Through the glory days of the nice Calumet Farm, the secure was stuffed with so many proficient horses that when one went to the sidelines, even a Horse of the 12 months, a stablemate may step up and fill the void. Such was the case in 1949, when the legendary Quotation was on the sidelines after an unimaginable marketing campaign in 1948 that noticed him win the Triple Crown, Horse of the 12 months, and 19 of his 20 races. For many stables, changing such a star can be not possible, however Calumet had a easy answer: ship out Coaltown to win Horse of the 12 months the next 12 months as a substitute.
From the very starting, Coaltown had proven expertise. A son of Calumet’s high stallion Bull Lea, Coaltown had been unraced as a 2-year-old attributable to a throat concern however burst onto the scene as a 3-year-old in 1948 with a gate-to-wire victory in a maiden race at Hialeah Park. His time wasn’t outstanding – 1:11 2/5 for six furlongs – however a bit of greater than three weeks later he romped to victory by 12 lengths in allowance race on the identical distance, stopping the clock within the monitor record-equaling time of 1:09 3/5.
COALTOWN ON COVER OF AUG. 27, 1949 BLOODHORSE
Coaltown clearly had pace, however may he carry it in opposition to more durable competitors? After delivery to Keeneland in Kentucky, Coaltown answered with a definitive “sure” when he gained the six-furlong Phoenix Handicap in opposition to older horses by 2 ½ lengths, after which stretched his pace to 1 1/8 miles for the primary time and gained the Blue Grass Stakes by a convincing 4 ½ lengths in 1:49 1/5, a brand new monitor file. At this level, many individuals believed Coaltown was superior to the extra skilled Quotation and that Coaltown would win the 1948 Kentucky Derby. However after opening up a six-length lead early on within the run for the roses, Coaltown was handed by his stablemate within the homestretch and wound up ending second, overwhelmed 3 ½ lengths.
For the rest of the 12 months, Coaltown raced in Quotation’s monumental shadow, however that’s to not say Coaltown didn’t obtain success of his personal. Whereas he wasn’t unbeatable, he did win the Swift Stakes, Drexel Handicap, and Jerome Handicap in straightforward vogue earlier than ending the 12 months with a third-place end behind Quotation within the Synsonby Mile. Quotation took residence the 12 months’s nice accolades, however Coaltown – due to his outstanding pace and victories in dash races – was voted champion sprinter of 1948.
The next 12 months, Quotation developed ankle bother and was unable to race, leaving Coaltown because the star of the secure. Filling Quotation’s footwear wouldn’t be straightforward, however Coaltown did so with aplomb, successful 12 of 15 begins and ending second within the different three.
Velocity? He was sooner than ever in 1949, routinely operating six furlongs in lower than 1:10 and even operating the space in lower than 1:09 on three events. Stamina? Not like the earlier 12 months, Coaltown may carry his pace nicely past a mile and did so in virtually each one among his races. He began the 12 months at Hialeah Park, the place he gained a few allowance races – one on this planet record-equaling time of 1:47 3/5 for 1 1/8 miles – earlier than beating 1947 Preakness Stakes winner Faultless within the McLennan Handicap. Every week later, he tried 1 1/4 miles within the Widener Handicap – then essentially the most prestigious winter race on the East Coast – and cruised residence in entrance by two lengths, with Faultless ending third.
Coaltown’s pace was so spectacular that in each the McLennan and the Widener he opened up giant leads early on – three, 4, 5 lengths – and by no means let his rivals get near him. He did the identical within the 1 1/4-mile Gulfstream Park Handicap, main by 10 lengths partway by the race earlier than crossing the wire in entrance by seven lengths within the terrific time of 1:59 4/5, which equaled the world file. Coaltown was so dominant that within the Edward Burke Handicap one month later, no horse may very well be discovered to run in opposition to him. He crossed the end line alone in a walkover.
Coaltown prolonged his successful streak to eight straight races with a seven-length romp within the Gallant Fox Handicap and a 12-length show of pure energy within the Roger Williams Handicap. Within the latter race, he not solely gained in straightforward vogue, he did so whereas carrying 26 kilos greater than the runner-up.
After a lot success in lengthy races, it got here as a shock when Coaltown was overwhelmed going a mile within the Equipoise Mile Handicap at Arlington Park, however Coaltown ran a sport race in defeat, battling for the lead with a furlong to go earlier than tiring to complete second to Star Reward by three lengths. However this was solely a short lived setback, as Coaltown rebounded to win 4 straight races in opposition to a number of the greatest horses within the nation.
Within the Stars and Stripes Handicap, he conceded 20 kilos to 1947 Horse of the 12 months Armed and beat him by 1 ¼ lengths when Star Reward completed third. Within the Arlington Handicap, Coaltown beat Star Reward by three lengths and Armed by 4 lengths, as soon as once more conceding nice weight to each. Then, as if eager to fully and absolutely safe his revenge in opposition to Star Reward, Coaltown beat his one-time conqueror once more within the one-mile Whirlaway Stakes, successful by 2 ¼ lengths within the world-record time of 1:34 flat. The 1949 Kentucky Derby winner Ponder completed second, whereas Star Reward got here residence third.
Coaltown’s last victory of the 12 months got here within the 1 1/4-mile Washington Park Handicap, the place he tenaciously held off Armed by three-quarters of a size on a sluggish, tiring monitor. With such a busy, spectacular, and strenuous marketing campaign behind him, Coaltown wasn’t at his greatest for his final two begins of the 12 months, and he was overwhelmed by the Preakness and Belmont Stakes winner Capot in each the Synsonby Stakes and the Pimlico Particular. Nonetheless, his outstanding exploits from earlier within the 12 months weren’t forgotten, and Coaltown was voted champion handicap horse and shared Horse of the 12 months honors with Capot.
Coaltown would race on for 2 extra years. After an unsuccessful 1950 marketing campaign that noticed him win solely an allowance race from 4 begins, he resurrected his profession as a sprinter in 1951, reaching again to the glory days and successful the Artwork Sparks Handicap and Youngsters’s Hospital Handicap at Bay Meadows. However his resurrection was temporary, and after three straight defeats, Coaltown was retired to Calumet Farm.
Coaltown didn’t obtain a lot success as a sire and was quickly offered to France, the place he died in 1965. Right now, many racing followers know him solely as Quotation’s overshadowed stablemate, however Coaltown’s brilliance and accomplishments in 1949 have been equaled by few earlier than or since, making him worthy of an excellent legacy all his personal.
Notice: This story was initially printed in April 2016 and has been up to date.
Enjoyable Details
- Coaltown retired with a file of 23 wins, six seconds, and three thirds from 39 begins, with earnings of $415,675.
- All through his profession, Coaltown was educated alternately by Ben Jones and his son Jimmy.
- Coaltown gained stakes races at seven completely different distances starting from six to 10 furlongs.
- Coaltown’s dam was Simple Lass, making Coaltown a half-brother to Wistful, a proficient Calumet filly that gained the Kentucky Oaks, Pimlico Oaks, and Teaching Membership American Oaks in 1949 to change into that 12 months’s champion three-year-old filly. Simple Lass was additionally the dam of the stakes winners Fanfare and Rosewood.
- Throughout his 1949 marketing campaign, Coaltown carried 130 kilos or extra in eight consecutive races, together with his walkover, and gained seven of them.
- Coaltown was inducted into the Racing Corridor of Fame in 1983.
