Sharing with you my fascinating discoveries about Thoroughbred racing, sales, fashion, food, beverage, tips and more.
At long last, there was a nice break in the Bluegrass winter that allowed me to get out and enjoy some of the top stallions that the Horse Capital of the World has to offer. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Darley at Jonabell Farm in Lexington, KY.
Continue reading “Dazzled by Darley”
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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 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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The first American Thoroughbred Auction results are in! Premier auction house, Keeneland, wrapped its annual January Horses of All Ages sale (#KeeJan) this past Friday evening. It was Friday the 13th and the results were a little spooky.
The 59th edition of the sale had catalogued 1,893 horses. 961 head sold with across-the-board declines. Nearly 500 horses were withdrawn and over 400 more did not meet the reserve prices, set by the sellers. Some speculated reasons included, harsh winter weather, the equine herpes quarantines and no farm dispersals. A dispersal is when an owner sells off all or many of their horses to reduce inventory for various reasons. The most likely factor is the increasing desire by the buyers to only purchase the most select of pedigrees. One of my favorite take away quotes was by Bob Elliston, Keeneland’s Vice President of Racing and Sales, “Breeders need to take note moving forward.” That is a responsible statement. This sale grossed over $28 million dollars with an average sales price of nearly $30 thousand dollars.
On the bright side. Some Thoroughbreds were found very desirable. The highest price horse in the sale was Siren Serenade. She sold for $1,025,000! She is a 11 year-old mare born to Unbridled’s Song and Versailles Treaty. Siren Serenade is in foal by Tapit, the gorgeous grey number one sire for over 3 years and the leading sire and covering sire of the #KeeJan sale. Covering sire is another name for a sire when the mare is believed to be pregnant but the foal is yet to be born. The breeding of Tapit with another Unbridled’s Song daughter, Unrivaled Belle, led to the birth of Unique Bella in 2014. Unique Bella is turning heads after her romp in the G2 Santa Ynez Stakes, at Santa Anita, earlier this month. Put this filly in your virtual barn!
Keeping the bloodlines of Tapit and Unbridled’s Song in mind, feel free to search my webpage for former Tapit posts while I spend more of this post focusing on Unbridled’s Song and perhaps his most promising son as a stallion, Graydar. Tapit was the sire to 10 horses in #KeeJan, right behind him was Unbridled’s Song with 9 Thoroughbreds that sold. Much further down the list was Graydar whom sired 2 horses that sold. Unfortunately, you won’t find a listing for Unbridled’s Song as a covering sire. He was euthanized at 20 years-old due to an inoperable mass. He crossed the rainbow bridge too soon in July of 2013. Graydar was the covering sire for 5 horses that sold in the sale.
Both Unbridled’s Song and Graydar are Taylor Made Farm stallions. Taylor Made Sales Agency was the leading consignor at #KeeJan and they typically are. This year they sold 100 horses, in this one sale. Unbridled’s Song was a stallion on their farm, in Kentucky, for 17 seasons. Before that, this grey horse was born in February of 1993 to Unbridled, the winner of the 1990 Kentucky Derby and Trolley Song. Unbridled’s Song had a nice racing career. He won 5 of 12 starts including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, the Florida Derby, the Wood Memorial and the Olympic Handicap. The Olympic was his last race due to a broken cannon bone. He was training to go on to the Donn Handicap. For racing fans, it is probably best that he made it to the breeding shed as quick as he did. He has created so many powerful stakes winners. Names like Arrogate, Midshipman, Will Take Charge and so many more winners are his offspring. Unbridled’s Song was credited with siring his 100th stakes winner the day his son, Graydar, won the Donn Handicap.
Fortunately, not only can Unbridled’s Song’s offspring race, they are doing well as sires and broodmares themselves. His lineage lives on and there is a lot of hope that his grey son, Graydar, may be the best to carry on those great genes. Graydar was born to Sweetest Smile in May of 2009. He won 5 of 6 starts including the Donn, the New Orleans and the Kelso Handicaps. He went to stud in 2014 and he has had 2 crops of offspirng thus far. His first crop is eligible to race this year. He has produced 157 foals and 99 of those just became of racing age. The other 58 are yearlings. His fee is a mere $12,500 for a live foal. His next crops will sell at the Fasig-Tipton 2017 Winter Mixed Sale and the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company 2017 Winter Mixed Sale. I expect great things of his 2 year-olds and I think his price will sky rocket once he is proven. I feel very lucky for those who are buying into Graydar now. He is a beautiful and sweet horse. He lives in the same two stall barn as California Chrome. I had the pleasure of meeting Graydar twice when I visited Chrome while he was recovering from a cannon bone bruise. I also, briefly part owned a colt by Graydar and Heavenly Ghost. I am looking forward to following that colt’s racing career.
Please, enjoy the pictures I took while I was visiting Graydar at Taylor Made Farm. He has a tale to tell with a swish of his tail. I hope his progeny sweep the races this year and he keeps on bringing us more of that great Unbridled’s Song legacy. Between these two and Tapit the whole industry may be turning up grey!
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It’s another cold day in the Bluegrass. In fact, it is a frigid day here and in most of the United States. Unfortunately, I am not the most weather adaptable person so I have a tendency to stay in my warm home when faced with tough weather. Then I get the blues considering the opportunities I am missing. Thankfully, through television and a variety of social media I have kept myself mildly entertained and educated. Tomorrow we’re are expecting a break in the freezing temperatures. This is convenient timing for the start of Keeneland’s January Horses of All Ages Sale.
Keeneland, in Lexington Kentucky, will host it’s annual Horses of All Ages Sale from Monday, January 9th thru Friday the 13th! Each day starts at 10 a.m. I love going to the sales and I will make it for some of the dates this year as well. I had intended to go on a Keeneland’s Behind-The-Scenes Sales Tours that kicked off yesterday but alas the single digit temps kept me down. I’m hoping to get in on a tour mid week when it’s wetter but warmer. All of the pictures in this post are from when I first started Thoroughbred U at the Keeneland January Sale. I feel I have come a long way since. I hope you are picking up on some information in my stories. The Thoroughbreds have definitely matured since. Practical Joke was sold at KEEJAN in 2015. He has since won the G1 Hopeful Stakes, the G1 Champagne Stakes and finished 3rd in the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He has over $700K in earnings. Not bad for a $135,000 original sale price.
This 59th edition of the sale has 1,893 horses catalogued. Being an all ages sale, they have over 700 yearlings, nearly 300 horses of racing age, almost 900 broodmare and broodmare prospects and 7 stallion and stallion prospects. The broodmares are in foal to over 170 stallions. That provides a nice variety with a lot of strength. There is proven sire power, ex. Tapit, Pioneer of The Nile, Distorted Humor, Union Rags to freshman sires with big hopes, like American Pharoah. In unfortunate news, some horses won’t make the auction due to the ban on Thoroughbreds from Fair Grounds Race Course and training center in Louisiana. A few horses there have developed equine herpes virus so in the interest of safety no horse with potential exposure may ship to Keeneland. Let’s pray for the health of these horses.
The new babies of 2017 have definitely warmed my heart over these last cold days. Since many horses in the sale are in foal, some may give birth prior to the sale and then they walk thru the auction with their mother. I’ve only seen it a few times but it is so cute when I catch it. Carpe Diem had his first foal on New Year’s Day. American Pharoah had his first on 1/3/17. Can’t wait for all the excitement that the new babies bring and I hope to see one at the sale.
Have a warmer and safe week. I’m looking forward to the break in cabin fever and a nice trip to the Keeneland sale. Drop a comment if you will be attending as well.
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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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What a nice surprise! It has been well known that California Chrome would have the last race of his career in the Pegasus World Cup but it came as an unforeseen announcement that we would get to see Chrome race this December too! In fact, this race was created just for Junior (A.K.A. California Chrome) and his Chromies. The mighty Chrome will race at home!
Before Chrome established a home in Kentucky for rest and his future retirement from racing, he was bred and raised in California. He stayed at Harris Farms until the ripe racing age of 2. Then, he moved to the barn of trainer, Art Sherman, at Los Alamitos Race Course. He worked at Los Alamitos but never raced there in all 25 of his career starts. Despite that oversight, Chrome has had so much success at other CA tracks and worldwide that he attracts a large group of dedicated fans, Chromies, when he does his preps and gallops at his home base of Los Alamitos.
Knowing that his trainer had some interest in keeping Chrome’s head in the game and that Junior’s local fans would love to watch him, the track officials of Los Alamitos decided to design a race to suit Chrome’s needs, The Winter Challenge Stakes. Chrome last raced in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on 11/5/16. It was a shock to most that he lost his first race as a five year old that day. Arrogate managed to surpass Chrome and thus he came in second. If they face off in the Pegasus on 1/28/16, I don’t think that will happen again. Chrome will use his Los Alamitos race for one more practice, as a winner. In his final prep for the Winter Challenge, Chrome worked 5 furlongs in 1:00.60.
Why would any horse compete against Chrome at home? In fact 33 nominations were made for The Winter Challenge. 12 Thoroughbreds stepped up as entries, only 9 will be permitted to face off with Chrome. With a purse of $180,000 (if 10 horses race, $100,000 if less) and a guaranteed $10,000 to any horse that finishes, the race looked too good to miss for these contenders by post/horse/jockey trainer:
Please, note the final two entries are actually just “also eligible” should a horse have to scratch. Unfortunately, if it rains we may see that. I even read a rumor Chrome could forfeit if the track became sloppy, let’s hope that doesn’t happen. Recent material has suggested the weather should improve prior to post time.
The Winter Challenge will post on Saturday 12/17/16. It is race 9 on the card that day,at Los Alamitos. The distance is 1 and 1/16 miles (8.5 furlongs) on dirt for horses 3 years old and upward. Post time is 4:28 P.M. for CA locals (7:28 P.M. EST).
Following the Winter Challenge, Chrome will work at Los Alamitos around 12/31/16 again and then ship to Gulfstream in Florida on 1/6/17 to prepare for the Pegasus.
Go, Chrome Go! I will be pulling for California Chrome in The Winter Challenge and I will be posting more about him prior to the Pegasus. In other Chrome related news. His dam, Love the Chase, who is currently in foal to Tapit, North America’s leading sire for years, will be bred in 2017 to Pioneer of the Nile, American Pharoah’s sire. We can look forward to some well bred Chrome siblings soon.
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Classic Empire, takes to the dirt at Churchill Downs for the Bashford Manor Stakes.
In the days leading up to the 2016 Kentucky Derby some 2 year-old Thoroughbreds were already in training for 2017’s big race. 3 days short of the 142nd Run for the Roses, on May 4, 2016, Classic Empire broke his maiden at Churchill Downs.
Classic Empire was foaled to Pioneer of the Nile and Sambuca Classica on 3/21/14. Classic Empire has an outstanding pedigree. He is the half brother of American Pharoah by his sire. His dam carries Secretariat in her genes. Classic Empire was bred in KY by Steven and Brandi Nicholson. He is owned by John C. Oxley who purchased him for $475,000 in the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Oxley’s silks are gold and blue blocks with white stripes on the sleeves and a gold cap. This colt is trained by Mark E. Casse and his current jockey is Julien R. Leparoux.
Classic Empire parades out before the 2016 Bashford Manor Stakes.
Classic Empire is at the top of the leaderboard for the $2 million dollar, Grade 1, 143rd KY Derby. The KY Derby selects its field of 20 horses using a tiered point system they apply to certain qualifying races. Most of the early races award 10 points to win, 4 to place, 2 to show and 1 point for a finish at 4th place. Some important stakes and the later races carry more points, except for the final prep. Nine of these 37 races have already taken place. The first race was held at Churchill on 9/17/16. The last will be held at Keeneland on 4/15/17 and the KY Derby will take place on 5/6/17.
Classic Empire has 30 points. In second, on the leaderboard, is Practical Joke with 14 points. The next 5 horses have half as many points as Classic Empire. I first saw Classic Empire when I went to Churchill Downs for my extended birthday celebration. On 7/2/16, Classic Empire won the Grade 3 Bashford Manor Stakes. He has finished 1st in 4 of his 5 career starts. He did not finish the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes when he was stopped by the outriders after unseating his jockey, Irad Ortiz, Jr. That allowed Practical Joke to win the Hopeful. Classic Empire got his 1st 10 points when he won the Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland on 10/8/16. He gathered a whopping 20 points when he won the Grade 1 Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
Classic Empire blurs through the finish in the Bashford Manor.
The next KY Derby prep race in on 12/10/16. 5 preps take place throughout January. Trainer Casse has reportedly said that Classic Empire will winter in Florida. He will be stabled at Gulfstream Park. The Holly Bull, another KY Derby prep race, takes place at Gulfstream on 2/4/17. Perhaps that will be Classic Empire’s next race?
In the mean time, I will be looking forward to racing at Los Alamitos, in Cypress, California. The 12/10/16 Grade 1 Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity is a one and 1/16th mile race that carries a $300,000 purse and KY Derby points. It is a dirt race for 2 year old colts. Who will pick up the next 10/4/2/1 points and how will the leaderboard change? Then on 12/17/16, California Chrome, who has stabled at Los Alamitos for 3 years will race there himself for the first time. This was a tremendous surprise to Chrome’s fans, after the BC Classic, as we thought his next and last race would be the Pegasus World Cup in January. The Winter Challenge is a race that Los Alamitos developed specifically to attract Chrome to race there once before he headed off for the Pegasus and following retirement. I can never get enough of California Chrome. Check back, you know I will roll out a nice story for my fellow Chromies!
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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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