General Grant views trotting races at Dubois Half-mile Horsetrack in New York City November 1865. Image from Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, December 9, 1865, p. 180.
The final home of Ulysses S. Grant is just ten miles north of Saratoga Springs, NY, home of the Saratoga Racetrack and the famous Travers Stakes (the oldest stakes race for 3-year-olds in the United States). Grant had a deep passion for and profound ability with horses. He also had a penchant for strong fast horses and participated in or attended many impromptu horse races. Knowing this, it’s understandable to assume that attending official horse races, like those at Saratoga, would have been a favorite pastime for the famous general, but this would not be the case. Although Grant visited Saratoga Springs on multiple occasions from the 1860s-1880s, there is no evidence he ever attended races at the track. How could an individual like Grant, with such an affinity for horses, not attend the races at Saratoga and other popular tracks of the time? This is a question worthy of being explored and like many things in history, there is not a simple or straightforward answer.
Grant had a special connection with horses from an early age. Accounts describe Ulysses as a toddler moving about the large horses at his father’s tannery and when locals voiced concern to his mother she simply stated, “Horses seem to understand Ulysses.” His childhood is replete with stories of the young Ulysses breaking in horses nobody else could, doing daredevil stunts on horseback, and exhibiting an astounding mastery of the animal. The modern term “horse-whisperer” could undoubtedly be applied to him. West Point classmate James Longstreet described Grant’s abilities: “In horsemanship…he was noted as the most proficient in the Academy. In fact, rider and horse held together like the fabled centaur.” Impressive riding abilities would be a hallmark of Grant throughout his career and private life.
A depiction of cadet U.S. Grant making “The Big Leap” at West Point on his mount York.
Stationed at Camp Salubrity, LA in 1845, Grant took part in horse racing with his pony “Dandy.” Between battles in the Mexican-American War Grant indulged his competitive side by racing. One account claimed that Grant while racing at high speed unknowingly clipped a Mexican that strayed into the path and he was killed. Later Grant would witness another Mexican thrown off an unruly horse down an embankment to his death. Grant fully understood the dangers of riding, having witnessed one of his childhood friends die in a tragic horseback riding accident. Grant would nearly meet his end on more than one occasion due to horseback-related incidents.
Lt. U.S. Grant with his racing pony “Dandy” (left) and Lt. Alexander Hays with his horse “Sunshine” (right) at Camp Salubrity, LA in 1845.
Concern over personal safety never seemed to be a priority for the young officer. In his early military career, while stationed in Detroit, MI, Grant sought out fast horses, like his prized black “Cicotte Mare” nicknamed “Nelly Bly” by Julia, and excelled in the amateur sporting activity known as the “Matinee Horse Races.” Grant also participated in races on the frozen ice of the Rouge River. For many, the races offered an exciting diversion, but some residents found the racing in the streets a reckless pastime. Forced to sell when departing Detroit, Grant’s “Cicotte Mare” would go on to race successfully at the Abbey Trotting Track in St. Louis, MO.
““Grant was…noticeable for his horse racing…He was in the forefront of any racing that was going on. On Saturdays the whole town seemed to get out on Fort Avenue and every man who had a horse took part. Grant had that little black mare and it was a horse of tremendous speed. He was the best horseman I ever saw. He could fly on a horse, faster than a slicked bullet.” ”
After being transferred to Sackett’s Harbor, NY Grant missed the racing action he left behind in Detroit noting that “I see from my Detroit paper that sporting is on the ascendent in your place and that some of the nags make good time. I should like very much to change back again to Detroit.”
Horseback riding proved to be therapy for Grant during his tumultuous life. When stationed at the isolated outpost of Fort Humboldt on the lonely West Coast and separated from his young family in the 1850s, Grant took solace in taking long rides on a strong roan horse named Eclipse. He was also known to take brisk rides in an attempt to diminish the effects of powerful migraines he suffered from periodically. Grant would also court his love Julia on horseback as well as make his marriage proposal to her while driving a carriage.
Everywhere he went, Grant seemed to always make it a priority to secure good horses for riding and labor. Sometimes Grant saw something special in a horse that others missed and would draw greatness out of animals once viewed as mediocre. One example was a Confederate horse captured at Shiloh that was jokingly named Kangaroo due to its scrawny appearance that Grant rehabilitated to become a “magnificent animal” that he rode during the Vicksburg Campaign.
“He preferred to ride the most unmanageable mount, the largest and the most powerful one. Oftentimes I saw him ride a beast that none had approached. ”
General Grant with his prized warhorse Cincinnati at Cold Harbor, VA in 1864.
Just after the Civil War ended, the trotting scene emerged among the upper class in New York City. Only six months after Appomattox, Grant attended races at the Dubois track in Manhattan. The ultra-wealthy could display their priceless trotters like Irish-born Robert Bonner and his famous “Dexter.” Grant was given opportunities to take the reins with Dexter, but never became his owner.
Grant and Bonner driving with Dexter in New York City - 1868.
Grant seemed to prefer attending these trotting races and more informal meets at agricultural fairs as opposed to the official meets at well-established tracks. One of the places Grant frequented was Harlem Lane, a scene of furious trotting competitions and loud roadside spectators, perhaps reminding him of the excitement of his days in Detroit. One of the few luxuries Grant afforded himself was the purchase of expensive horses and carriages.
Fast Trotters on Harlem Lane N.Y. by Currier & Ives - 1870 (Bonner with Dexter depicted in foreground).
Grant acquired the White Haven property of his father-in-law in St. Louis, MO and began a breeding operation in the years after the war. Grant personally designed a stable barn on the property that held up to 25 horses. Grant reluctantly oversaw a breeding operation from afar, chained to his duties at Washington. On a few occasions Grant was able to visit his horses, mostly thoroughbreds and Morgans, in person.
President Grant's farm near St. Louis from Frank Leslie’s Illustrated - 1875
Taking Grant’s long and close relationships with horses and racing into account, what could have kept him from attending more racetrack meets?
Gentleness Not Harshness
One theory is an aversion to animal cruelty. Some modern organizations advocate for the reform or end of horse racing due to injuries and deaths related to the sport. Grant expressed disgust at the treatment of the animals at the bullfight he witnessed during the Mexican-American War. The intentional abuse and exploitation leading to the death of a horse at the event was deeply disturbing to him. During the Civil War, General Grant severely punished a teamster who was abusing his animals. His abiding philosophy was clear on the treatment of animals when he stated: “If people knew how much more they could get out of a horse by gentleness than by harshness, they would save a great deal of trouble to both horse and man.” The theory regarding cruelty seems to have a crucial weakness in the fact that Grant bred horses for the track, raced horses himself, and attended trotting races regularly. If he perceived cruelty, it seems likely he wouldn’t submit animals he owned for that use. Overall, Grant does not seem to have had a general aversion to animals being trained to be used for amusement or sport. He attended circuses multiple times during his life and once marveled at a trained monkey show on his world tour.
““He had a natural love for animals of all kinds and he was of kindly instincts…He never abused an animal, never.” ”
The Burden of Fame
A more viable theory exists in Grant’s aversion to crowds and public attention. He was described as being uncomfortable as the center of attention. Leonard Jerome along with Augustus Belmont Sr. and the American Jockey Club opened Jerome Park Racetrack at Fordham (now Bronx) NY track in September 1866. The track would be the first to host the Belmont Stakes the following year. Freshly promoted Four-Star General Grant accepted an invitation to the opening where he was mobbed for handshakes and cheered loudly by the 20,000 in attendance. If he had a way to avoid this in the future, it seems likely that he would.
“My father cared nothing for show of any kind, and even public receptions were distasteful to him... Besides he was liable to become embarrassed. People used to think that he had a florid complexion, but his complexion really was pale... but as soon as he appeared in public and was ushered into the society of strangers his embarrassment caused his face to flush. ”
The First Meeting, Jerome Park, N.Y. by H. Schile 1873
All Bets Are Off?
Another legitimate theory lies in the perception of impropriety or indecency related to the horse racing industry’s inextricable ties to betting. While some believed that “there is good reason why the President of the United States should show an interest in and encourage by his presence those amusements that are popular with the American people,” others saw it differently. During his presidency, Grant was accused of visiting racetracks and betting on horses by the press. His response was that “he had been to but two horse races since he was President, and at one of those his family was with him.”
Though Grant is known to have bet on casual horse races and private card games, it seems he kept the activity very limited in nature. Even if Grant enjoyed the sport, gambling seemed to have bothered his somewhat conservative moral sensibilities and could have contributed to an avoidance of it.
““With all his liking for horses, he could never be induced to attend a race, or to bet on a horse. At agricultural fairs of course he witnessed and enjoyed seeing horses trotting or running.””
Grant’s Race-Track?
In July 1870, Monmouth Park racetrack opened less than five miles from President Grant’s new seaside cottage in Long Branch, NJ. Notably, the President who was at his Long Branch residence with his family at the time, did not attend the opening. The builders of Monmouth hoped that the track would “rival those at Jerome Park and Saratoga in brilliancy, interest and the character of its spectators.” One thing is clear, that the the track owners were desperate to associate the famous man with their racetrack. Eventually, Grant’s absence from the track became a joke in the press with them stating that the President had still not been to “Grant’s race-track” five years after it opened.
Grant’s good friend and Long Branch neighbor George Childs believed that Grant avoided horse racing because he was opposed to it, though Childs failed to provide any clear reason(s) while the papers assumed that he did “not want to be considered a sporting man.” A sporting man at the time was the term used for an individual who was self-indulgent and given to various vices.
““There is one thing in connection… [with horses] which the majority of people are entirely misinformed. The general impression was, and doubtless still exists, that while he lived at Long Branch the general was an habitue of the race track. Now that is entirely untrue. He never voluntarily went to see a horse race. He was opposed to them. The only times he was on a race track or saw a horse race were when he happened to attend a county fair.” ”
Headline from the New York Herald, July 31, 1870.
Grant not only had horses at White Haven but the White House stables were packed with prized equines. The finest stables ever built for the White House were constructed in 1871 during his first term. Grant, who was well known for his eagerness to talk horses, greatly enjoyed conversing over equine matters with his stable master Albert Hawkins.
The Stable of the White House from Harper’s Weekly - April 1869
An extensive world tour after his presidency would introduce Grant to international horses and racing. He would attend the races at Epsom in England in 1877, but when asked to compare English and American racing he responded:
“There is an impression abroad that I am a great horse racer, fond of horses, and know all about races; but, on the contrary, I really know nothing of racing, having seen only two races—one at Cincinnati in 1865 and at the opening of Jerome Park in 1867. I feel, therefore, that I am not qualified to judge of the comparison.”
The Oaks Race at Epsom from The Pictorial World - June 1877
Grant was never fully comfortable being feted by world leaders and declined invitations to events when he felt he could do so without insult. He was compelled however to attend military reviews which typically included cavalry as well as horse shows and races in Bombay, India, and Tokyo, Japan. Probably his most enjoyable experiences with horses included riding a large bay blood horse in Milan, Italy, and reviewing Sultan Abdul Hammid II's dozens of prized Arab stallions in Constantinople. The sultan offered Grant two of the stallions, later named Leopard and Linden Tree, which he shipped back to the United States where they became famed breeding stock.
In his later years, Grant enjoyed fast carriage runs by the ocean at Long Branch with his favorite driving mare Silver.
“[General Grant] is exceedingly fond of a good trotter, and seeks the back roads at the Branch to speed his animal, as well as to get away from the crowds that throng the beach drive.”
In early June of 1881, Grant made a visit to White Haven to see his horses. While in town he and Mrs. Grant took in some races at the St. Louis fairgrounds. Grant viewed them from a seat in the judges’ stand and was even reportedly consulted by the judges on a close finish. Perhaps being out of public office and into the relatively reduced scrutiny of private life allowed Grant a more casual regard to attending the races.
Headline from the Lincoln Nebraska State Journal 6/9/1881
Grant stabled horses at Goshen, NY where he watched a trotting race on the Historic Track, the oldest continuously operated racing track in America, in 1873. It was a sad day in November about ten years later, suffering from the illness that would take his life, that Grant visited the Goshen stables of prominent breeder Alden Goldsmith for the last time. He also kept horses at Wootton, the country estate of his friend George Childs outside of Philadelphia. After the former president suffered financial collapse in 1884 Childs took in Silver at Wootton but was saddened that his friend was unable to visit her or his other horses one last time due to his advancing illness.
Ulysses S. Grant would find himself on a mountaintop only a few miles from the famous Saratoga Racetrack in 1885. He had missed the racing at Saratoga on previous visits partly due to timing, with the race meets considerably shorter in the early years. Now, sadly, he was in no state to attend the races even if he desired to as he battled terminal cancer to finish his memoirs to provide for his family. The racing season was in full swing as Grant’s final days unfolded with the Travers Stakes being run on July 21 only two days before his death. Though Grant’s death would throw the nation into mourning and some sporting events would be postponed or canceled, the races continued at Saratoga, perhaps as a fitting tribute to a man who truly appreciated the beauty and speed of horses. Grant’s funeral bier was drawn by 24 black stallions and he was laid to rest in Riverside Park in Manhattan, only a short distance from Grant’s old haunt, the trotting run of Harlem Lane.
Grant’s stable barn at White Haven (Ulysses Grant National Historic Site - St. Louis, MO)
Walking through the spacious horse stables at White Haven, now full of modern exhibits of Grant’s life and legacy, one gets an impression for how much horses meant to him. Stepping out into the unrenovated section of the barn with the exposed beams and stalls, one takes a step back in time, perhaps imagining for a moment the excitement Grant would feel after a long absence from his prized animals. Horses were so much more than animals of utility or sport to the sensitive midwestern man. They offered a constant in his varied and unpredictable life and career. He understood them, treated them kindly and they rewarded him with a lifetime of service and companionship. Everything about horses captivated and intrigued Grant but perhaps more than anything, it was the close connection only possible when in the saddle or holding the reins that was missing while sitting trackside. Off to the races, or not, Grant deeply admired the majestic animals at the core of the historic sport.
Grant’s saddle at the Old Market House in Galena, IL
For more information on the history of horse racing visit: The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame and the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame
Sources:
Before the Motor City: the horse age in Detroit by Bill Loomis, The Detroit News 11/29/2014
Recollections of General Grant by George Childs
From Cincinnati to the Colorado Ranger - the Horsemanship of Ulysses S. Grant by Denise Dowdall
A Photograph of the President by Joaquin Miller in The Portland Daily Press 9/29/1875
Ulysses S. Grant's Horsemanship from Ulysses S Grant National Historic Site
An Essay on "A Favorable Day" by Peter Waddell White House Historical Association
Around the World with General Grant by John Russell Young
Grant’s Final Victory by Charles B. Flood
The Races at St. Louis Yesterday from The Cincinnati Enquirer 6/10/1881
