Triple Crown Classes of 2007 and 2009

Over the next few weeks I will be going back in the time machine and sharing some of my favorite races from the past year. Today however, it's a little bit different as I'm going to be comparing the 2007 Triple Crown Class to this year's class of 2009.

Preps 07: The two horses who got the most noise at the begining where the undefeated Hard Spun (Danzig) and Breeder's Cup Juvi winner Street Sense (Street Cry (IRE)) for the boys, the girls it was Breeder's Cup Juvi Fillies winner Dreaming of Anna (Rahy). Hard Spun would go on to win the Lacomte S. and Street Cry winning the Tampa Bay Derby, but they would both be overshadowed by a up and comer named Curlin (Smart Strike). Orginally trained by Helen Pitts, Curlin was partially sold to Jess Jackson's Stonestreet Stable, Padua Stable and George Bolton and switched to 2005 KY Oaks winning trainer Steve Asmussen. Meanwhile the two favorites truged along, unfortanlly Hard Spun would be upset by Teuflesburg (Johanensburg) in the Southwest S. and would detour to Turfway to win the Lane's End. Street Sense lost a heart breaker in the Blue Grass S., but would still go into the Derby as one of the favorites. Curlin, all he had done was win the Rebel and AR Derby to go into the big dance with being undefeated. Dreaming of Anna's Derby and Oaks hopes took a slide with her first start as a 3yo, and really was not the same horse on dirt then she was on turf. Meanwhile she was being overshadowed by Todd Pletcher's trio of Cotton Blossom (Broken Vow), Octave (Unbridled's Song) who where 3rd and 2nd in the previous years BC Juvi Fillies respectivly, and his own up and comer Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy), a half sister to 2006 Belmont winner Jazil (Seeking the Gold).

09 Preps: Midshipman (Unbridled's Song) and Stardom Bound (Tapit) won the Breeder's Cup races for their respective divisons respectfully. However, niether would be in training when May rolled around. Midshipman was recovering from an injury, and Stardom Bound was clearly not the same horse she was as a 2yo, dispite winning the two G1's at the begining of the year. Meanwhile in New Mexico, Canada's 2yo champion male Mine That Bird (Birdstone), couldn't beat anything, and in the Mid-West Golden Rod winner Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro) was winning, and winning big, while Justwhistledixie (Dixie Union) ruled Florida. Musket Man was becoming a blip on everyone's radar as well. However, all eyes where on I Want Revenge (Stephen Got Even), Friesan Fire (A.P. Indy) and Pioneerof the Nile (Empire Maker).

07 Derby: The two favorites going into the race where Street Sense and Curlin. However, the little PA bred that could Hard Spun, would not let these two big stars get in his way. All of the horses who went with him at the begining ended up towards the back of the field. As they headed to the top of the stretch, it looked like that the Delaware Park based horse would be the upset winner. It would have given his jockey Mario Pino and trainer Larry Jones the biggest wins in their career. However, coming through on the rail was the Churchill based Street Sense and Calvin Borel. Nicknamed "Boo" (he is much younger then his next sibling), and "Bo-Rail" of his love of hugging the inside rail, Street Sense would burst through to beat Hard Spun who would finish a gallant second. Curlin had suffered his first loss in his career finishing a solid third, however well back of the front two. It was the first Derby win for Borel and the second for Street Sense's trainer Carl Naftger who had won in 1990 with Unbridled (who would go onto sire his own Derby winner Grindstone and Belmont winner Empire Maker).

07 Oaks: All eyes where on Rags to Riches, many people thought she should have been in the Derby that year. However, her owners already had an entry into the Derby with Circler Quey. She did not disapoint as she powered home on a sloppy track to win the Oaks over her stablemate Octave. It was the second Oaks win for Pletcher and the first for her jockey Garrett Gomez.

09 Derby: There where many storylines going into this year's Derby, Larry Jones was trying to erase the heartbreak from the year before when his gallent filly Eight Belles broke down after the race. I Want Revenge had unpopular co-owners and a 19 year old Joe Talamo in the irons, however he would be scratched before the race with an injury. Pioneerof the Nile was trying to give his trainer Bob Baffert his first Derby win since 2002, and why not do it just a few months before he was set to enter the Hall of Fame. However, little Mine That Bird with Bo-Rail aboard did exactly what he did in 2007 and burst through to have the second biggest upset in the history of the race at 50-1. This was Borel's second Derby win overall and 2nd in 3 years and the first for his trainer Bernie "Chip" Wooley who took over Mine That Bird's training at the begining of the year. Pioneerof the Nile finished second and Musket Man was third. Friesan Fire finished second to last after being bumped around quite a bit.

09 Oaks: Unfortanlly the meeting of Justwhistledixie and Rachel Alexandra had failed to materialize after Dixie was injured the day of the race and was scratched. With her biggest threat out of the way, Rachel was expected to win. However, no one realized that it would be by as much as she did win. Sitting off Gabby's Golden Gal (Magadila d'Oro), Rachel and Calvin Borel (what you where expecting someone else?) took the lead at the top of the stretch and just took off. No one would catch her and she would win by 20 1/2 lengths, just off of the stakes record set by Bird Town (Cape Town) in 2003. Ironicly Bird Town's little brother is Birdstone (Grindstone), so things come full circle. Stone Legacy (Birdstone) was second and Flying Spur (Giant's Causeway) was third. It was Borel's first Oaks win, as well as for her trainer Hal Wiggins. Like Rags to Riches two years before, many people thought that Rachel Alexandra should have been in the Derby. However her owner at the time, was against nominating her for the Triple Crown. "Fillies should run with fillies and stallions with stallions", is how Dolphus Morrison her breeder/co-owner of Rachel had put it at that time. Little did we know the repulcusions would be withen the next five days sorrounding this filly who is named after Mr. Morrison's granddaughter.

07 Preakness: With the Derby out of the way, it was off to Pimlico for the Preakness. Hard Spun would have full court advantage with his jockey being Maryland's leading rider and being only an hour outside of his homebase at DP. However Curlin had gained enough experience to graduate to being a G1 winner. Ridden by Robby Albarado, he would beat Street Sense by a nose to give Steve Asmussen his first Triple Crown race winner. The weather vane would be painted in the colors of Midnight Cry Stable, Curlin's orginal owners. However, there was some contraversy sounding these connections as they where in jail awaiting trial for not giving money they won to their clients in a Phen Phen case.

09 Preakness: Much like the 05 Derby winner Giacomo (Holy Bull), Mine That Bird would not go into the Preakness with high hopes. Many people (including myself), thought he was a fluke. Also his owners and trainer wheren't that popular with some people. Likewise there was a new contender who many thought if she had been in the Derby, she would have won, unexpecticly was sold and transfered. Jess Jackson had bought Rachel Alexandra and sent her right to Steve Asmussen. Mine That Bird by weeks end, would not have a jockey. That's because Calvin Borel was offered and accepted Rachel's new connections offer of staying on her. Mine That Bird would quickly be reunited with an old friend (sort of), Mike Smith who rode Giacomo to his improble Derby win would be his new jockey. However, there was already a connection to him, his girlfriend Chantal Sutherland rode the Derby winner as a 2yo in Canada. In the end, history was made as Rachel Alexandra was able to hold on to the lead after being pressed by Big Drama and held off Mine That Bird. The first filly to win the Preakness in 85 years, the first horse to win from post 13, and the fifth favorite to win in 6 years (Barbaro and Street Sense failed to win, however Barbaro was pulled up and Street Sense lost by a nose). It was Steve Asmussen and Jess Jackson's second Preakness win (their first was with Curlin two years before) and Calvin Borel's first (he was second on Street Sense).

07 Belmont: With no Triple Crown on the line, Street Sense did not particpate in the mile and half "Test of Champions", however Curlin did and people thought it would be his coronation. However, a chestnut with a heart of gold and the pedigree to go a mile and half denied him. Rags to Riches became the first filly in over 100 years to win the Belmont beating Curlin. Tiago (Plesent Tap), himself a half brother to Giacomo was third that day with Hard Spun fourth with his new jockey Garett Gomez. The reason that is a big deal is Gomez jumped off Rags for Hard Spun as she was not supposed to go. However when Coolmore decided to send her, he was unable to uncomit and stayed on the Danzig colt. It was the first Triple Crown race win for her trainer Todd Pletcher and her jockey John Velequez.

09 Belmont: Dispite there not being a Triple Crown on the line, Mine That Bird did particpate. And with no Rachel in the race, he got Calvin Borel back. However it was redemption as Summer Bird (Birdstone) won the race giving Kent Desermoux his 1st Belmont win and trainer Tim Ice his first Triple Crown win after only being a licenced trainer for a little bit over a year. It was redemption for Desermoux for as the year before with Big Brown he was eased as Da' Tara upset the Derby and Preakness winner that day. Dunkirk was second and unfortnally the "Calvin Crown" was denied as Borel and Mine That Bird finished in third.

07 Aftermath: After the Belmont, Rags to Riches was able to race only once more in the Gazelle where she finished 2nd behind Lear's Princess. She retired before making a start at age 4 and had her first foal, a filly by Giant's Causeway this past Spring. She is currently in foal to Henrythenavagator. Street Sense won the Jim Dandy and Travers, before finishing his career with a 2nd in the Kentucky Cup Classic and a 4th in the Breeder's Cup Classic. Hard Spun finished second in the Haskell and got his G1 win in the King's Bishop. He beat Street Sense in the KCC before wrapping his career up in the BCC with a runner up finish. Both Street Sense and Hard Spun stand at Darley at Jonabell. Curlin would go onto finish 3rd in the Haskell, and win the Jockey Club Gold Cup and Breeder's Cup Classic to win Horse of the Year. He would come back as four year old to win the Dubai World Cup, Stephen Foster, Jockey Club Gold Cup to become North America's richest racehorse. However, he finished his career with a 4th place finish in the BCC, still that was more then enough to give him a second Horse of the Year honors. Curlin stands at Lane's End.

09 Aftermath: Mine That Bird would get some time off and reappear in the West Virginia Derby, with Mike Smith on him for the second time (this was when Calvin decided to ride Warrior's Reward the same day) he finished third behind Soul Warrior and Big Drama. It would be the start of an interesting summer for the Birdstone gelding, he was forced to miss the Travers due to a throat issue. That opened the door for Summer Bird who was coming off a second place finish in the Haskell to win not only the Travers, but the Jockey Club Gold Cup to to basically wrap up 3yo male honors. As for the third TC race winner? Well Rachel Alexandra came back in the Mother Goose against stakes winner Flashing and Malibu Prayer who was making her stakes debut. It was really no contest as Rachel destroyed the future Test and Chilukki winners in a 19 1/2 romp in a stakes record time. Her next spot would be the Haskell where she would face Summer Bird. With the sloppy track, Rachel and SB sat off the pace that was set by Munnings, and on the far turn the Preakness winner took the lead and cruised to an easy 6 length win that was almost a stakes and track record. With that win, Rachel Alexandra became only the second female to ever win the Haskell (the first being Serena's Song, but like Rachel, Serena had a win over the boys before and ironcily won the Mother Goose as well). Her final start of the year would be the Woodward Stakes, and will go down as the race that could not only nab her Horse of the Year (she and Zenyatta are considered the top two candiates), but Hall of Fame honors as well. Being pressed by 08 Belmont winner Da' Tara, Rachel set grueling fractions that would be perfectly set up for closers. However, Rachel Alexandra is not a normal race horse, as she had the heart to hold of Macho Again. Ironicly, both the Macho Uno colt and his half sis Be Fair where beaten by Rachel this year. Summer Bird and Mine That Bird both particpated in this year's BC Classic where they fell to another fablous filly Zenyatta. While Mine That Bird is done for the year, Summer Bird will be going in the Japan Cup Dirt which is in two weeks.

I hope that you enjoyed the reviews of the 07 and 09 TC classes, next week I'll start reviewing my favorite races of this year and in December do a Top 10 of the best races this past decade.