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Osmand
Bred and owned by J. E. Widener, Osmand was one of the handsomest members of the 1924 foal crop. He was also one of the best, bringing back memories of the great Roseben both because of his size (16 hands 2 inches) and his performance. The son of *Sweeper II and Ormonda first served notice that he would be a force to be reckoned with in the Flash Stakes, which he won from the good filly Candy Queen and the Hudson Stakes winner Witchmount. He ran third in the Saratoga Special, won the Grab Bag Handicap under 126 pounds, and finished out his juvenile campaign with consecutive victories under top weight in the Nursery Handicap, Eastern Shore Handicap, and National Stakes. Although the fields he defeated in the last three named races were not exceptional, Osmand conceded considerable weight to his rivals and ended up being ranked second only to Futurity Stakes winner Scapa Flow among the two-year-olds of 1926. At three Osmand was among the leaders of his division, but he was not quite able to handle Whiskery over routes, losing the Kentucky Derby to him by a head after a thrilling stretch drive and running third to him in the Fairmount Derby. Osmand also placed in the Metropolitan Handicap against older males but did not pick up his first stakes win of the season until the Saratoga meeting, when he won the Saranac Handicap over Valorous at level weights. With a weight concession, Valorous reversed the verdict in the Manhattan Handicap (Osmand third), but Osmand bounced back to take the Jerome Handicap from the good colt Jock, who had been a solid third behind him in the Kentucky Derby. Osmand also won the Capitol Handicap from older males, took the Laurel Stakes from champion three-year-old filly Black Maria, and ran second to the good handicap horse Chicago in the American National Handicap while conceding weight to the winner. The following year, Osmand was kept mostly to sprints. He opened the year by winning the Toboggan Handicap by a neck over Scapa Flow. In his next start, the Metropolitan Handicap, he was caught in traffic coming into the stretch and lost all chance, running dead last. Perhaps he was either fatigued or slightly injured in that effort, for in his next start, an overnight affair, he tired and finished far back. But he was ready to go for his next start, the Carter Handicap. Taking the track from gate to wire, he won easily after causing a jam at the start, and the stewards left his number up. He then won the American Legion Handicap under 127 pounds, defeated champions Sun Beau and Crusader in the Havre de Grace Cup Handicap while stretching out to nine furlongs, and repeated his victory over Black Maria in the Laurel Stakes to finish out his season. Although Osmand won only four races as a five-year-old, he repeated in the Toboggan and Carter handicaps as well as taking the Fall Highweight Handicap (under 140 pounds) and running third in the Delaware Handicap. But at six he suffered a total reversal of form; not only could he not win or even place in a stakes race, but he did not win at all during the season. He fared a little better at seven, but although he won he could not add any further black type to his credit, and Mr. Widener made the decision to end his career. Osmand remained a pensioner at Elmendorf until his death in 1951 and was buried in the farm’s horse cemetery (now part of Normandy Farm) near the graves of the great sires Fair Play and *Sickle. Osmand retired having won twenty-three races of his forty races, with eight placings and winnings of $157,975. Seventeen of his victories were in stakes, and he left the track with the reputation of being one of the finest sprinters seen since Roseben. In Osmand’s case, apparently, handsome did as handsome was.
© 2005 by Avalyn Hunter |
