Leonatus raced only once at 2, finishing second. At 3, he won all 10 of his starts, all in stakes races, and was generally considered the co-champion of his year with the Belmont Stakes winner, George Kinney—this in spite of the fact that he raced exclusively in Kentucky and the Midwest, then considered much less prestigious than the New York circuit. He was shipped East in July 1884 with an eye to meeting the country's best but broke down in a workout on August 10 and was forced into retirement.
Race record
11 starts, 10 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds, US$21,435
1882:
1883:
Honors
American champion 3-year-old male (1883)
As an individual
A bay horse standing no more than 15.2 hands, Leonatus was described in a contemporary account as being “a race-horse in all his proportions” and as bearing a close resemblance to Lexington, the sire of his second dam. According to Walter Vosburgh, Leonatus was powerfully muscled down through his forearms and gaskins and was an excellent doer.
As a stallion
Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967 credits Leonatus with seven stakes winners. The best of them were Pink Coat, winner of the 1898 American Derby, and Tillo, winner of the 1898 Suburban Handicap.
Notable progeny
Pink Coat (USA), Tillo (USA)
Connections
Leonatus was bred and owned by John Henry Miller. Following the colt's lone start at 2, he was sold to Colonel Jack Chinn and George Morgan for US$5,000; they later refused an offer of US$40,000 made for him after the Kentucky Derby. He was trained by John Maginty at 2 and by Raleigh Colston, Sr., at 3. After his retirement from racing, he was sold to Colonel Ezekiel Clay and Colonel Catesby Woodford and stood at their Runnymede Stud near Paris, Kentucky. He died of colic in 1898 and was buried near the grave of Billet. Hindoo and Sir Dixon were later buried in the same area.
Pedigree notes
Leonatus' pedigree is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to the stakes-winning juvenile filly Felicia II (by Stratford) and to Semper Paratus (by Stratford), dam of 1903 Matron Stakes winner The Minute Man (by Juvenal) and lesser stakes winners On Deck (by Whistle Jacket) and Cathedral (by Candlemas). Leonatus is also a half brother to Latonia (by Billet), dam of 1892 Chicago Derby winner Lew Weir (by Longfellow), and to Semper Vive (by Waverly), dam of 1891 Tidal Stakes winner Portchester and juvenile stakes winner Fordham (both by Falsetto) and second dam of 1899 Jerome Handicap winner Long Street (by Longfellow). In addition, Leonatus is a half brother to Semitone (by Buckden), second dam of 1902 Brighton Derby winner Hyphen and 1907 Astoria Stakes winner Beckon.
Leonatus and his siblings are out of the Phaeton mare Semper Felix, a half sister to multiple stakes winner St. Augustine (by King Alfonso). Their dam, the Lexington mare Crucifix, is a full sister to 1871 Monmouth Oaks winner Salina, the dam of two-time American Horse of the Year Salvator (by Prince Charlie). Crucifix is also a full sister to Sprightly, dam of stakes winners Volturno (by Billet) and Aretino (by Aramis), and to Nevada, dam of 1880 American champion 3-year-old male Luke Blackburn (by Bonnie Scotland). In addition, Crucifix is a half sister to Gulnare (by Glen Athol), dam of juvenile stakes winner Satisfaction (by Sensation). Crucifix was produced from the Glencoe mare Lightsome, who is also the second dam of 1873 Champagne Stakes winner Grinstead, 1876 Travers Stakes winner Sultana, 1877 Phoenix Hotel Stakes winner Brademante, and the high-class stakes winner Monarchist.
*The tail-female line to which Leonatus belongs traditionally has been traced to a mare foaled in the early to mid-1760s by Jack of Diamonds out of Diana, a 1754 mare by the Cullen Arabian who is considered to be the foundation mare of Bruce Lowe family 12-b. However, modern research into mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which is passed only through the direct female line, indicates that an error occurred in the recorded female line somewhere in the eight generations between Diana and an unnamed daughter of imported Tranby who was foaled in 1835. Adding to the confusion, a second line of descent erroneously attributed to Diana also traces to a daughter of Jack of Diamonds who cannot be either identical to or a full sister of the mare who is the ancestor of Leonatus because the two’s known descendants have different mtDNA haplotypes.
Fun facts
Last updated: October 27, 2024
Race record
11 starts, 10 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds, US$21,435
1882:
- 2nd Maiden Stakes (USA, 6FD, Churchill Downs)
1883:
- Won Kentucky Derby (USA, 12FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Blue Ribbon Stakes (USA, 12FD, Lexington)
- Won Tobacco Stakes (USA, mile heats, Churchill Downs)
- Won Woodburn Stakes (USA, 9FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Hindoo Stakes (USA, 12FD, Latonia)
- Won Ripple Stakes (USA, 10FD, Latonia)
- Won Himyar Stakes (USA, 11FD, Latonia)
- Won Dearborn Stakes (USA, 14FD, Chicago)
- Won Green Stakes (USA, 9FD, Chicago)
- Won Illinois Derby (USA, 12FD, Chicago)
Honors
American champion 3-year-old male (1883)
As an individual
A bay horse standing no more than 15.2 hands, Leonatus was described in a contemporary account as being “a race-horse in all his proportions” and as bearing a close resemblance to Lexington, the sire of his second dam. According to Walter Vosburgh, Leonatus was powerfully muscled down through his forearms and gaskins and was an excellent doer.
As a stallion
Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967 credits Leonatus with seven stakes winners. The best of them were Pink Coat, winner of the 1898 American Derby, and Tillo, winner of the 1898 Suburban Handicap.
Notable progeny
Pink Coat (USA), Tillo (USA)
Connections
Leonatus was bred and owned by John Henry Miller. Following the colt's lone start at 2, he was sold to Colonel Jack Chinn and George Morgan for US$5,000; they later refused an offer of US$40,000 made for him after the Kentucky Derby. He was trained by John Maginty at 2 and by Raleigh Colston, Sr., at 3. After his retirement from racing, he was sold to Colonel Ezekiel Clay and Colonel Catesby Woodford and stood at their Runnymede Stud near Paris, Kentucky. He died of colic in 1898 and was buried near the grave of Billet. Hindoo and Sir Dixon were later buried in the same area.
Pedigree notes
Leonatus' pedigree is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to the stakes-winning juvenile filly Felicia II (by Stratford) and to Semper Paratus (by Stratford), dam of 1903 Matron Stakes winner The Minute Man (by Juvenal) and lesser stakes winners On Deck (by Whistle Jacket) and Cathedral (by Candlemas). Leonatus is also a half brother to Latonia (by Billet), dam of 1892 Chicago Derby winner Lew Weir (by Longfellow), and to Semper Vive (by Waverly), dam of 1891 Tidal Stakes winner Portchester and juvenile stakes winner Fordham (both by Falsetto) and second dam of 1899 Jerome Handicap winner Long Street (by Longfellow). In addition, Leonatus is a half brother to Semitone (by Buckden), second dam of 1902 Brighton Derby winner Hyphen and 1907 Astoria Stakes winner Beckon.
Leonatus and his siblings are out of the Phaeton mare Semper Felix, a half sister to multiple stakes winner St. Augustine (by King Alfonso). Their dam, the Lexington mare Crucifix, is a full sister to 1871 Monmouth Oaks winner Salina, the dam of two-time American Horse of the Year Salvator (by Prince Charlie). Crucifix is also a full sister to Sprightly, dam of stakes winners Volturno (by Billet) and Aretino (by Aramis), and to Nevada, dam of 1880 American champion 3-year-old male Luke Blackburn (by Bonnie Scotland). In addition, Crucifix is a half sister to Gulnare (by Glen Athol), dam of juvenile stakes winner Satisfaction (by Sensation). Crucifix was produced from the Glencoe mare Lightsome, who is also the second dam of 1873 Champagne Stakes winner Grinstead, 1876 Travers Stakes winner Sultana, 1877 Phoenix Hotel Stakes winner Brademante, and the high-class stakes winner Monarchist.
*The tail-female line to which Leonatus belongs traditionally has been traced to a mare foaled in the early to mid-1760s by Jack of Diamonds out of Diana, a 1754 mare by the Cullen Arabian who is considered to be the foundation mare of Bruce Lowe family 12-b. However, modern research into mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which is passed only through the direct female line, indicates that an error occurred in the recorded female line somewhere in the eight generations between Diana and an unnamed daughter of imported Tranby who was foaled in 1835. Adding to the confusion, a second line of descent erroneously attributed to Diana also traces to a daughter of Jack of Diamonds who cannot be either identical to or a full sister of the mare who is the ancestor of Leonatus because the two’s known descendants have different mtDNA haplotypes.
Fun facts
- Leonatus, or Posthumus Leonatus, is one of the main characters in the Shakespearean play Cymbeline. The name “Posthumus” alludes to Leonatus' having been born after the death of his father. In the play, Leonatus is the husband of Cymbeline's daughter Imogen, who remains faithful to him through a series of misfortunes and misunderstandings.
- Leonatus' Kentucky Derby jockey, Billy Donohue, was reported to have bet his entire life savings on his mount. Leonatus went off at 2-1, so Donohue at least doubled his nest egg.
- The winning horse did not get a blanket of roses for several years after Leonatus' Derby, but the colt got his share of the blossoms anyway---he ate the roses meant for presentation to his human connections.
- Leonatus won his 10 races at 3 in a seven-week span from May 17 to July 5.
- Following his win in the Illinois Derby, Leonatus was attached at Chicago for a debt of US$1,305 for “whisky, cigars, and borrowed money” owed by co-owner Jack Chinn to Lawrence Martin. Chinn had to post a bond for US$3,000 to get the colt released. Leonatus was shipped to Monmouth Park the next day.
Last updated: October 27, 2024