Today's post was supposed to be about Nate's Mineshaft and how he just came out of nowhere to win the two big older male stakes at the Fair Grounds. However, I read some sad news today about one of my favorite horses of all time. This from the
Maryland Thoroughbred Breeders Association (the orginal was part of the PDF weekly bulletin that they put out. In order to save you time, I've copied and pasted small section below):
Gators N Bears gone too soon
"Shamrock Farms’s 12-year-old stallion Gators N Bears died while covering his first mare of the season on March 17 at the Woodbine, Md., farm. Shamrock’s farm manager, Jim Steele, said the multiple graded stakes-winning sprinter died from either an aneurysm or a heart attack.
The stallion’s death “was very unexpected,” added Steele. “Everybody was in shock. There was never an indication that there was anything wrong with him.” Gators N Bears had been booked to about a dozen mares this season.
A son of Stormy Atlantic out of I’ll Be Along (by Notebook), a half-sister to millionaire Friendly Lover, Gators N Bears retired to Maryland Stallion Station in Glyndon after a career in which he earned $804,393 over four seasons. Counted among his 10 wins (six stakes) from 32 starts was the
Jersey Shore Breeders’ Cup-G3 and Maryland Breeders’ Cup Handicap-G3; his 13 stakes-placings included the Grade 1 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash.
Bred by Robert W. Camac and purchased privately as a 2-year-old from the late trainer’s estate early in 2002 by Leo Nechamkin, Gators N Bears was twice named New Jersey- bred Horse of the Year. In his first year at stud, he covered 71 mares.
With oldest runners now 5, Gators N Bears has sired stakes winners Action Andy and Gator Bay, and stakes-placed Gators Choice and Alongcamethedevil. Action Andy, a member of
Gators N Bears’ first crop, and his sire’s leading earner with $206,870, won his first three starts this year, including back- to-back added-money races (the Pelican and Super Stakes) at Tampa Bay Downs. In an allowance on March 10 at Tampa Bay, Action Andy set a track record of 1:15.47 for 61⁄2 furlongs."
I fell in love with Gators N Bears in 2004 when he ran on the Preakness undercard. Of course the big story that day was Smarty Jones in the Preakness. Ironcily, Bob Camac who was expected to be Smarty's trainer (before he was murdered by his step-son), bred Gators. He while he only one other stakes race afterwards, he always gave it his all. Sadly, I couldn't find a video of his MBC Cap win. Goodbye Gators, you where an awesome horse and where on your way to be a solid stallion for Maryland.
