Peter Fuller (RIP) /// R.Ussery /// 1960,67,68

[Jorge]

Sad news the passing of Mr. Peter Fuller, owner and breeder of Dancer's Image, 1st-place finisher of the 1968 Kentucky Derby. Great gentleman
sportsman and friend. As far as I remember he also bred Northern Jove.

Regarding Dancer's Image jockey, Robert Ussery, it is worth mentioning that he also won the 1967 Kentucky Derby. I also read at another site that Ussery arrived second in the 1960 Kentucky Derby and that the horse who beat him to win the race used the then legal "bute". So, in a reverse of fate, eight years later, in 1968, Ussery arrived first and "bute" was not permitted.

I have a question regarding the 1968 Derby: Did Ussery was permitted to retain his winning jockey trophy?

[Patuxet]

Peter Fuller was the sire of jockey Abigail Fuller.

26 years ago father and daughter teamed up with Eclipse Award winner and Hall of Famer Mom's Command, a Top Command filly owned and bred by Peter Fuller and ridden to victories in the New York Filly Triple Crown by Abby Fuller.

[zinn21]

Wasn't Dancer's Image DQ'd for testing positive for Bute or Lasix? Just Googled, it was Bute... Things have changed.. RIP Mr. Fuller..

[Bast]

Wasn't Dancer's Image DQ'd for testing positive for Bute or Lasix? Just Googled, it was Bute... Things have changed.. RIP Mr. Fuller..

There was a question about the analysis, and the capabilities of the lab doing the work. If I ever come across the BH issues that reproduced the spectra, I could comment specifically.

[TJ]

Believe it or not the DQ of Dancer's Image had political overtones. Mr. Fuller's horse received a shot of bute 6 days out from the Derby. The shot was administered by prominent veterinarian Dr. Alex Harthill. There should have been no residue in the bloodstream after 6 days, yet there was. Mr. Fuller (who was no stranger to politics being the son of a U.S. Senator and Mass. Governor) always believed the positive test was due to his involvement in the civil rights movement at the time and KY's opposition to it. RIP Mr.Fuller. TJ

[Patuxet]

Thanks, TJ, for that reminder. I visited Runnymede, Fuller's NH farm, in mid-June 1968, saw Dancer's Image and heard essentially that same suspicion suggested.

In 1968, the year after the Supreme Court struck down VA's anti-miscegenation law, 72% still disapproved of marriage between whites and non-whites and only 20% approved. Prejudice can be deeply rooted in the American psyche.

[Bast]

Thanks, TJ, for that reminder. I visited Runnymede, Fuller's NH farm, in mid-June 1968, saw Dancer's Image and heard essentially that same suspicion suggested.

In 1968, the year after the Supreme Court struck down VA's anti-miscegenation law, 72% still disapproved of marriage between whites and non-whites and only 20% approved. Prejudice can be deeply rooted in the American psyche.

Fuller gave some percentage of Dancer's Image's earnings to King's widow.

I was alive and aware in 1968. 2012 is not 1968. Things have changed. Anyone who thinks they have not either wasn't there, or they consumed some mind-killing Kool-Aid.

I've lived through urban riots, and not from the vantage point of the suburbs. My high school was fire bombed repeatedly. A friend of mine gave me a live description on the phone of the neighborhood revolutionaries burning down the shop across the street from her house.

[TJ]

Thanks, TJ, for that reminder. I visited Runnymede, Fuller's NH farm, in mid-June 1968, saw Dancer's Image and heard essentially that same suspicion suggested.

In 1968, the year after the Supreme Court struck down VA's anti-miscegenation law, 72% still disapproved of marriage between whites and non-whites and only 20% approved. Prejudice can be deeply rooted in the American psyche.

Fuller gave some percentage of Dancer's Image's earnings to King's widow.

I was alive and aware in 1968. 2012 is not 1968. Things have changed. Anyone who thinks they have not either wasn't there, or they consumed some mind-killing Kool-Aid.

I've lived through urban riots, and not from the vantage point of the suburbs. My high school was fire bombed repeatedly. A friend of mine gave me a live description on the phone of the neighborhood revolutionaries burning down the shop across the street from her house.

Hi Bast,
How are you? Yes he was quite generous and committed...Mr. Fuller donated the entire purse from Dancer's Image Wood Memorial win to Mrs. King, it was over $60,000....a ton of money back then! TJ

[Jorge]

Interesting sites regarding this topic:

http://issuu.com/historypressusa/docs/dancers-image
http://www.historypressblog.net/2012/05 ... ers-image/
http://washingtonexaminer.com/sports/20 ... -89/615021

Order of Finish:
01. Dancer’s Image, (R. Ussery) Peter Fuller http://www.pedigreequery.com/dancers+image
02. Forward Pass (I. Valenzuela) Calumet Farm
03. Francie’s Hat (E. Fires) Saddle Rock Farm
04. T.V. Commercial (H. Grant) Bwamazon Farm
05. Kentucky Sherry (J. Combest) Mrs. J. W. Brown
06. Jig Time (R. Broussard) Cragwood Stable http://www.pedigreequery.com/jig+time
07. Don B (D. Pierce) D. B. Wood
08. Trouble Brewing (B. Thornburg) Coventry Rock Farm
09. Proper Proof (J. Sellers) Mr. M. R. Fisher
10. Te Vega (M. Manganello) Brunswick Farm
11. Captain’s Gig (M. Ycaza) Cain Hoy Stable
12. Iron Ruler (B. Baeza) October House Farm http://www.pedigreequery.com/iron+ruler
13. Verbatim (A. Cordero Jr.) Elmendorf
14. Gleaming Sword (E. Belmonte) C. V. Whitney http://www.pedigreequery.com/gleaming+sword

Apropos Robert Ussery who arrived second with Bally Ache in the 1960
Kentucky Derby behind winner Venetian Way (with then legal “bute”) don’t miss to read this beautiful interesting story:

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-05 ... colt-horse

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-05 ... lt-horse/2

And this other article:

http://articles.latimes.com/print/1988- ... ucky-derby

[TJ]

Interesting sites regarding this topic:

http://issuu.com/historypressusa/docs/dancers-image
http://www.historypressblog.net/2012/05 ... ers-image/
http://washingtonexaminer.com/sports/20 ... -89/615021

Order of Finish:
01. Dancer’s Image, (R. Ussery) Peter Fuller http://www.pedigreequery.com/dancers+image
02. Forward Pass (I. Valenzuela) Calumet Farm
03. Francie’s Hat (E. Fires) Saddle Rock Farm
04. T.V. Commercial (H. Grant) Bwamazon Farm
05. Kentucky Sherry (J. Combest) Mrs. J. W. Brown
06. Jig Time (R. Broussard) Cragwood Stable http://www.pedigreequery.com/jig+time
07. Don B (D. Pierce) D. B. Wood
08. Trouble Brewing (B. Thornburg) Coventry Rock Farm
09. Proper Proof (J. Sellers) Mr. M. R. Fisher
10. Te Vega (M. Manganello) Brunswick Farm
11. Captain’s Gig (M. Ycaza) Cain Hoy Stable
12. Iron Ruler (B. Baeza) October House Farm http://www.pedigreequery.com/iron+ruler
13. Verbatim (A. Cordero Jr.) Elmendorf
14. Gleaming Sword (E. Belmonte) C. V. Whitney http://www.pedigreequery.com/gleaming+sword

Apropos Robert Ussery who arrived second with Bally Ache in the 1960
Kentucky Derby behind winner Venetian Way (with then legal “bute”) don’t miss to read this beautiful interesting story:

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-05 ... colt-horse

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-05 ... lt-horse/2

And this other article:

http://articles.latimes.com/print/1988- ... ucky-derby

Hi Jorge,
How are you? Some interesting reading...truth is no one will ever know what really happened. Lou Cavalaris hardly ever spoke about it....to hear him break silence now saying that Dancer's Image received the bute after he worked on a Monday that's five days out...that could have cut it a bit too close. It also contradicts the vet who said it was given after the work on Sunday which would have been 6 days out....certainly enough time to clear Dancer's bloodstream. I would tend to believe Lou, back in the day many vets would push the envelope...if the withdrawal time for bute was 5 days....many would go four days out and say don't worry about it, it will pass the blood and urine test. This unfortunate incident will remain a mystery...brings to mind another tough, gritty, little horse cloaked with lies and mystery.....Jim French. TJ

[Jorge]

Interesting sites regarding this topic:

http://issuu.com/historypressusa/docs/dancers-image
http://www.historypressblog.net/2012/05 ... ers-image/
http://washingtonexaminer.com/sports/20 ... -89/615021

Order of Finish:
01. Dancer’s Image, (R. Ussery) Peter Fuller http://www.pedigreequery.com/dancers+image
02. Forward Pass (I. Valenzuela) Calumet Farm
03. Francie’s Hat (E. Fires) Saddle Rock Farm
04. T.V. Commercial (H. Grant) Bwamazon Farm
05. Kentucky Sherry (J. Combest) Mrs. J. W. Brown
06. Jig Time (R. Broussard) Cragwood Stable http://www.pedigreequery.com/jig+time
07. Don B (D. Pierce) D. B. Wood
08. Trouble Brewing (B. Thornburg) Coventry Rock Farm
09. Proper Proof (J. Sellers) Mr. M. R. Fisher
10. Te Vega (M. Manganello) Brunswick Farm
11. Captain’s Gig (M. Ycaza) Cain Hoy Stable
12. Iron Ruler (B. Baeza) October House Farm http://www.pedigreequery.com/iron+ruler
13. Verbatim (A. Cordero Jr.) Elmendorf
14. Gleaming Sword (E. Belmonte) C. V. Whitney http://www.pedigreequery.com/gleaming+sword

Apropos Robert Ussery who arrived second with Bally Ache in the 1960
Kentucky Derby behind winner Venetian Way (with then legal “bute”) don’t miss to read this beautiful interesting story:

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-05 ... colt-horse

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-05 ... lt-horse/2

And this other article:

http://articles.latimes.com/print/1988- ... ucky-derby

Hi Jorge,
How are you? Some interesting reading...truth is no one will ever know what really happened. Lou Cavalaris hardly ever spoke about it....to hear him break silence now saying that Dancer's Image received the bute after he worked on a Monday that's five days out...that could have cut it a bit too close. It also contradicts the vet who said it was given after the work on Sunday which would have been 6 days out....certainly enough time to clear Dancer's bloodstream. I would tend to believe Lou, back in the day many vets would push the envelope...if the withdrawal time for bute was 5 days....many would go four days out and say don't worry about it, it will pass the blood and urine test. This unfortunate incident will remain a mystery...brings to mind another tough, gritty, little horse cloaked with lies and mystery.....Jim French. TJ

Certainly, this topic is quite interesting. Jim French another great horse often forgotten.

When strange things occurr it is not that unusual that strange coincidences also occurrs:

In the 1953 Kentucky Derby , the gray Native Dancer narrowly missed to arrive on first place. Strangely, if you read the finishing order backwards, you will note that a gray horse initiates the list. That horse was ACE DESTROYER (http://www.pedigreequery.com/ace+destroyer) who arrived 11th (last).

In the 1968 Kentucky Derby, the gray Dancer's Image (son of Native Dancer) far more narrowly missed to arrived on first place. Strangely, if you read the finishing order backwards, you will note that another gray horse initiates the list. That horse was GLEAMING SWORD
(http://www.pedigreequery.com/gleaming+sword) who arrived 14th.
(last).

[Jorge]

Article: The Dancer Plot Thickens by SI

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/ ... /index.htm

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/ ... /index.htm