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Elkridge
The “Iron Horse” of steeplechasing, Elkridge was bred in Maryland by Joseph F. Flanagan. He came by a heritage of hardiness naturally; his sire, the 1931 Preakness winner Mate, had been the toughest of the top horses of his crop, making seventy-five starts. His dam, Best By Test, made only six starts but was by Black Toney, who was known for siring sound stock; she produced three other stakes-winning steeplechasers but none in the class of Elkridge. Racing almost exclusively over the jumps, Elkridge would make more starts than his sire, dam, and broodmare sire put together, eventually facing the starter 123 times and racking up the longest career of any member of the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame. The future legend began slowly, as do most ‘chasers. Purchased by the noted steeplechase owner Thomas Hitchcock in a private sale as a weanling, Elkridge was brought up in Aiken, South Carolina, and received his initial schooling in that area. He did not make his first start until his three-year-old season, when he was sent up to Belmont Park and won his maiden effort; appropriately, the race was the Good and Plenty Steeplechase, named after Hitchcock’s great ‘chaser of the early 1900s. It would be Elkridge’s only win in Mr. Hitchcock’s light-green silks, as Hitchcock died five days later. Hitchcock’s horses were dispersed in an auction at Pimlico a few weeks later. Among them was Elkridge, who fell to novice owner-trainer Kent Miller for $7000. Miller had spent considerable time observing the conditioning of harness horses around Louisville and, after moving to Aiken, had become a keen student of Hitchcock’s methods of preparing a young horse for steeplechasing. He lacked hands-on experience, however, and in many ways he and Elkridge had to learn the game from the ground up. Miller’s initiation to the training ranks was somewhat less than stellar, as Elkridge finished last by an official 100 lengths in his first start under Miller’s care. In his next start, he was last again, but this time only fifty lengths behind the next-to-last horse. From there, he went on to make a total of twenty starts in his first full season of racing, winning seven and placing in six more – a remarkable improvement for both horse and trainer. Six of his victories were in stakes events – the Indian River, Manly, Governor Ogle, Broad Hollow, North American, and Battleship ‘chases – as were six of his placings, ranking him as the leading steeplechaser of the year. Although well put together, Elkridge was not a particularly large horse. Nonetheless, he had already proved his ability to stand up under weight, carrying 157 pounds to victory in the Manly Steeplechase Handicap while conceding seventeen pounds to the good ‘chaser Iron Shot. For the remainder of his career, Elkridge routinely carried the kind of weights at which flat race trainers blanch. Showing an enviable consistency, Elkridge made eight starts in the American Grand National, carrying up to 167 pounds and winning the event in 1946 as an eight-year-old; his victory that year lifted him to a second title as champion steeplechaser. He won four editions each of the North American Steeplechase and the Indian River Steeplechase, and his fourth victory in the Indian River as a ten-year-old in 1948 enabled him to break Jolly Roger’s world record for earnings by a steeplechaser of $143,240. (Elkridge eventually ended up earning $230,680, a world’s record that stood until broken by Neji nearly a decade later). He won two editions each of the Broad Hollow, Georgetown, Shillelagh, and Battleship steeplechases. And at twelve years old – long past retirement age for a flat racer of comparable merit – he led the field for the Saratoga Steeplechase from post to post, winning by three lengths for his second victory in this top event and dusting the likes of Oedipus, who was just beginning his reign as a three-time steeplechase champion. If Elkridge never had the slashing style of a Jolly Roger or a the great speed over the fences of a Billy Barton, he had his own special qualities. Not only was he one of the most durable fencers ever seen in the USA, but he was also one of the surest, falling only once during a ‘chasing career that was estimated to have covered 1800 fences – and the fall was not his fault, for on examination a stray piece of brush from the fence was found to have caught in his girth, causing the fall. He generally won his races by making a big closing rush but sometimes (on his own initiative) moved too soon and was caught as he tired; nonetheless, if given an easy lead, he could and did win on the front end. He seldom got a soft spot during his racing career and was shown little mercy by the handicappers, but for all that remained a consistent performer who gave his best every time. For all his great courage and determination on the racecourse, Elkridge was a family pet in the stable. He would nuzzle Miller’s face on the command “Kiss me,” which Miller taught him by holding a sugar lump between his teeth. Elkridge also got a jelly doughnut or sweet roll from the stable help every morning, and woe betide the stable hand who mistakenly ate Elkridge’s treat! When not in hard training, the gelding could be (and was) galloped by Miller’s young daughter, who was the same age he was. Elkridge also became fast friends with the family’s Great Dane, Buck. Elkridge’s career finally drew to a close after eleven seasons over the fences, the old speed having gone though he was still sound and healthy. From 123 starts, he won thirty-one times, ran second eighteen times, and finished third fifteen times. As hard-working as he had been during his career, he was not idle in retirement, serving as a schooling horse and lead pony for younger jumpers under Miller’s care. He finally died in 1961, and five years later was inducted into the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame. Few horses have deserved the honor more, and none have worked harder to attain it. © 2005 by Avalyn Hunter |
