Never Say Die: A Kentucky Colt, the Epsom Derby, and the Rise of the Modern Thoroughbred Industry by James C. Nicholson

Author:James C. Nicholson [Nicholson, James C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sports & Recreation, Animal Sports, Horse Racing, history, Europe, Great Britain, 20th Century
ISBN: 9780813142005
Google: nGY1EAAAQBAJ
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
Published: 2013-05-04T00:11:14.457522+00:00

Chapter 8

The First Kentucky-Bred Champion of the Epsom Derby

Never Say Die had been a large, spindly foal, but by the time he arrived at Newmarket, he had filled out to become a strapping young colt with a slightly better temperament than that of his notorious sire. Though he never displayed Nasrullah’s mental peculiarities on the racetrack, Never Say Die did develop a reputation for moodiness and difficulty among the humans who cared for him. One British publication described Never Say Die as “a fine-looking chestnut, strong, tough and deep-bodied with powerful quarters and good limbs.”1 A turf writer for the Daily Express who called himself “The Scout” observed that Never Say Die had a coarse head and a Roman nose that the writer attributed to the presence of Man o’ War in Never Say Die’s pedigree; he attributed the horse’s low-set tail to the influence of the Italian stallion Nearco. The Scout commented further, “He has an excellent, strong, straight pair of hind legs, even if the joints appear to be somewhat rounded. The captious critics might say that he is over-long of his back. Undoubtedly his best points lie in front of the saddle. There is a rhythmical quality about the set of his neck, shoulder, and powerful forearm which is carried down through the flat knees to a hard, clean underpinning.”2 The most notable feature on the handsome colt was still the prominent white blaze that ran the length of his head—from above his eyes to the tip of his nose—making him easy to pick out of a crowd.

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