May 27, 1823: American Eclipse vs. Sir Henry

Edward Troye's painting of American Eclipse

May 27, 1823, 200 years ago: The 1st great "match race" – one horse vs. another – in American history is held, at the Union Course.

It was North vs. South: American Eclipse, of New York, named for the legendary British racehorse for whom horse racing's Eclipse Awards are named, and already regarded as the finest racehorse in the country, but, at the age of 9, old for a thoroughbred; vs. Sir Henry, of Virginia.

Among the 60,000 people in attendance were General Andrew Jackson, hero of the War of 1812, military Governor of the Florida Territory, and, elected in 1828, the 7th President of the United States; the current Vice President, Daniel D. Tompkins, a native of nearby Scarsdale, New York, and the man for whom Tompkins Square Park in Manhattan would be named; Aaron Burr, the disgraced former New York politician who had served as Thomas Jefferson's 1st Vice President.

The President at the time, James Monroe, did not come. Nor did the Governor of the State of New York, Joseph C. Yates; nor did the Mayor of the City of New York, Stephen Allen. And, no, neither Burr nor Jackson challenged the other to a duel.

The conditions were that it would be 3 heats, of 4 miles each -- a staggering sum by modern standards. Sir Henry won the 1st heat, by 1 length. It was the 1st time that American Eclipse had ever been defeated. He rebounded to win the 2nd heat. Both horses were tired in the 3rd heat, but American Eclipse won by 3 lengths.

The painting is definitely of the Union Course.

It may be of the 3rd and final heat

between American Eclipse and Sir Henry.

American Eclipse had won. The North had won. The South didn't like that, but there was nothing they could do about it. American Eclipse was a made horse, and Sir Henry wasn't. They just had to sit there and take it.

If you're wondering why I borrowed the line from Goodfellas, it's because the Union Course, which opened in 1821, closed in 1872, having been surpassed in prestige by other area racetracks, was in what is now Woodhaven, Queens. It was between 78th and 85th Streets, and Jamaica and Atlantic Avenues. The track was so long that it would take too long to say what's on the site now: It's mostly housing, but some retail, and at least 3 churches.

American Eclipse lived until 1847, at the age of 33, which is old for a thoroughbred.