Edward D. Brown
Encyclopedia
Edward Dudley Brown was an African American
born as a slave who rose to become a Belmont Stakes
-winning jockey
, a Kentucky Derby
-winning horse trainer
, and an owner of several of the top racehorses
during the last decade of the 19th century, earning him induction into the United States Racing Hall of Fame
.
Born in Lexington, Kentucky
, at age seven Ed Brown's owner sold him to Robert A. Alexander
, proprietor of the famous Woodburn Stud
near Midway, Kentucky
. He worked as a groom
and grew up developing a keen understanding of horse breeding
and how to condition horses for racing. His small boyhood stature and knowledge of horses afforded him the opportunity to become a jockey. Following his emancipation after the Civil War
, Brown remained as an employee of Robert Alexander and rode a number of his horses to victory in important races.
Robert Alexander died in 1867, and two years later Woodburn Stud manager Daniel Swigert left to establish Stockwood Farm. Ed Brown accepted an offer to ride for Swigert's new stable and in 1870 he won the Belmont Stakes
aboard Kingfisher
. However, as he developed into a young man his weight gain hampered his ability to successfully compete in flat racing
and for a short time he switched to riding steeplechase
horses. With his vast knowledge of thoroughbred
s, in 1874 Ed Brown turned to training Swigert's horses. In 1877 he conditioned Kentucky Derby
winner Baden-Baden
and was the trainer of the future Hall of Fame colt Hindoo
before he was sold at age two by Swigert to the Dwyer Brothers Stable
.
Ed Brown eventually went out on his own. His keen knowledge of horses and breeding saw him buy unraced horses that would be among some of the best racers during the final decade of the 19th century. In 1893 Brown won the Kentucky Oaks
with his filly
Monrovia, a feat he would accomplish again in 1900 with Etta. Because he lacked the necessary capital to compete with the millionaires who dominated the sport, Brown used his limited funds to buy horses he believed had great potential, then trained and raced them to the point where their success attracted purchase offers from other wealthy owners. Such was the case of Ben Brush, whom Brown bought in partnership as a weanling and trained into the U.S. Champion 2-year-old
of 1895. Sold to the Dwyer Brothers Stable, Ben Brush won the 1896 Kentucky Derby. In a twist of fate, Ulysses – a two-year-old horse Brown was unable to sell – finished last to Ben Brush in the only Derby that Brown ever contested as an owner. Similarly, Brown purchased Plaudit
from breeder Dr. J. D. Neet and trained the colt until reselling him to John E. Madden
, who then won the 1898 Kentucky Derby.
Brown used his profits to build a quality racing stable that competed under the name Ed Brown & Co. After a career that spanned 30 years, poor health forced his retirement in 1903. He died three years later in Louisville
, reportedly one of the wealthiest African-Americans in the state of Kentucky.
In 1984, Edward D. Brown's important role in thoroughbred racing was recognized with his induction into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
born as a slave who rose to become a Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
-winning jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
, a Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
-winning horse trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
, and an owner of several of the top racehorses
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
during the last decade of the 19th century, earning him induction into the United States Racing Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
.
Born in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
, at age seven Ed Brown's owner sold him to Robert A. Alexander
Robert A. Alexander
Robert Aitcheson Alexander was an American breeder of Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses. Born on a farm near Midway, Woodford County, Kentucky, he and his siblings inherited the property on his father's death....
, proprietor of the famous Woodburn Stud
Woodburn Stud
Woodburn Stud was an American horse breeding farm located in Woodford County, Kentucky about ten miles from the city of Lexington. It was established in the 18th century as an original land grant property of General Hugh Mercer to whom it had been granted for his military services during the...
near Midway, Kentucky
Midway, Kentucky
Midway is a city in Woodford County, Kentucky, United States. Its population was 1,620 at the 2000 census. It is located midway between Frankfort and Lexington along the single-track railroad between them. It is part of the Lexington-Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town is home to a...
. He worked as a groom
Groom (horses)
A groom is a person who is responsible for some or all aspects of the management of horses and/or the care of the stables themselves. The term most often refers to a person who is the employee of a stable owner, but even an owner of a horse may perform the duties of a groom, particularly if the...
and grew up developing a keen understanding of horse breeding
Horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
and how to condition horses for racing. His small boyhood stature and knowledge of horses afforded him the opportunity to become a jockey. Following his emancipation after the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Brown remained as an employee of Robert Alexander and rode a number of his horses to victory in important races.
Robert Alexander died in 1867, and two years later Woodburn Stud manager Daniel Swigert left to establish Stockwood Farm. Ed Brown accepted an offer to ride for Swigert's new stable and in 1870 he won the Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
aboard Kingfisher
Kingfisher (horse)
Kingfisher was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1870 Belmont Stakes.Kingfisher was bred by Robert A. Alexander at his Woodburn Stud in Woodford County, Kentucky, Kingfisher was out of the imported mare Eltham Lass, a daughter of Kingston. Kingfisher's sire was Lexington...
. However, as he developed into a young man his weight gain hampered his ability to successfully compete in flat racing
Flat racing
Flat racing is a form of Thoroughbred horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing which is run over hurdles...
and for a short time he switched to riding steeplechase
Steeplechase (horse racing)
The steeplechase is a form of horse racing and derives its name from early races in which orientation of the course was by reference to a church steeple, jumping fences and ditches and generally traversing the many intervening obstacles in the countryside...
horses. With his vast knowledge of thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
s, in 1874 Ed Brown turned to training Swigert's horses. In 1877 he conditioned Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
winner Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden (horse)
Baden-Baden was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1877 Kentucky Derby. He was bred by A. J. Alexander at his Woodburn Stud in Woodford County, Kentucky. Baden-Baden was sired by Australian ; his dam, Lavender, was sired by Wagner...
and was the trainer of the future Hall of Fame colt Hindoo
Hindoo (horse)
Hindoo was an outstanding American Thoroughbred race horse who won 30 of his 35 starts, including the Kentucky Derby, the Travers Stakes and the Clark Handicap. He later sired the Preakness Stakes winner Buddhist and the Belmont Stakes winner and Leading sire in North America, Hanover.He was a bay...
before he was sold at age two by Swigert to the Dwyer Brothers Stable
Dwyer Brothers Stable
Dwyer Brothers Stable was an American thoroughbred horse racing operation owned by Brooklyn, New York businessmen, Phil and Mike Dwyer.The Dwyer brothers hired trainer Evert Snedecker and purchased their first Thoroughbred, Rhadamanthus, in 1874. In October of that same year they acquired Vigil...
.
Ed Brown eventually went out on his own. His keen knowledge of horses and breeding saw him buy unraced horses that would be among some of the best racers during the final decade of the 19th century. In 1893 Brown won the Kentucky Oaks
Kentucky Oaks
The Kentucky Oaks is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The race currently covers 1⅛ miles at Churchill Downs; the horses carry 121 pounds . The Kentucky Oaks is held on the Friday before the Kentucky Derby each year...
with his filly
Filly
A filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.*In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old....
Monrovia, a feat he would accomplish again in 1900 with Etta. Because he lacked the necessary capital to compete with the millionaires who dominated the sport, Brown used his limited funds to buy horses he believed had great potential, then trained and raced them to the point where their success attracted purchase offers from other wealthy owners. Such was the case of Ben Brush, whom Brown bought in partnership as a weanling and trained into the U.S. Champion 2-year-old
Eclipse Award for Outstanding 2-Year-Old Male Horse
The American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971....
of 1895. Sold to the Dwyer Brothers Stable, Ben Brush won the 1896 Kentucky Derby. In a twist of fate, Ulysses – a two-year-old horse Brown was unable to sell – finished last to Ben Brush in the only Derby that Brown ever contested as an owner. Similarly, Brown purchased Plaudit
Plaudit
Plaudit was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. A descendant of English Triple Crown champion, West Australian, Plaudit is best known for winning the 1898 Kentucky Derby....
from breeder Dr. J. D. Neet and trained the colt until reselling him to John E. Madden
John E. Madden
John Edward Madden was a prominent AmericanThoroughbred and Standardbred owner, breeder and trainer in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. He owned Hamburg Place Stud in Lexington, Kentucky and bred five Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winners.He was inducted into the National...
, who then won the 1898 Kentucky Derby.
Brown used his profits to build a quality racing stable that competed under the name Ed Brown & Co. After a career that spanned 30 years, poor health forced his retirement in 1903. He died three years later in Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, reportedly one of the wealthiest African-Americans in the state of Kentucky.
In 1984, Edward D. Brown's important role in thoroughbred racing was recognized with his induction into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
.