Emperor of Norfolk
Encyclopedia
Emperor of Norfolk was a champion American Thoroughbred
racehorse. Because he was big with huge hindquarters and because of his stellar racing record, he was called the "California Wonder."
was, in those days, a fairly unusual occurrence. But in the 1870s, when Joseph Cairn Simpson (founder of California's first all-sports newspaper, Breeder and Sportsman) migrated west, he brought horses with him. One of these was the filly
Marian. To finance his newspaper, he sold Marian to Theodore Winters who owned California's best stallion
, Norfolk by America's greatest sire, Lexington
. Norfolk had won the honor of American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse and had retired undefeated. Winters bought him for $15,001, one dollar more than that paid for Lexington himself.
With the purchase of Marian, Winters now owned the West's best stallion as well as its greatest broodmare. Marian, mated to Norfolk, both either living at Winters second stud farm, the Rancho Del Rio near Sacramento
on the banks of the Sacramento River
or on his Yolo County, California
spread, produced star after star of the racing world: Duchess of Norfolk, Prince of Norfolk, The Czar, El Rio Rey, Rey Del Rey, and Emperor of Norfolk. (After Norfolk retired, Marian produced another star: Yo Tambien
by the turf
champion, Joe Hooker.)
It is generally agreed that Emperor of Norfolk was the most important horse born in California until Swaps
came along sixty seven years later.
He raced him 18 times at the age of two. In modern racing this is unheard of. In Baldwin's time, it was grueling but normal. At two, he ran in Chicago, Illinois winning three races in eight days. On to Saratoga, New York
, and in the month of August alone, he won four more races. Then down to Jerome Park Racetrack
where he took two races in four days. He also placed in the Prospect Cap and came third in the Quickstep Stakes.
At three, he started only eleven times, winning 9 races, 8 of them consecutively. He placed in one race, and showed in another. Of the nine he won, two were the prestigious Brooklyn Stakes (now called the Dwyer Stakes
) and the American Derby under the great African American
jockey
, Isaac Burns Murphy
.
Emperor of Norfolk had run against the best horses in American, had won at distances of between five and nine furlongs, and earning, for the time, a huge sum of money.
He retired lame after his last win in the Sheridan Stakes (the injury occurring during an exercise run) and Baldwin shipped him back to his Rancho Santa Anita
to begin his stud career.
) was Americus. Americus won a great many stakes races
, but it was as a sire he made his name, primarily through his daughter, Americus Girl. Out of Americus Girl came the "flying filly," Mumtaz Mahal
, and through her: Mahmoud
, Nasrullah, Royal Charger
, and Tudor Minstrel
.
Many of today's horse racing greats go back to Emperor of Norfolk through Mumtaz Mahal via Americus.
He was buried at the stable under a large Maltese cross
, Baldwin's racing symbol. Later, Baldwin's three other American Derby winners, Volante, Silver Cloud, and Rey El Santa Anita, joined him. Emperor of Norfolk, as well as Baldwin's other three great winners, were later transferred to the paddock garden of the modern Santa Anita Park
.
The California Wonder was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 1988.
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...
racehorse. Because he was big with huge hindquarters and because of his stellar racing record, he was called the "California Wonder."
Going to California
A racehorse born and bred in CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
was, in those days, a fairly unusual occurrence. But in the 1870s, when Joseph Cairn Simpson (founder of California's first all-sports newspaper, Breeder and Sportsman) migrated west, he brought horses with him. One of these was the 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....
Marian. To finance his newspaper, he sold Marian to Theodore Winters who owned California's best stallion
Stallion
A Stallion is a male horse.Stallion may also refer to:* Stallion , an American pop rock group* Stallion , a figure in the Gobot toyline* Stallion , a character in the console role-playing game series...
, Norfolk by America's greatest sire, Lexington
Lexington (horse)
Lexington was a United States Thoroughbred race horse who won six of his seven race starts. Perhaps his greatest fame came however as the most successful sire of the second half of the nineteenth century; he was the Leading sire in North America 16 times, and of his many brood mare and racer...
. Norfolk had won the honor of American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse and had retired undefeated. Winters bought him for $15,001, one dollar more than that paid for Lexington himself.
With the purchase of Marian, Winters now owned the West's best stallion as well as its greatest broodmare. Marian, mated to Norfolk, both either living at Winters second stud farm, the Rancho Del Rio near Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
on the banks of the Sacramento River
Sacramento River
The Sacramento River is an important watercourse of Northern and Central California in the United States. The largest river in California, it rises on the eastern slopes of the Klamath Mountains, and after a journey south of over , empties into Suisun Bay, an arm of the San Francisco Bay, and...
or on his Yolo County, California
Yolo County, California
Yolo County is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of California, bordered by the other counties of Sacramento, Solano, Napa, Lake, Colusa, and Sutter. The city of Woodland is its county seat, though Davis is its largest city....
spread, produced star after star of the racing world: Duchess of Norfolk, Prince of Norfolk, The Czar, El Rio Rey, Rey Del Rey, and Emperor of Norfolk. (After Norfolk retired, Marian produced another star: Yo Tambien
Yo Tambien
Yo Tambien was an American Thoroughbred racing filly bred in California by Theodore Winters, a breeder and major landholder from the Washoe Valley in Nevada sometimes called "Black T" due to his huge, black, T-shaped moustache....
by the turf
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
champion, Joe Hooker.)
It is generally agreed that Emperor of Norfolk was the most important horse born in California until Swaps
Swaps (horse)
Swaps was a California bred American thoroughbred racehorse. He was the son of Khaled, a stallion imported from the Aga Khan's stud in Europe. Swaps goes back to the immortal Man o' War, via his dam, Iron Reward, through the Triple Crown winner, War Admiral. In the list of the top 100 U.S...
came along sixty seven years later.
Ever lucky Lucky Baldwin
Winters sold Marian's yearling foal to "Lucky" Baldwin for $2,525. From then until his death, Emperor of Norfolk was Baldwin's favorite horse.He raced him 18 times at the age of two. In modern racing this is unheard of. In Baldwin's time, it was grueling but normal. At two, he ran in Chicago, Illinois winning three races in eight days. On to Saratoga, New York
Saratoga, New York
Saratoga is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 5,141 at the 2000 census. It is also the commonly used, but not official, name for the neighboring and much more populous city, Saratoga Springs. The major village in the town of Saratoga is Schuylerville which is...
, and in the month of August alone, he won four more races. Then down to Jerome Park Racetrack
Jerome Park Racetrack
Jerome Park Racetrack was an American thoroughbred horse racing facility.-History:It opened in 1866 in the northwest part of Fordham, Westchester County , New York....
where he took two races in four days. He also placed in the Prospect Cap and came third in the Quickstep Stakes.
At three, he started only eleven times, winning 9 races, 8 of them consecutively. He placed in one race, and showed in another. Of the nine he won, two were the prestigious Brooklyn Stakes (now called the Dwyer Stakes
Dwyer Stakes
The Dwyer Stakes is an American Grade II stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred racehorses held annually at Belmont Park racetrack in Elmont, Long Island, New York. Run in early July, it is open to three-year-old horses and is raced over a distance of 1 1/16-miles on dirt...
) and the American Derby under the great African American
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...
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:...
, Isaac Burns Murphy
Isaac Burns Murphy
Isaac Burns Murphy was an African-American Hall of Fame jockey, who is considered one of the greatest riders in American Thoroughbred horse racing history. Murphy won three Kentucky Derbies.-Early life:...
.
Emperor of Norfolk had run against the best horses in American, had won at distances of between five and nine furlongs, and earning, for the time, a huge sum of money.
He retired lame after his last win in the Sheridan Stakes (the injury occurring during an exercise run) and Baldwin shipped him back to his Rancho Santa Anita
Rancho Santa Anita
Rancho Santa Anita was a land grant in present day Los Angeles County, California given to Perfecto Hugo Reid. The land grant was formally recognized by Governor Pio Pico in 1845. The land grant covered all or portions of the present day cities of Arcadia, Monrovia, Sierra Madre, Pasadena and San...
to begin his stud career.
At stud
Emperor of Norfolk turned out to be as great a sire as his own sire, Norfolk, producing stake winner after stake winner, but his best son (who possessed a confusion of names until sent to EnglandUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
) was Americus. Americus won a great many stakes races
Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
, but it was as a sire he made his name, primarily through his daughter, Americus Girl. Out of Americus Girl came the "flying filly," Mumtaz Mahal
Mumtaz Mahal (horse)
Mumtaz Mahal was a British Thoroughbred filly racehorse who the National Sporting Library's Thoroughbred Heritage website says was "one of the most important broodmares of the 20th Century"....
, and through her: Mahmoud
Mahmoud (horse)
Mahmoud was an French-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who in 1936 won England's most prestigious race, the Epsom Derby and who became a Champion sire in the United States....
, Nasrullah, Royal Charger
Royal Charger
Royal Charger was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who was successful in racing but even more so as a sire. He was the son of the very important sire Nearco.-Racing career:As a three-year-old, Royal Charger finished third in the 2000 Guineas...
, and Tudor Minstrel
Tudor Minstrel
Tudor Minstrel was a British-bred Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. He was sired by Owen Tudor, the 1941 Epsom Derby winner.Ridden by Gordon Richards, in 1947 Tudor Minstrel won the 1 mile long 2,000 Guineas by 8 lengths, the largest winning margin in the race since 1900...
.
Many of today's horse racing greats go back to Emperor of Norfolk through Mumtaz Mahal via Americus.
The Finish Line
Emperor of Norfolk died on December 15, 1907, the day after Baldwin opened his Santa Anita race track, at the age of 22. When word spread he was dying, great numbers of racing men came to the Baldwin stable to mourn his passing.He was buried at the stable under a large Maltese cross
Maltese cross
The Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...
, Baldwin's racing symbol. Later, Baldwin's three other American Derby winners, Volante, Silver Cloud, and Rey El Santa Anita, joined him. Emperor of Norfolk, as well as Baldwin's other three great winners, were later transferred to the paddock garden of the modern Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent racing events in the United States during the winter and in spring. With its backdrop of the purple San Gabriel Mountains, it is considered by many as the world's most beautiful race...
.
The California Wonder was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 1988.