 |
Kelso by Victoria Keith Kelso's is one of the more colorful stories in racing. A horse who would've never been born if not for the efforts of fans to save his broken-down daddy. A potential great sire had he not been gelded as a temperamental runt, to no real benefit as fate sometimes has it. A horse with a most nasty disposition who'd be embraced and adored by his owner and the public. Kelso's daddy was Your Host, a high-calibre winner of twelve races who was named California's top three-year-old. In his last race, though, he broke down, and the end result was a leg which was shorter than the others and a life not devoid of pain. His owner wanted to have him put down but his fans wouldn't hear of it. They pleaded with him and they pleaded with the insurance company. Apparently someone with the insurance company had a heart, as they stepped forward to pay the owner's claim, took possession of the horse and sent him to the farm and stallion duty. Your Host did well at stud and was bought for a handsome sum by a group of Easterners, including Mrs. Allaire du Pont. Mrs. du Pont sent her mare Maid of Flight, a granddaughter of Man o'War, to Your Host, proving it is possible to catch lightning in a bottle. Maid of Flight foaled a scrawny runt who nonetheless must've endeared himself to Mrs. du Pont -- since she decided to name him after a close lady friend, Kelso. Mrs. du Pont's good intentions may've seemed more an insult than compliment as her colt grew little in stature but huge in bad attitude. A trainer advised Mrs. du Pont to calm him down and boost his growth by gelding him, which she did. And in second show of good-intentions-gone-awry, Kelso only grew meaner. But Kelso could run. Not deemed strong enough to tackle too much early on, he had three races at two and waited until summer to go out at three, skipping the gruelling Triple Crown events. Despite that, Kelso proved himself the most superior 3-year-old by reeling off 8 wins in 9 starts, his only loss an attempt on grass in the Arlington Classic. One of those wins included the super-prestigeous Jockey Club Gold Cup over older horses, making Kelso the worthy beneficiary of both the Horse of the Year and Champion 3-yr-old titles. Kelso's 4-year-old campaign was even more impressive, with 7 wins in 9 starts while also showing the ability to carry weight. In five of those wins, Kelso carried 130 pounds or more, once while lugging 136 pounds. Ever the sportswoman, Mrs. du Pont again tried her champion on the grass, this time in the Washington D.C., International at Laurel Park. The result was a second-place finish, and the consensus was that Kelso couldn't win over a top quality field on the grass. An unfair assessment, really, considering both he and the winner, T.V. Lark, broke the 1 1/2 mile track record by about a second and a half. Kelso was crowned Champion Handicap Male and, for the second straight year, Horse of the Year. Kelso continued to dominate for the next two years, defeating to this point three generations of would-be challengers to his throne. He was named Horse of the Year for an incredible third straight year, then an unprecedented fourth straight. And in each of these years, Kelso attempted the challenge of grass in the fall's Washington, D.C. International. And each time he finished second. Finally, in 1964 and at 7 years old, Kelso showed signs that he was winding down. In a decision trainer Carl Hanford perhaps regretted later, he sent Kelso to Hollywood Park, California to start the year. It didn't turn out to be the perfect spot he apparently imagined -- Kelso went off his feed and gave in two back-to-back off-the-board performances, the first and only time in his long career. He returned east but remained less than spectacular, winning just one race of 6. But the tide began to turn as the weather grew colder and a briskness returned to Kelso's step. It was a timely turn in form, as a new rivalry was just around the corner. Gun Bow was a talented 4-year-old speedball with three straight wins leading into the Aqueduct Stakes. One of those wins was a record-setting Brooklyn Handicap, a race Kelso challenged but knocked himself literally out of contention when he banged his head on the gate at the start. Kelso now had his shot at redemption in the Aqueduct, and he took the race by 3/4 of a length over the favored and determined Gun Bow. It was one of the best races of the year, and it tied the rivals with one win apiece. The Woodward was Kelso's race -- he had taken the event for the past three years. His fans backed him at the windows, making him the post-time favorite over the Gun Bow. Gun Bow shot to the front, as expected, with Kelso just back. As they turned for home, Kelso stuck his head in front but Gun Bow wasn't done. He fought back and the two gallant horses raced as one to the wire. The photo flashed -- no one, including the jockeys, could tell who won. Minutes passed and finally the results were official -- Gun Bow was the winner. The two rivals parted ways briefly, with Gun Bow now the leading candidate for Horse of the Year. Kelso wasn't giving up, though. He went next to the Jockey Club Gold Cup where he set yet another precedent, taking the stakes for a 5th consecutive time. And to close out the year, he'd try once again to win a big one over grass in the Washington, D.C. International. Gun Bow, too, was entered in the International -- the year-end title laid squarely on the line. Entering the stretch, it looked for a moment a repeat of the Woodward, but Kelso pulled away. Kelso stopped the clock in 2:23.4, the fastest 1 1/2 miles recorded on dirt or turf in America. The old gelding finally had his grass win and he did it in spectacular fashion. Kelso earned his fifth Horse of the Year crown -- a feat no other runner will ever likely match. Kelso, Apr 4, 1957, dk b/br g, Your Host - Maid of Flight, by Count Fleet Owner: Bohemia Stable Trainer: C.H. Hanford Breeder: Mrs. Richard C. duPont Jockey: Eddie Arcaro, Willie Shoemaker, Milo Valezuela Pedigree:
Career Highlights:
At 2:
At 3:
At 4:
At 5:
At 6:
At 7:
At 8:
At 9:
|