The First Derby Winner

Tomorrow is the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby. But where did it all start from?

The First Derby Winner

Using this book, here’s the story of the first Derby Winner. 

On May 17, 1875,  10,000 fans went out to Churchill Downs. They flooded the grounds in wagons, buggies, carts, and carriages.  The fashion was still the same as it is today. Ladies dressed with decorated  gowns, hats, and gloves.The first Kentucky Derby cost $1050 to enter. $50 was for the Stakes and $1000 was paid to the Louisville Racing Association. The award was a 300 ounce silver punch bowl worth $1000. 

I pulled the list of runners from Wikipedia

  • Aristides
  • Volcano
  • Verdigris
  • Bob Woolley
  • Ten Broeck
  • Grenoble
  • Bill Bruce
  • Chesapeake
  • Searcher
  • Ascension
  • Enlister
  • McCreery
  • Warsaw
  • Vagabond
  • Gold Mine 

Instead of starting gates, the horses lined up and waited for the flag to be dropped. Once it was dropped, the horses took off. 

Source
In the 1875 race, Volcano took the lead, but Chesapeake broke last. At the half-mile pole, McCreery was in the front, but Aristides eventually won. He set a new track record at 2:37 3/4. Aristides was only 15 hands and was called the “Little Red Hoss.”
Drawing of Aristides

A statue was made to honor Aristides. He won $2850 for his owner, H.P McGrath. I couldn’t find any info about what happened to Aristides, but he’ll always be a part of history for being the first Kentucky Derby Winner.

Source

Wordless Day

Today was not a studio day nor a write a how-to article day. So here’s a flood of pictures that I have that I think will be great references. A couple have been thrown in for good fun.

Extremely creepy giant plushie in Canada
Gigit, a friend’s French Bulldog puppie the day she picked her up. If you’d like to see more pictures of puppy cuteness, comment! 

As with all of my pictures, feel free to use them but give me credit if you use them. Thanks!

Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover PT. 3

Here’s the final installment of the Misty Ponies!

Last I talked about the Misty Ponies, I talked about Sea Star and Misty.

Picture I took in Beebe Barn
Picture of Marguerite Henry and Misty

Now come the descendants.

Misty along with her foals–pic from here

Stormy was Misty’s last foal, and is the one that kept Misty’s line going. Misty’s other foals, Phantom Wings and Wings O’ Mist, died from getting sick off of feed and the foals they had did not reproduce.
So Stormy kept on the line. Marguerite Henry wrote, Stormy, Misty’s Foal, off of her birth.

Misty and Stormy–Photo from Here

Doesn’t the picture look familiar?

The interesting thing about the story? For Stormy’s actual birth, she and Misty lived with relatives of the Beebes. The whole flood and being on the house steps were real though.

Misty and Stormy on the steps-from here

Stormy, once she passed away, was preserved along side her mother.

The Breyer model and the real Stormy’s markings match.

Misty’s other foals never became as famous as Stormy. Breyer did commemorate Phantom Wings with an adorable model of him. He passed away young along with his his sister, Wings O’ Mist , so even though they did have foals, they did not have any descendants to keep the lines going. The Breyer Model and the real pony’s markings match.

Sign that was in the Beebe House

Phantom Wings-Photo from Here, where you can buy the picture

Misty’s Black Mist along with Misty II and Misty’s May Day Twister were made by Breyer to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Misty of Chincoteague. There have been books written about the ponies, but I have not read them.
Misty II’s model has the same exact markings of the pony. Misty II was the last grand foal of Misty alive. She died years ago. She was named Misty II because she carried the same pattern as the original Misty. The mold is a mare so that’s always a plus and the color is pretty close.

Pic from here

Now for May Day Twister and Black Mist, it’s a completely different story. First off Twister’s mold is a colt. The real pony is a mare. The markings are also completely different. In real life, Twister and Black Mist are Misty II’s foals. Twister is also a part of the Chincoteague Drill Team.

Twister and Misty II-Found this pic on Facebook

For Black Mist, the only problem is the mold. The markings are correct. Black Mist once again is a mare. The mold is a stallion/gelding which doesn’t particularly help a mare. Black Mist was a part of the Chincoteague Pony Drill Team.

Black Mist Also has a Facebook Page

Nightmist is a Misty Pony, even though Breyer hasn’t made a Breyer model of him. Jessie-Ann Friend wrote a book about him, which I have and it’s signed! It’s a cute story about Nightmist told similarly in the same way as Marguerite Henry wrote.

 Nightmist was Windy’s last foal. Windy died shortly after he was born due to the fact that she was old when she had Nightmist and his birth put alot of strain on her. I was lucky enough to go to the stallion’s birthday party in 2008 and took some pictures of him. He died a couple years ago from colic.

Nightmist’s birthday party

The last Pony who we will look at is Misty’s Twilight. The model and the real horse have the same markings. Misty’s Twilight in real life is only part pony, hence her larger size. She was the last Misty Pony that Marguerite Henry wrote about, and I haven’t been able to find any info about whether or not she is alive.

Misty’s Twilight–Photo from Here

Well, that’s the last of the Misty ponies. Who knows, maybe I’ll dig up info on other horses that were based on books and look up info on them. :)

Misty and Marguerite Henry–Pic source

Some Misty Articles You may like reading:
End Of An Era-Selling of Beebe Farm
Misty’s Heaven- All Misty descendants
Chincoteague Pony Centre

Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover…PT 2

Out of all of my Misty Family Pony Books, Misty of Chincoteague is the one I have the most copies of. Three to be exact.
The first copy I ever bought was the newest cover edition, made for the 60th anniversary.

The funniest thing I find about the Misty of Chincoteague covers, is that none of them really look like the real pony.

photo from LIFE Magazine

The real pony had a marking that went up to her eye, while the books have variously placed facial markings.

This one is the closest to the real pony out of my three
While on my trip in Chincoteague, I was able to buy the original cover version, which matches the Breyer model. While this cover, to me, looks the least like Misty, it matches the Breyer model perfectly! And it’s the original cover, and hardback even though it isn’t a first printing.
I also was able to go to the Theater,
where Misty’s hoof prints are. 
And I can’t forget about the statue!