When studying the history of the Santa Anita Derby, it can be said that the grand race was very good to John Longden.

The Pumper stands as the first rider to win the event more than once. He was the first to win it in back-to-back years. He was the first to win it in three different decades. For several years, he was the recordholder for most victories in the contest. And he went on to train the 1969 champion, Majestic Prince.

In total, Longden collected five renewals of the Santa Anita Derby in his illustrious riding career. Every single one of them certainly held a special meaning for him. But the very last one, which came in 1961, likely held a greater place in his heart for one reason.

That fifth Santa Anita Derby was very much a family affair.

In many ways, Thoroughbred racing is a family business. Children become racing fans after a trip to the track with mom or dad. Just as stallions sire the Thoroughbreds of tomorrow, jockeys will produce members of the next generation of riders. And sons and daughters will follow their parents into the training game.

But how about father and son teaming up during a race? Well, that happened during the 1961 Santa Anita Derby. There was a Longden in the saddle for that race, and the name Longden showed up as a trainer in the program as well.

Of course, John was the rider. But the trainer? That was his son, Vance.

And the horse conditioned by Vance was the undefeated Four-and-Twenty, and he was part of a coupled entry with Flutter by for the twenty-fourth running of the Santa Anita Derby. The duo was by far the favorite, with just Olden Times remotely near at over 3-1. That set up a classic jockey matchup with two of the sport's all-time greatest. While John Longden piloted Four-and-Twenty, Olden Times had Bill Shoemaker in the irons. Of course, the two had crossed paths long before this race. But it was one of Southern California's biggest events of the year, and the Santa Anita Derby had already started its path of becoming a producer of Kentucky Derby champions. It was a big attraction, Longden vs. Shoemaker.

As it turned out, that is exactly what the public saw in the mile and one-eighth event.

Four-and-Twenty took early command in front of the Santa Anita crowd with Olden Times tracking in second. They ran one-two as they traversed around the dirt oval as the fans watched to see who would emerge as California's top Kentucky Derby hope.

When all was said and done, Four-and-Twenty made it to the wire first, handing Longden his fifth Santa Anita Derby victory. Olden Times stayed in second for a while, but he was passed in the second half of the race and finished up in seventh place.

Four-and-Twenty did not get the win in the Kentucky Derby that year, but he went on to take multiple stakes, with the Hollywood Derby and San Fernando Stakes becoming part of his collection. The Santa Anita Derby was one of his biggest victories, he was part of a truly emotional day for the Longden family.

John and Vance celebrated as the first father-son duo to capture the Santa Anita Derby, and they have remained the only father-son duo to win it as of 2022. The moment defintely brought a tremendous emotional impact on both John and Vance. For John, it was his fifth win, but it must have been the most personal given that his son trained Four-and-Twenty. There was no doubt fatherly pride flowing within John as his son celebrated his first Santa Anita Derby triumph.

And Vance definitely had personal pride in attaining such a big win. But he must have loved seeing his father again reign supreme on the big stage and being a part of it. Father and son had quite a moment that day. They celebrated many wins throughout John's career, but this one was on a much more personal level.

The combination of John and Vance Longden taking first place in the 1961 Santa Anita Derby is among one of the race's most memorable and emotional stories. The name of Longden carried a powerful presence throughout the race's first thirty years. But perhaps none were quite as powerful as in 1961.

And for the Longden family, none of them were likely as emotional.