I will say this now - I cannot see features on NBC about horse racing without getting choked up. The replay of Secretariat's Belmont Stakes win, a race I've watched countless times, always leaves me with tears streaming down my face. Even now, while writing this, my vision is beginning to get a little blurry. There's only one emotion I've ever felt comparable to this, and that is love. Not just infatuation or obsession, but true love for someone or something.
My life is absolutely tied to this sport. I live in a college dorm that sits on the graveyard of Ak-Sar-Ben Racetrack, one of the biggest tracks in the country in its heyday. As you drive out of the complex, an apartment complex with the sign "Pinhook Flats" catches your eye. And just down 72nd Street, Horsemen's Park and its simulcasting facility is there, beckoning any racing fan into its arms. The sights, smells and sounds of racing are forever etched into our senses, bringing with them a sense of comfort and familiarity.
I got into racing at nine years old, completely on my own. I had no parent or relative to guide me through pedigrees, forms or the records past champions. I had to launch myself into extensive research regarding the sport and its past. It consumed me. In math - a subject I continue to struggle with - I would make up word problems regarding racing. Instead of writing essays for English, I would craft fictional horse stories instead. My times tables were far from memorized, but I could name all the Kentucky Derby winners in recent years.
But as the need to become "popular" overwhelmed myself and my peers, I started to hide away my love of racing. I was ashamed that it wasn't "cool" to be obsessed with a sport that, frankly, no one around me cared about. A teacher would ask me about one of my Kentucky Derby shirts; I would duck my head in embarrassment, muttering an excuse on why I owned it in the first place. A red blush would fill my face as one of my friends questioned me about the random lists I had drawn out on my page, containing the names of Breeders' Cup probables rather than science notes.
Throughout middle school and high school, my future career aspirations seemed to change with the weather. Singing, writing, business...soon I got to a point where I was willing to settle for something "useful" rather than something I loved. I would shove aside my knowledge and interests in horses for school activities and social life. There were years where I had no idea who was running in the Derby until the Wednesday before. Sure, big televised events would draw my attention back momentarily, but not for long. My love of racing seemed to be fading with each year.
It wasn't until this past year that I began to see racing for what it truly was - the love of my life. I knew I wanted to make it into a career, but I didn't know how. I had been accepted into university as an English major. All I knew at the time was that I wanted to write. It was not until I started a blog following this year's Kentucky Derby contenders that it hit me - I could write about horse racing! The thought of it filled me with glee; it would combine my greatest passion with my greatest strength. With Orb's victory in this year's Derby, my dreams had also won me over.
I set my sights on turf journalism. Racing would never again be something on the side or something to be ashamed of. Instead of hiding my interest, I would proudly display it to the people around me. I invited friends to the track and talked freely about the Triple Crown. I wrote articles for websites and posted the links on my personal Facebook page. I was no longer embarrassed of my love of this sport. How can you be embarrassed over true love? After all, a good husband or wife does not hide their spouse away from the world in fear or shame. In taking the steps that I have over the last few months, I have all but married myself to the Sport of Kings.
Racing is a game of highs and lows. Orb's victory was about as high as you could get for me. The happiness that I felt that day was a perfect opposite of the crushing disappointment of seeing him fade on the turn two weeks later in the Preakness Stakes. And then, of course, there are the heartbreaks - the injuries, the illnesses and the deaths. Yesterday's death of Saginaw was incredibly painful to so many industry workers and fans. That is what makes this sport so vulnerable - the constant scrutiny over medication violations and breakdowns, jockey mishaps and shady gambling. The people who focus on the negative and do nothing to fix it, however, will never truly have their eyes open to the incredibly beautiful aspects of horse racing.
For what else can replace the sight of these majestic animals, muscles rippling and coats gleaming in the sun? What other sound makes the heart race more than the sound of hoofbeats thundering down a track at forty miles an hour? There is no sport with as much pageantry and tradition as horse racing. Though it has suffered multiple setbacks throughout the years, it lives on. Horses carry within their blood the legacy of past champions. Trainers and jockeys pick up where their great predecessors left off. Tracks host, year after year, spectacular race meetings with new memories to make. Who can blame me for being head over heels in love with horse racing?
I will leave this with one of my favorite quotes of all time. It came from the mind of Federico Tesio, breeder of Thoroughbred legend Nearco and one of the sport's all-time human greats:
"A horse gallops with his lungs,
Perseveres with his heart,
And wins with his character."
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Throwback Thursday - 2007 Travers Stakes
This weekend, the Travers Stakes will be contested at Saratoga for the 144th time. Dubbed the "Midsummer Derby," this prestigious race is a place where Triple Crown feats are either solidified or quashed - more often than not, they are solidified. In recent years, Bernardini, Summer Bird and his sire Birdstone, and Point Given have all come to Saratoga to prove their classic worth once again. Last year's edition of the race, however, lost a little luster with the retirements of I'll Have Another, Union Rags and Bodemeister, as well as the illness of Paynter. This year's edition has regained the Travers' sparkle of yore, drawing two classic winners in Orb and Palace Malice, plus a fast-improving powerhouse in Verrazano.
2013's version of the race might become my favorite Travers memory. For now, though, that honor goes to the nail-biting 2007 edition. The three year-old crop of 2007 is my favorite three year-old crop since I've been a fan, no doubt about it. They took the year by force and won so many prestigious races, culminating in the mighty Curlin running away in the slop to win the Breeders' Cup Classic. There was the plucky Hard Spun, always on the lead in the hopes of making it to the wire first, which he sometimes did. There was Rags to Riches, the beautiful chestnut filly who turned back the power of Curlin to win the Belmont Stakes. Any Given Saturday, a regal WinStar colt who won the Haskell Invitational, and Tiago, Derby winner Giacomo's little brother, played strong supporting roles.
Then, there was Street Sense. Jockey Calvin Borel earned his very first Kentucky Derby victory aboard the bay colt, who was clearly his pride and joy. After a two year-old season which included a dramatic runaway victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Street Sense put together two gritty preps for the Run for the Roses before handily winning the event at his favorite track, Churchill Downs. After finishing second to Curlin, who came with a dramatic rush, in the Preakness Stakes, Street Sense came back later to win the Jim Dandy Stakes, the local prep for Saratoga's prestigious Travers.
Street Sense would not face Curlin, Rags to Riches or Hard Spun in the Travers. Hard Spun would, earlier on the card, sprint to victory in the King's Bishop Stakes. Curlin had suffered defeat in the Haskell, and Rags to Riches would make only one more start before her retirement, in which she finished second. With all that in mind, the bay Derby winner was sent off as the popular 1-4 Travers favorite.
The gates opened, and immediately, a dark bay colt with a crooked stripe named Grasshopper seized the lead. Grasshopper, who had yet to win a stakes race, was ridden by Robby Albarado, a fellow Cajun and contemporary of Borel's. After him came Bob LaPenta's C P West, who had finished second in Street Sense's Jim Dandy. The Derby winner lay third - much closer than his classic performances in the spring. Borel must have sensed that Grasshopper was laying down a very even-keeled pace. The fractions ticked by; :23.68, 48.18, 1:12.43...Grasshopper was slowing down, giving himself a breather for the long stretch drive to come.
After that slow six furlongs, it was time for Street Sense to move. C P West also put in a bid on the turn, but his run was quickly engulfed by the great strides of the favorite. The handsome Grasshopper soon found Street Sense glued to his side. The Derby winner's bay coat was covered in dirt, as it had been in his other off-the-pace performances, and he came at Grasshopper with the strength of a champion. Many people expected Grasshopper to fold under such a drive, from such a horse. Much to their astonishment, he kept fighting.
Grasshopper was running the race of his life, and Street Sense was battling to get by on the outside! The two Cajun jockeys begged their horses for more, more, more - surely one or the other would withdraw his challenge soon! The colts battled nearly the entire length of the stretch, neither one of them giving an inch. Finally, with the wire in sight, Street Sense stuck his head in front. For several strides, Grasshopper fought this new challenge. Under insistent left-handed urging from Borel, however, Street Sense finally got the better of this unexpected rival, and stubbornly pulled away to win by about a half-length. They were well clear of the other competitors in the race.
If Street Sense had carried this momentum into his next two starts, he would have had won three year-old champion and even have had a shot at Horse of the Year. After a loss to Hard Spun in the Kentucky Cup Classic and an off-the-board performance in the Breeders' Cup Classic, his chances of any year-end award were shot. All accolades went to Curlin, and Street Sense was remembered only as the first Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner to win the Kentucky Derby.
This crop showed their mettle on the racetrack, and now their influence is showing in bloodlines as well. Street Sense has sired more than a few winners, among them the nice filly Unlimited Budget and Grade 1 winner Aubby K. Hard Spun boasts a champion in Questing. Curlin, who was the greatest of his contemporaries on the racetrack, is the sire of Belmont and Jim Dandy winner Palace Malice, who goes into this weekend's Travers Stakes as one of the favorites. Yes, 2007's three year-old crop showcased some very talented Thoroughbreds.
I've been a racing fan for more than nine years, but it seems a lifetime. Maybe the ninth running of the Travers Stakes will change my mind about personal favorites, but for now, Street Sense's gritty win against the pacesetter Grasshopper will be foremost in my brain when someone mentions the Travers Stakes to me.
2013's version of the race might become my favorite Travers memory. For now, though, that honor goes to the nail-biting 2007 edition. The three year-old crop of 2007 is my favorite three year-old crop since I've been a fan, no doubt about it. They took the year by force and won so many prestigious races, culminating in the mighty Curlin running away in the slop to win the Breeders' Cup Classic. There was the plucky Hard Spun, always on the lead in the hopes of making it to the wire first, which he sometimes did. There was Rags to Riches, the beautiful chestnut filly who turned back the power of Curlin to win the Belmont Stakes. Any Given Saturday, a regal WinStar colt who won the Haskell Invitational, and Tiago, Derby winner Giacomo's little brother, played strong supporting roles.
Then, there was Street Sense. Jockey Calvin Borel earned his very first Kentucky Derby victory aboard the bay colt, who was clearly his pride and joy. After a two year-old season which included a dramatic runaway victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Street Sense put together two gritty preps for the Run for the Roses before handily winning the event at his favorite track, Churchill Downs. After finishing second to Curlin, who came with a dramatic rush, in the Preakness Stakes, Street Sense came back later to win the Jim Dandy Stakes, the local prep for Saratoga's prestigious Travers.
Street Sense would not face Curlin, Rags to Riches or Hard Spun in the Travers. Hard Spun would, earlier on the card, sprint to victory in the King's Bishop Stakes. Curlin had suffered defeat in the Haskell, and Rags to Riches would make only one more start before her retirement, in which she finished second. With all that in mind, the bay Derby winner was sent off as the popular 1-4 Travers favorite.
The gates opened, and immediately, a dark bay colt with a crooked stripe named Grasshopper seized the lead. Grasshopper, who had yet to win a stakes race, was ridden by Robby Albarado, a fellow Cajun and contemporary of Borel's. After him came Bob LaPenta's C P West, who had finished second in Street Sense's Jim Dandy. The Derby winner lay third - much closer than his classic performances in the spring. Borel must have sensed that Grasshopper was laying down a very even-keeled pace. The fractions ticked by; :23.68, 48.18, 1:12.43...Grasshopper was slowing down, giving himself a breather for the long stretch drive to come.
After that slow six furlongs, it was time for Street Sense to move. C P West also put in a bid on the turn, but his run was quickly engulfed by the great strides of the favorite. The handsome Grasshopper soon found Street Sense glued to his side. The Derby winner's bay coat was covered in dirt, as it had been in his other off-the-pace performances, and he came at Grasshopper with the strength of a champion. Many people expected Grasshopper to fold under such a drive, from such a horse. Much to their astonishment, he kept fighting.
Grasshopper was running the race of his life, and Street Sense was battling to get by on the outside! The two Cajun jockeys begged their horses for more, more, more - surely one or the other would withdraw his challenge soon! The colts battled nearly the entire length of the stretch, neither one of them giving an inch. Finally, with the wire in sight, Street Sense stuck his head in front. For several strides, Grasshopper fought this new challenge. Under insistent left-handed urging from Borel, however, Street Sense finally got the better of this unexpected rival, and stubbornly pulled away to win by about a half-length. They were well clear of the other competitors in the race.
If Street Sense had carried this momentum into his next two starts, he would have had won three year-old champion and even have had a shot at Horse of the Year. After a loss to Hard Spun in the Kentucky Cup Classic and an off-the-board performance in the Breeders' Cup Classic, his chances of any year-end award were shot. All accolades went to Curlin, and Street Sense was remembered only as the first Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner to win the Kentucky Derby.
This crop showed their mettle on the racetrack, and now their influence is showing in bloodlines as well. Street Sense has sired more than a few winners, among them the nice filly Unlimited Budget and Grade 1 winner Aubby K. Hard Spun boasts a champion in Questing. Curlin, who was the greatest of his contemporaries on the racetrack, is the sire of Belmont and Jim Dandy winner Palace Malice, who goes into this weekend's Travers Stakes as one of the favorites. Yes, 2007's three year-old crop showcased some very talented Thoroughbreds.
I've been a racing fan for more than nine years, but it seems a lifetime. Maybe the ninth running of the Travers Stakes will change my mind about personal favorites, but for now, Street Sense's gritty win against the pacesetter Grasshopper will be foremost in my brain when someone mentions the Travers Stakes to me.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
International Flavor in the 30th Arlington Million
Every year, the Arlington Million attracts a field of top-notch grass horses, and why shouldn't it? After all, its history is sparkling - the first Thoroughbred race to offer a purse of $1,000,000 and still alive and kicking after a fire and other incidents. It has been won by the likes of John Henry and Manila, Hall of Fame champions, and recent favorites Gio Ponti and The Tin Man. A mile and a quarter on the grass, it is the premiere summer race for turf males, highlighting a card that includes the Secretariat Stakes for three year-olds and the Beverly D., the Million's female counterpart. Arlington has put together over the years a celebration of grass racing on this August Saturday.
This year, like all others, the Million boasts thirteen great horses from around the world - the U.S., South Africa, Europe, Dubai...the list of achievements could go on and on for these horses. So why don't we meet this international star-studded field for the 2013 Arlington Million?
This year, like all others, the Million boasts thirteen great horses from around the world - the U.S., South Africa, Europe, Dubai...the list of achievements could go on and on for these horses. So why don't we meet this international star-studded field for the 2013 Arlington Million?
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Throwback Thursday - 2006 Breeders' Cup Classic
Sometimes, we remember the races that gave us a bad feeling. It's not all about the triumph and exultation at seeing your horse cross the line first. Painful defeat has a way of sticking in the brain. For instance, this spring, my heart sank dreadfully seeing the Derby winner Orb flail on the far turn and finish fourth in the Preakness. I don't think I'll ever forget that feeling of despair. That was comparable to another tough beat I faced seven years ago with one of my favorite horses, the regal Bernardini.
Bernardini was on the path to a championship that year. The bay son of A.P. Indy had picked up the pieces in that disastrous Preakness Stakes where Barbaro broke down the first time down the stretch. After that, he decisively won the Jim Dandy, Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes. Bernardini, who was riding a six race winning streak, captured his races with such ease that Horse of the Year honors were not out of the question. "Nonchalant brilliance," as Tom Durkin described it in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, was the name of the colt's game. If he could capture the prestigious Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs, Horse of the Year would be his.
Much was made of the rivalry between the Californian invader, Lava Man, and Bernardini, the prince of the East Coast. However, people - including me - disregarded the Argentinian-bred Invasor, a Uruguayan Triple Crown winner and three-time handicap winner in the States. Other horses vying for the Classic included Flower Alley, the previous year's runner-up; Lawyer Ron and Brother Derek, contemporaries of Bernardini; 2005's Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo; and English 2000 Guineas winner George Washington. It was a stellar field for a stellar race, but many thought Bernardini outclassed them all.
It was an odd day for the Breeder's Cup. The championship was being aired for the first time on ESPN after spending decades with NBC. Tom Durkin was no longer calling the races due to contract; instead, it was Trevor Denman in the booth. There were some triumphs that day - Ouija Board won her second Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, and future Derby winner Street Sense was a ten length winner of the Juvenile. However, tragedy in the Distaff marred the day. The two favorites for the race, Fleet Indian and Pine Island, were pulled up on the backstretch; Pine Island was euthanized as a result of her injury. That event left me in tears, and what happened two races later did not make me feel any better.
Bernardini, clad in Darley's red and white silks, was set to etch his name in racing history. They broke from the gate and Brother Derek set the pace. Lawyer Ron, a future track record breaker at Saratoga, sat close behind. California's sweetheart Lava Man sat a comfortable third, and Premium Tap, who would test Invasor in future years, laid in wait in fourth. Bernardini was not far behind those; Invasor farther back still but in striking range. The closers were biding their time as the speedy Brother Derek ran a half mile in 46 and change.
It was too soon. That was the consensus of many horsemen, handicappers and fans upon reviewing the race. Bernardini was asked to go after the leaders as they began to round the turn, and at that distance, with formidable closers behind him, it was simply too soon. But the gallant bay colt began to pick off the leaders, one by one, gobbling them up with giant strides to take the lead. It was a magnificent sight to see, this blue-blooded horse, elegant head down and mane flying, running beautifully around Churchill Down's sweeping turn. They entered the stretch together, Bernardini and Brother Derek, but the bay colt soon put him away. It seemed as if this was it - Bernardini would streak away from his rivals as he had done in his previous six races.
These were higher caliber horses than what he had been dealing with in the past. The fact that Bernardini had started his run too soon around the turn had been his undoing. Wait a little longer, and maybe he wouldn't have been caught. As he desperately sought the wire, a persistent Premium Tap at his flanks, the blue and white colors of Invasor were starting to gain on him in the center of the track. Bernardini offered no resistance as Invasor rushed past him, for how could he? The bay colt, although brilliant, had never been truly tested in his life. He was no match for a seasoned older horse like Invasor.
So in the dim light of a Kentucky evening, Invasor crossed the wire a length in front of Bernardini. Behind them was Premium Tap in third; Giacomo had made a terrific run from the tail of the field but could only manage fourth. Lava Man, who was a particularly horrible shipper, put in a lackluster performance to finish off the board. My eleven year-old eyes took all this in, saw my beautiful bay favorite fail to win a championship race, and began to cry tears from eyes already reddened by the events of the Distaff. Although I was happy for Invasor and his young rider Fernando Jara, the truth was there for all to see. Bernardini would not be Horse of the Year. That award would go to Invasor, a four-time Grade 1 winner in 2006.
After that race, Bernardini was retired to stud. With an excellent book, many expected him to inherit his sire's crown as a leading producer. That honor has since gone to horses like Pulpit and Malibu Moon. Some say Bernardini has been a disappointment at stud. I disagree, for he has done great things, but it is true that the bar was set much too high for the colt as a young stallion. He has gone on to sire two Travers Stakes winners, Stay Thirsty and Alpha, and Woodward Stakes winner To Honor and Serve. No, to me, Bernardini will never be a disappointment.
Invasor went on to have a terrific first half of 2007, winning the Donn Handicap and then the Dubai World Cup in the second-fastest time for that race in its short history. He was poised to make a dynamic comeback in the latter half of the year, but was retired to stud after injury was discovered that June. Interestingly enough, although he was his better on the track in their only meeting, Invasor's accomplishments as a stud are nowhere near Bernardini's. However, this year, Invasor will be inducted into America's Racing Hall of Fame, with a record of eleven wins from twelve starts and earnings of nearly eight million dollars. He is more than deserving of this honor.
I will not remember Bernardini by his loss in this race. His open-lengths triumphs of races like the Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup will always be my memories to keep of him. However, the sting of this loss has not gone away in seven years. I still think to myself upon watching the race, "What if he had made his move just a little bit sooner?" The end of his career may have just been a little brighter, and his legacy that much more pristine.
Bernardini was on the path to a championship that year. The bay son of A.P. Indy had picked up the pieces in that disastrous Preakness Stakes where Barbaro broke down the first time down the stretch. After that, he decisively won the Jim Dandy, Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes. Bernardini, who was riding a six race winning streak, captured his races with such ease that Horse of the Year honors were not out of the question. "Nonchalant brilliance," as Tom Durkin described it in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, was the name of the colt's game. If he could capture the prestigious Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs, Horse of the Year would be his.
Much was made of the rivalry between the Californian invader, Lava Man, and Bernardini, the prince of the East Coast. However, people - including me - disregarded the Argentinian-bred Invasor, a Uruguayan Triple Crown winner and three-time handicap winner in the States. Other horses vying for the Classic included Flower Alley, the previous year's runner-up; Lawyer Ron and Brother Derek, contemporaries of Bernardini; 2005's Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo; and English 2000 Guineas winner George Washington. It was a stellar field for a stellar race, but many thought Bernardini outclassed them all.
It was an odd day for the Breeder's Cup. The championship was being aired for the first time on ESPN after spending decades with NBC. Tom Durkin was no longer calling the races due to contract; instead, it was Trevor Denman in the booth. There were some triumphs that day - Ouija Board won her second Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, and future Derby winner Street Sense was a ten length winner of the Juvenile. However, tragedy in the Distaff marred the day. The two favorites for the race, Fleet Indian and Pine Island, were pulled up on the backstretch; Pine Island was euthanized as a result of her injury. That event left me in tears, and what happened two races later did not make me feel any better.
Bernardini, clad in Darley's red and white silks, was set to etch his name in racing history. They broke from the gate and Brother Derek set the pace. Lawyer Ron, a future track record breaker at Saratoga, sat close behind. California's sweetheart Lava Man sat a comfortable third, and Premium Tap, who would test Invasor in future years, laid in wait in fourth. Bernardini was not far behind those; Invasor farther back still but in striking range. The closers were biding their time as the speedy Brother Derek ran a half mile in 46 and change.
It was too soon. That was the consensus of many horsemen, handicappers and fans upon reviewing the race. Bernardini was asked to go after the leaders as they began to round the turn, and at that distance, with formidable closers behind him, it was simply too soon. But the gallant bay colt began to pick off the leaders, one by one, gobbling them up with giant strides to take the lead. It was a magnificent sight to see, this blue-blooded horse, elegant head down and mane flying, running beautifully around Churchill Down's sweeping turn. They entered the stretch together, Bernardini and Brother Derek, but the bay colt soon put him away. It seemed as if this was it - Bernardini would streak away from his rivals as he had done in his previous six races.
These were higher caliber horses than what he had been dealing with in the past. The fact that Bernardini had started his run too soon around the turn had been his undoing. Wait a little longer, and maybe he wouldn't have been caught. As he desperately sought the wire, a persistent Premium Tap at his flanks, the blue and white colors of Invasor were starting to gain on him in the center of the track. Bernardini offered no resistance as Invasor rushed past him, for how could he? The bay colt, although brilliant, had never been truly tested in his life. He was no match for a seasoned older horse like Invasor.
So in the dim light of a Kentucky evening, Invasor crossed the wire a length in front of Bernardini. Behind them was Premium Tap in third; Giacomo had made a terrific run from the tail of the field but could only manage fourth. Lava Man, who was a particularly horrible shipper, put in a lackluster performance to finish off the board. My eleven year-old eyes took all this in, saw my beautiful bay favorite fail to win a championship race, and began to cry tears from eyes already reddened by the events of the Distaff. Although I was happy for Invasor and his young rider Fernando Jara, the truth was there for all to see. Bernardini would not be Horse of the Year. That award would go to Invasor, a four-time Grade 1 winner in 2006.
After that race, Bernardini was retired to stud. With an excellent book, many expected him to inherit his sire's crown as a leading producer. That honor has since gone to horses like Pulpit and Malibu Moon. Some say Bernardini has been a disappointment at stud. I disagree, for he has done great things, but it is true that the bar was set much too high for the colt as a young stallion. He has gone on to sire two Travers Stakes winners, Stay Thirsty and Alpha, and Woodward Stakes winner To Honor and Serve. No, to me, Bernardini will never be a disappointment.
Invasor went on to have a terrific first half of 2007, winning the Donn Handicap and then the Dubai World Cup in the second-fastest time for that race in its short history. He was poised to make a dynamic comeback in the latter half of the year, but was retired to stud after injury was discovered that June. Interestingly enough, although he was his better on the track in their only meeting, Invasor's accomplishments as a stud are nowhere near Bernardini's. However, this year, Invasor will be inducted into America's Racing Hall of Fame, with a record of eleven wins from twelve starts and earnings of nearly eight million dollars. He is more than deserving of this honor.
I will not remember Bernardini by his loss in this race. His open-lengths triumphs of races like the Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup will always be my memories to keep of him. However, the sting of this loss has not gone away in seven years. I still think to myself upon watching the race, "What if he had made his move just a little bit sooner?" The end of his career may have just been a little brighter, and his legacy that much more pristine.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Pedigree Highlights - Fasig-Tipton Saratoga (Part Two)
The first yearling in this selection is from the first night of the sale. The others are from the second night.
Hip #73 - Tapit - Kalahari Cat (Cape Town)
Dark bay or brown colt consigned by Woodford Thoroughbreds, Agent
The gray Tapit has done remarkable well for himself at stud, despite a short-lived racing career. Among his many winning progeny are champions Hansen and Stardom Bound. This colt's dam, Kalahari Cat, is a 100% winner-producer. Half of her progeny are stakes winners, one of which is Black Onyx, the winner of the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes and a scratch from this year's Derby due to injury. Kalahari Cat is part of one of the most notable families in breeding today, headed by third dam Breezy Stories, who produced nine winners, including Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Desert Stormer. Desert Stormette, this colt's second dam, is a full sister to Desert Stormer, and is the granddam of White Moonstone, a Grade 1 winner in England. Foals from the Breezy Stories line tend to sell very well in the sales ring.
Hip #92 - Indian Charlie - Mini Chat (Deputy Minister)
Bay filly consigned by Lane's End, Agent
Here's another yearling by the late Indian Charlie, who passed away at the end of 2011 from a rare form of cancer. This filly is impeccably bred - a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Dixie Chatter and a full sister to multiple stakes winner Rumor. Second dam Phone Chatter was the champion two year-old filly of 1993, winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and Oak Leaf Stakes (G1), among other races. Her daughter Cat Chat produced In Lingerie, a Grade 1 winner last year. Third dam Passing My Way was a half-sister to a slew of stakes winners and producers, including Whow, the granddam of Haskell winner Any Given Saturday. As shown above, this is a great filly family and this filly should make a splash in the ring, if her physical components check out all right.
Hip #102 - Curlin - Party Chatter (Pleasant Colony)
Dark bay or brown colt consigned by VanMeter Sales, Agent I
Party Chatter has done quite well for herself in the breeding shed. In the eight foals to race out of this Pleasant Colony mare, all eight have gone on to win. Her best progeny is Rock Candy, a stakes-winning filly by Mineshaft who finished third in 2009's Florida Oaks (G3). Party Chatter is also a full sibling to three stakes winners, including Puerto Rican champion Colonial U.S. Third dam Patelin was responsible for a multitude of blacktype horses, some of which are Grade 1 winners A Phenomenon, Seattle Meteor, Pleasant Stage, Marsh Side, and Changeintheweather. Curlin, a two time Horse of the Year, is off to a smashing start as a sire. His first crop is topped by Belmont and Jim Dandy Stakes winner Palace Malice.
Hip #106 - "Super Sensitive," Street Sense - Quickest (Forest Wildcat)
Bay filly consigned by Vincent Colbert/Paramount Sales, Agent
This bay filly has quite the family on her. She is by Derby winner Street Sense, who has sired a number of useful stakes horses in his short time at stud so far. Dam Quickest produced a stakes winner in her first foal to race. Quickest also happens to be a half-sister to Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, as well as graded stakes winner Bretheren and stakes-placed Lisa T. Third dam Get Lucky produced nine winners, including stakes winners Girolamo, Daydreaming, Accelerator and Harborage. Get Lucky was also the dam of She's a Winner, the dam of Bluegrass Cat and whose 2013 yearling we will preview directly below. This filly's female family is known for producing winners and she should sell for a decent price.
Hip #117 - Tiznow - She's a Winner (A.P. Indy)
Bay colt consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, Agent LX
Tiznow is one of the most popular sires on the market today. He is the main banner-carrier for the Relaunch line, a sireline that traces back to the great Man O' War and, many generations before him, the Godolphin Arabian. (This is notable due to the fact that most Thoroughbreds trace their male line back to the Darley Arabian...my pedigree nerd is coming out!) Names like Colonel John, Well Armed, Folklore...all sons and daughters of Tiznow. This yearling is a half-brother to the handsome Haskell winner Bluegrass Cat, as well as five other winners. As previously mentioned, this colt is from the same family as the filly above, a family that started with the Mr. Prospector mare Get Lucky. Get Lucky is this colt's second dam, which makes She's a Winner a half-sibling to Grade 1 winner Girolamo, among others.
Hip #125 - Warrior's Reward - Smolensk (Danzig)
Bay filly consigned by Malibu Farm LLC/Taylor Made Sales Agency, Agent
Smolensk, this filly's dam, was a stakes winner across the pond, winning a few graded races and even finishing second in the Grade 1 Coronation Stakes. As a broodmare, she has not disappointed, producing six winners, including multiple stakes winner Martha's Moon (Malibu Moon). Smolensk is a half-sibling to several notable horses, the most notable of which is Better Than Honour, stakes-winning blue hen mare responsible for Belmont winners Rags to Riches and Jazil, as well as Breeders' Cup Marathon victor Man of Iron and Peter Pan Stakes (G2) winner Casino Drive. Another half sister to Smolensk is Maryinsky, dam of European champion Peeping Fawn. Oh, and it is also worth mentioning that second dam Blush With Pride won the Kentucky Oaks. Warrior's Reward, a son of Medaglia d'Oro, is one of the hottest young sires on the market today.
Hip #129 - Galileo - Song to Remember (Storm Cat)
Bay filly consigned by Eaton Sales, Agent
It's always a treat to see a Galileo yearling in an American sale. One of the best - if not the best - sires in the world, Galileo is the sire of champions like Frankel, New Approach and Cape Blanco, and has been the leading sire eight times. This filly is a half-sibling to Grade 1 winner Magnificent Song, as well as six other winners. Another half-sister to this filly, Mindful Music, gave us The Mindfulangel, a Venezuelan champion. Second dam Wedding Reception produced ten winners, including the graded stakes winners Lech and Savina. Another of her daughters, Erandel, was the granddam of Panamanian champion Mr. Tommy. This is one pedigree in this sale that has some true international flair - and champions, to boot!
Hip #134 - Medaglia d'Oro - Stop Traffic (Cure the Blues)
Bay colt consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, Agent XXXIX
This colt couldn't be any luckier to be in this sale, at this time. His half-brother Cross Traffic (Unbridled's Song) just won the Whitney (G1) in wire-to-wire fashion - a huge update for this bay yearling! Sire Medaglia d'Oro is no stranger to siring winners - among his progeny is Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and a current favorite in the turf ranks, Marketing Mix. Stop Traffic, a multiple Grade 1 winner, has produced four other winners besides Cross Traffic, but he is her first stakes winner. She is a half-sibling to several other stakes winners and producers, including Elusive Gold, dam of Grade 3 winner Gouldings Green. I hesitated at first to place this colt in my list, since Cross Traffic hadn't won a stakes race yet, but I am nothing but happy over his presence here now!
Hip #143 - Indian Charlie - Ten Halos (Marquetry)
Bay colt consigned by CandyLand Farm
The final Indian Charlie yearling in this sale, this colt is out of Ten Halos, a stakes-placed mare who has produced one winner from three to race. The real attraction to him lies in his second dam, Shahalo. Along with Ten Halos, Shahalo was the dam of four other winners. Her sons Bwana Charlie and My Pal Charlie both have names that ring familiar in racing fans' ears. While White Mischief, this colt's third dam, was very accomplished as a broodmare, Bwana Charlie and My Pal Charlie are why I paid particular attention to this colt. Those two colts are by Indian Charlie, making this colt bred along the same stakes winning cross as theirs. That fact lends a little intrigue to the last Indian Charlie in the sale!
Hip #150 - Candy Ride - Valid Warning (Valid Appeal)
Chestnut colt consigned by Lane's End, Agent
Champion Candy Ride has found much success as a sire, giving us horses like Twirling Candy and Misremembered, among others. This colt of his is a half-brother to eight winners out of eight to race, including Elusive Warning, a graded stakes winner in Dubai. Second dam Gilded Moment was also a 100% winner-producer and a full sister to champion racehorse and great sire Gilded Time. Gilded Time, who won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in 1992, has many sisters who went on to produce stakes-placed winners, including Lill's Cutlass, the dam of seven winners. Third dam Gilded Lilly had fourteen of her foals go on to win a race. I see a lot of winners in this pedigree - always a good thing, right?
The first half of the sale starts tonight at 7:00 Eastern time. It, like all Fasig-Tipton sales, will be streamed live on their website. Tomorrow's half of the sale, which includes nine of these ten horses, will start at the same time.
Hip #73 - Tapit - Kalahari Cat (Cape Town)
Dark bay or brown colt consigned by Woodford Thoroughbreds, Agent
The gray Tapit has done remarkable well for himself at stud, despite a short-lived racing career. Among his many winning progeny are champions Hansen and Stardom Bound. This colt's dam, Kalahari Cat, is a 100% winner-producer. Half of her progeny are stakes winners, one of which is Black Onyx, the winner of the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes and a scratch from this year's Derby due to injury. Kalahari Cat is part of one of the most notable families in breeding today, headed by third dam Breezy Stories, who produced nine winners, including Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Desert Stormer. Desert Stormette, this colt's second dam, is a full sister to Desert Stormer, and is the granddam of White Moonstone, a Grade 1 winner in England. Foals from the Breezy Stories line tend to sell very well in the sales ring.
Hip #92 - Indian Charlie - Mini Chat (Deputy Minister)
Bay filly consigned by Lane's End, Agent
Here's another yearling by the late Indian Charlie, who passed away at the end of 2011 from a rare form of cancer. This filly is impeccably bred - a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Dixie Chatter and a full sister to multiple stakes winner Rumor. Second dam Phone Chatter was the champion two year-old filly of 1993, winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and Oak Leaf Stakes (G1), among other races. Her daughter Cat Chat produced In Lingerie, a Grade 1 winner last year. Third dam Passing My Way was a half-sister to a slew of stakes winners and producers, including Whow, the granddam of Haskell winner Any Given Saturday. As shown above, this is a great filly family and this filly should make a splash in the ring, if her physical components check out all right.
Hip #102 - Curlin - Party Chatter (Pleasant Colony)
Dark bay or brown colt consigned by VanMeter Sales, Agent I
Party Chatter has done quite well for herself in the breeding shed. In the eight foals to race out of this Pleasant Colony mare, all eight have gone on to win. Her best progeny is Rock Candy, a stakes-winning filly by Mineshaft who finished third in 2009's Florida Oaks (G3). Party Chatter is also a full sibling to three stakes winners, including Puerto Rican champion Colonial U.S. Third dam Patelin was responsible for a multitude of blacktype horses, some of which are Grade 1 winners A Phenomenon, Seattle Meteor, Pleasant Stage, Marsh Side, and Changeintheweather. Curlin, a two time Horse of the Year, is off to a smashing start as a sire. His first crop is topped by Belmont and Jim Dandy Stakes winner Palace Malice.
Hip #106 - "Super Sensitive," Street Sense - Quickest (Forest Wildcat)
Bay filly consigned by Vincent Colbert/Paramount Sales, Agent
This bay filly has quite the family on her. She is by Derby winner Street Sense, who has sired a number of useful stakes horses in his short time at stud so far. Dam Quickest produced a stakes winner in her first foal to race. Quickest also happens to be a half-sister to Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, as well as graded stakes winner Bretheren and stakes-placed Lisa T. Third dam Get Lucky produced nine winners, including stakes winners Girolamo, Daydreaming, Accelerator and Harborage. Get Lucky was also the dam of She's a Winner, the dam of Bluegrass Cat and whose 2013 yearling we will preview directly below. This filly's female family is known for producing winners and she should sell for a decent price.
Hip #117 - Tiznow - She's a Winner (A.P. Indy)
Bay colt consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, Agent LX
Tiznow is one of the most popular sires on the market today. He is the main banner-carrier for the Relaunch line, a sireline that traces back to the great Man O' War and, many generations before him, the Godolphin Arabian. (This is notable due to the fact that most Thoroughbreds trace their male line back to the Darley Arabian...my pedigree nerd is coming out!) Names like Colonel John, Well Armed, Folklore...all sons and daughters of Tiznow. This yearling is a half-brother to the handsome Haskell winner Bluegrass Cat, as well as five other winners. As previously mentioned, this colt is from the same family as the filly above, a family that started with the Mr. Prospector mare Get Lucky. Get Lucky is this colt's second dam, which makes She's a Winner a half-sibling to Grade 1 winner Girolamo, among others.
Hip #125 - Warrior's Reward - Smolensk (Danzig)
Bay filly consigned by Malibu Farm LLC/Taylor Made Sales Agency, Agent
Smolensk, this filly's dam, was a stakes winner across the pond, winning a few graded races and even finishing second in the Grade 1 Coronation Stakes. As a broodmare, she has not disappointed, producing six winners, including multiple stakes winner Martha's Moon (Malibu Moon). Smolensk is a half-sibling to several notable horses, the most notable of which is Better Than Honour, stakes-winning blue hen mare responsible for Belmont winners Rags to Riches and Jazil, as well as Breeders' Cup Marathon victor Man of Iron and Peter Pan Stakes (G2) winner Casino Drive. Another half sister to Smolensk is Maryinsky, dam of European champion Peeping Fawn. Oh, and it is also worth mentioning that second dam Blush With Pride won the Kentucky Oaks. Warrior's Reward, a son of Medaglia d'Oro, is one of the hottest young sires on the market today.
Hip #129 - Galileo - Song to Remember (Storm Cat)
Bay filly consigned by Eaton Sales, Agent
It's always a treat to see a Galileo yearling in an American sale. One of the best - if not the best - sires in the world, Galileo is the sire of champions like Frankel, New Approach and Cape Blanco, and has been the leading sire eight times. This filly is a half-sibling to Grade 1 winner Magnificent Song, as well as six other winners. Another half-sister to this filly, Mindful Music, gave us The Mindfulangel, a Venezuelan champion. Second dam Wedding Reception produced ten winners, including the graded stakes winners Lech and Savina. Another of her daughters, Erandel, was the granddam of Panamanian champion Mr. Tommy. This is one pedigree in this sale that has some true international flair - and champions, to boot!
Hip #134 - Medaglia d'Oro - Stop Traffic (Cure the Blues)
Bay colt consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, Agent XXXIX
This colt couldn't be any luckier to be in this sale, at this time. His half-brother Cross Traffic (Unbridled's Song) just won the Whitney (G1) in wire-to-wire fashion - a huge update for this bay yearling! Sire Medaglia d'Oro is no stranger to siring winners - among his progeny is Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and a current favorite in the turf ranks, Marketing Mix. Stop Traffic, a multiple Grade 1 winner, has produced four other winners besides Cross Traffic, but he is her first stakes winner. She is a half-sibling to several other stakes winners and producers, including Elusive Gold, dam of Grade 3 winner Gouldings Green. I hesitated at first to place this colt in my list, since Cross Traffic hadn't won a stakes race yet, but I am nothing but happy over his presence here now!
Hip #143 - Indian Charlie - Ten Halos (Marquetry)
Bay colt consigned by CandyLand Farm
The final Indian Charlie yearling in this sale, this colt is out of Ten Halos, a stakes-placed mare who has produced one winner from three to race. The real attraction to him lies in his second dam, Shahalo. Along with Ten Halos, Shahalo was the dam of four other winners. Her sons Bwana Charlie and My Pal Charlie both have names that ring familiar in racing fans' ears. While White Mischief, this colt's third dam, was very accomplished as a broodmare, Bwana Charlie and My Pal Charlie are why I paid particular attention to this colt. Those two colts are by Indian Charlie, making this colt bred along the same stakes winning cross as theirs. That fact lends a little intrigue to the last Indian Charlie in the sale!
Hip #150 - Candy Ride - Valid Warning (Valid Appeal)
Chestnut colt consigned by Lane's End, Agent
Champion Candy Ride has found much success as a sire, giving us horses like Twirling Candy and Misremembered, among others. This colt of his is a half-brother to eight winners out of eight to race, including Elusive Warning, a graded stakes winner in Dubai. Second dam Gilded Moment was also a 100% winner-producer and a full sister to champion racehorse and great sire Gilded Time. Gilded Time, who won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in 1992, has many sisters who went on to produce stakes-placed winners, including Lill's Cutlass, the dam of seven winners. Third dam Gilded Lilly had fourteen of her foals go on to win a race. I see a lot of winners in this pedigree - always a good thing, right?
The first half of the sale starts tonight at 7:00 Eastern time. It, like all Fasig-Tipton sales, will be streamed live on their website. Tomorrow's half of the sale, which includes nine of these ten horses, will start at the same time.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Pedigree Highlights - Fasig-Tipton Saratoga (Part One)
I was originally going to do the next Pedigree Highlights series on Keeneland September. This sale, however, completely slipped my mind and is essential to preview. After all, Fasig-Tipton Saratoga has quite the history behind it. Since 1917, the sale has played a huge part in selling horses to the people attracted by Saratoga's summer racing meet. In 1918, the mighty Man O' War sold there for $5,000. Other horses that have passed through this sale are Raise a Native, Danzig and Natalma, the dam of Northern Dancer.
Due to its being at night, the book is very small and select. The sale is broken down into two days; I've roughly followed that two day format with this series, save that the first horse previewed in Part Two is a horse selling on day one. It was extremely hard to narrow down my choices to just 20 horses, but I think I've done a good job in picking the cream of the crop.
Hip #3 - Bernardini - Without You Babe (Lemon Drop Kid)
Dark bay or brown colt consigned by Glenwood Farm, Inc.
Bernardini is often considered "the prince" of all of A.P. Indy's sons. Indeed, the bay stallion is royalty, having won a classic race as well as many other prestigious stakes. Maybe he hasn't panned out as well as breeders would have liked, but he still has progeny like Stay Thirsty and To Honor and Serve to his credit. In fact, Stay Thirsty is the reason that I like this yearling colt. His first dam, who has already produced a winner by Speightstown in her first to race, is a half-sibling to - you guessed it - Stay Thirsty, who is a Travers Stakes and Cigar Mile winner. Other offspring out of second dam Marozia include Grade 1-placed stakes winners Andromeda's Hero and Superfly. Third dam Make Change was Grade 1-placed herself and produced five winners, including a stakes winner in France.
Hip #9 - "Hot Humor," Distorted Humor - Annasan (Corporate Report)
Chestnut colt consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, Agent
This colt has the fortune to be by one of the hottest proven sires in the business. With three champions and countless other Grade 1 winners under his belt, you know you'll get a good one with Distorted Humor, especially if you have a mare with this kind of family. Annasan is the dam of four to race, and all of them are winners. Her biggest success has come with A Bit O'Gold. That Gold Fever gelding was a three year-old champion in Canada, winning the last two legs of their Triple Crown and finishing second in the Queen's Plate, earning nearly $2 million. Second dam Amber Ryder produced Grade 3 winner Goldseeker Bud and the filly Ashboro, who finished second in the Grade 1 Ballerina Handicap. It is also worth mentioning that Annasan once earned the title of Canadian broodmare of the year.
Hip #14 - Elusive Quality - Bells are Ringing (Sadler's Wells)
Dark bay or brown colt consigned by VanMeter Sales, Agent II
Do you want a turf runner? How about a dirt champion, or a synthetic success? Whether it's a sprint or a distance, Elusive Quality can give you all of the above. His son Smarty Jones won the Derby and Preakness and finished second in the Belmont Stakes, while Raven's Pass defeated Curlin to win the Breeders' Cup Classic on a synthetic surface, and Maryfield flew home to win the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. He should add a lot of depth to this already solid pedigree. This colt is out of a dam that's produced four winners, including stakes winner Abby Road. Bells are Ringing herself is a half-sister to that much sought-after sire Unbridled's Song. Third dam Lucky Spell is a half-sister to Seattle Song, who won Grade/Group 1 events on both sides of the Atlantic.
Hip #17 - Street Cry - Bethany (Dayjur)
Dark bay or brown colt consigned by Sweezey & Partners, Agent III
Bethany is an unraced daughter of legendary European sprinter Dayjur, and although she didn't do anything on the racetrack, her legacy has been in the breeding shed. Her son Tizway (Tiznow) won two Grade 1 races, the Whitney Handicap and the Met Mile. His sister Ticket to Seattle is a Grade 3-placed stakes winner, and another sister, Go for a Dip, produced listed stakes winner Senator Beck. All in all, Bethany has produced all winners from her foals to race. She is also a half-sister to Grade 1 winners Will's Way and Willa on the Move, as well as six other winners. Sire Street Cry has done very well for himself. His best offspring is champion racemare Zenyatta, and his Derby-winning son Street Sense is becoming a very good sire in his own right.
Hip #33 - Medaglia d'Oro - Crystal Current (A.P. Indy)
Dark bay or brown colt consigned by Bluewater Sales LLC, Agent XVI
This colt's sire, Medaglia d'Oro, is best known for his fillies - names like Rachel Alexandra, Plum Pretty and Marketing Mix come to mind. He has, however, produced some nice sons, including French champion Passion for Gold and Grade 1 winner Violence. This colt's bloodlines look good for peaking early. Dam Crystal Current is a full sister to Majestic Warrior, a Hopeful Stakes winner who is doing quite well at stud, producing horses like Kentucky Oaks winner Princess of Sylmar. Crystal Current herself has produced a winner out of two to race. Second dam Dream Supreme was a Grade 1 winner; along with Majestic Warrior, she has produced two other stakes winners. Third dam Spinning Round won the Ballerina Stakes (G1) and is also the granddam of Peruvian champion Kung Fu Mambo.
Hip #34 - Distorted Humor - Delta Princess (A.P. Indy)
Dark bay or brown colt consigned by Adena Springs
Here's another Distorted Humor colt, and boy, the bloodlines with this one are solid. This colt is a half-sibling to highly regarded champion Royal Delta. That dark bay Empire Maker mare has won four Grade 1 races, including the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic twice. Along with Royal Delta, Delta Princess has produced two other winners, one of which is Empire Way, who finished second to I'll Have Another in last year's Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2). Second dam Lyphard's Delta produced ten foals that went on to race. All of them won. Among them are Biondetti (Bernardini), who achieved Grade 1 success in Italy, and Delta Princess' full sister, Indy Five Hundred, an American Grade 1 winner. Third dam Proud Delta won the Grade 1 Beldame Stakes, a race her descendant Royal Delta would later conquer, and was 1976's champion older female.
Hip #52 - Pulpit - Fun Crowd (Easy Goer)
Bay colt consigned by Willow Oaks Stable, LLC/Sweezey and Partners, Agent
The late Pulpit and his bloodlines are undoubtedly the heir to A.P. Indy's throne. His sons include the like of Tapit and Sky Mesa, who have gone on to become terrific sires themselves. This colt is from the great stallion's second-to-last crop, as Pulpit died before this year's breeding season. Fun Crowd has produced six winners out of eight to race, including Grade 1 winner Funny Moon (by Malibu Moon, who is also a son of A.P. Indy) and listed stakes winner Throng. Fun Crowd, by the terrific racehorse and broodmare sire Easy Goer, is a half-sister to ten winners, the best of which is champion Vanlandingham. Second dam Populi was a half-sister to another champion, Temperence Hill, who won four Grade 1 races, including the Belmont and Travers Stakes in 1980.
Hip #55 - Indian Charlie - Greyciousness (Miswaki)
Bay filly consigned by Woods Edge Farm (Peter O'Callaghan), Agent II
This filly will get a lot of attention - she is a half-sister to the speedy The Factor, a Grade 1 winner and track record-setting son of War Front. Along with The Factor, her dam also has produced five other winners out of eight to race. Second dam Skatingonthinice, a listed stakes winner herself, gave us the two-time Grade 1-placed Chief Seattle, sire of California favorite Bold Chieftain. This filly's third dam, Rain Shower, is a half-sister to a few stakes winners and the dam of seven winners herself, including stakes winner Showering and Nina Ashley, who became a fairly successful broodmare in Peru. The speed is on both sides with this filly - sire Indian Charlie was a quick son of In Excess who went on to seven champions, including the brilliant filly Indian Blessing, who shone at sprint distances.
Hip #64 - Elusive Quality - Holy Wish (Lord At War)
Bay colt consigned by Sequel Stallions New York, Agent
It is impossible to ignore the pedigree on this colt. Despite the lack of name recognition in the blacktype on his catalog page, he is a half sibling to nine winners out of ten to race. Four of those are stakes winners. The best of them is Wishful Tomcat, the winner of the Grade 3 Discovery Handicap. His dam, Holy Wish, is a sibling to six winners, and third dam Papal Decree - half-sister to many successful horses, including sire Silver Hawk - was the dam of Grade 1 winner Papal Power. Elusive Quality, as previously mentioned, is one of the most versatile sires standing today. So this colt, being by Elusive Quality and out of a Lord At War mare, is bred on the same cross as Breeders' Cup Classic champion Raven's Pass. Not too shabby.
Hip #69 - Dynaformer - Indy Pick (A.P. Indy)
Dark bay or brown filly consigned by Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services, Inc. (John Stuart), Agent II
The final yearling to preview in part one of two in this series is this Dynaformer filly. A half-sister to turf warrior Optimizer, her late sire Dynaformer's influence on the breed cannot be understated. He produced so many horses of note - a Kentucky Derby winner, an English Oaks winner, a Melbourne Cup champion, and so on, and so forth. Second dam is Grade 1 winner Fantastic Find, who herself was also a half-sister to Grade 1 winners Dancing Spree and Furlough. Indy Pick, this filly's dam, is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Finder's Fee, along with eight other winners. The blacktype found in this pedigree is all class. Though she might look a little rough around the edges - most Dynaformers do - this filly is notable by virtue of her wonderful pedigree, which is the main focus of these articles!
Part Two should be up a few days before the sale starts, which is the evening of August 5th.
Due to its being at night, the book is very small and select. The sale is broken down into two days; I've roughly followed that two day format with this series, save that the first horse previewed in Part Two is a horse selling on day one. It was extremely hard to narrow down my choices to just 20 horses, but I think I've done a good job in picking the cream of the crop.
Hip #3 - Bernardini - Without You Babe (Lemon Drop Kid)
Dark bay or brown colt consigned by Glenwood Farm, Inc.
Bernardini is often considered "the prince" of all of A.P. Indy's sons. Indeed, the bay stallion is royalty, having won a classic race as well as many other prestigious stakes. Maybe he hasn't panned out as well as breeders would have liked, but he still has progeny like Stay Thirsty and To Honor and Serve to his credit. In fact, Stay Thirsty is the reason that I like this yearling colt. His first dam, who has already produced a winner by Speightstown in her first to race, is a half-sibling to - you guessed it - Stay Thirsty, who is a Travers Stakes and Cigar Mile winner. Other offspring out of second dam Marozia include Grade 1-placed stakes winners Andromeda's Hero and Superfly. Third dam Make Change was Grade 1-placed herself and produced five winners, including a stakes winner in France.
Hip #9 - "Hot Humor," Distorted Humor - Annasan (Corporate Report)
Chestnut colt consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, Agent
This colt has the fortune to be by one of the hottest proven sires in the business. With three champions and countless other Grade 1 winners under his belt, you know you'll get a good one with Distorted Humor, especially if you have a mare with this kind of family. Annasan is the dam of four to race, and all of them are winners. Her biggest success has come with A Bit O'Gold. That Gold Fever gelding was a three year-old champion in Canada, winning the last two legs of their Triple Crown and finishing second in the Queen's Plate, earning nearly $2 million. Second dam Amber Ryder produced Grade 3 winner Goldseeker Bud and the filly Ashboro, who finished second in the Grade 1 Ballerina Handicap. It is also worth mentioning that Annasan once earned the title of Canadian broodmare of the year.
Hip #14 - Elusive Quality - Bells are Ringing (Sadler's Wells)
Dark bay or brown colt consigned by VanMeter Sales, Agent II
Do you want a turf runner? How about a dirt champion, or a synthetic success? Whether it's a sprint or a distance, Elusive Quality can give you all of the above. His son Smarty Jones won the Derby and Preakness and finished second in the Belmont Stakes, while Raven's Pass defeated Curlin to win the Breeders' Cup Classic on a synthetic surface, and Maryfield flew home to win the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. He should add a lot of depth to this already solid pedigree. This colt is out of a dam that's produced four winners, including stakes winner Abby Road. Bells are Ringing herself is a half-sister to that much sought-after sire Unbridled's Song. Third dam Lucky Spell is a half-sister to Seattle Song, who won Grade/Group 1 events on both sides of the Atlantic.
Hip #17 - Street Cry - Bethany (Dayjur)
Dark bay or brown colt consigned by Sweezey & Partners, Agent III
Bethany is an unraced daughter of legendary European sprinter Dayjur, and although she didn't do anything on the racetrack, her legacy has been in the breeding shed. Her son Tizway (Tiznow) won two Grade 1 races, the Whitney Handicap and the Met Mile. His sister Ticket to Seattle is a Grade 3-placed stakes winner, and another sister, Go for a Dip, produced listed stakes winner Senator Beck. All in all, Bethany has produced all winners from her foals to race. She is also a half-sister to Grade 1 winners Will's Way and Willa on the Move, as well as six other winners. Sire Street Cry has done very well for himself. His best offspring is champion racemare Zenyatta, and his Derby-winning son Street Sense is becoming a very good sire in his own right.
Hip #33 - Medaglia d'Oro - Crystal Current (A.P. Indy)
Dark bay or brown colt consigned by Bluewater Sales LLC, Agent XVI
This colt's sire, Medaglia d'Oro, is best known for his fillies - names like Rachel Alexandra, Plum Pretty and Marketing Mix come to mind. He has, however, produced some nice sons, including French champion Passion for Gold and Grade 1 winner Violence. This colt's bloodlines look good for peaking early. Dam Crystal Current is a full sister to Majestic Warrior, a Hopeful Stakes winner who is doing quite well at stud, producing horses like Kentucky Oaks winner Princess of Sylmar. Crystal Current herself has produced a winner out of two to race. Second dam Dream Supreme was a Grade 1 winner; along with Majestic Warrior, she has produced two other stakes winners. Third dam Spinning Round won the Ballerina Stakes (G1) and is also the granddam of Peruvian champion Kung Fu Mambo.
Hip #34 - Distorted Humor - Delta Princess (A.P. Indy)
Dark bay or brown colt consigned by Adena Springs
Here's another Distorted Humor colt, and boy, the bloodlines with this one are solid. This colt is a half-sibling to highly regarded champion Royal Delta. That dark bay Empire Maker mare has won four Grade 1 races, including the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic twice. Along with Royal Delta, Delta Princess has produced two other winners, one of which is Empire Way, who finished second to I'll Have Another in last year's Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2). Second dam Lyphard's Delta produced ten foals that went on to race. All of them won. Among them are Biondetti (Bernardini), who achieved Grade 1 success in Italy, and Delta Princess' full sister, Indy Five Hundred, an American Grade 1 winner. Third dam Proud Delta won the Grade 1 Beldame Stakes, a race her descendant Royal Delta would later conquer, and was 1976's champion older female.
Hip #52 - Pulpit - Fun Crowd (Easy Goer)
Bay colt consigned by Willow Oaks Stable, LLC/Sweezey and Partners, Agent
The late Pulpit and his bloodlines are undoubtedly the heir to A.P. Indy's throne. His sons include the like of Tapit and Sky Mesa, who have gone on to become terrific sires themselves. This colt is from the great stallion's second-to-last crop, as Pulpit died before this year's breeding season. Fun Crowd has produced six winners out of eight to race, including Grade 1 winner Funny Moon (by Malibu Moon, who is also a son of A.P. Indy) and listed stakes winner Throng. Fun Crowd, by the terrific racehorse and broodmare sire Easy Goer, is a half-sister to ten winners, the best of which is champion Vanlandingham. Second dam Populi was a half-sister to another champion, Temperence Hill, who won four Grade 1 races, including the Belmont and Travers Stakes in 1980.
Hip #55 - Indian Charlie - Greyciousness (Miswaki)
Bay filly consigned by Woods Edge Farm (Peter O'Callaghan), Agent II
This filly will get a lot of attention - she is a half-sister to the speedy The Factor, a Grade 1 winner and track record-setting son of War Front. Along with The Factor, her dam also has produced five other winners out of eight to race. Second dam Skatingonthinice, a listed stakes winner herself, gave us the two-time Grade 1-placed Chief Seattle, sire of California favorite Bold Chieftain. This filly's third dam, Rain Shower, is a half-sister to a few stakes winners and the dam of seven winners herself, including stakes winner Showering and Nina Ashley, who became a fairly successful broodmare in Peru. The speed is on both sides with this filly - sire Indian Charlie was a quick son of In Excess who went on to seven champions, including the brilliant filly Indian Blessing, who shone at sprint distances.
Hip #64 - Elusive Quality - Holy Wish (Lord At War)
Bay colt consigned by Sequel Stallions New York, Agent
It is impossible to ignore the pedigree on this colt. Despite the lack of name recognition in the blacktype on his catalog page, he is a half sibling to nine winners out of ten to race. Four of those are stakes winners. The best of them is Wishful Tomcat, the winner of the Grade 3 Discovery Handicap. His dam, Holy Wish, is a sibling to six winners, and third dam Papal Decree - half-sister to many successful horses, including sire Silver Hawk - was the dam of Grade 1 winner Papal Power. Elusive Quality, as previously mentioned, is one of the most versatile sires standing today. So this colt, being by Elusive Quality and out of a Lord At War mare, is bred on the same cross as Breeders' Cup Classic champion Raven's Pass. Not too shabby.
Hip #69 - Dynaformer - Indy Pick (A.P. Indy)
Dark bay or brown filly consigned by Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services, Inc. (John Stuart), Agent II
The final yearling to preview in part one of two in this series is this Dynaformer filly. A half-sister to turf warrior Optimizer, her late sire Dynaformer's influence on the breed cannot be understated. He produced so many horses of note - a Kentucky Derby winner, an English Oaks winner, a Melbourne Cup champion, and so on, and so forth. Second dam is Grade 1 winner Fantastic Find, who herself was also a half-sister to Grade 1 winners Dancing Spree and Furlough. Indy Pick, this filly's dam, is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Finder's Fee, along with eight other winners. The blacktype found in this pedigree is all class. Though she might look a little rough around the edges - most Dynaformers do - this filly is notable by virtue of her wonderful pedigree, which is the main focus of these articles!
Part Two should be up a few days before the sale starts, which is the evening of August 5th.
Throwback Thursday - 2006 Florida Derby
Most remember Barbaro for his brilliant six-length domination of the Kentucky Derby in 2006. They would be very sound in citing that as his greatest performance, as it was also one of the greatest Derby performances in the last fifty years. The race I will remember Barbaro by, though, was his prep race for the Kentucky Derby. There was no six length victory, no geared down at the wire. He was all racehorse that day and showed the heart that would later fight for many long months to stay beating.
The big bay son of Dynaformer was undefeated. Starting his career on turf, he showed enough brilliance to be pointed towards the Triple Crown trail. Barbaro's first start on dirt was the Holy Bull Stakes on a sloppy track, where he splashed home to win strongly. Turf, dirt...it seemed to not matter for this brilliant sophomore colt. Next on the agenda was the Florida Derby.
Barbaro would face the speedy Sharp Humor, stretching out to two turns after winning the Swale Stakes, along with nine others. His main challenge would be a fast dirt track - could he carry his form over a surface that wasn't grass or muddy? More challenges faced the bay colt on April 1st - he drew the #10 post, a very unfavorable place to be in a race starting very close to the first turn.
The challenges that awaited Barbaro in this race - challenges that he would overcome - are part of the many reasons why this is my favorite of his races.
The thrilling 2005 version of the Florida Derby was one of the first races I saw on TV as a fan. I sat down again a year later, waiting for another great race to watch. Boy, did I get one. They broke from the gate and immediately Sharp Humor raced towards the lead, using his Swale speed to outpace his rivals. Jockey Edgar Prado immediately began to steer Barbaro inside, saving precious ground. The favorite took it all in stride, tucking in behind Sharp Humor a hard-held third.
Chomping at the bit, the bay colt was begging for run. Prado let him out a notch, and Barbaro took second behind Sharp Humor, who was setting solid but not blazing times up front. Those two ran one 1-2 down the length of the backstretch. As they rounded the far turn, with three furlongs to go, Barbaro made his move on Sharp Humor. Many expected the sprinter to fade in the wake of the mighty favorite. Much to their surprise, the bay leader began to fight back!
The two fought tooth and nail the length of the stretch. Barbaro had never been tested like this before - to be tested so by a horse running the race of his life was unthinkable! Bobbing heads separated the two. The crowd roared at the sight of this stretch drive. Finally, in the shadow of the grandstand, Barbaro began to pull away from the valiant Sharp Humor, winning by a half-length. Past the wire, he galloped out easily from his rival. It seemed as if he hadn't even broken a sweat in his tough battle - a foreshadowing of greater things to come? - and cantered with his head held high.
Controversially, trainer Michael Matz decided to not give Barbaro another start after this race. Doing so would place the Derby at the end of a five week layoff for the colt, which was something not often done. Maybe it was his six length domination of the championship race off of that five week layoff that we now see trainers bringing horses into the Derby off of even longer layoffs. None of them, however, has had the success in the race as Barbaro did. It might have been that, even in a star-studded crop headed by the brilliant Bernardini, that Barbaro was far and away the best of his peers.
Had Barbaro stayed uninjured and raced through the Triple Crown, this race would have given him the gut-check he needed. Seasoned champion older horses all have fought their battles and come out of them just fine. Sometimes greatness is not a triumph by open lengths. Sometimes greatness is overcoming every obstacle thrown at you, fighting a stubborn foe, and, in the end, doing all this without breaking a sweat.
The big bay son of Dynaformer was undefeated. Starting his career on turf, he showed enough brilliance to be pointed towards the Triple Crown trail. Barbaro's first start on dirt was the Holy Bull Stakes on a sloppy track, where he splashed home to win strongly. Turf, dirt...it seemed to not matter for this brilliant sophomore colt. Next on the agenda was the Florida Derby.
Barbaro would face the speedy Sharp Humor, stretching out to two turns after winning the Swale Stakes, along with nine others. His main challenge would be a fast dirt track - could he carry his form over a surface that wasn't grass or muddy? More challenges faced the bay colt on April 1st - he drew the #10 post, a very unfavorable place to be in a race starting very close to the first turn.
The challenges that awaited Barbaro in this race - challenges that he would overcome - are part of the many reasons why this is my favorite of his races.
The thrilling 2005 version of the Florida Derby was one of the first races I saw on TV as a fan. I sat down again a year later, waiting for another great race to watch. Boy, did I get one. They broke from the gate and immediately Sharp Humor raced towards the lead, using his Swale speed to outpace his rivals. Jockey Edgar Prado immediately began to steer Barbaro inside, saving precious ground. The favorite took it all in stride, tucking in behind Sharp Humor a hard-held third.
Chomping at the bit, the bay colt was begging for run. Prado let him out a notch, and Barbaro took second behind Sharp Humor, who was setting solid but not blazing times up front. Those two ran one 1-2 down the length of the backstretch. As they rounded the far turn, with three furlongs to go, Barbaro made his move on Sharp Humor. Many expected the sprinter to fade in the wake of the mighty favorite. Much to their surprise, the bay leader began to fight back!
The two fought tooth and nail the length of the stretch. Barbaro had never been tested like this before - to be tested so by a horse running the race of his life was unthinkable! Bobbing heads separated the two. The crowd roared at the sight of this stretch drive. Finally, in the shadow of the grandstand, Barbaro began to pull away from the valiant Sharp Humor, winning by a half-length. Past the wire, he galloped out easily from his rival. It seemed as if he hadn't even broken a sweat in his tough battle - a foreshadowing of greater things to come? - and cantered with his head held high.
Controversially, trainer Michael Matz decided to not give Barbaro another start after this race. Doing so would place the Derby at the end of a five week layoff for the colt, which was something not often done. Maybe it was his six length domination of the championship race off of that five week layoff that we now see trainers bringing horses into the Derby off of even longer layoffs. None of them, however, has had the success in the race as Barbaro did. It might have been that, even in a star-studded crop headed by the brilliant Bernardini, that Barbaro was far and away the best of his peers.
Had Barbaro stayed uninjured and raced through the Triple Crown, this race would have given him the gut-check he needed. Seasoned champion older horses all have fought their battles and come out of them just fine. Sometimes greatness is not a triumph by open lengths. Sometimes greatness is overcoming every obstacle thrown at you, fighting a stubborn foe, and, in the end, doing all this without breaking a sweat.
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