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Ansel Williamson

 

 
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Ansel Williamson
 
 
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Ansel Williamson was an African American
African American

African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the Black people populations of Africa....
 thoroughbred horse racing trainer
Horse trainer

In horse racing, a trainer is responsible for preparing a horse for races. As such, he or she takes responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter....


Ansel Williamson was born a slave
Slavery

Slavery is a form of forced labor where a person is compelled to Labor for another . Slaves are held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase, or birth, and are deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to receive Remuneration in return for their labor....
 in Virginia
Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia is an United States U.S. state on the East Coast of the United States of the Southern United States. The state is known as the "Old Dominion" and sometimes as "Mother of Presidents", because it is the birthplace of Lists of United States Presidents by place of birth#By state....
 sometime around the middle part of the 19th century. In 1864 he was purchased by Robert A. Alexander
Robert A. Alexander

Robert Aitcheson Alexander was an United States horse breeding of Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses. Born on a farm near Midway, Kentucky, Woodford County, Kentucky, Kentucky, he and his siblings inherited the property on his father's death....
, owner of the famous Woodburn Stud
Woodburn Stud

Woodburn Stud was an United States horse breeding farm located in Woodford County, Kentucky, Kentucky about ten miles from the city of Lexington, Kentucky....
 near Midway, Kentucky
Midway, Kentucky

Midway is a city in Woodford County, Kentucky, Kentucky, United States. Its population was 1,620 at the 2000 United States Census. It is located midway between Frankfort, Kentucky and Lexington, Kentucky along the single-track railroad between them....
. Taught the breeding and training of horses, after he was freed Williamson remained in Alexander's employ. He conditioned a number of successful horses including the undefeated U.S.






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Ansel Williamson was an African American
African American

African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the Black people populations of Africa....
 thoroughbred horse racing trainer
Horse trainer

In horse racing, a trainer is responsible for preparing a horse for races. As such, he or she takes responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter....


Ansel Williamson was born a slave
Slavery

Slavery is a form of forced labor where a person is compelled to Labor for another . Slaves are held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase, or birth, and are deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to receive Remuneration in return for their labor....
 in Virginia
Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia is an United States U.S. state on the East Coast of the United States of the Southern United States. The state is known as the "Old Dominion" and sometimes as "Mother of Presidents", because it is the birthplace of Lists of United States Presidents by place of birth#By state....
 sometime around the middle part of the 19th century. In 1864 he was purchased by Robert A. Alexander
Robert A. Alexander

Robert Aitcheson Alexander was an United States horse breeding of Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses. Born on a farm near Midway, Kentucky, Woodford County, Kentucky, Kentucky, he and his siblings inherited the property on his father's death....
, owner of the famous Woodburn Stud
Woodburn Stud

Woodburn Stud was an United States horse breeding farm located in Woodford County, Kentucky, Kentucky about ten miles from the city of Lexington, Kentucky....
 near Midway, Kentucky
Midway, Kentucky

Midway is a city in Woodford County, Kentucky, Kentucky, United States. Its population was 1,620 at the 2000 United States Census. It is located midway between Frankfort, Kentucky and Lexington, Kentucky along the single-track railroad between them....
. Taught the breeding and training of horses, after he was freed Williamson remained in Alexander's employ. He conditioned a number of successful horses including the undefeated U.S. champion three-year-old male, Norfolk and the undefeated Asteroid.

Following Robert Alexander's death in 1867, Williamsom went on to train many great horses including Tom Bowling, who won 14 of his 17 races, and Virgil who was the sire of the great Hindoo
Hindoo (horse)

Hindoo was an United States thoroughbred race horse.A bay colt, Hindoo was sired by Virgil from the dam Florence. He was bred by Daniel Swigert of Elmendorf Farm and trained by future National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Edward D....
. However, he is best remembered for having trained Aristides
Aristides (racehorse)

Aristides was an United States Thoroughbred horse racing who won the first Kentucky Derby in 1875.In 1875 the Derby was raced at a mile and a half, the distance it would remain until 1896 when it was changed to its present mile and a quarter....
, the winner of the inaugural Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is a graded stakes race for three year-old Thoroughbreds, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival....
 in 1875. That same year, his horse Calvin won the Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes

The Belmont Stakes is a prestigious United States Graded stakes race held yearly in June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The race is the third and final leg of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, following five weeks after the Kentucky Derby, and three weeks after the Preakness Stakes....
. In addition, Williamson trained horses who won other major races such as the Travers Stakes
Travers Stakes

The Travers Stakes is an United States Graded stakes race Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.First held in 1864, it was named for William R....
, the Jerome Handicap
Jerome Handicap

The Jerome Handicap is a Graded stakes race race for thoroughbred race horse run each fall at one mile on the dirt at Belmont Park. It is open to three-year-olds and carries a purse of $150,000....
, and the Withers Stakes
Withers Stakes

The Withers Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds willing to compete one mile on the dirt. Held at Aqueduct Racetrack every year at the end of April , it is a Graded stakes race event, and offers a purse of $150,000....
.

Following its formation, in 1998 Ansel Williamson was inducted posthumously into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of United States thoroughbred horse racings, jockeys, and trainer#Trainer ....
.