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| KELSO |
| Whatever the reason for Kelso's poor performance in Atlantic City, Kelso bounced back like the champion he was. He would win the Stymie and Woodward Handicaps, the Jockey Club Gold Cup and the Govenor's Plate Stakes, and came second in the Man O'War Stakes, behind Beau Purple, but beating Carry Back (who had just come back from a tenth place finish in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe); then he finished second in theDC International (behind Match II), beating Carry back once again. Kelso took the Handicap and Horse of the Year titles once again. Kelso would have an outstanding year in 1963. He won nine of twelve starts. He took the Seminole, Gulfstream Park, JB Campbell, Suburban, Whitney, Aqueduct, and Woodward Handicaps. Kelso beat Carry Back in their final meeting in the Woodward, Carry Back coming fourth. Kelso aslo won the Nassas County Stakes, and the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Kelso also carried alot of weight that year, the highest being 136lbs. And like the past two years, Kelso ended his year with a second place finish in the DC International. Kelso also duplicated his Eclipse Awards from the year before. Although, 1964 was not as successful as 1963, Kelso was able to take the same two Eclipse Awards again by winning the Aqueduct Stakes, Straight Face Handicap, Jockey Club Gold Cup, and finally winning the Washington, DC International, his first grass stakes win. But Kelso had to work to earn his Horse of The Year title, all because of a colt named Gun Bow. The four-year-old bay colt from the west, had been winning stakes left and right. and his record with Kelso before the International was two wins against him, with Kelso winning and placing against Gun Bow. The International was a show down between the two hrses for the title. And although in the stretch it looked like Gun Bow had won, Kelso fought back and drew off to win by more than four lengths; Kelso setting a national record for the mile and half distance. The two were never to meet again. Kelso took the the Stymie Handicap by eight lengths, the Whitney by a nose and the Diamond State Handicap by over three, in 1965. all the while giving some 20lbs. to his competitors. Even though in his other starts he came twice third and twice fourth, Kelso grabbed Horse of The Year honours once more. In 1966, Kelso only started once. It was six furlong allowance race, in which for a first time, the other horses were carrying more weight than he was. However, Kelso would not do much in this race, and could only close for fourth place. Deciding that Kelso had already done so much, Mrs. DuPont decided to retire the old gelding. He deserved a rest. He had already won more than half his racesm and place in almost 90% of them. And he alsoset a new record for earnings with $1,977,896, beating Round Table's record set in 1959. The great Kelso would finally get to rest, and run in his paddock at DuPont's Bohemia Stables, without that cursid massive weight on his back. |
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| Life Time Record: Starts: 63 1st: 39 2nd: 12 3rd: 2 Earnings: $1,977,896 |
| Won: Jockey Club Gold Cup 5x Placed: Washington DC, International 3x Woodward Handicap 3x Suburban Handicap 2x Suburban Handicap 2x Monmouth Handicap 2x Whitney Handicap 2x Widener Handicap Aqueduct Stakes 2x Man O'War Stakes Stymie Handicap 2x Whitney Handicap Washington DC, International Diamond Stakes Handicap Straight Face Handicap Show: Brooklyn Handicap Nassau County Stakes JB Campbell Handicap Awards: Horse of the Year (1960-1965) Gulfstream Park Handicap Handicap Horse (1961-1965) Seminole Handicap Champion 3-Year-Old (1960) Governor's Plate Stakes Brooklyn Handicap Inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1967. Metropolitan Handicap Hawthorne Gold Cup Lawerence Realization Discovery Handicap Jerome Handicap Choice Stakes |