Best Horses Not to Win a Championship Series: Majestic Light

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

Joseph Di Rienzi

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Best Horses Not to Win a Championship Series: Bold 'n Determined

Best Horses Not to Win a Championship Series
Number 6: Bold ‘n Determined

Joseph Di Rienzi

This is the next installment of the occasional series that features those somewhat forgotten thoroughbreds who did not win any championship but ran exceptionally well and under different circumstances might have garnered awards. This issue discusses Bold ‘n Determined.

Bold 'n Determined at Keeneland in 1981
bloodhorse.com

The bay daughter of Bold and Brave had a three-year-old campaign in 1980 that would routinely garner a championship, even defeating in their lone encounter the eventual three-year-old filly champion. However, that rival was Genuine Risk who entered the thoroughbred history books as only the second female to win the Kentucky Derby.

Bred by Dr. Gordon Layton in Kentucky, Bold n’ Determined was purchased as a two-year-old by Corbin J. Roberston, owner of Saron Stable, for $70,000. Placed in the care of Neil Drysdale, the light bodied filly made her racing debut in May 1979 at Hollywood Park and came away with a victory. Advancing up the ranks with two allowance race victories, Bold ‘n Determined, concluded a perfect 4 for 4 juvenile season with a triumph in the Oak Leaf Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

Beginning 1980 with a victory in the Pasadena Stakes at Santa Anita, Bold ‘n Determined suffered her first loss in the Santa Ynez Stakes finishing fourth to Table Hands. She avenged that defeat in the 8½ furlong Santa Susanna Stakes rallying from far back to defeat Street Ballet and Table Hands by a ½ length and a neck, respectively. Shipping to Arkansas for the Fantasy Stakes, she faced the previous year’s two-year-old filly champion, Smart Angle. Bold ‘n Determined, under jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, went to the front early and controlled the pace drawing out in the stretch to a 2¼ length victory over Saint Ribera with Honest and True, 4 lengths back in third. Smart Angle, not feeling well, was eased up in the stretch. The capstone on Bold ‘n Determined’s spring campaign was the Kentucky Oaks which she won convincingly by 1½ lengths over Mitey Lively and Honest and True (1/2 length further back). Her margins of victory were never great, and her final times were rarely fast, but this smallish filly certainly lived up to her name in courage and tenacity.

While Diana Firestone’s Genuine Risk was heroically tackling males in the Triple Crown, winning the Kentucky Derby and finishing second in the both the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, Bold ‘n Determined, was in New York during the late spring and early summer competing in the New York Filly Triple Tiara.

She promptly added the Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park to her growing list of triumphs winning by 2¾ lengths over Mitey Lively with Sugar and Spice, who had previously won a division of the Ashland Stakes, finishing 1¼ lengths back in third place. In the 9 furlong Mother Goose Stakes run on a muddy track the day after the Belmont Stakes, Sugar and Spice engaged Bold ‘n Determined around the far turn, and the two battled the rest of the way with the Calumet Farm owned filly having a head advantage at the finish. Some 9 lengths further back was Erin’s Word with Weber City Miss finishing fourth. Denied a chance to sweep the New York filly triple series, Bold ‘n Determined nonetheless came back to face Sugar and Spice again in the 1½ mile Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont. Truly living up to her name, she fought off stern challenges from Sugar and Spice, Erin’s Word, and Farewell Letter to eke out a narrow win with the last two mentioned, a head and a head away, respectively. Sugar and Spice, in a four way fight for the lead, gave way in deep stretch to finish 2¼ lengths back in fourth place. The time was lugubriously slow for the distance, but no one questioned Bold ‘n Determined’s courage and tremendous will to win.

The 1 mile Maskette Stakes in September at Belmont Park featured not only the previous year’s three-year-old filly champion in Calumet Farm’s Davona Dale, but the two sophomore fillies vying for this year’s championship - Genuine Risk and Bold ‘n Determined. The last two mentioned were coming off layoffs, Genuine Risk in the Belmont Stakes and Bold ‘n Determined in the CCA Oaks. Also, in the field, was Love Sign, who had won at Saratoga Race Track both the Test and Alabama Stakes. Bold ‘n Determined pressed Love Sign in the early going. Around the turn, Davona Dale challenged the leading pair. That move was quickly followed by Genuine Risk who surged past the Calumet filly and took a slight lead over Bold ‘n Determined. The Saron Stable color bearer, despite carrying 4 lb. more, displayed her resoluteness and regained the lead from the Kentucky Derby winner to triumph by a nose. Love Sign was 6¾ lengths back in third, and Davona Dale, in what would result in her swan song performance, finished a ½ length back in fourth.

In what would be Genuine Risk’s last race of the year, she defeated Misty Galore and It’s in the Air by a nose and a neck, respectively in the 9 furlong Ruffian Handicap. While this win was not definitive with Davona Dale being withdrawn due to a recurrent injury, and Bold ‘n Determined skipping the race to point for Keeneland Race Course’s Spinster Stakes, it was sufficient to remove any doubts that the Firestone star would be voted Champion Three-Year-Old Filly. 

Bold ‘n Determined did not give up the championship without a struggle. She did win the Spinster Stakes by a neck over Love Sign. But when asked to run on grass in the 10 furlong Yellow Ribbon Stakes at Santa Anita, Bold ‘n Determined could finish no better than fourth to the Irish bred Kilijaro.

Remaining in training in 1981, her four-year-old season was anti-climactic. At year’s beginning, Bold ‘n Determined was nosed out in the La Brea Stakes by Dynanite at Santa Anita and returned with an ankle injury that would force her out till early spring. When Bold ‘n Determined resumed racing, she would win her last 3 starts including the Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park and the Bewitch Stakes at Keeneland. However, subsequent to the Bewitch, Bold ‘n Determined suffered a reoccurrence of her ankle problems that forced her retirement. Her exemplary racing career resulted in 16 victories in 20 starts with 2 placings and 2 fourth place finishes.

After a fairly unsuccessful career as a broodmare, Bold ‘n Determined passed away at Gainsborough Farm in Lexington, Kentucky in 1997 at the age of 20.

Best Horses Not to Win a Championship Series: Optimistic Gal

Best Horses Not to Win a Championship Series
Number 7: Optimistic Gal

Joseph Di Rienzi

This is the next installment of the occasional series that features those somewhat forgotten thoroughbreds who did not win any championship but ran exceptionally well and under different circumstances might have garnered awards. This issue discusses Diana Firestone’s Optimistic Gal.

She was an elegant dark bay or brown daughter by Sir Ivor out of the Traffic Judge mare Hopes Ahead. This classically bred filly was trained by LeRoy Jolley. Optimistic Gal broke her maiden as a two-year-old in June of 1975 at first asking at Belmont Park at 5½ furlongs. She followed that with a facile allowance win, also at Belmont.

Optimistic Gal’s main rival for a championship in her first year of racing was Richard E. Bailey’s Dearly Precious, a compact daughter by Dr. Fager. Starting her career earlier than Optimistic Gal, the latter had won already 4 stakes races by the time the two adversaries first faced each other in the Sorority Stakes at Monmouth Park in late July. The race’s 6 furlong distance would appear to favor Dr. Fager’s daughter over her Sir Ivor sired opponent. In the Sorority, Dearly Precious, always prominent, took the lead heading into the stretch and repulsed Optimistic Gal’s bid to win by 2¼ lengths.

At Saratoga Racetrack, Optimistic Gal won her first stakes with a 9¾ length victory in the 6 furlong Adirondack. The second meeting between Dearly Precious and Optimistic Gal, in the 6 furlong Spinaway Stakes, resulted in the same finish as the Sorority with the margin now reduced to one length. Confirming the superiority of these two fillies over the rest of their generation, the third finisher, Quintas Vicki, was 10¾ lengths behind Optimistic Gal.  In what was the conclusion of her juvenile campaign, Dearly Precious was victorious in the Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes. She presented as her championship credentials 7 straight stakes victories, however, none were at distances more than 6 furlongs. In the end, her two wins over Optimistic Gal would be the decisive factor.

In addition to Optimistic Gal, trainer LeRoy Jolley had in his barn the leading candidate for male two-year-old honors in Honest Pleasure. The colt owned by Bert Firestone (Diana’s husband) won in September the Arlington-Washington Futurity. Back at Belmont Park, a little earlier on the same day, Honest Pleasure’s barn mate, Optimistic Gal, won the 7 furlong Matron Stakes by 6½ lengths.

The Frizette Stakes, also at Belmont, was next for Optimistic Gal, which she won by 3¼ lengths over Artfully. Her male counterpart returned to New York and asserted his dominance by winning the Cowdin Stakes and Champagne Stakes, both easily. In what was getting to be a pattern, on the same day as the Champagne, Optimistic Gal won the 7 furlong Alcibiades Stakes in the slop at Keeneland Racecourse by a mind boggling 21 lengths. The Firestones were definitely having a great fall, but on these occasions, they couldn’t both be in two places on the same day to accept the respective winners’ trophies. 

Both Firestone horses had one more start in 1975, and these would be at Laurel Racetrack. Unfortunately for travel arrangements, the races were not run on the same day, but on consecutive weekends. Optimistic Gal ended her juvenile season with a 2¼ length win over Artfully in the 8½ furlong Selima Stakes. With victories in the all the major fall stakes races: the Matron, the Frizette, the Alcibiades, and the Selima, Optimistic Gal presented a strong resume for Two-Year-Old Filly Champion with 7 victories in her 9 starts. However, her two losses against Dearly Precious, cost her the title. On the other hand, Honest Pleasure finished his championship year with a victory in the Laurel Futurity.

The following year would find Optimistic Gal having an ambitious 12 race campaign. Her three-year-old season was launched in April at Keeneland. Winning an allowance race easily, she next raced in the 7 furlong Ashland Stakes. From her number one post, Optimistic Gal led all the way and prevailed by 1¼ lengths. Optimistic Gal put a capstone to her spring Kentucky campaign with a dominant win in the 1 1/16 mile Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on Derby Eve, winning by 4¼ lengths over Comfort Zone and Carmelita Gibbs who missed second by a nose.

The 1 mile Acorn Stakes at Belmont was the stage for the first meeting of the year between Dearly Precious and Optimistic Gal. Because her two losses this year were in races more than 6 furlongs, the suspicion that Dearly Precious was just a sprinter removed her from favoritism over Optimistic Gal. Under jockey Jorge Velasquez, Dearly Precious set the early pace and dispatched all rivals including Optimistic Gal who finished behind her in second (for the third time) by 2¼ lengths with Tell Me All and Girl in Love, neck and neck behind Optimistic Gal for the third and fourth placings, respectively.

The Mother Goose at 9 furlongs was run at Belmont the day before the Belmont Stakes, and it once again featured the rivalry between Dearly Precious and Optimistic Gal. It developed into a torrid pace duel between the two principals as the Firestone camp would not allow Dearly Precious to have an uncontested lead. The fractions were blistering and took their toll on Dearly Precious who eventually retreated to last in the five horse field. However, Optimistic Gal was weakened sufficiently by her early exhortations that she could not withstand the late surge by Girl in Love who passed her in deep stretch to win by 1¼ lengths with Ancient Fables third, 11 lengths back.

The Coaching Club American Oaks was the finale of the New York Filly Triple Tiara series. The winners of the first two legs – Dearly Precious (Acorn Stakes) and Girl in Love (Mother Goose) did not contest the 1½ mile CCA Oaks, but Optimistic Gal, who had finished second in both of the earlier races, was present. At first glance, the race seemed to be at the Firestone filly’s mercy, but there was a lightly raced filly who would prove to be a fierce competitor. Revidere, a tall gangly chestnut daughter of Reviewer out of the mare Quillesian by Princequillo owned by William Haggin Perry, was unraced as a two-year-old. Breaking her maiden at first asking in 1976, Revidere moved up the condition ranks with two more wins. Facing stakes competition for the first time in the 8½ furlong Cotillion Stakes at Keystone Racetrack, she drew out to win by 4 lengths.

At the start of the CCA Oaks, Ten Cents a Dance, stumbled and unseated Angel Cordero Jr. All Rainbows set the pace tracked by Revidere. When No Duplicate moved up to join the leaders down the long backstretch, Revidere took the lead.  As the leaders headed around the far turn, Optimistic Gal moved strongly on the outside and in the stretch wrested the lead from Revidere.  However, the Perry filly was not done and re-rallied, so that at the finish she was actually edging away from Optimistic Gal. The final margin was ½ length with No Duplicate, more than 8 lengths away in third place. With this dramatic win in time faster than Bold Forbes had run in winning the Belmont Stakes, Revidere became a serious contender for three-year-old filly honors.

At the Saratoga meeting in August, Optimistic Gal continued her losing streak (now at four) with a sixth place finish under top weight in the Test Stakes. In the 1¼ mile Alabama Stakes, Optimistic Gal put herself back into the championship picture with an astounding 16 length win (see photo above).

On the first weekend in September, the two leading three-year-old fillies, Optimistic Gal and Revidere, ran in different races. Revidere contested the Gazelle Handicap at 9 furlongs at Belmont and remained unbeaten while winning under top weight of 124 lb. by 1½ lengths. At Delaware Park in the 1¼ mile Delaware Handicap, Optimistic Gal was entered against older females, but found her main rival another three-year-old filly. In a protracted stretch duel, Optimistic Gal wore down a very game T. V. Vixen, winning by a length.

Revidere and Optimistic Gal had the rematch of their CCA Oaks duel in the 9 furlong Beldame Stakes at Belmont Park. In this race was also the unbeaten Ivory Wand and older females, Proud Delta and West Coast invader Bastonera II. Setting the pace from the start, Proud Delta, a four-year-old daughter of Delta Judge, repelled the challenges of Ivory Wand, Revidere and Optimistic Gal to draw out to a 3 length win. Revidere re-rallied in the stretch to gain second, a ½ length ahead of Bastonera II with Optimistic Gal, a head back in fourth.

The deciding race for the three-year-old filly championship was the newly named Ruffian Stakes at Belmont Park run at 1¼ miles. Revidere, who lost her unbeaten status in the Beldame Stakes, still had a 2–0 margin over fellow Ruffian entry Optimistic Gal. The older females, Proud Delta, Bastonera II, and Garden Verse completed the weight-for-age race. On a wet fast racetrack, Proud Delta went to the lead tracked by Optimistic Gal with Revidere close by in third place. Optimistic Gal assumed the lead early, as Proud Delta, not liking the track conditions retreated to last place. Approaching the far turn, Jacinto Vasquez asked Revidere, and she readily went up to challenge Optimistic Gal. Rather than a long duel, the daughter of Reviewer went right by the daughter of Sir Ivor and opened up a clear lead as the field straightened out for the stretch run. Leaving nothing to chance, Vasquez kept urging Revidere on, and she finished with an emphatic 14 length win insuring her championship. Closing ground on the rest of the field, Bastonera II would take second by 2 lengths over Optimistic Gal.

In what would be her final start, Optimistic Gal would return to Keeneland, perhaps her favorite racetrack, to win the Spinster Stakes in the slop by 5 lengths over Ivory Wand. Despite another outstanding year, Optimistic Gal would be denied championship honors by the performances of another horse. In 1976 that horse was Revidere.

Optimistic Gal was retired at the end of her three-year-old season with a career record of 13 wins in 21 starts with only two finishes less than third place. As a broodmare, she was prolific producing many winning foals, however, none really distinguished themselves on the racetrack. Optimistic Gal died in 1999 at the age of 26.

Best Horses Not to Win a Championship Series: Point of Entry

Best Horses Not to Win a Championship Series
Number 8: Point of Entry

Joseph Di Rienzi

This is the next installment of the occasional series that features those somewhat forgotten thoroughbreds who did not win any championship but ran exceptionally well and under different circumstances might have garnered awards. This issue discusses my eighth ranked Point of Entry.

Point of Entry
bloodhorse.com

Owned by Phipps Stable, he was foaled in 2008 and grew to a towering 17 hands. A son of Dynaformer, Point of Entry descended from a significant female family. His half-sister, Pine Island, was denied a championship when breaking down in the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Trained by Shug McGaughey, Point of Entry took a while to find himself as a racehorse. Unraced as a two-year-old, the gangly bay made his initial start at Gulfstream Park in January 2011. It took four tries to break his maiden, but when he did, it was by 15½ lengths on a rain soaked Belmont Park surface. After some encouraging efforts on grass, by the end of his three-year-old campaign, it was clear Point of Entry’s forte was long distance races on turf.

Point of Entry began 2012 with a fourth place finish in a 9 furlong allowance race at Gulfstream Park. In the spring, McGaughey sent the four-year-old to Keeneland Racetrack where he won an allowance race and then the Elkhorn Stakes, both at 1½ miles. In these two races, Point of Entry, ridden by John Velazquez, unleashed a strong closing kick to gain the victories. After these wins, McGaughey would race his grass star exclusively in top class contests. 

After his initial stakes success, Point of Entry went on a grade 1 winning streak. In July, the leggy son of Dynaformer came from just off the pace to powerfully win the 11 furlong Man o’ War Stakes at Belmont Park by 3½ lengths. In the beaten field was the odds-on favorite and internationalist Treasure Beach. Racing at Saratoga in August, Point of Entry again unleashed a powerful kick, once he found clear running room to win the 1½ mile Sword Dancer Stakes by 4 lengths. Facing not only Treasure Beach in the 1½ mile Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational in early fall at Belmont Park but also Arlington Million Stakes victor, Little Mike, Point of Entry was sent off the strong favorite. Racing on a yielding surface, Point of Entry had a tougher time but still came away with a 1¾ length victory over Treasure Beach. Little Mike, who set the early pace faded to fifth, beaten over 28 lengths. These three would face off again in the Breeders’ Cup Turf run this year at Santa Anita Park 

The 1½ mile Turf was one of the races on the Breeders’ Cup card that could determine Horse of the Year. Point of Entry was facing a strong field of domestic and international runners, but given his success this year, he represented a viable U. S. challenge to the foreign domination of the race. The strongest Europeans appeared to be last year’s victor, St Nicholas Abbey, and Shareta, a multiple group 1 winner this year in Europe. There was a Japanese presence in Trailblazer who tuned up for the Turf with a good second in a stakes race at Santa Anita.

Point of Entry was able to fend off the internationalists in the Turf. What he was not able to do was catch an American runner on the sun baked Santa Anita turf course. Breaking from the no. 1 post, Point of Entry assumed an inside position under John Velazquez, but he was soon shuffled back to eighth place due to some crowding. Noted early speed runner Turbo Compressor set a fast pace followed by Optimizer and Little Mike. The positions were unchanged until midway around the final turn when Little Mike forged to the lead. Trailblazer made a bid, and St Nicholas Abbey swung to the far outside for the drive. Meanwhile, Velazquez had nowhere to run with Point of Entry as he was trapped behind horses. In the stretch, Little Mike had a clear lead until Point of Entry was finally able to get through on the inside. Just before the finish, Velazquez angled his mount to the right of Little Mike, and Point of Entry closed dramatically but failed by a ½ length to catch his adversary. St Nicholas Abbey was ¾ of length behind in third, and Trailblazer finished fourth.

Despite their good performances over the year, neither Point of Entry nor Little Mike would gain the Eclipse Award for Male Turf Horse. Instead it was the late Morton Fink’s Wise Dan whose victory in the Breeders’ Cup Mile was enough to convince voters that he should be the champion. (Wise Dan also garnered Older Male Horse and Horse of the Year Eclipse Awards.)

Point of Entry, now owned jointly by Phipps Stable and Stronach Stables, stayed in training in 2013 and made his initial start as a five-year-old in February in the 9 furlong Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap. He was second choice (giving 2 lb.) to the 2011 Kentucky Derby winner, Animal Kingdom, who was also making his initial year start. The latter made a bold move along the backstretch to seize the lead on the inside, but Point of Entry came back and out fought Animal Kingdom to the wire for an outstanding 1¼ length victory. Animal Kingdom would leave the U. S. and travel abroad winning on the artificial dirt surface, the Dubai World Cup, but Point of Entry’s trainer, Shug McGaughey took the more conservative approach in keeping his charge in the United States.

The two best grass horses of 2012 – Wise Dan and Point of Entry were scheduled to face each other on Derby Day in the 9 furlong Woodford Reserve Turf Classic. An indication of the high esteem held for Point of Entry is that John Velazquez, the regular rider for both Point of Entry and Wise Dan, chose to ride the former over the prior year’s Horse of the Year. However, the anticipated clash between these horses never came to pass as Shug McGaughey deemed the Churchill Downs turf too soft for Point of Entry and scratched him on race day. In the Woodford Reserve, Wise Dan, under substitute jockey Jose Lezcano, had no trouble with the yielding course, drawing away to a 4¾ length victory.

Point of Entry appeared next on Belmont Stakes Day in the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap where he again was confronted with a soft turf course. This time McGaughey decided to run his turf star, and Point of Entry gained the lead in the upper stretch of this 1¼ mile race and edged clear for a 1½ length victory over Optimizer who was a neck in front of late closing Real Solution. Subsequent to the Manhattan, it was discovered that Point of Entry suffered a small fracture in his left hind leg which required surgery. After recovering, McGaughey decided to bring Point of Entry to the Breeders’ Cup Turf without any intervening starts.

In November, the Breeders’ Cup Championship races returned again to Santa Anita. The most significant question among the starters in the Breeders’ Cup Turf was whether Shug McGaughey could have Point of Entry ready off only workouts since his victory in the Manhattan Handicap in June. An added complication was the loss of rider John Velazquez who suffered a significant injury from a fall earlier in the day. This forced McGaughey to substitute Joel Rosario who had never ridden the horse. The betting public did not believe Point of Entry could do it, making The Fugue, who was third in last year’s Filly and Mare Turf, the favorite. Also, in the field was last year’s Turf victor, Little Mike, who was coming off a victory in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park his only to date in 2013.

The winner was a horse who had never raced beyond a mile. Magician was a three-year-old son of Galileo who last raced in June at the Royal Ascot meet, finishing ninth in the St. James Palace Stakes. He had previously showed high quality in winning the Irish 2000 Guineas Stakes. Relishing the firm footing on the Santa Anita turf, Magician surged from next to last under Ryan Moore to catch The Fugue in deep stretch for a ½ length victory. Indy Point finished third ¾ of a length further behind. Point of Entry, without his customary powerful closing kick, still rallied to be fourth, another ½ length behind. Little Mike, who had reached the lead at the top of the stretch, faded to seventh in his attempt to duplicate his Turf win of 2012.

In the Eclipse voting, Wise Dan, who repeated his victory in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, was again a triple champion – Older Male Horse, Male Turf Horse, and Horse of the Year. However, I believe that Point of Entry, who narrowly lost the Breeders’ Cup Turf in 2012 and was having such a strong year in 2013 till his untimely injury, could have contended for champion honors.

At the end of 2013, Point of Entry was retired to Adena Springs Farm in Paris, Kentucky where he currently stands. His progeny have shown some success with recent stakes performers Analyze It, Plus Que Parfait, and Admission Office.

Best Horses Not to Win a Championship Series: Pleasantly Perfect

Best Horses Not to Win a Championship Series
Number 9: Pleasantly Perfect

Joseph Di Rienzi

This is the next installment of the occasional series that features those somewhat forgotten thoroughbreds who did not win any championship but ran exceptionally well and under different circumstances might have garnered awards. This issue discusses my ninth ranked Pleasantly Perfect.

Pleasantly Perfect winning the 2003 Breeders' Cup Classic
breederscup.com

He was foaled in 1998 and sold as a yearling for $725,000 to Diamond A Racing Corporation. Pleasantly Perfect’s sales price was no doubt a reflection of his strong breeding being a son of double classic winner Pleasant Colony and the European stakes winning mare Regal State. An additional factor that contributed to his lofty cost was the bay colt’s imposing size and physical presence. Diamond A Racing’s owner, Gerald Ford (no, not the 38^th U.S. president) placed Pleasantly Perfect under the care of trainer Richard Mandella. If there were hopes for early precocity, they were dashed by the son of Pleasant Colony not making his first start till late May of his sophomore year at Hollywood Park as a result of a virus inflaming his heart. Still experiencing the effects of the virus, Pleasantly Perfect’s first effort was a disaster with the colt being eased up and not finishing the race.

Given additional time to recover, Pleasantly Perfect resumed his racing career in earnest in January 2002 at Santa Anita Park. Somewhat backward, the bay colt did not win his first race till his third start of the year. After a second and two subsequent allowance race victories, Pleasantly Perfect made his initial stakes appearance in Del Mar Racetrack’s signature race - the Pacific Classic Stakes in August. Facing some of the best horses of 2002, the Richard Mandella trainee (at odds 17-1) closed determinedly in the stretch to finish fourth beaten only a total of 2¾ lengths.

Recognizing that Pleasantly Perfect was competitive against top horses, Mandella ran his four-year-old in the Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita Park, a key West Coast prep for the year end Breeders’ Cup Classic. In the Goodwood, Pleasantly Perfect, won his first stakes race with an impressive come from behind victory by 3¼ lengths. Considered now a solid contender for the Classic, Pleasantly Perfect was unable to compete due to an Illinois rule (the Breeders’ Cup was run at Arlington Park this year), that prohibits a two time “bleeder” from racing for 30 days after the second bleeding episode. Pleasantly Perfect had bled after a workout in February and was reported to have had a second discharge from his nostrils after his Goodwood victory.

Not raced the remainder of 2002, the hulking son of Pleasant Colony began his five-year-old campaign in the early part of 2003 at Santa Anita finishing third in the San Antonio and fourth in the Santa Anita Handicaps. Having another extended absence due to soreness, Pleasantly Perfect returned to the races in the fall of 2003 scoring a repeat victory in the Goodwood Stakes.

This year the Breeders’ Cup championship races were run at Santa Anita, and Pleasantly Perfect was amongst the entries for the Classic. The 2003 edition had a competitive field of ten that included the first two finishers of the 2002 edition, Volponi and Medaglia d’Oro, respectively, dual classic winner Funny Cide, Travers Stakes winner Ten Most Wanted, and major older horses Congaree and Perfect Drift. Medaglia d’Oro was sent off the favorite in the 1¼ mile race with Ten Most Wanted the second choice and Perfect Drift the third betting favorite. Pleasantly Perfect, despite sensational workouts, was a gross overlay at 14-1.

For most of the Classic, it appeared to be a match race between Congaree and Medaglia d’Oro as both their riders allowed them to duel head-and-head around the Santa Anita oval carving out a demanding pace. In the stretch, they were still fighting their private battle when jockey Alex Solis had Pleasantly Perfect, eighth in the early running, in full flight. The powerful son of Pleasant Colony passed the leaders in deep stretch and drove to a 1½ length triumph. Medaglia d’Oro got the better of Congaree finishing second (again) ¾ of a length in front of late running Dynever. Congaree weakened from his efforts to finish fourth, a neck behind.

Pleasantly Perfect’s Classic victory was a great satisfaction to Mandella, who believed the horse was ready to win last year’s edition only to be denied entry. It was also a testimony to the patience of Gerald Ford to allow the trainer to develop a horse who was a maiden as a four-year-old in 2002 into a Breeders’ Classic winner. The day belonged to Richard Mandella in winning an unprecedented, and so far not replicated, four Breeders’ Cup races. As telecast announcer Tom Durkin exclaimed as Pleasantly Perfect crossed the finish line, “Man oh Mandella, what a day”.

However, championship honors eluded Pleasantly Perfect in 2003. His campaign was considered too light, and Mineshift who was retired prior to the Breeders’ Cup took both Older Male and Horse of the Year Eclipse Awards.

Pleasantly Perfect was kept in training as a six-year-old and made his initial 2004 start in the San Antonio Handicap. His Breeders’ Cup Classic rival Congaree was favored in the short four horse field, the thinking that he would have a pace advantage. However, Congaree never showed his vaunted speed and retreated in the stretch to finish last. Pleasantly Perfect was never far behind in the San Antonio, and, when called upon, drew clear powerfully for a 4 length victory. A slight fever prevented Pleasantly Perfect from running in the Santa Anita Handicap, but Richard Mandella had his charge soon back in training and on schedule for a trip in March to the Middle East for what was then the world’s richest race -  the $6 million 1¼ mile Dubai World Cup.

The race was anticipated as the rematch of Pleasantly Perfect and Medaglia d’Oro who finished first and second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. And true to form, the race came down as a pulsating stretch duel between these two protagonists. Medaglia d’Oro had stalked pacesetter Fleetstreet Dancer until the top of the long homestretch when Jerry Bailey brought him to the fore. Alex Solis had Pleasantly Perfect in fourth place on the inside early but had his mount come to the outside for the stretch drive. Ranging alongside Medaglia d’Oro, Pleasantly Perfect dueled head and head with his rival until the last 50 yards when the Breeders’ Cup Classic winner’s stamina prevailed, winning by ¾ of a length. For Richard Mandella, this was his first Dubai World Cup victory after failing in six previous attempts. (The triumph was also bittersweet in that Mandella had learned moments after the race of the death of his close friend and fellow trainer, Lefty Nickerson.)

Now considered the leader in the older males division on dirt and prime candidate for Horse of the Year, Pleasantly Perfect was given a rest after his Dubai effort and did not return to the races till August. Pleasantly Perfect resumed racing at Del Mar on August 1 in the San Diego Handicap. He had at least three factors to overcome: the long layoff from the Dubai World Cup, a new rider in Mike Smith (subbing for injured Alex Solis), and the relatively short 8½ furlong distance of the race. Despite these obstacles, at the top of the stretch, the son of Pleasant Colony appeared on his way for a convincing victory as he assumed command. However, Pleasantly Perfect was passed in deep stretch by Choctaw Nation, who at the time was undefeated in his first 5 starts. There was a 10 lb. advantage in the winner’s favor and the ¾ of a length margin was close, but it was presumed a horse of Pleasantly Perfect’s caliber should have won.

The principals of the San Diego Handicap met again in the Pacific Classic under equal weights at 1¼ miles. Now ridden by Jerry Bailey, Pleasantly Perfect, sat behind the early pace, made his characteristic move around the far turn. Gaining the lead in the upper stretch, he was aggressively ridden by Bailey to hold off the reliable gelding, Perfect Drift’s late charge to prevail by a length. This time, Choctaw Nation’s closing rally could only gain him fourth place.

After his Pacific Classic victory, Pleasantly Perfect was trained up to his defense of the Breeders’ Cup Classic which was run this year at Lone Star Park located in Grand Prairie, Texas. While his was toiling in California, a new threat emerged in the east in the presence of Frank Stronach’s Ghostzapper. The four-year-old son of Awesome Again had amazed observers with his brilliant speed that he was able to carry to win 9 furlong races such as the Iselin Handicap at Monmouth Park and the Woodward Stakes at Belmont Park.

The big news prior to the Breeders’ Cup Classic was the decision to run the champion mare Azeri. Despite, her towering reputation, the task seemed formidable as she was facing Pleasantly Perfect, Ghostzapper, Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone, Funny Cide, and the up and coming Roses in May in the thirteen horse field.

Visions of a speed duel between Azeri, Ghostzapper, and Roses in May seemed to favor the closers, namely Pleasantly Perfect and Birdstone. However, that was not how the Classic transpired due to some pre-race tactics. Reportedly Bobby Frankel, trainer of Ghostzapper, convinced Ken Ramsey, owner of Roses in May, to give instructions to hold his horse off the pace of Ghostzapper if Azeri did not go to the front. In Frankel’s words, “If we lay first and second and the jockeys keep them slow and don’t kill each other trying for the lead, they’ll finish one-two”. Apparently, interested in winning the exacta, Ramsey agreed with this strategy, and that is how the race was run. Ghostzapper from his no. 1 post was guided to the lead by jockey Javier Castellano. Azeri, broke a little slowly but secured an inside position behind Ghostzapper. Roses in May cruised to be second down the backstretch tracking Ghostzapper’s moderate pace. Around the far turn, Castellano called on Ghostzapper, and he slowly drew away from Roses in May. Pleasantly Perfect had launched a bid from tenth place but had to come very wide in the stretch losing considerable ground. At the finish, Ghostzapper was 3 lengths in front of Roses In May who had 4 lengths on Pleasantly Perfect who gained the show position ¾ of a length in front of Perfect Drift. Azeri, in her final start, was fifth.

At year’s end, Ghostzapper, although having only a four race campaign that did not begin till the second half of the year, was voted Champion Older Male Horse and Horse of the Year. Pleasantly Perfect, despite winning early in the year and victorious in the Dubai World Cup, was again denied a championship being the victim as I see it of a tight turned, speed favoring racetrack (with some collusion on racing tactics) at Lone Star Park.

Pleasantly Perfect was retired to stud in 2005 at Lane’s End Farm in Lexington, KY. His racing record reads 9 wins in 18 starts and over $7.7 million in earnings. Despite siring a Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner in Shared Account and a top class sprinter in Whitmore, Pleasantly Perfect was exported to Turkey in 2014.  An update on Pleasantly Perfect’s genetic influence is that Shared Account is the dam of Sharing would just won the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly Turf, making her a third generation Breeders’ Cup victor.   

Best Horses Not to Win a Championship Series: Sightseek

Best Horses Not to Win a Championship Series
Number 10: Sightseek

Joseph Di Rienzi

In thoroughbred racing history, we remember clearly the champion horses who won fame and glory on the racetrack. Their accomplishments are well documented, and the honors they have gained give testimony to their brilliance. However, there are a group of horses who by happenstance, missed opportunities or just being born in the wrong year missed out on any accolades. This occasional series will feature those somewhat forgotten thoroughbreds who did not win any championship but ran exceptionally well and under different circumstances might have garnered awards. I will discuss ten of these “unsung heroes” who raced between 1959 and the present in separate pieces with my first being the tenth ranked Sightseek.

                         

                                             

Sightseeek winning the 2004 Beldame Stakes
bloodhorse.com

                       

The aforementioned was a compact chestnut owned by the famed Juddmonte Farms. Sightseek, a foal of 1999, was a daughter of the farm’s stallion Distant View from the prized mare Viviana. Trained by what was then Juddmonte’s American trainer Bobby Frankel, Sightseek did not begin her racing career till the summer of 2002 when she won a maiden race at Saratoga Racetrack. After two allowance races, she moved up in class and concluded her sophomore year with victories in the Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland Racecourse and the Top Flight Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Based in California at the beginning of 2003, Sightseek raced at Santa Anita Park, a track that would beguile her throughout her racing career and, perhaps, be the biggest reason for Sightseek’s inability to secure a year end championship. In her initial sojourn in the Golden State, Sightseek finished second in the Santa Monica, La Canada and Santa Margarita Handicaps. Upon traveling east, Sightseek won in succession the Humana Distaff Handicap at Churchill Downs, the Ogden Phipps Handicap at Belmont, Park, the Go for Wand Handicap at Saratoga, and the Beldame Stakes (back at Belmont). In the last named, she defeated Bird Town, the leading three-year-old filly of the year.

The Breeders’ Cup was run at Santa Anita in 2003, and the Distaff, the feature race for fillies and mares, was missing the 2002 victress and the previous year’s older female champion Azeri due to an injury. In her absence, Sightseek was the strong favorite. However, the dark cloud on her resume were those three second place finishes at Santa Anita earlier in the year, suggesting the daughter of Distant View would not run her best race on this racetrack. This year’s Distaff which had a history of producing some major upsets had another in the horse with the highest odds (40-1), Adoration, winning the race. Setting all the pace, she shook off threats at the top of the stretch to win by 4½ lengths. Sightseek, who was caught between horses after the start, raced in sixth place down the backstretch. When asked for run by jockey Jerry Bailey, she closed a little ground to finish fourth. Sightseek’s loss in the Distaff no doubt cost her the divisional championship as Azeri repeated as Eclipse Award winner for Older Female.

Sightseek started 2004 on a down note in keeping her dubious record of never winning at Santa Anita intact by finishing fourth in the Santa Monica Handicap. Shipped east, the daughter of Distant View found Gulfstream Park more amiable in scoring a bloodless 7½ length victory in the Rampart Handicap. Racing at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks day in the Louisville Breeders’ Cup Handicap, Sightseek reportedly did not handle the sloppy going, finishing a well beaten fourth. After this defeat, Bobby Frankel sent her to New York where she would race the rest of her career.

While double champion, Arzei and Sightseek were converging towards each other, the 2002 Two-Year-Old Filly Champion, Storm Flag Flying was attempting a comeback from an aborted and unsuccessful three-year-old season. After an allowance win in Florida and a third place finish in the Distaff Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Aqueduct, the daughter of Storm Cat won the Shuvee Handicap at Belmont Park.

The 8½ furlong Ogden Phipps Handicap at Belmont Park brought Azeri, Sightseek, and Storm Flag Flying together. (The only other entry was Passing Shot.) Sightseek continued her love affair with New York racetracks with an eased up 3½ length victory over Storm Flag Flying. Azeri, giving weight to all, was raced into defeat by Sightseek and faded to fourth, beaten a total of almost 12 lengths. The Ogden Phipps victory was the seventh win in as many starts in New York for the Juddmonte five-year-old mare.

The top older fillies and mares continued their intramurals during the Saratoga meeting. In the 9 furlong Go for Wand Handicap, Azeri, getting 2 lb. from Sightseek, but giving 3 lb. to Storm Flag Flying regained the leadership of the division with a wire-to-wire 1¾ length victory over the former with the latter another 2 lengths behind. In the 1¼ mile Personal Ensign Handicap, Azeri carrying 122 lb. was facing Storm Flag Flying (116 lb.) again but not Sightseek, who after suffering her first loss at a New York racetrack in the Go for Wand, was reserved for the fall meet at Belmont Park. In the race named after her grand dam, Storm Flag Flying, taking advantage of a rapid pace that softened Azeri, drove by her in the stretch for a 1¼ length victory. Azeri, game in defeat, held second by a ½ length over Nevermore.

After the Saratoga meet, Azeri was shipped to Kentucky where she scored a straightforward 3 length victory in the Spinster Stakes against weak opposition. Sightseek wrapped up her career at her favorite racetrack, Belmont Park, winning the Ruffian Handicap by 11¼ lengths and the Beldame Stakes by 2¾ lengths. In the latter race, Sightseek appeared to face competition in Storm Flag Flying and top three-year-old Society Selection, but after setting a moderate pace for the 9 furlong contest, she coasted to victory. Society Selection finished second, 1¼ lengths in front of Storm Flag Flying who uncharacteristically tried to keep pace with Sightseek. Bobby Frankel had announced before the Beldame that his mare would be retired afterward instead of going on to race in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (held this year at Lone Star Park in Texas). Subsequent reports indicated that Sightseek had been racing with a swollen left front ankle, and it was thought too risky to persevere with her any longer. Nevertheless, she had been racing in top form and foregoing the Distaff would consequently deny her an Eclipse award she probably merited.

Azeri made her final start of her illustrious career in the Breeders’ Cup Classic finishing fifth against male horses.  Despite her unplacing, she was voted the Eclipse Award (for the third time) for Older Female Horse. Sightseek, for the second year in a row, was the second ranked older female on dirt. She concluded her racing career with 12 wins (including 7 at the highest level) and 5 seconds in 20 outings, earning over $2.4 million. Upon retirement, Sightseek joined the broodmare band at Juddmonte Farms where she currently resides.