The Kentucky Derby trophy earned by War Admiral (pictured) in his successful bid for the 1937 Triple Crown has been donated to the permanent collection of the Race Horse Hall of Fame at Rudiso Downs, NM. The trophy was purchased by Ruidoso Downs’ majority owner R.D. Hubbard in November 2006. It was added to the Racehorse Hall of Fame collection on May 25, following a complete renovation of the museum.
Kentucky Derby trophies earned by the other 10 Triple Crown winners are either in the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville or at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. In the late fifties, Churchill Downs purchased what was thought to be the original 1937 trophy from a pawnshop in New Orleans, but later took it off of display, when it was proven not to be authentic.
Bred and campaigned by Samuel D. Riddle, who owned the colt’s sire, Man O’War, War Admiral was named 1937 Horse of the Year, after an undefeated season. The following year, however, he was upset by Seabiscuit, a son of War Admiral’s half-brother, Hard Tack, in the now famous match race at Pimlico Race Course.
Upon Riddle’s death in 1951, his estate sold the Kentucky Derby trophy, as he had requested, to fund a hospital in Philadelphia. The trophy was purchased by local antique dealer Israel Switt and came into possession of the Stanton Langbord family through the marriage. Langbord owned an antique and precious metals firm in Philadelphia, where the trophy remained in a vault until last year, when Hubbard purchased it from Landbord’s estate.
“The addition of the War Admiral trophy affirms our commitment to racing education and preservation,” said Racing Hall of Fame curator Ty Wyant. “W eare truly honored to exhibit this great artifact. It transcends racing history as a part of American history.”
The trophy will be included in the Kentucky Derby Museum’s traveling display of Kentucky Derby trophies in 2010.
The Racehorse Hall of Fame is located inside Ruidoso Downs Racetrack and is open during racing days, Thursday through Sunday, until the end of the season, on Labor Day, September 3.