Blue Gown was a bay horse standing 15.3 hands high,[1] sired by the 1858 Epsom Derby winner Beadsman out of the Stockwell bred mare Bas Bleu.

In early October, Hawley tried his three best two-year-olds against each other, and Blue Gown finished third behind Rosicrucian and the previously unraced filly Green Sleeve.

In a supposedly private trial race at Kingsclere (which soon became common knowledge), Blue Gown was beaten a neck by Rosicrucian as part of his preparation for The Derby.

[7] Hawley continued to regard Blue Gown as inferior to his stable companions, but John Wells chose to ride him at Epsom and the colt was heavily supported in the betting.

[9] Wells positioned Blue Gown just behind the leaders and turned into the straight in third place, at which point the outsider King Alfred took the lead and Hawley's other two runners began to struggle.

In the final furlong Wells produced Blue Gown with a challenge down the centre of the course, overtaking King Alfred near the finish and winning by half a length.

It was hoped to run him in major continental races but he made only one appearance, finishing unplaced under a heavy weight in an event at Lyon in 1870[14] before being sold again and returned to England.

The ship ran into very stormy weather on November 25, leading to the destruction of its rudder and to the death of Blue Gown, who thrashed about in his cabin and ruptured a bowel.