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Survivor Last Colt Foal of His Sire SURVIVOR ♦ First Preakness Victor Named In Honor of Vandal s Memory Won Majority of His Races * ♦ With Great Burst of Speed; Bred at Capt. Bryans Place By LEON RASMUSSEN Staff Correspondent The Kentucky Derby and the Preakness have more in common than being tiers of our Triple Crown. Trie Derby dates back to the first day of racing at Churchill Downs in 1875 and the Preakness to the first days the Maryland Jockey Club operated the historic hilltop course that is Pimlico. While Aristides, the first winner of the Derby, was one of the "cracks" of his generation and his exploits are well chronicled in turf histories, Survivor, winner of the initial Preakness, although a good horse, evidently did not inspire the historians of those days to write at length of his prowess. To learn about Survivor, one has to browse through the turf periodicals of that time, "The Spirit of the Times" and "The Turf Field and Farm." Survivor, a bay -colt, was by Vandal, one of the most famous of early American sires, out of an unnamed mare by Lexington, Americas premier sire for 16 years, 14 consecutively. He received his name, because he was the last surviving colt foal of his sire and his breeder wished to honor the memory of "the old man." Survivor, undoubtedly, would have been a much more famous horse had he been nominated for the three-year-old classics of that era. As it was, he won most of his races with a great burst of speed that made him "much the best," and more than one observer believed him the equal to the best of the year. He was a dark bay, standing about *two and one-half inches over 15 hands. It was said he had-a Vandal head, a good neck and "capital shoulders," great length, with immense hips and stifles, sound feet and legs well set under him. He was Kentucky-bred, a product of Capt. Thomas Bryans place near Lexington. Captain Bryan gave a half-interest in the colt to John M. Clay for the latters training service. Sent East in his two-year-old year, he was finally sold to -John F. Chamberlain for ,000. As a juvenile he raced only twice and was defeated both times. In the Champagne Stakes at Jerome Park he was : third to Minnie W. and then, second over a muddy strip in a purse event at Baltimore. Survivor Held at Long Odds Chamberlain, a prime-mover in the building of the original Monmouth Park . near Long Branch, N. J., in 1870, didnt : start Survivor as a three-year-old until the : Preakness on May 27, 1873. That day he brought a large party from Long Branch, i and to say that his "white and red spots" made a killing for his friends would not be stretching the truth. His trainer, David 1 Pryor, was saddling his first horse in this : country, but he had Survivor as fit as i hands could make him. However, ex-Gov- ernor Bowies Catesby was made the choice 1 with much support also for August Bel- i mont the elders Periwinkle. In fact, Sur- j vivor was the second longest price in the ] field. j While it was a propitious occasion, the j weather was hardly so, with heavy clouds darkening the sky. The threat of rain i failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the ] crowd and there was a large turnout with such notables as Milton H. Sanford, Bowie, j Major T. W. Doswell and James McCor- 1 mick in attendance. The sky finally ] cleared and when the field, came out for - * ♦ : . : : i 1 : i 1 i j ] j j i ] j 1 ] - the Preakness, the second race on the program, there was some blue overhead. After two or three false starts, the seven in the Preakness, got away to the tap of the drum, with Belmonts Periwinkle taking command, followed by Survivor and the favored Catesby. Going into the front stretch — the race was at a mile and a half — the order remained unchanged, except that Periwinkle had increased his lead to three lengths. They passed the stands the first time in this order and then Catesby made his move and got up to be within a neck of the pacesetter, with Survivor, third, under double wraps by jockey G. Barbee. Leaves Rivals Far in Rear .Down the backstretch Catesby was rushed to the front, but his lead was short-lived4 Passing the half-mile pole, Survivor unleashed his bid and it went unchallenged. Both Catesby and Periwinkle were spent and as the son of Vandal shot to the front, John Boulger and Artist took up the chase, which was the ultimate in futility. Survivor continued to increase his lead and at the wire he was 10 lengths in the van. It was a. victory that brought Survivor great acclaim at the time. He was clocked in 2: 43* and it was noted that his time for his "hare and hounds" spread was as fast as the English Derby at Epsom had ever been run. Survivor next paraded at Jerome Park on June 14 in a "dash" of a mile and a quarter for horses his own age. He was the second choice to Stonehenge, owned by D. D. Withers, but won like a 1 to 2 shot. First he followed Joe Johnstons pace, then that of an unnamed Planet colt. The latter increased his lead to four lengths, but once Barbee gave Survivor his head he pulled away and closing at a steady pace won with great ease by four lengths. After this effort, it was noted that Chamberlains colt had not been named for the big sophomore classic, and that he would stand a lot of beating before being "disposed of." Almost Falls on His Nose In the Monmouth Cup, his next start. Survivor finished unplaced to Wanderer, a mighty horse in those days, and one whose trainer rated above the indomitable Norfolk. However, a lew days later he came out for the Monmouth Sequel Stakes. Again he followed the early pace in this two-mile Tace, darting to the front at the half-mile pole the second time around. Almost as quickly as he had taken the lead, he dropped it, stumbling arid nearly falling on his nose. He regained his footing and came on again in the stretch to win by six or eight lengths with ridiculous ease. Little was heard of Survivor after this victory, but his owner continued to be a big name in racing. Besides his interest in Monmouth Park, he owned a large stable of good stake horses. True Blue, one of the finest two-milers, belonged to him, as did Tom Ochiltree, a son of Lexington who won Chamberlain his second Preakness in 1875. In 1877 in the Special at Pimlico he was favored to defeat Parole and Ten Broeck in a race that Congress adjourned to see, but was upset by Parole. Tom. Ochiltree was a real example for inbreeding advocates, having no less than nine crosses of Diomed. Although Survivor is not one of the greats of the American turf, the race he won the first edition of s4o long ago was named after one who was— Preakness. He was an enormous colt, looking a lot like a "cart horse." He was so described when he won the -first Dinner Party Stakes at Baltimore. - He went on to other notable triumphs, the Westchester Cup, the Maturity Stakes and the Baltimore Cup, and climaxed his career in America by dead-heating Springbok, the Belmont Stakes winner, in the Saratoga Cup. He died in England, but .the Maryland Jockey Club saw fit to name its three-year-old classic after him. Preakness got his name from the estate of his owner, Milton H. Sanford.
