Louis Feustel

Biography

Louis Feustel was only 10 years old when he began working with horses, and in short time he began a long and prosperous association with August Belmont II. For Belmont, Feustel began as a stable hand, rose to stable foreman, and eventually became head trainer.

Louis Feustel was only 10 years old when he began working with horses. In short time he began a long and prosperous association with August Belmont II. For Belmont, Feustel began as a stable hand, rose to stable foreman, and eventually became head trainer.

In 1913, Feustel conditioned the Belmont-owned Rock View to victories in the Travers, Withers, Lawrence Realization, and Brooklyn Derby. The next year, however, Belmont began to scale down his racing stable and began sold many of his runners. When the United States entered World War I, Belmont, then 65, went overseas as part of the war effort.

With Belmont involved with the war, Feustel went out on his own for a while before going to work for Sam Riddle’s Glen Riddle Farm as head trainer. At the 1918 Saratoga yearling sales, Feustel selected a son of the Belmont-owned Fair Play for Riddle for the sum of $5,000. His name was Man o’ War.

Man o’ War arrived at the races in 1919 and Feustel conditioned him to a record of 9-1-0 in 10 starts as a juvenile. He won the Tremont, Grand Union Hotel, United States Hotel, Hopeful, Futurity, and Youthful stakes that year, carrying 130 pounds six times.

As a 3-year-old, Man o’ War won all 11 of his starts, including the Preakness, Belmont, Travers, Jockey Club Stakes, Lawrence Realization, Miller, Withers, and Dwyer, as well as the Stuyvesant and Potomac handicaps, and the Kenilworth Gold Cup, a race which he defeated America's first Triple Crown winner, Sir Barton.

The relationship between Feustel and Riddle began to strain in 1921, which led Feustel to make arrangements with Belmont, who was rebuilding his breeding operation. In 1924, Feustel conditioned the Belmont-owned Ladkin to his historic win the International Special No. 2 over European standout Epinard. Belmont, however, died that year and Feustel was once again on his own. He later went to work for newspaper publisher Bernard Ritter in the 1930s and also ran a successful stable for Elizabeth Graham Lewis.

Feustel was in a serious automobile accident in 1943 that kept him out of racing for several months. He retired in 1950 after more than 40 years as a trainer. 

Achievements

Triple Crown Highlights

Won the 1920 Preakness Stakes — Man o' War
Won the Belmont Stakes — Man o' War

Other Highlights

Won the Lawrence Realization Stakes — 1913, 1920
Won the Travers Stakes — 1913, 1920
Won the Withers Stakes — 1913, 1920
Won the Dwyer Stakes — 1920, 1924
Won the Potomac Handicap — 1920, 1926
Won the Brooklyn Derby — 1913
Won the Futurity Stakes — 1919
Won the Grand Union Hotel Stakes — 1919
Won the Hopeful Stakes — 1919
Won the Jockey Club Stakes — 1920
Won the Kenilworth Gold Cup — 1920
Won the Remsen Handicap — 1923
Won the International Special No. 2 — 1924
Won the Stuyvesant Handicap — 1924