Best Horses Not to Win a Championship Series: Tiller

Best Horses Not to Win a Championship Series
Number 4: Tiller

Joseph Di Rienzi

This is the next installment of the occasional series that features those somewhat forgotten thoroughbreds who did not win any championship but ran exceptionally well and under different circumstances might have garnered awards. Here, we highlight the career of the gelding Tiller who raced very successfully, primarily on grass, against some of the best horses of the late 1970’s.

Tiller with Angel Cordero Jr. aboard
(Vic Stein and Associates photo)

Foaled at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky and, although owned jointly by Claiborne and William Haggin Perry, Tiller raced in the latter’s colors. Born in 1974, the chestnut son of the prominent French imported stallion Herbager from the mare Chappaquiddick was always meant to be a long distance runner. Under the tutelage of trainer David Whiteley, Tiller did not begin racing until 1977. By the end of his sophomore year, he was able to compete in stakes competition, resulting in fourth place finishes in the Lawrence Realization and Man o’ War Stakes. In the latter race, Tiller finished behind two other runners in my “Best Horses Not to Win a Championship Series”, namely the winner Majestic Light and the second place finisher, Exceller.

As a four-year-old in 1978, Tiller emerged as a prominent grass performer. Starting with a Florida winter campaign that netted a victory in an allowance race and a third place finish in the Hialeah Turf Cup, Tiller came to New York in the spring and commenced a six race winning streak. Included in this skein were victories in the Fort Marcy, Edgemere, Bowling Green (setting a new Belmont Park turf course record for 11 furlongs) and Tidal Handicaps. Facing the top turf horses in the fall, Tiller finished third in the Manhattan Handicap and second in both the Man o’ War and Turf Classic Stakes (each time to the outstanding French imported filly Waya). In his final start of 1978 in the 1½ mile Washington D. C. International, Tiller just missed by a head of defeating the year’s male turf champion Mac Diarmida (whom he had finished in front in the Man o’ War Stakes) with Waya 3 lengths further back in third.

It was in the first half of 1979 that Tiller reached the zenith of his success, and racing against the best horses of his time, he more than held his own. Spending the winter at Santa Anita Park, where David Whiteley had shipped his trainees, William Haggin Perry’s color bearer started the year (on January 1^st) with a third place finish to Fluorescent Light in the San Gabriel Handicap. When rains forced Tiller’s next start, the San Marcos Handicap, off the turf, David Whiteley found that the son of Herbager could handle the Santa Anita dirt course, winning and setting a new track record for 1¼ mile under top weight of 126 lb. Remaining on the dirt, Tiller next added the San Antonio Stakes to his list of achievements rallying from off the pace to finish 3½ lengths in front of Painted Wagon.

In the climatic Santa Anita Handicap, Tiller faced two future Racing Hall of Fame inductees in Affirmed and Exceller.  Affirmed, the Triple Crown winner of 1978 who had recently regained winning form, was weighted at 128 lb. for the Big Cap with Tiller and Exceller (who had defeated both Affirmed and the 1977 Triple Crown hero, Seattle Slew, in last year’s Jockey Club Gold Cup) weighted both 1 lb. less. As Tiller and Exceller were committed closers, Affirmed used his natural speed to advantage sitting right off the pace of Painted Wagon until the stretch and cruising to a 4½ length victory margin, eclipsing Tiller’s recent 1¼ mile track record. Tiller closing ground, finished second 3 lengths ahead of the dead-heated Painted Wagon and Exceller.

In the marathon turf races during the Santa Anita winter meet, the veteran campaigner Noble Dancer flew in from Florida to win the San Luis Rey Stakes for the second consecutive year. In the 1½ mile rain soaked course, the English bred resisted Tiller’s closing kick by 2½ lengths with New Zealander Good Lord, third 4 lengths further behind. Exceller, who was not able to handle the soft turf, finished sixth. In a vintage renewal of the San Juan Capistrano Handicap (run at a distance of almost 1¾ miles) in April, three top grass horses, Noble Dancer (under 128 lb.), Exceller (127 lb.) and Tiller (126 lb.) along with eight others entered the starting gate. After long time pacesetter Good Lord faded in the homestretch, Exceller burst through the inside for a clear lead and an apparent victory. However, Tiller coming with a tremendous surge, went right past Exceller to win by ¾ of a length. Noble Dancer, finished third an identical margin further back, and Good Lord was in fourth place. If it were the not for the re-emergence of Affirmed, Tiller with three stakes wins and three stakes placings would have been the horse of the Santa Anita meeting on both turf and dirt.

At this point, Tiller was clearly the leader in the quest to be voted male champion turf horse. However, his connections kept trying him on dirt. Shipped east, Tiller was entered in the Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park in late May but was scratched due to a minor injury. After an allowance win in June, Tiller ran in the traditional July 4 edition of the Suburban Handicap with Calumet Farm’s Alydar (Number 1 on my “Best Horses to Not Win a Championship Series”) (at 126 lb.) favored over Tiller (also at 126 lb.), and Metropolitan Handicap victor State Dinner (118 lb.). Under a hard drive, State Dinner pulled away to win by a ½ length over pacesetting Mister Brea who was second ¾ of a length ahead of Alydar. Tiller, unable to close off the slow pace was fifth and last but beaten only 3 lengths. Persisting on dirt, Tiller ran next in the Brooklyn Handicap, the thinking being he would prove superior at the 1½ mile distance. Alas, he produced only a mild closing punch in finishing fourth to The Liberal Member.

A return to turf failed to find success as Tiller finished third in the Brighton Beach Handicap and second to Fluorescent Light in the Manhattan Handicap, both at Belmont Park. Subsequently, he developed a suspensory leg injury that ended his five-year-old campaign.

Tiller, now six years old, had (for him) an abbreviated campaign in 1980. Not resuming racing until late May, the son of Herbager raced twice without success in allowance races on dirt. Tiller did not regain his best form until turned back to turf winning at Belmont Park the 11 furlong Tidal Handicap. In his next start, the 1½ mile Sword Dancer Stakes, Tiller would face, at equal weights, a burgeoning legend in John Henry who had swept all the major grass races on the West Coast in the first half of the year. Also entered was Sten who had narrowly defeated John Henry (while getting a sizable weight allowance) in the Bowling Green Handicap, and one other horse - Marquee Universal. In a splendid renewal of the Sword Dancer, John Henry, pressing Marquee Universal’s pace, took the lead around the far turn as Sten and Tiller made their respective challenges. The bulldog John Henry repulsed Sten but was worn down grudgingly by Tiller’s relentless drive.  At the finish, Tiller’s winning margin was 1¼ lengths with John Henry, 2 lengths in front of Sten. The final time was just 2/5 of a second off Secretariat’s course record.

The next meeting of these two stellar grass horses was in the 1¼ mile Brighton Beach Handicap in September at Belmont Park. In the interim, Tiller had finished third in the 9 furlong Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga Racetrack. In the Brighton Beach, Tiller was top weighted at 126 lb. in which John Henry carried 1 lb. less. At the finish John Henry defeated Premier Ministre by a neck. However, the real story of the race was that Tiller fractured his hip during the running, just as he was making his characteristic charge around the far turn to reach the leaders. Despite hemorrhaging from the injury, Tiller was, fortunately, able to be saved. However, his racing career was over.

In total, Tiller raced 40 times with 16 victories and 13 other second or third place finishers. He competed at a high level for almost four years, raced against Affirmed and Alydar and finished in front of such stalwarts as John Henry, Exceller, and Waya. For all these reasons, Tiller deserves to be recognized as an unsung hero of the American turf.

Best Horses Not to Win a Championship Series: Majestic Light

Best Horses Not to Win a Championship Series
Number 5: Majestic Light

Joseph Di Rienzi

This is the next installment of the occasional series that features those somewhat forgotten thoroughbreds who did not win any championship but ran exceptionally well and under different circumstances might have garnered awards. This issue discusses Majestic Light, a horse who was campaigned on both dirt and grass surfaces and despite showing top class ability on both, ironically failed to gain a championship for either.

Ogden Mills Phipps’ Majestic Light did not really exhibit his best form until the summer of his three-year-old year. Foaled in 1973, the bay son of double classic winner Majestic Prince from the Ribot mare Irradiate was trained by English born John Russell. It took 15 starts until Majestic Light won his first stakes race, that being the Cavalcade Handicap on grass at Garden State Park in May 1976. After finishing a decent fourth in the Belmont Stakes, John Russell, concluded Majestic Light could compete in top company. He shipped to Hollywood Park to run on the dirt in the 1¼ mile Swaps Stakes where he faced Crystal Water, the best sophomore on the West Coast. Sent off in the Swaps at over 20-1 odds and under 114 lb., Majestic Light made a striking move around the turn to rush past Crystal Water (carrying 123 lb.) to win by 3½ lengths in an outstanding final time.

Traveling next to Chicago and returning to grass for the 9 furlong American Derby, Majestic Light could not overcome a slow pace and finished second by 1½ lengths to Fifth Marine. Making a return trip to California for the 9 furlong Cinema Handicap, Majestic Light found the turf at Hollywood Park just as amenable as the dirt in rallying from off the pace to defeat L’Heureux by a length, with Bynoderm third, by 3½ lengths, and Santa Anita Derby winner An Act finishing last after setting the early pace. The year’s capstone performance for Majestic Light was in the Monmouth Invitational Handicap at 9 furlongs. Favored and top weight at 126 lb. was the previous year’s two-year-old champion, Honest Pleasure. Carrying 122 lb., Majestic Light under regular rider Sandy Hawley, sat off the pace and then made his characteristic charge around the Monmouth Park far turn. He swept by all, including early leader Honest Pleasure to win by 6 lengths in eclipsing the previous track record by 1 full second in one of the most impressive displays by a three-year-old in 1976. Appassionato gained second by a nose over Honest Pleasure with Zen fourth, another ½ length back.

The Travers Stakes at Saratoga Racetrack shaped up a rematch of the Monmouth Invitational with Majestic Light vs. Honest Pleasure, this time at equal weights. However, this race bore little resemblance to the previous contest. Honest Pleasure, returning to his best form, set good fractions and just dominated the race winning by 4 lengths in new track record time. Romeo was second, 1½ lengths ahead of Dance Spell. Majestic Light, who was favored, finished seventh and suffered an injury in the race that would force him to miss the remainder of the year.  

Majestic Light had his return to races in 1977 delayed by an infectious reaction to a vaccination shot. Unplaced in June in a sprint allowance race on dirt in his first start, Majestic Light then finished second to old rival Fifth Marine in a turf allowance at Belmont Park later that month. The two racehorses traveled to Chicago to contest the Washington Park Handicap on grass at Arlington Park. The result of the allowance race was inverted as Majestic Light defeated Fifth Marine by 1½ lengths. Majestic Light then traveled to Saratoga, where under top weight of 126 lb. the racy looking son of Majestic Prince was a very impressive winner of the 9 furlong Bernard Baruch Handicap by 3 lengths in near turf course record time.

Shifting back to dirt, Majestic Light ran next at Monmouth Park in the 1¼ mile Amory L. Haskell Handicap. This was a return to the scene in 1976 where he defeated, among others, Honest Pleasure by open lengths in the Monmouth Invitational in track record time. Adding more déjà vu to the race that among the Haskell entries was none other than Honest Pleasure. Since his win in the Ben Ali Handicap in April at Keeneland Racetrack, he raced just once, a second place finish in an allowance race at Saratoga. Despite Honest Pleasure’s presence, Majestic Light, high weighted at 124 lb., was the pronounced favorite. In a devastating performance (see photo above), the Phipps color bearer put in a sensational surge from fourth to gain command at the top of stretch and went on to win by 8 lengths equaling the track record set by Carry Back in 1962. Finishing second was Capital Idea with Peppy Addy another 4½ lengths back in third place. Honest Pleasure, in what would be his final start, set the early pace, but he had no response at the ½ mile pole, finishing sixth and last. At this point, Majestic Light seemed a contender for the older male and/or grass championship. Part of the problem was his connections could not decide which course (literally) to take. Another factor was the colt’s known dislike for wet or soft conditions.

As luck (all bad) would have it, the weather in the East for the fall of 1977 was uncommonly wet. Majestic Light’s connections were eager to challenge the mighty Forego in the Woodward Stakes at Belmont Park, but after the dirt surface was rendered sloppy by heavy rains, they reluctantly scratched him. Committed now to contend for grass champion, Majestic Light competed in a series of races throughout the rest of the year. The first was the 1½ mile Man o’War Stakes at Belmont Park. Majestic Light was coming off a fourth place finish in a division of the Manhattan Handicap that had been rained off the turf and run on the dirt course. Also, in the Man o’War field was sophomore Johnny D., who was recently third in the similarly shifted Lawrence Realization Stakes. The favored entry was Nelson Bunker Hunt’s Exceller and Diode. Exceller was making his first start in the U. S. after notable successes in France and England. On a “good” race turf course, Majestic Light demonstrated the brilliance he was capable of by sweeping by both Exceller and Johnny D. to win by 4½ lengths. Exceller who had to check briefly entering the stretch gained second by a nose over Johnny D. Finishing fourth was William Haggin Perry’s Tiller (another horse in this series of unsung non-champions), ¾ of a length behind Johnny D. Rather than rest on his laurels, Majestic Light traveled to Toronto for the Canadian International Championship Stakes to face again Exceller and Johnny D. at 13 furlongs on a very soft turf course. This time it was Exceller who would make the final rally and overtake Majestic Light to win by a hard fought length. Finishing third again, 3½ lengths behind, was Johnny D.

The Washington D. C. International was the next race to bring this trio together and again a rain soaked turf course awaited them at Laurel Racetrack. Teenage jockey sensation Steve Cauthen on Johnny D. put his gelding near the lead as the pace was lethargic, and when called upon, he drew out to a lengthy lead as the field approached the stretch. Majestic Light closed some ground, but at the end, he was 2½ lengths away from the winner. Fourteen lengths later came Exceller who failed to accelerate under the turf conditions. In the beaten field were Vigors (in seventh place) and Great Contractor (eighth and last).

The final race in this informal series was the inaugural 1½ mile Turf Classic Invitational at Aqueduct. Again, running on a soft turf course which may have affected the outcome, Johnny D. fought off an early challenge by Exceller and a later bid by Majestic Light to draw out to a 3¾ length win over Majestic Light with English classic winner Crow third, ¾ of a length back in third. Vigors was fourth and Exceller was a spent seventh. This result was enough to give Johnny D. the Eclipse Award for Male Turf Horse, although looking back over the years, I really believe Majestic Light was the best of this strong group in 1977. If the turf was less soggy, he would, in my opinion, have won at least one of these last three races.

The future of these three horses was very divergent. Johnny D., although gelded, never raced again due to injuries. Majestic Light was retired to Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky to be an influential sire (see below). Exceller was shipped to California, turned over to trainer Charlie Whittingham and had a tremendous campaign in 1978. He would do something that no horse had or to this date has ever accomplished, namely defeat two Triple Crown winners in the same race. (For his achievements, Exceller is ranked Number 2 on my “Best Horses Not to Win a Championship Series”.)

Majestic Light’s career records shows 11 wins, 5 seconds and 5 thirds in 31 starts. At stud, he sired a number of major winners including Lite Light, French champion Lacovia, Solar Splendor, Wavering Monarch, Prince True, Simply Majestic, and Hidden Light. Wavering Monarch was particularly important because through him came two-year-old champion Maria’s Mon who was responsible for Kentucky Derby winners Monarchos and Super Saver. The last named is responsible for siring champion sprinter and young stallion prospect Runhappy.