Longfellow and Ten Broeck: The Pride of Old Kentucky
By Brien Bouyea
Longfellow and Ten Broeck, two of the most accomplished and celebrated American racehorses of the 19th century, will forever be linked even though they never crossed paths on the racetrack during their remarkable careers.
Representing the Harper family’s Nantura Stock Farm, located near Midway, Ky., Longfellow and Ten Broeck had few peers during their respective runs of dominance in the 1870s. Longfellow, known as the “King of the Turf,” came along first, winning 13 of his 16 starts from 1870 through 1872. Ten Broeck made his debut in 1875 and won 23 of his 29 races. He reeled off 15 consecutive victories at one point and set six American speed records at distances ranging from one to four miles by the time he retired in 1878. Both Longfellow (1971) and Ten Broeck (1982) were eventually elected to the Hall of Fame.
Nantura and the Harpers were the common threads that tied Longfellow and Ten Broeck together. The renowned farm was established in 1795 by Jacob Harper when he purchased 700 acres in Woodford County that adjoined Robert Alexander’s Woodburn Stud. Upon Harper’s death, his son, John, took command at the farm and named it Nantura in honor of one of his broodmares. John Harper must have recognized he had something special in the equine Nantura, as she later became the dam of Longfellow. in 4:58½. He followed that a week later at Churchill in the Post Stakes by lowering the American mark for three miles to 5:26½. Four days later, Ten Broeck broke Fellowcraft’s fourmile record, clocking in at 7:15¾, almost four seconds better than the previous standard.
Competition was scarce for Ten Broeck as a 5-yearold. On May 24, 1877, he set a new American record for one mile (1:39¾) at Churchill. Five days later, Churchill management offered Harper half the gate if Ten Broeck could beat True Blue’s American record of 3:32½ for two miles. Ten Broeck delivered, smashing the mark by five seconds for his sixth American record. He added four more wins in the fall to extend his win streak to 15.
Ten Broeck’s streak was snapped in his next race, a showdown with Parole and Tom Ochiltree at Pimlico on Oct. 26, 1877. Heavily favored, Ten Broeck finished second to Parole in one of the most celebrated races of the century. Ten Broeck immediately returned to his winning ways two days later by winning the Bowie Stakes in four-mile heats. He won in dominant fashion in 7:42½ and 7:40, distancing his overmatched rivals, including Belmont winner Algerine. A scheduled rematch with Parole fell through when Harper was not pleased with Ten Broeck’s training.
Continuing to compete as a 6-year-old in 1878, Ten Broeck won a sweepstakes at Lexington in May, defeating his old nemesis Aristides. He met one more challenge, the 5-yearold California mare Mollie McCarthy, in a match race at Churchill on July 4 before a crowd of more than 25,000. The $10,000 purse was the richest event of Ten Broeck’s career. The contest was not expected to be easy, as Mollie McCarthy was undefeated in 13 starts. Ten Broeck, however, handled the great mare with ease, distancing her in the first fourmile heat to win the race.
Ten Broeck was retired after his brilliant effort against Mollie McCarthy. His final victory became the subject of folk songs throughout Kentucky. Standing stud at Nantura alongside Longfellow, Ten Broeck sired Travers winner Bersan, Kentucky Oaks winner Ten Penny, Tennessee Derby winners Ten Strike and Jim Gray and Alabama winner Tolu.