Famous Race Horse - Barney F.
Barney F. was a racehorse owned by George Falck in the late 1880s. This remarkable horse was offered for sale at the Chicago horse market where it was purchased by Walter Winans of Kent, England, for the "fabulous sum," as it was considered then, of $3,500.00. It was teamed with another fine horse and taken to England. During the following six years this team was awarded all the notable blue ribbon prizes offered in England and Europe. After the horse died it was returned to New York where it is still being admired by hundreds of thousands people each year at the New York City Museum.
Son of a wealthy American railroad builder, Walter Winans moved to England at age eighteen and shortly thereafter inherited much of his father's fortune. Winans became very active in the trotting sport, both as a breeder and driver and was instrumental in getting trotting meetings started at Parsloe's Park near London. Winans died in the sulky in 1920 during a race just as his horse was crossing the finish line.