Virgil (1864–1886) was an American thoroughbred racehorse that was bred in Kentucky by Hyman C. Gratz. He was a brown to dark bay stallion, was approximately 16 hands high and had a prominent white star on his forehead. His sire, Vandal, was the second leading sire of the time, behind the great Lexington. Virgil was a direct descendant of the thoroughbred foundation sire Herod and was the leading sire in the United States in 1885.Avalyn Hunter, American Classic Pedigrees: 1914–2003, Blood Horse Publications, 2003.
Virgil was trained as a flat-racer, buggy racer and jumper. He had a total of 8 starts on the flat racing circuit, netting 6 wins. Virgil tended to run his best in races less than 1½ miles. In 1869, Virgil was bought by R.W. Simmons, who trained him for steeple chasing.NY Times. Sep. 12, 1886
After his racing and jumping career, he was briefly contracted as a logging horse, which took its toll on his joints and appearance.
He was eventually bought in the 1870s by Milton Sanford. His stud career at Sanford's Elmendorf Farm was started by accident when Virgil was allowed to stand in for Sanford's regular stallion, Glenelg. Sanford briefly sold Virgil to B.G. Bruce but bought him back for $2500 after Vagrant won the Kentucky Derby in 1876.Virgil Pedigree Virgil remained at Elmendorf Stud until his death at the age of 22 in September 1886.
He is the sire of three Kentucky Derby winners: Vagrant (1876), Hindoo (1881) and Ben Ali (1886). He also sired other successful flat-racers Tremont, Virgilian and Carley B., winner of the 1882 Travers Stakes.Sanders Dewees Bruce, The horse-breeder's guide and hand book, 1883.
Sire line tree
VirgilByerley Turk LineChart: VirgilAmerican Classic Pedigree: Virgil VagrantAmerican Classic Pedigree: Vagrant Vigil Virginius HindooPortrait: HindooAmerican Classic Pedigree: HindooHall of Fame: HindooHINDOO BEFORE AND BEYOND THE KENTUCKY DERBYHindoo, the hall of fame horse that raced on avenue x in Sheapshead Bay HanoverPortrait: HanoverAmerican Classic Pedigree: Hanover Buck Massie Jake Buckleya HalmaAmerican Classic Pedigree: Halma Alan-a-DaleAmerican Classic Pedigree: Alan-A-Dale Smart Set Acacia Oversight Hammon Handsome The CommonerAmerican Classic Pedigree: The Commoner Simon D Johnnie Blake Doctor Boots Countless Parmer Great Britain Ben Holladay Handspring Major Daingerfield Handout Heywood Palo Alto HamburgPortrait: HamburgHall of Fame: HamburgAmerican Classic Pedigree: Hamburg Inflexible Strephon Dandelion Battleaxe BurgomasterAmerican Classic Pedigree: Burgomaster Orison Pegasus The Irishman Baby Wolf Hillside Borrow Buskin Prince Eugene Happy Go Lucky Handball Handsel Grover Hughes Colonel Livingstone Sanders Half Time Handcuff David Garrick Star of Hanover Withers Admonition Holstein Abe Frank Blackstock Mentor Kaffir Kaffir Boy King Hanover Prince Ahmed Luck and Charity Serpent Yankee Dinna Ken Yankee Gun Joe Madden Marse Abe Naushon Nonpareil Penobscot Jim Gore Beau Gallant Gorman Merry Lark Buddhist Dungarvan J H Houghton Merry Monarch Aryan Macy Benroe Howland Miller Alard Scheck Van Buren Carley B Vanguard Isaac Murphy Ben AliAmerican Classic Pedigree: Ben Ali Arcade TremontTremont, unbeaten here of thirteen races... Dagonet Fremont Tremor
Pedigree
Virgil is inbred 4S x 4D to the stallion Tramp, meaning that he appears fourth generation on the sire side of his pedigree and fourth generation on the dam side of his pedigree.
References