Peter Volo

Datec. 1914

DimensionsSight: 11 7/16 × 17 5/16 in. (29.1 × 44 cm)

Object numberN0303.1961

Credit LineCollection of the Fenimore Art Museum. Gift of Stephen C. Clark

Photograph by Richard Walker

Label TextPeter Volo was a large, powerful, black stallion, the son of Peter the Great, a descendant of Hambletonian 10, and the sire of a number of great horses, including Volomite. Peter was born and bred on the farm of Nickolas Knight in 1911. At weaning time he was taken over by W.E.D. Stokes of the Patchen Wilkes Farm (Lexington, Kentucky), who owned him until approximately 1920 when he was sold for an estimated $30,000 to Dr. Edwards and Harry Burgoyne of Walnut Hall (Donnerail, Kentucky) where he died in 1936. Throughout his career, with but one exception, Peter Volo was driven by Thomas Murphy of Poughkeepsie, NY, who was also his trainer. One of the true greats of harness racing, and among the first seven "Immortals" to be elected to the Hall of Fame of the Trotter at Goshen, NY, he was champion of the world as a yearling, a two year old (2:04 1.2), a three year old (2:03 1/2), and a four year old (2:02). Nineteen thirteen was his great year; he was the fastest two year old in history and even broke the world's record for three year olds - an incredible feat. As a three year old himself, he broke "all records for trotting stallions of any age for three consecutive heats," and lowered the world's record for a mile to 2:03 1/2 to become the "sixth fastest trotting stallion of any age in history." Nineteen fourteen saw Peter's downfall; he set a new world's record, but also sustained his first defeat. After his loss to Lee Axworthy, he was retired to Patchen Wilkes Farm.
BibliographyLouis C. Jones and Agnes Halsey, New-Found Folk Art of the Young Republic (exh. cat., Cooperstown, NY, NYSHA, 1960), p. 30.

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