Sharing with you my fascinating discoveries about Thoroughbred racing, sales, fashion, food, beverage, tips and more.
With Kentucky Derby points up for grabs, who will grasp them in the Gotham? The Gotham Stakes, won by greats like Secretariat, takes place once again tomorrow. Ten thoroughbreds will face off to try to arrive at the top of the leaderboard on the road to the KY Derby.
Continue reading “Grasping the Gotham”
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I can’t type the word TOKYO without first typing TO KY! For the initial time in history, there has been established a special Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. Tokyo Racecourse was literally the road for one special horse in the 143rd KY Derby.
Continue reading “Tokyo To KY”
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The Road to the Kentucky Derby is on fire today! Three races at 3 different tracks are passing out KY Derby qualifying points! Only 37 select races award points, therefore today, 2/4/17, is definitely important. When the day is done, 12 horses will have received points for the day’s races and there will only be 20 races left for the competition to build on. Right now, Classic Empire sits on top of the KY Derby Leaderboard. Today, he will face off against 8 other Thoroughbreds in the Holy Bull Stakes. Is he HOLY BULLetproof?
The Holy Bull stakes was inaugurated in 1996 to replace the former Preview Stakes that had already succeeded the Flamingo Stakes that dated back to 1972. It is a Grade II race for 3 year-olds of 1 and 1/16 miles (8.5 furlongs) on the dirt at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, FL. The Holy Bull derived it’s name from a Thoroughbred, Holy Bull. Holy Bull was foaled in 1991 to Great Above and Sharon Brown. Holy Bull won 13 of 16 starts, many of these wins were major graded stakes races, including a win in the KY Derby. He won Eclipse Awards for Champion 3 Year-Old Colt and the Horse of the Year in 1994. By 2001 he was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall Of Fame. Holy Bull was an active stallion at Darley’s Jonabell Farm from 1995 until 2012. He then retired at the same farm. His offspring include several graded stakes winners.
Go For Gin, holds the speed record for the Holy Bull at the current distance with a time of 1:41.62 minutes. He won the Holy Bull in 1994 and has retired to a nice life at The Kentucky Horse Park. I have had the pleasure of visiting with him there. His pictures are featured in this webpost.
The 2017 edition of the Holy Bull Stakes will post at 5:35 P.M. EST. It is race 12, the final race of the day, at Gulfstream Park. The purse this year is $350 thousand dollars. The field is as follows by post/horse/jockey/trainer/morning-line odds:
1. Gunnevera/Javier Castellano/A.Sano/9-2
2. Perro Rojo/Nik Juarez/N.P. Zito/30-1
3. Classic Empire/Julien Leparoux/M.E.Casse/3-5
4. Talk Logistics/Paco Lopez/E. Plesa Jr./12-1
5. Irish War Cry/Joel Rosario/H.G. Motion/15-1
6. Fact Finding/John Velazquez/T.A.Pletcher/6-1
7. Shamsaan/Luis Saez/K.P.McLaughlin/20-1
8. Cavil/Jose Lezcano/K.P.McLaughlin/15-1
9. Fire For Effect/Corey Lanerie/D.L.Romans/20-1
Classic Empire is the favorite to win the Holy Bull. He already has 30 KY Derby points from when he gained 10 points winning the Breeders Futurity and 20 more winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Classic Empire is sired by Pioneer of the Nile, just like the famous champion, American Pharoah. Classic Empire will face off against another horse on the leaderboard, Gunnevera is 5th on the KY Derby leaderboard with 10 points.
The Holy Bull Stakes, the Withers Stakes and the Robert B. Lewis Stakes all offer 10 points to the winner, 4 to 2nd place, 2 to third place and 1 point to the 4th place finishers. All 3 races cover the same distance, surface and are open to 3 year-olds. El Areeb is the favorite in the Grade 3 Withers with post position 4 in the race and tenth on the KY Derby leaderboard. He will face off with 9 other competitors at 4:20 P.M. EST in race 8 on Aqueduct’s card. Also, in the Withers, J Boys Echo and Bonus Points are both on the KY Derby Leaderboard as well.
Meanwhile, the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes will take place at Santa Anita Park. It is race 2 on the card and posts at 3:59 P.M. EST. Only 5 horses are entered. Royal Mo is favored here although Irap and Dangerfield already have KY Derby points too.
It will be outstanding to see who racks up all the points today. I’m hoping Classic Empire keeps proving himself and jumps up to 40 points. Check back often too see my next post and have a fantastic weekend.
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The time is near for the premier of the Pegasus World Cup Invitational! It has been one year since Frank Stronach announced his vision at the Thoroughbred Owners Conference at his Gulfstream Park. By May, the stage was set for the inaugural running of the Grade 1, world’s richest race. This Saturday, 1/28/17, history will be made when the 1st winner of the Pegasus takes home $7 million dollars, the share awarded to the 1st place finisher of a race with a $12 million dollar purse.
The Pegasus World Cup will surpass the $10 million dollar Dubai World Cup to become the richest Thoroughbred race world wide. California Chrome won the 2016 Dubai World Cup and he will be hard to beat as he aims for the Pegasus which would push his earnings to $21 million dollars, the highest for any Thoroughbred in history. The Pegasus was created by Frank Stronach, the billionaire tycoon for the manufacturing of auto parts and the founder of The Stronach group. He envisioned this race to benefit the Thoroughbred racing industry. He wanted to showcase the sport in our somewhat off-season in a way to please the fans and attract new attention for racing. He perfectly positioned the race in the calendar during a time that would allow horses to compete with ample recovery time after the Breeders’ Cup and before the Dubai World Cup as well as a final send off for horses retiring to breed which usually follows each February in North America. The Pegasus filled the spot of the former Donn Handicap, inaugurated in 1959. The Donn was held at the same time of the year and had the same distance, grade and track however, it carried a purse of only $500,000. The Pegasus race will be for Thoroughbreds age 4 and upwards. It is 1 and 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) on the main dirt track at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, FL. 12 horses were selected from backers whom each invested their own $1 million dollars. Each horse will get a $250,000 dollar return on their investment. 2nd place will take $1.75 million and third place will get their $1 million returned.
The name Pegasus was applied to honor the greatness of horses as Stronach intended when he had a 110 foot, 473 ton, $30 million dollar statue of the mythical winged horse, Pegasus, built at his Gulfstream Park. It is the largest bronze equine statue in the world. The Stronach group owns several racetracks in addition to Gulfsteam; Golden Gate Fields, Pimlico Race Course, Santa Anita Park, Portland Meadows, Rosecraft Raceway and Laurel Park in America. They have foreign investments as well and they own simulcasting and wagering technologies. Additionally, they breed Thoroughbreds and have an aftercare program too. Stronach will be represented by their Stronach Stables, Shaman Ghost, in the Pegasus, with it’s post owned by their own Adena Springs.
For tickets ranging from $100 to over $700 dollars, fans may buy tickets to attend the 12 race card this Saturday at Gulfstream. There will be 6 other stakes this day, 3 of those are graded stakes. Race 1 kicks off at 11:30 A.M. EST. For television viewers, NBC will feature live coverage from 4:30 to 6 P.M. EST. There will be viewers in 122 countries. Race 12 is the Pegasus, with a post time of 5:40 P.M. The field is as follows by post position/horse/jockey/trainer//morning line odds/owner/$1 million investor:
Arrogate is the 4 year old grey son of Unbridled’s Song and Bubbler. He is considered Chrome’s worst competition. Arrogate finished a half length before Chrome in the BC Classic in 2016, a move many consider the fault of Chrome’s jockey whom has vowed to ride Chrome differently in this race. However, Arrogate’s win in the Travers Stakes was a record breaker and he is a fine, fast horse. He has the rail position so he will have to break well to keep from getting pinched. He has a record of 5 in 6 for wins. He has never raced at Gulfstream.
Prayer for Relief is the 9 year old male horse of Jump Start and Sparklin Lil. He has won 8 of 45 starts. His last win was in 2013. He has experience at Gulfstream Park and finished 4th in the Donn in 2015.
Neolithic is a 4 year old colt of Harlan’s Holiday and Swingit. His only 2 wins were his only 2 races at Gulfstream. He has 7 career starts. He has not won a graded stakes and his last race was an allowance. He won that race and he broke his maiden in his first outing, each took place at Gulfsteam.
Noble Bird is a 6 year old horse born to Birdstone and Anyhow. He has won 7 of his 20 races. He has never raced at Gulfstream but he has won a graded stakes race. I witnessed his win in the Hagyard Fayette Stakes this last Fall meet at Keeneland and have fed him a mint. He’s a good boy.
War Story is the gelding of Nothern Afleet and Belle Watling. He is 5 years-old and has finished 1st in 4 of 17 races. He has raced at Gulfstream and he has participated in many graded stakes including two BC races.
War Envoy is 5 years old and he was born to War Front and La Conseillante. He has won just 2 of 21 starts. He has not raced at Gulfstream nor has he won a stakes race. He has raced twice in the BC.
Shaman Ghost is also 5 Years-old. He was sired by Ghostzapper. His dam is Getback Time. Shaman Ghost has raced and won at Gulfstream. He has won graded stakes and holds the 2015 Sovereign Award for Champion 3 year-old colt. He has a record of 6 wins in 13 starts.
Semper Fortis is a 4 year old colt. He is the offspring of Distorted Humor and Rebridled Dreams by Unbridled’s Song. Semper Fortis has never raced at Gulfstream before or won a graded stakes. He has won 2 of 12 races. Primarily, this horse has raced in California.
Keen Ice ran third behind California Chrome and Arrogate in the 2016 BC Classic. He is a 5 year-old horse born to Curlin and Medomak. Keen Ice’s jockey won the 2016 Eclipse Award. Keen Ice has won 2 of 19 races. He was 6th in last year’s Donn. He won the Travers Stakes in 2015 beating the amazing American Pharoah. He has raced 3 times at Gulfstream. His last race was the Harlan’s Holiday Stakes at Gulfstream where he finished 2nd.
Breaking Lucky is a 5 year-old horse sired by Lookin at Lucky. His dam is Shooting Party. Breaking Lucky ran his first race at Gulfstream. He holds a win record of 3 in 16. He has won a graded stakes.
Eragon is a 6 year-old horse born to Offlee Wild and Express Time. He has won exactly half of his 20 starts. This is his first race in North America. He is an Argentina bred horse. He has won three Group 1 races.
California Chrome is the favorite and certainly my favorite. He is the 6 year old flashy chestnut of Lucky Pulpit and Love the Chase. I have written about this horse a lot. Please, search my page for more stories about this 4 time Eclipse Award champion. He has raced and won on many tracks and in 2 countries. Chrome has won 16 of 26 starts. I am hoping he wins once more before retiring to Taylor Made Farm to start his career as a stallion. I am looking forward to bringing him back to my hometown. Unfortunately, wins from post 12 are very rare at Gulfstream due to the track conformation.
Don’t miss your chance to watch California Chrome race one final time! This is a horse people will talk about for the ages. The Pegasus World Cup will also be most historical. I would like to thank The Stronach Group for working towards improvement in recognition for the Thoroughbred industry and supporting aftercare of both jockeys and horses. Check back soon for more adventures in the industry.
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Happy Birthday celebrations are coming up for all Thoroughbreds in North America. On January 1st, our country’s race horses will all turn one year older, as does this blog, Thoroughbred U. I have thoroughly enjoyed writing weekly over the past 2 years and am readily looking forward to all that 2017 has to bring. Not to delay, the first day of 2017 brings us an opportunity to indulge in one of our very favorite sports, horse racing. When your eating your traditional cabbage, potatoes and black-eyed peas you’ll be getting lucky. No better way to test that new luck than a wager in the San Pasqual Stakes!
Santa Anita, now in Arcadia, California, was first constructed in 1907. It has experienced many changes but has retained a strong and rich racing history. In 1935 the Santa Anita Handicap was inaugurated. This race has seen many famous contenders. That same year, the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes got its start. This stakes race has proven to be a great prep race for many fine horses.
The 2017 edition of the San Pasqual will take place on 1/1/17 at 4 P.M. live in California or at 7 P.M. in my EST zone. Gates open at 10:30 A.M. and the 1st race is at 12:30 P.M. The 8th race on a card of 9 is the San Pasqual. It is a dirt race of 1 and 1/16 miles, 8.5 furlongs, for Thoroughbreds 4 years and older. The purse is set at $200,000. Last year, California Chrome won the San Pasqual and began a fantastic streak of many wins.
In the history of the San Pasqual, Bob Baffert is the trainer with the most wins. He started gathering his San Pasqual successes in 1999 with Silver Charm. I visited Silver Charm on one warm and wet day where he lives at Old Friends in Kentucky. Baffert won again in 2002 and 2003 with Wooden Phone and Congaree respectively. He won in 2013 with Coil and in 2015 with Hoppertunity. This year he has hopes of winning again with the favorite, Arrogate. Then he plans to race Arrogate against the amazing California Chrome in the first ever, Pegasus World Cup on 1/28/17 at Gulfstream Park, in Florida.
The 2017 running of the San Pasqual Stakes has a small field as follows by post position/horse/jockey/trainer/owner/and morning line odds:
Prospect Park is sired by Tapit, though he is not grey himself. His dam is Quiet Romance and he was foaled in 2012. He has only won 3 of his 14 starts and none of those wins were made in 2016. He has raced exclusively in CA and many times at Santa Anita.
Accelerate is the 2013 offspring of Lookin at Lucky and Issues. He has 2 stakes races in his career, the The Los Alamitos Derby Stakes, where he won and the BC Dirt Mile where he finished 3rd. He has finished first in 3 of his 7 races.
Dalmore has a record of 3 wins in 14 starts, just like Prospect Park. Dalmore is the product of Colonel John and Silver Breeze, delivered in 2013. He frequents the CA racing circuit and he won the Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita on 7/2/16.
Midnight Storm was born to Pioneer of The Nile and My Tina in 2011. He has won 9 of 20 starts and his last 5 starts were in California. He last raced at Del Mar in the Native Diver Stakes on 11/27/16 and he won after finishing 3rd in the BC Mile earlier that month. It find it noteworthy that Native Diver won the San Pasqual in 1966.
Arrogate was foaled to Unbridled’s Song and Bubbler in 2013. He is a lovely grey horse. He has won the last 5 of his 6 races, 3 of those wins were at Santa Anita. 2 of his wins were in stakes races, The Traver’s Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He had a work out on 12/27/16 and he was looking fine covering 6 furlongs in 1.12:20.
Happy New Year, Happy birthday and all the other happy that I wish for each of you! May all of you have safe passage into the new year and many blessings throughout. I’ll continue to post my Thoroughbred thoughts and experiences as we continue to grow.
Update: Arrogate scratched due to rain.
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Christmas came early for 8 lucky Thoroughbreds yesterday. Two races held at Los Alamitos, in California, on December 10th were the end of the road to the Kentucky Derby and Oaks for this year. Fortunately, on 1/7/17 prep races continue as they will until mid April.
I covered the top of the KY Derby leaderboard in my last post. The Grade 1 CashCall Futurity held yesterday awarded 10 points to Mastery, 4 points to Irap, 2 points for Dangerfield and 1 point to Bobby Abu Dhabi. This resulted in some changes in the top of the leaderboard bumping Mastery into 5th place and knocking Klimt out of the top ten. The KY Derby top ten as 2016 ends:
Changes in the top ten KY Oaks contenders were similar. The Grade 1 Starlet Stakes gifted 10 points to Abel Tasman, 4 to American Gal, 2 to Mopotism and 1 point for Tapped. This moved Farrell from the 8th to 9th position as Abel Tasman took over the 8 spot and Ever So Clever fell to 12th as American Gal filled in the 11th position. The current KY Oaks contenders:
Unlike the KY Derby where the favorite is my favorite, Classic Empire, I’m uncertain as to which filly in this field I’m a fan of? The KY Oaks was inaugurated on 5/19/1875. The 143rd Oaks will be held 5/5/17.
Champagne Room won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and that is where she picked up 20 of her 21 points. Valadorna was second, American Girl was third , Daddys Lil Darling finished fourth, Noted and Quoted was 7th, Dancing Rags ran 8th and Yellow Agate finished 10th. Therefore, Champagne Room beat many in this field once but she didn’t win it by lengths. She has finished in the top 4 in her 5 career races, 4 of which were graded stakes. She got just 1 point when she finished fourth in the Chandelier Stakes. Noted and Quoted won that race.
Daddys Lil Darling has worked hard for her 20 points. She has finished in the top 4 of 4 KY Oaks prep races. She was 1st in the Pohahontas, 2nd in the Alcibiades and the Golden Rod and 4th in the BC Juvenile.
Miss Sky Warrior has finished 1st in the last 3 of her 4 starts. The last 2 were graded stakes and she took her Oaks points when she won the Demoiselle Stakes.
Dancing Rags won the Alcibiades but finished near the back in the BC Juvenile. She has won 2 of her 4 starts.
Yellow Agate has only raced 3 times. She won the Frizette Stakes grabbing 10 points but then did poorly in the BC Juvenile.
Shane’s Girlfriend is undefeated in her 2 starts. She won the Delta Downs Princess Stakes less than a month after breaking her maiden.
Noted and Quoted has raced 5 times. She got her Oaks points when she won the Chandelier but she did not excel in the BC Juvenile.
Abel Tasman won the Starlet yesterday. It was her 1st graded stakes race. She has won 3 of her 4 lifetime races.
Farrell is my homegirl, LOL. All 4 of her starts have been at Churchill Downs. I saw her there this Fall. It is her picture at the top of the post. She broke her maiden that day. The following month she won the Golden Rod Stakes.
Valadorna broke her maiden her 2nd time out. That was on opening day at Keeneland. Her next race was the BC Juvenile Fillies where she took 2nd place. She has not raced since.
With just 9 preps finished and 21 to go I have a while to go before I pick my favorite KY Oaks horse. 2017 is going to be very interesting! Keep checking my page out as we continue down the road. Who do you like?
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Mr. Z, above, lovable and yet a bit of a nibbler. In the D. Wayne Lukas stable in June, 2015. The benefit is worth the risk if you are lucky enough to meet him.
Happy Thanksgiving! I have so much to be thankful for this year and the blessings will keep coming. Churchill Downs has a very nice closing weekend lined up for us. 11/24-11/27 brings 4 days of racing with 7 nice stakes including the Grade 1 Clark Handicap!
Mr. Z, above, in the Ack-Ack Handicap in October, 2016.
The Clark Handicap is one of America’s older races. Occurring annually in the Fall, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY, this year’s addition takes place on Friday, 11/25/16. The race is named for the founder of the Louisville Jockey Club, Colonel M. Lewis Clark. The Louisville Jockey Club built much of Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby. The 142nd running of the Clark Handicap is a dirt race of 1 and 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) for horses age 3 or older. The purse is $500,000. The Clark Handicap will post at 6:24 p.m. EST. We will be treated to a field of 10 horses on a card of 12 races. The competition is as follows by post, horse, jockey,trainer and morning line odds :
There are a lot of big talent horses in this race and a few more obscure Thoroughbreds as well. Any horse will be lucky to win but historically some Clark winners have really clinched the title and hit it twice. Hodge won in 1915 and 1916. Bold Favorite was 1st in both 1968 and 1969 and Bob’s Dusty won in 1977 and again in 1978. Hoppertunity and Effinex will both have the chance to win their second Clark Handicap in tomorrow’s race. Looking to the trainers, Bob Baffert will have a chance to win his 4th Clark Handicap, which would make him the trainer with the most wins. Currently, Ben Jones, Smiley Adams and Bob Baffert have all won the Clark thrice.
Mr. Z, above in the Hagyard Fayette Stakes in October 2016.
Gun Runner is the KY bred colt of Candy Ride and Quiet Giant. He is 3 years old. Gun Runner has won 5 of his 11 career starts. He is experienced at Churchill Downs and was 3rd in the 2016 KY Derby.
Effinex is the 5 year old son of Mineshaft and What a Pear. Bred in NY, he has won 9 of his 27 races. His only race at Churchill has been the Clark Handicap in which he dominated in 2015. He had a surprisingly late finish in the BC Classic this year. Can he win the Clark again?
Are You Kidding Me is a KY bred 6 year-old. He was born to Run Away and Hide and Sweet Awakening. He has won 9 of 31 races and holds the 2015 Sovereign Award for Champion Older Horse. He has primarily raced at Woodbine but he finished 5th at Churchill in the Stephen Foster Handicap this past June.
Shaman Ghost has not raced in 3 months. He had to scratch from the Breeders’ Cup Classic due to a brief illness. He is a ON bred colt by Ghostzapper and Getback Time. Shaman Ghost is trained by Jerkens, winner of the 2015 Clark. He has won half of his 12 starts and he holds the Sovereign Award for 2015 Champion 3 year Old Colt.
Hawaakom is a 6 year-old KY bred gelding born to Jazil and Nafisah. Hawaakom has won 7 of his 30 career starts. He has experience at Churchill, including a second place finish in the Lukas Classic in October.
Noble Bird is trained by Casse and I have had the extreme pleasure of visiting this KY bred horse while he was stabled at Keeneland. This 5 year old colt is sired by Birdstone. His dam is Anyhow. Noble Bird’s jockey, Leparoux, won the Clark in 2008 with Einstein. Noble Bird has won 7 of 19 starts. He frequents both Keeneland and Churchill. He won stakes races at both in October.
Breaking Lucky is another ON bred colt. He is the 4 year-old son of Lookin At Lucky and Shooting Party. He has won 3 of 15 career starts. His last time out was his only Churchill race where he finished 8th in the Lukas Classic.
Mr. Z is the KY bred 4 year-old colt of Malibu Moon and Stormy Bear. He has had 22 career starts including two Breeders’ Cup entries. Mr. Z broke his maiden in his first race, that was at Churchill Downs in 2014. He also won the Ohio Derby. He is clearly my favorite horse in this race and trained by my favorite trainer, D. Wayne Lukas. If Lukas wins this race and Baffert does not, it would put Lukas in as one of the few 3 time Clark winning trainers. Lukas won the 2013 Clark with Will Take Charge.
Hoppertunity won the Clark in 2014 and finished second in 2015. He is a KY bred horse by Any Given Saturday and Refugee. Hoppertunity has won 6 of 23 starts. He recently finished 4th in the BC Classic. Is it his turn to clinch a second Clark?
Prayer for Relief is the oldest horse in the race at 8 years-old. He is a KY bred horse by Jump Start and Sparklin Lil. He has raced an amazing 44 times with 8 wins. He raced in the Clark Handicap in 2011, 2013 and 2014. It must be a favorite race for him by now. His trainer, Romans, won with Shackleford in 2012.
Mr. Z, above, in the paddock before the 2016 Ack-Ack at Churchill Downs.
I hope everyone has plenty of blessings that they can be thankful for today. Enjoy your family, friends, lots of food and the last live races at Churchill Downs of 2016. I’ll be rooting for Mr. Z. I enjoy watching some of the more experienced horses in the game taking another shot at a nice stakes race. Happy Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for all of my readers and the support you have shown me. Thank you!
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Photo: a picture from a print from the Keeneland Jockey Collector Series featuring Mike Smith. The series, released in 2005 and 2006, includes Pat Day, Jerry Baily, Edgar Prado, Robby Albarado and Craig Perret as well. I have all of the prints except the Albarado, darn!
Thoroughbred U is wholeheartedly dedicated to Sport of Kings. I have such a personal passion for the horses that I have a tendency to make the Thoroughbreds the focus. On the day when we remember Zenyatta’s retirement from racing I think it is an important moment to pay due respect to the jockey.
First a bit on Zenyatta, because I simply must. Zenyatta is a Kentucky bred mare born in 2004 to Street Cry and Vertigineux. Zenyatta won 4 Eclipse Awards and 19 of her 20 starts. She is a mare that won both the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic and was 1st and 2nd in the BC Classic itself. On November 17, 2010 she retired to the life of a broodmare at Lane’s End Farm in Kentucky. Mike Smith was her jockey for 16 of her outstanding wins. Without further delay, let’s focus on a man behind the mare.
Michael Earl Smith was born in Roswell, New Mexico on 8/10/1965. His father was a jockey. Mike E. Smith took to the sport at a very young age and obtained his license to ride by the time he was only 15 years old. It didn’t take long until Smith was on the move, earning leading jockey titles nationally and additionally finding success overseas.
By 1992, Smith was a Breeders’ Cup winner. He won the BC Mile riding Lure in 1992 and 1993. Two BC wins are enough to impress me. After all, the BC is designed to be the World Champion event for Thoroughbred racing. Smith wasn’t stopping. He holds the record for BC wins now with 25 victories. He has won the BC Classic an outstanding 4 times, including this year’s ride on Arrogate. His BC Classic winners also include, Drosselmeyer, Zenyatta and Skip Away. Smith did so well at the BC this year, he received his third Bill Shoemaker Award, given to the jockey with the most BC points. Scoring provides 10 points to win, 5 to place, 3 to show and 1 point for fourth place. This year, Smith won the BC Dirt Mile with Tamarkuz, the BC Filly and Mare Sprint with Finest City and the BC Classic with Arrogate. Smith was 2nd in the BC Distaff with Songbird, in the BC Juvenile Filles with Coasted and the BC Sprint with Masochistic. He picked up his last 3 points, with a third place finish, in the BC Juvenile Fillies with American Girl.
Smith has won every leg of the Triple Crown. He has won internationally 4 times and there is talk he may be slated to head to Europe with Arrogate in 2017. Smith obtained his 5000th win in 2012, while on Eclipse Award 2011 Champion Sprinter, Amazombie. He is very selective of who he rides for now. He now has 5,360 wins in 32,674 starts. At 51 years old he is going strong.
Photo: From my visit to and story about Old Friends in September of 2015. BC Sprint winner, Amazombie, in the mask and Rapid Redux, who had 22 consecutive wins, thus more than Zenyatta.
Smith obtained his own Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Jockey in 1993 and 1994. 1994 also brought him an ESPY Award for Best Jockey. He holds several other honors and awards and in 2003 he was inducted into the National Museum and Hall of Fame.
Big Money Mike is his nickname due to his success in earnings. Mike E. Smith is entered in several races at Del Mar on 11/18 and 19. Will you bet him to be your money maker? I’ll be keeping my eye on him. He sure caught me by surprise with the romp over California Chrome in the BC Classic. Check back soon for more Thoroughbred related information!
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Turn a pity party into paradise! That’s what one trip to the world famous Kentucky Horse Park can do. I finished up a glorious Fall Meet at Keeneland Friday and Saturday which left me pining for more equine action today. Thus I headed out to the KY Horse Park. I wanted to see the progress on the Man o’ War statue at his final resting place.
Born on March 29, 1917 it will soon be time to celebrate the 100th year since this legendary horse was foaled. Man o’ War is one of the very best Thoroughbreds to ever race. “Big Red”, as he was affectionately named, won 20 of 21 career races. He was bred and born in Kentucky at Nursery Stud owned by August Belmont II. Man o’ War was sired by Fair Play, his dam was Mahubah. Man o’ War was sold to Samuel Riddle and lived at Glenn Riddle farm in Maryland. Big Red was trained by Louis Feustel. His jockeys were John P. Loftus and later, Clarence Kummer.
Man o’ War won the Eclipse Award for Champion 2 Year Old Colt in 1990 and 3 Year Old Colt in 1920. He won the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year in 1920 as well. He then retired to Faraway Farm in Lexington, KY and had a highly successful stud career, siring 62 graded stakes winners. His son, War Admiral, won the Triple Crown in 1937. War Admiral died on this very date, 10/30, in 1959. Before that, Man o’ War passed away 11/01/1947 of a heart attack. He was buried at Faraway and later moved to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY in 1977. Man o’ War was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1957. In many publications of Thoroughbred rankings, Big Red is listed as number 1.
When Man o’ War was exhumed his 3,000 pound bronze statue was moved with him. Herbert Haseltine created the bronze sculpture dated 1948 but commissioned as early as 1934. It sits on a marble base. Casting Arts and Technology is currently in the process of removing the original patina to restore the statue.
Man o’ War’s statue is still a beautiful site to behold even while it is a work in progress. The statue and his grave are in the Man o’ War Memorial area just beyond the main gate and to the left. Isaac Murphy, a famous jockey and several of Man o’ War’s descendants are buried there as well.
I really enjoyed my time at the Kentucky Horse Park this morning. I especially loved seeing the retired horses that live in the Hall of Champions and petting a sweet horse in a paddock on the property. Big Red’s statue should be restored any day now and the park is already preparing for their Southern Lights attraction which I posted about last December. I sure do miss Keeneland racing but I’m glad to have the Kentucky Horse Park open on most days annually. There is always something new to see. Check back soon as I post about the upcoming Breeders’ Cup.
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There’s an old Irish saying that says just about anything you want it to. One of those being, “The best horse doesn’t always win the race.” I know of a few of the very best horses that even when they don’t win, they at least run happy. I caught up with Runhappy, himself, this weekend at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY. He was head bobbing along through the paddock with a smile on his face. He is featured in the 1st three pictures.
Runhappy is a 4 year old colt sired by Super Saver. His dam is Bella Jolie. Hap, as he is affectionately named, is a Kentucky bred horse. He usually lives at the Thoroughbred Training Center with his cat, Sancho, in my hometown of Lexington, KY. Hap, is owned by James McIngvale. He had Edgar S. Prado for a jockey in his last race. He will use Gary Stevens in his next race. Laura Wohlers is his current trainer. Runhappy has had 9 career starts and he has won 7 times. He was sidelined for all of this year until the G3, Ack Ack Handicap this past Saturday, 10/1/16. He finished up a 6 race winning streak in December with a win in the Grade 1, Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, CA. He spent most of this summer healing from a bruised cannon bone. Hap returned to racing this past weekend in preparation for the $1 million dollar Las Vegas Breeders’ Cup Mile this November at Santa Anita. Last year, Runhappy won the BC Sprint and earned himself an Eclipse Award for 2015 Champion Sprinter. His connections are working with him to do the same with the BC Mile.
The 24th running of the Ack Ack Handicap at Churchill Downs was a stakes race for horses 3 years olds and upward. It was a 1 mile race on the dirt and carried a purse of $100,000. The race is named for Ack Ack, a 1986 United States Racing Hall of Fame inductee and three time 1971 Eclipse Award winner. Ack Ack also went on to be a wonderful stallion at Claiborne Farm producing many more stakes winners.
Hap was one of 6 horses in the race this year. He unfortunately came in 4th, after a lead near the start. His connections still intend to ship him to California for the November BC Mile. Many feel he will continue to improve. Runhappy will also race in the 1st ever Pegasus World Cup on 1/28/17. The Pegasus will carry a $12million dollar purse, the world’s richest horse race.
Tom’s Ready, seen above, was the winner of the Ack Ack Handicap. He will also be targeting the BC Mile this year.
Tepin won the BC Mile last year. She is a contender to do so again. Tepin will race at Keeneland, in Lexington, KY, on opening weekend. She is entered in the First Lady Stakes, race 7 on 10/8/16. Post time is 4:35 P.M. EST. Tepin won the First Lady last year.
My beloved, Mr. Z, seen above, finished 6th in the Ack Ack on Saturday. It was his first race of this year but his 21st career start. He raced in the BC Mile last year as well. I was really pulling for him in the Ack Ack and he was leading at the half-mile. I do not know the current plans for his next race.
Churchill’s September Meet ended on October 2nd but thankfully Keeneland’s Fall Meet starts on the 7th and will continue thru the 29th. I will attend as often as possible to bring you more photos and stories. If there is any Thoroughbred in the Keeneland meet that you really want pictures of, please comment and I’ll give it a try. Thank you and check back for a new post each week.
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