Former Claiming Horses Doing Good

In September of last year, you could have claimed a then Listed Stakes winning Peace Rules filly by the name of Izzy Rules for $40,000 and then again in November for the same amount (it should be noted that both of these races where Allowance/Optional Claimer, but she was in for a tag both times). December the price went down to $20,000 (this was a straight Claimer race). Then again, who knew that she would turn out to be possibly one of the fastest mares in the sprint division this year. With her win in Sunday's Las Flores, Izzy Rules joined a select, but talented group of horses who have come from claiming races to graded stakes victories. The claimers make up most of the races in the US, so that is even more impressive. Lets take a look at some famous horses who have stamped their names into history (Note: Most of these horses where put into claiming races more then likely because it was the only race available and to begin their careers. Still, they where in the race, so I will feature them). :

Blind Luck (Pollard's Vision): Yes the great rival of Havre de Grace started her career in a claiming race. She made her debut for $40,000 at Calder and just smashed the field by winning 13 1/4 lengths. She was then privately sold to her connections that raced her the rest of her career. Of course she went onto win the Kentucky Oaks and Alabama on her way to 3yo Filly honors.

She Be Wild (Offlee Wild): Her debut at Arlington was for $40,000 as well. All she did was turn that into an almost undefeated 2yo season that ended with a win in the BC Juvenile Fillies. That lead to an eventual 2yo Filly Championship. Unfortunately she had two poor starts as a 3yo, and was subsequently (and quietly) retired after failing to recover from an injury.

Charismatic (Summer Squall): Who knew that a former $62,000 claimer (once at Hollywood, the other time at Santa Anita) would turn out to be a Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, and finish third in the Belmont? Obviously he wouldn't be with us today though if it wheren't the efforts of his jockey, the late Chris Antley after his injury in the Belmont. Charismatic would be named the Horse of the Year long with picking up 3yo Champion Colt/Gelding honors in 1999.

Rapid Redux (Pleasently Perfect): The lone non-stakes winner in this group, he had been running in claiming races since 2009 as a 3yo. Since late 2010, all he has done is win. 22 races straight breaking a North American record (19 straight wins) that was shared by New Mexico superstar Pepper's Pride and the legendary Zenyatta.

John Henry (Ole Bob Bowers): Much like Izzy Rules, John Henry was already a stakes winner by the time he made his claiming debut. While Affirmed and Alydar where taking all the spotlight, he was struggling in claiming races down at the Fair Grounds and then Belmont. Once those two retired, John Henry was able to shine. Not only did he win 2 Arlington Millions (finishing second in between the two wins), he was named Horse of the Year twice (the second time being the oldest horse to win the title). The hotheaded gelding is often mentioned in the same breath with 2 other greats Kelso and Forego.

Willieconker (IRE) (Pyrus): He began his career in Europe doing okay there, but prob. not a stakes quality horse. He was claimed this past August at Del Mar for $40,000 (in the same race stakes winner Kelly Leak was claimed for the same price, sadly he continues to struggle in claiming company). He was second in the Arcadia earlier this year, and just last week he was able to turn the tables on the winner of that race, Mr Commons, to win the Kilroe.

Stymie (Equestrain): $1,500 was all it took to claim him in his 3rd start. When he retired in 1949, he was at that time America's leading earner with a little under a million dollars. A 2 time winner of the Met Mile, he also won the Whitney.

Subsidy (Mr. Prospector): He is the most royally bred horse on this list. By one of the greatest sires around out of a sister to the great Inside Information. However, in the US he won $51,530 while running his claiming races at Delaware Park and Philadelphia Park (now Parx). He made his name in South Korea by winning their most prestigious race the Grand Prix winning over $1,000,000 Kwon ($889.798 US according to Google). To read more about him you can click here.

Chamberlain Bridge (War Chant): He started his career in maiden claimers and has won almost every single time that he's been entered for a tag. Those times have also resulted in him being claimed twice in his career. Still he is one of the best turf sprinters in the US, winning the BC Turf Sprint. A bit of a rough patch as of recently, but he looks to be on the upswing again with a win in December and recently a runner up finish. Both races at the Fair Grounds.

Calibrachoa (Southern Image): Plucked from a Aqueduct claiming race for $40,000, he was put straight into stakes company by his new connections. It payed off as he finished in the top three with the exception of a 5th place finish in the Vosburgh last year. Last weekend he defeated BC Dirt Mile winner Caleb's Posse in his defence of the Tom Fool.

Megahertz (GB) (Pivotal (GB)): The little ball of dynamite began her career in struggling claiming company in France. The lightbulb went on when she arrived in the States. I did a post on her for Thorough Chat that you can find here.

Lava Man (Slew City Slew): One of the greatest Cal breds of all time, the richest claimer of all time, one of only 2 horses to win the Hollywood Gold Cup 3 times in a row and you could have had him for a little as $20,000. When he was claimed for $50,000 out of Del Mar, it was the last time he saw the claiming ranks (although he was entered for a tag in an Allowance/Opt. Claimer for $100,000 when he was struggling a little bit). After that, he started a journey that led him to not only the three HGC wins, but wins in the Big Cap and the Pacific Classic as well. He is the first horse to win a G1 on three different surfaces (turf, dirt and synthetic) and he is one of the richest Cal breds (I think only Tiznow has more then he does). While he ran poorly outside of California, as well as being retired, unretired (with controversy), and retired again, he still hold a place in peoples hearts.

I want to thank a few people for helping me get some of these names into the list. You can follow them all on Twitter by their Twitter Handles:

@sidfernando
@JoshD3173
@korearacing

How the AP screwed up

The Associated Press announced yesterday that Serena Williams was their top female athlete of the year. The second place finisher has a horse racing connection as it was Zenyatta (I don't think it affect the Eclipse voters and it will be tight between her and Rachel Alexandra still). Still if I where a member of the AP, I would have chosen Zenyatta over Serena big time, (I would have even chosen the third place finisher Kim Clijisters who should be the AP Comeback Athlete of the Year if there is one, over Serena) for a few reasons.

1. Look at their records for the year, yes Serena was 43-11 this season with two majors, where as Zenyatta was 5-0 with 4 G1 wins. However Serena lost to Francesca Schiavone (who?), Klara Zakopalova (who?), Elena Dementiva (#3 ranked player), Kim Clijisters (unranked at the time, former #1 ranked player). Zenyatta beat Life is Sweet (Ladies Classic champ), Gio Ponti (most likely older male and turf male champion), Summer Bird (most likely 3yo champion), Mine That Bird. I'll remember Sweet, Gio and the Bird boys before Schiavone and Zakopalova. Plus all Serena could really beat this year where her sister, Venus and Dina Safina.

2. Serena's sport everbody has a chance to win a tourment. In Zenyatta's sport no one has been able to beat her. Yes Anabaa's Creation gave our heroine a scare this year, but that was the closest race that Zenyatta ever won by. Besides Mike Smith said he screwed up the ride on her, had it been longer we wouldn't be having this discussion.

3. The AP is rewarding bad behavior, Serena had the infamous public meltdown against Kim Clijsters that cost her a chance at a third major. Zenyatta's doesn't show bad behavior (although apperently her sisters, that's another story). Then again the AP probley would have been redicouled for choosing a horse over a human.

The ironery in all of this is both Zen and Serena have older sisters who where/are pretty good themselves. Serena of course is the younger sister to the Queen of Wimbleton Venus Williams, where as Balance (Zen's 1/2 sis by Thunder Gulch), was a KY Oaks favorite at one point. Was Serena Williams a good choice? It depends on who you talk to, I personally don't think it was. If a human had to be chosen, I would have gone with UConn's Maya Moore. Yes there are people who are angry about Zenyatta finishing second and I'm sorry if I struck a nerve that people don't like. However, I feel that we all have different opinons on this subject and it's good to debate something like this. For those interested Jimmie Johnson was AP's Male Athlete of the Year becoming the first driver to ever win the award.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas if you celebrate, I'll be back on Sunday with a recap of the final two G1's for the year, the La Brea and Malibu plus Zenyatta's public apperence before she goes to KY to be bred and of course John Henry's statue invailing.