El Rio Rey

El Rio Rey (foaled January 16, 1887 in California) was an undefeated American Thoroughbred racehorse. He was regarded as the American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt of 1889.

Breeding

He was bred by Nevadan Theodore Winters at his Rancho del Rio breeding farm near Sacramento, California where he had both El Rio Rey's important sire, Norfolk and his dam, Marian. The outstanding mare of her era in the American West, Marian (1871–1893) was also the dam of Yo Tambien as a result of Theodore Winters mating her to his stallion, Joe Hooker. El Rio Rey was a full brother to the good racehorse, Emperor of Norfolk and Czar as well as six other horses. These colts were inbred to Glencoe in the third and fourth (3m x 4f) generation.

Racing record

El Rio Rey's race conditioning was supervised by the head of the Theodore Winters racing stable, Alfred H. Estell, as well as trainer, William H. McCormick. As a two-year-old racing in 1889, El Rio Rey competed at racetracks in Chicago and St. Louis, Missouri before heading to New York where the publicity surrounding his racing abilities as a full brother to the great Emperor of Norfolk drew a huge crowd to Morris Park Racecourse to see him win the August 25 Great Eclipse Stakes. On the same track, he then won the inaugural running of the six furlong (1,200 meters) White Plains Handicap on August 31 against a field of 14 horses in track record time while carrying 126 pounds (57 kilograms). The next day's issue of the New York Times declared him the best two-year-old in the country, stating that horsemen consider him "the greatest colt ever foaled." El Rio Rey followed up with another win in September's Prospect Stakes at the Gravesend Race Track. The colt ended his two year-old campaign undefeated, having won all seven starts.

El Rio, California

El Rio is a small unincorporated community in Ventura County, California, United States, on the northeast side of the 101 Freeway and Oxnard, and south of the Santa Clara River. The town was founded in 1875 and named New Jerusalem, California by the owner of general store who became the first postmaster in 1882. In 1885, a school and Santa Clara Catholic Church were built. Located near where the coastal railroad line crosses the Santa Clara River, the town's name was changed to El Rio around 1900. The former wagon river crossing route became the Ventura Freeway which separates the community from the commercial developments that grew up on the southwest side of the freeway. That portion of the historic community and sections closer to the river have been annexed to the city of Oxnard. Vineyard Avenue (State Route 232) is the central business district for the largely residential community. The population was 7,198 at the 2010 census, up from 6,193 at the time the 2000 census was enumerated. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined an El Rio census-designated place (CDP) which does not precisely correspond to the historical community as portions have been annexed to the city of Oxnard.