Ten years ago, Ron Schneider began a quest to find Henri Delattre's (1801-1876) oil painting of the celebrated Thoroughbred Lecomte.
As the curator at the Old Lecompte High School and Museum in Lecompte, La., the painting enticed him. He would be reminded each time he saw the horse's image, which figures prominently on the central Louisiana town's official flag as well as the high school's yearbook.
Before we get to that quest, some background.
Lecomte was one of the fastest horses in the 1850s, when horses ran four-mile heats with 45-minute breaks in between. There was an intense rivalry between Lecomte and Lexington (known as the greatest racehorse of his era). Both horses were sired by Boston (1833-1850), who along with Lexington was an initial inductee into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1955. Lecomte was owned by General Thomas Jefferson Wells and was named after his friend Ambrose Lecomte.
In the Great State Post Stakes of 1854 at Metairie (La.), Lecomte and Lexington would be among a group of four celebrated horses to compete. Lexington would prevail that day but, according to a Sports Illustrated story, the locals said Lecomte was compromised by an off track. They would meet again two weeks later at Metairie on a fast track and Lecomte would secure victory with wins in the first two heats.
In the first of those heats he beat Lexington by six lengths in a record-breaking time of 7:26. The Times-Picayune of New Orleans said of Lecomte, "We have witnessed the best race, in all respects, that was ever run, and that Lecomte stands proudly before the world, as the best horse ever produced on the 'turf'."
Louisiana fully embraced the victory. In his honor, the citizens of White's Landing renamed their town Lecomte. Unfortunately, an error by a mapmaker for the local railroad added a "p," misspelling the name as "Lecompte," which has caused confusion.
Even today, the riveting rivalry between Lexington and Lecomte has been chronicled in two well-received books: "Lexington" by Kim Wickens, and "Horse" by Geraldine Brooks. And every January, Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots hosts the Lecomte Stakes (G3), an important race on the road to the Kentucky Derby (G1).
Another celebration of Lecomte occurred in 1856, when equestrian artist Henri Delattre painted the celebrated Thoroughbred described in the Spirit of the Times as a rich chestnut (15 hands-three) with an excellent temper and a low, smooth action with a stride of 23 feet. "He had the constitution of iron, the appetite of a lion, and can stand as much work as a team of mules … Consequently, he is about as fine a specimen of a Thoroughbred as can be found in this or any other country."
The painting originally was located in private homes and then at The Jockey Club in New York. Many years later, Schneider would read a story about the painting. His curiosity had been stoked and it would live in the back of his mind, sometimes making it to front-of-mind as he made inquiries about its whereabouts over the years.
This year one of those emails about the painting would prove fruitful. At some point, it had been moved to The Jockey Club offices in Lexington. Shannon Luce, The Jockey Club vice president of communications, would take up the search. She found the painting still being enjoyed today, hanging on a wall in one of the Lexington offices.
Schneider's search had ended and soon he would see the painting in person as the work would be headed to the state where Lecomte was raised. The Jockey Club agreed to loan the painting to the Alexandria Museum of Art for its exhibit "What's in a Name? Lecompte's Equine Legacy."
When the painting was unpacked, Schneider said, "I was completely overwhelmed. For The Jockey Club to loan it to AMOA so that people in this area could see the painting is a great thrill. The image and legacy of Lecomte to this community means so much to our people."
He remembers thinking "Welcome home, little buddy," and being struck by the beauty of the painting.
"The strength of the horse with the musculature, the shininess of his coat, the golden and honey tones of the painting," Schneider said. "People were happy to see it because our heritage is tied up in the image of Lecomte."
Lecomte is a member of the Class of 2024 elected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame by the Pre-1900 Historic Review Committee and will be enshrined Friday, Aug. 2 at the Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavillion in Saratoga Springs.
AMOA's exhibit "What's in a Name? Lecompte's Equine Legacy" will be on display until Sept. 6.
