Stakes History: Spiral Stakes

The first of the major Kentucky Derby preps is this weekend at Turfway in the Spiral Stakes. The national audience will be getting their first look at horses who could end up in the gate for this year's Derby. Though the race has had several names (Jim Beam, Lane's End), and was recently downgraded to a Grade 3 from a Grade 2. Some pretty good horses have won this race.



Note: there are a few horses where I could not find their Spiral wins on YouTube. Sorry about that


1986: Broad Brush (Ack Ack)- He would turn his Jim Beam into a Wood Memorial win. After finishing third in the Derby and Preakness, he skipped the Belmont. He would win the Ohio Derby, PA Derby, Meadowlands Cup, Big Cap, and Suburban. As a sire, he would have a BCC winner in Concern, Include who is quite underrated as an and Justenoughheart who is the dam to Lewis Michael and BC Juvenile Fillies winner Dreaming of Anna.


1990: Summer Squall (Storm Bird)- While little brother A.P. Indy would steal his thunder, he was a very good horse in his own right. He would win the Bluegrass on his way to finishing second in the Derby and winning the Preakness. I would also win the PA Derby and Fayatte Handicap after his Preakness win. As a sire, he has KY Derby winner Charismatic and KY Oaks winner Summerly.


1991: Hansel (Woodman)- 




He won the Jim Beam in stakes record time, and then followed that up with a win in the Lexington. After finishing 10th as the beaten favorite, he would win the Preakness and Belmont. While his career ended in August of that year after a runner up finish in the Travers, he had done enough to be named 3yo Champion Male. Hansel has been a disappointment at stud, and for a time was sent to Japan. However, he is back home in the US.

1992: Lil E. Tee (At the Threshold)- Much like his dad who won this race in 1984, he was ridden by Pat Day. After a runner up finish in the Arkansas Derby, he won the Run for the Roses. As a four year old he would win the Razorback Handicap as well.

1993: Prairie Bayou (Little Missouri)- He won the Blue Grass after his Jim Beam win. After finishing second in the Derby, he would become the first gelding since Creme Fraiche to win a TC race by winning the Preakness. Sadly, Julie Krone's Belmont win (the first by a woman jockey) would be overshadowed by his breakdown and euthanization. He was posthumously named 3yo Champion Male.

1995: Serena's Song (Rahy)- This would be the first of two times that year that she would defeat the boys. After a 16th finish in the Derby, she would win the Black Eyed Susan 2 weeks later. That July it would be the Haskell, and she would return to Turfway to finish behind Mariah's Storm (dam of Giant's Causeway) in the Turfway Breeders' Cup Stakes. Named 3yo Champion Female. As a four year old she would win G1 races such as the Santa Monica, and Hempstead (now the Ogden Phipps). Serena has a G2 winner in Grand Reward, G1 winner Sophisticat and G2 Harlington among her foals. She is in the Hall of Fame.

1996: Roar (Forty Niner)- He didn't run in the TC, but he still has recently made an impact on horse racing.   He's the broodmare sire of Rachel Alexandra, and his female family has the 2010 Leading Freshman Sire Congrats.

2002: Perfect Drift (Dynaformer)- He would go onto be one of the most popular racehorses. After a 3rd place finish in the Derby and 10th in the Belmont, he won the Indiana Derby. While he only won 1 Grade 1 race in the 2003 Stephen Foster (he should have two, but Seek Gold nosed him out 2006 edition), he always tried his best. He was retired in a ceremony at Turfway after his 2008 season. He currently splits his time between Churchill Downs museum and his owners farm.

2005: Flower Alley (Distorted Humor)-



While he would win the Lane's End, the light wouldn't go on until after the TC. He would win the Jim Dandy and the Travers, before finishing a very good second in the BCC. That normally would be more then enough to give him 3yo honors, but Afleet Alex who didn't run past the Belmont was named Champion. He wasn't the same horse at 4 despite winning a G3. At stud, it's been a bit on the quiet side. With that being said, he does have a G1 winner in Lilacs and Lace, G3 winner Bouquet Booth (who hails from the same female family as HOY Havre de Grace) and several promising horses. (Runner up in the race Wild Desert would win the Queen's Plate for CAN breds later that summer.)

2007: Hard Spun (Danzig)-



This was an important win for him in that he was able to rebound from a poor Southwest where he had finished in fourth. His TC record speaks for it's self, one of the "Big Three", he was second behind Street Sense in the Derby, third behind Curlin and SS in the Preakness and fourth behind Rags to Riches in the Belmont. Runner up behind Any Given Saturday in the Haskell and gets his G1 win in the King's Bishop. He returns to Turfway to defeat Street Sense in the Kentucky Cup, and ends his career with a good second in the mud in the BCC behind Curlin. Hard Spun finished 2nd on the Freshman Sire List last year via earnings (however had more winners then 1st place Scat Daddy), and is currently leading the Sophmore Sire List. Among his foals include G2 winner in England Red Duke, G2 placed Midnight Transfer and Glinda the Good, G3 placed Inny Minnie and Yvete Sangalo (MEX), as well as stakes winners Hardend Wildcat and Hard Not to Like. He also has a few promising horses.

2011: Animal Kingdom (Leroidesanimaux (BRZ))-



Surprised many people by not only taking the Derby in his next race after winning the Spiral, but it was his first time on dirt and did it with a jockey (John Velazquez) who got the mount after his horse had scratched (Uncle Mo), do to an injury to Robby Alberado who was supposed to ride him. He would show that he was no fluke by finishing a brave second in the Preakness behind Shackleford and prob. would have finished better in the Belmont if Johnny V had almost come out of the saddle. Unfortunately he was injured in the race, and was given the rest of the year off. However with no standout, in the 3yo division his Derby win was enough to just hold off mile specialist Caleb's Posse for 3yo Male honors. He returned better then ever in allowance earlier this year, only to suffer a minor injury that will have him sidelined for a few months.

Bittersweetness

Well it was an interesting weekend to say the least. No offence to Travers winner Afleet Express or Personal Ensign winner Persistently, but I think both winners where flukey. In the case of Afleet Express, he just nosed out Fly Down who I personally think is the second best 3yo in the US behind the absent Lookin at Lucky. As for Persistently, she got a perfect ride after Rachel was forced to the lead. However, I doubt she wins another race as only 2 of her vanquishers have since (Songtress and Sara Louise where the only two to win another race so far, Garden District is now retired, Zardana is MIA and Unriveled Belle all of a sudden can't win). With that being said, both wins are bittersweet.

Express' sire of course is Afleet Alex who basically singlehandly made Delaware Park the place to be. Per is owned by the Phipps family who of course owned Personal Ensign who sadly passed away this year. In matter of fact, PE's granddaughter Storm Flag Flying upset Azeri in this race in 2004. The loss stings a little bit less as Per is from the same female family as a weanling filly by Hard Spun (Per's granddam is the one and only Heavenly Prize and her sister Oh What a Windfall is the dam to the weanling).

As much as I'm disapointed in Super Saver (hope he's okay, second to last is unlike him) and Rachel (she ran her freaking heart out, and got beat in the last half furlong by a bad ride by Calvin). The biggest disapointment on the weekend was Life at Ten. She had a perfect spot and faded at the end to finish third. Also Miss Singsix ran like who I though she would.

On the West Coast, Richard's Kid defended his PC title. While he has a few dirt wins, I just don't think he has what it takes to win the Classic. I hope Awesome Gem is okay, he's the one I'm worried about the most. I think he's never finished in last. Then again it was that kind of weekend with the Hungerian Bullet, Overdose losing for the first time in Germany.

As for this week's Challenge, I only got one entry so I'm discounting this week's totals and will try again this upcoming weekend. I should have a few nice posts this week, stay tuned!

The Grey Heart

With the Triple Crown trail underway, I thought it would be a good time to share a story of a horse that is near and dear to my heart. He didn't make the Triple Crown, but he captured my heart forever.

The first time I ever went to a race track was November 16,2006, I was a freshman at a local Community College and always wanted to go to Delaware Park. Future Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic runner up Hard Spun was making his stakes debut that day and thought it would be a good time to go, figuring that he probably would never make a start at DP again. I had convinced my mom to let me get out of math class early, so that she could take me. It was a balmy day, with a gray sky and the track was sloppy. One of the races on the undercard was a maiden special weight, mom and myself made a bet on the favorite, and it was a small field. Unfortunately, the favorite Diamond Fever, along with the rest of the field was crushed by the Wagon Limit colt Arcata. Later on that day, Hard Spun showed that he was the real deal by winning the Port Penn, but I was enamored in Arcata's domination of his race. The irony of this is that Hard Spun had defeated Arcata in their last race.

A gray, which I was a sucker for, I immediately started following the Graham Motion trainee using Equibase's Virtual Stable. He stayed with Allowance company winning 5 more races. On March 29, 2008, Arcata made his first start in a stakes race. He won the Harrison E. Johnson Memorial Handicap, by a nose. Unfortunately his next stakes race, he finished last. Back to allowance company, eventually he was put in a tag. In his second to last race for Motion, he finished third to future Pacific Classic winner Richard's Kid. The very next race, he was claimed by Scott Lake, who he ran 3 races for. Then he was claimed by David Jacobson. He really was never the same horse again once he went to Jacobson.

As of January 2010, Arcata was running at Penn National for trainer David Geist. His last race, a 4,000 claimer, he won by a head. While he was not the best horse to come out of Delaware Park in 2006, he has one that captured my heart. Since that first start, I've also been following his two siblings, Cozy Cottage (by Pine Bluff), who has a few wins under her belt and Ennis (by Medalist). I had the honor to see Ennis in person when he ran for Motion in the Dover Stakes that was won by 2009 Remsen 3rd place finisher Citrus Kid. Ennis finished last that day, but showed that he has his big brothers heart. Their dam Arroyo Cottage (by Dynaformer) had a War Chant colt last year, and hopefully he'll have his big brothers heart as well. Arcata is a horse that I will never forget.

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.

Two of the Good Ones Retiring: Larry Jones and Hal Wiggins

Two of the good trainers in racing are retiring this month. Larry Jones who retired on Breeders' Cup Saturday and Hal Wiggins who will be retiring at the end of the Churchill Downs meet. However, you know these two for their popular horses: Hard Spun and Eight Belles for Larry, while Hal was the orginal trainer of Rachel Alexandra.

Hard Spun started it off in 2007 with his runner up finish in the Derby behind Street Sense, 3rd in the Preakness and 4th in the Belmont. He also was runner up in the Breeders' Cup Classic and Haskell, and won the King's Bishop. Here is a video of his Lane's End win at Turfway,



The ill fated runner up of the 2008 Derby, Eight Belles showed that she had the heart to stay with boys. Before the First Saturday in May, she won the Fantasy at Oaklawn Park, here is a video of that race.




We all know that Rachel Alexandra won the Preakness, Haskell and Woodward, but all of those races where for Jess Jackson and Steve Asmussen. Before that Rachel was a member of Hal Wiggins barn where she had her smashing 20 length win in the Oaks. Here is her Martha Washington win and keep in mind this was only the second race that she had Calvin Borel on her back, before that she was ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr.



I just wanted to share some thoughts on their retirements, and that I'll miss them. Larry Jones may come back to train a few Hard Spun foals, but we'll have to wait and see, while Hal Wiggins seems content of retiring all together. Either way horse racing will be missing them and hopefully we see their former assisitants make names for themselves in a few years.

My little project

So orginally I was going to be doing some research on the Triple Crown winners and their relatives. Then I relised that in-breeding has happend and that would be a pain in the ***. So I went with plan B, and that is I'm doing a spreadsheet off one of my favorite horses offspring. Now a little bit of a background on this horse, he ran against the likes of Curlin, Street Sense and Rags to Riches, finishing 1st and 2nd (Street Sense), 2nd and 3rd (Curlin) and 4th (Rags to Riches) against them. He also defeated Teuflesburg, Sedgefield, First Defence and EZ Warrior. I'm talking about Hard Spun!

Here is what I've got so far:


It's still a work in progress and will take awhile to finish up. Also these are just the 2009 foals, I also have a section on the 2010 foals, but that won't become publically published until next year. If anyone knows of any Hard Spun foal that is not on this list as of right now, please leave a comment in this blog post. About every two weeks I'll post an updated spreadsheet, so stay tuned for details.

In other news:
Queen's Plate draw is on Thursday, Woodbine Oaks 1-2 Milwaukee Appeal and Tasty Temptation could go. MA will try to become the second filly from her sire Milwaukee Brew to run in the Queen's Plate (last year's runner up was also a MB filly, Ginger Brew), while TT will try to become her sire Medaglia d'Oro's second TC race winning filly in two months (Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness being the first). Three American based jockeys will come in for the Queen's Plate as California based Russell Baze (The World's Winningest Jockey) and Mike Smith (runner up in the Preakness on Mine That Bird), as well as New Jersey based Stewart Elliott (who will ride Milwaukee Appeal if she goes) are the invaders. I should note Baze and Elliott are orginally from Canada, however I believe Russell spent most of his life in Washington State.

Also Quality Road has been moved to Todd Pletcher's barn, link. While Rach is so ready for the Mother Goose, link.

Finally Lentantor (Dynaformer x La Ville Rouge by Carson City) had his first workout today, the younger brother of Barbaro and Nicanor went :38 for three furlongs at Fair Hill. My guess is we will see him in a 2yo race at Delaware (if he's ready) sometime later this year.

Reliving the 2007 Belmont

The Belmont has been a place of happiness and heartbreak for me personally. There was when Funny Cide finished 3rd behind Empire Maker and Ten Most Wanted in the 03 edition and when Birdstone passed Smarty Jones to deny him the Triple Crown in 04. Afleet Alex turned my frown upside down when he won the Belmont in 05 after his amazing recovery in the Preakness. Jazil, while impressive, really didn’t grab my attention except for his young jockey Fernando Jara when he won in the heartbroken 2006 edition (What I liked about ABC’s coverage was that they had Jeremy Schap at New Bolton with Barbaro and he was basically “watching” the race). However my favorite Belmont to date is the 2007 edition. Or as I like to call it: Curlin (and the rest of the field of course), get beat by a girl.
The Kentucky Derby and Preakness that year where amazing races. Street Sense became the first Breeder’s Cup Juvy winner to win the Kentucky Derby winner with a rail skimming ride by Calvin Borel (And as we now know, that wasn’t the last time we would see “Bo-Rail” win the Derby). The Preakness was the end of the chance at a Triple Crown when future 2 time Horse of the Year, Curlin nailed Street Sense at the wire. This set up the chance of Curlin’s coronation at the Belmont. However, that was not meant to be.

Enter Rags to Riches, Jazil’s little half sister. By 1992 Belmont winner AP Indy out of the Deputy Minister mare Better Than Honour (Jazil is by Seeking the Gold), Rags won the Kentucky Oaks the day before Street Sense in the Derby. Many thought that she could have won the Derby, but trainer Todd Pletcher and owners Coolmore had Circler Quay in the Derby. Well Circler ended not doing not only in the Derby, but the Preakness as well. As plans where made for Rags to skip the Belmont, her jockey Garrett Gomez agreed to ride Hard Spun replacing Mario Pino.
Regular Pletcher rider John Velazquez was able to get off his mount when it was decided that Rags was going to run. Garrett Gomez wanted to ride her, but Larry Jones didn’t let him out of his commitment. I think you know what happens next, Rags and Curlin hook up at the stretch and Tom Durkin announces those now famous words: “A Filly in the Belmont!” Here is a video of that magical day.



Here are what the first four finishers are doing 2 years later.

Rags to Riches (1st): The Belmont turned out to be her final win in her career. While she finished second in the Gazelle behind Lear’s Princess, she suffered an injury that ended her career. She had a Giant’s Causeway filly this year (And if you see photos of her she’s is her mother’s daughter), Rags is currently in foal to Henrythenavagator.

Curlin (2nd): The Belmont would be a turning point in his career. He came back to finish 3rd in the Haskell, win the Jockey Club Gold Cup and Breeder’s Cup Classic to get Horse of the Year for 2007. In 2008, his owner Jess Jackson, brought him back and made his first two starts in Dubai. These two races where the Jaguar Trophy and the Dubai World Cup. He came back to win the Stephen Foster, finish second in the Man O War on grass, and win the JCGC for a second time and break Cigar’s all time NA earnings record (It should be noted that the actual NA record holder is Skip Away, both Cigar and Curlin’s earnings are inflated due to going to Dubai and winning the ultra rich World Cup). He would finish his career finishing 4th in the BC Classic behind Raven’s Pass, Henrythenavagator and Tiago. He now stands at Lane’s End in Kentucky, his first crop hit’s the ground next year.

Tiago (3rd): After finishing third in the Belmont, Tiago would become more successful then his older Derby winning half brother Giacomo, by beating older males in the Goodwood. His owners announced that he would be standing at Adena at the end of his racing career. He is currently in training, but has not run since February.

Hard Spun (4th): The Belmont was the only time in his career that anyone not named Mario Pino was on his back. He finished behind Any Given Saturday in the Haskell, afterwards a change in distance was made. While successful as a router, he had the speed to stay with the sprinters, and with a stallion deal with Darley set, it was his best chance to get that G1 win. The King’s Bishop up at Saratoga was the choice. Although several nice sprinters, including Tuefelsburg who handed Hard Spun his first defeat in the Southwest. Hard Spun sat right off the pacesetter Spin Master and took the lead as they where going into the final turn. It was down to him and First Defense, however the gutsy PA bred prevailed. After getting his revenge on Street Sense at Turfway (He had finished second in the Derby), he wrapped up his career in the Breeder’s Cup Classic with a solid second place finish behind Curlin. He now stands at Darley in Kentucky and many consider him to possibly be North America’s Danehill(ironically they share a sire in Danzig).

I hoped you enjoyed this reliving of the 2007 Belmont. I will have the Post Positions tomorrow (I think they get drawn tomorrow), of the G1’s on Saturday (including the Whittingham out at Hollywood).