General Duke (born 1865) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the second running of the Belmont Stakes in 1868.New York Racing Association "Belmont Stakes" The Belmont StakesDaily Racing Form American Racing Manual p. 215A A son of Lexington, he was bred by Robert A. Alexander in Kentucky. He raced as a two-year-old, winning twice, including a stakes race. As a three-year-old, he raced nine times, winning six races, including several stakes. His final racing record was 18 wins from 32 starts. He was later known as Judge Curtis, and after his racing career ended he was a breeding stallion in Canada before dying in Illinois in 1888. Three of his daughters won stakes races.

Early life

General Duke was sired by Lexington, and out of Lilla, who was by the imported stallion Yorkshire. General Duke was foaled in 1865 and was a chestnut stallion. He was bred by Robert A. Alexander at Woodburn Stud in Kentucky.Bruce American Stud Book Vol. 1 p. 653 Both of his back legs were white to the pastern.Vosburgh "Belmont Stakes" Daily Racing Form

Racing career

General Duke's first start on the racetrack was in 1867, in the Saratoga Stakes on August 9. He placed third in that race, which was and limited to two-year-old horses. He carried and raced for McConnell and Harness.Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 2 1866, 1867 p. 143 He then raced on August 12, for the same owners at the same distance in a race for two-year-olds, which he won in 1 minute 20 seconds.Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 2 1866, 1867 p. 145 Both of these races were at Saratoga Race Course in New York. On September 26, 1867, General Duke started in a race at Cincinnati, Ohio, the Cincinnati Stakes. This was a race for two-year-olds, which General Duke won in 1 minute 45 seconds carrying . He was at that time still owned by McConnell and Harness.Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 2 1866, 1867 p. 179

As a three-year-old, General Duke first started at the Secaucus Racetrack in New Jersey on May 29, 1868. This race was a mile-heat race, run as three separate races. Racing again for McConnell and Harness, General Duke finished 3rd in each of the three heats.Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 3 1868, 1869 p. 30 The next race he started was the Belmont Stakes on June 10, 1868, which was run at the Jerome Park Racetrack. The Belmont was run at a . General Duke won while carrying , in a time of 3 minutes and 2 seconds.Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 31868, 1869 p. 32 His jockey for the race was Robert Swim, and the trainer was A. Thompson.Sowers Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes p. 10 The horse led from the start, even though he had reared up with his jockey before the beginning of the race. He was the first of four winners of the Belmont sired by Lexington.Dunstan "Reflections" Daily Racing Form

On June 17, General Duke came in second in a sweepstakes race at distance.Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 31868, 1869 p. 36 On July 2, he won a sweepstakes race for three-year-olds at a distance of a .Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 31868, 1869 p. 39 On August 10, at Saratoga, he won the Sequel Stakes over in a time of 3 minutes 40 seconds. He carried in that race.Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 31868, 1869 p. 43 On August 25, 1868, he won the Providence Stake at Narragansett Race Track, in Rhode Island. This race was a , and he carried during his winning time of 2 minutes and 44 seconds.Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 31868, 1869 p. 47 The same day, he won a heat race, with two heats, placing first in both heats.Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 31868, 1869 p. 48 He next started at the Jerome Park Racetrack in New York on October 7, 1868, in a cup race over . He placed second while carrying .Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 31868, 1869 p. 74 His last start of the year was on October 8, when he won a race with a time of 3 minutes and 13 seconds.Crickmore Racing Calendars Vol. 31868, 1869 p. 76

General Duke's final racing career totals were 32 starts and 18 wins, with total earnings on the track of $17,915 (). His career spanned six years on the track. He was named Champion Three-Year-Old in 1868.Hewitt Great Breeders p. 18 In 1870, he was the first horse to run a mile in 1 minute, 4.5 seconds. When he was four and five, he was owned by Charles Littlefield, but was subsequently sold to Joseph O'Donnell. O'Donnell changed the horse's name to Judge Curtis; something that has never happened to any other winner of a United States Triple Crown race.

As Judge Curtis, he was used as a breeding stallion in Canada but died in 1888 in Monmouth, Illinois. Three of his daughters won stakes races:Hogan Index to Stakes Winners p. 606 His daughter Bonnie Bird, foaled in 1876, won the Queen's Plate at Woodbine Racetrack in 1880. Her full sister Bonnie Duke, foaled in 1882, won the same race in 1887.Hogan Index to Stakes Winners p. 131 His 1882 daughter Curtolima won the 1885 Woodstock Plate Handicap, now called the Woodstock Stakes.Hogan Index to Stakes Winners p. 491

Pedigree

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