TJT's blog: The "Big Three" and the 50th Big Cap

The “Big Three”
and
the 50^th Big Cap (1987)

Joseph Di Rienzi

8 March 2017
jdirienzi@ndm.edu

The 80^th renewal of the Santa Anita Handicap will be run on Saturday, March 11, 2017. In its storied history there have been many great horses such as Affirmed, Spectacular Bid and John Henry that have won this 1¼ mile race. I would like to take the opportunity to recall the 50^th running of what is affectionately called “The Big Cap” in which three four year-olds capped a series of memorable races during the 1987 Santa Anita winter meeting.

The older thoroughbred male division on dirt held great promise in 1987 as the three year-old leaders from the previous year stayed in training. Both Mrs. Howard Keck’s Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand and Preakness Stakes victor and three year-old champion of 1986, Carl Grinstead and Ben Rochelle’s Snow Chief, jump started the year in late 1986 with a 1-2 finish, respectively, in the Malibu Stakes. They would be soon joined in California by Robert Meyerhoff’s redoubtable Maryland bred Broad Brush.

The first major race for four year-olds was the 9 furlong San Fernando Stakes, and it brought together Ferdinand, Snow Chief and Broad Brush for their initial 1987 starts. However, it was Variety Road at 24-1, regaining his good early three year-old form of last year, that bested Broad Brush by a neck with Snow Chief, 2¾ lengths back in third and Ferdinand another 3½ lengths behind in fourth place. Excuses for the favorites included, jockey Angel Cordero claiming Broad Brush pulled himself up after gaining the lead in the stretch, Pat Valenzuela saying Snow Chief’s stumbled start and cut leg compromised his chances, and Bill Shoemaker blaming the slow early pace on nullifying Ferdinand’s closing kick.

All the principals returned for the 1¼ mile Charles H. Strub Stakes, and it was a dream race. Broad Brush, Ferdinand (under substitute jockey Eddie Delahoussaye), and Snow Chief, all sauntered as a team to the front. Once down the backstretch, Valenzuela, let the seal brown son of Reflected Glory go and he established a clear lead over Broad Brush and Ferdinand (closer to the pace than usual). Around the far turn, both Broad Brush and Ferdinand made a coupled challenge, and at the top of the stretch all three fanned out for the final drive. Snow Chief who had set moderate fractions was able to kick clear of his two pursuers. Ferdinand, who needed to be held back until the last moment, mounted a strong challenge in deep stretch to miss by a scant nose, as both he and Snow Chief bumped just before the wire. Broad Brush, crowded slightly in mid-stretch, retreated to third place, 4½ lengths behind the top pair. The rest of the field made no impression during the running of the race with Variety Road taking fourth position, 7 lengths behind Broad Brush.

If the Strub Stakes was exciting, the 50^th edition of the Santa Anita Handicap was an epic, one of the best in its storied history. The weight assignments were as follows: Snow Chief (126 lb.), Ferdinand (125 lb.), Broad Brush (122 lb.), San Antonio Handicap winner, Bedside Promise (121 lb.), Nostalgia’s Star (118 lb.), the consistent Hopeful Word (118 lb.), Bruiser (113 lb.), and Bozina (110 lb.). A key entry was Howard B. Keck’s Epidaurus (115 lb.), the San Pasqual Handicap winner, who would serve as a pacemaker for Ferdinand.

As expected, Snow Chief was prominent early, but Epidaurus was sent to contest the pace preventing last year’s three year-old champion from having it all his way on the lead. Bedside Promise was tracking in third with Ferdinand a few lengths back in fifth place, and Broad Brush much farther behind than usual. Down the backstretch, Ferdinand, seemingly on his own, made a bold move and along with Bedside Promise, went up to the challenge the leaders. As the field went around the far turn there were four horses abreast. Epidaurus was the first to retreat, his job accomplished, and then Snow Chief and Bedside Promise gave way under pressure. Broad Brush who had been making a concerted drive after the leaders drove up on the outside. Ferdinand, in an uncomfortable position as the leader at the top of the stretch, was roused by Bill Shoemaker to hold off the surge of Broad Brush under the powerful whipping of Angel Cordero. These two colts, who had a history of antics in the stretch, were on their best behavior as they fought nose and nose down the stretch. The finish was literally too close to call and only the photo revealed Broad Brush’s nostril slightly ahead of Ferdinand’s. Hopeful Word was 6½ lengths back in third place, with Nostalgia’s Star fourth and Snow Chief a tired fifth. What a great victory for the Maryland bred son of 1971 Big Cap winner Ack Ack and his Maryland connections, Robert E. Meyerhoff (owner) and Dickie Small (trainer).

After the Big Cap, the three star four year-olds went their separate ways. Snow Chief went on the road to Florida and then to Arkansas. Broad Brush returned to his Maryland base to point for East Coast races. Ferdinand was tried on grass as was the norm for Charlie Whittingham’s runners.

In his travels, Snow Chief had mixed success, finishing third in the Gulfstream Park Handicap and rebounding to win the Oaklawn Handicap, setting a new 9 furlong track record in the process. Broad Brush celebrated a home coming in Maryland with a facile 5 length win in the 1¼ mile John B. Campbell Handicap carrying top weight of 124 lb. Broad Brush also added a track record to his resume with a deceptively easy 1 length victory in the Trenton Handicap at Garden State Park carrying 126 lb. for the 1¼ mile distance. Ferdinand was twice unsuccessful on grass, finishing fourth in the 1½ mile San Luis Rey Stakes and third in the 9 furlong John Henry Handicap (formerly the Century Handicap) at Hollywood Park. After this defeat, the son of Nijinsky (Can) would only race on dirt the remainder of his career.

The Californian Stakes at Hollywood Park was the next venue for the ninth meeting between Snow Chief and Ferdinand. Olin B. Gentry’s Judge Angelucci, had won the San Bernardino Handicap and was entered by trainer Charlie Whittingham, presumably as a pacemaker for Ferdinand. However, when Snow Chief did not contest the lead, Judge Angelucci, getting 8 lb. from both Snow Chief and Ferdinand, who were both weighted at 126 lb., set a moderate pace and held on to win by 1 length over Iron Eyes with Snow Chief a nose back in third. Ferdinand, who was losing his sixth straight race, stumbled at the start and had no real closing kick at the end, finishing fourth, another 2¾ lengths further behind.

Prospects for another Snow Chief-Ferdinand matchup in the Hollywood Gold Cup never materialized as Snow Chief came out of the Californian with an injured tendon that prompted his retirement. In his absence, Ferdinand was top weighted at 124 lb. with Judge Angelucci (118 lb.), 1985 two year-old champion, Tasso (115 lb.), and eight other entries. Bill Shoemaker who admitted that Ferdinand was one of the most difficult horses he had ridden because of his tendency not to give his best, which included pulling himself up when he gained the lead, made sure that Ferdinand did not take command till very late in the Gold Cup. Judge Angelucci was at the front when Ferdinand ranged alongside around the stretch turn. As the field straightened out in the stretch, Shoemaker held Ferdinand in check as he raced head and head with Judge Angelucci. Once Shoemaker sensed Tasso making a rally late in the stretch, he urged the strikingly handsome chestnut forward, and Ferdinand obliged, drawing out to a comfortable 1¼ length margin. Judge Angelucci and Tasso dead-heated for second.

On the East Coast, Broad Brush followed his third place finish to three year-old Gulch in the Metropolitan Handicap with a journey to New England to run in the 9 furlong Massachusetts Handicap at Suffolk Downs. Carrying 126 lb., the son of Ack Ack was facing, among others, the locally owned Waquoit (117 lb.). The beautiful gray son of Relaunch ridden by Massachusetts hero Chris McCarron, dueled with Angel Cordero on Broad Brush to win by a nose. Waquoit, who was a high percentage winner throughout his career, would prove to be a potent force in the older horse division the next two years.

Broad Brush re-found the winner’s circle in the Suburban Handicap with a hard fought neck win under 126 lb. Another horse that was a rider’s challenge, Broad Brush found himself on the lead too soon and Angel Cordero had to vigorously encourage him to stay in front. Weighted at 127 lb. for the Whitney Handicap, Broad Brush found two light weighted three year-olds too good, as he finished third to Java Gold (113 lb.) and Gulch (116 lb.), beaten a total of 3 lengths. Suffering an injury in the Whitney that never healed properly, Broad Brush was retired to a very successful stud career.

While races in the Eastern part of the country were taking place, Ferdinand was quietly burnishing his championship credentials. In his first start after his victory in the Hollywood Gold Cup, the son of Nijinsky raced at Del Mar in the 9 furlong Cabrillo Handicap and faced two rivals, Super Diamond and Nostalgia’s Star. Ferdinand under 126 lb., showing good tracking speed and an atypical eagerness, caught Super Diamond along the backstretch and pulled away to an impressive 2 length victory. Super Diamond was able to hold second by a ½ length to Nostalgia’s Star. In the Goodwood Handicap, also at 9 furlongs during the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita, Ferdinand carried 127 lb. and faced Candi’s Gold (117 lb.) and last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Skywalker (123 lb.) in the five horse field. Skywalker, who had stood the season at stud, was making an effort for a defense of his Classic win, came into the Goodwood off an allowance victory. Skywalker was favored, but he was no match for Ferdinand who made his characteristic move from last to take the lead without much effort. At the finish, Ferdinand, was a confident length in front of Candi’s Gold who was ¾ of a length in front of pacesetting Skywalker. Whittingham, in a display of bravado, claimed Ferdinand was the best horse in the country and “all I have to is keep him breathing” to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

The Classic was, to employ an overused expression, a thriller. Candi’s Gold and Judge Angelucci went for the lead and set a steady pace. Ferdinand began in mid-pack, but raced into contention along the backstretch. Dorothy and Pamela Scharbauer’s Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, Alysheba was initially placed far back and made a bold move on the outside as the field headed around the far turn. Ferdinand under Bill Shoemaker had cruised up alongside the battling leaders, Judge Angelucci and Candi’s Gold, at the top of the stretch. Knowing his mount’s habit of pulling himself up once he gains the lead, Shoemaker was waiting to the last moment to urge Ferdinand forward. However, when he saw Alysheba coming resolutely to his right, Shoemaker called on Ferdinand who surged forward to gain a clear advantage. However, in the shadows of the finishing line Alysheba closed dramatically to just miss by a nose. The unforgettable memory is race caller Tom Durkin’s pronouncement, “The two Derby winners hit the wire together.” Third, 1¼ lengths behind was a very game Judge Angelucci with Candi’s Gold another 1½ lengths back in fourth place. (Skywalker in his attempt to win the Classic again finished twelfth and last.) With this victory, graciously accepted by owner Elizabeth Keck, Ferdinand, despite having lost his first 6 races of the year, was voted the Eclipse Award both for Older Male Horse on Dirt and Horse of the Year.

This ended the four year-old seasons of the trio, Ferdinand, Snow Chief and Broad Brush who blazed most brightly in the winter of 1987, culminating in an unforgettable Big Cap.