This is an original 1928 photo of Reigh Count and Chick Lang winning the Lawrence Realization Stakes.
He was bred in Virginia by Willis Sharpe Kilmer and purchased by John D. Hertz for either $10,000 or $12,500.
Reigh Count was by Sunreigh, the full brother to Sun Briar, out of Contesstina by Count Schomberg, the winner of the 21 furlong Goodwood Cup.
Neither Reigh Count’s sire nor his dam won a race. Further Sunreigh had only fourteen registered foals. According to Trader Clark, the reason Hertz purchased Reigh Count was because he tried to savage another horse running against him and liked his fighting spirit.
Reigh Count made 27 starts with 12 wins 4 seconds 0 thirds earning $180,795.
At two in 1927, Reigh Count won: the Walden Stakes over Pettee-Wrack (half brother to Gallant Fox) and Eugene S., the winner of the 1927 Manor Handicap; the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes over Vito, the winner of the 1928 Belmont Stakes, and Algernon.
He was second: to Happy Time in the Eastern Shore Stakes and ahead of Excalibur, the winner of the 1927 Remsen Handicap; and in the Futurity to stablemate Anita Peabody and ahead of Victorian, the 1928 Preakness winner.
In the 1927 Pimlico Futurity, Earl Sande on Bateau slammed Reigh Count into the rail and stated to the stewards that Reigh Count tried to come through a hole that didn’t exist. The stewards didn’t buy Sande’s explanation and revoked Sande’s license for a year and ejected him from Pimlico Race Track. Sande was later reinstated in 1928.
Reigh Count was considered the 1927 Co-Champion Two Year Old Colt.
At three in 1928, he won: the Miller Stakes over Gerard and Penalo, the winner of the 1927 Helpful Stakes; the Lawrence Realization over Diavolo, the 1929 Champion Handicap Horse, and Sortie, the winner of the 1930 Brooklyn Handicap; the Huron Handicap over Double Pay, the winner of the 1929 Port Henry Handicap, and Sunfire, the winner of the 1928 Ohio Derby; the Saratoga Cup over Display the 1926 Preakness winner; and the Jockey Club Gold Cup over Chance Shot, the 1927 Belmont Stakes winner, and Display.
In the 1928 Kentucky Derby, 26 horses were entered which would have been the largest field to contest the race. By post time that number had dwindled down to 22 horses which was still the largest field up to that point. Reigh Count won the Kentucky Derby on an extremely sloppy track. An injury prevented him from running in the either the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.
He was named the 1928 Champion Three Year Old Colt and the 1928 Horse of the Year.
In a catastrophic fire on Oct. 1, 1928 at Cary, Illinois which claimed ten other horses owned by John Hertz of the Yellow Cab and Rental Car businesses, Reigh Count and Anita Peabody were both saved from the destruction.
At four in 1929, he was sent to England with the ultimate goal of the Ascot Gold Cup. Reigh Count won the Coronation Cup over Athford, the 1927 Irish Champion Two Year Old Colt, and Plantago, the winner of the 1930 Coronation Cup. He was second in the Ascot Gold Cup to Invershin and ahead of Palais Royal, the winner of the 1928 Prix Hocquart.
In 1929, Hertz was offered one million for Reigh Count. In turning down the offer Hertz said: “I think a fellow who would pay $1,000,000 for a horse ought to have his head examined, and the fellow who turned it down must be absolutely unbalanced". Had the offer been accepted, it would have been by far the largest amount ever paid for a race horse.
At stud his best were:
Count Fleet: the 1943 Triple Crown winner and important sire.
Count Arthur: the winner of the 1936 Jockey Club Gold Cup.
Triplicate: owned by Fred Astaire and the winner of the 1946 Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap.
Adonis: the winner of the 1945 Travers Stakes.
Contessa: the winner of the 1933 Spinaway Stakes.
Lady Reigh: the winner of the 1934 Coaching Club American Oaks and the dam of Raylywn, the winner of the 1945 Shillelah Steeplechase over Champions Rouge Dragon and Mercator.
Reigh Count sired the 1943 Kentucky Derby winner Count Fleet who in turn sired Count Turf the 1951 Kentucky Derby winner which makes this one of only three generation Kentucky Derby winners. The other three generation winners were: Pensive in 1944 to Ponder in 1949 to Needles in 1956.
