A Wicked Horse Named Ornament

‘Ornament’ is defined as an added decoration to make something more beautiful. ‘Ornament’ brings to mind beautifully decorated Christmas trees during a season that calls on us to spread goodwill and cheer to everyone.

One year ago, on the evening of December 19, I submitted the manuscript of When Montana Outraced the East: The Reign of Western Thoroughbreds, 1886-1900, to my editor. Finishing the manuscript didn’t necessarily mean that my publisher would publish the book, but still, I had reached a milestone that night. Then, “Let’s have a party for the old girl!” And what a party I threw! Sipping Crown Royal and toasting myself, listening to the traditional Christmas music that I love, lighting my Christmas tree and hanging ornaments.

One of the horses featured in my book is a Kentucky-bred named Ornament. Lightly built and sleek, he beautifully represented his elegant Arabian ancestry. (The Thoroughbred breed is descended from Arabian forefathers and English mares). A blazed face and a lone white hind leg glistening on his bright chestnut coat made him lovelier still, but, in equal measure, Ornament was repellent and never one for good will and cheer. 

At every opportunity, Ornament deliberately tried to upset his race. Turf scribes wrote about his boorish behavior, things like, “Ornament did not want to go to the post,” or “Ornament refused to join the other horses,” or “Ornament was obstinate, standing with his head the wrong way of the track.” (Stalls with magnetically held spring gates wouldn’t debut until 1939). One scribe wrote, “exceedingly erratic disposition,” “unruly beast,” “faults of disposition,” and “failings,” in just three sentences. At the post, Ornament was almost always on the attack, lashing cruel kicks at his neighbors. 

He repeatedly antagonized Ogden, one of the Montana Thoroughbreds I write about in my book, in their several races together. Montana turfman Hugh Wilson of Butte, who also appears in the book, contended that Ornament “had it in” for Ogden. 

Wilson gave this account of the 1898 Suburban Handicap that placed Ogden near the inside rail and Ornament on the outside, “with the width of the track and many horses between them. Yet time and again Ornament would deliberately edge over toward Ogden and try to cow kick him, finally landing on Ogden twice before the latter’s jockey could get him out of reach.” 

The starter snapped his flag, but Ornament had spun around backwards. And he stood there, some twenty feet behind the line, facing the wrong direction. The other ten horses had left the post but had to come back because a fair start had to have all the horses leaving together. Ornament threw kicks at them, and at the handlers trying to point him in the right direction. 

Then, weirdly, all the horses stroked ill-will for each other. Beaten up with kicks, Ben Holladay, a Montana horse, assaulted Ogden by kicking him squarely in the ribs. Ogden went crazy and assailed his neighbors. The racetrack men tried to quell the riot, but they were overwhelmed. One hour passed. Late afternoon turned to dusk. Finally, one perfect moment had the horses aligned. They leapt from the post and were off!

Ogden’s legs churned in a furious pace. Ogden led the field all the way to the final turn. One hundred yards before reaching the wire, his legs tired and his speed slackened. Tillo came swooping in and took charge. Tillo won the Suburban by a half-length from Semper Ego, second, and Ogden hung on for third.

Ornament, eighth, straggled in. 

Despite himself, Ornament could run a pretty good race when he wanted to.  

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