was an excellent horse by anyone's standards and was reckoned the champion or co-champion of his crop every year he raced. He might have compiled a still better record had he not been purchased by the notoriously hard-racing Dwyer Brothers at the end of his 2-year-old season, as he was able to make only six starts as a 4-year-old after a brutal 20-race schedule at 3. He was a successful sire as well and for a time gave hopes (alas, to be disappointed) that the male line of eight-time American champion sire Glencoe could be maintained.
Race record
35 starts, 30 wins, 3 seconds, 2 thirds, USA$71,875
1880:
1881:
1882:
Honors
As an individual
A bay horse standing 16 hands, Hindoo was long-backed, leggy and lightly made, though with a deep girth and a powerful shoulder; if contemporary photographs are accurate, he was also upright in front and somewhat over at the knee. He was blessed with a kindly disposition that did not keep him from being a lion-hearted competitor. Hindoo was retired after damaging a tendon sheath in his last race, the 1882 Coney Island Cup.
As a stallion
Hindoo reached his peak in the sire standings when second to Glenelg on the American general sire list in 1887. Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967 credits Hindoo with 15 stakes winners.
Notable progeny
Buddhist (USA), Hanover (USA), Hindoocraft (USA), Merry Monarch (USA), Sallie McClelland (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Audience (USA), Blue Girl (USA), Blues (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Hindoo was bred by Daniel Swigert, who reportedly turned down an offer of US$20,000 from L. W. Jerome for Hindoo just before the colt's first start. Hindoo was later purchased by the Dwyer Brothers for US$15,000 in the fall of 1880. He was trained by Lee Paul and Ed Brown at 2 and by James Rowe, Sr., at 3 and 4. Following his racing career, Hindoo was sold to Colonel Ezekiel Clay and Colonel Catesby Woodford in exchange for the 2-year-old filly Miss Woodford (who turned out to be a remarkable racer in her own right) and US$7,000. Hindoo stood at Clay and Woodford's Runnymede Stud until his death from colic in 1901. He was buried near the graves of Billet and Leonatus.
Pedigree notes
Hindoo is inbred 5x5 to 1823 Derby Stakes winner and two-time English champion sire Emilius. He is a full brother to Florida, whose daughter Firenze (also spelled Firenzi) was a four-time American champion and a member of the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame before becoming the third dam of 1920 Kentucky Derby winner Paul Jones. Florida is also the dam of Fleurette (by Glenelg), dam of stakes winners Silver II (by Salvator) and Fleur de Lis (by Maxim), second dam of 1917 Suburban Handicap winner Boots and 1923 Carter Handicap winner Little Celt, and third dam of 1936 Hopeful Stakes winner Maedic.
Returning to Hindoo, he is also a half brother to Lilly R. (by Glenelg), dam of 1889 Futurity Stakes winner Chaos and 1894 Jerome Handicap winner Rubicon (both by Rayon d'Or) and second dam of 1899 Kentucky Oaks winner Rush and multiple stakes winner Grenade. In addition, Hindoo is a half brother to Floss (by Mortemer), second dam of 1903 Carter Handicap winner Ahumada and of Race King, who dead-heated with Sysonby for the 1905 Metropolitan Handicap.
Florence, the dam of Hindoo, is a half sister to 1880 Kentucky Derby winner Fonso (by King Alfonso) and to juvenile stakes winner Weathercock (by Australian). She is out of the English import Weatherwitch II (by Weatherbit), whose dam is an unnamed daughter of Birdcatcher.
Books and media
Hindoo is one of 51 Thoroughbred stallions profiled in Joe Palmer's Names in Pedigrees (1974, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, second printing).
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the estate of Walter Vosburgh. Provided by the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: June 29, 2021
Race record
35 starts, 30 wins, 3 seconds, 2 thirds, USA$71,875
1880:
- Won Colt and Filly Stakes (USA, 6FD, Lexington)
- Won Alexander Stakes (USA, 4FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Tennessee Stakes (USA, 6FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Juvenile Stakes (USA, 6FD, St. Louis)
- Won Jockey Club Stakes (USA, 8FD, St. Louis)
- Won Criterion Stakes (USA, 6FD, Chicago)
- Won Tremont Hotel Stakes (USA, 8FD, Chicago)
- 2nd Day Boat Line Stakes (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Windsor Hotel Stakes (USA, 5FD, Saratoga)
1881:
- Won Kentucky Derby (USA, 12FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won New Jersey St. Leger Stakes (USA, 14FD, Monmouth)
- Won Blue Ribbon Stakes (USA, 12FD, Lexington)
- Won Clark Stakes (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Tidal Stakes (USA, 8FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- Won Coney Island Derby (USA, 12FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- Won Ocean Stakes (USA, 9FD, Monmouth)
- Won Lorillard Stakes (USA, 12FD, Monmouth)
- Won Monmouth Sweepstakes (USA, 10FD, Monmouth; a walkover)
- Won Travers Stakes (USA, 14FD, Saratoga)
- Won Sequel Stakes (USA, 14FD, Saratoga)
- Won United States Hotel Stakes (USA, 12FD, Saratoga)
- Won Kenner Stakes (USA, 16FD, Saratoga)
- Won Champion Stakes (USA, 12FD, Monmouth)
- 3rd September Stakes (USA, 14FD, Sheepshead Bay)
1882:
- Won Louisville Cup (USA, 18FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Merchants' Stakes (USA, 9FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Turf Handicap (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Coney Island Handicap (USA, 9FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- Won Coney Island Cup (USA, 18FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- 2nd Dixiana Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
Honors
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in the inaugural class of 1955)
- American co-champion 2-year-old male (1880)
- American champion 3-year-old male (1881)
- American champion older male (1882)
As an individual
A bay horse standing 16 hands, Hindoo was long-backed, leggy and lightly made, though with a deep girth and a powerful shoulder; if contemporary photographs are accurate, he was also upright in front and somewhat over at the knee. He was blessed with a kindly disposition that did not keep him from being a lion-hearted competitor. Hindoo was retired after damaging a tendon sheath in his last race, the 1882 Coney Island Cup.
As a stallion
Hindoo reached his peak in the sire standings when second to Glenelg on the American general sire list in 1887. Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967 credits Hindoo with 15 stakes winners.
Notable progeny
Buddhist (USA), Hanover (USA), Hindoocraft (USA), Merry Monarch (USA), Sallie McClelland (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Audience (USA), Blue Girl (USA), Blues (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Hindoo was bred by Daniel Swigert, who reportedly turned down an offer of US$20,000 from L. W. Jerome for Hindoo just before the colt's first start. Hindoo was later purchased by the Dwyer Brothers for US$15,000 in the fall of 1880. He was trained by Lee Paul and Ed Brown at 2 and by James Rowe, Sr., at 3 and 4. Following his racing career, Hindoo was sold to Colonel Ezekiel Clay and Colonel Catesby Woodford in exchange for the 2-year-old filly Miss Woodford (who turned out to be a remarkable racer in her own right) and US$7,000. Hindoo stood at Clay and Woodford's Runnymede Stud until his death from colic in 1901. He was buried near the graves of Billet and Leonatus.
Pedigree notes
Hindoo is inbred 5x5 to 1823 Derby Stakes winner and two-time English champion sire Emilius. He is a full brother to Florida, whose daughter Firenze (also spelled Firenzi) was a four-time American champion and a member of the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame before becoming the third dam of 1920 Kentucky Derby winner Paul Jones. Florida is also the dam of Fleurette (by Glenelg), dam of stakes winners Silver II (by Salvator) and Fleur de Lis (by Maxim), second dam of 1917 Suburban Handicap winner Boots and 1923 Carter Handicap winner Little Celt, and third dam of 1936 Hopeful Stakes winner Maedic.
Returning to Hindoo, he is also a half brother to Lilly R. (by Glenelg), dam of 1889 Futurity Stakes winner Chaos and 1894 Jerome Handicap winner Rubicon (both by Rayon d'Or) and second dam of 1899 Kentucky Oaks winner Rush and multiple stakes winner Grenade. In addition, Hindoo is a half brother to Floss (by Mortemer), second dam of 1903 Carter Handicap winner Ahumada and of Race King, who dead-heated with Sysonby for the 1905 Metropolitan Handicap.
Florence, the dam of Hindoo, is a half sister to 1880 Kentucky Derby winner Fonso (by King Alfonso) and to juvenile stakes winner Weathercock (by Australian). She is out of the English import Weatherwitch II (by Weatherbit), whose dam is an unnamed daughter of Birdcatcher.
Books and media
Hindoo is one of 51 Thoroughbred stallions profiled in Joe Palmer's Names in Pedigrees (1974, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, second printing).
Fun facts
- Hindoo was the second of three Kentucky Derby winners sired by Virgil. The others were Vagrant (1876) and Ben Ali (1886). No stallion has sired more than three Kentucky Derby winners.
- Hindoo was the third of four maternal grandsons of Lexington to win the Kentucky Derby. The most successful broodmare sire in the history of the race, Lexington was also represented by Aristides (1875), Day Star (1878) and Ben Ali (1886).
- Between May 12, 1881, and September 1, 1881, Hindoo won eighteen consecutive races before finally going off form and losing his last two starts of the year. (While some references state that Hindoo's winning streak reached 19, contemporary newspaper accounts of his final two losses give the streak as 18.)
- Hindoo had an indirect influence on the decline of "Cup" (staying) races in North America thanks to his career-ending breakdown in the 18-furlong Coney Island Cup of 1882. Blaming the distance for his injury, the Dwyer Brothers refused to enter any more of their horses in long-distance events, As they had one of the largest and most powerful stables in the East, their decision made it much harder to get full fields for the great long-distance races of the time, hastening decisions to either shorten them or discontinue them.
- Hindoo's Kentucky Derby win made trainer James Rowe. Sr., the youngest trainer to win the race (he was 27). Rowe later added a second victory with Regret in 1915.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the estate of Walter Vosburgh. Provided by the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: June 29, 2021