Walter C. Rollins
Encyclopedia
Walter Childs Rollins was an American
Thoroughbred
racehorse
trainer
about whom the New York Times said "was for thirty years one of the most successful trainers of thoroughbred racers in America."
Born in Lexington, Kentucky
, Walter Rollins first worked in the racing industry as a stable hand for Hal Price McGrath, owner of McGrathiana Stud. He was a jockey
for a time but met with limited success. As a trainer, Rollins spent the majority of his career at racetracks in the New York
/New Jersey
area, making his home in The Bronx, New York
. His first major success came with the colt
General Monroe with whom he won the 1883 and 1884 editions of the Saratoga Cup
and the inaugural running of the Suburban Handicap
in 1884.
Walter Rollins trained for prominent owners such as Norman Kittson
, Pierre Lorillard IV
, and the Oneck Stable of Harry K. Knapp
and his brother, Dr. Gideon Lee Knapp. Rollins' most famous horse was Oneck Stable's Sir Walter
. He also owned some of the horses he trained, notably Deerslayer, winner of the 1896 Carter Handicap
and Autumn Cup, as well as Herbert, who won back-to-back runnings of the Merchants and Citizens Handicap
in 1901 and 1902.
Plagued by health problems, by 1901 Rollins had hired trainer Robert Healey to assist him and then retired in 1903 at age forty-six. In the fall of 1907, Mrs. Rollins died. Despondent over her loss and his own failing health, Walter Rollins took his own life. He was living in The Bronx
, New York
near the Jerome Park Racetrack
at the time of his death.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
racehorse
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...
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...
about whom the New York Times said "was for thirty years one of the most successful trainers of thoroughbred racers in America."
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...
, Walter Rollins first worked in the racing industry as a stable hand for Hal Price McGrath, owner of McGrathiana Stud. He was a 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:...
for a time but met with limited success. As a trainer, Rollins spent the majority of his career at racetracks in the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
/New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
area, making his home in The Bronx, New York
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
. His first major success came with the 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....
General Monroe with whom he won the 1883 and 1884 editions of the Saratoga Cup
Saratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap
The Saratoga Breeders’ Cup Handicap was, until it was discontinued in 2005, a Thoroughbred race for horses three-years-old and up run at Saratoga Race Course...
and the inaugural running of the Suburban Handicap
Suburban Handicap
The Suburban Handicap is an American Grade II Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is run at the classic one-and-one-quarter mile distance on dirt for a $400,000 purse....
in 1884.
Walter Rollins trained for prominent owners such as Norman Kittson
Norman Kittson
Norman Wolfred Kittson was variously a fur trader, steamboat-line operator, and railway entrepreneur.-Fur trader:...
, Pierre Lorillard IV
Pierre Lorillard IV
Pierre Lorillard IV was an American tobacco manufacturer and thoroughbred race horse owner.-Biography:...
, and the Oneck Stable of Harry K. Knapp
Harry K. Knapp
Harry Kearsarge Knapp was a United States financier and a prominent executive in the Thoroughbred horse racing industry....
and his brother, Dr. Gideon Lee Knapp. Rollins' most famous horse was Oneck Stable's Sir Walter
Sir Walter
Sir Walter was an outstanding American Thoroughbred racehorse known for his gritty determination which saw him win a number of races by a matter of inches. He was bred by James Ben Ali Haggin at his Rancho Del Paso near Sacramento, California who had imported his sire, Midlothian, from Great Britain...
. He also owned some of the horses he trained, notably Deerslayer, winner of the 1896 Carter Handicap
Carter Handicap
The Carter Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early April at Aqueduct Racetrack. Open to horses three-years-old and up, it is raced over a distance of seven furlongs....
and Autumn Cup, as well as Herbert, who won back-to-back runnings of the Merchants and Citizens Handicap
Merchants and Citizens Handicap
The Merchants and Citizens Handicap is a defunct American Thoroughbred horse race which was held annually at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York...
in 1901 and 1902.
Plagued by health problems, by 1901 Rollins had hired trainer Robert Healey to assist him and then retired in 1903 at age forty-six. In the fall of 1907, Mrs. Rollins died. Despondent over her loss and his own failing health, Walter Rollins took his own life. He was living in The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
near the 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....
at the time of his death.