The Saga of Big Brown

The Saga of Big Brown

Joseph Di Rienzi

Big Brown winning the 2008 Kentucky Derby

As we approach this year’s Belmont Stakes, there is a distinct possibility that the unbeaten racehorse, Justify will accomplish what only twelve other thoroughbreds in history have done – namely capture horse racing’s Triple Crown (winning the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes). Justify’s achievement would be singular in that he did not race the previous year as a two year-old and would have had only five previous starts prior to the Belmont. Ten years ago in 2008, another lightly raced thoroughbred, Big Brown, who although he did have a single start as a juvenile, was on the same racing precipice as Justify coming into the Belmont Stakes as a strong favorite with only five previous lifetime races. 

A blocky bay son of the speedy sire Boundary from the Nureyev mare, Mien, Big Brown’s ownership changed three times in two years. Sold at a yearling auction for $60,000, he was purchased in 2007 for $190,000 at a two year-old in training sale by Paul Pompa Jr., who named the colt after the nickname for the United Parcel Service with whom he frequently did business. Trained initially by Patrick Reynolds,  Big Brown won his initial two year-old start, a maiden race on grass at Saratoga by 11¼ lengths. After this victory, Pompa received several offers for his colt. He eventually sold 75% of Big Brown to IEAH Stables (that had Mike Iavarone and Paul Schiavo, as the co-Chief Executive Officers) who turned the horse over to its trainer, Richard Dutrow Jr. (In another parallel to Justify, Big Brown’s ownership now included a partnership with multiple investors.) Noticing the horse had cracked hooves, Dutrow decided not to race Big Brown the rest of the year.

At the beginning of 2008, Big Brown was on nearly no one’s classics hopeful list. He resumed racing at Gulfstream Park on March 5, 2008 in a 1 mile contest, originally scheduled on turf. When rain forced the race off the grass onto the dirt, Big Brown showed no trouble with the different surface, winning by 12¾ lengths in relatively fast time. Now with a horse definitely on the Triple Crown radar, Big Brown’s connections entered him in the Florida Derby where he drew the outside no. 12 post, a distinct disadvantage because of the short run to the clubhouse turn on the 1 1/8 mile Gulfstream Park configuration. Under jockey Kent Desormeaux, Big Brown made the task look simple, sprinting to the lead by the time the field went around the first turn, setting fast fractions and pulling away for an easy 5 length victory in an impressive final time. So in less than a month, Big Brown had raced himself from unknown status to favoritism for the Kentucky Derby.

The 134^th Kentucky Derby drew a maximum of twenty starters. During this time period to provide some pre-race drama, the connections of the entered horses had an opportunity to choose their post position after drawing a random number which determined the order of preference. In a surprise move, the Big Brown team picked the far outside, post 20, even though other positions where available when their time came to choose. Either from arrogance or racing acumen, picking the far outside post insured that Big Brown at the start would be free of any possible interference. By post time, Big Brown was the betting favorite with Colonel John and Pyro the second and third choices, respectively. Fox Hill Farms’ Eight Belles, a tall gray filly, was, however, the public’s sentimental favorite.

Despite the large field, the running of the Derby was straight forward. It was what occurred shortly afterward that left a hollow feeling. After the break, Big Brown gradually worked his way to be fourth  from the lead heading into the clubhouse turn. Losing ground around that bend, Desormeaux settled  his colt in sixth place on the outside down the backstretch off the moderately fast pace. Urging Big Brown to run around the far turn, Desormeaux got a strong response as the son of Boundary passed horses so that by the top of the stretch he had gained the lead. Meanwhile, Eight Belles, although in relatively the same position going into the far turn as Big Brown, was trapped between horses. Once free in the stretch, the filly took flight after Big Brown, but there was no catching the latter as he drove to a 4¾ length winning margin. Finishing third, another 3½ lengths Denis of Cork.  Colonel John flattened out after launching an abbreviated rally to finish sixth, and Pyro could do no better than eighth.

Despite Big Brown’s heroics, the day belonged to the gods of darkness. Eight Belles, in pulling up after the race, fell, breaking both her front legs. With such a severe injury, she could not be saved and was euthanized on the racetrack. The death of a filly in America’s greatest race produced a barrage of anger directed at her connections, Churchill Downs and thoroughbred racing in general. People in racing know this danger is always lurking in the sport. They can do their best to mitigate the risks, but when high strung animals are taxed to their maximum physical ability, there is always the danger of a catastrophe.

In the winner’s circle, the connections of Big Brown seemed oblivious to the tragedy. They hooted and hollered on their success of having a colt win the Kentucky Derby off only three races. For Richard Dutrow, who emulated fellow Maryland based Kentucky Derby winning trainer Bud Delp in his brashness, this was the apotheosis of his training career. Jockey Kent Desormeaux was no stranger to the Derby’s winner’s circle having worn the blanket of roses twice previously (Real Quiet in 1998 and Fusaichi Pegasus in 2000).

The Preakness Stakes was all about Big Brown. Now accorded superstar status, he appeared unchallenged among his peers. Of his eleven Preakness rivals, only Gayego (who finished seventeenth) returned from the Kentucky Derby to face him. Unlike his previous races, Big Brown was on the inside going to the clubhouse turn as he tracked pace setters Gayego and Riley Tucker. Down the backstretch Kent Desormeaux eased his mount to the outside, and it was just a question of when the rider would ask Big Brown for his run. It came around the far turn as he cruised to the lead on the outside. Once in the stretch, Big Brown bounded clear of the field and was wrapped up by Desormeaux in the late stages to win easily by 5¼ lengths. Finishing second was Macho Again who was ½ length in front of third finishing Ichabad [sic] Crane. The final time was good and everything about Big Brown’s performance seemed superior.

With plaudits now streaming in for the hulky son of Boundary, Big Brown seemed poised to emulate Seattle Slew as the only other undefeated Triple Crown winner. Winning the Belmont Stakes appeared to be a mere formality for this brilliant colt. However, the lesson learned in thoroughbred racing is that no outcome no matter how certain it appears can be taken for granted.

The first sign of trouble appeared about a week after the Preakness when it was reported that Big Brown had a recurrence of the quarter crack problem that curtailed his juvenile season. After a hoof-lameness specialist stitched up the crack, the colt returned to his preparation for the Belmont. During the Triple Crown series, Richard Dutrow admitted (New York Daily News, May 16, 2008) giving his horses (including Big Brown) an injection of anabolic steroids once a month. (Big Brown would not, however, have an injection before the Belmont.) Dutrow further said, “I do not know what it [steroids] does. I just like using it." This attitude coupled with Dutrow’s previous drug violations and revelations about past illegal business practices of IEAH Stables’ co-Chief Executive Officer, Michael Iavarone, led to an unsavory feeling for the whole Big Brown team.

Big Brown was the prohibitive favorite in the Belmont, but he broke a little unsteady from his inside post position. Unable to get to the outside early, Desormeaux steadied his mount around the turn and found room down the long backstretch run as 38-1 shot Da’ Tara took the early lead. All seemed well until Desormeaux roused Big Brown to go after the leaders towards the end of the backstretch but received no response. Meanwhile, Da’ Tara was stretching his lead while setting even fractions. Around the far turn, it was clear that the Triple Crown bid was lost and, in a shocking move, Kent Desormeaux pulled Big Brown up at the top of the stretch not finishing the race. Unchallenged, Da’ Tara strode to a 5¼ length victory over Denis of Cork who had 2¾ lengths on dead-heating Anak Nakal and Ready’s Echo.

The Belmont winner was owned by Robert LaPenta and trained by Nick Zito. This was the second time a Zito trained runner had foiled a Triple Crown bid as his Birdstone out-finished Smarty Jones in the 2004 Belmont Stakes. (The name Da’ Tara is a variation of the name pirates gave to the main character, Edmond Dantès, in the classic novel The Count of Monte Cristo.)  Da’ Tara, the horse, had a modest background prior to the Belmont, winning just a single race from seven starts. In addition, Da’ Tara never won another race after his shocking Belmont victory.

For the connections of Big Brown, who would blame a combination of his foot problems, a dislodged shoe, not racing on steroids and the excessively warm weather on Belmont Stakes Day for their horse’s defeat, they would incur the disappointment and indignation of the racing public.

Big Brown, now an enigma, would race only twice more, both times at Monmouth Park. Back on steroids, he won both the Haskell Invitational Stakes and a specially constructed race on grass called the Monmouth Stakes. Aiming for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the son of Boundary, never raced again, reportedly suffering an injury after an October workout. Big Brown was initially retired with great fanfare to Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Kentucky.

Richard Dutrow continued to train with great success until his record of drug violations (both human and equine) caught up with him. He was denied a license to train in Kentucky, and Dutrow is currently serving a ten year suspension by the New York Racing Association that began in 2013. In 2017, Dutrow, unable to pay his fines and numerous debts, filed for bankruptcy. Michael Iavarone also had a fall from the top. James Tagliaferri, a major funder for IEAH Stables, was caught taking illegal kickbacks from the company for obtaining investors, and he was found guilty of investment adviser fraud, securities fraud and wire fraud. As a consequence, IEAH Stables was disbanded in 2013. (More recently, Iavarone, along with his second wife, has gotten back into racing, ostensibly without any other partners.)

Big Brown, heralded at one time as a super horse, started his stud duties at a fee of $65,000. After only moderate success (although siring major winner Dortmund), he was transferred in 2014 to a stud farm in New York. Now standing at a different New York farm, his 2018 stud fee is $6,000.

So the saga of Big Brown concludes on a somber note.However, on a June Saturday in 2008 just before the Belmont Stakes, thoroughbred immortality seemed to be within his grasp and lasting fame for all those associated with this charismatic racehorse.

The 11th Triple Crown

The 11^th Triple Crown

Joseph Di Rienzi

Winning the Triple Crown (the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes) is the ultimate achievement of any thoroughbred racing in North America. The fact that only twelve have been able to accomplish it in over the 142 year history of the series demonstrates the difficulty of the task. This year is the fortieth anniversary of the eleventh horse to win the series, and he did so against, perhaps, the greatest rival ever in Triple Crown history.

In 1977 there would emerge two juvenile colts who would rise above their contemporaries and stage a series of fierce duels that would enthrall the racing world for the next two years. These combatants were Alydar and Affirmed. They shared some characteristics in that they were both chestnuts of good size, Alydar the more classically conformed, whereas Affirmed was more streamlined, but elegant. They shared a common ancestor in Raise a Native who was Alydar’s sire and Affirmed’s grandsire, being by Raise a Native’s son Exclusive Native. Alydar was the better bred in that he was produced by the same dam that foaled soon to be champion Our Mims. Affirmed’s dam had produced several winners but none of top quality. The rivals were both homebreds with Alydar born in Kentucky and owned by the fabled Calumet Farm and the Floridian Affirmed belonging to the very successful Harbor View Farm of Louis Wolfson (owner of Raise a Native) and his wife Patrice Jacobs Wolfson, daughter of the renowned owner/breeder/trainer Hirsch Jacobs. Their trainers were from diverse backgrounds and exhibited different temperaments. John Veitch (Alydar), a reserved, articulate second generation trainer, was in his second year as private conditioner for Calumet Farm, whereas Laz Barrera (Affirmed), was an expansive Cuban-American with a large public stable who already had won the Kentucky Derby in 1976 with Bold Forbes.

In 6 meetings as two year-olds, Affirmed held a 4-2 advantage over Alydar which was sufficient to award him the year’s two year-old championship. However, Alydar was always finishing strongly at the end of each race, and in their penultimate encounter in the 1 mile Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park, he readily ran past Affirmed in the stretch for a 1¼ length victory.  All who watched these two magnificent horses battle through their two year-old season could hardly wait for the classics next year.

Once it was announced that Affirmed would have his preparation for the 1978 Kentucky Derby in California, it became clear that the next meeting between him and Alydar would come no earlier than the first Saturday in May. Alydar wintered in Florida and followed the traditional route by racing in both the Flamingo Stakes and the Florida Derby before heading for Kentucky in the spring. Trainer John Veitch wanted particularly to use the Blue Grass Stakes as Alydar’s final prep because his owners, Admiral and Mrs. Gene Markey, who were in declining health would have the opportunity to see Alydar run, as Calumet Farm is located right beside the Keeneland racetrack.

Alydar won all three races mentioned above with authority, while Affirmed had to wait until March to make his first appearance as a sophomore due to repeated rains in California that set back his training. Once back to racing, the refined son of Exclusive Native won in succession the San Felipe Handicap, Santa Anita and Hollywood Derbies.

As expected, most of the pre-Derby speculation involved Alydar and Affirmed. The Calumet horse appeared the more impressive in his three year-old races, and there was a good deal of sentiment for his owners and the stable’s legacy of eight Kentucky Derby victories. On the other hand, people recalled from previous races, the tenacity of Affirmed, and his unwillingness to give ground in deep stretch to Alydar. Affirmed was the perfect racehorse who could be placed anywhere in a race, whereas Alydar’s strong suit was a devastating rally from behind. Veteran Jorge Velasquez, rider of Alydar, was known for his facility in having his mounts finish strongly. On the other hand, Affirmed’s 18 year-old rider, Stevie Cauthen, seemed other worldly in his uncanny ability to win races. Others given a chance in the eleven horse field were Believe It and the undefeated Sensitive Prince.

On a clear day under ideal track conditions, Alydar was made the slight favorite over Affirmed. On paper, the race shape seemed to favor Alydar. Affirmed, who had raced on the lead in his previous three year-old starts, could be caught up in a pace duel that would make him vulnerable to Alydar’s rally. Longshot Raymond Earl went to the lead, and he was joined by Sensitive Prince on the clubhouse turn who refused his jockey’s efforts to ration his speed. Affirmed, on the other hand rated kindly under Cauthen’s control several lengths back in third. With Believe It tracking Affirmed in fourth and Alydar, in ninth place some 17 lengths back, Sensitive Prince spurted to a 3 length lead down the backstretch, setting fast, but not torrid fractions. As the field approached the far turn, Affirmed gradually was moving to the lead when Believe It made a bold move that carried him to a neck advantage over Affirmed as the field rounded around the far turn. As they straightened out for the stretch run, Affirmed repulsed Believe It’s challenge and braced for Alydar’s charge. The Calumet colt did launch his move around the far turn but was unable to make any ground until the last 70 yards, when he closed to within 1½ lengths of Affirmed. Believe It finished 1¼ lengths behind Alydar for third. The final time was good, and everything about the race seemed genuine.

                                                

The 1978 Kentucky Derby
photo: si.com

For Patrice and Louis Wolfson, this was, at the time, a culminating achievement. Over the years, the many good horses raced by both Harbor View Farm and the Jacobs family had won important races, but this was their first Derby. Trainer Laz Barrera was celebrating his second having won the Run for the Roses with Bold Forbes two years ago. As for young Stevie Cauthen, he approached this milestone with the same even temperament he responded to all the other accomplishments in his meteoric career. With this victory, Affirmed was once again the leader of his generation, but Alydar’s connections were undaunted and ready to challenge him again in two weeks in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico.

The Preakness drew seven entrants including the first three finishers in the Kentucky Derby. Affirmed was now the strong favorite to win again. Alydar’s race in the Derby was scrutinized heavily. Why was he so far back in the early running? Criticism rested on Jorge Velasquez, who in his defense claimed Alydar never felt comfortable on the Churchill Downs racetrack. Trainer John Veitch, to his credit, blamed himself for not giving his charge a strong workout over the strip. At Pimlico, he sharpened Alydar with a powerful 6 furlong work the week of the Preakness. Unlike the Derby, the pace scenario favored Affirmed as the only legitimate early speed. Longshot Track Reward took a brief lead down the stretch the first time, but down the backstretch Cauthen put Affirmed on the lead setting sensible fractions. Believe It raced in third place a few lengths back with Alydar in sixth place running comfortably. Velasquez sent Alydar up to challenge around the far turn, and he made a long loping run to be right outside of Affirmed as they headed into the stretch. Throughout the final ¼ mile, Affirmed maintained a narrow lead, despite Alydar’s resolute efforts to overtake him. At the finish, Affirmed was a neck victor over his mighty rival who had put 7½ lengths between him and third place Believe It. The time was strong, the last 3/16 of mile, when the two combatants were engaged, was particularly fast. With this triumph, the Harbor View Farm superstar was once step away from racing immortality. However, the connections of Alydar, sensing the horse’s resiliency were not deterred from trying again in the Belmont Stakes.

                                 

                                                     

The 1978 Preakness Stakes
photo: si.com

The stage was set for Affirmed to join the ten other Triple Crown winners. He had bested Alydar now in 6 out of 8 contests. The small field of five assured that Affirmed would have the pace his way. Other starters were Darby Creek Road who was second in the Peter Pan Stakes, Noon Time Spender, fourth in the Preakness and a recent maiden winner, Judge Advocate. Alydar had continued to train well, and he would run in the Belmont without blinkers in order to increase his competitive spirit. As expected, Affirmed settled into an easy lead with slow early fractions. Alydar was in third place around the clubhouse turn a few lengths back, when Velasquez, sensing the slow pace, sent his mount up after Affirmed early down the backstretch. This was completely out of this stretch runner’s modus operandi, but it was the only way his connections believed they could defeat Affirmed. Challenged, the Derby-Preakness winner immediately fought back and held a ½ length lead going around the far turn. Alydar was not through yet, for once the two leaders straightened out in the stretch, he rallied again and for a couple of strides put his head in front. Affirmed, implacable as always, fought back, regained the advantage and kept his head in front resolutely to the finish. In third place, 13 lengths back was Darby Creek Road. 

                                          

                                                         

The 1978 Belmont Stakes
photo: newsday.com

All who watched this race were convinced they saw one of the greatest duels in thoroughbred history. Two mighty horses, unyielding, giving their best for 1½ miles. Despite the slow first half of the race, the time was good, underlying how powerfully the embattled pair ran the last part. This was a great triumph for all Affirmed’s connections, Louis Wolfson, his wife Patrice, Laz Barrera and Stevie Cauthen. At this date, eleven other horses have won the Triple Crown, but none had a more formidable rival than Alydar who has the dubious distinction of being the only horse to finish second in all three classics.

There were high hopes this rivalry would continue the rest of the year, but the two protagonists only faced each other once again. That was at Saratoga Racetrack in the Travers Stakes. In what is called “The Midsummer’s Derby”, Affirmed under jockey Laffit Pincay Jr., substituting for an injured Steve Cauthen, finished first, but was disqualified for impeding Alydar down the backstretch as the Calumet runner was making a bold move up the inside. Forced to drop back suddenly, Alydar showed extraordinary courage in re-rallying but could only finish second beaten by 1¾ lengths. After an inquiry, Alydar was placed first and Affirmed was demoted to second, a result that pleased just about no one. For, Alydar who in 1978 had won every other race he ran other than the three classics, this was his third official victory over Affirmed in ten meetings.

It was assumed Alydar and Affirmed would continue to race against each other in the fall, but that was precluded when Alydar suffered a hairline fracture in his left foot in training that sidelined him for the rest of the year. After the Travers Stakes, Affirmed went into a protracted losing streak that carried into the next year. Eventually, Laz Barrera replaced Steve Cauthen with Lafitt Pincay, and Affirmed won the rest of his races in 1979 on his way to another championship. Alydar did race in 1979, but he was inconsistent, probably because he never fully recovered from his injury.

Even though Affirmed and Alydar were retired at the end of 1979, their rivalry continued, so to speak, in the stallion barn - Affirmed at Spendthrift Farm and Alydar at Calumet Farm, both in Kentucky.  As a sire, Alydar was the better and was considered a super stallion until the time of his mysterious death in 1990. Affirmed was by no means unsuccessful at stud producing European classic winner Trusted Partner, champion Flawlessly and major winners Affirmed Success and The Tin Man. However, he did not achieve the status of Alydar who sired two Kentucky Derby winners (Alysheba and Strike the Gold), Preakness Stakes winner Alysheba and Belmont Stakes winner Easy Goer. Of these, Alysheba and Easy Goer were champions along with Criminal Type, Turkoman and Althea among the many other major performers that Alydar sired. So the superiority, Alydar could not exhibit against Affirmed on the racetrack, he demonstrated in the stud barn.  

As the fortieth anniversary of Affirmed’s Triple Crown is remembered, it will always be “Alydar and Affirmed, Affirmed and Alydar” battling down the stretch in America’s classics that weaves an indelible imprint. These two mighty horses, linked together in the mind’s eye, forged an unforgettable saga in 1978 that has become the standard for defining the thoroughbred breed’s spirit of competition and will to win.

The Great 1968 Kentucky Derby Controversy

The Great 1968 Kentucky Derby Controversy

Joseph Di Rienzi

Dancer's Image in the Kentucky Derby Winner's Circle
(George Featherston, Thoroughbred Times)

In its 143 renewals to date, the Kentucky Derby has had its share of unusual finishes with rank outsiders prevailing against confirmed favorites. There have also been results that have been decided in the final strides of the 1¼ mile race. Due to racing mishaps, some editions have not had the best horse winning such as Native Dancer losing to Dark Star in 1953 after being bumped at the start and Gallant Man losing to Iron Liege in 1957 when the former’s jockey misjudged the finish line prematurely. However, by far, the most controversial Kentucky Derby was in 1968 when the horse who finished first was disqualified three days afterward. Subsequent administrative and legal actions delayed the final result being decided until four years later in 1972. For the 50^th anniversary of this Kentucky Derby, I would like to review the events leading up to, during, and after the race.

As the three year-olds of 1968 were sorting themselves out over the winter and spring, there arose a contender racing in the Mid-Atlantic. Dancer’s Image was a Maryland bred son of Native Dancer out of the mare, Noors Image. This gray son of “The Grey Ghost” was owned and bred by dynamic Peter Fuller and trained by Louis Cavalaris Jr. Afflicted throughout his racing career by swollen ankles, Dancer’s Image was offered for sale by Peter Fuller at auction, when, at the urging of his wife, he bought the horse back. As a two year-old, Dancer’s Image campaigned in the both the U. S. and Canada. North of the border he was undefeated in 7 starts, winning the Vandal Stakes, the Clarendon Stakes and the Grey Handicap.

Dancer’s Image started attracting attention in 1968 with a nose defeat of the highly regarded Verbatim at Bowie Racecourse in Maryland in a prep race for the following week’s Governor’s Gold Cup. Wintering and racing in Maryland, he had previously won the E. Palmer Heagerty Stakes and was third in the Prince George’s Stakes. Realizing the horse may be underperforming, trainer Cavalaris took blinkers off and instructed new rider Robert Ussery to hold back Dancer’s Image in the early running and make one run. These changes were not only successful in the aforementioned 7 furlong allowance race, but they resulted in an impressive win in the 8½ furlong Governor’s Gold Cup in which Dancer’s Image came from thirteenth place to win by 3 lengths over Sir Beau and Salerno with Verbatim, who set the early pace, finishing sixth.

The form of the Gold Cup was affirmed one week later when Verbatim led all the way in the Gotham Stakes defeating Flamingo Stakes victor Wise Exchange by 2½ lengths. The following week, the Wood Memorial Stakes featured a meeting between Verbatim, Dancer’s Image and Iron Ruler (who had finished first in the Flamingo but was disqualified and placed second). In the Wood, Iron Ruler, who was restrained off the early pace, moved with a rush in the upper stretch to gain a significant lead. However, he could not withstand Dancer’s Image’s resolute charge who won going away by ¾ length with Verbatim 7 lengths back in third.

The 1968 edition of the Kentucky Derby appeared to have a substandard field, although there was hope that the legendary Calumet Farm’s Forward Pass was about to fulfill his heritage and potential. After showing flashes of brilliance but also inconsistency in his two year-old season and at the beginning of 1968, the son of On-and-On had won in his last two starts the Florida Derby (defeating Iron Ruler) and the Blue Grass Stakes emphatically. There was also support for Dancer’s Image who had shown dramatic improvement in his last three starts. Other contenders were the consistent but hard luck Iron Ruler and Captain’s Gig. What was clear was the fourteen horse field had an abundance of early speed with the likes of Kentucky Sherry, Captain’s Gig, Forward Pass, and perhaps Iron Ruler. The race shape seemed to be set up for a late closer to prevail.

As anticipated, the pace was fast, the ¾ mile fraction the fastest in Derby history at the time. Kentucky Sherry had the lead pursued by Captain’s Gig and Forward Pass. Despite the rapid fractions, Kentucky Sherry held on bravely when Forward Pass challenged at the top of the stretch. As they were battling, Robert Ussery on Dancer’s Image was advancing from last place. Passing horses, Ussery cut his mount to the rail entering the straight and caught both Forward Pass and Kentucky Sherry in mid-stretch. Despite losing his whip, Ussery was able to push Dancer’s Image clear to win by 1½ lengths over Forward Pass who held second by a diminishing neck to longshot Francie’s Hat. T. V. Commercial also closed some ground to finish fourth ahead of a tired Kentucky Sherry. Captain’s Gig finished eleventh with Iron Ruler a no-show twelfth. In the winner’s circle, there were all good feelings for owner Peter Fuller, trainer Louis Cavalaris and Robert Ussery.  Fuller who was an amateur boxer and wrestler appeared a real sportsman who relished sharing his good fortune with those around him.

This joy would come to an end within seventy-two hours. The Churchill Downs’ stewards announced that the state chemist reported that a urine sample from Dancer’s Image contained phenylbutazone, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication that at the time was prohibited for use on horses during a race in Kentucky. The stewards at the end of the week disqualified Dancer’s Image, placed him last and declared Forward Pass the winner of the 1968 Kentucky Derby. Peter Fuller, a Harvard educated, millionaire son of a former U. S. Senator and governor of Massachusetts, believed someone unconnected with the horse had secretly administered the medication to punish Fuller for his civil rights activism. Fuller claimed he was victimized for donating in public $62,000, the owner’s share of the winning purse from the Governor’s Gold Cup, to the widow of Martin Luther King to establish a scholarship fund two days after King’s murder.

Fuller’s claim of racial motivation behind his horse’s drugging seems ill-founded today. What is now clear is that the horse’s veterinarian, Dr. Alex Harthill, gave Dancer’s Image a dose of phenylbutazone the week of the race with the permission of trainer Cavalaris. Refusing to accept this, Fuller fought the disqualification through the courts for years, and he actually had the steward’s decision overturned by a Kentucky Circuit Court judge in 1970 in which the judge claimed there was insufficient evidence to disqualify Dancer’s Image. Unfortunately for Fuller, that appeal was itself overturned by the Kentucky Court of Appeals in 1972 with Forward Pass declared the official winner.  Fuller, ever the fighter, refused at first to return the Kentucky Derby trophy. But finally, when the same judge who in 1970 ruled favorably on his appeal, pronounced that Fuller had no more rights to declare, the trophy was transferred to Mrs. Gene Markey, the owner of Forward Pass.

The irony is this drug, commonly called Butazolidin, is used with impunity at every racetrack in America today in our drug-infused “sport” of thoroughbred racing.  So as history will attest, Fuller, his trainer and the vet were prophetically ahead of their time.

With this unprecedented controversy still raging, the Preakness Stakes featured a rematch of the Kentucky Derby finish. Both Forward Pass and Dancer’s Image were entered along with eight other horses, all of which did not run in the Derby. Forward Pass was a slight favorite, but he ran like a prohibitive choice. This time jockey Ismail Valenzuela positioned Forward Pass somewhat off the pace. He went to the lead on the outside approaching the Pimlico stretch and drew out to win by 6 lengths over King Ranch’s Out of the Way. Dancer’s Image, an ill-starred horse if there ever was one, finished third a head behind Out of the Way but was disqualified again, this time for interference and placed eighth. In the winner’s circle, Mrs. Gene Markey represented Calumet Farm which was recording its seventh Preakness victory with trainer Henry Forrest and Ismail “Milo” Valenzuela both winning their second (Kauai King (1965) and Tim Tam (1958)). The proverbial elephant in the room was whether Forward Pass would be considered a Triple Crown winner if he could capture the Belmont Stakes in three weeks.

 

Any hope for another meeting between Forward Pass and Dancer’s Image was nullified when Peter Fuller announced that Dancer’s Image came out of a workout with the same ankle problems that plagued him throughout his career. He was immediately retired and returned to his home state of Maryland to the stallion barn of Glade Valley Farms. Only a modest success at stud, Dancer’s Image was exported to Ireland and then served in France with some success. He eventually was sent to Japan where he found his final resting place.

Forward Pass was the favorite for the Belmont Stakes, and he ran a strong race. In the stretch, however, he was run down by Greentree Stable’s Stage Door Johnny who edged clear after a protracted battle to win by 1¼ lengths. The Belmont victor was a late developing colt that had only broken his maiden a few weeks earlier in the spring.  Stage Door Johnny would win two more stakes race before an injury ended his racing career, but he had done enough to be voted the year’s Champion Three Year-old.

So in 1972, the saga of the 1968 Kentucky Derby finally came to a close when Forward Pass was declared the official winner. This added to the Calumet Farm legacy of a record breaking eight Kentucky Derby victors. Peter Fuller would find some racing solace in campaigning his homebred champion filly Mom’s Command in 1985, ridden in most of her victories by his daughter Abigail. But for three days in May, Dancer’s Image and his connections had a taste of racing’s highest glory. That glory was eventually denied, but their story is forever remembered in Kentucky Derby history.

Elliot Burch - A Gentleman Trainer and a Trainer to Gentlefolk

Elliot Burch

A Gentleman Trainer and a Trainer to Gentlefolk

Joseph Di Rienzi

Photo:Daily Racing Form

Elliot Burch was pre-destined to be a trainer. Born John Elliot Burch, his father and grandfather, not only were thoroughbred trainers but became inductees into the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame in Saratoga, New York. Indeed, Elliot’s father, Preston M. Burch is the author of the definitive book, Training Thoroughbred Horses. After being educated at Yale University and the University of Kentucky, Elliot, an uncommonly literary horseman, first went to work as a writer for The Daily Racing Form, but he gravitated to a horse trainer’s life, as his father’s assistant in Mrs. Isabel Dodge Sloane’s Brookmeade Stable, and then in 1957, at age 33, became the head trainer after Preston’s retirement.

His first major victory was with Oligarchy in the 1958 Widener Handicap at Hialeah Park. In the 1¼ mile contest, Oligarchy defeated the previous year’s Kentucky Derby winner, Iron Liege, by a head while in receipt of 17 lb. Known as a meticulous trainer, Elliot Burch, just like his father, took an academic approach, keeping careful notes of his individual charges’ races, habits, eccentrics and workout schedules.

The horse that brought Burch national attention was Sword Dancer who as a juvenile in 1958 showed good promise in finishing third in the climatic Garden State Stakes. In 1959 as a three year-old, the small, but attractive chestnut son of Sunglow developed a reputation as a durable, tenacious battler who improved as the season wore on. After a narrow second in the Florida Derby, Sword Dancer won impressively the Stepping Stone Purse at Churchill Downs the week before the Kentucky Derby. Bill Shoemaker who rode Sword Dancer dismounted feeling he had just ridden the future Kentucky Derby winner and sought (to no avail) to get out of his riding commitment on Tomy Lee.

At the top of the stretch in the Derby, Tomy Lee had the lead with Sword Dancer looming on his outside. The dramatic stretch run saw Tomy Lee drifting out and making contact with Sword Dancer. Bumps were exchanged and the finish was decided by a nose - Tomy Lee’s. An inquiry was lodged by Sword Dancer’s jockey, Bill Boland, and after a lengthy time interval, the Kentucky stewards were unwilling to be the first to disqualify a horse that finished first in the Kentucky Derby. Thus, Bill Shoemaker, who tried to get off Tomy Lee to ride Sword Dancer, emerged victorious. Elliot Burch, musing on the outcome months later showed his characteristic grace and perspective saying, "No one would really want to win the Kentucky Derby on a claim of foul. But there's no doubt in my mind that we were bumped and that we bumped a little bit ourselves, too. But you can't scream and holler because you've lost a horse race.'' (Sports Illustrated, February 22, 1960.)

With Tomy Lee absent from the other classics, Sword Dancer would next finish second in the Preakness Stakes, beaten 4 lengths by Royal Orbit. In the three week interval between the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes, Elliot Burch made the enterprising decision to enter his three year-old in the Metropolitan Handicap against older horses at one mile.  Burch’s reason was two-fold. Sword Dancer thrived on racing, and, at the scale of weights, he thought his classic tested colt had a great chance to win. Carrying 114 lb., Sword Dancer scored an authoritative victory and started a pattern that Elliot Burch would use successfully with two other Belmont Stakes winners.

In the Belmont Stakes, Sword Dancer wore down Bagdad in the stretch to win by ¾ of a length with Royal Orbit a distant third. Thus, the 1959 classics ended with a separate winner for each race, but with the Belmont victor, a diminutive bright chestnut with four white stockings, assuming the leadership of the division with his hardiness, stamina, and courage. The rest of the year would see “Little Red” expand and extend this dominance.

Over the summer, Sword Dancer added the Monmouth Handicap at 1¼ mile to his resume and suffered a narrow lost to older horse Babu in the Brooklyn Handicap while conceding 12 lb. in actual weight. Back in his own division, Sword Dancer cemented the three year-old championship with a narrow win while conceding weight in the Travers Stakes – “The Midsummer’s Derby” at historic Saratoga Race Course.

It was evident that by the end of the summer the three best racehorses in the United States were the defending Horse of the Year, Round Table, the top four year-old, Hillsdale, and the upstart three year-old, Sword Dancer. The venue for a “Clash of the Titans” was Aqueduct, the new racetrack in New York City. The Woodward Stakes on Saturday, September 26, at 1¼ mile at weight for age was the stage set to determine Horse-of-the Year honors. Only one other horse, Inside Tract, was entered to face the “Big Three”. There was a significant and eventful jockey switch. Shoemaker, who had assumed the mount on Sword Dancer after the Kentucky Derby, was also the regular rider on Round Table. He chose the older horse over the three year-old. Elliot Burch contracted the veteran big race rider Eddie Arcaro to highlight the importance he attached to winning this race.

 

The 1959 Woodward Stakes was a thriller. Hillsdale went to the front and set a leisurely pace with Round Table a close second. Inside Track and Sword Dancer traded places for third and fourth with the latter saving ground on the inside. As the field entered the stretch, Sword Dancer seemed trapped on the rail as Hillsdale was fighting off Round Table’s bid. It appeared that jockey Tommy Barrow aboard Hillsdale was so intent on Round Table that he allowed his mount to drift off the rail just sufficient to allow Arcaro to slip Sword Dancer through and in a desperate finish defeat Hillsdale by a head with Round Table retreating to third place.  

Sword Dancer and Round Table would face each other one more time in the 2 mile Jockey Club Gold Cup. The Gold Cup was anticlimactic, but nevertheless, definitive in that Sword Dancer won by 7 lengths over Round Table. At the end of the year, Sword Dancer was voted Three Year-old Champion and Horse of the Year. After racing in 1960, during which he won the Suburban Handicap and the Woodward (a second time), Sword Dancer was retired to stud where he sired one of the thoroughbred greats in Damascus.

The second champion Elliot Burch trained for Brookmeade Stable was Bowl of Flowers. A beautifully bred daughter of Sailor from the broodmare Flower Bowl, Bowl of Flowers showed speed and class from the beginning. In 1960 as a two year-old, she won the National Stallion (Fillies Division), Frizette and Gardenia Stakes which was a sufficient resume to be named Two-year Old Filly Champion. Burch set his sights during Bowl of Flowers’ sophomore year on the Triple Series for fillies in New York. She won the first race, the one mile Acorn Stakes but was upset by Funloving in the 9 furlong Mother Goose Stakes, but then she came back and scored a resounding win in the 1¼ mile Coaching Club American Oaks.

Bowl of Flowers’ rival was the striking chestnut Primonetta. In the first of two pivotal meetings, Primonetta defeated Bowl of Flowers in the Alabama Stakes at Saratoga by over 5 lengths. They would meet once more in the weight for age Spinster Stakes at Keeneland, when Bowl of Flowers would run down Primonetta in the stretch and claim the three year-old filly championship. However, early in her four year-old season, Bowl of Flowers sustained an injury that forced her retirement.

Burch’s second classic winner would be with a different owner. With the passing of Mrs. Sloane, Elliot Burch in 1963 became the private trainer for Paul Mellon, one the world’s foremost art benefactors. The confederate gray and yellow silks of Mellon’s Rokeby Stable were up to this point primarily carried by steeplechase runners. Owner and trainer made a striking pair when seen in the walking ring and the winner’s circle. Both dressed very conservatively in their suits and top coats. They looked more like bankers having a confab rather than participants in a sporting event. Both were “Yalies” and, perhaps, that was the source of their obvious chemistry.

The first significant racehorse for Burch and Mellon was Quadrangle, a rangy son of Cohoes, produced by the Bull Lea mare Tap Day. Quadrangle was slow to develop in 1963 as a juvenile but ended the year with a 10 length victory in the Pimlico Futurity, promising more to come in his three year-old year. Winner of the Wood Memorial Stakes in his last start prior to the Kentucky Derby, Quadrangle came into the Derby as a solid contender. However, Burch had another rider issue, similar to what he faced with Sword Dancer, in that Bill Hartack who had ridden Quadrangle to victory in the Wood, opted to ride Northern Dancer in the Derby after that colt’s rider, Bill Shoemaker, replaced Donald Pierce on the favorite, Hill Rise. Elliot Burch chose Robert Ussery, who started the year on Northern Dancer, to ride Quadrangle in the big race. In the Derby, Northern Dancer held off Hill Rise’s charge by a neck with Quadrangle finishing fifth but beaten only a total of a little more than 3 lengths.

The Preakness, won by Northern Dancer, found Quadrangle finishing fourth, about 2½ lengths behind the Triple Crown aspirant. To prepare Quadrangle for the Belmont Stakes, Burch repeated the pattern he used with Sword Dancer running Quadrangle in the Metropolitan Mile in which his three year-old finished second, beaten 2 lengths by the six year-old Olden Times.

In the Belmont Stakes, Northern Dancer was made the prohibitive favorite to complete the Triple Crown. The Belmont is usually run at a completely different pace than the two other Triple Crown races. This year’s running was no exception as longshot Orientalist set a lugubrious pace with Quadrangle, with blinkers off to relax him and ridden by Manuel Ycaza, raced just off the pace. Quadrangle forged along the inside to the lead with a ½ mile remaining, and when Northern Dancer and Roman Brother challenged him in the stretch, he fought them off and was slowly pulling away at the finish 2 lengths ahead of Roman Brother. Northern Dancer just held off Hill Rise for third place beaten a total of 6 lengths, his Triple Crown hopes dashed. Paul Mellon, master of Rokeby Farm located near Middleburg, Virginia, had his first classic winner (it would not be his last), and this was Elliot Burch’s second.

In August, Northern Dancer suffered an injury that forced his retirement. In his absence, Quadrangle became the leading three year-old in training, winning, after his Belmont Stakes victory, the Dwyer Handicap, and finishing a close second in the Jim Dandy. In the Travers Stakes, Quadrangle raced Hill Rise into defeat and held on strongly to repel the charge of longshot Knightly Manner, winning by a ½ length. It was Paul Mellon’s first Travers win and Elliot Burch’s second. In the fall, Quadrangle was able to win the Lawrence Realization, but he could not defeat the best two older horses (Gun Bow and Kelso) in finishing third in the Woodward Stakes. Quadrangle finished the year with a third place finish in the Jockey Club Gold Cup behind the mighty Kelso. He would race only briefly as a four year-old in 1965.

Elliot Burch was more than just a trainer of classic bound three year-olds. He also had a flair for developing outstanding horses suited for grass racing. His best was Rokeby Stable’s Fort Marcy, a foal of 1964, sired by the English bred Amerigo. Gelded and nearly sold after only winning one of 10 starts as a two year-old, Fort Marcy found his form in 1967 when Burch placed him on turf. He went on to win several stakes races that year culminating with an upset victory (by a nose) over Horse of the Year Damascus in the Washington D. C. International, at that time the most prestigious grass race in the U. S. Over a career that lasted till 1971, Burch sent his gelding back and forth across the U. S., running in the best grass races at extended distances. Although, Fort Marcy was not always victorious, he was nearly always competitive, winning, among others, a second Washington D. C. International, the Man o’ War Stakes, the United Nations, the Sunset and the Hollywood Turf Handicaps. He was Champion Grass Horse of 1967, co-Champion Grass Horse of 1968, and Champion Grass Horse and co-Horse of the Year in 1970.

Probably the best horse Elliot Burch trained, and the best American raced horse Paul Mellon owned was Arts and Letters. Born in 1966, he was a son of the European super horse Ribot from a stout female family. On the small side but well conformed, the chestnut colt followed the familiar pattern with Burch’s classic colts: a modest two year-old campaign that would indicate potential followed by an aggressive assault on the Triple Crown races the next year. In his fourth start as a juvenile, Arts and Letters was beaten only a total of 1¼ lengths when fourth in the Pimlico-Laurel Futurity.

Arts and Letters began his three year-old campaign at Hialeah finishing a distant third in an allowance race. But, apparently this was just the prep Arts and Letters needed to make himself fit, because he produced an upset in the Everglades Stakes at 9 furlongs. Getting 10 lb. from the previous year’s two year-old champion, Top Knight, Arts and Letters came from off the pace to win by 3 lengths. In the Flamingo Stakes at equal weights, Top Knight ran down Arts and Letters to win by 2 lengths in almost track record time. After a second in both the Fountain of Youth Stakes and the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, in the latter losing again to Top Knight, this time by 5 lengths, Arts and Letters was sent to Kentucky to prepare for the Derby.

In the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, Arts and Letters, shook off his recent “seconditis” with a resounding win by 15 lengths in a time 2/5 seconds off the track record. This performance sent strong signals that this was a different animal than was seen in Florida over the winter.

The 1969 Kentucky Derby would have President Richard Nixon in attendance making him the first sitting U.S. President to watch in person the Derby. (President Nixon was actually present in 1968 as a private citizen before his election.) Among the 26 Republican governors attending the Kentucky Derby was also, a future President in Ronald Reagan.

As fate would have it, Burch for the third time was faced with having to make a late jockey change for the Kentucky Derby. Bill Shoemaker, who had ridden Arts and Letters in his most recent races, suffered a injury and could not ride Arts and Letters, so trainer Elliot Burch substituted Braulio Baeza. The use of a jockey, even one as talented as Baeza, who had no familiarity with his mount in the biggest race of the year may have put Arts and Letters at a disadvantage.

There were only eight entries with the “Big Four”, Majestic Prince, Top Knight, Arts and Letters and Dike. Majestic Prince, an undefeated world record priced yearling from California, was the charismatic horse of destiny. Everything about him said he was extraordinary. The only question was he was untested against top horses, especially at 1¼ mile. Top Knight was the returning two year-old champion who dominated Florida racing. However, he had not raced since his Florida Derby triumph and rumors surfaced about his soundness. Arts and Letters was the “talking horse”. Since coming to Kentucky, he seemed to be blossoming, and from his pedigree, there was no question about his ability to go the distance. Dike, winner of the Wood Memorial, also had his supporters who reasoned that any type of speed duel among the other contenders would set up his closing rally.

As a horse race, this Kentucky Derby was terrific, one of the best run in memory. Longshot Ocean Roar was sent to a daylight lead down the stretch the first time with Top Knight, Majestic Prince and Arts and Letters grouped together in pursuit, and Dike further back in seventh place. With a ½ mile to go, Top Knight slipped along the inside to grab the lead, but as he did so, both Majestic Prince on the outside and Arts and Letters on the inside made their moves. Arts and Letters accelerated quickly to take the lead, followed soon after by Majestic Prince’s challenge around the final turn. Top Knight faltered and dropped suddenly out of contention finishing fifth. Dike meanwhile was making progress, and at the top of the stretch, he was within striking distance of the embattled pair. Majestic Prince rested the lead from his smaller rival, and though he was unable to draw away, held a short advantage to the wire defeating Arts and Letters by a neck. Dike finished third just a ½ length further behind. With this result, thoroughbred racing had an undefeated Kentucky Derby winner on his way to the Preakness. However, the Derby also identified a formidable adversary in Arts and Letters who would make Majestic Prince’s Triple Crown quest much more difficult to accomplish.

The Preakness Stakes, two weeks later, featured a rematch between Majestic Prince and Arts and Letters. Dike was reserved to await the Belmont Stakes, but Top Knight was entered to erase his subpar Derby performance. Just as in the Derby there were only eight entries with Majestic Prince the prohibitive favorite and Top Knight the second choice.

The race had controversy from the start with Majestic Prince bumping Arts and Letters shortly after the break. Then going to the first turn, Majestic Prince bore out slightly into Al Hattab squeezing Arts and Letters, who was racing in between them, sufficient enough that Baeza had to steady Arts and Letters and drop his mount several lengths back of the leaders. Longshots contested the pace several lengths ahead of Majestic Prince and Top Knight. Arts and Letters, back in sixth place, began to make up the lost ground. As the leaders approached the far turn, Majestic Prince made his move with Top Knight. Just as in the Derby, the latter was unable to sustain his rally and dropped back before the stretch finishing again in fifth. However, Arts and Letters, although forced the go wide on the final turn, was launching a powerful rally. In the stretch, Majestic Prince had a clear lead, but Arts and Letters was closing relentlessly on the far outside. He seemed to be gaining with every stride, but Majestic Prince had enough left to hold him off, albeit by a diminishing head. Soon afterward there was a jockey’s claim of foul by Baeza for interference on the part of Majestic Prince, but after a lengthy deliberation, the Pimlico stewards’ let the result stand.

In the immediate afterward, trainer John Longden announced that Majestic Prince would not contest the Belmont Stakes, thereby foregoing the opportunity to complete the Triple Crown. Longden indicated that Majestic Prince was tired from his joint efforts in the Derby and Preakness. The racing press and public thought this was heretical. Was Majestic Prince really just tired of Arts and Letters, especially the prospect of facing him at the 1½ mile Belmont distance, which seemed to favor the Rokeby colt?  Added was the feeling among some that Arts and Letters was really best in the Preakness and denied by the stewards’ failure to disqualify Majestic Prince. In any case, by midweek owner Frank McMahon made an executive decision that, indeed, Majestic Prince, would contest the Belmont Stakes and have his date with racing history.

As you have probably surmised, Elliot Burch again used the Metropolitan Handicap as Arts and Letters’ prep for the Belmont Stakes. In the Metropolitan field was the year’s leading older horse, Nodouble. He was assigned 129 lb., significantly more than Arts and Letters’ feathery 111 lb. This differential was too much for the older horse to concede. Arts and Letters, very sharp, won with authority by 2½ lengths with Nodouble second. So once again, Elliot Burch had found the perfect Belmont prep.

The Belmont Stakes drew six entries, but only three were considered to have legitimate chances -  Majestic Prince, Arts and Letters and Dike. They each had their supporters, but the general public was rooting for Majestic Prince to complete the Triple Crown. The betting public, however, made Arts and Letters the close second choice. The running of the race was completely unexpected. Dike who was known for his closing rallies, went out to set the pace, if you could call it that. The fractions were glacial with horses barely getting out of a gallop. Arts and Letter tracked Dike about 3 lengths behind and Majestic Prince, who in his previous races was always eager to run, was well back in fifth. At the ½ mile pole, Arts and Letters made his challenge inside Dike and easily pulled away. Around the turn, Baeza had Arts and Letters cruising on the lead waiting for the challenge from Majestic Prince that effectively never came. Without opposition, Arts and Letters powered to the finish 5½ lengths in front of Majestic Prince who was able to pass Dike in the stretch for second.

So once again, an Elliot Burch trainee had foiled a Triple Crown bid. Was Majestic Prince as tired as the trainer intimated? Was he unsound as Longden stated afterward? Did the race shape undo him, or was Arts and Letters just the superior horse, especially at the Belmont distance? These questions were never answered. Majestic Prince was returned to California where efforts to return him to racing were unsuccessful. In the Belmont winner’s circle, Paul Mellon, celebrated his second classic win and Elliot Burch had his third Belmont trophy. Arts and Letters raced the rest of the year unbeaten marching toward the Three year-Old Championship and Horse of the Year honors. In that span, he won the Jim Dandy, Travers, Woodward and Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes, in the last two defeating Nodouble at scale weights. Similar to Quadrangle, Arts and Letters’ four year-old season ended abruptly after suffering an injury in a race in the California Stakes.

The next champion to race for Elliot Burch started off as a promising dirt competitor, but found his true niche on grass. Run the Gantlet (note, the correct spelling) was a smallish son of Tom Rolfe from the female family of champion filly Quill. Ending his juvenile season in 1970 with a capstone win in the Garden State Stakes, he gave Mellon and Burch thoughts of a classic campaign the following year. However, he was slow in finding his best form in the early part of 1971, dashing any hopes for Triple Crown glory. In mid-year, Burch decided to try Run the Gantlet on turf. In Aqueduct’s Tidal Handicap, Rokeby’s aging champion Fort Marcy was withdrawn, and Burch found an able substitute in his three year-old, who carrying a feathery 109 lb. won by 4 lengths. Run the Gantlet followed with additional wins against his elders in the Kelly-Olympic and U. N. Handicaps, both at Atlantic City Race Course.

Now considered a serious candidate for grass champion, Run the Gantlet continued his march to the title with a decisive win by 2½ lengths in 1½ mile Man O’ War Stakes on a soft turf course. In the Washington D. C. International, Run the Gantlet was scheduled to face American raced but Chilean bred Cougar (who he had defeated in the U. N.) to settle the championship. However, heavy rains leaving the Laurel turf course soggy forced Cougar’s withdrawal, but the Rokeby Stable runner had no difficulty negotiating the track nor overcoming the opposition. Run the Gantlet won by 6 lengths providing Paul Mellon, and Elliot Burch their third win in the International (Fort Marcy winning the race in 1967 and 1970.) and their second champion turf runner. (Paul Mellon had other reasons to celebrate in 1971. In Europe, his super horse, Mill Reef, won the English Derby, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.)

The last major racehorse trained by Burch and owned by Mellon was Key to the Mint. The tall, long bodied son of Graustark was born to be a champion being from the same dam as Fort Marcy. Much more precocious than his older sibling, and successful on dirt, Key to the Mint had a productive juvenile year. In addition to finishing third in the Garden State Stakes to champion Riva Ridge (a frequent rival), he missed by a nose in the Cowdin Stakes and finished the year with a determined win in the Remsen Stakes. As a result of these performances, his future and classic aspirations seemed bright.

Key to the Mint’s classic preparation in 1972 was suspended after two poor performances at Hialeah, of which in the second he sustained a minor injury. However, Key to the Mint recovered in time to win the one mile Derby Trial. After some consideration, Elliot Burch decided that Key to the Mint did not have the seasoning to run in the Kentucky Derby and instead would prep for the Preakness. (Burch did run Key to the Mint’s stable mate, Head of the River, in the Derby, but he could only finish eighth behind the victorious Riva Ridge.)

In the intervening week between the Derby and the Preakness Stakes, Key to the Mint won an allowance race dubbed as the Preakness Prep at Pimlico, strengthening his case as Riva Ridge’s main rival for the remaining classics. He did finish ahead of his adversary in the Preakness, but neither were victorious as longshot Bee Bee Bee led all the way on the sloppy oval leaving Key to the Mint (in third place) and Riva Ridge (fourth) in his wake.

Elliot Burch, who three times before had employed the Metropolitan Mile as a prep for his three Belmont Stakes winners, in 1972 used the 1 mile Withers Stakes for Key to the Mint. Restricted to three year-olds, it was shifted in the New York racing calendar to specifically serve as a Belmont prep. In the race, Key to the Mint scored a hard fought length win. This may be a dubious achievement, but Key to the Mint in winning the Withers completed a triple of sorts winning the designated prep races (Derby Trial, Preakness Prep and Withers) for each of the classics.

The Belmont Stakes was a tour de force for Riva Ridge. He took over the lead by the clubhouse turn, set steady fractions and just galloped the field to submission. At the end, he was 7 lengths in front of Ruritania. Key to the Mint who gave chase to Riva Ridge down the backstretch, tired from his efforts to finish fourth, beaten over 12 lengths.

At this point, it appeared that Riva Ridge would be the certain three year-old champion. However, after a courageous win in the Hollywood Derby, the Meadow Stable colt went into a protracted losing streak. Key to the Mint, on the other hand, found his top form in defeating older foes in both the Brooklyn Handicap and Whitney Stakes and then adding the Travers Stakes to his resume. (It was Burch’s fourth Travers victory.)

The Woodward Stakes featured Riva Ridge against Key to the Mint with the three year-old title in the balance. Since the Woodward was now being run at 1½ mile, Elliot Burch also entered his top class filly, Summer Guest, due to the facility she showed at the distance in winning the Coaching Club American Oaks. On a sloppy racetrack, Riva Ridge and Key to the Mint went head and head for the lead. In the stretch, Riva Ridge gave way and Key to the Mint, despite a furious rally by Summer Guest, held sway by a diminishing 1¼ lengths. Four year-old Autobiography, who finished third 3 lengths back, was elevated to second on the disqualification of Summer Guest who was deemed to have cut him off around the turn. Riva Ridge finished a disappointing fourth, 6¼ lengths behind Key to the Mint. This Woodward victory was the fourth by a Burch trainee.

All the Woodward principals were entered in the 2 mile Jockey Club Gold Cup. However, on race day Summer Guest was removed to give her stablemate, Key to the Mint, the opportunity to win a championship. Autobiography gained command in the early stages with Riva Ridge and Key to the Mint tracking him. Down the backstretch the second time around, Autobiography readily pulled away and turned the race into a rout. At the finish, he was 15 lengths ahead of Key to the Mint with Riva Ridge 3 lengths further back. Despite his loss, Key to the Mint, by virtue of his summer and fall victories, was named Champion Three Year-old of 1972, the third Burch trainee to do so.

As a four year-old in 1973, Key to the Mint won the time honored Suburban Handicap. However, his long time rival, Riva Ridge, defeated him in the Brooklyn Handicap. When Key to the Mint faced Riva Ridge and his younger stable mate, Triple Crown hero Secretariat, in the inaugural Marlboro Cup Stakes, it was no contest as the Meadow Stable pair finished 1-2 with the incomparable Secretariat leading the way.  Tiring badly in the Marlboro, Key to the Mint finished seventh and last. He raced once more, trying the turf in the U. N. Handicap, but showed little in finishing eleventh.

In 1976, Elliot Burch suffered what was reported a nervous breakdown and stepped down as trainer for Rokeby Stable. When recovered, he became the trainer for C. V. Whitney and in that capacity developed State Dinner, a son of Buckpasser, to win the Metropolitan and Suburban Handicaps in 1979 and the Whitney Stakes the following year. In 1982, another offspring of Buckpasser, Silver Buck, from the same female family as State Dinner, won both the Suburban and Whitney Handicaps for Burch and Whitney. In all, Elliot Burch’s tally for these venerable New York fixtures were three Metropolitan, four Suburban and four Whitney Handicaps.

Fully retiring from horse racing in 1985, Burch spent his remaining years, according to family members, pursuing his interests in literature, art and cross word puzzles. A true gentleman with a scholarly bent in a more cultivated era of thoroughbred racing, Elliot joined his father and grandfather when he was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in 1980. Living in Rhode Island, he passed away in 2011 at age 86.   

The Hollywood Futurity - Prelude to the Classics

The Hollywood Futurity - Prelude to the Classics

Joseph Di Rienzi

Mike Powell/Getty Images

As the thoroughbred racing season winds down in late fall every year, most horse racing enthusiasts’ thoughts turn to next year’s classics – the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. It is always an interesting mind exercise to look at the performances of the current year’s two year-old crop and try to anticipate who will be the classic winners during their three year-old season. This task has become more difficult of late with the trend by major trainers to lightly race (if at all) their best prospects as two year-olds. Nevertheless, it has proven over time that we should pay attention to juveniles who race in November and December because we may see these horses in the winner’s circles at Churchill Downs and Pimlico in May and at Belmont Park in June.

The most obvious two year-old race to consider in looking for likely classic winners is the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile which has become the de facto two year-old championship event. It is true over its now 34 year history many horses who have competed in the race have gone on to classic success the following year. However, only three winners – Timber Country (1994), Street Sense (2006) and Nyquist (2015) have reproduced their form and won a classic as a three year-old. (Street Sense and Nyquist were victorious in the Kentucky Derby while Timber Country captured the Preakness Stakes.) In this piece, I want to focus on another two year-old race, the Hollywood Futurity, which, despite its somewhat checkered history, has been a strong indicator of future classic success. In fact, there have been 12 horses contesting this race (with 5 of them winning) who in the following year were victorious in one of the Triple Crown races.

Initiated in 1981 (three years prior to the first Breeder’s Cup), the Hollywood Futurity was designed to be the championship race for two year-olds, and in 1983 boasted a purse of $1 million. Run mostly at 1 1/16 mile (except for 1985 – 1990 when it was contested at a mile), the Hollywood Futurity was staged on an artificial surface from 2006 to 2013. With the closing of Hollywood Park in late 2013, the race was moved to Los Alamitos Race Course. In 2007, the race was renamed the CashCall Futurity when Hollywood Park received sponsorship from that aforementioned company. Back on the dirt at Los Alamitos, the race is now named the Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity.

Right from its inaugural running, the Hollywood Futurity produced a classic winner, although only the most prescient observers would have predicted who in the field that would be. Arthur Hancock III and Leone J. Peters’ Gato Del Sol finished a well beaten seventh behind the winner Stalwart. The rangy gray colt had won the Del Mar Futurity three starts back, but he did not show his best form at Hollywood Park. Notwithstanding in May 1982, Gato Del Sol came charging home first in the Kentucky Derby at odds of 21-1.

The next classic winner to emerge from the Hollywood Futurity was Tank’s Prospect who also failed to place in the race, finishing fourth in the 1984 edition. The Eugene Klein owned and Wayne Lukas trained son of Mr. Prospector rallied from off the pace to win the Preakness the following year. The 1985 renewal of the Hollywood Futurity saw two classic winners emerge from the race who would be staunch adversaries the next two years. Carl Grinstead and Ben Rochelle’s California bred Snow Chief finished first in the Hollywood Futurity while Mrs. Howard B. Keck’s Ferdinand was a distant third. At Churchill Downs the following May, Ferdinand found an opening between horses and stormed to victory in the Kentucky Derby making his trainer Charlie Whittingham and his jockey Bill Shoemaker the oldest trainer-jockey combination to win the Derby. Favored Snow Chief finished a puzzling eleventh, but at Pimlico Racetrack, two weeks later, Snow Chief rebounded winning the Preakness Stakes by 4 lengths with Ferdinand in second place.

      

The following year, Dorothy and Pamela Scharbauer’s Alysheba, a robust son of the famed Alydar, finished a close second (by a neck) to Temperate Sil in the Hollywood Futurity. The Jack Van Berg trainee would find his championship form as a three year-old winning both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes before losing the Belmont (finishing fourth) in his bid for Triple Crown glory.

It took five more years for another classic winner to emerge from the Hollywood Futurity. In 1991, Tomonori Tsurumaki’s A. P. Indy began to fulfill the lofty reputation he had from his inception with a game victory in the race. Being a son of Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew out of a mare by Triple Crown winner Secretariat who had produced 1990 Preakness winner Summer Squall, it is not hard to imagine why A. P. Indy was bought at auction as a yearling for $2.9 million. Trained by Neil Drysdale, he had to be withdrawn from the Kentucky Derby the day before the race due to a foot bruise. Sufficiently recovered, A. P. Indy dutifully won the 1992 Belmont Stakes on the way to Horse of the Year honors.

The 1994 Hollywood Futurity was won in runaway fashion by a presumed budding superstar in Afternoon Deelites. Finishing second, beaten 6½ lengths was Thunder Gulch, who had shipped in from the East Coast. The son of Gulch recently acquired by owner Michael Tabor and turned over to trainer Wayne Lukas had just won the Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct for his new connections. Considered at one time second string to Lukas’ two year-old champion Timber Country, Thunder Gulch emerged as the Three Year-old Champion of 1995 winning both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes. (A third place finish to stablemate, Timber Country in the Preakness Stakes, prevented Thunder Gulch from a Triple Crown sweep.)

Though both Alysheba and Thunder Gulch, in being dual classic winners, had come within a single victory of capturing the elusive Triple Crown, no horse has come closer than the 1997 Hollywood Futurity winner, Real Quiet. The gangly son of Quiet American whose trainer Bob Baffert nicknamed, “The Fish” for his narrow frame was owned by longtime Baffert patron Mike Pegram.  As with Thunder Gulch, Real Quiet was considered, prior to the Kentucky Derby, the weaker part of an uncoupled entry with Indian Charlie. However, he emerged the victor and followed that with a convincing win in the Preakness Stakes. Strongly favored to complete the Triple Crown, Real Quiet surged to a commanding lead at the top of the stretch in the Belmont Stakes only to find rival Victory Gallop catch him in the last stride to deny his Triple Crown aspirations.

In 2000, The Thoroughbred Corporation’s Point Given, a massive son of Thunder Gulch, who had just missed winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by a nose to Macho Uno, became the next future classic winner to score a victory in the Hollywood Futurity. The Bob Baffert trainee, a strong favorite in the 2001 Kentucky Derby, finished a perplexing fifth to Monarchos. However, Point Given showed his superiority in winning both the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. On the other end of the expectations spectrum was Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Moss’ Giacomo who finished a surprising second in the 2004 Hollywood Futurity, but he really shocked the racing community by winning the following year’s Kentucky Derby at odds over 50-1.

Racing on the Hollywood Park artificial surface in 2009, Lookin at Lucky followed the pattern of Point Given of rebounding from a narrow loss in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile to win the now CashCall Futurity. Also trained by Bob Baffert, Lookin at Lucky was owned by the partnership of Pegram, Watson and Weitman. He continued to follow Point Given’s tract by finishing unplaced in the Kentucky Derby (sixth) but came back to win the Preakness. However, unlike Point Given, he did not contest the Belmont Stakes.

The final classic winner, to date, to emerge from the former Hollywood Futurity was Calumet Farm’s Oxbow in 2012. No better than fourth in the CashCall Futurity, the son of Awesome Again trained by Wayne Lukas scored an upset victory in the 2013 Preakness Stakes.

The race has produced no classic winners since it has been moved to Los Alamitos in 2014, but the last three victors - Dortmund (2014), Mor Spirit (2015), and Mastery (2016), were all high class performers. Thus, there is no reason that this renamed and relocated race will not still be a signpost to the following year’s classics, and one can hope the 2017 renewal run on December 9, will continue the tradition.