Frank Whiteley Jr. - The Fox of Laurel, Part II

 

Frank Whiteley Jr.
The Fox of Laurel – Part II.

Joseph Di Rienzi

This is the second of a two part series on the best horses trained by Frank Whiteley Jr. Known as “The Fox of Laurel” for his furtive training methods and his affinity to stable his charges at his home base of Laurel Racecourse away from the glare of the national media. In part I, the racing careers of the first champions Whiteley trained, Tom Rolfe and Damascus, were reviewed. In this final part, Whiteley’s association with two of thoroughbred racing’s legends, Ruffian and Forego, will be examined.

Frank Whiteley, Heliodoro Gustines and Martha Gerry with Forego
(The Blood-Horse)

           

Ruffian began her storied career as spectacular as one could imagine. Entered somewhat unheralded in a maiden race for two-year-old fillies at Belmont Park on May 22, 1974, she won by 15 lengths equaling the 5½ furlong track record. Ruffian was a nearly black daughter of Reviewer out of the mare Shenanigans by Native Dancer, making her a half-sister to the good racehorse Icecapade which Frank Whiteley had also trained. Owned and bred by Barbara Phipps Janney and Stuart Janney Jr.’s Locust Hill Farm, Ruffian was breathtaking to watch both in motion and in repose. Tall and long, she seemed an animal set apart from her contemporaries. Season race goers whispered things about her ability that seemed other-worldly. Whiteley, for his part, tried to downplay her potential, but his cryptic comments suggested he stood in awe of her.

Ruffian
(bloodhorse.com)

In her second start in the Fashion Stakes, Ruffian again equaled her track record, winning by 6¾ lengths. Moving to Aqueduct for the Astoria Stakes, she won by 9 lengths and just missed its track record for 5½ furlongs by a 1/5 of a second.  

Traveling to the Jersey Shore for Monmouth Park’s 6 furlong Sorority Stakes, Ruffian faced another undefeated filly in Hot N Nasty. Racing on the lead, Ruffian was challenged by the much smaller Hot N Nasty, and, for a brief moment in the stretch, the outcome was in doubt. However Ruffian responded to Jacinto Vasquez’s urging and drew clear to win by 2¼ lengths setting a new stakes record time. 

In the 6 furlong Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga, Ruffian ruled the prohibitive favorite in the four horse field. As her wont, she took the lead early and drew out at will finishing the race 12¾ lengths in front of the second place horse. The time, a new stakes record was 3/5 of a second slower than the track record for the distance. Ruffian did not race again in 1974. In training she suffered what was determined to be a hairline fracture of a hind leg. Despite her abbreviated campaign, Ruffian, undefeated in five starts, was the overwhelming selection for the Eclipse Award for Two-Year-Old Filly Champion.

Wintering in South Carolina to recover from her injury, she was sent to New York in the early spring to prepare for the New York Filly Triple Series. In mid-April, Ruffian made her sophomore debut in a 6 furlong allowance at Aqueduct winning easily by 4¾ lengths. The daughter of Reviewer ran as she had in all her other races - brilliantly fast, winning by 4¾ lengths. She next appeared in the 7 furlong Comely Stakes and won by 7¾ lengths. The time was a new stakes record and over a second faster than four-year-old stakes winner Hatchet Man’s win in an allowance race on the same card. 

In the 1 mile Acorn Stakes at Aqueduct Ruffian’s main competition appeared to be Sarsar who was trained by David Whiteley, Frank’s son. But the latter scratched when it was clear Ruffian would run. As usual, Ruffian made a shambles of the field winning by 8¼ lengths in stakes record time. Giving testimony to the awe that was attached to Ruffian, the connections of Sarsar, seeking an easier race, entered her against male horses in the Withers Stakes which she won by 2 lengths.

The Mother Goose Stakes was next on Ruffian’s dance card, and she carried her speed and brilliance 9 furlongs to win by 13 lengths in another stakes record time. Remaining with her own gender, Ruffian next sought to complete the New York Filly Triple Crown Series in the 1½ mile Coaching Club American Oaks. The only question was whether she was “too speedy” to manage the marathon distance of the race. There was also an interesting rival in Equal Change, who had just won two allowance races by a total of about 25 lengths. Equal Change’s pedigree, being a daughter of Belmont Stakes winner Arts and Letters from the female family of Triple Crown winner Assault, gave every indication she would relish the CCA Oaks’ distance. Fears of Ruffian being too rank in the early running were unfounded as she set a moderate pace. When Equal Change challenged Ruffian at the ½ mile pole, Jacinto Vasquez let her run a little to keep a safe distance, and she maintained that margin to win comfortably by 2¾ lengths over a game Equal Change. Ruffian’s final time in CCA Oaks was slightly faster than Avatar’s win in the Belmont Stakes two weeks earlier. Having run out of female competition, there was a groundswell that Ruffian should face the top male three-year-olds next and proposals were initiated to stage a special race.

Attempts to bring the winners of the three classic races together to face Ruffian dissolved into a match race at 1¼ mile between the filly and Kentucky Derby victor Foolish Pleasure at Belmont Park on July 6, 1975. The match race between Ruffian and Foolish Pleasure was a race that never should have happened. In an effort to boost attendance, the New York Racing Association persuaded Stuart Janney Jr., co-owner of Ruffian, to race her in this “exhibition” through his brother-in-law, Ogden Phipps, an influential member of the NYRA. However, there were plenty of opportunities on the racing calendar, such as the Travers Stakes and the Marlboro Cup Handicap for Ruffian to face the best male horses. How Frank Whiteley felt about this “exhibition” was uncertain, as he kept his characteristically private counsel.

There were also some bad feelings going into the race. Jacinto Vazquez, who was the regular rider for both Ruffian and Foolish Pleasure, chose to ride the filly. LeRoy Jolley the latter’s trainer, somewhat miffed, picked Braulio Baeza as his jockey who had a grudge against Frank Whiteley Jr.  At the start, Ruffian on the inside, broke at little slow but was rushed up to contest the lead. Baeza, knowing that almost all match races are won on the front end, rode Foolish Pleasure very aggressively squeezing his rival toward the rail and pressuring Ruffian to run faster than she would normally have at this early stage of the race. It was over in an instant down the backstretch when Ruffian shattered her right front ankle. The sound was so audible that Baeza on Foolish Pleasure heard it. The sight of Foolish Pleasure galloping solely to the wire is seared in the memory of the race. A remark in the winner’s circle by LeRoy Jolley alluding to thoroughbred racing as a blood sport seemed tasteless and would stigmatize him.

Efforts to save Ruffian were desperate but heroic. She had surgery soon after the injury, but regaining consciousness after the procedure, Ruffian trashed so violently that she had to be euthanized. Her owners, Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Janney Jr., consented to have Ruffian buried in the infield of Belmont Park where she rests there still. In over 60 years of being a part of thoroughbred racing, this tragedy was by far the worst I have witnessed and certainly cast a pall on the sport. Whiteley, stoic as ever, kept his emotions to himself, but in a telling gesture, permanently closed Ruffian’s stall door at his Camden, S. C. training facility, saying, “no other horse was worthy of entering it.” 

The last great horse conditioned by Frank Whiteley Jr. was different than the others in that he did not develop the horse, but inherited a champion to train as a six-year-old. Forego in 1976 was already a two time Horse of the Year when Whiteley took over the training duties as Forego’s previous trainer Sherill Ward retired at the end of 1975. Owned and bred by Martha Gerry of Lazy F. Ranch, Forego was a gigantically tall bay gelding by Argentinian champion Forli. In Forego, Whiteley had in his barn a horse of great courage and ability but with chronic leg problems. Under judicious handling of the gelding, Forego would go on to two more championship seasons and be regarded as the greatest weight carrying racehorse in modern times. (Resorting to his tried and true “water therapy”, Frank Whiteley could be seen daily outside the track barn hosing down Forego two or three hours a day, so that the puddles that resulted were affectionately dubbed, “Lake Whiteley”.)   

After wintering in South Carolina, Forego made his six-year-old debut in May 1976, winning an allowance race at Belmont Park. Assigned 130 lb. for the 1 mile Metropolitan Handicap, Forego under regular rider Heliodoro Gustines produced his customary rally from the off the pace to win by a neck over 1975 Preakness Stakes winner Master Derby. Winning the Nassau County Handicap under 132 lb., he lost the Suburban Handicap under 134 lb. by a nose to Foolish Pleasure who was assigned 125 lb. with Lord Rebeau (116 lb.) also a nose back in third. Gaining revenge, Forego (134 lb.) beat both Lord Rebeau (114 lb.) and Foolish Pleasure (126 lb.) in the Brooklyn Handicap run less than three weeks later.

Prepping for a fall campaign, Forego traveled to Monmouth Park and finished a close third under 136 lb. in the Amory L. Haskell Handicap to light weighted Hatchet Man (112 lb.). The Woodward Handicap was run this year at 9 furlongs under handicap conditions. Forego was assigned 135 lb. with his recent conqueror, Hatchet Man at 114 lb. Second top weight in the 10 horse field was recent Travers Stakes winner Honest Pleasure at 121 lb. Under new rider, Bill Shoemaker (a Frank Whiteley favorite), Forego made his characteristic charge from last place around the Belmont turn to win by 1¼ lengths over Dance Spell (115 lb.) with Honest Pleasure and Stumping (106 lb.) dead-heating for third place, 2¾ lengths behind. Hatchet Man finished a non-threatening sixth. Two weeks later the Marlboro Cup was run at 1¼ miles, again under handicap conditions. Forego was assigned 137 lb. giving from 18–28 lb. to his 10 rivals. Compounding Forego’s task, the track condition was sloppy, a surface his connections tried to avoid. In a race that crystalized his greatness, Forego rallied as only he could from what looked like an impossible situation as Honest Pleasure (119 lb.) setting all the pace was holding off rivals until Forego’s surge could not be denied as he dropped his head in front just at the finish.

The Jockey Gold Cup appeared to be a reward for Forego’s herculean efforts in the Woodward and the Marlboro Cup. At weight for age and at 1½ miles, the gigantic gelding seemed the proverbial sure thing. Unfortunately in his Marlboro victory, he re-injured his troublesome ankle and for the second year in a row was forced to miss the Gold Cup and not race again in 1976. At the Eclipse Award Ceremony, he was named Champion Older Male Horse and Horse of the Year, both for the third consecutive year.

Following the same script as in the previous year, Forego wintered well and returned to the races in 1977 with a victory in allowance race followed by a win in the Met Mile, this time carrying 133 lb. He followed that with a victory in the Nassau County Handicap under 136 lb., but failed by a neck to shoulder 138 lb. in the Suburban Handicap while giving an incredible 24 lb. to victorious Quiet Little Table. Showing perhaps his age, Forego was beaten over 11 lengths by Great Contractor in the 1½ mile Brooklyn Handicap while conceding to the winner 25 lb.

After a seventh place finish in the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga, albeit under 136 lb. and on a sloppy track, it appeared the tides of time and injuries had sapped Forego. With two consecutive double digit length losses, there were questions of whether Forego’s best races were behind him. But the old warrior had one more arrow in his shaft. Back at Belmont, in the Woodward Handicap at 9 furlongs, Forego received a weight break being assigned “only” 133 lb. He was facing his Brooklyn conqueror Great Contractor (114 lb.). Forego’s connections debated whether the gelding should run on the sloppy Belmont oval, but in the end Frank Whiteley gave the green light an hour before the race. Straightening in the stretch, Forego closed strongly and surely to win by 1½ lengths over Silver Series (114 lb.) with a Great Contractor a neck away. This was the fourth consecutive Woodward victory for this grand gelding. What was even more remarkable is that Forego had won the race under different conditions, twice at 1½ miles at weight for age conditions, and twice at 9 furlongs as a handicap.

James Hampton, Frank Whiteley, Martha Gerry and Bill Shoemaker
with Forego after 1977 Woodward Handicap

The Woodward was last major win of Forego’s storied career. He had to return to the sideline for the rest of 1977 as his sore legs once again got the better of him. Not voted Horse of the Year (that Eclipse Award went to Triple Crown hero Seattle Slew), Forego nonetheless was voted Champion Older Male Horse for the fourth consecutive year. A campaign as an eighth-year-old was aborted after a fifth place finish in the Suburban Handicap, and Forego was officially retired.

Frank Whiteley eventually turned over his training chores to his son David who had great success with such stalwarts as champions Revidere, Waya and Just A Game, Belmont Stakes winner Coastal and stellar grass performer Tiller. Frank was inducted into the National Racing Museum and Hall of Fame in 1978. He retreated to his beloved Camden, S. C. training facility in 1984, where for several years he provided early training for young thoroughbreds. Finally succumbing to illnesses of age, he died in May 2, 2008. Besides David, others such as Shug McGaughey and Barclay Tagg who worked under Frank Whiteley have been able to carry forward his legacy of attention to detail, honesty and no pretensions of fame – attributes not common in today’s horse trainers.

Frank Whiteley Jr. - The Fox of Laurel, Part I

 

Frank Whiteley Jr.
The Fox of Laurel – Part I.

Joseph Di Rienzi

In the annals of thoroughbred racing, there are horse trainers and horsemen. Frank Whiteley Jr., born in Centerville, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore in 1915, was definitely in the latter group. Not from a racing family, he worked his way up in Maryland’s minor racetracks until his success in the early 1960s attracted the attention of major horse owners. Famously reticent and treating news people as disease carrying vermin, Frank Whiteley, nonetheless became a media darling in large part due to the extraordinary race horses he trained and his somewhat anachronistic methods. Using an “old school” philosophy to horse care, Whiteley could be seen regularly hosing down one of his chargers after a workout or a race. What that personal attention achieved, we can only speculate, but he did capture three classics with his trainees, win numerous stakes races and saddle four champions including three of the greatest horses to ever race in North America. This is the first of a two part series reviewing the racing careers of the most celebrated horses under Frank Whiteley’s care.

Frank Whiteley Jr.
(bloodhorse.com)

The first horse trained by Frank Whiteley that achieved national attention was Chieftain. Born in 1961 and owned by Raymond Guest, he was a homebred son of pre-eminent stallion Bold Ruler out of the mare Pocahontas. At best at distances up to a mile, Chieftain won stakes races at ages two, three and four. He soon was eclipsed as Whiteley’s most prominent trainee by his younger half-brother, Tom Rolfe. Sired by the immortal Ribot, the smallish bay colt had a decent juvenile year in 1964, but blossomed as a three-year-old in 1965 winning the Preakness Stakes, finishing second in the Belmont Stakes and third in the Kentucky Derby. His summer campaign resulted in sweeping the four major stakes races for three-year-olds at Arlington Park. Tom Rolfe’s owner Raymond Guest was at the time the U. S. Ambassador to Ireland and raced a string of horses in Europe. As a sporting gesture, Guest convinced Whiteley to send Tom Rolfe to France in a bold attempt to win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The colt’s sixth place finish represents one of the best showings by an American based runner in that very demanding race. For his year round efforts, Tom Rolfe was voted Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse in 1965.

Tom Rolfe (Ron Turcotte up)
(bloodhorse.com)

In 1966, Tom Rolfe’s four-year-old season, Whiteley introduced to racing Edith W. Bancroft’s Damascus, a bay colt by Sword Dancer. As with Tom Rolfe, he had an understated juvenile campaign that cumulated with a win in the Remsen at Aqueduct Racetrack. A signal of Damascus’ potential was that the colt was ridden in his four starts by top jockey Bill Shoemaker. After spending the winter in Camden, S.C. as most of Whiteley’s charges did, Damascus made his three-year-old debut at Pimlico Racetrack in early March winning a non-descript allowance race. The son of Sword Dancer then took what was called the New York route to the Kentucky Derby. He won the 7 furlong Bay Shore Stakes, and in his next effort was second beaten a ½ length to Dr. Fager, who would be his arch rival and fellow Hall of Famer, in the one mile Gotham Stakes. Winning his final Derby prep, the 9 furlong Wood Memorial Stakes by 6 lengths, Damascus was the post time favorite for the 1967 Kentucky Derby. At the top of the stretch, he was in a contending position, but failed to deliver a strong final rally, finishing third to longshot Proud Clarion.

Two weeks later in Baltimore, Derby winner Proud Clarion was entered along with second finishing Barbs Delight and Damascus in the Preakness. Frank Whiteley and Bill Shoemaker were convinced their colt did not run his best in the Kentucky Derby, so they made three changes. Whiteley had thought Damascus became too nervous by the pre-Derby atmosphere, so he stabled him in the relative quiet of Laurel Racecourse until the morning of the Preakness. Second, Shoemaker believed Damascus was too close to the pace in the Derby. He thought his mount’s best chance was to lay back and make one bold run. To insure there would be an honest pace, the third change was to run a pacemaker, in this case, Celtic Air, to insure the leaders will be slowing down when Damascus made his rally.

As designed, Celtic Air was sent to the lead setting a fast pace. As the early fractions took their toll on the front runners, the field bunched up considerably around the far turn, but Shoemaker making use of Damascus’ tremendous acceleration circled the field and bounded at the top of the stretch with a daylight lead. Their advantage only increased until Shoemaker took a hold of Damascus near the end of the race. In Reality held on for second 2¼ lengths behind. Proud Clarion’s very wide trip found him 4 lengths further back in third. The Preakness winning time was only 3/5 of a second over the track record sent by Nashua in 1955. For Mrs. Edith W. Bancroft, being the daughter of Nashua’s owner William Woodward Sr., this Preakness victory was especially meaningful. 

The Belmont Stakes (run at Aqueduct) was billed as the deciding classic between Proud Clarion and Damascus. Canadian champion Cool Reception running truly a courageous race took the lead and set steady fractions. Damascus, not as far back as he was in the Preakness, gradually made progress to be a contender at the top of the stretch. Unlike the Preakness, Proud Clarion, made the first move to challenge the leader, but Cool Reception resolutely turned the Derby winner back. However, his was unable to withstand Damascus’ surge who powered past him to win by 2½ lengths. (Cool Reception fractured his right front cannon bone during the stretch and sadly had to be euthanized the next day when he re-broke the bone in his stall.) Proud Clarion finished a tired fourth. With his two classics wins, Damascus, could lay claim to the pro-tem leadership of the three-year-old division. But there was still the specter of Dr. Fager, who did not compete in the Triple Crown races, and the loss to that rival in the Gotham Stakes to settle. 

Damascus winning the 1967 Belmont Stakes
(racingpost.com)

Damascus’ return match with Dr. Fager did not occur until the Woodward Stakes in the fall. In between, Whiteley campaigned his sophomore with a vigor that in modern times seems staggering. Two weeks after the Belmont Stakes, Damascus won the Leonard Richard Stakes at Delaware Park. Two weeks later, at the same track, he failed by a nose to give 8 lb. to the four-year-old Exceedingly in the William du Pont Jr. Handicap. Bouncing off that loss, one week later, Damascus carried 128 lb. against fellow three- year-olds in the 1¼ mile Dwyer Handicap and scored a ¾ length victory.

The month of August saw Damascus travel to Chicago and run a smashing race to set a new track record in the 9 furlong American Derby at Arlington Park. Carrying 126 lb. and coming from many lengths back, Damascus left in his wake In Reality (120 lb.), defeating that rival by 7 lengths. If that performance was not devastating enough, Damascus would reach a new level two weeks later in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga Racetrack. Facing only three rivals on a sloppy track, he was at one point some 16 lengths behind the dueling pacemakers Tumiga and Gala Performance. Once he was given his head by Shoemaker, Damascus devoured the pacesetters approaching the final turn, came into the stretch with a significant lead and then improved on this winning by an astounding 22 lengths. Final time for the 1¼ mile “Midsummer Derby” equaled Buckpasser’s record set the previous year.

Damascus faced older horses again in the 9 furlong Aqueduct Stakes on the Labor Day Weekend. It had been anticipated that he would meet Buckpasser in this race, but the latter’s recurring infection in his hoof prevented the reigning Horse of the Year from facing his three-year-old rival. Damascus, despite carrying actual high weight (125 lb.), was the overwhelming favorite. Unlike his last two races, Damascus set closer to the moderate pace. When Shoemaker asked him in mid-stretch, he cruised to the lead, winning by 2 easy lengths.

The weight for age 1¼ mile Woodward Stakes at Aqueduct, as it often served during this era, became the stage for a championship deciding contest. It would be the second meeting between the brilliant three year-olds, Damascus and Dr. Fager. In addition, Buckpasser had, according to his connections, recovered from his foot problems and was in serious training to defend his title in the Woodward. Not only was Three-Year-old Champion, Champion Older Horse, and Horse of the Year on the line, but the Woodward would be a rare meeting between three truly great horses. For these reasons, the 1967 edition was called, “The Race of the Century”. 

There were three other horses entered in the Woodward: Handsome Boy, Great Power and Hedevar. The last two were entered by the respective owners of Buckpasser and Damascus to insure Dr. Fager would not gain an easy lead. There was a significant jockey re-assignment. Braulio Baeza chose Buckpasser over Dr. Fager, so veteran Bill Boland hopped aboard the Tartan Stable super-speedster. Bill Shoemaker, who expressed great confidence in his mount, remained on Damascus. With all the anticipation, leading up to the race, the running was somewhat anticlimactic. It preceded mostly as expected. Dr. Fager, not wanting to be restrained, shot right to the lead. Great Power was unable to keep up, but Hedevar, who at his best was a very good horse at one mile, pressed Dr. Fager. Damascus and Buckpasser settled in fourth and fifth, respectively, many lengths behind the embattled leaders. They made their move as the field approached the far turn with Damascus a few lengths of ahead of Buckpasser. As they approached the stretch Damascus ran right past Dr. Fager who was visibly tiring. Buckpasser did not have his customary surge and could not keep up with Damascus’ rush. In a bravura performance, the Whiteley trainee drew away to a 10 length lead, a margin no one expected. Buckpasser kept pressing on and out finished Dr. Fager for second by ½ length. For Mrs. Bancroft, this was another memorable victory in that the race was named after her father.

With the Woodward result, the Three-Year-old Championship and Horse of the Year was settled in Damascus’ favor. Incredibly, Whiteley ran Damascus twice more in 1967. He preceded to win the 2 mile Jockey Gold Cup easily by 4½ lengths. Although never tried on grass before, Damascus was invited and accepted an invitation to run in the Washington D. C. International at Whiteley’s home base at Laurel Racecourse. Despite the presence of international stars, the race came down to a pulsating stretch run between two U. S. based runners in Fort Marcy and Damascus. It was a nose bobbing finish with Fort Marcy gaining the narrowest of victories.

Damascus had 16 starts in 1967 winning 12, finishing second three times and third once in a truly remarkable year which was a testimony to the horse's hardiness and his trainer’s ability to keep him at a peak level.

As a four-year-old in 1968, Damascus did not race as consistently at the highest level, but had two memorable meetings with Dr. Fager. In the 1¼ mile Suburban Handicap at Aqueduct on Independence Day, Damascus carrying 133 lb. was giving 1 lb. to his rival. Dr. Fager, in a virtuoso performance, led all the way in a final time equaling the track record with Damascus finishing third beaten a total of 5 lengths. In the Brooklyn Handicap run at the same track and distance a little over two weeks later two things were different. Dr. Fager was now carrying 135 lb. to Damascus’ 130, and the latter had the assistance of his stablemate Hedevar. The “rabbit” did his part shooting to the front, setting very fast fractions and daring Dr. Fager to challenge. Dr. Fager, not taking to restraint, took up the issue early down the backside. Damascus, running in his best style, came from the back of the pack with a bold move approaching the final turn.  Challenging Dr. Fager at the top of the stretch, Damascus pulled away convincingly to win by 2½ lengths. In winning the Brooklyn, Damascus established a new track record and evened the score with his formidable foe at two wins each.

Despite the achievements of Damascus, the best horses Whiteley trained were still yet to come, and they are remembered as two of the turf’s immortals - Ruffian and Forego.

(To be continued in part II.)

Passing the Torch - Breeders' Cup Winning Dams of Breeders' Cup Winners

 

Passing the Torch
Breeders’ Cup Winning Dams
of Breeders’ Cup Winners

Joseph Di Rienzi

In the 37 year history of the Breeders’ Cup Championship Series there have been many related bloodlines in the pedigrees of victors. In a normal stud career a stallion can have 1000s of foals, thus it is not unusual for a Breeders’ Cup winning male horse to sire future Breeders’ Cup victors. With the recent plethora of different races over the now two day Breeders’ Cup extravaganza, there are now even greater opportunities for a stallion to enhance his stud career by having sons and daughters cross the finish line first. Much less common is for a female who had won a Breeders’ Cup race to produce an offspring that also wins one. In fact, to date, there have been only four mother – daughter combinations, and one of these is a grandmother – daughter – granddaughter threesome.

Personal Ensign was a lanky bay daughter by Private Account bred and owned by Ogden Phipps and trained by Shug McGaughey. She raced three seasons, but only her last as a four year-old in 1988 could be considered a full campaign. Personal Ensign is best remembered as one of the few top class United States raced thoroughbreds to retire undefeated, and the thrilling way she concluded her career in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff embossed an exclamation mark on her record.

The 1988 Distaff was one of the most anticipated races of the day. Unbeaten in 12 starts, Personal Ensign would put that streak to a test against Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors, Kentucky Oaks victress Goodbye Halo, the previous year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Epitome, Spinster Stakes heroine Hail a Cab and four others. Personal Ensign was the overwhelming favorite based on her record. Winning Colors had run poorly in her last race, the Spinster Stakes. However, she was returning to the track (Churchill Downs) where she had won her greatest race. Goodbye Halo, could also not be dismissed, because at her best she was a dangerous competitor. The concern in the Phipps Stable camp was the condition of the track. Because of a severe injury Personal Ensign suffered in 1986, Shug McGaughey had been adverse to train or race Personal Ensign on muddy surfaces. As fate would have it, the Churchill Downs track on Breeders’ Cup Day was muddy and tiring.

The race itself was one of the most dramatic in thoroughbred history and has been replayed endlessly, never ceasing to amaze. As expected, Winning Colors, ridden by Gary Stevens, bounded to a clear lead followed by Goodbye Halo and Sham Say. Personal Ensign was in mid-pack early and did not seem to be running comfortably over the gooey going. Around the far turn, Winning Colors increased her lead as Goodbye Halo gave chase. Steering his mount to the outside to secure better footing, jockey Randy Romero had Personal Ensign in fourth place some six lengths from the lead as the field straightened out for the stretch drive. Goodbye Halo was gaining slowly on Winning Colors, but the Derby winner’s victory seemed likely until Personal Ensign changed leads in mid-stretch and closed dramatically with a will that only true champions can muster. At the finish, Personal Ensign thrust her nose on the line in front of the Derby winner in an almost unbelievable ending to a perfect race career.

 

Personal Ensign (no. 6) winning the 1988 Breeders' Cup Distaff
(thoroughbreddailynews.com)

Bred to Easy Goer, Personal Ensign foaled in 1993 My Flag - the product of two of the best horses to carry the cherry red and black silks of Ogden Phipps. The tall chestnut broke her maiden at first asking at Belmont Park, but finished fourth in the Schuylerville Stakes, third in the Matron Stakes and a close second to divisional leader Golden Attraction in the Frizette Stakes.

Breeders’ Cup Day at Belmont Park in 1995 had typical late October weather on Long Island, N.Y. Overnight rains and morning showers left the track surface carrying a lot of water. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies attracted only eight runners, but it had Golden Attraction, and her recent closest pursuers - Cara Rafaela and My Flag. In the early stages of the race, Golden Attraction was leading Cara Rafaela. My Flag was out of the gate in last place, but not as far back as in her previous starts. As the field went around the single turn, Cara Rafaela came up the rail to challenge her stable mate. Jockey Jerry Bailey had My Flag moving up on the inside drafting behind the two leaders. At the top of the stretch, Golden Attraction looked to be holding off Cara Rafaela, but that changed as the latter forged to the lead in mid-stretch. My Flag initially seemed to have too much distance to make up, but, when switched to the outside, she closed dramatically to catch and pass Cara Rafaela in the shadow of the finish for a ½ length victory. Finishing third, another 1½ lengths back was Golden Attraction.

My Flag (no. 9) winning the 1995 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Filly
(bloodhorse.com)

Thus with her victory, My Flag became the first offspring of a Breeders’ Cup winning dam to have Breeders’ Cup glory. She carried the family tradition one generation further as her daughter Storm Flag Flying would repeat in the same race in 2002. The latter was a lithe bay or brown daughter of outstanding sire Storm Cat. Owned by Ogden Phipps’ son Dinny and trained by Shug McGaughey, she came into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies race undefeated in three starts. Breaking her maiden at Saratoga Racetrack, Storm Flag Flying proceeded to win both the Matron and Frizette Stakes at Belmont Park impressively.

In 2002, the Breeders’ Cup series of races was run at Arlington Park, just outside of Chicago, IL. The two-year-old races (the Juvenile Fillies and Juvenile) were lengthened to 9 furlongs (from 8½ furlongs) due to the configuration of the racetrack. Storm Flag Flying was the odds-on favorite in the 10 horse field. Her main competition was presumed to come from the Bob Baffert trained entry of Composure and Santa Catrina. After the start, longshot Humorous Lady opened a clear lead followed by Storm Flag Flying, Santa Catarina and Composure. Nearing the far turn, Santa Catrina went up to challenge the leader temporarily putting Storm Flag Flying between her and Composure on the inside. Jockey John Velazquez swung Storm Flag Flying to the outside of Santa Catrina around the stretch turn and forged to the lead. But as she did so, Composure, under Mike Smith, surged three wide and actually gained the advantage over Storm Flag Flying in mid-stretch. But the Phipps filly fought back and re-captured the lead. At the finish, she edged clear over Composure by a ½ length with Santa Catrina some 9¾ lengths further back.

Storm Flag Flying, the product of Breeders’ Cup winners in her dam and grand dam, is, to this date, the only third generation descendant of two female Breeders’ Cup winners.

Hollywood Wildcat was a Florida bred, dark bay or brown daughter of Kris S. out of a Mr. Prospector mare, who had a productive juvenile year in 1992. Owned by Marjorie and Irving Cowan, she started her sophomore year in Florida. After being winless in four starts, Hollywood Wildcat was sent to trainer Neil Drysdale in California. She scored an upset, at 16-1 odds, in the Hollywood Oaks. Staying in California for the rest of the year, Drysdale launched a campaign for his filly that would culminate on Breeders’ Cup Day which would be held at Santa Anita that year. Winning the San Clement Handicap, the Del Mar Oaks and the Lady’s Secret Handicap, Hollywood Wildcat seemed to peaking just in time for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

The 1993 Distaff appeared to be a very contentious race. Last year’s victor, Paseana was entered and the leading sophomore fillies, Sky Beauty, Dispute and Hollywood Wildcat were in the eight horse field. There was a ground swell of support for Hollywood Wildcat, and she went off as the clear favorite with Paseana the second choice. Hollywood Wildcat broke well, settled into second position stalking longshot Supah Gem with Paseana, just behind her in third with Dispute fourth and Sky Beauty, alternating between fifth and sixth position. Jockey Eddie Delahoussaye sent Hollywood Wildcat to the lead around the far turn closely followed by Paseana. Both Sky Beauty and Dispute were in contending positions, but failed to close ground on the leaders. The stretch run was an epic battle between Hollywood Wildcat and Paseana, neither yielding to the other. Just before the finish, Delahoussaye dropped his whip and had to resort to hand slaps to maintain a narrow lead that resulted in a nose victory. Paseana was a clear second, 2½ lengths in front of the rallying Re Toss with Dispute, a length back in fourth. Sky Beauty, who loomed dangerously on the stretch turn, finished fifth.

 

Hollywood Wildcat (on right) winning the 1993 Breeders' Cup Distaff
(bloodhorse.com)

                                                            

This victory by their homebred was enormously satisfying for the Cowans. For Neil Drysdale, this was another example of his ability to develop a young horse into a champion. And to Eddie Delahoussaye, much credit was given for a masterful ride under difficult circumstances.

War Chant, a foal of Hollywood Wildcat, was a prime Kentucky Derby prospect in 2000. By super sire Danzig, the dark bay colt was just like his dam, owned and bred by the Cowans and trained by Neil Drysdale, War Chant proceeded to win his first three races including a game victory in the San Rafael Stakes. He followed that with a close second in the Santa Anita Derby. Sent to Louisville, War Chant could finish no better than ninth in the Kentucky Derby to his Drysdale trained barn mate Fusaichi Pegasus.

War Chant resurfaced at Santa Anita in October on a different surface, namely grass, with an impressive come from behind victory under Gary Stevens in a prep race for the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

The 2000 edition of the Mile held at Churchill Downs had some intriguing European based runners in the 14 horse field, but the horse that was the center of attention (at least the betting favorite) was War Chant. In the Mile, Stevens had War Chant launch his bid from 12^th place as longshot North East Bound set a relatively moderate pace. Closing strongly in the last furlong, War Chant prevailed by a neck in a four horse photo finish.

In winning the Mile, he became the first (and, so far, only) son of a Breeders’ Cup winning mare to win a Breeders’ Cup race. Marjorie and Irving Cowan delighted in their homebred carrying forward the family legacy, while Neil Drysdale continued to burnish his credentials as a master conditioner. Winning jockey Gary Stevens had come out of his first of two retirements to resume riding, and this win was the capstone of his return.

The final Breeders’ Cup winning dam to produce a Breeders’ Cup champion was an abject longshot in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. The field for the 11 furlong race (run over the firm Churchill Downs turf course) included the previous two year’s winners Midday and Forever Together. The former was the odds-on favorite, while the latter, winless in five 2010 starts, was sent off at 36-1 odds. There was an upset in the race, but it was by an even less fancied runner than Forever Together. Sagamore Farm’s Shared Account, a four-year-old daughter of Pleasantly Perfect trained by Graham Motion, was, at 46-1, the second longest shot in the Filly & Mare Turf field. Racing in third place, saving ground on the inside, Edgar Prado drove Shared Account between horses in deep stretch and out fought Midday to win by a neck. The favorite was also a neck in front of Keertana. Forever Together failed to make an impression, finishing in a dead-heat for sixth but was only beaten a total of 2 lengths.

Shared Account winning the 2010 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf
(bloodhorse.com)

Kevin Plank, CEO and Chairman of Under Armour, had purchased historic Sagamore Farm in Glyndon, MD in 2007 and restored it to the grandeur it possessed when owned by Alfred G. Vanderbilt. Under Sagamore Farm’s black, white and red colors, Shared Account had been a consistent East Coast campaigner winning a couple of graded stakes and placing in several others in the last two years prior to her surprise Breeders’ Cup victory.

Nine years later in 2019, Shared Account’s daughter Sharing would complete the mother –daughter Breeders’ Cup double in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly Turf at Santa Anita. Sharing had truly a Breeders’ Cup pedigree in that her sire, dam, and dam sire all had won Breeders’ Cup races. Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gainesway Stable, Sharing was a Maryland bred daughter of Speightstown (Sprint winner in 2004) out of Shared Account (2010 Filly & Mare Turf victress) by 2003 Classic winning Pleasantly Perfect. Trained by Graham Motion, Sharing had broke her maiden in her second start in an off-the-turf race at Saratoga, then traveled to Laurel Racetrack to win the Selima Stakes on the grass. Let go at a generous 13-1 odds in the Juvenile Filly Turf, jockey Manny Franco guided her just off the pace for a 1¼ length victory over race favorite Daahyeh.

What I find intriguing about these dam – foal combination Breeders’ Cup victors, is that each couplet (and in the first case, triplet) were brought to their Breeders’ Cup success by the same trainer: Shug McGaughey for Personal Ensign – My Flag – Storm Flag Flying, Neil Drysdale for Hollywood Wildcat – War Chant and Graham Motion for Shared Account – Sharing.  Did knowing the mom aid these very astute horseman in preparing her respective offspring for Breeders’ Cup glory? 

The Winchell Thoroughbred Legacy

 

The Winchell Thoroughbred Legacy

 Joseph Di Rienzi

In Northern American thoroughbred racing history some stables standout – Calumet, Claiborne, Darby Dan, Phipps, Juddmonte, Rokeby and Godolphin to name a few. Their runners have garnered the most prestigious races and their stable colors are integral with the sport’s pageantry. A stable that has been a mainstay for over 60 years but does not have the comparable high visibility is Winchell Thoroughbreds. In this piece, I will chronicle its ownership which has had two iterations and highlight, in my opinion, the 10 most prominent thoroughbreds that raced in the maroon and white silks.

(clipartmax.com)

Verne H. Winchell gained enough notoriety owning the western based Winchell’s Donuts franchise that he was known as “The Donut King”.  When Winchell’s Donuts merged with Denny’s Restaurants, he became the new company’s CEO. Long fascinated with racing, Verne became a prominent horse owner in the early 1960’s, with Ron McAnally as his stable’s main trainer. The first significant runner that carried the Winchell banner was the appropriately named Donut King. The Cal bred burst onto the national scene in 1961 with a stunning upset in the Champagne Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack narrowly defeating future three-year-old champion Jaipur with major runner Sir Gaylord and two-year-old co-champion Crimson Satan, finishing third and fourth, respectively. The brown son of Determine prepped for the 1962 Kentucky Derby with a strong third place finish in the Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct but missed his chance for Derby glory having to be withdrawn from the race with an infected heel. Racing to his six-year-old season in a 53 race career, Donut King retired with earnings over $300,000.

The first champion to race for the stable was Mira Femme. A California born daughter of Humpty Dumpty trained by Buster Millerick, she had an outstanding juvenile year winning 6 of 10 starts including the Hollywood Lassie and Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes. At year’s end she was the Co-Champion Two-Year-Old Filly of 1966. Successful in stakes races as a sophomore in 1967, Mira Femme was retired to the broodmare ranks after her four-year-old season.

In 1991, the Verne H Winchell Stable raced three prominent racehorses all trained by McAnally. The oldest, Tight Spot, was a Kentucky bred son of His Majesty who as a four-year-old did enough to win an Eclipse Award for Champion Male Grass Horse. The bay colt recorded five consecutive victories including the Inglewood Handicap, American Handicap, Eddie Read Handicap and Arlington Million Stakes until finishing in a dead heat for ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Churchill Downs Racetrack. 

The other stars of 1991 were a pair of three-year-olds – Olympio and Sea Cadet. The former a son of Naskra from the Winchell foundation mare Carols Christmas distinguished himself winning four Derbies across the United States. Victorious in the Arkansas, Minnesota, American and Hollywood Derbies. Olympio’s lone try at classic success resulted in a fourth place finish in the Preakness Stakes.

Olympio’s stable mate, Sea Cadet, developed a fan following as a result of his having been born with a short stump for a tail. He was deemed one of the West Coast best 1991 Kentucky Derby prospects off victories in the El Camino Real Derby, the San Felipe Stakes and a third in the Santa Anita Derby. However, on Derby Day he could not finished better than eighth place to Strike the Gold after leading the field until the last 1/8 of a mile. Sea Cadet’s best successes came the following year as a four-year-old winning the Donn, Gulfstream Park and Meadowlands Handicaps.

After Verne Winchell died in 2002, ownership of the stable was passed to his wife Joan and their son Ron. The latter who has had interests in gaming, restaurants and real estate expanded the racing operation by purchasing a farm in Lexington, KY and involving partners in the ownership in many of the stable’s runners. Under the tutelage of primarily Steve Asmussen, Winchell Thoroughbreds and partners’ runners have achieved great success in the 21^st century.

Tapit was not the most accomplished horse in the history of the Winchell stable, but he is undoubtedly the most consequential in terms of his influence on the thoroughbred breed. Appraised of considerable value, he was purchased as a yearling at auction for $625,000 in 2002. Ron Winchell gave the gray son of Pulpit to Michael Dickinson, known for his unorthodox methods, to train. Making his career debut as a two-year-old at Delaware Park in October 2003, he swept to an easy 7¾ length victory. Following that with a facile triumph about a month later in the Laurel Futurity, Tapit went into winter quarters considered a prime 2004 classic prospect.

Preparing for his sophomore campaign in Florida, Tapit suffered shin problems that delayed his first start until the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park in March. After finishing a disappointing sixth, Dickinson discovered the horse had contracted a lung infection. Admittedly under prepared, he was entered less than a month later in the Wood Memorial and ran a remarkable race, closing stoutly in the stretch to win by ½ length.

Off his victory in the Wood, Tapit was the third betting choice in the 2004 Kentucky Derby, but on a very sloppy track, he finished ninth to the then undefeated Smarty Jones. Rested until September, Tapit last career start was an undistinguished ninth place finish in the Pennsylvania Derby.

Retired to stud at Gainesway Farm in Lexington Kentucky, Tapit was considered a promising son of influential sire of sires Pulpit, but not originally at the top tier. That designation changed dramatically when his first crop started racing in 2008 with Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly victress and champion filly Stardom Bound. Overall, Tapit has sired five champions and six Breeders’ Cup winners. His most remarkable achievement to date is that he has sired four Belmont Stakes winning sons (Tonalist, Creator, Tapwrit and Essential Quality) tying him with legendary 19^th century stallion Lexington for the most winners of the final classic. At this writing Tapit has sired 91 stakes winners of combined earnings of over $170 million. His breeding legacy continues and with the progeny of his sons and daughters who are well on their way of establishing a “Tapit” bloodline.

There have been two Kentucky Oaks winners to carry the Winchell silks (both trained by Steve Asmussen). Summerly, a chestnut daughter of Summer Squall, purchased as a yearling for $410,000, had a very fruitful three-year-old season in 2005 with victories in the Silverbulletday Stakes and the Fair Ground Oaks prior to her victory in the Kentucky Oaks. She missed out on garnering an Eclipse Award with third and second place finishes, respectively, in the Mother Goose Stakes and the Coaching Club American Oaks to eventual champion Smuggler. Raced as a four-year-old, she was sold at auction in November 2006 for $3.3 Million.

Untapable a homebred bay daughter of Tapit not only won the Kentucky Oaks, but she was a Breeders’ Cup winner and Eclipse Award Three-Year-Old Filly Champion. She had a spectacular year as a sophomore in 2014 winning six of seven starts (her only loss incurred when she competed against males in the Haskell Invitational Stakes). Untapable’s victories include the Rachel Alexandra Stakes, the Fair Ground Oaks, the Kentucky Oaks, the Mother Goose and the Cotillion Stakes. She capped her championship year with a triumph in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Kept in training two more years, Untapable finished in the money in several races, but her only victory was in the 2015 Apple Blossom Handicap.

Tapizar was a homebred son of Tapit who after an indifferent beginning as a two-year-old in 2010 broke his maiden for Asmussen by over 10 lengths at Churchill Downs in his fourth start. Shipped to California he showed a high turn of speed at the beginning of his three-year-old campaign winning the Sham Stakes. Raced sparingly in 2011, he concluded the year with a fifth place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. As a four-year-old, he atoned for that last defeat, at odds of 15-1, leading most of the way in the 2012 edition of the Dirt Mile contested at Santa Anita Park for a 2¼ length triumph.

Retired in 2013 to join his sire Tapit at Gainesway Farm, Tapizar sired the extraordinary female Monomoy Girl (for different ownership) who has won the Kentucky Oaks, two Breeders’ Cup Distaffs and two Eclipse Awards. Sadly as he was being prepared to be exported to Japan for stud duties in December 2020, Tapizar suffered a stall accident that necessitated his euthanasia.

Undoubtedly the best horse to race per date for Winchell Thoroughbreds has been Gun Runner. The colt was purchased privately as a yearling in 2014 by Three Chimneys Farm who, in turn, sold a half interest to Ron Winchell. From the time he was sent to Steve Asmussen, there were high expectations for the striking copper colored chestnut son of undefeated Argentinian champion Candy Ride from the female family of champion Saint Liam. Gun Runner won his two initial 2015 starts and then finished fourth on a sloppy Churchill Downs surface in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. In 2016, Gun Runner again won his first starts – the Risen Star Stakes and the Louisiana Derby, both run at the Fair Grounds Racetrack.

He was the third betting choice in the 2016 Kentucky Derby and put in a solid effort, finishing third, 5 lengths behind Nyquist and eventual Preakness Stakes winner Exaggerator. Held out of the other two classics, Gun Runner proved to be a consistent racehorse the rest of the year winning the Matt Winn Stakes and finishing in the money in the Travers Stakes, Pennsylvania Derby and Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. He ended his sophomore campaign with a victory against older horses in the Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs leading all the way.

If Gun Runner had shown himself to be a good horse in 2016, the 2017 version verged on greatness. Starting the year with a dominating victory in the Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park, the son of Candy Ride went to the Middle East to contest the Dubai World Cup, at that time the world’s richest race. Gun Runner ran a strong race, but was unable to withstand the furious closing charge of Arrogate, the previous year’s three-year-old champion.

Arrogate, who after the Dubai race was considered one of the all-time greats, on his return to the U. S. suffered a puzzling loss of form, losing his two subsequent starts at Del Mar Racetrack. Gun Runner, on the other hand, was becoming a racing machine. The sculpted chestnut pulverized his fields in the Stephen Foster Handicap, the Whitney and the Woodward Stakes. In each contest, Gun Runner, once his jockey Florent Geroux urged his mount forward, quickly put distance between him and his hapless foes. In the three races mentioned above, the burnished chestnut won by 7, 5¼ and 10¼ lengths, respectively, in strong final times. These blowout victories coupled with Arrogate’s losses, led people to believe what was unthinkable after the Dubai World Cup, that Gun Runner was now the best horse in training in the U. S. 

The two rivals met again in the Breeders’ Cup Classic run in 2017 at Del Mar. Florent Geroux took the same approach he used during Gun Runner’s win streak in that he would let his mount run freely and see if anyone could out sprint him. By the stands the first time, Gun Runner had a narrow lead over Collected with European raced Churchill saving ground in third position and sophomore West Coast to his outside. Down the backstretch, Gun Runner was ½ length in front of Collected, setting fast fractions with now West Coast and Churchill a few lengths behind. Mike Smith had Arrogate settled between horses in eighth place, hoping for a Dubai-like rally. As they headed around the far turn, the two leaders separated themselves from the rest of the field as the Classic turned into a match race. At the top of the stretch it appeared that Collected had a slight advantage, but when Geroux roused Gun Runner, he slowly edged away. At the finish, Gun Runner was 2¼ lengths in front of Collected who held second by over West Coast. Arrogate, who made a tepid move in the stretch, finished in a dead heat for fifth place.

Not long after Gun Runner’s connections received the 2017 Eclipse Awards in his name for Champion Older Dirt Male Horse and Horse of the Year, the now five-year-old made his final career start in the Pegasus World Cup (which took over as the world’s richest race) at Gulfstream Park in January 2018.  Thought to have a disadvantaged outside post, Gun Runner, nevertheless, broke sharply and was able to avoid going wide around the clubhouse turn. Settling in second just behind Collected down the backstretch, Gun Runner slowly crept forward, so that by the final turn he had assumed the lead. As Collected retreated, West Coast made his move, so that at the top of the stretch he was at Gun Runner’s flank. However, Gun Runner was not to be denied as he leveled out in greyhound-like fashion to prevail by 2½ lengths over West Coast.

Sent off to stud duty at Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, KY., Gun Runner retired with a record of 12 victories in 19 starts and earnings of over $16 million. His first crop is reaching the races in 2021 and, by all indications, Gun Runner is off to a strong start as a stallion.

The stable has had a representative this year in the classics with Midnight Bourbon who finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby and second in the Preakness. Recently, he stumbled in deep stretch, throwing his rider in the Haskell Invitational Stakes at Monmouth Park. Indications are that horse and jockey only suffered minor injuries. With Midnight Bourbon’s continued development and more runners by stallions Tapit and Gun Runner, it would appear that Winchell Thoroughbreds will continue to play a major part in American horse racing.

A Belmont Stakes at Three, a Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Two

 

A Belmont Stakes at Three,
a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Two

Joseph Di Rienzi

In North American thoroughbred racing, winning the 1½ mile Belmont Stakes, the finale for the Triple Crown series for three-year-olds, is emblematic of a horse possessing extreme stamina. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile raced in its 37 year history from 1 to 1 1/8 miles serves as the crowning race for a two-year-old. At first blush, these two races would seem to have little in common. The Juvenile is a measure of early precocity while the Belmont tests maturity and endurance. Since its inaugural in 1984, only one Breeders’ Cup Juvenile victor has been able to come back the following year and win the Belmont Stakes and that was accomplished this year with Essential Quality. However, there have been three other Belmont Stakes victors who have finished second in the Juvenile. I will look briefly at these horses’ campaigns that took them from a strong showing in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile to the highest glory in the Belmont Stakes.

Easy Goer winning the 1989 Belmont Stakes
(look.thoroughbreddailynews.com)

                                                  

Easy Goer on breeding seemed pre-destined to win the Belmont Stakes. The chestnut colt, born in 1986 and owned by Ogden Phipps, was sired by the great Alydar who had just missed winning the 1978 Belmont Stakes in a titanic struggle with his arch rival Affirmed. Easy Goer’s dam, Relaxing was a champion and major stakes winner at distances up to 1 5/8 of a mile. His dam’s sire, Buckpasser, was a multiple champion at distances from 5/8 to 2 miles.

That the powerful chestnut colt showed early promise as a two-year-old was a pleasant surprise for the Phipps family and trainer Shug McGaughey. Easy Goer was a strong favorite for the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile held that year at Churchill Downs, having won four of his first five starts including impressive wins in the Cowdin and Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park. The competition came from Is It True whom Easy Goer had thrice previously defeated. The son of Raja Baba, relishing the sloppy track, went out to contest the early lead. Easy Goer, off a little slowly, dropped back in the gooey going to be seventh but made a move around the far turn when steered between horses. Down the stretch, Is It True had an open lead, but it appeared that Easy Goer still might be able to catch him. However, the son of Alydar was not striding out fully, and at the finish was second, beaten 1¼ lengths in a major upset. Excuses for Easy Goer were the muddy surface and his uncomfortableness with the Churchill Downs tight oval, two conditions that would be repeated in 1989 on the first Saturday in May. Despite this loss, Easy Goer was still voted the Eclipse Award for Male Two-Year-Old Champion.

Easy Goer’s early three-year-old campaign in 1989 made him the strong favorite for the Kentucky Derby, but just as in the Juvenile of the previous year, he found one rival too strong, finishing second to Sunday Silence, beaten 2½ lengths. The fact that the Derby was at the same track Easy Goer lost the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, under similar sloppy surface conditions, convinced his connections that their colt did not put forth his best effort. In the Preakness Stakes two weeks later at Pimlico Racetrack, Easy Goer and Sunday Silence put on a show in one of the most dramatic races in memory with the latter gaining a nose advantage over the former after the two bumped repeatedly in their sizzling stretch duel.

As the stage was set for the Belmont Stakes, Easy Goer was in the same dubious position as his sire, Alydar, being the “bridesmaid” for a Triple Crown winner. However, Easy Goer came into the Belmont with some advantages. His breeding as indicated above, the fact that Belmont Park was his home track, and his natural affinity for the long sweeping turns of the 1½ mile oval.

As the field left the starting gate, Pat Valenzuela on Sunday Silence urged his mount forward, but he was out sprinted to the first turn by French raced Le Voyageur. Pat Day on Easy Goer was committed to tracking Sunday Silence, and the big chestnut assumed a position just behind the Derby-Preakness winner in third place. Down the backstretch, the positions were unchanged, but as the field approached the long final turn, Sunday Silence started creeping up on Le Voyageur. Almost at the moment he collared the leader, Pat Day asked Easy Goer for run, and he came with a bold rush to challenge the two leaders. As they straightened out for the stretch drive, it was clear that Easy Goer was “going” the best, and he quickly dispatched both Sunday Silence and Le Voyageur as his superior stamina led him to a resounding 8 length victory. Sunday Silence edged away from the pesky Le Voyageur to gain second place by 1 length. The final time still stands as the second best in history as only Secretariat had run a faster Belmont Stakes at the 1½ mile distance.

In the winner’s circle, owner Ogden Phipps incredulously celebrated his first classic victory. In spite of all the champions and great horses he bred and raced including Buckpasser and Personal Ensign, Easy Goer’s win in the Belmont Stakes was in his words, “my greatest thrill”.  For Shug McGaughey, this win was another gem in a budding Hall of Fame career.  For Easy Goer’s sire Alydar, this victory was perhaps some consolation in that his son accomplished what the father could not do, namely thwart a Triple Crown bid.

Point Given winning the 2001 Belmont Stakes
(bloodhorse.com)

                                                         

The second horse to nearly complete the Belmont Stakes – Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Double did not come into the latter race in 2000 with as exalted a reputation as Easy Goer had in his Juvenile. The Thoroughbred Corporation’s Point Given was a tall rangy dark chestnut son of Thunder Gulch who appeared to be improving race by race. After breaking his maiden in his second start at Del Mar Racetrack, he traveled to Turfway Park to win the Kentucky Cup Juvenile Stakes, displaying an impressive finishing kick. In the Champagne Stakes, the Bob Baffert trainee finished a good second beaten 1¾ lengths to A P Valentine.

Considered one of the favorites in a particularly strong edition of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile contested again at Churchill Downs, Point Given after lagging well behind early, closed dramatically in deep stretch to just miss by a nose to Macho Uno, the presumptive Two-Year-Old Champion. 

After concluding his two-year-old campaign with a victory in the Hollywood Futurity, Point Given began his sophomore season as a leading candidate for the 2001 Kentucky Derby. Winning both his prep races impressively – the San Felipe Stakes and the Santa Anita Derby, he entered the starting gate at Churchill Downs as the solid favorite. Everything about Point Given (his size, pedigree, stride and performances) seemed to indicate that here was a horse who might be on the verge of accomplishing racing immortality, not just winning the Kentucky Derby, but being the next Triple Crown hero. However, he chose his only poor performance in his career to be in the Kentucky Derby, finishing fifth to the victorious Monarchos, beaten a total of 11 lengths after being close to the lead in the early stages.

Undaunted by his disappointing Derby defeat, Point Given’s connections sought redemption in the Preakness. Made co-favorite with Derby victor Monarchos, the tall son of Thunder Gulch ran back to his best form, gaining the lead at the top of the stretch and powering home under regular rider Gary Stevens for a 2¼ length victory. Finishing second was A P Valentine with Monarchos a non-rallying sixth.

The Belmont Stakes featured the “deciding race” between the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winners. However, most expected Point Given to confirm (what the Preakness indicated) that he was the dominant three-year-old of his generation. Sent off as the clear favorite, Point Given produced a signature performance, rating behind the early pace set by Balto Star and cruising to the lead with ½ mile to run. A P Valentine tried to move with Point Given, but it was clear at the top of the stretch that it was in vain as the big chestnut strove forward under Gary Stevens steady urging. Monarchos, who initially was placed closer to the lead than in the previous classics, produced a rally around the sweeping Belmont turn, but just as in the Preakness, he could not sustain it in the stretch. At the finish, Point Given was 12¼ lengths clear of A P Valentine with Monarchos another ¾ of a length back in third. The final time was the fourth fastest in Belmont Stakes history.

Bob Baffert, who had previously had two trainees lose the Belmont Stakes (and, consequently, two Triple Crowns) right before the finish, relished his first victory in the final jewel of the Triple Crown. Despite this glorious win, there was still a feeling of regret among Point Given’s connections about what happened in the Derby. If their horse had run like he did on Belmont Stakes Day on the first Saturday of May, The Thoroughbred Corporation owner Prince Ahmed bin Salman, who received the Belmont trophy from former President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary, would not only be celebrating a Belmont Stakes victory but also a Triple Crown triumph.

Union Rags (on right) winning the 2012 Belmont Stakes
(nytimes.com)

The third colt to win the Belmont Stakes after finishing second in the previous year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile began his racing career at Delaware Park. Union Rags was a long legged handsome bay son of Dixie Union owned by the Chadds Ford Stable of Phyllis Wyeth who had seller’s remorse after selling him as a yearling in 2010 for $145,000 in 2010. Subsequently, she bought Union Rags back at a two-year-old in training sale in February 2011 for $390,000. Mrs. Wyeth, who was a daughter of the late James P. Mills, past master of Hickory Tree Farm, and wife of celebrated Delaware Valley artist Andrew Wyeth, appeared a sage in re-acquiring Union Rags, when in his second start he scored a very impressive victory in the Saratoga Special.

Trainer Michael Matz waited till the 1 mile Champagne Stakes for Union Rags’ next race, where he was favored. Although in tight quarters early and caught behind horses, once the big colt found running room in the stretch, he exploded for a 5¼ length victory. This performance, showing professionalism and power was enough to gain Union Rags the role of favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, but most observers were looking beyond, believing they saw a legitimate Triple Crown candidate for the following year. 

The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (once again held at Churchill Downs) was expected to be a showcase for Union Rags. The nearly white colored Hanson, who had won his only two previous starts on artificial surfaces, was sent right to front and opened up a couple of lengths on the field around the clubhouse turn. Union Rags, breaking from an outside post, lost ground on the first turn and was racing in mid-pack down the backstretch. As the field headed around the far turn, Union Rags made his move toward the leader. Hansen seemed in trouble, but he showed renewed energy once he straightened out for the final drive. It appeared in mid-stretch that Union Rags on the outside would catch Hansen, but the son of Dixie Union, veered to the right losing some of his momentum. Union Rags still closed grimly, but at the finish Hansen held on by a diminishing head.

This victory set up a debate over who should be selected as the champion. In the end, Hansen’s victory in the Juvenile was sufficient to gain the son of Tapit the Eclipse Award for Champion Two-Year-Old Male, although many would argue he was not a better horse than Union Rags.

Union Rags began his sophomore campaign with an impressive victory in the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park. However, as an overwhelming favorite in the Florida Derby, he could finish no better than third to Take Charge Indy. Despite this loss, he entered the starting gate for the 2012 Kentucky Derby as the second choice to Bodemeister. After a poor beginning, Union Rags was bounced back and found himself in 18^th position down the backstretch. Under jockey Julien Leparoux, he made a belated stretch rally that would only gain him seventh place to victorious I’ll Have Another who caught front running Bodemeister just before the finish.

Union Rags skipped the Preakness Stakes (in which I’ll Have Another and Bodemeister repeated their Derby 1-2 finish) and was aimed for the Belmont Stakes. Dissatisfied with the rides given Union Rags in his two previous starts, trainer Michael Matz replaced Leparoux with John Velazquez. With Bodemeister not entered and I’ll Have Another scratching due to an injury, the 2012 edition of the Belmont Stakes was lacking the leaders of the division.

The lightly raced Paynter under jockey Mike Smith was sent to the lead, and the son of Awesome Again set very moderate fractions. Velazquez kept Union Rags on the inside in fifth place down the backstretch saving ground. Around the sweeping final turn, Paynter repelled challenges to his outside as Union Rags was still stuck on the rail, and it appeared he would not find running room in the stretch. However, Smith, in driving Paynter, allowed enough room on the inside for Velazquez to send Union Rags through, and, in a prolonged drive, the Chadds Ford Stable runner came through for a neck victory over Paynter.

This victory was redemption for Union Rags, who started the year with such high hopes, only to see his reputation somewhat tarnished in his Florida and Kentucky Derby disappointments. For Phyllis Wyeth, who saw her Derby dream get deflated, winning the Belmont was a strong measure of consolation. Michael Matz, whose name will be forever linked with the star-crossed 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, demonstrated he was more than a one horse trainer.

Other Belmont Stakes winners who competed in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile include the D. Wayne Lukas trained runners, Tabasco Cat, Belmont winner in 1994 and Editor’s Note (1996), who both finished third in the latter race. In addition, the following were unplaced in the Juvenile but blossomed the next year to take the final classic: Danzig Connection (Belmont winner in 1986), Bet Twice (1987) and Lemon Drop Kid (1999).

Essential Quality winning the 2021 Belmont Stakes
(theguardian.com)

In 2020 Godolphin Stable’s Essential Quality capped a championship year winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile held at Keeneland Racecourse. He entered the starting gate the favorite for the 2021 Kentucky Derby but after a wide trip could only finish fourth, beaten just a length. Reserved till the Belmont Stakes by trainer Brad Cox, the gray son of Tapit wore down the resolute pacesetter Hot Rod Charlie for a decisive 1¼ length victory. Not only did Essential Quality in completing the Belmont Stakes – Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Double establish a precedent, but the second place finisher Hot Rod Charlie had also completed a double of sorts in that he had finished second to Essential Quality in the Juvenile, by almost the same margin (3/4 of a length) that he was beaten in the Belmont. So this year produced a Belmont Stakes – Breeders’ Cup Juvenile exacta finish.