Horse of the Week: Personal Ensign

Posted on by DerbyMateo

We usually pick a horse from the previous weekend to highlight as our Horse of the Week. We went back a little further this week, to 1988 to be exact. Long before Zenyatta came to the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs in search of perfection, it was unbeaten Personal Ensign who provided as dramatic a finish to a horse race as you’ll ever see. And her impact on the Breeders’ Cup didn’t end there.

A product of the famed Ogden Phipps breeding program, Personal Ensign was dominant in a Maiden Special and the Grade 1 Frizette Stakes at Belmont Park in the fall of 1986. She would have gone favored in that year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies but a fracture to her left hind pastern put those plans on ice and threatened to end her career.

The brave filly’s return to the races in September of 1987 helped put renowned equine surgeon Dr. Larry Bramlage on the map. She won her comeback, an allowance, along with the Rare Perfume Stakes (G2) and the Beldame Stakes (G1) over older mares. She didn’t even notice those five metal screws Dr. Bramlage had put in her pastern. With another Grade 1 secured, trainer Shug McGaughey elected to bypass a cross country trip to the 1987 Breeders’ Cup at Hollywood Park.

McGaughey’s patience was rewarded with a longer and more sensational 1988 campaign. She made her first start on May 15 in the Shuvee H. (G1) and won with her typical ease. Two more graded wins against females followed before a tilt against males in the Whitney H. (G1) at Saratoga. Only two dared face Personal Ensign that day, the tough gelding King’s Swan and the top sprinter/miler Gulch. An early afternoon monsoon turned the Saratoga strip into a lake and Personal Ensign seemed to struggle early on, a portent of things to come on Breeders’ Cup day. But she simply had more class than her male rivals and got to the wire first. Her record was now a perfect 10 for 10.

A filly named Winning Colors won the Kentucky Derby in 1988 and it was only a matter of time until she crossed paths with Personal Ensign. The showdown came in the one-mile Maskette Stakes (G1), now called the Go For Wand S. on September 10, 1988. In one of the greatest races nobody saw (attendance that day was under 10,000, no national TV) Personal Ensign and rider Randy Romero reeled in a loose-on-the-lead Winning Colors.

Personal Ensign added another Beldame win to her resume and brought a pristine 12 for 12 record into her final start, the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Winning Colors was there again too, along with Kentucky Oaks/Mother Goose/Coaching Club American Oaks winner Goodbye Halo.

The rains also came that Breeders’ Cup Saturday and Personal Ensign would have to conquer a sloppy track again to retire with a perfect record. I was at Saratoga the day Personal Ensign won the Whitney over that water-logged surface and I was half a country a way watching the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on TV. About half way through both races I said out loud:

“Uh oh.”

In both contests Personal Ensign just didn’t seem comfortable running over those soggy surfaces. But she was a champion and, watching the replays over a quarter of a century later, I almost get the sense she was using each stride early on to figure out how to navigate the slop. Each time her legs hit the soggy ground they gave her just a little more comfort and confidence. Or maybe she just couldn’t stand to see other horses in front of her. All I know is that it looked pretty hopeless at the top of the stretch in the Distaff. Winning Colors was rolling, Personal Ensign had put herself in the race but still had too much to do, still five lengths away. A gallant second or third on a track she hated would be her final salvo.

But no. She would dig deeper, stretch her stride to the limit, even if she felt like she was running on taffy. That that big gray Derby-winning filly is in front of me. And that’s not acceptable.

Personal Ensign got there first. I don’t know how. I still can’t tell who won when I watch that race but the photo tells the story: “Personal Ensign, you’re the first major runner to retire undefeated in 80 years.”

Personal Ensign was just as incredible in her second career and produced, among others, 1995 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner My Flag, who in turn is the dam of 2002 Juvenile Fillies heroine Storm Flag Flying. Not many other horses, male of female, have had a greater impact on racing’s Championship weekend. Or the thoroughbred breed for that matter.

Horse(s) of the Week: Treve & Wise Dan

Posted on by DerbyMateo

Racing fans were treated to some thrilling stretch runs on both sides of the Atlantic last weekend. The performances of Treve taking her second straight Arc and Wise Dan winning…again…were most remarkable. So let’s honor both greats in this week’s Horse of the Week post.

Both champions have overcome physical ailments to climb back to the pinnacle of the racing world in North America and Europe. Treve, the victim of hoof and back issues, had been absent from the winner’s circle until Saturday at Longchamp. Wise Dan landed on the operating table after a serious bout of colic over the summer.

The Blood-Horse lead their coverage of Treve’s Arc triumph with this sentence: ‘Treve left both detractors and admirers in awe’. Those words equally apply to Wise Dan’s performance in the Shadwell Turf Mile, the first seven figure race ever run at Keeneland. While he had previously returned a winner in Saratoga’s Bernard Baruch Handicap his razor-thin victory that day left many wondering if he was still the same animal. Some doubts began to manifest even before his surgery when he downed Seek Again by just a head (after a brutal trip) in the Turf Classic on Derby Day.

Treve goes out a winner. Her owner, Sheikh Joaan confirmed via Twitter on October 7 that his great mare was done racing and would visit the court of leading European stallion Dubawi next year. Wise Dan, however, is on to the Breeders’ Cup. But which race? Wise Dan’s connections have flirted with the Breeders’ Cup Classic in the past before collecting a pair of Breeders’ Cup Mile trophies. After the Shadwell Turf Mile trainer Charlie LoPresti was interviewed by Mike Battaglia and said ‘you don’t know how many more Breeders’ Cups he has left’, indicating that a run on dirt in the Classic is being more seriously considered this time around.

Imagine a Breeders’ Cup Classic with the unbeaten Shared Belief, dual Classic winner California Chrome, Belmont/Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Tonalist, the speedy Bayern AND Wise Dan? It’s easy if you try. Let’s hope LoPresti and owner Morton Fink are dreaming along with us.

So we say ‘merci, au revoir’ to Treve and ‘thanks for another thrill, see you in Cali’ to Wise Dan, two all-time champions riding off to different sunsets.

-originally posted on http://www.myfantasystable.com

Horse of the Week: Untapable

Posted on by DerbyMateo

Just a few years ago the Cotillion Stakes and Pennsylvania Derby were just two of several fall options for the three-year-old set. But Pennsylvania casino revenue has transformed the stakes schedule at Parx Racing (formerly Philadelphia Park) and on the east coast in general. Now these races are attracting the cream of the crop of the sophmore filly and colt divisions annually. The Cotillion, in particular, has graduated to Grade 1 status and was won by yet another Kentucky Oaks winner this year in Untapable.

A daughter of the red-hot sire Tapit, Untapable has been the consensus leader of the three-year-old fillies ever since her dominating performance in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G3) in late February. She had been compared to that race’s namesake after ulta-easy scores in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Mother Goose Stakes (G1). However, unlike Rachel, she couldn’t beat the boys when sent to Monmouth Park for the Haskell Invitational (G1) in July.

The streaking multiple Grade 1 winner Stopchargingmaria was originally entered in the Cotillion but was re-routed to Saturday’s Beldame Stakes (G1) by trainer Todd Pletcher after the retirement of Princess of Sylmar. Some suggested Stopchargingmaria could overtake Untapable for year-end honors with a Cotillion victory but that seems unlikely now. Untapable may not have been brilliant last Saturday at Parx but she was professional in defeating fellow Grade 1 winner Sweet Reason and the up-and-coming Jojo Warrior.

Untapable joins Ashado and Plum Pretty as Oaks/Cotillion winners in the past 10 years. The Cotillion has also been won by champions Havre de Grace and My Miss Aurelia in that time span as well as likely 2014 champion Close Hatches, last year’s winner. No wonder the race chased NYRA’s Gazelle Stakes from the September schedule. That former Grade 1 fixture for three-year-old fillies was moved to Thanksgiving weekend in 2009 and has served as a Aqueduct’s Kentucky Oaks prep for the past two seasons.

Untapable is scheduled to face her elders, including Close Hatches and Beholder, in the upcoming Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1). A win there would sew up championship honors and maybe, just maybe, put Untapable back in the conversation as one the all-time greats.

-originally published on http://www.myfantasystable.com

Horse of the Week: Trade Storm

Posted on by DerbyMateo

Trainer Charlie LoPresti gave someone else a chance to win this year’s Woodbine Mile (G1) when he opted to point 2012 & 2013 winner Wise Dan to Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) at Keeneland. Trainer David Simcock and the well-traveled Trade Storm were the beneficiaries.

Rider Jamie Spencer deserves a good deal of the credit for Trade Storm’s breakthrough victory too. He exhibited perfect patience while the three-year-old Bobby’s Kitten set strong fractions on the front end. Saving all the ground into the stretch, Spencer tipped Trade Storm out to the two path at just the right moment to surge past the tiring Bobby’s Kitten with enough left to hold off another late-charger in Kaigun.

The six-year-old Trade Storm finished third to Wise Dan last year and hadn’t had his picture taken since the Zabeel Mile (G2) in Dubai in early March of 2013. Primarily based in England, the son of Trade Fair now has five wins from his 34 globe-trotting starts and earnings over $1.4 million.

Trade Storm’s triumph capped off a spectacular day for trainer David Simcock who also took the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Stakes with Sheikhzayeroad.

“They are two good old boys aren’t they?” Simcock said after his second trip to the Woodbine winner’s circle. “Trade Storm has been frustrating, but even when he gets beaten, he is one of those horses you don’t get disappointed with – he is just a lovely horse to be around.”

Simcock also indicated that owner Sheikh Fahad will make the final determination on Trade Storm’s next start with the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) or a trip down under for the rich Australian fixture the Cox Plate (G1) the options. Stay tuned to see where this ‘good old boy’ shows up next.

-originally published on http://www.myfantasystable.com

Horse of the Week: Vicar’s in Trouble

Posted on by DerbyMateo

In the late 1980’s the Super Derby featured some of the decade’s best runners. Hall of Famer and champion Alysheba won the then Grade 1-fixture in 1987. Seeking the Gold won the next year followed by another Hall of Fame champion Sunday Silence. This year’s winner, Vicar’s in Trouble, will probably never be mentioned with those greats but he has developed into a very useful runner whose best days may still lie ahead.

The colt in one of the leading runners by the Harlan’s Holiday stallion Into Mischief and he did make a little history in his Super Derby victory last Saturday. He’s the first Louisiana Derby winner to come back to bayou country and take the state’s most important fall race. And he’s won both races by a combined 10 1/2 lengths after his 7 1/2-length Super Derby runaway. Vicar’s in Trouble has now won or finished third in eight of his nine starts. The Mike Maker-trained colt’s only off-the-board finish came on the first Saturday in May with a last-place run in the Kentucky Derby.

While he didn’t fulfill owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s long-held dream of Kentucky Derby glory, he has earned $1,110,000 for the stable this year. Th Ramseys once again lead all North American owners with nearly $6.5 million in earnings and Vicar’s in Trouble has accounted for about 17% of that total.

The bulk of the Ramsey’s success on the track over the years has come with homebreds by their top stallion Kitten’s Joy and by runners plucked from the claiming ranks. Vicar’s in Trouble, on the other hand, was purchased out of the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Maryland Two-Year-Old in Training sale. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Ramsey’s become even more active at the sales in the future as a way to diversify their bloodstock holdings and to clear the way for more outside breeders to send mares to Kitten’s Joy.

Vicar’s in Trouble may very well end up at Ramsey Farm in Nicholasville, Kentucky standing alongside Kitten’s Joy. But for now the Ramsey’s are no doubt focused on having a much fun as possible with the colt. And no owner has more fun in the winner’s circle than Ken Ramsey.

-originally posted on http://www.myfantasystable.com

Horse of the Week: Itsmyluckyday

Posted on by DerbyMateo

Not all Grade 1 horses actually win a Grade 1 race. Horses like Broken Vow and Tale of the Cat come immediately to mind as runners who ran huge races at the Grade 2 and 3 levels but fell a little short of their best when on the Grade 1 stage. Itmyluckyday was in danger of falling into that category until his gutsy win in the August 30 Woodward Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.

Itsmyluckyday was first on our radar 18 months ago after he upset the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) on the 2013 Triple Crown trail and he’s been a remarkably consistent runner since. The Eddie Pleasa trainee has been first or second in seven of his subsequent 10 starts, including completing the exacta in a trio of Grade 1 events prior to the Woodward. He was actually sent off as the public choice in last year’s Florida Derby (G1), only to succumb to the late rush of eventual Derby champ Orb. He bested that rival in the Preakness Stakes (G1) but still had to settle for second behind Gary Stevens and Oxbow. He made his Saratoga debut in the Whitney Handicap (G1) earlier in August and was second again, this time to Moreno, who he defeated after a bumpy stretch duel in the Woodward. Itsmluckyday has now won nine of his 19 lifetime starts, earned over $1.6 million and has at least two stakes victories in each of his three seasons on the track.

Spendthrift Farm also saw the Grade 1 quality in Itsmyluckyday before his breakthrough win. In the days leading up to the Woodward the farm that stands Malibu Moon, Tiz Wonderful and Into Mischief among others announced the horse to their 2015 roster. Itsmyluckyday is a son of the late Lawyer Ron, a grandson of the great Danzig, whose sireline has been resurgent in North America the past five years with stallions like War Front and Hard Spun. Itsmyluckyday will get every chance to be the next good one from this line, especially now that breeders see that G1 next to his name.

-originally posted on http://www.myfantasystable.com

Horse of the Week: Shared Belief

Posted on by DerbyMateo

It’s no secret to followers of this blog that I’m a huge fan of Shared Belief. He was first named Horse of the Week back in mid-December of last year after his big win in the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity. The gelding actually landed in this space a few weeks prior to that as one of ‘Three to Watch’ for the 2014 Classics.

For me it all goes back to his second career victory in the November 10, 2013 Hollywood Prevue (G3) on which I commented:

“(Shared Belief) showed an especially explosive turn of foot when let loose just after turning for home in the Prevue”.

Despite his obvious talent there have been questions all along the way for Shared Belief. His first three victories were all on synthetic surfaces and he had to continue his physical development as racing history is littered with top juveniles who did nothing at three and beyond. Having answered the ‘dirt question’ with a typically brilliant performance in the Los Alamitos Derby (G2) over the solid colt Candy Boy, there were still lingering questions about his ability to negotiate a classic distance (even with his own connections).

Shared Belief emphatically countered those distance doubts in Sunday’s Pacific Classic (G1) where he overcame an awkward start and outside post while earning 115 Beyer Speed Figure, highest of any three-year-old in 2014. This horse does everything emphatically, doesn’t he?

“He just ran a terrific race,” said Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith after the race. “He’s a special horse. I heard someone say this might be the coming out of a superstar. I think now this horse deserves that accolade. I’ll tell you what: he’s as good a young horse as I’ve sat on in a while.”

Shared Belief’s brilliant 2013 late-season surge earned him an Eclipse Award as the best juvenile male in North America. Will it happen again in 2014? California Chrome certainly has the more extensive resume so far with runaway wins in the three important Grade 1’s – the Santa Anita Derby (G1), Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1). Art Sherman has ‘Chrome’ pointed to the $1,000,000 Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby for his return from Triple Crown grind and now the connections of Shared Belief are considering that race as well. I, for one, have my fingers crossed we’ll see this happen. Both fingers crossed, actually.

-originally posted on http://www.myfantasystable.com

Horse of the Week: I Spent It

Posted on by DerbyMateo

Racing fans will likely recall Super Saver’s rail-skimming trip under Calvin Borel to capture the 2010 Kentucky Derby (G1). With his first runners now emerging it appears they also like to ride the rail to victory. At least this can be said of I Spent It, courageous winner of Sunday’s Saratoga Special (G2).

Under a patient ride by Javier Castellano, I Spent It rated in hand behind a wicked early pace in the Special. Castellano decided to stay to the inside, a risky move behind tiring juveniles, but it paid off. I Spent It responded when asked and shot up the rail to score by nearly three lengths over the more seasoned colt Mr. Z.

I Spent It one of several promising runners so far by WinStar Farm’s Super Saver. In fact his first stakes winner emerged eight days earlier when Hashtag Bourbon captured the Mountaineer Juvenile on the August 2 West Virginia Derby card. Super Saver may also have the favorites for the upcoming two-year-old Grade 1’s at Saratoga, the Hopeful Stakes ($750,000 juvenile purchase Competitive Edge) and Spinaway Stakes ($675,0000 juvenile purchase High Dollar Woman).

Like Competitive Edge and High Dollar Woman, I Spent It comes with a high price tag. He was purchased earlier this year for $600,000 at the Fasig-Tipton February sale. He’s out of the mare Rateeba who is by Sky Mesa, winner of the 2002 Hopeful Stakes (G1). Interestingly, Rateeba was exported to the Philippines and bloodstock agents have no doubt been scrambling to bring her back home. She’s a sister to a pair of stakes runners and to the dam of the precocious Zavata, a multiple graded-winning/Grade 1-placed juvenile. A little further back in this pedigree we find the good juvenile (and multiple Grade 1-winning three-year-old) Dixie Union.

The courage and professionalism I Spent It showed in the Saratoga Special certainly bodes well for his future, at least for the rest of the MyFantasyStable.com Fall Champions Challenge season. We hope he sticks around until next year’s Spring Classics Challenge too.

-originally posted on http://www.myfantasystable.com