Pedigree Look: War Buckaroo

Note: This week's Pedigree Look is very special. With the Olympics coming up starting the Opening Ceremonies on Friday (although the actual competiton starts tomorrow with Group games for soccer), I thought I would profile a former racer who will be going in Eventing. But first here is a little background on TB's and Eventing.

TB and Eventing Profile: Thoroughbreds and Eventing go together very well. Just this past May before the Derby, Lexington hosted their annual FEI Rolex event at Kentucky Horse Park. The winner was a TB by the name of Parklane Hawk (who raced under the name Park Lane (NZ)). Possibly the most famous eventer in the US of recent time is the late great "Super Pony" Theodore O'Connor who wasn't full Thoroughbred, but he was by a TB sire (Theodore who raced under the name Whitty Boy) and also had TB on his dam side along Arabian and Shetland Pony. The defending USET Horse of the Year is a former racer by the name of Hurtle (AUS), however you know him better as Neville Bardos. Unfortunately, unless William Fox-Pitt (Parker's rider) and Boyd Martin (Neville's rider)'s Olympic horses get hurt, they will remain on the sidelines as they are reserves. However, there will be a former racer repping not only his rider's home country of Canada, but he happens to be a native of the Country himself. I'm talking about Exponential who raced under the name War Buckaroo!

Racing Name: War Buckaroo
Show Name: Exponential
Rider: Jessica Phoenix
Representing: Canada
Born in: CAN
Year Born: 1997
Sex: Gelding
Sire: War Deputy
Dam: Misspent Bucks
Broodmare Sire: Buckaroo

Show Profile: As Exponential, he and his rider Jessica Phoenix finished 7th in at Rolex Kentucky. Jessica is the 2 time Canadian Equestrian of the Year and she also won the Indivindual Gold Medal and a Team Silver at last year's Pan Am games (although Exponential was not her mount for that event). This will be her and Exponential's first Olympics (she was named to the 2008 squad but her horse was hurt and had to withdraw from the games). Because the horse has 2 different names and this is primarly a racing blog, I will be calling him from here on out as War Buckaroo as that is his name that is registered with the Jockey Club (however, I will wish him luck using his show name at the end).

Racing Profile: War Buckaroo (War Deputy) won 3 races in his career that lasted 44 starts with earnings of $55,599. He raced at Woodbine and Fort Erie with all, but one race being in either Maiden Claiming or Claiming (the lone non-claiming race would be a MSW).

Sire


War Buckaroo's sire is War Deputy (Deputy Minister) who won 3 times in his career. One of those wins was in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G3). Unfortnally poor showings in the Risen Star and Jim Beam derailed his Derby dreams. He ended his career competing in allowance races. As a sire he would have stakes placed Cool Selection, stakes winner Forever Grand, and stakes winner Spanish Decree.

War Deputy's sire Deputy Minister (Vice Regent) was a champion in both Canada and the US. He won both the Laurel Futurity and the Donn Handicap. Other then War Deputy he is the sire of multiple G1 winner Awesome Again, 2 time Eclipse Champion Go For Wand, Belmont spoiler Touch Gold, and multiple G1 winner Deputy Commander.

His dam is Sweet Alliance (Sir Ivor) who the Kentucky Oaks in 1977. Her best foal is Irish Derby winner Shareef Dancer (Northern Dancer) with War Deputy being second on the list.

Dam


War Buckaroo's dam is Misspent Bucks (Buckaroo) who won 4 races in her career up and down the East Coast. While War Buckaroo is her winningest foal, her highest earning foal is Buckadance (Iskandar Elakbar).

Her sire Buckaroo (Buckpasser) won both the Saranac and Peter Pan. His best foal is Kentucky Derby winner and 1985 Horse of the Year Spend a Buck. He's also the sire of Californian winner Another Review.

Her dam Valerie's Doll (Under the Table) was winless in 13 starts. Her highest earning foal is Spice a Lot (Irish Tower). She's a 1/2 sister to stakes winner Stutz Bearcat (First Landing).

I wish Jessica and Exponential the best of luck when Eventing gets underway on Saturday.

Edit: Jessica and Exponetential finished 22nd overall. The highest Canadian overall.

Bibliography:

Covey, Holly. "Pedigree Buffs – Canadian Pedigree Power!" Horse Junkies United. N.p., 16 July 2012. Web. 23 July 2012. <http://www.horsejunkiesunited.com/2012/07/16/pedigree-buffs-canadian-pedigree-power/>.