Racing Record
Imp, who began racing in Ohio and Kentucky, started out inauspiciously, winning four of eleven starts as a two-year-old. But by her second season she became the talk of the racing world by making fifty starts. She won only 14 of them, but was in the money 33 times. In her fourth season she was shipped to New York to challenge the big-name horses in the Suburban Handicap. She lost that first time, but returned the following year, 1899, and took the race. She was the first mare to ever win the $10,000 Suburban. All in all, Imp started in a grueling 171 races, coming in the money in 126 of them. She won 62 times, placed 35 times, and came in third 29 times. A sprinter as well as a stayer, My Coal Black Lady defeated the best males of her times. She also won the Brighton Handicap while giving nine pounds to champion Ethelbert. At six, she won the Advance Stakes by 30 lengths and set an American record for 1¾ miles.
Ridden in many of her races by future Hall of Fame jockey, Nash Turner, Imp's best races included:
- Firsts: Memorial Day Handicap, Monadnock Stakes, Austin Stakes, Speed Stakes, Dash Stakes, Suburban Handicap, Brighton Handicap, Islip Cap, Ocean Handicap, Turf Handicap, Oriental Handicap, Special Cap (which she won three times), Parkway Handicap, Advance Stakes (by 30 lengths), and the Mahopac Handicap.
- Places: New Rochelle Handicap, Coney Island Handicap, Brookdale Handicap, Long Island Handicap, Brighton Cup, Municipal Handicap, Empire City Handicap, and the Idlewild Handicap.
- Shows: Sapphire Stakes, Oakwood Handicap, Claremont HiWait Handicap, Long Island Handicap, Fall Handiap, 1st Bennings Spring Handicap, 2nd Bennings Spring Handicap, Metropolitan Handicap, Sheepshead Bay Handicap, Brighton Handicap, Islip Handicap, and the Saratoga Cup.
When Imp returned to Chillicothe, Ohio for a visit, there was a band and a parade. The town declared it a public holiday. Of course the band placed My Coal Black Lady.
Read more about this topic: Imp (horse)
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