General Duke was sired by Lexington, and out of Lilla, who was by the imported stallion Yorkshire. General Duke was foaled in 1865 and was a chestnut stallion. He was bred by Robert A. Alexander at Woodburn Stud in Kentucky.
Racing career
General Duke's first start on the racetrack was in 1867, in the Saratoga Stakes on August 9. He placed third in that race, which was and limited to two-year-old horses. He carried and raced for McConnell and Harness. The winner's time was 1 minute 20 seconds. He then raced on August 12, for the same owners at the same distance in a race for two-year-olds, which he won in 1 minute 20 seconds. Both of these races were at Saratoga Race Course in New York. On September 26, 1867, General Duke started a race at Cincinnati, Ohio, the Cincinnati Stakes. This was a race for two-year-olds, which General Duke won in 1 minute 45 seconds carrying. He was at that time still owned by McConnell and Harness. As a three-year-old, General Duke first started at the Secaucus Racetrack in New Jersey, on May 29, 1868. This race was a mile-heat race, run as three separate races. Racing again for McConnell and Harness, General Duke finished 3rd in each of the three heats. The next race he started was the Belmont Stakes on June 10, 1868, which was run at the Jerome Park Racetrack. The Belmont was run at a. General Duke won while carrying, in a time of 3 minutes and 2 seconds. His jockey for the race was R. Swim. On June 17, he came in second in a sweepstakes race at distance. On July 2, he won a sweepstakes race for three-year-olds at a distance of a. On August 10, at Saratoga, he won the Sequel Stakes over in a time of 3 minutes 40 seconds. He carried in that race. On August 25, 1868, he won the Providence Stake at Narragansett Race Track, in Rhode Island. This race was a, and he carried during his winning time of 2 minutes and 44 seconds. The same day, he won a heat race, with two heats, placing first in both heats. He next started at the Jerome Park Racetrack in New York on October 7, 1868 in a cup race over. He placed second while carrying. His last start of the year was on October 8, when he won a race with a time of 3 minutes and 13 seconds. General Duke's final racing career totals were 32 starts and 18 wins, with total earnings on the track of $17,915. He was named Champion Three-Year-Old in 1868. After General Duke's racing career, he was known as Judge Curtis.
