Rex Cooper Ellsworth (November 15, 1907 – August 24, 1997) was a major owner in Thoroughbred racing and twice the leading breeder in the United States whose story was featured with a cover of the February 25, 1963 edition of Sports Illustrated magazine.[1]
Rex Ellsworth was a young man of twenty-seven when in 1933 he entered the Thoroughbred breeding and racing business with lifelong friend and trainer, Mesh Tenney. From a start with six broodmares and two weanlings he was successful enough that before long he could afford to buy horses with solid pedigrees. In Ireland in 1947, with a view to breeding, he purchased Khaled from the stud of the Aga Khan. It would be eight years later when Ellsworth first earned national attention in 1955 when his homebred son of Khaled named Swaps won the Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California then the 1955 Kentucky Derby, first leg of the U.S. Triple Crown series at Churchill Downs in Louisville Kentucky.[2] "Swaps ended his career abruptly in October, 1956, when he seriously fractured a rear leg. Fitzsimmons, Nashua's trainer, sent Tenney a special sling used to raise and lower the horse. The sling was credited with helping to save his life.
A deal was struck with John Galbreath of Darby Dan Farm in Lexington for half of Swaps, with the original agreement calling for Swaps to ship back and forth between California and Kentucky each year. Swaps did stand his first season at Ellsworth's farm in Chino, but Galbreath reportedly visited and was taken aback by the functional yet Spartan and decidedly non-Kentucky-like facilities. The next year, Ellsworth sold the other half of Swaps outright to Galbreath. The horse transferred to Darby Dan and never saw California again."[3] In 1956 another homebred son of Khaled who was raced as Terrang provided Ellsworth with his second straight Santa Anita Derby win.[4]Candy Spots, again one of Ellsworth's homebreds whose damsire was Khaled, gave him his third Santa Anita Derby plus a win in the second leg of the U.S. Triple Crown series when he captured the 1963 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.[5][6]
"In the mid-60s, in one of his many ventures, he brought around 400 Rocky Mountain Elk from the Yellowstone area to his ranch, reportedly with the intent of increasing the herd and eventually charging visitors to hunt them.
From the start, the elk project didn't go well. A number died during shipping and the animals originally failed to thrive in their new home. Ellsworth had them housed in a 640-acre enclosure, but the numbers had dwindled to approximately 200 in 1967 when a storm blew down a massive oak tree and damaged the tall fence surrounding them. The majority escaped and today, nearly 55 years later, large bands of elk roam all over Tehachapi mountains. The cows and calves tend to stick together at higher elevations, but bachelor herds are a frequent sight all over the local valleys. They loll in the local ponds during summers. Gardens, lawns, and lawn decorations are no match for their appetites or brute strength, but they remain a magnificent sight in front yards and in open spaces. More than one resident in the area has had been tardy to an appointment as elk are in no hurry when crossing local roads."[8]
An Inglorious Endedit
In January 1975, financial problems led to the end of Ellsworth's once great horseracing and breeding business. His farm property near Chino in San Bernardino County, California was seized by California health authorities when more than 100 horses were found near starvation along with the remains of five horses who had already died. One of the dead was Iron Reward, the 1955 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year and United States Broodmare of the Year. She was a granddaughter of War Admiral and great-granddaughter of Man o' War.[9][10]
Referencesedit
^"The Cowboy Who'd Be King". Sports Illustrated. 1963-02-25. Retrieved 2018-10-05.
^"Horses Running in a Race". Getty Images – Terrang (left) with Willie Shoemaker astride, wins the $58,000 Santa Anita Derby. 1956-03-03. Retrieved 2018-11-24.
^"The Famous Thoroughbred Ranch of Rex C. Ellsworth". St. Petersburg Times. 1975-01-27. Retrieved 2018-09-21.
^"Sad End Of An Empire". Sports Illustrated. 1975-02-03. Retrieved 2018-10-05.
January 01, 1970
ellsworth, cooper, ellsworth, november, 1907, august, 1997, major, owner, thoroughbred, racing, twice, leading, breeder, united, states, whose, story, featured, with, cover, february, 1963, edition, sports, illustrated, magazine, born, 1907, november, 1907saff. Rex Cooper Ellsworth November 15 1907 August 24 1997 was a major owner in Thoroughbred racing and twice the leading breeder in the United States whose story was featured with a cover of the February 25 1963 edition of Sports Illustrated magazine 1 Rex EllsworthBorn 1907 11 15 November 15 1907Safford Arizona United StatesDiedAugust 24 1997 1997 08 24 aged 89 Chino California United StatesResting placeSafford City Cemetery Safford ArizonaOccupationThoroughbred racehorse owner breederKnown forThoroughbred horses Swaps Candy Spots Olden Times Prove It Prince Royal Terrang The ScoundrelSpouseNola ZobediaParentWilliam Ellsworth amp Mary Elizabeth WansleeRacing and breeding successes editRex Ellsworth was a young man of twenty seven when in 1933 he entered the Thoroughbred breeding and racing business with lifelong friend and trainer Mesh Tenney From a start with six broodmares and two weanlings he was successful enough that before long he could afford to buy horses with solid pedigrees In Ireland in 1947 with a view to breeding he purchased Khaled from the stud of the Aga Khan It would be eight years later when Ellsworth first earned national attention in 1955 when his homebred son of Khaled named Swaps won the Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia California then the 1955 Kentucky Derby first leg of the U S Triple Crown series at Churchill Downs in Louisville Kentucky 2 Swaps ended his career abruptly in October 1956 when he seriously fractured a rear leg Fitzsimmons Nashua s trainer sent Tenney a special sling used to raise and lower the horse The sling was credited with helping to save his life A deal was struck with John Galbreath of Darby Dan Farm in Lexington for half of Swaps with the original agreement calling for Swaps to ship back and forth between California and Kentucky each year Swaps did stand his first season at Ellsworth s farm in Chino but Galbreath reportedly visited and was taken aback by the functional yet Spartan and decidedly non Kentucky like facilities The next year Ellsworth sold the other half of Swaps outright to Galbreath The horse transferred to Darby Dan and never saw California again 3 In 1956 another homebred son of Khaled who was raced as Terrang provided Ellsworth with his second straight Santa Anita Derby win 4 Candy Spots again one of Ellsworth s homebreds whose damsire was Khaled gave him his third Santa Anita Derby plus a win in the second leg of the U S Triple Crown series when he captured the 1963 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore Maryland 5 6 In 1964 Ellsworth won Europe s most prestigious race when his newly acquired horse Prince Royal won the Prix de l Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris France 7 In the mid 60s in one of his many ventures he brought around 400 Rocky Mountain Elk from the Yellowstone area to his ranch reportedly with the intent of increasing the herd and eventually charging visitors to hunt them From the start the elk project didn t go well A number died during shipping and the animals originally failed to thrive in their new home Ellsworth had them housed in a 640 acre enclosure but the numbers had dwindled to approximately 200 in 1967 when a storm blew down a massive oak tree and damaged the tall fence surrounding them The majority escaped and today nearly 55 years later large bands of elk roam all over Tehachapi mountains The cows and calves tend to stick together at higher elevations but bachelor herds are a frequent sight all over the local valleys They loll in the local ponds during summers Gardens lawns and lawn decorations are no match for their appetites or brute strength but they remain a magnificent sight in front yards and in open spaces More than one resident in the area has had been tardy to an appointment as elk are in no hurry when crossing local roads 8 An Inglorious End editIn January 1975 financial problems led to the end of Ellsworth s once great horseracing and breeding business His farm property near Chino in San Bernardino County California was seized by California health authorities when more than 100 horses were found near starvation along with the remains of five horses who had already died One of the dead was Iron Reward the 1955 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year and United States Broodmare of the Year She was a granddaughter of War Admiral and great granddaughter of Man o War 9 10 References edit The Cowboy Who d Be King Sports Illustrated 1963 02 25 Retrieved 2018 10 05 Derby countdown Swaps 1955 Courier Journal of Louisville Kentucky 2015 02 10 Retrieved 2018 11 24 Chasing Ghosts Swaps 29 December 2021 Horses Running in a Race Getty Images Terrang left with Willie Shoemaker astride wins the 58 000 Santa Anita Derby 1956 03 03 Retrieved 2018 11 24 Santa Anita Derby PDF Churchill Downs Incorporated 1963 03 02 Retrieved 2018 11 24 Horses In Arlington s Hall of Fame Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives 1989 06 28 Retrieved 2018 11 25 Arc Bestows Immortality Daily Racing Form 2014 10 03 Retrieved 2018 11 24 Chasing Ghosts Swaps 29 December 2021 The Famous Thoroughbred Ranch of Rex C Ellsworth St Petersburg Times 1975 01 27 Retrieved 2018 09 21 Sad End Of An Empire Sports Illustrated 1975 02 03 Retrieved 2018 10 05 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rex Ellsworth amp oldid 1200196456, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
