Man o’War Memorabilia

Here’s a little secret I share with all of you. Once in a blue moon, incredible stuff becomes available on eBay that somehow falls through the cracks in an inexplicable lack of bids on property that otherwise is clearly of museum quality.

Such is the case with these two scrapbooks (seen above) which encompass the incredible racing career of the great Man o’War as compiled by his master, Samuel D. Riddle (photo upper left) – a man I feel as if I came to know while authoring a comprehensive account of his charge’s ever controversial stud career and subsequent influence on the breed.

My connection to these two historical delights documenting Red’s juvenile (1919) and three-year old (1920) seasons is actually a little bit (a lot) more complicated. Nevertheless, my ultimate goal remains eventually getting these tomes to where they can best be studied and enjoyed by others who who share an appreciation, if not a sense of awe for our equine colossus.

For now, I am incredibly grateful of the access afforded me as I continue to fine-comb all of the contents. But, of course, I don’t really own them. We are all but guardians.

The bindings on both of the albums have disintegrated but the books’ black cardboard pages have held up exceptionally well. Unfortunately, Riddle had a particularly annoying habit of snipping off the names and dates of the publications from many of the news clippings.

Riddle’s inclusion of a news clipping headlining the refusal of Johnny Loftus’ 1920 riding license would seem to support my writings’ contention that Man o’War’s lone defeat in the 1919 Sanford Memorial was the result of race fixing (probably orchestrated by the infamous Arnold Rothstein) and that Riddle was privately made aware of the situation.

Some of the news clippings include poetry in full verse, mostly heralding all of Red’s glories. Any telegram the Riddles received was pasted into the scrapbooks. Most of them were from friends with no ties to the racing world but nonetheless thrilled. Then there were the salutations that came from the racing elite including Man o’War’s sport-shaping breeder, August Belmont II. Riddle also includes program pages from some of Man o’War’s biggest races including the Futurity and the Preakness. I think it’s safe to say the photographs of the racehorse Man o’War at two and three included in these albums were among Riddle’s favorites.

I found none that are NOT well known and readily available commercially.

Generally speaking, the handwriting, all in cursive, for most of the congratulatory letters is very poor, if not completely illegible and yet often scribbled by a member of some of the highest socio-economic orders. The few fans’ letters Riddle selected for his albums were respectful, yet bursting with excitement.

All in all, a pretty fantastic piece of American horse racing memorabilia.

Sterling Silver Presentation Box Honoring Trainer, Scott P. Harlan

Soon after the publishing of my book devoted to Man o’ War’s amazing career as a stallion, this unique piece appeared on eBay, amazingly with the final bid scheduled for a Sunday morning at 4:30 AM PST. The rubric about the “early bird” sure held up when (again) I encountered little competition securing this treasure for less than its melt value. This providential box will sit on my desk for as long as I have a desk. 

The sterling silver box was originally presented as a gift from Sarah and Walter Jeffords to their trainer Scott P. Harlan celebrating their sensational 1926 season of racing. The Jeffords were Mrs. Riddle’s very close niece and husband. That year, Harlan conditioned a pair of champions for them including Scapa Flow, the only juvenile champion Man o’War would ever sire. Despite owning two of Big Red’s Hall of Famers, Crusader and War Admiral, Samuel Riddle always maintained that it was, in fact, Scapa Flow who was his sire’s BEST son.

This wonderful piece, it turns out, was offered up by Scott Harlan’s nephew who had it in a closet for decades and thought someone with an interest in such things might like it. Mission accomplished.

One of the racing plates Scapa Flow wore when capturing the Futurity Stakes at Belmont Park has been well affixed. The box also honors the conquests of the Jeffords’ three-year old filly champion Edith Cavell and the top notch Travers winner Mars, both by Man o’ War. Harlan’s exploits would earn him 1926 U.S. leading trainer by money won. That same year, Man o’War’s total progeny earnings was an all-time world record for a stallion.

Suffering from chronic lameness, Scapa Flow had a frustrating sophomore season but bounced back at age four competing at top handicap levels only to be continually upstaged by a single longshot who was receiving a substantial weight break. Very sadly, the Scapa Flow tale ends in tragedy as he had to be destroyed following a catastrophic breakdown in deep stretch in the 1928 Brooklyn Handicap. For whatever reason, the Brooklyn was the only major New York venue never captured by a son or daughter of Man o’War. In a good number of attempts, not one even hit the board.