Calvin was a full brother to the stakes winner Aaron Pennington, who was foaled in 1871.
[3] Lucy was also the dam of the stakes winning Tom Bowling, who was sired by Lexington and was foaled in 1870.
[4] During his three-year-old year, Calvin won the ninth running of the Belmont Stakes in 1875 at Jerome Park Racetrack in a time of 2 minutes 401⁄4 seconds.
[5][6] The race was run on June 12 over a distance of 1+1⁄2 miles (12 furlongs (2,400 meters)) on a fast track.
[7] Calvin contracted tetanus in April 1879 from a nail penetrating his hoof and had to be euthanized.