Happy New Year

Well this is the final post of 2012. This was a year of change for me. From making the decision to shut down what was formally known as ThoroughChat to starting Furlong Drive. I introduced Pedigree Look posts as well which turned out to be very popular. Also turning out to be popular was my Derby Sire Chart.

As 2013 is less then 12 hours from me, I would like to share my favorite race of the year. It's actually two of them, one in the US and one in Europe. The one in the US is a no brainer and took place a week before the Travers. This of course would be the Alabama where Questing blew the doors off everyone going gate to wire in the mile and quarter race.

                   The other race involves the one and only Frankel. It's of the final race of his career, the aptly named Champions Stakes where he gave a race fitting of a champion.



     I hope everyone has a safe New Years Eve, and J will be back tomorrow with a special birthday post!

The Joy of Frankel

The British born Galileo (IRE) colt and Robert J. Frankel never met in person. However, their two lives will forever be intertwined thanks to an owner who honored his brash US trainer. Tomorrow will be more then likely Frankel's final race in his illustrous career. The scene will be Ascot Racecourse and the Champion Stakes. It's the last major day of racing for flat racing for 3yo's and up for the year. He'll have his big brother Bullet Train as his pacesetter, and will also be facing 3yo Pastorious and world traveler Master of Hounds. However, the two horses who could beat him: the French gelding Cirrus Des Aigles who not only is the defending champion of the race but loves the soft ground that they will be running over. As well as Nathanial, a Group 1 winner in defeating Arc winner Workforce last year is also entered. However, unlike the others he has already faced Frankel where he felt his wrath. Although he is also the one whose been the closest in defeating him as well.

Which leads me to the big horse himself. It's just a shame that a horse named after one of our most famous trainers will not be coming for the Breeders' Cup. While many don't agree with this and believe he is "ducking" the race, honestly it's the right move for him. First off, going in the Mile would be useless since he's dominated that division and the Turf might be a little too long for his taste. That leaves the Classic. Juddmonte, his owner had said that they would have loved to be able to take him to Bobby's adopted home state of California. However, Santa Anita is back to dirt main track instead of synthetic. Thus we won't be able to see him at all.

For now, lets enjoy some of Frankel's greatest wins.

2010 Royal Lodge



2011 2000 Guineas

http://youtu.be/ghUY0k4YX1k

2011 Sussex Stakes



2012 Juddmonte International

http://youtu.be/mr_ChX6Jv4s

Go Frankel!

Don't forget to vote in the poll that I have up as I will do a Pedigree Look post on the winner of the race you guys choose!

Pedigree Look: Frankel

Normally, Pedigree Look is a bi-weekly post where I look at the pedigree of a horse through their sire and dam. However, tomorrow is the Juddmonte International at York in England. 8 horses are going in the race including defending champion Twice Over, BC Turf winner St. Nicholas Abbey and Sri Putra who defeated Arlington Million runner up Afsare in his last race. However, all eyes will be on Frankel as he steps up in distance for the first time in his career. Lets take a look at the undefeated colt's pedigree.

Name: Frankel (GB)

Year Born: 2008

Color: Bay

Sex: Colt

Sire: Galileo (IRE)

Broodmare: Kind (IRE)

Broodmare Sire: Danehill

Behind his name Profile: Despite his very European pedigree, Frankel is actually named after an American. Juddmonte's US trainer was none other then Robert Frankel. Which made for an interesting combo, because Juddmonte's owner Khalid Abdullah is a prince from Saudi Arabia and Bobby of course was a Jewish boy from Brooklyn. Still they where able to work together and had great success. Among their top horses where Belmont winner Empire Maker (which despite him being an amazing sire (and yes I wish he was in the US), it still rubs me the wrong way, then again I was rooting for Funny Cide), Sightseek, Ventura (who holds a special place in my heart as I feel like she should have been an Eclipse Champion. Also it was his last request that she go to the Matriarch, which she won with longtime asst. Humberto Ascanio as the trainer of record) and the Hasili siblings (Intercontential, Banks Hill, Heat Haze, Cacique and my personal favorite Champs Elysees). Some none Juddmonte horses that Bobby trained include Peace Rules, Midas Eyes, Medaglia d' Oro, Ginger Punch (whose Distaff win he missed as he was home with his late Australian sheppard Happy, he would then get two other dogs who where named after her, one named Ginger and the other named Punch), and little Megahertz. Bobby Frankel passed away shortly after the Breeders' Cup in 2009 from cancer, he was 69 years old.

Racing Profile: Frankel (GB) (Galileo (IRE)) has yet to lose a race in his career. He is a two time winner of the Cartier Award for his age group (2 years ago as a two year old and last year as a 3yo) as well as Europe's reigning Horse of the Year. He won the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket by a outstanding margin and took down older males in the Sussex before ending his season winning the QEII at Ascot. This year he has destoryed every challenger he has faced and moves up to a mile and a quarter distance tomorrow.

Sire

Galileo (IRE) (Sadlers Wells) was one of the best racers in the early 2000's. Like his son, he was named a Champion of his age group at 3.  As a sire, he's been able to pass along his winning approach. Among the foals are: recent Eclipse Turf Male winner Cape Blanco (IRE), the formentioned Red Rocks, Secretariat winner Treasure Beach (GB), French G1 winner Galikova (FR) (who is a 1/2 sister to the great Goldikova (IRE) (Anaaba) who saw Galieo this year), Keenland's QEII winner Together (IRE), St. Leger winner Sixtie's Icon (GB) and Melbourne Cup runner up Purple Moon (IRE).

His sire Sadlers Wells (Northern Dancer) won the English 2,000 Guineas, and Eclipse Stakes. As a stud, like Galileo he would be unmatched. Among his top horses include BC Turf winner Into the Wings (GB), 4 time Ascot Gold Cup winner Yeats (IRE), Irish Derby, and Arc winner Montjeu (IRE) and multiple G1 winner in England and Ireland Alexandrova (IRE), among many others.

His dam Urban Sea (Miswaki) is one of the most beloved broodmares of all time. She would win the Arc at the age of 4, and would go onto a very successful broodmare career. Other then Galileo, she is the dam to Italian G1 winner Black Sam Bellamy (IRE) (Saddlers Wells), one of my personal favorite fillies G1 winner My Typhoon (IRE) (Giant's Causeway) and the two English TC race, Arc winning superstar Sea the Stars (IRE) (Cape Cross (IRE)). 

Dam

Frankel's dam is Kind (IRE) (Danehill). A stakes winner sprinting, Kind is also the dam to G2 placed in  England Noble Mission (GB) (Galileo (IRE)). The oldest of the three brothers, Bullet Train (GB) (Saddler's Wells) is a G3 winner and the pacesetter for Frankel. 

Kind's sire is Danehill (Danzig), G1 winner in England he became one of the top sires in the World. Other then the Hasili foals (with the exception of Heat Haze who he is not the sire of), he is the sire of G1 winner in Australia Al Maher (AUS), G1 winner Danish (IRE), as well as G1 winner in England and France, G1 placed here in US Rock of Gibraltar (IRE).

Her dam Rainbow Lake (GB) (Rainbow Quest) is a G3 winner in England. She is also the dam to G1 winner in Ireland and the US Powerscourt (GB) (Sadlers Wells) and G1 placed in France Last Train (GB) (Rail Link (GB)). Her dam Rockfest (Stage Door Johnny) is G3 placed in England and is the dam to jumps winner Rock Falcon (IRE) (Polar Falcon). 

Frankel- Better then Ever?

There was concern a few weeks ago that Frankel would miss his 2012 debut due to a minor injury. Those worries turn turned out to be not a problem. The Galileo colt returned to the races a winner on Saturday blowing by rabbit Bullet Train (who also happens to be his big brother) and winning with ease.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpV82_Ct7kY

So what's next for the #1 horse in the world? Most likely Royal Ascot in either the mile for older OR stretching out to a mile and a quarter. It will be interesting where he goes. While I doubt he'll come for the Breeders' Cup, it would be awesome if he did. I feel that had he come last year and had won the Mile he would have been Champion 3yo Male.

I'm also wondering what his namesake Bobby Frankel would have said? Would he have minded that Juddmonte named a horse after him. His daughter Bethenny does know about him. One thing's for sure, he would be happy to see that he has fans all over the world.

A Special, Special Horse

I've said several times on the blog, I was not a Bobby Frankel fan. That doesn't mean that I'm not rooting for Frankel who is named after the late Hall of Fame trainer, I am. Today was supposed to be the big showdown between him and Canford Cliffs, who had defeated Goldikova to become the #1 miler in the World at Royal Ascot. The race, the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood. The problem was Frankel didn't want it to be a showdown... he wanted to be a romp.

Sure it was a short field, but not only did he put away Canford Cliffs, he put away two other horses. One of them from Godolphin, the other a stablemate to Goldi. He did it in style winning by 5. By far the best horse in the World right now (some might say Black Caviar is, but we won't know that until later on this year when she returns to training (it has to do with how the Australia racing calendar falls).

Here is today's race:



Also while he won't be running in the BC this year (most likley the QEII is next), he is expected to run as a 4 year old. My guess would be Dubai, Royal Ascot, try to defend his Sussex title, a prep and then maybe the Classic? It will be a fun ride if this all comes true. The compersions to his sire's half brother Sea the Stars are starting. Sure, STS won the Epsom Derby and Arc, but he had a loss in his career. Frankel has yet to taste defeat. Lets hope that doesn't happen for quite a while.