Goldsmith Maid
Encyclopedia
Goldsmith Maid was a prominent Standardbred racemare in the 1870s that was called the "Queen of the Trotters" and had a harness racing
career that spanned 13 years. Her last race was won at the age of 20 against a much younger horse named Rarus. She was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame
in 1953.
Old Ab (sired by Abdallah, the sire of Hambletonian 10
) in 1853 from a hat peddler and, taken with the mare's even temperament, had bred her to Alexander's Abdallah (formerly known as Edsell's Hambeletonian) in the hopes of producing a fine farm colt
. Alexander's Abdallah was also a grandson of Abdallah, which meant that Maid was very inbred
in her male lineage. While Old Ab may have been gentle and even tempered, her first foal
was a wild, fiery tempered filly
that was quite taken with jumping and crashing through Decker's fences and running through the corn fields of his neighbors.
Maid was not able to be trained as a harness horse or for any other occupation that would be of use on a farm due to her refusal to be hitched to a cart or pull a plow. Yet Decker, taken with the horse's lively spirit, kept Maid on his farm for seven years. Though she was untamed, one of Decker's hired hands secretly rode Maid in several local horse races and she gradually become known as a fast, albeit ill-tempered, runner. In November 1864, Mrs. Decker, tired of the horse's infamous reputation as "Decker's worthless mare", persuaded her reluctant husband to sell Maid to his nephew John H. Decker for $260. Decker in turn sold Maid to William Tompkins, a harness racer, a few days later for $400 while en route to his home in Newburgh, New York. Tompkins was also unable to race Maid successfully, with the horse refusing to adopt an even gait that would not endanger both sulky
and driver. He sold the horse in the early months of 1865 to Alden Goldsmith for $650 and a second-hand buggy
. Goldsmith changed the horse's name to Goldsmith Maid and put her under the training of William Bodine.
, blinders
or a whip with Maid, instead treating her with kindness and allowing her to set her own pace. Goldsmith Maid trotted
her first race in August 1865 and won several local races. She set track records in Goshen, New Jersey
(with a best time of running a mile in 2 minutes, 26 seconds in three heats) in 1865 and Mystic Park racetrack in Boston in 1868 at a time of 2:21½.
Goldsmith, sensing that the 11 year old Maid was nearing the end of her career, sold her to Budd Doble, a popular harness racer and trainer, in 1868 for $20,000. Maid continued to race for another six years for Doble, notably winning races in Buffalo
, Sacramento
and East Saginaw, Michigan
against male contenders half her age. From 1869 to 1874, Goldsmith Maid became immensely popular with the American
public, attracting thousands of spectators to special match race
s that pitted her against the nation's top harness racers. Doble earned so much from these matches, and the horse had become so popular that "The Maid" traveled to these engagements in her own private railroad car. In 1874, Doble set a harness racing world record (one mile in 2:14) in Boston with Maid, who was by then 17 years old.
Goldsmith Maid was sold to Henry N. Smith, who owned Fashion Farm in Trenton, New Jersey
, for $35,000 in 1874. The last four years of her career were spent defending her title, which she continued to match on several occasions. Her last race was in Toledo, Ohio
on September 27, 1877 against Rarus, who tried to break her record of trotting a mile in 2 minutes and 14 seconds. Rarus failed on that attempt, but did later succeed in breaking the record. Goldsmith Maid won over 350 heats and won 92 out of 121 races. She earned a total of $364,200 in her career, a record that would not be broken until the 1950s.
reported that there was a period of national mourning after her death.
Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
career that spanned 13 years. Her last race was won at the age of 20 against a much younger horse named Rarus. She was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame
Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame
The Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame is a museum in Goshen, New York. The museum collects and preserves the history of harness racing and serves as a hall of fame for trotter horses....
in 1953.
Pedigree and early life
Goldsmith Maid was originally named Maid and was foaled in the spring of 1857 at the Deckertown, New Jersey farm of John B. Decker. Decker had purchased Maid's damDam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
Old Ab (sired by Abdallah, the sire of Hambletonian 10
Hambletonian 10
Hambletonian 10, or Rysdyk's Hambletonian, was an American trotter and a founding sire of the Standardbred horse breed. The stallion was born in Sugar Loaf, NY on 5 May 1849. Hambletonian has been inducted into the Immortals category of the Harness Racing Hall of Fame.-Origin and early years...
) in 1853 from a hat peddler and, taken with the mare's even temperament, had bred her to Alexander's Abdallah (formerly known as Edsell's Hambeletonian) in the hopes of producing a fine farm colt
Colt (horse)
A colt is a young male horse, under the age of four. The term "colt" is often confused with foal, which refers to a horse of either sex under one year of age....
. Alexander's Abdallah was also a grandson of Abdallah, which meant that Maid was very inbred
Inbreeding
Inbreeding is the reproduction from the mating of two genetically related parents. Inbreeding results in increased homozygosity, which can increase the chances of offspring being affected by recessive or deleterious traits. This generally leads to a decreased fitness of a population, which is...
in her male lineage. While Old Ab may have been gentle and even tempered, her first foal
Foal
A foal is an equine, particularly a horse, that is one year old or younger. More specific terms are colt for a male foal and filly for a female foal, but these terms are used until the horse is age three or four. When the foal is nursing from its dam , it may also be called a suckling...
was a wild, fiery tempered 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....
that was quite taken with jumping and crashing through Decker's fences and running through the corn fields of his neighbors.
Maid was not able to be trained as a harness horse or for any other occupation that would be of use on a farm due to her refusal to be hitched to a cart or pull a plow. Yet Decker, taken with the horse's lively spirit, kept Maid on his farm for seven years. Though she was untamed, one of Decker's hired hands secretly rode Maid in several local horse races and she gradually become known as a fast, albeit ill-tempered, runner. In November 1864, Mrs. Decker, tired of the horse's infamous reputation as "Decker's worthless mare", persuaded her reluctant husband to sell Maid to his nephew John H. Decker for $260. Decker in turn sold Maid to William Tompkins, a harness racer, a few days later for $400 while en route to his home in Newburgh, New York. Tompkins was also unable to race Maid successfully, with the horse refusing to adopt an even gait that would not endanger both sulky
Sulky
A sulky is a lightweight cart having two wheels and a seat for the driver only but usually without a body, generally pulled by horses or dogs, and is used for harness races...
and driver. He sold the horse in the early months of 1865 to Alden Goldsmith for $650 and a second-hand buggy
Horse and buggy
A horse and buggy or horse and carriage refers to a light, simple, two-person carriage of the late 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, drawn usually by one or sometimes by two horses...
. Goldsmith changed the horse's name to Goldsmith Maid and put her under the training of William Bodine.
Racing record
In the spring of 1865, Maid was 8 years old, unbroken and had a persistent upper respiratory infection that would last throughout her maiden season. Bodine and Goldsmith, learning from their predecessors mistakes, decided not to use check reins, a martingaleMartingale (tack)
A martingale is any of several designs of tack that are used on horses to control head carriage. Martingales may be seen in a wide variety of equestrian disciplines, both riding and driving...
, blinders
Blinders
Blinders, also known as blinkers or winkers, are a piece of horse tack that prevent the horse seeing to the rear and, in some cases, to the side. They usually are made of leather or plastic cups that are placed on either side of the eyes, either attached to a bridle or to an independent hood...
or a whip with Maid, instead treating her with kindness and allowing her to set her own pace. Goldsmith Maid trotted
Trot (horse gait)
The trot is a two-beat diagonal gait of the horse, where the diagonal pairs of legs move forward at the same time. There is a moment of suspension between each beat....
her first race in August 1865 and won several local races. She set track records in Goshen, New Jersey
Goshen, New Jersey
Goshen is an unincorporated community in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States . Route 47, also known as Delsea Drive, runs directly through the center of the community....
(with a best time of running a mile in 2 minutes, 26 seconds in three heats) in 1865 and Mystic Park racetrack in Boston in 1868 at a time of 2:21½.
Goldsmith, sensing that the 11 year old Maid was nearing the end of her career, sold her to Budd Doble, a popular harness racer and trainer, in 1868 for $20,000. Maid continued to race for another six years for Doble, notably winning races in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
and East Saginaw, Michigan
East Saginaw, Michigan
East Saginaw is a defunct city in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan.East Saginaw was founded in 1850, and was incorporated as a village in 1855 and as a city in 1857...
against male contenders half her age. From 1869 to 1874, Goldsmith Maid became immensely popular with the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
public, attracting thousands of spectators to special match race
Match race
A match race is a race between two competitors, going head-to-head.The term may be best known as a race between two sailing boats racing around a course...
s that pitted her against the nation's top harness racers. Doble earned so much from these matches, and the horse had become so popular that "The Maid" traveled to these engagements in her own private railroad car. In 1874, Doble set a harness racing world record (one mile in 2:14) in Boston with Maid, who was by then 17 years old.
Goldsmith Maid was sold to Henry N. Smith, who owned Fashion Farm in Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
, for $35,000 in 1874. The last four years of her career were spent defending her title, which she continued to match on several occasions. Her last race was in Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
on September 27, 1877 against Rarus, who tried to break her record of trotting a mile in 2 minutes and 14 seconds. Rarus failed on that attempt, but did later succeed in breaking the record. Goldsmith Maid won over 350 heats and won 92 out of 121 races. She earned a total of $364,200 in her career, a record that would not be broken until the 1950s.
Retirement and death
Goldsmith Maid was retired at age 20 after a 13 year racing career to Smith's farm in Trenton. She produced three colts, but none of them inherited her speed on the track. In her retirement, she became a local celebrity and major tourist attraction for Trenton, attracting many visitors to Smith's farm in the summer. Goldsmith Maid died suddenly on September 23, 1885 at the age of 28 after developing pneumonia, and when her body was examined after death was found to have an enlarged heart. Her death was widely covered by the press and The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
reported that there was a period of national mourning after her death.