Barbara Livingston at her best. A wonderful story with many photos, published just about one week ago.
RIP, Devil His Due.
Giving the Devil His Due
DRF
By
Barbara Livingston
05/15/2017
Devil His Due at age 3 (Saratoga), 19 (Margaux Farm) and 28 (Margaux Farm)
He leads a relaxed life nowadays, far from the madding crowds - but such wasn't always the case. 24 years ago today, for instance - May 15, 1993 - devoted fans cheered him on when he powered home first in the G1 Pimlico Special.
His look was powerful, his name intimidating, his record extraordinary, his trainer legendary. He ran Lasix-free, and his name is part of racing lore for literally taking a bite out of the IRS.
He is Devil His Due. Born April 18, 1989, the son of Devil's Bag - Plenty O'Toole, by Raise a Cup raced 41 times over a 4-year career. He won 11 races, with 12 seconds, 3 thirds and earnings of $3,920,405. Nearly all of his races were for owner Edith LeButti's Lion Crest Stable, and all were for revered trainer H. Allen Jerkens.
The registered dark bay or brown (equine color students consider him a 'true black') gave signs of being good early on but gave signs of being extraordinary when deadheating with Lure in the 1992 Gotham Stakes. Watching the replay, one might wonder if perhaps his jockey, Herb McCauley, might have allowed Devil His Due to intimidate Lure and Mike Smith just a bit...but an inquiry was disallowed and the results stood. [...]
http://www.drf.com/blogs/giving-devil-his-due