Near his Henrico foaling site, Boston gets his due

Kinder historians might call him spirited – but most are not that kind. Some have described him as downright evil-tempered and vicious.

His friendly relationships were few, he was prone to fighting, and he occasionally posed a danger to – or seriously injured – people who annoyed him.

One observer believed him to be so hopelessly ornery that he favored shooting him.

Yet Boston survived his "difficult childhood" – and went on to become America's first great racehorse.

To celebrate his legacy, members of the Henrico Historical Society gathered recently with other Boston fans at Tuckahoe Plantation, and dedicated a state historical marker in his honor.

Hall of Famer

In her welcoming remarks, HHS President Sarah Pace highlighted Boston's status as a celebrity in the racing world of his day, noting that he was an inaugural inductee into the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame.

Between 1836 and 1843, Boston won approximately 40 of 45 known races, on tracks up and down the East Coast. Fifteen of those races he won consecutively, and one of them drew a crowd of 70,000.

Pace added that she is always amazed to learn how few local residents are familiar with Boston, considering his accomplishments. "The story has sort of been lost in time."

Considering his temper, it's remarkable that Boston even survived to adulthood to achieve such success on the race course (not to mention his success at stud, siring racing greats Lexington and Lecomte, among others).

"He was a spirited horse," said Pace. "He would bite. He would even flop over to try and get a rider off his back."

Award-winning equine author Josh Pons echoed Pace's stories of Boston's intransigence, and of the possibility that he might have been destroyed -- because no one could seem to break him.

"He was irascible," said Pons. "One trainer said he should either be castrated or shot – preferably the latter."

But that vitality may have been the very quality that made Boston such an outstanding racehorse, Pons contends.

"Some of the best stallions have that indomitable spirit," he said, adding with a laugh that one way Boston liked to assert his dominance was to leave extra large manure piles in the pasture – "to let the other horses know that King Kong was here."

Collective effort

The Dec. 1 dedication ceremony featured a mock-up of the actual historical marker, which was recently installed along the westbound lanes of Patterson Avenue near Boston's foaling site.

Following the mockup's unveiling – which took place inside the original horse stable at Tuckahoe – Jennifer Loux of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources led a slate of speakers who expressed appreciation for the efforts of all who had helped make the marker a reality.

Special thanks were extended to Becky Francois, the highway marker's sponsor, and to Pace and the HHS for their supportive role in spreading the word. Tad Thompson, the owner of Historic Tuckahoe, was also thanked for hosting the event – and led tours of the grounds following the ceremony.

Loux mentioned that VDHR customarily sends a letter to local historical societies when a marker is in the works. The letters are sent as a courtesy, Loux explained, and "usually there's no response.

"But Sarah responded immediately."

On July 13, Boston (who was named not for the city but for a popular card game of his era) got another boost in publicity, when Colonial Downs launched the inaugural Boston Stakes in his honor.

Pace and many of the others attended the race, and all expressed delight at seeing Boston in the spotlight.

If all goes as planned, the Boston Stakes will become an annual event – cementing one more hoof-print in Boston's path to taking his rightful place in history.

As Pons noted in his remarks, such acclaim is only fitting for a horse of Boston's stature.

"Boston should be recognized," he emphasized. "He should have a plaque on Route 6.

"And he should be celebrated annually at Colonial Downs."

For details about Josh Pons' book, click here.