Flora's Cousins Run for the Roses!
- Rebecca Drew
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Kentucky Derby time is upon us! This Thoroughbred horse race will feature cousins of the two horses named Flora. If you have not read it, then you can catch up in the previous post titled A Tale of Two Horses Named Flora.
As you can see, this horse hitch has a red rose to represent the twenty horses racing on Saturday, May 3, 2025. The actual winner is given a blanket with hundreds of red roses, a tradition started in the late 1800's. As a result, "The Run for the Roses" has become another term for the Kentucky Derby.
What does this have to do with the horses named Flora? Well, since the initial post (mentioned above) was written, it has been discovered that both of the horses were related to each other. Not only that, but both descended from a phenomenal horse known as "The Marvel" named Diomed, whose progeny have participated in the Kentucky Derby since its beginning. Diomed's numerous descendents still dominate the race today.
Diomed was a chestnut horse standing 15 hands high. His breeding prospects were not bright in the beginning. When he was put to stud in England, others were warned that he did not produce worthy offspring. However, a trip to America changed his fate, producing a long line of strong and fast horses throughout the history of thoroughbred racing. Virginia became the new home of Diomed, whose progeny continue to dominate thoroughbred racing. You may have heard some of their names: Secretariat, Seabiscuit, Man O'War. They sprang from Diomed's son, Sir Archy, a Virginia-born horse who was eventually purchased by the Governor of North Carolina. The Northampton County Tourism Development Authority has a nice article about Sir Archy at this link.
Interestingly, the name Flora may have stemmed from the sire (father) of Diomed named Florizel, a celebrated horse in his own right. Diomed was the great-grandfather of John Randolph's Flora. Meanwhile, he was the grandfather of the other Flora belonging to another Virginian named Joseph Lewis. Incidentally, this Flora was bred to another celebrated horse of John Randolph's named Rob Roy. Just to show you the connections of the racing world in the early 1800's, note that their famous relative, Sir Archy, was named in honor of his previous owner, Captain Archibald Randolph, who was, of course, a relative of John Randolph of Roanoke.
As you watch the Kentucky Derby, raise your mint julep for a toast to honor Diomed, Sir Archy, and all the other horses who have greatly contributed to the legacy enjoyed by horse enthusiasts today.
