The Great 1968 Kentucky Derby Controversy

The Great 1968 Kentucky Derby Controversy

Joseph Di Rienzi

Dancer's Image in the Kentucky Derby Winner's Circle
(George Featherston, Thoroughbred Times)

In its 143 renewals to date, the Kentucky Derby has had its share of unusual finishes with rank outsiders prevailing against confirmed favorites. There have also been results that have been decided in the final strides of the 1¼ mile race. Due to racing mishaps, some editions have not had the best horse winning such as Native Dancer losing to Dark Star in 1953 after being bumped at the start and Gallant Man losing to Iron Liege in 1957 when the former’s jockey misjudged the finish line prematurely. However, by far, the most controversial Kentucky Derby was in 1968 when the horse who finished first was disqualified three days afterward. Subsequent administrative and legal actions delayed the final result being decided until four years later in 1972. For the 50^th anniversary of this Kentucky Derby, I would like to review the events leading up to, during, and after the race.

As the three year-olds of 1968 were sorting themselves out over the winter and spring, there arose a contender racing in the Mid-Atlantic. Dancer’s Image was a Maryland bred son of Native Dancer out of the mare, Noors Image. This gray son of “The Grey Ghost” was owned and bred by dynamic Peter Fuller and trained by Louis Cavalaris Jr. Afflicted throughout his racing career by swollen ankles, Dancer’s Image was offered for sale by Peter Fuller at auction, when, at the urging of his wife, he bought the horse back. As a two year-old, Dancer’s Image campaigned in the both the U. S. and Canada. North of the border he was undefeated in 7 starts, winning the Vandal Stakes, the Clarendon Stakes and the Grey Handicap.

Dancer’s Image started attracting attention in 1968 with a nose defeat of the highly regarded Verbatim at Bowie Racecourse in Maryland in a prep race for the following week’s Governor’s Gold Cup. Wintering and racing in Maryland, he had previously won the E. Palmer Heagerty Stakes and was third in the Prince George’s Stakes. Realizing the horse may be underperforming, trainer Cavalaris took blinkers off and instructed new rider Robert Ussery to hold back Dancer’s Image in the early running and make one run. These changes were not only successful in the aforementioned 7 furlong allowance race, but they resulted in an impressive win in the 8½ furlong Governor’s Gold Cup in which Dancer’s Image came from thirteenth place to win by 3 lengths over Sir Beau and Salerno with Verbatim, who set the early pace, finishing sixth.

The form of the Gold Cup was affirmed one week later when Verbatim led all the way in the Gotham Stakes defeating Flamingo Stakes victor Wise Exchange by 2½ lengths. The following week, the Wood Memorial Stakes featured a meeting between Verbatim, Dancer’s Image and Iron Ruler (who had finished first in the Flamingo but was disqualified and placed second). In the Wood, Iron Ruler, who was restrained off the early pace, moved with a rush in the upper stretch to gain a significant lead. However, he could not withstand Dancer’s Image’s resolute charge who won going away by ¾ length with Verbatim 7 lengths back in third.

The 1968 edition of the Kentucky Derby appeared to have a substandard field, although there was hope that the legendary Calumet Farm’s Forward Pass was about to fulfill his heritage and potential. After showing flashes of brilliance but also inconsistency in his two year-old season and at the beginning of 1968, the son of On-and-On had won in his last two starts the Florida Derby (defeating Iron Ruler) and the Blue Grass Stakes emphatically. There was also support for Dancer’s Image who had shown dramatic improvement in his last three starts. Other contenders were the consistent but hard luck Iron Ruler and Captain’s Gig. What was clear was the fourteen horse field had an abundance of early speed with the likes of Kentucky Sherry, Captain’s Gig, Forward Pass, and perhaps Iron Ruler. The race shape seemed to be set up for a late closer to prevail.

As anticipated, the pace was fast, the ¾ mile fraction the fastest in Derby history at the time. Kentucky Sherry had the lead pursued by Captain’s Gig and Forward Pass. Despite the rapid fractions, Kentucky Sherry held on bravely when Forward Pass challenged at the top of the stretch. As they were battling, Robert Ussery on Dancer’s Image was advancing from last place. Passing horses, Ussery cut his mount to the rail entering the straight and caught both Forward Pass and Kentucky Sherry in mid-stretch. Despite losing his whip, Ussery was able to push Dancer’s Image clear to win by 1½ lengths over Forward Pass who held second by a diminishing neck to longshot Francie’s Hat. T. V. Commercial also closed some ground to finish fourth ahead of a tired Kentucky Sherry. Captain’s Gig finished eleventh with Iron Ruler a no-show twelfth. In the winner’s circle, there were all good feelings for owner Peter Fuller, trainer Louis Cavalaris and Robert Ussery.  Fuller who was an amateur boxer and wrestler appeared a real sportsman who relished sharing his good fortune with those around him.

This joy would come to an end within seventy-two hours. The Churchill Downs’ stewards announced that the state chemist reported that a urine sample from Dancer’s Image contained phenylbutazone, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication that at the time was prohibited for use on horses during a race in Kentucky. The stewards at the end of the week disqualified Dancer’s Image, placed him last and declared Forward Pass the winner of the 1968 Kentucky Derby. Peter Fuller, a Harvard educated, millionaire son of a former U. S. Senator and governor of Massachusetts, believed someone unconnected with the horse had secretly administered the medication to punish Fuller for his civil rights activism. Fuller claimed he was victimized for donating in public $62,000, the owner’s share of the winning purse from the Governor’s Gold Cup, to the widow of Martin Luther King to establish a scholarship fund two days after King’s murder.

Fuller’s claim of racial motivation behind his horse’s drugging seems ill-founded today. What is now clear is that the horse’s veterinarian, Dr. Alex Harthill, gave Dancer’s Image a dose of phenylbutazone the week of the race with the permission of trainer Cavalaris. Refusing to accept this, Fuller fought the disqualification through the courts for years, and he actually had the steward’s decision overturned by a Kentucky Circuit Court judge in 1970 in which the judge claimed there was insufficient evidence to disqualify Dancer’s Image. Unfortunately for Fuller, that appeal was itself overturned by the Kentucky Court of Appeals in 1972 with Forward Pass declared the official winner.  Fuller, ever the fighter, refused at first to return the Kentucky Derby trophy. But finally, when the same judge who in 1970 ruled favorably on his appeal, pronounced that Fuller had no more rights to declare, the trophy was transferred to Mrs. Gene Markey, the owner of Forward Pass.

The irony is this drug, commonly called Butazolidin, is used with impunity at every racetrack in America today in our drug-infused “sport” of thoroughbred racing.  So as history will attest, Fuller, his trainer and the vet were prophetically ahead of their time.

With this unprecedented controversy still raging, the Preakness Stakes featured a rematch of the Kentucky Derby finish. Both Forward Pass and Dancer’s Image were entered along with eight other horses, all of which did not run in the Derby. Forward Pass was a slight favorite, but he ran like a prohibitive choice. This time jockey Ismail Valenzuela positioned Forward Pass somewhat off the pace. He went to the lead on the outside approaching the Pimlico stretch and drew out to win by 6 lengths over King Ranch’s Out of the Way. Dancer’s Image, an ill-starred horse if there ever was one, finished third a head behind Out of the Way but was disqualified again, this time for interference and placed eighth. In the winner’s circle, Mrs. Gene Markey represented Calumet Farm which was recording its seventh Preakness victory with trainer Henry Forrest and Ismail “Milo” Valenzuela both winning their second (Kauai King (1965) and Tim Tam (1958)). The proverbial elephant in the room was whether Forward Pass would be considered a Triple Crown winner if he could capture the Belmont Stakes in three weeks.

 

Any hope for another meeting between Forward Pass and Dancer’s Image was nullified when Peter Fuller announced that Dancer’s Image came out of a workout with the same ankle problems that plagued him throughout his career. He was immediately retired and returned to his home state of Maryland to the stallion barn of Glade Valley Farms. Only a modest success at stud, Dancer’s Image was exported to Ireland and then served in France with some success. He eventually was sent to Japan where he found his final resting place.

Forward Pass was the favorite for the Belmont Stakes, and he ran a strong race. In the stretch, however, he was run down by Greentree Stable’s Stage Door Johnny who edged clear after a protracted battle to win by 1¼ lengths. The Belmont victor was a late developing colt that had only broken his maiden a few weeks earlier in the spring.  Stage Door Johnny would win two more stakes race before an injury ended his racing career, but he had done enough to be voted the year’s Champion Three Year-old.

So in 1972, the saga of the 1968 Kentucky Derby finally came to a close when Forward Pass was declared the official winner. This added to the Calumet Farm legacy of a record breaking eight Kentucky Derby victors. Peter Fuller would find some racing solace in campaigning his homebred champion filly Mom’s Command in 1985, ridden in most of her victories by his daughter Abigail. But for three days in May, Dancer’s Image and his connections had a taste of racing’s highest glory. That glory was eventually denied, but their story is forever remembered in Kentucky Derby history.