Exterminator (horse)

Exterminator
Exterminator, 1922
Sire	McGee
Grandsire	White Knight
Dam	Fair Empress
Damsire	Jim Gore
Sex	Gelding
Foaled	1915
Country	United States
Colour	Chestnut
Breeder	F. D. "Dixie" Knight
Owner	J. Cal Milam Willis Sharpe Kilmer Silks: Green, Brown Sash, Orange Sleeves, Green Cap
Trainer	J. Cal Milam Henry McDaniel Willie Knapp Eugene Wayland J. Simon Healy
Record	99: 50-17-17
Earnings	$252,996
Major wins
Kentucky Derby (1918) Saratoga Cup (1919, 1920, 1921, 1922) Pimlico Cup (1919, 1920, 1921) Toronto Autumn Cup (1920, 1921, 1922) Brookdale Handicap (1920) Jockey Club Cup Handicap (1920) Merchants and Citizens Handicap (1921) Autumn Gold Cup (1921, 1922) Clark Handicap (1922) Brooklyn Handicap (1922) Philadelphia Handicap (1923)
Awards
Unofficial U.S. Champion Older Male Horse (1920, 1921, 1922) Unofficial United States Horse of the Year (1922)
Honours
United States Racing Hall of Fame (1957) Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (2016) #29 - Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
Last updated on September 22, 2006

Exterminator (May 30, 1915 – September 26, 1945) was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse the winner of the 1918 Kentucky Derby, and in 1922 won Horse of the Year honors.

The lanky chestnut colt was bred by F. D. "Dixie" Knight (Mrs. M.J. Mizner, Knight's mother, was said to be the actual breeder) and foaled at Almahurst Farm near Lexington, Kentucky. Exterminator was sired by McGee, who also produced Donerail, the winner of the 1913 Kentucky Derby. At the Saratoga Paddock sale of 1916, he was bought as a yearling for $1,500 by J. Cal Milam who trained his own horses. The big colt grew fast, reaching 16.3 hands (67 inches, 170 cm) at two but he was awkward and coarse looking. For this reason, Milam had him gelded.

On June 30, 1917 at Latonia Race Track in Covington, Kentucky, Exterminator made his debut in a six-furlong maiden race that he won by three lengths. Sent to race in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, he suffered a muscle sprain and Milam gave him time off to grow into his size, which by now was 17 hands. Still, he had earned $1,500 and a potential nomination to the Kentucky Derby.

Before Exterminator could begin his third season, Milam sold him to Willis Sharpe Kilmer for $9,000 and a pair of fillies, quite a bit of money for the times, especially as Kilmer had only authorized his future U.S. Hall of Fame trainer, Henry McDaniel, to pay about $700 for a "workhorse." Kilmer bought Exterminator to help his prized colt, Sun Briar in his workouts. (Kilmer had purchased his colt at the same sale Milam bought his, but for $5,000.)

Kilmer didn't think much of his new purchase; he called him "that truck horse" or "the goat." In workouts, Exterminator was supposed to stay behind Sun Briar merely to urge him on to greater effort, but he ran easily beside the other horse unless held back. Sun Briar had topped his juvenile division, winning 5 of 9 starts and being named U.S. Two-yr-Old Champion Colt. McDaniel was impressed by Exterminator and considered him the most intelligent thoroughbred he had ever known.