# Otto Wonderly

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Canadian jockey

Otto Wonderly Wonderly and Gold Heels at 1902 Suburban Handicap. Personal information Born c. 1878 Ontario, Canada Died April 2, 1905 (aged about 26) Memphis, Tennessee, United States Occupation Jockey Horse racing career Sport Horse racing Career wins not found Major racing wins Belle Meade Stakes (1901) Bronx Highweight Handicap (1901) Manhattan Handicap (1901) Municipal Handicap (1901) Patchogue Stakes (1901) Autumn Maiden Stakes (1902) Bay Ridge Handicap (1902) Laureate Stakes (1902) Queens County Handicap (1902) Spindrift Stakes (1902) Suburban Handicap (1902) Coronation Futurity Stakes (1904) Canadian Derby (1904) Victoria Stakes (1904) Significant horses Flocarline, Fort Hunter, Gold Heels

**Otto Wonderly** (c. 1878 - April 2, 1905) was a Canadian [Thoroughbred](/source/Thoroughbred) [horse racing](/source/Horse_racing) [jockey](/source/Jockey) from [Ontario](/source/Ontario) who competed in his native Canada and in the United States where he died from a racetrack accident.

Before embarking on a riding career, Wonderly worked as a newsboy for the [Grand Trunk Railway](/source/Grand_Trunk_Railway). He was riding at a track in [Windsor, Ontario](/source/Windsor%2C_Ontario) when some prominent Canadian horsemen recognized his natural talent and arranged for him to go to the United States. There, he was placed under contract by [James Ben Ali Haggin](/source/James_Ben_Ali_Haggin), one of America's preeminent horsemen and owner of the renowned [Elmendorf Farm](/source/Elmendorf_Farm) in [Lexington, Kentucky](/source/Lexington%2C_Kentucky). Haggin paid Wonderly $15,000 for second call on his services for eight months.[1] He would later ride for a [Chicago](/source/Chicago) based stable and as well would ride in the United States and Canada for leading Canadian owner, [Joseph E. Seagram](/source/Joseph_E._Seagram).[2]

## Career highlights

On July 25, 1901, Wonderly won four races in a row on a six-race card at [Fort Erie Racetrack](/source/Fort_Erie_Racetrack).[3] Another highlight of Wonderly's career came on June 14, 1902 at the [Sheepshead Bay Race Track](/source/Sheepshead_Bay_Race_Track) in [Brooklyn](/source/Brooklyn), [New York](/source/New_York_(state)) when he won the most prestigious race in the United States for horses of all ages. For owners Fred C. McLewee and [Diamond Jim Brady](/source/Diamond_Jim_Brady), Wonderly captured the famous [Suburban Handicap](/source/Suburban_Handicap) aboard [Gold Heels](/source/Gold_Heels) in race record time on an off track in front of more than 50,000 spectators.[4]

## Death

Riding freelance in 1905, on April 1 Wonderly was exercising a horse at [Montgomery Park Race Track](/source/Montgomery_Park_Race_Track) in Memphis, Tennessee when he was thrown to the ground that caused severe head injuries.

He died the following day [St. Joseph's Hospital](/source/St._Joseph's_Hospital_(Memphis%2C_Tennessee)).[5] His body was shipped to his family in [London, Ontario](/source/London%2C_Ontario) for interment.[6]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Chicago Tribune - November 30, 1902](https://web.archive.org/web/20110604162913/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/408800691.html?dids=408800691:408800691&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+30,+1902&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=CHICAGO+HOPES+RISE+HIGH.&pqatl=google)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [April 3, 1905 *New York Times* article on the career of Otto Wonderly](https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9D04E7D8133AE733A25750C0A9629C946497D6CF)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Fort Erie Form Chart"](https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1900s/drf1901072601/drf1901072601_5_2). Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives. 1901-07-26. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [*New York Times* report on the 1902 Suburban Handicap](https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9A00EFDD153DE433A25756C1A9609C946397D6CF)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [April 3, 1905 *New York Times* article on the death of Otto Wonderly](https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9D04E7D8133AE733A25750C0A9629C946497D6CF)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Jockey Wonderly Dead"](http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0glUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YTkNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5943,5141159&dq=otto-wonderly&hl=en). *Philadelphia Record*. 1905-04-04. Retrieved 2018-09-22.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Otto Wonderly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Wonderly) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Wonderly?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.