Black Gold's Post Derby Aftermath
Unsoundness Plagued Him for Four Years; Irish Eyes Were Sad
Black Gold had heart. He willed himself to stay with the run even though he spent several years after his Derby victory in poor running condition.
A great favorite of his time, 1924 Kentucky Derby champ Black Gold raced forward. His half length Derby win was his career shortest margin of victory. In the Ohio State Derby a week later at Maple Heights, Cleveland, he returned to domination, winning by three lengths.
At Hawthorne Park, Illinois, on July 12 in the Chicago Derby, Black Gold stumbled badly but recovered courageously, winning going away by eight lengths. It was his fourth Derby win on the year. He was the first Thoroughbred to win four Derbies in one season.
Then came the beginning of a sad ending for the black Black Toney colt. Fatigued, Black Gold soon became sore-footed from a left front quarter-crack. His trainer demanded more of him, however. At the end of his three-year-old season, Black Gold lost twice, making his career mark 31 starts, 18 wins, 5 seconds, 4 thirds, and just 4 off the board runs.
Retired, Black Gold was unsuccessful at stud. He could not duplicate the brilliance of his sire. His only foal was fatally struck by lightning.
Trainer Hanley Webb pressed ahead. He returned Black Gold to the track, where the colt labored for another four years in varying stages of decline and in unsound condition.
It would not have been the Irishman's wish to continue Black Gold on this path. One can only speculate on the motivations of Black Gold's trainer.
At the age of seven, Black Gold stood in the starting gate for the charge of the Salome Purse, a one mile event at The Fair Grounds, New Orleans, Louisiana. A poor start pushed him back, but he soon moved to a stalking position.
He passed several horses in the stretch. A stumble snapped his left foreleg. The break above the ankle did not stop the brave-hearted Black Toney colt. He kept going. His jockey could not pull him up. He reached the finish line on three legs.
Almost fifty years later, the racing world once again would witness this kind of blind heart for the run displayed by the magnificent filly Ruffian in her historic match race with the colt Foolish Pleasure.
The results were equally measurable.
Black Gold, like Ruffian, finished his way.
So great was his popularity, as was Ruffian's, that the American flag was lowered in his honor. New Orleans closed its public schools. Children chaperoned on streetcars by their teachers attended the jazz band-lauded funeral of Black Gold at the track infield's eighth pole.
Flowers and ribbons were offered, tears were shed, Mississippi River dirt from Kentucky, Ohio, Arkansas, and Oklahoma was shoveled. Heart and hooves were buried, but never forgotten.
