His Eminence (horse)
His Eminence was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that was bred in Kentucky and is best known for winning the 1901 Kentucky Derby. He was a bay colt sired by the great turf-racer Falsetto out of the mare Patroness. His dam was sold to Overton H. Chenault at the 1897 Woodburn Stud dispersal sale for $75. As a yearling, he was sold to J. B. Lewman for $500.
His Eminence was ridden in the 1901 Derby by African-American jockey James Winkfield. His Eminence also won the Wenona Stakes as a two-year-old and the Clark Handicap as a three-year-old.
The colt was purchased in the latter part of 1901 for $15,000 by millionaire racing enthusiast Clarence Mackay as a stud horse, but was later sold in 1902 due to the death of Mackay's father. His Eminence was then returned to racing by his new owner, Fred Gebhard, as a five-year-old, winning the 1903 Omnium Handicap at the Sheepshead Bay Race Track.
The stallion was once again sold at auction in September 1903 to A.C. Jaeger for $2,900. He was again sold to William Collins Whitney who trained him for steeplechasing, but His Eminence was killed while trying to jump a hurdle sometime before 1910.
