In a recent blog post for Bloodhorse.com, I considered the question of whether or not Kentucky Derby preps in January have much of an impact on the Derby itself. The results were slightly inconclusive, although my research did reveal that no Derby winner since Barbaro in 2006 has won a graded stakes race during the January of their three-year-old season.
Showing posts with label Triple Crown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Triple Crown. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 07, 2015
Welcome back to Triple Crown Countdown!
Welcome back to Triple Crown Countdown! I know it's been a while since my last post, but with the five-year anniversary of my very first blog post coming up on January 10th, I thought now would be an opportune time to start posting again. After all, this year's crop of three-year-olds appear to be a very promising group, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how they progress during the coming months! I hope you'll join me!
Friday, June 15, 2012
2012 TRIPLE CROWN RECAP
On November 5th, 2011, a colt by Dixie Union out of the Gone West mare Tempo rallied strongly in the Churchill Downs homestretch to finish second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), beaten just a head despite racing wide every step of the way. This performance, coupled with his dominating victories in the Champagne Stakes (gr. II) and Saratoga Special Stakes (gr. II) earlier in the year, made him the heavy favorite for 2012 Kentucky Derby. In fact, there were some that believed the massive bay colt had the necassary talent to become racing's twelfth Triple Crown winner; the first since Affirmed in 1978.
Sunday, June 03, 2012
BELMONT STAKES COUNTDOWN -- June 3rd, 2012
It was a busy morning for Belmont Stakes contenders, as a total of seven prospective starters for the mile-and-a-half classic turned in workouts, including five at Belmont Park.
The large amount of activity was due in part to rainstorms which swept through the Belmont Park area yesterday morning, dumping roughly an inch and a half of rain on to the main track. This caused the postponement of numerous workouts, which were moved from yesterday to today in order to catch a better track.
The large amount of activity was due in part to rainstorms which swept through the Belmont Park area yesterday morning, dumping roughly an inch and a half of rain on to the main track. This caused the postponement of numerous workouts, which were moved from yesterday to today in order to catch a better track.
Saturday, June 02, 2012
CAN I'LL HAVE ANOTHER WIN THE TRIPLE CROWN?
Can I'll Have Another win the Triple Crown?
This is the question that all fans of horse racing are asking themselves, and to be honest, no one knows the answer. You would think that a simple yes or no question would be easy enough to resolve, but in horse racing, that is not the case.
It's a subjective question. It doesn't have a clear-cut answer, like "Do dogs have four legs?" No, a simple yes or no does not suffice to answer this complicated question.
Sort of.
Let me offer a disclaimer -- yes, I'll Have Another can win the Triple Crown. There is nothing stopping him if he is good enough. He has won the first two legs of the series, and as long as he enters the starting gate for the Belmont Stakes, he can win the Triple Crown.
That part is not subjective. It's that "if he is good enough?" part that has everyone puzzling over the real answer to the question.
In this post, I shall attempt to delve into the details of I'll Have Another's racing career, preparation, and breeding in an effort to discover whether the odds of him winning are better than the odds of him losing. Along the way, we shall discover his potential strengths and weaknesses, and if all goes well, by the time we reach the end of this post, we should have a fair idea of whether or not I'll Have Another can win the Triple Crown.
RACING CAREER
First things first -- does I'll Have Another have the racing foundation to win the Triple Crown?
If anything is going to stand in him way of sweeping the Crown, it's probably his foundation. Every Triple Crown winner to date made at least six starts prior to the Kentucky Derby, most of them made more than six. In fact, Whirlaway raced an incredible 23 times prior to the Derby!
The following chart details the eleven Triple Crown winners and the amount of preparation they had prior to the start of the series:
Horse: Total # of starts prior to Derby (# of juvenile races/# of Derby preps)
As we can see, of all of the Triple Crown winners, Seattle Slew had the least amount of racing experience as a juvenile, making only three starts. He, along with Sir Barton, had the least number of starts prior to the Derby.
I'll Have Another, like Seattle Slew, also made three starts as a juvenile. But unlike Slew, who started in three Derby preps, I'll Have Another only raced two times in the spring before the Derby, giving him a total of five starts heading into the Triple Crown.
Interestingly, while the majority of Triple Crown winners were heavily raced as juveniles, 6 of the 11 made two or fewer starts in the spring before the Derby; Sir Barton actually didn't run in any spring preps at all. So I'll Have Another's two starts this spring will be unlikely to hinder his chances of sweeping the Crown.
In conclusion, while it is true that I'll Have Another hasn't raced quite as often as any of the Triple Crown winners, his possible lack of foundation isn't really all that bad. Coupled with the fact that the majority of his prospective Belmont rivals have been campaigned in similar fashion, one realizes that racing foundation is probably the least of I'll Have Another's worries.
PEDIGREE
Perhaps there were some questions about the pedigrees of Funny Cide, Smarty Jones, and Big Brown heading into the Belmont Stakes -- questions about their ability to traverse the mile-and-a-half distance of the race -- but there is no such question regarding I'll Have Another. His sire, Flower Alley, won the Travers Stakes (gr. I) going ten furlongs and finished second in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) at that same distance. His grandsire, Distorted Humor, is the sire of 2010 Belmont Stakes winner Drosselmeyer.
On the dam side, I'll Have Another's broodmare sire is Arch, sire of 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Blame. He is also a good source of stamina. Going a bit further back, we encounter the great Roberto, possibly one of the strongest stamina influences of all. Through in names like Danzig, Nijinsky II, Sea-Bird, Stage Door Johnny, Alydar, Princequillo -- and of course, a bit of Northern and Mr. Prospector -- need I say more?
RUNNING STYLE
All handicapping logic would seem to say that deep closers should win the Belmont the majority of the time. If a horse is gaining furiously at the finish of a nine-furlong race, wouldn't it stand to reason that the same horse would relish the additional three furlongs provided by the Belmont Stakes?
Actually, this is almost never the case. Perhaps it is due to the fact that the early pace in a race like the Belmont is usually slower than in shorter races, meaning that the closers are left with too much ground to make up on horses that still have something left in the tank.
On the other end of the spectrum, front-runners rarely win the Belmont either -- due probably to the length of the race, which most certainly does not lend itself to a gate-to-wire job. To accomplish that feat in a race like the Belmont requires the performance of a lifetime by a truly special horse.
Nor is the Belmont won by horses that make explosive moves around the far turn. Any horse that dares attempt such a move may take the lead entering the homestretch -- but good luck keeping it. The Belmont homestretch is quite lengthy, and a horse that moves on the turn tends to end up tiring in deep stretch, allowing a more patient horse to secure the victory.
So what running style does win the Belmont? Well, in most cases, the Belmont winner is a horse that is able to rate patiently in mid-pack early on, or else right behind the early leaders, and finish up with a strong run in the homestretch -- not on the turn. The ability to maintain a solid drive for five-sixteenths of a mile is also helpful.
Fortunately, I'll Have Another possesses such a running style. We saw him rate in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, and we saw him press the pace in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes. And we certainly saw in the Preakness that he has the ability to just keep grinding away in the stretch.
I'll Have Another's running style is most definitely not a detriment. He has perhaps the perfect running style for the Belmont, and that alone could lead him to victory.
POTENTIAL WEAKNESSES
So does I'll Have Another have any weaknesses heading into the Belmont? I could only come up with a few, and they are most certainly minor ones.
First off, let's talk about his possible dislike for mud. In his only start over an off track, in Saratoga's Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) last September, I'll Have Another turned in by far the worst performance of his career, finishing a dismal sixth while beaten nearly twenty lengths. Of course, he did come out of the race with sore shins, which certainly could have contributed to the poor performance. But the question is, was the poor performance a result of the sore shins, or were the sore shins the result of racing in mud?
Of course, the possibility of a muddy track on Belmont day is really pretty small, and chances are that even if the track were muddy, I'll Have Another would handle it just as well as anyone else. But I do believe this counts as a potential weakness.
Then of course, there is the fact that I'll Have Another will not be allowed to wear a nasal strip in the Belmont -- a piece of equipment which he has worn in all of his victories this year. I doubt the absence of the strip will have much of an impact on his performance, for it is a fairly minor piece of equipment, but it definitely counts as a potential weakness, for we don't know for sure how it will affect him.
Another weakness could potentially be his jockey, Mario Gutierrez -- although I seriously doubt it. Some jockeys without experience at Belmont Park make their moves too soon on the far turn, leaving their mounts without enough punch to hang on in the homestretch. But the fact is, Gutierrez has ridden this horse so well in all of his races this year, that I doubt the larger circumference of Belmont Park is going to be an issue. In addition, Gutierrez is going to get in some valuable riding experience here at Belmont during the coming week, so I really doubt that he will make a mistake in the big race itself. But I suppose technically you could count this as a potential weakness.
Other than that, I can't seem to come up with any more chinks in the armor of I'll Have Another. He appears to be heading into the Belmont as one of the most solid potential Triple Crown winners in years. If anything beats him, it won't be his foundation, pedigree, or running style. If he loses, it will most likely be a simple matter of another horse being superior under the circumstances.
So can I'll Have Another win the Triple Crown? My answer is yes. And not just the un-subjective kind of yes. In my opinion, I'll Have Another is going to become racing's twelfth Triple Crown winner.
Am I positive? No. But I am very, very confident, and in horse racing, that is as close to a definitive "yes" as you can get.
-Keelerman
This is the question that all fans of horse racing are asking themselves, and to be honest, no one knows the answer. You would think that a simple yes or no question would be easy enough to resolve, but in horse racing, that is not the case.
It's a subjective question. It doesn't have a clear-cut answer, like "Do dogs have four legs?" No, a simple yes or no does not suffice to answer this complicated question.
Sort of.
Let me offer a disclaimer -- yes, I'll Have Another can win the Triple Crown. There is nothing stopping him if he is good enough. He has won the first two legs of the series, and as long as he enters the starting gate for the Belmont Stakes, he can win the Triple Crown.
That part is not subjective. It's that "if he is good enough?" part that has everyone puzzling over the real answer to the question.
In this post, I shall attempt to delve into the details of I'll Have Another's racing career, preparation, and breeding in an effort to discover whether the odds of him winning are better than the odds of him losing. Along the way, we shall discover his potential strengths and weaknesses, and if all goes well, by the time we reach the end of this post, we should have a fair idea of whether or not I'll Have Another can win the Triple Crown.
RACING CAREER
First things first -- does I'll Have Another have the racing foundation to win the Triple Crown?
If anything is going to stand in him way of sweeping the Crown, it's probably his foundation. Every Triple Crown winner to date made at least six starts prior to the Kentucky Derby, most of them made more than six. In fact, Whirlaway raced an incredible 23 times prior to the Derby!
The following chart details the eleven Triple Crown winners and the amount of preparation they had prior to the start of the series:
Horse: Total # of starts prior to Derby (# of juvenile races/# of Derby preps)
| Horse | Total # of starts prior to Derby | # of starts at age 2 | # of Derby preps |
| Affirmed | 13 | 9 | 4 |
| Seattle Slew | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| Secretariat | 12 | 9 | 3 |
| Citation | 16 | 9 | 7 |
| Assault | 11 | 9 | 2 |
| Count Fleet | 17 | 15 | 2 |
| Whirlaway | 23 | 16 | 7 |
| War Admiral | 8 | 6 | 2 |
| Omaha | 11 | 9 | 2 |
| Gallant Fox | 8 | 7 | 1 |
| Sir Barton | 6 | 6 | 0 |
As we can see, of all of the Triple Crown winners, Seattle Slew had the least amount of racing experience as a juvenile, making only three starts. He, along with Sir Barton, had the least number of starts prior to the Derby.
I'll Have Another, like Seattle Slew, also made three starts as a juvenile. But unlike Slew, who started in three Derby preps, I'll Have Another only raced two times in the spring before the Derby, giving him a total of five starts heading into the Triple Crown.
Interestingly, while the majority of Triple Crown winners were heavily raced as juveniles, 6 of the 11 made two or fewer starts in the spring before the Derby; Sir Barton actually didn't run in any spring preps at all. So I'll Have Another's two starts this spring will be unlikely to hinder his chances of sweeping the Crown.
In conclusion, while it is true that I'll Have Another hasn't raced quite as often as any of the Triple Crown winners, his possible lack of foundation isn't really all that bad. Coupled with the fact that the majority of his prospective Belmont rivals have been campaigned in similar fashion, one realizes that racing foundation is probably the least of I'll Have Another's worries.
PEDIGREE
Perhaps there were some questions about the pedigrees of Funny Cide, Smarty Jones, and Big Brown heading into the Belmont Stakes -- questions about their ability to traverse the mile-and-a-half distance of the race -- but there is no such question regarding I'll Have Another. His sire, Flower Alley, won the Travers Stakes (gr. I) going ten furlongs and finished second in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) at that same distance. His grandsire, Distorted Humor, is the sire of 2010 Belmont Stakes winner Drosselmeyer.
On the dam side, I'll Have Another's broodmare sire is Arch, sire of 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Blame. He is also a good source of stamina. Going a bit further back, we encounter the great Roberto, possibly one of the strongest stamina influences of all. Through in names like Danzig, Nijinsky II, Sea-Bird, Stage Door Johnny, Alydar, Princequillo -- and of course, a bit of Northern and Mr. Prospector -- need I say more?
RUNNING STYLE
All handicapping logic would seem to say that deep closers should win the Belmont the majority of the time. If a horse is gaining furiously at the finish of a nine-furlong race, wouldn't it stand to reason that the same horse would relish the additional three furlongs provided by the Belmont Stakes?
Actually, this is almost never the case. Perhaps it is due to the fact that the early pace in a race like the Belmont is usually slower than in shorter races, meaning that the closers are left with too much ground to make up on horses that still have something left in the tank.
On the other end of the spectrum, front-runners rarely win the Belmont either -- due probably to the length of the race, which most certainly does not lend itself to a gate-to-wire job. To accomplish that feat in a race like the Belmont requires the performance of a lifetime by a truly special horse.
Nor is the Belmont won by horses that make explosive moves around the far turn. Any horse that dares attempt such a move may take the lead entering the homestretch -- but good luck keeping it. The Belmont homestretch is quite lengthy, and a horse that moves on the turn tends to end up tiring in deep stretch, allowing a more patient horse to secure the victory.
So what running style does win the Belmont? Well, in most cases, the Belmont winner is a horse that is able to rate patiently in mid-pack early on, or else right behind the early leaders, and finish up with a strong run in the homestretch -- not on the turn. The ability to maintain a solid drive for five-sixteenths of a mile is also helpful.
Fortunately, I'll Have Another possesses such a running style. We saw him rate in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, and we saw him press the pace in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes. And we certainly saw in the Preakness that he has the ability to just keep grinding away in the stretch.
I'll Have Another's running style is most definitely not a detriment. He has perhaps the perfect running style for the Belmont, and that alone could lead him to victory.
POTENTIAL WEAKNESSES
So does I'll Have Another have any weaknesses heading into the Belmont? I could only come up with a few, and they are most certainly minor ones.
First off, let's talk about his possible dislike for mud. In his only start over an off track, in Saratoga's Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) last September, I'll Have Another turned in by far the worst performance of his career, finishing a dismal sixth while beaten nearly twenty lengths. Of course, he did come out of the race with sore shins, which certainly could have contributed to the poor performance. But the question is, was the poor performance a result of the sore shins, or were the sore shins the result of racing in mud?
Of course, the possibility of a muddy track on Belmont day is really pretty small, and chances are that even if the track were muddy, I'll Have Another would handle it just as well as anyone else. But I do believe this counts as a potential weakness.
Then of course, there is the fact that I'll Have Another will not be allowed to wear a nasal strip in the Belmont -- a piece of equipment which he has worn in all of his victories this year. I doubt the absence of the strip will have much of an impact on his performance, for it is a fairly minor piece of equipment, but it definitely counts as a potential weakness, for we don't know for sure how it will affect him.
Another weakness could potentially be his jockey, Mario Gutierrez -- although I seriously doubt it. Some jockeys without experience at Belmont Park make their moves too soon on the far turn, leaving their mounts without enough punch to hang on in the homestretch. But the fact is, Gutierrez has ridden this horse so well in all of his races this year, that I doubt the larger circumference of Belmont Park is going to be an issue. In addition, Gutierrez is going to get in some valuable riding experience here at Belmont during the coming week, so I really doubt that he will make a mistake in the big race itself. But I suppose technically you could count this as a potential weakness.
Other than that, I can't seem to come up with any more chinks in the armor of I'll Have Another. He appears to be heading into the Belmont as one of the most solid potential Triple Crown winners in years. If anything beats him, it won't be his foundation, pedigree, or running style. If he loses, it will most likely be a simple matter of another horse being superior under the circumstances.
So can I'll Have Another win the Triple Crown? My answer is yes. And not just the un-subjective kind of yes. In my opinion, I'll Have Another is going to become racing's twelfth Triple Crown winner.
Am I positive? No. But I am very, very confident, and in horse racing, that is as close to a definitive "yes" as you can get.
-Keelerman
Triple Crown Near-Miss Profile: BIG BROWN
Owner: IEAH Stable & Paul Pompa, Jr.
Trainer: Richard Dutrow, Jr.
Breeder: Monticule
Jockey: Kent Desormeaux
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown near-miss)
Age 3
DNF Belmont Stakes (gr. I)
1st Preakness Stakes (gr. I)
1st Kentucky Derby (gr. I)
1st Florida Derby (gr. I)
1st Allowance
Age 2
1st Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
Trainer: Richard Dutrow, Jr.
Breeder: Monticule
Jockey: Kent Desormeaux
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown near-miss)
Age 3
DNF Belmont Stakes (gr. I)
1st Preakness Stakes (gr. I)
1st Kentucky Derby (gr. I)
1st Florida Derby (gr. I)
1st Allowance
Age 2
1st Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
| Danzig | ||
| Boundary | ||
| Edge | ||
| Big Brown | ||
| Nureyev | ||
| Mien | ||
| Miasma |
Triple Crown Near-Miss Profile: SMARTY JONES
Owner: Someday Farm
Trainer: John C. Servis
Breeder: Someday Farm
Jockey: Stewart Elliott
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown near-miss)
Age 3
2nd Belmont Stakes (gr. I)
1st Preakness Stakes (gr. I)
1st Kentucky Derby (gr. I)
1st Arkansas Derby (gr. II)
1st Rebel Stakes
1st Southwest Stakes
1st Count Fleet Stakes
Age 2
1st Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes
1st Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
Trainer: John C. Servis
Breeder: Someday Farm
Jockey: Stewart Elliott
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown near-miss)
Age 3
2nd Belmont Stakes (gr. I)
1st Preakness Stakes (gr. I)
1st Kentucky Derby (gr. I)
1st Arkansas Derby (gr. II)
1st Rebel Stakes
1st Southwest Stakes
1st Count Fleet Stakes
Age 2
1st Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes
1st Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
| Gone West | ||
| Elusive Quality | ||
| Touch of Greatness | ||
| Smarty Jones | ||
| Smile | ||
| I'll Get Along | ||
| Dont Worry Bout Me |
Triple Crown Near-Miss Profile: FUNNY CIDE
Owner: Sackatoga Stable
Trainer: Barclay Tagg
Breeder: WinStar Farm, LLC
Jockey: Jose Santos
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown near-miss)
Age 3
3rd Belmont Stakes (gr. I)
1st Preakness Stakes (gr. I)
1st Kentucky Derby (gr. I)
2nd Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. I)
3rd Louisiana Derby (gr. II)
5th Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III)
Age 2
1st Sleepy Hollow Stakes
1st Bertram F. Bongard Stakes
1st Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
Trainer: Barclay Tagg
Breeder: WinStar Farm, LLC
Jockey: Jose Santos
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown near-miss)
Age 3
3rd Belmont Stakes (gr. I)
1st Preakness Stakes (gr. I)
1st Kentucky Derby (gr. I)
2nd Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. I)
3rd Louisiana Derby (gr. II)
5th Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III)
Age 2
1st Sleepy Hollow Stakes
1st Bertram F. Bongard Stakes
1st Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
| Forty Niner | ||
| Distorted Humor | ||
| Danzig's Beauty | ||
| Funny Cide | ||
| Slewacide | ||
| Belle's Good Cide | ||
| Belle of Killarney |
Triple Crown Near-Miss Profile: WAR EMBLEM
Owner: The Thoroughbred Corporation
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Breeder: Charles Nuckols Jr. & Sons
Jockey: Victor Espinoza
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown near-miss)
Age 3
8th Belmont Stakes (gr. I)
1st Preakness Stakes (gr. I)
1st Kentucky Derby (gr. I)
1st Illinois Derby (gr. II)
1st Allowance
6th Risen Star Stakes (gr. III)
5th LeComte Stakes
Age 2
1st Allowance
7th Manila Stakes
1st Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Breeder: Charles Nuckols Jr. & Sons
Jockey: Victor Espinoza
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown near-miss)
Age 3
8th Belmont Stakes (gr. I)
1st Preakness Stakes (gr. I)
1st Kentucky Derby (gr. I)
1st Illinois Derby (gr. II)
1st Allowance
6th Risen Star Stakes (gr. III)
5th LeComte Stakes
Age 2
1st Allowance
7th Manila Stakes
1st Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
| Mr. Prospector | ||
| Our Emblem | ||
| Personal Ensign | ||
| War Emblem | ||
| Lord at War | ||
| Sweetest Lady | ||
| Sweetest Roman |
Triple Crown Near-Miss Profile: CHARISMATIC
Owner: Robert and Beverly Lewis
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
Breeder: Parish Hill Farm & W. S. Farish
Jockey: Chris Antley
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown near-miss)
Age 3
3rd Belmont Stakes (gr. I)
1st Preakness Stakes (gr. I)
1st Kentucky Derby (gr. I)
1st Lexington Stakes (gr. II)
4th Santa Anita Derby (gr. I)
2nd El Camino Real Derby (gr. III)
2nd Allowance
2nd Claiming
5th Santa Catalina Stakes (gr. II)
5th Allowance
Age 2
3rd Allowance
1st Maiden Claiming
9th Maiden Special Weight
3rd Maiden Special Weight
4th Maiden Special Weight
3rd Maiden Special Weight
6th Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
Breeder: Parish Hill Farm & W. S. Farish
Jockey: Chris Antley
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown near-miss)
Age 3
3rd Belmont Stakes (gr. I)
1st Preakness Stakes (gr. I)
1st Kentucky Derby (gr. I)
1st Lexington Stakes (gr. II)
4th Santa Anita Derby (gr. I)
2nd El Camino Real Derby (gr. III)
2nd Allowance
2nd Claiming
5th Santa Catalina Stakes (gr. II)
5th Allowance
Age 2
3rd Allowance
1st Maiden Claiming
9th Maiden Special Weight
3rd Maiden Special Weight
4th Maiden Special Weight
3rd Maiden Special Weight
6th Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
| Storm Bird | ||
| Summer Squall | ||
| Weekend Surprise | ||
| Charismatic | ||
| Drone | ||
| Bali Babe | ||
| Polynesian Charm |
Triple Crown Near-Miss Profile: REAL QUIET
Owner: Michael Pegram
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Breeder: Little Hill Farm
Jockey: Kent Desormeaux
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown near-miss)
Age 3
2nd Belmont Stakes (gr. I)
1st Preakness Stakes (gr. I)
1st Kentucky Derby (gr. I)
2nd Santa Anita Derby (gr. I)
2nd San Felipe Stakes (gr. II)
8th Golden Gate Derby
Age 2
1st Hollywood Futurity (gr. I)
3rd Brown & Williamson Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. III)
1st Maiden Special Weight
4th Maiden Special Weight
3rd Indian Nations Futurity Cup
3rd Allowance
3rd Maiden Special Weight
3rd Maiden Special Weight
7th Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Breeder: Little Hill Farm
Jockey: Kent Desormeaux
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown near-miss)
Age 3
2nd Belmont Stakes (gr. I)
1st Preakness Stakes (gr. I)
1st Kentucky Derby (gr. I)
2nd Santa Anita Derby (gr. I)
2nd San Felipe Stakes (gr. II)
8th Golden Gate Derby
Age 2
1st Hollywood Futurity (gr. I)
3rd Brown & Williamson Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. III)
1st Maiden Special Weight
4th Maiden Special Weight
3rd Indian Nations Futurity Cup
3rd Allowance
3rd Maiden Special Weight
3rd Maiden Special Weight
7th Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
| Fappiano | ||
| Quiet American | ||
| Demure | ||
| Real Quiet | ||
| Believe It | ||
| Really Blue | ||
| Meadow Blue |
Triple Crown Near-Miss Profile: SILVER CHARM
Owner: Robert and Beverly Lewis
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Breeder: Mary Lou Wootton
Jockey: Gary Stevens
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown near-miss)
Age 3
2nd Belmont Stakes (gr. I)
1st Preakness Stakes (gr. I)
1st Kentucky Derby (gr. I)
2nd Santa Anita Derby (gr. I)
2nd San Felipe Stakes (gr. II)
1st San Vicente Stakes (gr. III)
Age 2
1st Del Mar Futurity (gr. II)
1st Maiden Special Weight
2nd Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Breeder: Mary Lou Wootton
Jockey: Gary Stevens
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown near-miss)
Age 3
2nd Belmont Stakes (gr. I)
1st Preakness Stakes (gr. I)
1st Kentucky Derby (gr. I)
2nd Santa Anita Derby (gr. I)
2nd San Felipe Stakes (gr. II)
1st San Vicente Stakes (gr. III)
Age 2
1st Del Mar Futurity (gr. II)
1st Maiden Special Weight
2nd Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
| Buckpasser | ||
| Silver Buck | ||
| Silver True | ||
| Silver Charm | ||
| Poker | ||
| Bonnie's Poker | ||
| What a Surprise |
Triple Crown Near-Miss Profile: ALYSHEBA
Owner: Dorothy and Pam Scharbauer
Trainer: Jack C. Van Berg
Breeder: Preston Madden
Jockey: Chris McCarron
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown near-miss)
Age 3
4th Belmont Stakes (gr. I)
1st Preakness Stakes (gr. I)
1st Kentucky Derby (gr. I)
1st Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) (Disqualified and placed 3rd)
2nd San Felipe Handicap (gr. I)
4th Allowance
Age 2
2nd Hollywood Futurity (gr. I)
3rd Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I)
2nd Breeders' Futurity (gr. II)
2nd In Memoriam Stakes
1st Maiden Special Weight
2nd Maiden Special Weight
5th Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
Trainer: Jack C. Van Berg
Breeder: Preston Madden
Jockey: Chris McCarron
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown near-miss)
Age 3
4th Belmont Stakes (gr. I)
1st Preakness Stakes (gr. I)
1st Kentucky Derby (gr. I)
1st Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) (Disqualified and placed 3rd)
2nd San Felipe Handicap (gr. I)
4th Allowance
Age 2
2nd Hollywood Futurity (gr. I)
3rd Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I)
2nd Breeders' Futurity (gr. II)
2nd In Memoriam Stakes
1st Maiden Special Weight
2nd Maiden Special Weight
5th Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
| Raise a Native | ||
| Alydar | ||
| Sweet Tooth | ||
| Alysheba | ||
| Lt. Stevens | ||
| Bel Sheba | ||
| Belthazar |
Triple Crown Near-Miss Profile: PLEASANT COLONY
Owner: Buckland Farm
Trainer: John P. Campo
Breeder: Thomas M. Evans
Jockey: Jorge Velasquez
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown near-miss)
Age 3
3rd Belmont Stakes (gr. I)
1st Preakness Stakes (gr. I)
1st Kentucky Derby (gr. I)
1st Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. I)
5th Florida Derby (gr. I)
2nd Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. III)
Age 2
2nd Remsen Stakes (gr. I)
2nd Pilgrim Stakes
5th Maryland Nursery Stakes (Division #1)
1st Maiden Special Weight
6th Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
Trainer: John P. Campo
Breeder: Thomas M. Evans
Jockey: Jorge Velasquez
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown near-miss)
Age 3
3rd Belmont Stakes (gr. I)
1st Preakness Stakes (gr. I)
1st Kentucky Derby (gr. I)
1st Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. I)
5th Florida Derby (gr. I)
2nd Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. III)
Age 2
2nd Remsen Stakes (gr. I)
2nd Pilgrim Stakes
5th Maryland Nursery Stakes (Division #1)
1st Maiden Special Weight
6th Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
| Ribot | ||
| His Majesty | ||
| Flower Bowl | ||
| Pleasant Colony | ||
| Sunrise Flight | ||
| Sun Colony | ||
| Colonia |
Friday, June 01, 2012
Triple Crown Winner Profile: SECRETARIAT
Owner: Meadow Stable
Trainer: Lucien Laurin
Breeder: Meadow Stud, Inc.
Jockey: Ron Turcotte
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown victory)
Age 3
1st Belmont Stakes
1st Preakness Stakes
1st Kentucky Derby
3rd Wood Memorial Stakes
1st Gotham Stakes
1st Bay Shore Stakes
Age 2
1st Garden State Stakes
1st Laurel Futurity
1st Champagne Stakes (Disqualified and placed 2nd)
1st Futurity Stakes
1st Hopeful Stakes
1st Sanford Stakes
1st Allowance
1st Maiden Special Weight
4th Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
Trainer: Lucien Laurin
Breeder: Meadow Stud, Inc.
Jockey: Ron Turcotte
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown victory)
Age 3
1st Belmont Stakes
1st Preakness Stakes
1st Kentucky Derby
3rd Wood Memorial Stakes
1st Gotham Stakes
1st Bay Shore Stakes
Age 2
1st Garden State Stakes
1st Laurel Futurity
1st Champagne Stakes (Disqualified and placed 2nd)
1st Futurity Stakes
1st Hopeful Stakes
1st Sanford Stakes
1st Allowance
1st Maiden Special Weight
4th Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
| Nasrullah | ||
| Bold Ruler | ||
| Miss Disco | ||
| Secretariat | ||
| Princequillo | ||
| Somethingroyal | ||
| Imperatrice |
Triple Crown Winner Profile: ASSAULT
Owner: King Ranch
Trainer: Max Hirsch
Breeder: King Ranch
Jockey: Warren Mehrtens
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown victory)
Age 3
1st Belmont Stakes
1st Preakness Stakes
1st Kentucky Derby
4th Derby Trial Stakes
1st Experimental Free Handicap
Age 2
2nd Allowance
4th Cowdin Stakes
3rd Babylon Handicap
1st Flash Stakes
5th East View Stakes
1st Allowance
2nd Maiden Special Weight
5th Maiden Special Weight
12th Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
Trainer: Max Hirsch
Breeder: King Ranch
Jockey: Warren Mehrtens
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown victory)
Age 3
1st Belmont Stakes
1st Preakness Stakes
1st Kentucky Derby
4th Derby Trial Stakes
1st Experimental Free Handicap
Age 2
2nd Allowance
4th Cowdin Stakes
3rd Babylon Handicap
1st Flash Stakes
5th East View Stakes
1st Allowance
2nd Maiden Special Weight
5th Maiden Special Weight
12th Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
| St. Germans | ||
| Bold Venture | ||
| Possible | ||
| Assault | ||
| Equipoise | ||
| Igual | ||
| Incandescent |
Triple Crown Winner Profile: COUNT FLEET
Owner: Mrs. John D. Hertz
Trainer: G. D. Cameron
Breeder: Mrs. John D. Hertz
Jockey: John Longden
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown victory)
Age 3
1st Belmont Stakes
1st Withers Stakes
1st Preakness Stakes
1st Kentucky Derby
1st Wood Memorial Stakes
1st Allowance
Age 2
1st Walden Stakes
1st Pimlico Futurity
1st Allowance
1st Chapmpagne Stakes
3rd Futurity Stakes
1st Allowance
1st Allowance
2nd Washington Park Futurity
1st Allowance
1st Wakefield Stakes
2nd East View Stakes
1st Allowance
1st Maiden Special Weight
2nd Maiden Special Weight
2nd Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
Trainer: G. D. Cameron
Breeder: Mrs. John D. Hertz
Jockey: John Longden
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown victory)
Age 3
1st Belmont Stakes
1st Withers Stakes
1st Preakness Stakes
1st Kentucky Derby
1st Wood Memorial Stakes
1st Allowance
Age 2
1st Walden Stakes
1st Pimlico Futurity
1st Allowance
1st Chapmpagne Stakes
3rd Futurity Stakes
1st Allowance
1st Allowance
2nd Washington Park Futurity
1st Allowance
1st Wakefield Stakes
2nd East View Stakes
1st Allowance
1st Maiden Special Weight
2nd Maiden Special Weight
2nd Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
| Sunreigh | ||
| Reigh Count | ||
| Contessina | ||
| Count Fleet | ||
| Haste | ||
| Quickly | ||
| Stephanie |
Triple Crown Winner Profile: WHIRLAWAY
Owner: Calumet Farm
Trainer: Ben Jones
Breeder: Calument Farm
Jockey: Eddie Arcaro
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown victory)
Age 3
1st Belmont Stakes
1st Allowance
1st Preakness Stakes
1st Kentucky Derby
2nd Derby Trial Stakes
2nd Blue Grass Stakes
1st Handicap
1st Allowance
3rd Allowance
3rd Allowance
1st Allowance
Age 2
1st Walden Stakes
3rd Pimlico Futurity
1st Breeders' Futurity
1st Allowance
3rd Futurity Stakes
5th Allowance
1st Hopeful Stakes
2nd Grand Union Hotel Stakes
1st Saratoga Special Stakes
2nd U.S. Hotel Stakes
3rd Arlington Futurity
4th Allowance
4th Hyde Park Stakes
1st Allowance
3rd Allowance
1st Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
Trainer: Ben Jones
Breeder: Calument Farm
Jockey: Eddie Arcaro
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown victory)
Age 3
1st Belmont Stakes
1st Allowance
1st Preakness Stakes
1st Kentucky Derby
2nd Derby Trial Stakes
2nd Blue Grass Stakes
1st Handicap
1st Allowance
3rd Allowance
3rd Allowance
1st Allowance
Age 2
1st Walden Stakes
3rd Pimlico Futurity
1st Breeders' Futurity
1st Allowance
3rd Futurity Stakes
5th Allowance
1st Hopeful Stakes
2nd Grand Union Hotel Stakes
1st Saratoga Special Stakes
2nd U.S. Hotel Stakes
3rd Arlington Futurity
4th Allowance
4th Hyde Park Stakes
1st Allowance
3rd Allowance
1st Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
| Blandford | ||
| Blenheim II | ||
| Malva | ||
| Whirlaway | ||
| Sweep | ||
| Dustwhirl | ||
| Ormonda |
Triple Crown Winner Profile: WAR ADMIRAL
Owner: Glen Riddle Farm
Trainer: George Conway
Breeder: Samuel D. Riddle
Jockey: Charles Kurtsinger
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown victory)
Age 3
1st Belmont Stakes
1st Preakness Stakes
1st Kentucky Derby
1st Chesapeake Stakes
1st Allowance
Age 2
2nd Richard Johnson Handicap
1st Eastern Shore Handicap
2nd Great American Stakes
3rd National Stallion Stakes
1st Allowance
1st Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
Trainer: George Conway
Breeder: Samuel D. Riddle
Jockey: Charles Kurtsinger
RACE RECORD (Through Triple Crown victory)
Age 3
1st Belmont Stakes
1st Preakness Stakes
1st Kentucky Derby
1st Chesapeake Stakes
1st Allowance
Age 2
2nd Richard Johnson Handicap
1st Eastern Shore Handicap
2nd Great American Stakes
3rd National Stallion Stakes
1st Allowance
1st Maiden Special Weight
PEDIGREE
| Fair Play | ||
| Man o' War | ||
| Mahubah | ||
| War Admiral | ||
| Sweep | ||
| Brushup | ||
| Annette K. |
Saturday, May 19, 2012
I'LL HAVE ANOTHER WINS THE PREAKNESS STAKES!
Let the Triple Crown talk begin!
I'll Have Another, winner of the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) two weeks ago, successfully claimed the second leg of racing's elusive Triple Crown when he wore down Bodemeister in deep stretch to win the $1,000,000 Preakness Stakes (gr. I) by a neck.
Under a brilliant ride from Mario Gutierrez, I'll Have Another got off to an excellent start in the 1 3/16th miles race before settling into the fourth position early on, a couple of lengths behind pace-setting Bodemeister. Creative Cause was a length behind in second, followed by Pretension down along the rail. Went the Day Well was close to the pace in fifth, followed by Teeth of the Dog, Tiger Walk, Cozzetti, Zetterholm, Optimizer, and Daddy Nose Best.
Through moderate fractions of :23.79 and :47.68, Bodemeister continued to show the way. Coming off of a runner-up effort in the Kentucky Derby, in which he had set a blazing pace of :22.32 and :45.39, Bodemeister's chances of winning the Preakness appeared to be going much better than in Louisville.
Rounding the far turn, Creative Cause made his bid for the lead, but was quickly turned back as Bodemeister burst clear of the field to open up a 2 1/2 length lead. He seemed to have plenty left in the tank, and it was looking as though he would accomplish what he had failed to do in the Derby.
But on the far outside, a brilliant chestnut colt was beginning a rally that would not be denied. With Gutierrez urging his colt on as hard as he could, I'll Have Another surged into contention on the far outside and began to cut into Bodemeister's lead. The front-runner was game, and even passing the sixteenth pole, it appeared as though he would avenge his Derby loss. But I'll Have Another proved simply too good, getting up in deep stretch to win by a neck while stopping the clock in 1:55.94.
Creative Cause finished third, nine lengths further back. Zetterholm and Teeth of the Dog rounded out the top five, while Optimizer, Cozzetti, Tiger Walk, Daddy Nose Best, Went the Day Well, and Pretension trailed the field.
The winner is owned by Reddam Racing and trained by Doug O'Neill. The colt has now won all four of his races this year, which aside from the Derby and Preakness includes the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) and Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II).
-Keelerman
I'll Have Another, winner of the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) two weeks ago, successfully claimed the second leg of racing's elusive Triple Crown when he wore down Bodemeister in deep stretch to win the $1,000,000 Preakness Stakes (gr. I) by a neck.
Under a brilliant ride from Mario Gutierrez, I'll Have Another got off to an excellent start in the 1 3/16th miles race before settling into the fourth position early on, a couple of lengths behind pace-setting Bodemeister. Creative Cause was a length behind in second, followed by Pretension down along the rail. Went the Day Well was close to the pace in fifth, followed by Teeth of the Dog, Tiger Walk, Cozzetti, Zetterholm, Optimizer, and Daddy Nose Best.
Through moderate fractions of :23.79 and :47.68, Bodemeister continued to show the way. Coming off of a runner-up effort in the Kentucky Derby, in which he had set a blazing pace of :22.32 and :45.39, Bodemeister's chances of winning the Preakness appeared to be going much better than in Louisville.
Rounding the far turn, Creative Cause made his bid for the lead, but was quickly turned back as Bodemeister burst clear of the field to open up a 2 1/2 length lead. He seemed to have plenty left in the tank, and it was looking as though he would accomplish what he had failed to do in the Derby.
But on the far outside, a brilliant chestnut colt was beginning a rally that would not be denied. With Gutierrez urging his colt on as hard as he could, I'll Have Another surged into contention on the far outside and began to cut into Bodemeister's lead. The front-runner was game, and even passing the sixteenth pole, it appeared as though he would avenge his Derby loss. But I'll Have Another proved simply too good, getting up in deep stretch to win by a neck while stopping the clock in 1:55.94.
Creative Cause finished third, nine lengths further back. Zetterholm and Teeth of the Dog rounded out the top five, while Optimizer, Cozzetti, Tiger Walk, Daddy Nose Best, Went the Day Well, and Pretension trailed the field.
The winner is owned by Reddam Racing and trained by Doug O'Neill. The colt has now won all four of his races this year, which aside from the Derby and Preakness includes the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) and Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II).
-Keelerman
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