Kelso (USA)
April 4, 1957 – October 16, 1983
Your Host (USA) x Maid of Flight (USA), by Count Fleet (USA)
Family 20
April 4, 1957 – October 16, 1983
Your Host (USA) x Maid of Flight (USA), by Count Fleet (USA)
Family 20
No American racer of the 20th century can touch Kelso for sustained excellence. The only horse to win five American Horse of the Year titles, he also won four consecutive championships in the handicap division. He was dangerous at any distance but was especially effective as a stayer, winning the 2-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup in 1960-1964. As the years passed, wear and tear began to take their toll, but not before Kelso finally conquered the race that had eluded him in three previous tries: the Washington, D.C., International, which he won in American record time of 2:23-4/5 to seal his fifth and final championship season.
Race record
63 starts, 39 wins, 12 seconds, 2 thirds, US$1,977,896
1960:
1961:
1962:
1963:
1964:
1965:
Honors
Assessments
Kelso was rated #4 among the top 100 American racehorses of the 20th century by a panel of experts assembled by The Blood-Horse (Thoroughbred Champions, Eclipse Press, 7th printing, 2005).
Highweighted at 128 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1960, 2 pounds above second-rated Bally Ache.
Highweighted at 134 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1961, 8 pounds above second-rated T. V. Lark.
Highweighted at 131 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1962, 3 pounds above second-rated Carry Back.
Highweighted at 136 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1963, 6 pounds above second-rated Beau Purple.
Co-highweighted with Gun Bow at 136 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1964.
Co-highweighted with Horse of the Year Roman Brother and Gun Bow at 132 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1965.
As an individual
A plain but well-balanced individual with the long, flat musculature of a stayer, Kelso was a dark bay or brown gelding standing a shade over 16 hands. His low, smooth action was driven by strong muscling over the loins, wide hips, and exceptional length from hip to hock. His most attractive feature was his head, which Charles Hatton of the Daily Racing Form repeatedly described as "Arabian-like." He had thin-walled, tender feet and a chronic stifle injury, problems that usually precluded his racing on deep or yielding surfaces and required care with his shoeing. He also had sensitive digestion and suffered from repeated episodes of colic during his racing career. Kelso was gelded as an unraced 2-year-old due to a cantankerous disposition and a scrawny, unpromising appearance. He remained strong-willed, but this translated to a fierce determination to win on the track. Kelso was finally retired at age 9 after suffering a hairline fracture to a sesamoid.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Kelso was bred and owned by Allaire duPont, who conducted her racing and breeding operations under the name of Bohemia Stable. He was trained by Dr. John Lee as a juvenile and by Carl Hanford for the remainder of his career.
Pedigree notes
Kelso is inbred 5x5 to Rock Sand. He is a half brother to Maid of Fashion (by Mongo), dam of Grade II winner King's Fashion (by King's Bishop). He is also a half brother to multiple stakes producer Royal Delight (by Bold Ruler). Kelso's dam Maid of Flight, the 1964 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, is a stakes-placed half sister to stakes winners Mrs. Fuddy (by Challedon), Six Fifteen (by Bernborough), and Scotch (by Bimelech). The second dam of Kelso, Maidoduntreath, is an unraced daughter of Man o' War out of the Victorian mare Mid Victorian.
Books and media
Fun facts
Last updated: August 12, 2023
Race record
63 starts, 39 wins, 12 seconds, 2 thirds, US$1,977,896
1960:
- Won Hawthorne Gold Cup (USA, 10FD, Hawthorne)
- Won Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA, 16FD, Aqueduct; new American record 3:19-4/5)
- Won Lawrence Realization (USA, 13FD, Belmont; equaled track record 2:40-4/5)
- Won Choice Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Monmouth)
- Won Jerome Handicap (USA, 8FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Discovery Handicap (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct; new track record 1:48-2/5)
1961:
- Won Brooklyn Handicap (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA, 16FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Suburban Handicap (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Metropolitan Handicap (USA, 8FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Woodward Stakes (USA, 10FD, Belmont; equaled track record 2:00)
- Won Whitney Stakes (USA, 9FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Washington, D. C., International (USA, 12FT, Laurel)
1962:
- Won Woodward Stakes (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA, 16FD, Belmont; new track record 3:19-4/5)
- Won Governor's Plate Stakes (USA, 12FD, Garden State; new track record 2:30-1/5)
- Won Stymie Handicap (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Washington, D.C., International (USA, 12FT, Laurel)
- 2nd Man o' War Stakes (USA, 12FT, Belmont)
- 2nd Monmouth Handicap (USA, 10FD, Monmouth)
- 2nd Suburban Handicap (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
1963:
- Won Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA, 16FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Suburban Handicap (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- Won John B. Campbell Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Bowie)
- Won Gulfstream Park Handicap (USA, 10FD, Gulfstream Park)
- Won Aqueduct Stakes (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Woodward Stakes (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Seminole Handicap (USA, 9FD, Hialeah)
- Won Whitney Stakes (USA, 9FD, Saratoga)
- Won Nassau County Stakes (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Washington, D.C., International (USA, about 12FT, Laurel)
- 2nd Widener Handicap (USA, 10FD, Hialeah)
1964:
- Won Washington, D.C., International (USA, 12FT, Laurel; new American record 2:23-4/5)
- Won Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA, 16FD, Aqueduct; new American record 3:19-1/5)
- Won Aqueduct Stakes (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Woodward Stakes (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Monmouth Handicap (USA, 10FD, Monmouth)
- 2nd Suburban Handicap (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- Equaled course record of 1:46-3/5 for 9FT at Saratoga in an allowance race
1965:
- Won Whitney Stakes (USA, 9FD, Saratoga)
- Won Stymie Handicap (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Diamond State Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Delaware)
- 3rd Brooklyn Handicap (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
Honors
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1967)
- Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1977)
- Saratoga Hoofprints Walk of Fame (inducted as part of the inaugural class in 2013)
- Monmouth Park Hall of Champions
- American Horse of the Year (1960-1964)
- American champion 3-year-old male (1960)
- American champion handicap male (1961-1964)
Assessments
Kelso was rated #4 among the top 100 American racehorses of the 20th century by a panel of experts assembled by The Blood-Horse (Thoroughbred Champions, Eclipse Press, 7th printing, 2005).
Highweighted at 128 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1960, 2 pounds above second-rated Bally Ache.
Highweighted at 134 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1961, 8 pounds above second-rated T. V. Lark.
Highweighted at 131 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1962, 3 pounds above second-rated Carry Back.
Highweighted at 136 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1963, 6 pounds above second-rated Beau Purple.
Co-highweighted with Gun Bow at 136 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1964.
Co-highweighted with Horse of the Year Roman Brother and Gun Bow at 132 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1965.
As an individual
A plain but well-balanced individual with the long, flat musculature of a stayer, Kelso was a dark bay or brown gelding standing a shade over 16 hands. His low, smooth action was driven by strong muscling over the loins, wide hips, and exceptional length from hip to hock. His most attractive feature was his head, which Charles Hatton of the Daily Racing Form repeatedly described as "Arabian-like." He had thin-walled, tender feet and a chronic stifle injury, problems that usually precluded his racing on deep or yielding surfaces and required care with his shoeing. He also had sensitive digestion and suffered from repeated episodes of colic during his racing career. Kelso was gelded as an unraced 2-year-old due to a cantankerous disposition and a scrawny, unpromising appearance. He remained strong-willed, but this translated to a fierce determination to win on the track. Kelso was finally retired at age 9 after suffering a hairline fracture to a sesamoid.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Kelso was bred and owned by Allaire duPont, who conducted her racing and breeding operations under the name of Bohemia Stable. He was trained by Dr. John Lee as a juvenile and by Carl Hanford for the remainder of his career.
Pedigree notes
Kelso is inbred 5x5 to Rock Sand. He is a half brother to Maid of Fashion (by Mongo), dam of Grade II winner King's Fashion (by King's Bishop). He is also a half brother to multiple stakes producer Royal Delight (by Bold Ruler). Kelso's dam Maid of Flight, the 1964 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, is a stakes-placed half sister to stakes winners Mrs. Fuddy (by Challedon), Six Fifteen (by Bernborough), and Scotch (by Bimelech). The second dam of Kelso, Maidoduntreath, is an unraced daughter of Man o' War out of the Victorian mare Mid Victorian.
Books and media
- Allaire duPont privately printed a 95-page book titled Kelso in 1965. Composed primarily of news articles, pictures and charts related to Kelso's career, the book was sold to benefit the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine and the Grayson Foundation.
- Pat Johnson and Walter D. Osborne wrote the book A Horse Named Kelso, which was released by Funk and Wagnalls in 1970. The book featured a foreword written by Mrs. Richard C. duPont and illustrations by noted equine artist Richard Stone Reeves.
- Kelso was released in 2003 as the 21st book in the Thoroughbred Legends series from Eclipse Press. It was written by Steve Haskin.
- Kelso: The Horse of Gold was written by Linda Kennedy and was released by Westholme Publishing LLC in 2007.
- “Chocolate Sundaes and Old Shoes” is a chapter on Kelso in the book The Sound of Horses: The World of Horse Racing from Eclipse to Kelso. Written by David Alexander, The Sound of Horses was published by the Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc., in 1966.
- Kelso's rivalry with Gun Bow was featured as the 11th chapter of Horse Racing's Greatest Rivalries (2008, Eclipse Press), a compilation produced by the staff of The Blood-Horse.
- Kelso is one of 50 Thoroughbreds profiled in Royal Blood: Fifty Years of Classic Thoroughbreds. Written by racing historian Jim Bolus with illustrations and commentary by noted equine artist Richard Stone Reeves, the book was released by The Blood-Horse, Inc., in 1994.
Fun facts
- Kelso was named for Mrs. duPont's friend Kelso Everett. He was known to fans as “Kelly” and “King Kelly.”
- Kelso was the third horse to win the Handicap Triple Crown of the Brooklyn, Metropolitan, and Suburban Handicaps, following in the hoof prints of Whisk Broom II (1913) and Tom Fool (1952). Kelso carried top weight when winning all three races in 1961.
- Kelso's five Horse of the Year titles were ranked #3 in Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments, a review of racing in the 20th century compiled by The Blood-Horse and released in 2006.
- Kelso's constant companions during the later part of his racing career were a retired hunter named Spray and a small mutt named Charlie Potatoes. Both followed him into his retirement at Woodstock Farm. After Spray died, he was replaced by Pete, another gelding who had raced under the name of “Sea Spirit.”
- Kelso's favorite treat was a chocolate sundae.
- During his retirement, Kelso was regularly ridden as a hunter by Mrs. duPont until arthritis caught up with him in 1974. He also made numerous charity appearances at horse shows and racetracks.
- Kelso's last public appearance was on October 15, 1983, as he and Forego led the post parade for the Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA-G1). He died of colic the following day and was buried at Woodstock Farm.
- A "Kelso Handicap" was run in 1980-1982 at 2 miles on dirt at Aqueduct. The name was given to a 10-furlong turf race on an all-stakes card at Belmont on October 20, 1984, and the Kelso Handicap was part of the Belmont fall calendar through 2022. It was shortened to a mile in 1988 and was moved permanently to the main track in 2010 after being forced off the turf by rain the year before. In 2023, the Belmont Park race was renamed the Forty Niner Stakes, retaining its Grade 2 status, and Kelso's name was given to what had been tne Forbidden Apple Stakes at Saratoga; it is currently a Grade 3 event.
Last updated: August 12, 2023