The Kentucky Derby - Breeders' Cup Classic Double

 

The Kentucky Derby – Breeders’ Cup Classic Double
Joseph Di Rienzi

Arguably the two most important races on the United States thoroughbred scene are the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders’ Cup Classic. For a three-year-old to win both in the same year is quite an achievement. In fact, even to stay in training these days from early spring to mid-autumn to contest both races has become a rarity. Nine Derby winners in the 40-year history of the Breeders’ Cup have tried in their sophomore year to win the Classic and four have been successful. (There have been two Derby heroes that won the Breeders’ Cup Classic in their four-year-old season.) This piece will highlight the four who were able to accomplish this double in the same year.

Actually, the first Kentucky Derby winner to contest the Breeders’ Cup Classic was Alysheba in 1987 and he made a gallant effort but fell short by a nose to the 1986 Kentucky Derby hero Ferdinand. (However, Alysheba would return as a four-year-old to notch his Breeder’s Cup Classic victory in the slop at Churchill Downs.)

The first sophomore to complete the double was Sunday Silence in 1989. The nearly black son of Halo with a curious stripe down his face was owned by Ernest Gaillard, Arthur Hancock III and Charlie Whittingham and trained by the last named, affectionately known as the “Bald Eagle”. Sunday Silence had his Triple Crown quest denied when Ogden Phipps’ Easy Goer, who he had defeated in both the Derby and the Preakness Stakes, scored a resounding victory against his rival in the Belmont Stakes.

After the Belmont Easy Goer went from strength to strength, notching dominating victories in the Whitney Handicap, Travers Stakes, Woodward Stakes and Jockey Club Gold Cup. Sunday Silence, on the other hand, was upset by Prized in the Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park but returned to his best form in winning the Super Derby at Louisiana Downs by 6 lengths.

The 1989 Breeders’ Cup Classic, run that year at Gulfstream Park, was the stage for the decisive race between these two superlative equines. There were six others in the field, however, just about everybody picked the two top three-year-olds to finish 1-2. Easy Goer was the surprising strong favorite, considering that Sunday Silence had won two of the three previous meetings in that the result of the Belmont Stakes was taken as definitive. However, that was at 1½ miles and around Belmont Park’s gentle turns. The Breeders’ Cup Classic was run at a 1¼ mile around the tight oval of Gulfstream Park which Easy Goer had not negotiated well in the past. An added uncertainty was that Chris McCarron was now the rider of Sunday Silence in that his regular jockey Pat Valenzuela was serving a suspension due to repeated drug abuse.

As the field was sent on their way, Slew City Slew showed his speed to take a three length lead setting a fast pace with Blushing John in second. Sunday Silence was parked in fourth and then third, with Easy Goer further back in sixth place. Down the backstretch, Sunday Silence ambled smoothly toward the leaders, and Easy Goer made a quick move to be just behind his rival. Around the turn, Blushing John forged to the front as Slew City Slew fell back. As feared, Easy Goer was not able to keep pace around the final turn with Sunday Silence and lost ground. At the top of the stretch, Sunday Silence readily moved to and then past Blushing John as Easy Goer mounted a desperate challenge once in the straight. In the last 1/16 of a mile, Easy Goer closed considerable ground but fell short by a neck at the finish. Blushing John in a strong effort was one length behind Easy Goer. With this result, Three-Year-Old Male Champion and Horse of the Year honors were awarded to Sunday Silence.

Sunday Silence (no. 8) wins the 1989 Breeders' Cup Classic
(Horsephotos)

The very next year, 1990, another Kentucky Derby victor was able to triumph in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. This was nonagenarian Mrs. Frances Genter’s Unbridled. The burly bay son of Fappiano was trained by Carl Nafzger. After winning the Kentucky Derby, Unbridled finished second in the Preakness (to Summer Squall) and fourth in the Belmont (to Irish raider Go and Go).

Rested for a Fall campaign, Nafzger had his colt win an allowance race at Arlington Park and then finished second to stablemates in both the Secretariat Stakes (on turf) at Arlington and the Super Derby.

The Breeders’ Cup Classic of 1990, run that year at Belmont Park, appeared to be a motley affair compared to the titanic battles between Derby winners Ferdinand and Alysheba in 1987 or the great rivals Sunday Silence and Easy Goer in 1989. Absent from the 14 horse field were the three best older horses, Criminal Type, Sunday Silence and Easy Goer. Also not present was Preakness winner Summer Squall. Unbridled, entered off a four stakes race losing streak, and the fact that his Derby winning rider, Craig Perret, had deserted him for Travers Stakes winner Rhythm was seen as a lack of support. (Pat Day, who last rode Unbridled in the Florida Derby, reclaimed the mount.) The Belmont Stakes victor, Go and Go, was in the field, but coming off a poor effort in the Travers Stakes. Other contenders in the field were Dispersal, Flying Continental, Rhythm, Izvestia and Home At Last (coupled in the betting with Unbridled). The public made Rhythm the solid favorite with Izvestia the second choice, despite both having finished third in their respective prior starts. The Unbridled-Home At Last entry was priced at a generous 6.60-1.

As the Classic field was sent on their way, Thirty Six Red, Dispersal and Beau Genius set a demanding pace. The stout English bred, Ibn Bey was surprisingly up close with Rhythm in 11th and Unbridled in 13th place. At the end of the backstretch, Thirty Six Red drew clear as both Dispersal and Beau Genius faltered, but the chase was taken up by Ibn Bey. Around the far turn several horses including Rhythm began rallies on the outside while Pat Day aboard Unbridled was making up ground along the inside. In the stretch, Thirty Six Red had the lead, but 30-1 Iben Bey was slowly wearing him down. Day had Unbridled behind both of the leaders on the rail, but he found a little room between Thirty Six Red and Ibn Bey and drove the big son of Fappiano through it to forge to the lead and win by a length. Second, in a startling effort for his first time on dirt was Ibn Bey. Third, another length behind, was a very game Thirty Six Red.

Unbridled wins the 1990 Breeders' Cup Classic
(Skip Dickstein photo)

Unbridled thus became the fourth consecutive Kentucky Derby winner to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic joining Ferdinand, Alysheba and Sunday Silence. This victory assured Unbridled of the Eclipse Award for Three-year-old Male but was also another testimony to Carl Nafzger’s ability to bring a horse to peak condition off a series of prep races.

 

We had to wait till 2015 for another Kentucky Derby – Breeders’ Cup Classic double. That was in the form of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. The Zayat Stables owned, Bob Baffert trained bay son of Pioneer of the Nile had come through his epic Triple Crown series with a victory in the Haskell Invitational Stakes at Monmouth Park but suffered a surprising defeat to Keen Ice (a horse he had defeated in the Haskell) in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga Racetrack.

Owner Ahmed Zayat’s initial reaction was to retire his star. However, in the weeks ahead, Bob Baffert convinced the owner that after giving American Pharoah some time off, he (Baffert) could prepare the colt for a top effort in the Breeders’ Cup Classic held in 2015 at Keeneland Racetrack.

Seeing American Pharoah train strongly after the shocking Travers Stakes loss, his connections grew confident about his chances in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Familiar foes such as Keen Ice and Frosted were in the Classic field as well as older adversaries such as Honor Code and Tonalist. The biggest threat to American Pharoah appeared to be the five-year-old mare Beholder if she could repeat her phenomenal race in the Pacific Classic Stakes at Del Mar Racetrack. That she was the only entry in the field that could run with American Pharoah early also enhanced the chances of closers such as Honor Code, Tonalist and Keen Ice. The prospect of a head-and-head battle evaporated when it was announced that Beholder would be withdrawn due to an inflamed throat.

In Beholder’s absence, the race appeared to be American Pharoah’s to lose, as long as he was in top form. As the nine horse field left the starting gate, jockey Victor Espinoza guided American Pharoah to an unchallenged lead, and the race was effectively over by the clubhouse turn. Setting comfortable fractions, the Triple Crown hero always had a clear lead, and when he came into the stretch, Espinoza just let him run on, which he did to a 6½ length victory. Effinex, who had been “Pharoah’s” nearest pursuer the whole race, finished second another 4½ lengths in front of Honor Code whose late running tactics were blunted by the moderate pace. The final time was a new track record for the seldom run 1¼ mile distance at Keeneland.

American Pharoah wins the 2015 Breeders' Cup Classic
(BloodHorse.com)

Thus, American Pharoah put a capstone on his incredible year with this victory, and he remains the only horse to have won both the Triple Crown and the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

The final horse requires somewhat of an asterisk in that in 2020 the Kentucky Derby was run on the first Saturday in September due to COVID-19 restrictions. (Only those who had an association with the runners on the day’s race card were in attendance at Churchill Downs.) The favorite was Tiz the Law who had won the Belmont Stakes in June (at an incredulous distance of nine furlongs) and the Travers. Authentic, a lankly bay son of emerging super sire Into Mischief, owned by a diverse racing partnership including some 5000 strong of MyRacehorse.com micro shareholders and trained by Bob Baffert, had won the Haskell Invitational Stakes. In the Derby, under jockey John Velazquez, Authentic led from start to finish, holding off a resolute challenge by Tiz the Law, to win by 1½ lengths.

In the interim between the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders’ Cup races, Authentic raced in the Preakness (held this year on October 3rd) and went down by a neck to the filly Swiss Skydiver.

On November 7^th, 2020, Keeneland was again the host for the two day Breeders’ Cup series of races. This year the Breeders’ Cup Classic was set to fulfill its role as the definitive race in the U. S. for determining Horse of the Year. The major older horses – Maximum Security, Improbable, Tom’s d’Etat, and By My Standards were in the 10 horse field as well as top sophomores Tiz the Law and Authentic. Other contenders were Global Campaign who was coming off a victory in the Woodward Stakes, and Tacitus who had recently finished second in the Woodward and third in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Tiz the Law was installed the slight favorite despite his Kentucky Derby loss to Authentic. Drawing the number two post was considered a disadvantage for the son of Constitution in that he seemed to prefer racing on the outside. Bob Baffert had three entered, and Improbable was given the best chance as the second choice with Authentic and Maximum Security also at relatively low odds in the evenly balanced field.

After an uneventful start, John Velazquez steered Authentic to the front from his number 10 post. Just behind him was Maximum Security and Tiz the Law who was unable to get off the inside. The positions were unchanged up the backstretch as the Kentucky Derby winner carved out a solid pace. Rounding the far turn, several challenged but none could make headway on the fleet front runner. At the top of the stretch Global Campaign and Improbable were Authentic’s closest pursuers, but Velazquez just urged the son of Into Mischief on, and he held his advantage that swelled to 2¼ lengths at the finish. Improbable, in a strong effort, finished second a length in front of Global Campaign. Tacitus ran his usual even performance in finishing fourth two lengths further back while Maximum Security was a nose behind in fifth but a head in front of Tiz the Law. The final time was a track record in the decidedly speed favoring surface, eclipsing American Pharoah’s time.

Authentic wins the 2020 Breeders' Cup Classic
(BloodHorse.com)

Authentic thus became the sixth Kentucky Derby winner to triumph in the Classic and the fourth to accomplish this in the same year. Eclipse honors were given to Authentic (Three-Year-Old Male and Horse of the Year).

As of this writing, Sovereignty, who faces a tough field of competitors, has a chance to be the fifth horse to compete the Kentucky Derby – Breeders’ Cup Classic double. We wish him and his connections bella fortuna.

The Breeders' Cup Legacy of D. Wayne Lukas

 

The Breeders’ Cup Legacy of D. Wayne Lukas
Joseph Di Rienzi

 

D, Wayne Lukas
(Orange County Register)

Any attempt to capture in writing the life and success of thoroughbred horse trainer Darrell Wayne Lukas who died on June 28, 2025, at age 89, will fall very short of the mark in capturing the breadth and depth of his influence on the sport. A larger-than-life personality, by his skill, vision and charisma he transformed the art of training thoroughbred horses being the first to have a truly national stable. D. Wayne, as he was commonly referred as, conditioned 26 horses that were voted Eclipse Award champions and had 15 that were victorious in a Triple Crown race. He, himself, won the Eclipse Award as outstanding trainer four times. It’s in the Breeders’ Cup Thoroughbred World Championship races, that Lukas perhaps had his greatest impact in which he conditioned a record 20 winners. An early and enthusiastic supporter, D. Wayne stocked the early Breeders’ Cup races with runners hoping to showcase their championship caliber. This piece will examine his success in the first five years of the series, beginning with its inception in 1984.

Hollywood Park was the setting for the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Thoroughbred World Championships. D. Wayne had five entries scattered through the seven-race series, but the best finishes were seconds in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile (by Tank’s Prospect) and the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (Life’s Magic).

The next year (1985) when the Breeders’ Cup was run at Aqueduct Racetrack, D. Wayne’s horses struck Breeders’ Cup gold. He ran a three-part entry in the one-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies – Arewehavingfunyet, Family Style and Twilight Ridge. Of the three, Family Style had the best credentials coming into the race having won the Spinaway, the Arlington Lassie and the Frizette Stakes while Arewehavingfunyet was a clear leader on the West Coast. Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Klein, who owned Family Style, was also represented by Twilight Ridge, a leggy bay daughter of Cox’s Ridge who had impressed early in her racing career, then was given time off. She had recently returned to finish second in the 6½ furlong Critical Miss Stakes at Philadelphia Park. Coupled together the entry was the odd-on favorite in Juvenile Fillies

The triple-headed entry went off as the odds-on favorite. On Breeders’ Cup Day, Twilight Ridge proved best, after racing just off the pace under Jorge Velasquez to gain command in the upper stretch and hold off a rally by Family Style by a length. Twilight Ridge, who was winning her first stakes race in her fourth start, tried to confirm her claim to the Champion Two-Year-Old Filly title in her next outing, the Hollywood Starlet Stakes, but could only finish third. Voters, thereby, gave the Eclipse Award to her more accomplished stable mate, Family Style.

Twlight Ridge winning 1985 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
(BloodHorse.com)

Throwing another three-ply entry into the 10 furlong Breeder’s Cup Distaff, Lukas again saw his white bridled runners finish 1–2. The Kleins’ Life’s Magic did one better than the previous year and capped off a championship season with a 6¼ length victory over her stablemate Lady’s Secret. The victory by the daughter of Cox’s Ridge propelled her to a second Eclipse Award despite the fact she had only won 2 of 13 starts in 1985. (However, about 25% of Life’s Magic’s races were in top tier races against the best of her male counterparts.)

The Lukas brigade rolled on in 1986 with two more Breeders’ Cup victories, this year held at Santa Anita Park. In the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Capote, a dark bay or brown son of Seattle Slew owned by Barry Beal, L. R. “Bob” French Jr. and Eugene Klein, led all the way in the now 8½ furlong race. In the beaten field were such stalwarts as Alysheba, Gulch, Bet Twice, Polish Navy and Demons Begone. This win coupled with a previous victory in the Norfolk Stakes was enough to convince voters to crown Capote with an Eclipse Award.

In the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, Lady’s Secret emulated Life’s Magic in improving one place from the previous year. The diminutive gray daughter of Secretariat, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Klein’s led all the way for a popular 2½ length triumph. Not only did this victory secure an Eclipse Award for Older Filly and Mare, but her active campaign in 1986 which included a victory against males in the Whitney Handicap and placings in several other open gendered races, resulted in Lady’s Secret, dubbed “The Iron Lady”, being voted Horse of the Year.

Lady's Secret (on left) winning 1986 Breeders' Cup Distaff
(BloodHorse.com)

In 1987, with the Breeders’ Cup races returned to Hollywood Park, Lukas achieved another double. Eugene Klein’s Success Express scored a mild upset over uncoupled entry mate Tejano. The Lukas duo ran first and second for most of the one mile race with Canadian bred Regal Classic rallying to pass Tejano for second place honors. Neither Success Express nor Tejano were accorded the Eclipse Award for Male Two-Year-Old. That honor went to Claiborne Farm’s Forty Niner who did not contest the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile.

As in the two previous years, a D. Wayne Lukas trainee won the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.  Sacahuista, a three-year-old daughter of Raja Baba owned by Barry Beal and L. R. French Jr. Prior to the Distaff, Sacahuista had the dubious distinction of finishing first in two stakes (the Cotillion and Ruffian Handicaps) only to be disqualified and placed second in the former, third in the latter. However, in her start prior to the Distaff, Sacahuista ran straight and true to win the Spinster Stakes at Keeneland Racetrack. One of three Lukas trainees in the Distaff, the bay daughter of Raja Baba led all the way, defeating barn mate Clabber Girl by 2¼ lengths. This victory coupled with her Spinster triumph clinched Three-Year-Old Filly honors for Sacahuista.

Sacahuista winning 1987 Breeders' Cup Distaff
(BloodHorse.com)

The 1988 Breeders’ Cup Championships were a tour-de-force for D. Wayne Lukas as horses trained by him won three, finished second twice and three times placed third.

It was a miserable day at Churchill Downs for the fifth edition of the Breeders’ Cup with a pronounced sloppy track. In the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, Peter Brant’s Gulch who had raced at various distances through his distinguished career, including all Triple Crown races in 1987, was shortened up in the 6 furlong Sprint, and, under Angel Cordero, unleashed a furious drive to win over Canadian runner Play The King by ¾ of a length. This triumph catapulted the son of Mr. Prospector to an Eclipse Award for Sprinter.

Gulch winning 1988 Breeders' Cup Sprint
(BloodHorse.com)

In the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, Lukas ran a five-part entry in which three occupied the first three places. Eugene Klein’s Open Mind, again under jockey Angel Cordero Jr., finished first, 1¾ lengths ahead of Darby Shuffle with Lea Lucinda a neck further back. The bay daughter of Deputy Minster cemented her Eclipse Award with a follow-up victory in the Demoiselle Stakes.

Lukas’ third Breeders’ Cup winning trainee was largely unanticipated. Eugene Klein’s Is It True, a bay son of Raja Baba, had been defeated thrice by the vaunted Easy Goer and there was no expectation he would reverse that result in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. However, on a slippery track Easy Goer could not get good traction, Is It True, and jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. held sway by 1¼ lengths over the Ogden Phipps color bearer. Despite this win by the Lukas horse, it was Easy Goer who was voted Two-Year-Old Champion.

Of the other second place finisher, it was Eugene Klein’s Kentucky Derby victress, Winning Colors that just missed by a nose in the last stride in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff to Ogden Phipps’ undefeated Personal Ensign.

D. Wayne Lukas’ nine horses who were Breeders’ Cup heroes in the first five years, were from 46 starters in a series which at that time (1984 – 1988) comprised of only seven races instead of the current bloated 14. Lukas would go on to add 11 more trainees to the Breeders’ Cup honor roll from an astounding 169 starters. In number of winners (20) D. Wayne Lukas is currently tied with Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien and with the addition of turf races on the Breeders’ Cup cards, the latter should soon become the single leader. Nevertheless, D. Wayne Lukas’ legacy will remain as the horse trainer who put the Breeders’ Cup series of races in the forefront of the thoroughbred racing community’s consciousness.

The Whitney - Travers Stakes Double

 

The Whitney – Travers Stakes Double

Joseph Di Rienzi

The two most prestigious races during the traditional summer meeting at Saratoga Racetrack are the Whitney Stakes and the Travers Stakes. The latter is restricted to three-year-olds while the former in part of its history was open to ages three and older. Both are steeped in thoroughbred racing lore with a roster of victors that include such legends as Man o’War, Whirlaway, Tom Fool, Kelso, Buckpasser, Damascus, Dr. Fager and Personal Ensign. However, there have been only four horses who have completed the Whitney – Travers double in the same year. (This accomplishment is not presently possible, in that the Whitney Stakes is currently only open to horses four years and older.)  

Why a trainer would run a sophomore against older horses in August can be explicated as follows: The Whitney at 9 furlongs, run at the time two weeks prior to the 10 furlong Travers at the same racetrack would serve as an ideal prep for what has been called “The Mid-Summer Derby.” When the Whitney was run as a handicap (until 2019), three-year-olds would get significant weight allowances against their older foes. (In Europe, this advantage enables young horses to have success in major races even in July.)  And lastly, the four who, indeed completed this double, where just that superior to their older competition.

This essay will look at the four thoroughbreds alluded to above who were able to accomplish this rare double.

Key to the Mint winning the 1972 Travers Stakes
(AP wire photo)

Rokeby Stables Key to the Mint, a foal of 1969, was born to be a champion, being a son of Graustark from the Princequillo mare Key Bridge. This made him a half-brother to the stable’s venerable and durable champion grass horse, Fort Marcy. Much more precocious than his older sibling, and successful on dirt, the stately long-legged bay colt had a productive two-year-old year. However, he clearly was in the umbra of champion Riva Ridge. As Key to the Mint turned three in 1972, he had a setback in Florida that interrupted his Kentucky Derby prep schedule. He did return in time to win the Derby Trial at 1 mile convincingly, but trainer Elliot Burch deemed the colt not seasoned enough for the demanding 1¼ miles of the Derby.

In the Preakness Stakes, Key to the Mint finished ahead of Kentucky Derby winner Riva Ridge but found longshot Bee Bee Bee and No Le Hace both too good over the sloppy Pimlico Racetrack oval. The Belmont Stakes was a tour de force for Riva Ridge as he won by 7 lengths. Key to the Mint had challenged at one point but faded to finish fourth beaten over 12 lengths.

After the Belmont, the bay son of Graustark came into his own. The Whitney was not the first time Key to the Mint competed against his elders. In the 9½ furlong Brooklyn Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack, Key to the Mint, toting a feathery 112 lb., affirmed the quality of the sophomore division, leading all the way and winning by 2 lengths over four-year-old Autobiography (122 lb.), setting a new track record.

At Saratoga, Key to the Mint once again bested his older rivals, this time winning the Whitney Handicap in front running fashion under 113 lbs. by 2 lengths with Autobiography (120 lbs.) finishing fourth.

The 1972 edition of the Travers Stakes was not a championship deciding contest. Riva Ridge was given a rest after an unexpected defeat in the Monmouth Invitational Handicap (now the Haskell Stakes). Key to the Mint was the prohibitive favorite, and he prevailed by a length after a long stretch duel with Tentam, with True Knight ½ length back in third. Key to the Mint was Elliot Burch’s fourth trainee to be victorious in the Travers (Sword Dancer (1959), Quadrangle (1964), and Arts and Letters (1969) being the previous winners).
 

Alydar winning the 1978 Whitney Handicap
(NYRA telephoto)

The next horse to complete the Whitney – Travers double needs no introduction to avid racing observers. Alydar was a legendary horse and generally considered the greatest horse never to win a championship. The strapping chestnut son of Raise a Native was bred and raced by hallowed Calumet Farm and trained by John Veitch. His battles with Harbor View Farm’s Affirmed are etched in thoroughbred racing lore. Much has been written about their rivalry and I will not reiterate it here. Suffice to say that in the summer of 1978 Alydar came to Saratoga for the Whitney Stakes after three grueling losses to Affirmed in the Triple Crown Series in which he was the only horse in history to finish second in all three classics.

Of the two Triple Crown protagonists, the Calumet Farm star was the first to return to the races ready for a step down in class. In the 10 furlong Arlington Classic, Alydar, showed his amazing constitution with an overwhelming 13 length victory over subpar opposition. Settling in at Saratoga Racetrack, John Veitch, entered his star next against older horses in the Whitney Handicap. With the age allowance, Alydar was the technical high weight at 123 lb., although four-year-old J. O. Tobin carried 128 lb. The Whitney was a horse race until the field straightened out in the stretch. Buckaroo set the early pace with Nearly On Time in close attendance.  J. O. Tobin, after breaking poorly, went up to challenge the leaders as they approached the far turn. Just as J. O. Tobin raced alongside Buckaroo, Alydar who had been well back was launching a tremendous rally along the inside. Under Jorge Velasquez, he passed the leaders in a few strides and drew out to humble the field by 10 lengths in near track record time. Buckaroo held on for second by a head in front of Father Hogan with J. O. Tobin tiring to finish sixth.

A few days later at Saratoga, Affirmed made his first start after the Triple Crown in the 9 furlong Jim Dandy Stakes closing resolutely to catch loose leader Sensitive Prince by a ½ length while carrying 128 lb.

The Travers Stakes with a record Saratoga crowd was the 10^th in what would be the final meeting of Affirmed and Alydar. Despite Affirmed’s decided win margin (7-2) over his rival, Alydar’s connections were optimistic. Alydar seemed to be coming into the race sharper than his rival. In addition, Affirmed’s regular rider, Steve Cauthen, was injured and was replaced by Laffit Pincay Jr. There were only two other horses entered. Nasty and Bold, had carved out a very successful summer for himself winning in succession the American Derby and the Brooklyn Handicap against older horses. The remaining entry was Shake Shake Shake, a rank outsider, who nonetheless played a role in the Travers’ controversial result. Under Angel Cordero, Shake Shake Shake took the early lead with Affirmed directly to his outside. Alydar settled initially in fourth, just to the flank of Nasty and Bold. Down the backstretch, Jorge Velasquez seized the initiative by moving Alydar abruptly to the rail, coming up the inside of Shake Shake Shake. As Shake Shake Shake dropped back, Pincay on Affirmed angled him toward the rail, squeezing the oncoming Alydar and forcing him to lose his action and drop back suddenly. For a moment, it appeared, Alydar had broken down, but showing extraordinary courage he came back and made a valiant effort to catch Affirmed who had vaulted to a clear lead. At the finish, Affirmed was 1¾ lengths ahead of Alydar with Nasty and Bold some 3¾ lengths further back in third. The blinking lights on the tote board started flashing “Inquiry”, and, after some deliberation, the stewards rightly disqualified Affirmed for interference and declared Alydar the official Travers winner.

The result satisfied no one. The Harbor View Farm group and, especially, trainer Laz Barrera were upset. There were accusations of a collusion between Angel Cordero on Shake Shake Shake and Jorge Velasquez on Alydar against Affirmed. On the other hand, Alydar’s connections were convinced their colt was in a position to win the race when Affirmed cut their horse off depriving Alydar of a true victory. It was hoped this titanic rivalry would continue through the major fall races, but it was not to be, as Alydar suffered a year ending injury training for a return meeting with Affirmed in the Marlboro Cup.

Java Gold winning the 1987 Travers Stakes
(BloodHorse)

Java Gold, a product of Paul Mellon’s Rokeby Stables, was a son of the same connections’ Key to the Mint but conditioned by Mack Miller who assumed the stable’s training duties on the retirement of Elliot Burch. In major fall races, the bay colt had showed he was competitive with the best juveniles of 1986, winning in his final year-end start the 9 furlong Remson Stakes. With his stout pedigree being by a dam by Nijinsky, he appeared a classic type. Aimed for the Belmont Stakes in 1987, he was forced to miss a key prep due to a fever.

Racing in four minor races, in which Java Gold won three and lost to an older horse by a nose in the fourth, Mack Miller threw the son of Key to the Mint in the proverbial deep waters in entering the Whitney. Despite the presence of Broad Brush, arguably the best older male on dirt, three prominent sophomores - Gulch, Gone West and Java Gold chose to use this race as a prep for the Travers. The weights may have been the deciding factor with Broad Brush at 127 lb., Gulch (117 lb.), Gone West (116 lb.) and Java Gold (113 lb.). In a race with several lead changes, at the top of the stretch, Gulch, getting through an opening on the inside, spurted to a clear lead leaving Gone West and Broad Brush in his wake. However, jockey Pat Day had Java Gold on the inside just behind the leading trio when enough room became available between Gulch and Gone West. Showing a great turn of foot, Java Gold caught Gulch just before the finish to win by ¾ of a length, 2¼ lengths back was Broad Brush who finished a nose in front of Gone West. For Paul Mellon this was déjà vu, his Key to the Mint, as discussed above used the Whitney as prelude to a Travers victory. Would his son, Java Gold, follow suit?

The Travers Stakes was one of those rare events where all the major contenders converged on Saratoga in seemingly good form for this showdown.  Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Alysheba, Belmont and Haskell Stakes victor Bet Twice, Java Gold, Gulch, Polish Navy, Temperate Sil, Cryptoclearance were all there as well as longshot Fortunate Moment and Gorky who was used as a pacesetter for Gulch. On race day the track was drenched by heavy morning rains. Alysheba and Bet Twice’s respective forms on sloppy tracks were uncertain, but Gulch, Java Gold and Cryptoclearance all had won stakes races on off tracks. The public settled on the dual classic winner as the slight favorite over Java Gold and Bet Twice.

As the field raced down the stretch the first time, Temperate Sil and Gorky went strongly for the lead. Down the backstretch the pair opened several lengths on the field with Polish Navy and Bet Twice occupying the third and fourth spots, respectively. Alysheba and Gulch were in mid-pack with Java Gold and Cryptoclearance occupying the two rear positions. As the field headed for the far turn, the complexion of the race changed dramatically. First Bet Twice, then Polish Navy seized the lead. But when the leaders straightened out for the stretch drive, Cryptoclearance who had been making a bold bid, surged into the lead looking like a clear winner. However, Pat Day aboard Java Gold had been drafting behind “Crypto’s” wake and in mid-stretch, he asked the Rokeby colt for his run and the response was immediate. In deep stretch, Java Gold caught and drew past Cryptoclearance for a 2 length victory. Some 6½ lengths behind was Polish Navy in third, another 1½ lengths back in fourth was Gulch. The classic winners, Bet Twice and Alysheba, finished way back in fifth and sixth place respectively, and both horses’ connections blamed the track condition for their defeats.

Thus, Paul Mellon completed the Whitney-Travers double he had accomplished with Key to the Mint in 1972. In addition, Java Gold’s victory was Mellon’s fourth Travers, having won it also with Quadrangle (1964) and Arts and Letters (1969). This was Mack Miller’s first Travers victory; the three previous Rokeby horses were trained by Elliot Burch.

Easy Goer winning the 1989 Travers Stakes
(Saratogian)

The last horse to complete the Whitney – Travers double was like his sire Alydar embroiled in a torrid rivalry with another colt through the Triple Crown series. But, unlike the Calumet color bearer, Easy Goer had won a classic, a resounding 8 length victory over the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner. 

Another horse with an impeccable pedigree from a fabled stable, Easy Goer was a muscular dark chestnut son of Alydar from the champion mare Relaxing by Buckpasser, a pedigree that bespoke stamina and the highest class. Bred and raced by Ogden Phipps and trained by Claude “Shug” McGaughey, Easy Goer was the Eclipse Champion Two-Year-Old of 1988. He was favored in both the Derby and the Preakness but found West Coast flyer Sunday Silence one better.

Easy Goer, made his first start since the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga, taking on older foes in the Whitney Handicap. Carrying top weight, by the scale of 119 lb., the son of Alydar was facing such veterans as Cryptoclearance (122 lb.), Forever Silver (120 lb.), and Homebuilder (116 lb.) in the six horse field.  Sitting behind in fourth place, Easy Goer appeared to be blocked behind horses as the field bunched together coming down the stretch. But as soon as his jockey Pat Day found an opening between horses, the big chestnut burst to victory by a widening 4½ lengths in near track record time.  Second was Forever Silver, a ½ length in front of Cryptoclearance.

Back against his own age in the Travers Stakes, Easy Goer faced five rivals. The threat to Easy Goer came from Clever Trevor, who since finishing 12th in the Kentucky Derby, won in succession the St. Paul Derby and the Arlington Classic in runaway fashion. As anticipated, Clever Trevor went right to the front pursued by Roi Danzig. Easy Goer was further back, first in fourth then moved up to be third down the backstretch. Nearing the far turn, Pat Day let Easy Goer run, and he readily moved alongside the leader. Around the turn both Easy Goer and Clever Trevor raced together and briefly it looked like a tight horse race, but once Day shook up Easy Goer, he pulled clear and won well within himself by 3 lengths. Clever Trevor, in an excellent performance, finished second, 9 lengths in front of Shy Tom.

As mentioned above, it is not currently possible for a sophomore to win the Whitney on the way to a Travers triumph. But we have seen that in the past four three-year-olds were able to use the Whitney as a launchpad for the Mid-Summer Derby. Their success is due to these horses’ inherent quality and the courage of their connections in stepping out of the normal pattern. Cheers to the risk takers!

The Star Crossed Career of Maximum Security

 

The Star-Crossed Career of Maximum Security

Joseph Di Rienzi

Maximum Security at stud
(BloodHorse)

Of recent prominent thoroughbred racehorses, perhaps the most undervalued has been Maximum Security. Nearly cast off by his prominent breeder and owner, he came to the cusp of racing immortality, only to become draped in notoriety in being disqualified twice in major races. His demotions had little to due with his ability but a direct reflection of improper riding and devious training practices. Despite these setbacks, Maximum Security complied an impressive racing record, easily comparable to the best of his contemporaries in the years he raced (2018 – 2020).

A foal of 2016, Maximum Security was an average sized bay son of New Year’s Day bred and owned by Mary and Gary West. His sire, also owned and campaigned by the Wests, won the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile in 2014. A series of unspecified physical issues delayed Maximum Security’s debut until December 2018. When he did begin racing it was at Gulfstream Park in a maiden claiming race for $16,000. He was trained by Jason Servis, a conditioner the Wests used for their lesser stock. (Most of the stable’s runners raced on the West Coast, with their primary trainer being Bob Baffert, including the previous year’s two-year-old champion Game Winner.)

The bay colt showed what would be his characteristic high turn of speed in winning a 6½ furlong maiden event by 9¾ lengths. (Fortunately for his owners, Maximum Security was not claimed.) Staying in Florida, he seamlessly moved into the allowance ranks at the start of 2019 winning 6 and 7 furlong races by 6½ and 18¼ lengths, respectively. The last was run in a particularly fast time and gave Maximum Security’s connections the confidence to try him against the best sophomores in Florida.

In the Florida Derby, jockey Luis Saez took Maximum Security to the front where surprisingly he was unchallenged. Setting moderate fractions, the Wests’ runner was in command all the way around winning by 3½ lengths. In the winner’s circle, Mary and Gary West celebrated this victory in a $1 million race for a horse they nearly lost for $16,000. 

The 2019 Kentucky Derby saw nineteen face the starting gate on a wet day in Louisville. The Bob Baffert trained entry – Improbable, Roadster and Game Winner were well supported in the betting with the first named the post time favorite. The second choice was Maximum Security with Tacitus the only other entry having single digit odds.

The race itself was the story of the year with the final chapter still in doubt until well after the running. It will also be remembered long in Kentucky Derby folklore. The field broke cleanly from the starting gate over the sloppy Churchill Downs surface. Luis Saez put Maximum Security on the lead closely followed by Bodexpress, Long Range Toddy and War of Will. All seemed well as the field went around the far turn. War of Will was guided off the rail to the outside of Maximum Security as Code of Honor moved up the vacated inside. Also running a strong race was Country House who was rallying on the outside from mid-pack. As War of Will was looming next to Maximum Security, the latter did not corner the turn well, forcing the former wide and also impacting Long Range Toddy. Briefly Code of Honor gained the lead, but Maximum Security, demonstrating what would be his characteristic courage, fought back and repelled Code of Honor, War of Will and Country House. At the finish, the son of New Year’s Day was 1¾ lengths in front of Country House who was ¾ of a length ahead of Code of Honor. Tacitus closed late to be fourth, while War of Will faded to finish in eighth place and Long Range Toddy checked in seventeenth. Baffert’s trainees finished fifth (Improbable), sixth (Game Winner) and sixteenth (Roadster).  

The stewards did not post an inquiry, nor did the rider of the presumably impeded War of Will. It was Country House’s jockey Flavien Prat, perhaps sensing an opportunity, who claimed foul against Maximum Security. After an agonizing 23 minute wait, the stewards disqualified Maximum Security (the first in Derby history in the race itself) and placed him seventeenth. Country House, at odds 65-1 (second longest at the time in Kentucky Derby history), gained the roses, a first for trainer Bill Mott. The official victor’s owners - Maury Shields, E. J. M. McFadden Jr. and LNJ Foxwoods were understandably jubilant at their unexpected good fortune. On the other hand, the connections of Maximum Security were in a state of shock seeing their Derby glory snatched from them by an administrative decision.

2019 Kentucky Derby - Maximum Security (second fron right)
(The New York Times)

The racing community was divided on the justness of the stewards’ verdict. Those supporting it argued there was a clear foul and in any other race there would be no question of a disqualification. The other side claimed that this was the Kentucky Derby and only an egregious interference should merit an alteration in the order of finish. They boosted their argument claiming Country House, the chief beneficiary of the stewards’ decision, was unaffected by Maximum Security’s wayward behavior around the stretch turn and should not be rewarded with the victory. West and his wife Mary, convinced of this argument, appealed the disqualification to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. When denied, the Wests and their attorneys took the case to a federal district court. When informed by the judge that decisions by the Commission are not subject to judicial review, the connections of Maximum Security made a further appeal, which was denied on August 28, 2020 by the U. S. Court of Appeals.

In the aftermath of the disqualification, the connections of Maximum Security ruled him out of the other classics, perhaps from spite. The horse resurfaced shortly after the Belmont Stakes in the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park, an intended prep for the Haskell Invitational Stakes, and at odds of 1-20, he was upset by King for a Day, losing by a length. The two Pegasus protagonists returned in the Haskell joined by four others. It was a bizarre day in which Monmouth Park had to suspend racing after the second race from pressure from regulators, legislators, and even the governor of New Jersey due to a heat wave. Canceling about half of the rest of the card, Monmouth resumed racing at 6 PM with the Haskell run a little after 8 PM. In a spirted renewal, Maximum Security showed his determination in repelling Mucho Gusto’s challenge for a 1¼ length victory. (To add further drama to the day, there was a stewards’ inquiry into crowding on the far turn that, fortunately for the connections of Maximum Security, found no wrongdoing.)

Rather than go on to contest the Travers Stakes as many former Haskell victors have, trainer Jason Servis declared in mid-August that Maximum Security would skip the “Midsummer Classic” because he was “still not 100% fit”. He was entered in the Pennsylvania Derby but was withdrawn due what was deemed a displaced colon.

Servis kept his horse out of the Breeders’ Cup races but finished with a flourish with late season victories in the 7 furlong Bold Ruler Stakes at Belmont Park (a week before the Breeders’ Cup) and a 3½ length win in the Cigar Mile Handicap at Aqueduct that secured Maximum Security the Eclipse Award for Three-Year-Old Male Horse.

As Maximum Security was preparing for his four-year-old season, storm clouds were brewing for his trainer.

The year 2020 saw the inauguration in late February of the Saudi Cup, a 9 furlong race at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Saudi Arabia, with an obscene total purse of $20 million. The field attracted some North American dirt stars headlined by 2019 champions Maximum Security (Three-Year-Old Male) and Midnight Bisou (Older Female on Dirt). Other U. S. based prominent entries were the Bob Baffert trained pair McKinzie and Mucho Gusto, and the reliable Tacitus. From Europe came Magic Wand while from Dubai was the international traveler Benbatl.

Shortly after the start, Mucho Gusto gained a clear lead as the field strung out for the long run down the backstretch. In third place was Maximum Security, while Midnight Bisou, after a slow beginning, was mired in last place. Around the far turn, Luis Saez aboard Maximum Security asked his mount for more but did not get an initial response. In the stretch, Mucho Gusto seemed in control, but late in the race he drifted out while tiring. Maximum Security who was toiling outside of Mucho Gusto was switched to his inside as Mike Smith had Midnight Bisou riding the rail in a dramatic rally down the stretch. Benbatl also was launching a bid. At the finish, Maximum Security secured the victory by ¾ of a length over Midnight Bisou who ran a remarkable race. Finishing third, another 2 lengths back was Benbatl while Mucho Gusto, who appeared a winner in deep stretch, faded in the last 100 yards to finish fourth.

Maximum Security first in the 2020 Saudi Cup
(The New York Times)

In the winner’s circle, there was a sense of vindication for co-owners Gary and Mary West (the partners of Coolmore Stud had purchased 50% of the horse at the year’s beginning), trainer Jason Servis, and jockey Luis Saez for all the controversy over Maximum Security’s disqualification in the 2019 Kentucky Derby and subsequent court actions.

This vindication would not last long, because in March 2020 would come Federal indictments against Servis and other trainers on their use of performance enhancing drugs. Maximum Security was indeed named as one of the horses that had been administered one of these illegal medications as revealed by an FBI phone tap. Jason Servis was arrested and eventually pleaded guilty. Purse money for the Saudia Cup was withhold until that country’s racing authorities did a complete investigation. Four years later in 2024 the Jockey Club of Saudia Arabia recommended the disqualification of Maximum Security which the Stewards’ Committee acted on, declaring Midnight Bisou the official winner with prize money reallocated among the other runners.

When Maximum Security returned to racing after the Saudi Cup he was in a different location and under the shedrow of a different trainer. Bob Baffert (who ironically would be banned from the Kentucky Derby after his horse Medina Spirit tested positively for a prohibitive substance in 2021) assumed the conditioning duties for this star-crossed thoroughbred and had him ready in late July for the 8½ furlong San Diego Handicap at Del Mar Racetrack. Loading a career high weight of 127 lb., the son of New Year’s Day was all out to defeat pacesetter Midcourt (carrying 122 lb.) by a nose. Higher Power (also at 122 lb.) finished third 6¼ lengths behind the embattled pair. The first three finishers met again in the Pacific Classic, the premier race of the Del Mar meet, under equal weights for the 1¼ mile contest. This time setting his own pace, Maximum Security led all the way for a decisive 3 length victory.

In late September at Santa Anita, Baffert used the 9 furlong Awesome Again Stakes as the final Breeders’ Cup Classic prep for both Maximum Security and stablemate Improbable. The former was the odds-on favorite, but the latter dominated the race sweeping from last place in the five horse field to engulf his foes and draw away to a 4½ length victory. Maximum Security, who was involved in a three-way battle in the early part of the race, held on for second ½ length in front of Midcourt.

Maximum Security’s final start was in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, run in 2020 at Keeneland Racecourse. As part of a Bob Baffert trained entry with 2020 Kentucky Derby winner Authentic and Improbable. Maximum Security was up close behind Authentic but lacked the needed response finishing fifth beaten a little over 5 lengths by the Derby victor.

Retired in 2021 to Ashford Stud (the North American division of Coolmore), Maximum Security stands for a modest stud fee of $5,000. His oldest foals are three-year-olds of 2025, and he has had several winners including the promising multiple stakes victor Instant Replay.

We can only hope Maximum Security’s legacy will be remembered not for the sins of his handlers, but for the accomplishments of he and his progeny.