Donerail (1910 â after 1918) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that was the upset winner of the 1913 Kentucky Derby. His win stands as the biggest longshot victory in the history of the Kentucky Derby. Going off at 91âÂÂ1, Donerail provided a $184.90 payoff for a $2 bet.
Donerail was a bay colt sired by McGee and foaled by Algie M. He was owned, bred, and trained by Thomas P. Hayes near Lexington, Kentucky. His jockey was Roscoe Goose.
Due to growing popularity, Churchill Downs underwent major renovations in preparation for the Derby, the record 30,000 expected attendees and the $6,600 purse. A new era also opened in 1913 as the minimum bet was reduced to $2, making betting more affordable. As a Louisville native, Thomas Hayes was unsure about Donerail's ability to win, so he decided that the expense and potential loss would not be worth it. But jockey Roscoe Goose convinced him to race the horse.
Because of the overcrowding at the 1913 Kentucky Derby, there were not enough stables, so Donerail was housed at Douglass Park, about three miles away from Churchill Downs, and had to walk over before the start. This circumstance added to Hayesâ hesitation about the race. His direction to Goose was not to win but rather to âÂÂget a piece of the purseâ by crossing the finish line.
In the 1913 Kentucky Derby, various horses had the lead, and for a time it was Ten Point first, Foundation in second, and Yankee Notions third. Roscoe Goose kept Donerail within striking distance. As the horses turned into the stretch, Ten Point was still ahead, but Donerail closed to gain the lead and crossed the wire half a length ahead of Ten Point. He was drawing away at the finish and set a track record with a time of 2:04 4/5. His victory was the largest upset in Kentucky Derby history, a record still held, with odds of 91âÂÂ1 against him.
After the 1913 Derby, Donerail continued racing but did not find major success. Of 62 starts, he won 10, placed in 11, and showed in 10. His other major victories came in the Canadian Sportsmen's Handicap and the Hamilton Cup. His career earnings amounted to $15,156.
It is not known when Donerail died, and much of what became of him after his racing career ended remains a mystery; however, he was retired in 1917 and briefly used as breeding stallion in Lexington, where he commanded a stud fee of $50. In December 1917, Hayes donated Donerail to the Remount Service for use as a sire of cavalry horses. Gelded and sold to John E. Madden, Donerail reappeared on the turf on May 27, 1918, in New York, where he was eased and dropped out of competition in a mile-long race.