The People's Horses: Part II, Funny Cide

The People’s Horses, part II
Funny Cide

Joseph Di Rienzi

May 12, 2020

This is the second of a series that highlights the racing careers of horses who rose from modest backgrounds to startling success and, in doing so, captured the imagination of racing fans. In part I, I looked at Carry Back who raced in the 1960s. Here, and in subsequent parts, horses who raced in the 21^st century will be discussed.

The story of Funny Cide has a great deal to do with place and timing. He was bred in Kentucky at WinStar Farm. His sire, Distorted Humor, was in his first year of stud. Funny Cide’s dam, Belle’s Good Cide was the property of Anne and Joe McMahon. The McMahons wanted the result of this mating to take advantage of the subsidized program in New York for state breds, thus, Funny Cide was born in 2000 at the their farm in Saratoga Springs, NY.  Consigned to the Saratoga New York bred yearling sale in 2001, the tallish chestnut was purchased for $22,000 by Tony Everard who was looking for horses he could sell the following year as two-year-olds. After noting that his purchase was a ridgling with one undescended testicle, Everard had the colt gelded.

In early 2002, veteran trainer Barclay Tagg purchased the yet to race Funny Cide privately from Everard for $75,000 for a partnership called Sackatoga Stables. The ownership group consisted of ten former high school friends from Sacket’s Harbor, a small town in upstate New York. The managing partner, Jack Knowlton, a health care professional, explained that the stable name is a combination of the friends’ hometown and the nearby Saratoga Racetrack were the group would regularly go to the races. Only competing against New York breds as a juvenile, Funny Cide was unbeaten in three outings including victories in the Bertram F. Bongard and Sleepy Hollow Stakes, all at Belmont Park. Although Funny Cide was accorded 2002 Champion New York Bred Male Two-Year-Old, Barclay Tagg was already thinking beyond the state borders for his lean but racy looking gelding.   

Sent to Florida for a possible Triple Crown campaign in 2003, Funny Cide made his three-year-old debut in the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park and finished fifth after hitting the starting gate after the break. Funny Cide’s next start was in the 8½ furlong Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds Racetrack. Setting the early pace, under regular jockey Jose Santos, Funny Cide was passed by the Bobby Frankel trained Peace Rules in the stretch but gamely closed the gap near the finish to be beaten a total of 3¼ lengths in being placed second via a disqualification.

Still uncertain if Funny Cide could compete successfully against the best sophomores, Barclay Tagg brought his gelding back to New York in April to run in the Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct where he would face another Bobby Frankel trainee in Juddmonte Farms’ Empire Maker. The regally bred son of Unbridled had just confirmed all the potential seen in him with a near 10 length victory in the Florida Derby. In the Wood, New York Hero broke fastest and took the lead around the clubhouse turn. Funny Cide was a couple of lengths behind in second with Empire Maker a tracking third. Positions were unchanged until the far turn when Funny Cide moved to the lead, followed closely by Empire Maker urged on by jockey Jerry Bailey. As they straightened for the stretch drive, Empire Maker gained the advantage, while Jose Santos was driving Funny Cide on the inside. What looked like an easy victory for Empire Maker changed shortly before the finish as Funny Cide came again, and Bailey had to re-engage Empire Maker to maintain a ½ length victory margin. Some 7½ lengths back in third was Kissin Saint. Tagg and Santos were particularly encouraged by Funny Cide’s refusal to quit and his ability to run strongly at 9 furlongs.

As the Kentucky Derby drew near, the collected wisdom was the race was Empire Maker’s to lose. However, some doubts were raised when it was reported he missed a day of training due to a bruised hoof. This setback may have factored in Empire Maker’s post time odds inflating to 5-2. Second choice was the other Frankel entry, Peace Rules, with Santa Anita Derby winner Buddy Gil the third betting favorite. Funny Cide, despite his close finish to Empire Maker in the Wood and an impressive pre-Derby workout, went off at nearly 13-1 odds.

At the start of the Derby, Brancusi rushed to the lead followed by Peace Rules, while Jose Santos on Funny Cide put his mount on the inside around the clubhouse turn in third position. Empire Maker was back in eighth place in the sixteen horse field but within striking distance of the leaders. Around the far turn, Funny Cide went up to challenge Peace Rules as Brancusi retreated. Jerry Bailey had Empire Maker under a drive as he passed horses readily around the turn and came into the stretch right up against Funny Cide who had Peace Rules to his inside. For a moment, it looked like Empire Maker would go right by the top two, but it was Funny Cide, who under strong urging from Santos, spurted clear for a daylight lead that he maintained to the finish. Both Empire Maker and Peace Rules fought on, but at the end, the former was 1¾ lengths behind the winner but a head in front of the latter. The final time was good with no obvious excuses for the two favorites.

Funny Cide winning the 2003 Kentucky Derby

(Bill Strauss Photography)

In the winner’s circle, racing fans were treated to seeing the celebration of a group of former high school friends from upstate New York living out a dream. The winning owners had even rented a school bus to take their families and friends to Louisville for their date with destiny. In winning, Funny Cide became the first New York bred and first gelding since Clyde Van Dusen in 1929 to win the Kentucky Derby. This victory helped launch Funny Cide’s sire, Distorted Humor, into the upper echelon of U. S. stallions.

The lead up to the Preakness Stakes was absorbed by two disparate news headlines. A newspaper in Miami displayed a photo of Jose Santos riding Funny Cide in the Kentucky Derby which inferred Santos may have been holding in his hand a prohibited electrical device. After an investigation by Churchill Downs officials, they concluded it was a spurious image caused by a shadow. The other news was that initially Bobby Frankel declared that both Empire Maker and Peace Rules would skip the second jewel of the Triple Crown. However, two days before the Preakness, Frankel had a partial change of heart and entered Peace Rules. Ten horses faced the Pimlico starting gate on Preakness Day. Derby winner Funny Cide ruled a slight favorite over Peace Rules, with more generous odds on the others.

If there were questions about the legitimacy of Funny Cide’s Kentucky Derby victory, his Preakness effort put them all to rest. On a track surface rated good, Peace Rules took over from Scrimshaw shortly after rounding the clubhouse turn followed by Funny Cide just about a length away. Positions were unchanged until just before the far turn when Jose Santos sent Funny Cide alongside Peace Rules. The two raced as a team until the top of the stretch when Funny Cide, responding to Santos releasing his hold, burst clear to open a commanding lead, leaving Peace Rules in his wake. At the finish, Funny Cide was 9¾ lengths in front of Midway Road who earned second, ¾ of a length in front of Scrimshaw. Peace Rules was a nose back in fourth. The final time was slow, but the racetrack was not on the fast side all afternoon.

So the incredible fantasy continued for the owners of Funny Cide who in two weeks had seen their horse become a racing hero. Funny Cide had gone from an over achieving New York bred to now once step away from racing immortality. The gelding’s unassuming trainer Barclay Tagg, who for a time was a regular on the Maryland circuit, found this notoriety jarring with his low profile approach to horsemanship. For Jose Santos, who had been accused of foul play in the Derby, this resounding Preakness triumph was sweet vindication of his integrity. 

News in the three weeks between the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes focused on the preparation of Funny Cide and Empire Maker. The dual classic winner had a very fast 5 furlong work the week of the Belmont that had observers and even Barclay Tagg questioning if that was too fast so close to a 1½ mile race. Empire Maker instead worked over the Belmont turf course to protect his tender hoof. The whole racing community had rallied behind the Funny Cide saga and longed for him to complete the Triple Crown. However, despite his resounding Preakness victory, there were still doubts about his superiority over Empire Maker and his ability to perform at his best at the Belmont’s distance.

Opposing the Derby’s 1-2 finishers were previous classic participants Scrimshaw and Ten Most Wanted, and newcomers to Triple Crown racing in Supervisor and Dynever. Belmont Day was cold, wet and miserable, and the racetrack was decidedly sloppy. At post time, Funny Cide ruled the even money favorite with Empire Maker a strong second choice at 2-1. After the break, Barclay Tagg’s fears of Funny Cide being too “on the muscle” were realized as his trainee took the lead from Scrimshaw approaching the clubhouse turn pulling against Jose Santos’ reins. Jerry Bailey steered Empire Maker from his inside position to stalk Funny Cide on the outside. As Funny Cide approached the long sweeping Belmont far turn, Bailey coaxed Empire Maker to join the leader, and they raced as a team with the latter going the better. From fifth position, Ten Most Wanted began a strong rally that took him them to a close third at the top of the stretch. Empire Maker drew clear from Funny Cide, who despite Santos’ urging could not keep up. In the final furlong, Empire Maker was able to repel Ten Most Wanted’s challenge and win by ¾ of a length. Funny Cide, in his bid for the Triple Crown, finished third, another 4¼ lengths behind.

The general disappointment of all who had braved the inclement weather was palpable. Boos greeted Empire Maker as he returned to be unsaddled. Funny Cide and his entourage had become folk heroes and to see their defeat on the threshold of Triple Crown glory, especially to the “blue blood” Empire Maker and his high profile connections, was a bitter pill to swallow. Notwithstanding, for those who believe in bloodlines, Empire Maker, fulfilled his genetic destiny. From his sire, Unbridled, Empire Maker would serve as a link in a stallion chain of classic success which includes 2015 Triple Crown hero American Pharoah [sic].

There was great anticipation for the next meeting between Funny Cide and Empire Maker. Both of their connections were targeting the Travers Stakes at Saratoga, although taking different paths to the “Midsummer Derby”. Funny Cide ran in the Haskell Invitational Handicap at Monmouth Park where he faced classic rival Peace Rules in the seven horse field. Soon after the break, Peace Rules gained an uncontested lead and held it the whole way. Funny Cide, squeezed back around the clubhouse turn, never reached contention finishing third, beaten a total of 9 lengths. Empire Maker ran the same day as the Haskell in the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga and closed strongly but fell short by a neck to Strong Hope.

Despite their respective defeats, Funny Cide and Empire Maker were the headliners for the Travers. However, neither made it to the starting gate. Empire Maker reportedly developed a cough that convinced Bobby Frankel to withdraw him, and Funny Cide developed a fever after the Haskell that forced Barclay Tagg to curtail his preparation. The trainer waited till the Friday before the Travers to scratch the dual classic winner to the dismay of the Saratoga community.

Subsequently, Empire Maker suffered a foot injury that led to his retirement, but Funny Cide was prepared for the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park on works alone. Funny Cide, who had not raced in three months was obviously not at his best and finished ninth in the ten horse field. Despite his poor Classic performance and Empire Maker’s 2-1 head-to-head race advantage, Funny Cide was voted the Eclipse Award for Champion Male Three-Year-Old.

Funny Cide, a gelding, did not have a stallion career as an option so his connections persevered. He would race four more years with muddled success and hobbled by nagging injuries. Mostly competing in stakes races, the highlight of Funny Cide’s career as an older runner was a victory in the time honored Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park as a four-year-old in 2004. Despite his infrequent wins, Funny Cide attracted a huge number of fans who came to see him race. His final start (at age seven) was at Finger Lakes Racetrack in upstate New York, a homecoming of sorts, where he delighted his followers with a victory in the Wadsworth Memorial Handicap. In doing so, Funny Cide became the only Kentucky Derby hero to ever run at this regional racetrack. 

His career total reads 11 wins in 38 starts with another 14 in the money performances and over $3.5 million in earnings. In retirement, Funny Cide originally was used as a stable pony for Barclay Tagg. But in late 2008, he was brought to the Kentucky Horse Park in Louisville and has become a fan favorite for those visiting this museum.