My girls are related to Ormonde (1883-1904), the 4th English Triple Crown winner. He raced 16 times in his life and won all 16 times, career earnings of $142,325. He was so successful that many famous artists painted him, including Emil Adam. In the painting below, you see Sidney R. Wombill's rendition of Ormonde beating The Bard at the 1886 Epsom Derby on his way to winning the Triple Crown. He was "roaring" so loud, he could be heard all over the track. He was such a great race horse that the Ormonde Stakes at Chester Race Course are named after him. His owner and breeder was Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster.
The Duke must have been very proud because Ormonde won the Triple Crown in the St. Leger Stakes at a larking canter!! He was considered the finest race horse of the 19th century and had a kind temperment just like his dad! His dad was the sweet, handsome Epsom Derby-winning Bend Or and his mom, Lily Agnes, was sired by another Epsom Derby winner, Macaroni. So, over the course of a few generations, you see Birdcatcher, Stockwell, Bend Or, and Ormonde! After his racing career finished, he travelled the world! He went to Argentina to stand at stud for awhile, but then returned by boat to Southampton. His old trainer, John Porter, met his boat to greet and welcome him. He said that he pulled "a few hairs out of his mane and tail which I have preserved as a memento of a great and noble creature." It was the last time they ever saw each other. After a rest, in 1893, he took a steamer to New York, and then rail all the way to San Francisco Bay to stand stud at Menlo Stock Farm in California. He died on May 21, 1904, and was ultimately exhumed, so that his skeleton could be sent to the Museum of Natural History at South Kensington, UK. Here's a sweet story about him -- he would eat anything. But he had a passion for flowers. He loved to nip the boutonnieres right from the pockets of his wealthy gentlemen visitors! You can read more about this gentle, speedy boy at the following links:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ormonde_(horse)
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http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Ormonde.html
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http://www.horseracinghistory.co.uk/hrho/action/viewDocument?id=844