Interview: Jodi

 I recently found Jodi's blog, Racing to Ride, and as I enjoy horse racing, I decided to interview her on job working with racehorses. Enjoy!

What are your responsibilities at the racing stable/track?

 I kind of do it all, though lately I haven't been doing much in the cleaning stalls category. Mostly, I tack horses, watch them train, ride the pony-horse, and occasionally take one of the race horses to the track. Leg (wrapping, mudding, sweating, icing, etc.) and body (massaging, stretching, and red lighting) work is also a big part. There is a lot more to the business than just taking care of the horses, so I also handle the billing and keeping Ty, my fiancé, and the owners in sync. I also help with picking horses to claim or buy.

What is a typical work day like?

I hate to admit this, but I'm a bit of a slacker when it comes to getting up in the mornings. I usually get up at about 5:45, which is pretty late for the track. My fiancé gets up a lot earlier. After arriving at the barn, I usually tack the first horse, watch it go, then go back and repeat. Or I take the pony with them. Every day is a little different. It depends on how many horses we need to track or if we are working (breezing) any that day. Watching the horses track and work is very important to me so I spend a large part of the morning doing that.

The races are in the afternoons and we usually only run about 1-3 horses a week. If we have one in, about two and a half to three hours is spent getting them ready. When we don't have a horse in, I usually spend the afternoons riding my dressage horses, resting, or watching the races.

The evenings are pretty easy. We feed and pick stalls mostly. This is usually when we do leg work too. Then go out to dinner with owners sometimes.

Could you tell me a little about some of the horses you are currently working with?

Oh, I could write a book on all of them. I will try to keep it short and down to just a few though.

Kama Su (Johnny)- He is kind of a head case, but I love him. He's beautiful! We claimed him out of California. He didn't have much of a foundation so we went back to the basics with him. Johnny is really starting to come around and I'm hoping that taking our time with him will pay off. My favorite part about him is that when he is coming back to the barn from the track, he perks up his ears and walks faster when he sees me. The jockey we put on him always tells Johnny "There's your girlfriend, bud!" as they start walking towards me. If he gets worked up in his stall, I can usually go pet him and get him calmed down. He doesn't really do that for anyone else.

Princessofthering (Princess)- I bought her off of a friend for $200. He was threatening to sell her as a recipient mare and I told him I would take her. She only had ten starts and had already been through three barns. I figured with a little consistency she could have some success on the track. She won a race with a $12,500 dollar purse about sixty days after I bought her. She is good to be around, smart, classy, and is starting to get very confident. I'm extremely proud of her!

Woody

Woodpulp (Woody)- He is a bit of a hard luck horse. If some weird thing can happen to him, it does. Woody is the sweetest thing in the world though. No matter what happens, he is always a happy horse and loves people. He has a huge stride and is a gorgeous mover. I'd really like to find him a home in a dressage barn when he retires (if we still have him). I hope he can still have more success on the track before that though. (Editor adds: Woodpulp is by Lucky Pulpit, California Chrome's sire.)

Pentagram (Berni)- He is the type of horse that you notice. He's plain bay, but is very pretty with a commanding presence. We've had some set backs with him, but I think he is starting to get lined out now. I'm looking forward to running him again.

Chopperette

Chopperette (Harley)- She was disgustingly skinny when we got her just over a year ago. So, of course I've spoiled her and now she thinks she's the queen of the barn. She's a little pushy and moody, but not in a mean way. I like a horse with a little bit of spunk anyway.

How and when did you first become interested in working with racehorses?

I've been infatuated with racehorses my entire life. My Grandpa was a trainer at one time. My dad took me to the races some when I was a kid.  I've always been interested in them, but never became actually involved with the racehorses until I met my fiancé in 2007. I didn't start working at the track until 2009.

Jodi's grandfather.

How did you get into the racing industry and working with racehorses?

Through my fiancé. I was working full time and riding dressage horses, which didn't leave much free time, but I spent every moment I could at the track. I always hated it when the season would end. My fiance would leave in the Fall to go to another track. I hated getting left behind. I missed him and racing. In 2009, the track at home didn't run. I had gotten hurt and couldn't ride anyway, so I quit my job and went to Arapaho Park in Denver with my fiancé. I gave up a lot to do this, but I don't regret it.

Justcallheraggie, one of the horses Jodi works with.

Who is you favorite racehorse you have ever worked with?

We've been lucky and had some pretty nice horses. It's hard to pick just one favorite, but I would have to say Scherzi. She won seven races and made just over $100,000 in the time we had her. That included a stakes win and some stakes placings. The owner had claimed her for $5,000.

Scherzi is probably the smartest horse I've ever worked with. She was little, about 15 hands, but had a heart of gold. She always tried hard. She was one of the most athletic horses I worked with! Scherzi was professional and classy, but also seemed to have a sense of humor.  She stomped in the paddock and post parade like a little Zenyatta.

Scherzi

Her half sister, So Many Ways, ended up being an extremely nice horse, so Scherzi is now a brood mare. She had her first foal, by Scat Daddy, this year.

What is your favorite part about working with racehorses?

I love the horses in general. Their different personalities and the challenges each one presents. I am constantly learning something new from them. They put so much trust into us, that I want to keep learning from them to be better for them. This is the case with any type of horse, but I think it's more extreme with racehorses. You have to pay attention to every little detail about them, physical and mental. This is a very high risk sport and if you aren't attentive enough to the horses, the results can be catastrophic. I love having to know each one so well. It's not necessarily the win that matters as much, but all of the work and pride put into getting them there.

What are the biggest challenges in working with racehorses?

Everything! Just kidding. Kind of. They are on a lot of high energy feed. They have to be able to focus and behave, no matter how good they are feeling, or it can become dangerous. Teaching them to use that energy in the right way can be difficult. You have to be very disciplined and draw the line.

It's also hard when a horse gets claimed or taken away for whatever reason. We are very hands on and spend a lot of time with these horses. It's hard to not get too attached. Mostly, it kills me if one gets hurt. Even if it was something that was out of my control, I feel responsible.

Beefeheart

Another of Beefeheart, Jodi's OTTB.

Since you work with racehorses, I was wondering---did you get your OTTB directly from the track(maybe you worked with him when he was a racing) or did you get him through an adoption center?

My fiancé trained my OTTB, Beefheart. He hadn't been running well, the owners wanted to sell him. No one really wanted him, so Ty ended up buying him for me. Gunner, our pony-horse that I also ride dressage,  was Ty's first racehorse. I have to stay away from the adoption centers because I have a tendency to want to rescue them all. I can only afford so many horses.

Gunner, another of her OTTBs.

 Gunner at his first show.

Because you are familiar with racehorses, do you have any advice for anyone working with or riding OTTBs?

I think people need to understand how the horse is trained on the track to be able to retrain correctly. Educate yourself about their training, so you understand why they do what they do and don't get frustrated. Be patient. The worst thing you can do is get mad and start muscling them around. Understanding them is the key to an OTTBs success. Most of what you ask will be new. They are going to depend on you for confidence and guidance, make sure you are able to give that to them before ever getting on.

What are some of the challenges in training your OTTB for dressage?

Probably redeveloping their muscles for dressage. I don't think many people think about this, but going slow and carrying their weight on their hind end is going to be a lot harder for them than going fast. It helps if they're already fit, but it still involves them having to use muscle groups differently. They have to learn to relax to be able to do this. They have to learn to bend through their body and stay loose over their topline. This involves the rider being able to control the rhythm of the horse. To do this, the horse has to be able to balance. So much goes into building the correct muscles that it includes most of the other challenges a rider will face with their OTTBs. It takes a lot of time and patience

Silk Indian

Anything else?

I think that's about it. Horseracing definitely keeps life interesting. We work seven days a week, including holidays. It's nearly impossible to take a vacation. It's not an easy life, but it's worth it to me and I love it!

Thank you Jodi! Go check out her blog if you don't know her yet!

The Brumby

History:
 In 1788, the first horses–a group of seven mares and stallions–landed in Australia with the convicts that first settled the continent long ago. These horses had proved that they were tough enough to survive the voyage and once again showed they could withstand the intense heat and bitter cold of the continent. As a result, the breed improved by one simply law–the survival of the fittest.

 Before the 1800s, horse racing gained popularity on the continent. Consequently, English Thoroughbreds were sent there to improve the racehorses. Timor Ponies, Arabians, Clydesdales, Suffolk Punches, and Chilean horses soon followed. While most were intended to be bred and used as police horses, war horses, and gold rush mounts, many simply ran away and disappeared. These horses probably bred with the free range horses belonging to early settler James Brumby, thus earning their name. When tractors and other mechanical farm equipment came into use, horses were abandoned, sent to run with the wild Brumbies.

The Brumby source

 Many of these Brumbies were gathered to be used as sheep and cattle. However, some people believed that the wild horses were eating to much of the cattle and sheep grazing lands, and thought that the horses had to be killed, so they began shooting them from airplanes to reduce their numbers. One such massacre occurred at the Guy Fawkes River National Park in October 2000. Shortly afterward, a group of people in favor of saving Brumbies formed an organization known as Save the Brumbies Inc. The group seeks to stop Brumbies from being killed in huge numbers and wants to give them a sanctuary where they can safely roam. However, just like the BLM continues rounding Western United State's mustangs, Brumbies are often being hunted, though alternate methods of control are being investigated. This includes the adoption of Brumbies.

Breed Characteristics and Uses:
The Brumby's appearance can vary, seeing as many different breeds have been introduced to the wild over the years. However, they usually stand 14.2 to 15.2 hands high, and are cunning, sure-footed, and intelligent. Sometimes, they are even captured and used as saddle or stock horses.

Secretariat Sketch

Secretariat was one of the greatest Thoroughbreds to ever set foot on the racetrack.
Even people unfamiliar with horse racing know of his achievements. He is most known
for winning each Triple Crown race in record time and zooming to a 31 length finish in
the Belmont Stakes. Today, this legendary horse is considered to be one of the greatest
racehorses to ever live, the other being Man o' War.

Belmont Stakes 2013, Part 2

The next seven horses are listed below:

Revolutionary(credit)
Revolutionary was sired byWar Pass. He broke his maiden
on Aqueduct's inner track, then won several stake races back-to-back,
including the Grade 3 Withers and the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby.
Out of seven starts, he has never placed worse than third.

Golden Soul(credit)
Golden Soul is out of Hollywood Gold, the
daughter of Mr. Prospector, the half-brother of Quintons Gold Rush.
His sire is Perfect Soul. One of his best finishes this year was when he ran second 11 1/2 lengths behind Oxbow
in the LeComte. He also finished third behind Orb in the Kentucky Derby.

Unlimited Budget(credit)
Unlimited Budget was sired by Street Sense. Her dam is Unlimited
Pleasure. As a two-year-old, she was purchased for $475,000.
In November of last year, she won her first start by 9 1/2 lengths,
then won three consecutive stake races:Grade 2 Demoiselle last year,
and the Grade 3 Rachel Alexandria and the Grade 2 Fair Ground Oaks
this year. Her first defeat came when her stablemate Princess of Sylmar and
two-year-old filly champion Beholder beat he in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks.
She will be the 23rd filly to compete in the Belmont. Only three fillies have won:
Ruthless in 1867, Tanya in 1905, and Rags to Riches in 2007.

Midnight Taboo(credit)
Midnight Taboo was sired by Langfuhr. His dam, Hot Red, was sired by
Thunder Gulch, who won the 1995 Belmont. In 2011, he was bought for $240,000
at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He raced only once as a two-year-old,
coming second at Saratoga, and broke his maiden this year in a mile long race at Aqueduct,
defeating older, more experienced horses. Next he placed second to Irsaal, a
well-regarded horse.

Palace Malice(credit)
Palace Malice is the son of two-time Horse of
the Year Curlin and the dam Palace Rumor. His only victory
was in his maiden race at Saratoga. This year,  out of five starts
he has two seconds, one at Gulfstream and the other in the
Grade 1 Blue Grass, and one third in Grade 2 Risen Star.

Vyjack(credit)
Vyjack was sired by Into Mischief, and his dam is Life Happened.
He won the first four starts of his career, which were all at
Aqueduct, including the Grade 2 Jerome and the
Grade 3 Gotham. He placed 18th in the Kentucky Derby and hasn't raced
since. Also, he is attempting to be the third gelding to
win the Belmont, the others being Creme Fraiche in
1985 and Ruler on Ice in 2011. His name comes from
his owner David Wilkenfield's parents: Vivienne
and Jack.

Will Take Charge(credit)
Will Take Charge was sired by Unbridled's Song, winner of
the 1995 Breeders' Cup Juvenile and the 1996 Florida Derby
and Wood Memorial. His dam is Take Charge Lady. In
his lifetime, he has only won two stake races: The Smarty Jones
and the Rebel, and came seventh in the Kentucky Derby an the
Preakness. As a yearling, he was purchased for $425,000.

Belmont Stakes 2013, Part 1

A few weeks ago, Oxbow upset Orb in an exciting race at Pimlico. Though we will not have Triple Crown winner this year, the Belmont Stakes remains the exciting Test of Champions, which will show who the better horse is. Both Oxbow and Orb will be entering, but they will have to get through a lot of great horses if either of them want the Triple Crown's third jewel. Maybe we will have another Triple Crown near-miss, like I'll Have Another last year. You will see some horses returning to take revenge for their loss in the Derby. Below are the horses listed to enter:

Orb(credit)
Orb, who's paternal grandsire is A.P. Indy, 1992 Belmont winner, is
attempting to become the first horse since Thunder Gulch in 1995
to win a Kentucky Derby-Belmont double. If he succeeds, he will
become the 12th horse to do so. Orb was beaten by a total of 30
lengths in his first three races, but improved from there. By the time
he won the Derby, his winning streak was at five. In the Preakness,
he got boxed in and came fourth.(click here for footage)

Oxbow(credit)
Oxbow was sired by Awesome Again, winner of the 1998
Breeders' Cup Classic. His dam, Tizamazing, is the unraced
sister of Tiznow,  2000's Horse of the Year and two-time winner
of the Breeeders' Cup Classic. As a yearling, he was bought
for $250,000. With 11 starts, he is the most experience
three-year-old heading into the Belmont on Saturday.

Frac Daddy(credit)
In 2011, Frac Daddy was purchased by Magic City
 Thoroughbred Partners for $50,000 at the Keeneland
September Yearling Sale. His sire is Scat Daddy,
and his dam Skipper's Mate. He is known for
placing second in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby and
the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club. So far, he has earned
$288,116.

Incognito(credit)
Incognito was sired by A.P. Indy, one of Seattle Slew's successful
sons who won the 1992 Belmont, Breeders' Cup Classic and Horse of
the Year Honors. His dam is Octave, by Unbridled's Song.
He finished fifth at Aqueduct on December 15, his only
race that year. On March 16 this year, he broke his maiden,
running a 1:37.62 mile on Aqueduct's inner track. He won his
first allowance by a nose on April 13. Then he came
third place in the Grade 2 Peter Pan, finishing less than
half a length behind the second placer.

Overanalyze(credit)
In 2011, Overanalyze was purchased for $380,000 in the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He is by Dixie Union, and his dam is Unacloud. Just after breaking his maiden as a 3-5 favorite at Saratoga on August 9, he jumped to graded stakes races, where he placed fourth behind his stablemate, Shanghai Bobby in the Grade 2 Hopeful. Next he won the Grade 2 Futurity and placed third in the Grade 3 Iroquois before closing his season with a victory of a nose over Normandy Invasion in the Grade 2 Remsen. He qualified for the Kentucky Derby by winning the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby by 2 3/4 lengths. He placed 11th in the Kentucky Derby.

Freedom Child(credit)
Freedom Child's sire is Malibu Moon, who is by the
great A.P. Indy, and his dam is Bandstand, by Deputy Minister.
He raced only twice as a two-year-old, breaking his maiden
on March 10th at Gulfstream Park. In the Grade 2 Peter Pan,
he lead wire to wire in a 13 1/4 length victory.

Giant Finish(credit)
Giant Finish is by Frost Giant, the 2008 Grade 1 Suburban Handicap winner, and he is out of Apocalyptic. After placing in the John Battaglia Memorial, he finished third in the Grade 3 Spiral. Then he came tenth in the Kentucky Derby. His owner's goal for him is that he becomes the first New York bred to win the Belmont since Forester in 1882.

Affirmed: Four-Year-Old Season

 After spending the winter in California, Affirmed returned to the track for his final season. He had a new jockey: Laffit Pincay, Jr. He began his season with an almost effortless ten length victory in the Charles H. Strub Stakes. Next he won the Santa Anita Handicap with 128 pounds on his back, running the mile and one quarter in the record time of 1:58 3/5, as well as defeating the son of champion racehorse Exclusive Native by four and a half lengths.

 That May, he went to Hollywood Park for the California Stakes. Many worried about the burdensome weight of 130 pounds that he was required to carry, but it didn't affect his performance; he won by five lengths.

 Because of his victory, he was then required to carry 132 pounds in the Hollywood Gold Cup. In that race, he met the Italian champion Sirlad, who forced Affirmed to run at a tremendous pace considering his burden. Affirmed managed to hold the lead long enough to win by three-quarters of a length and to run the race in 1:58 2/5, missing the American record for that distance by only 1/5 of a second.

 Affirmed rested for two months following his victory in the Hollywood Gold Cup before going to New York to win two more races. However, trainer Laz Barrera kept him out of the Marlboro Cup since he was assigned 133 pounds, while the young champion Spectacular Bid was assigned only 126 pounds. He did race in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, though. Each horse was weighted according to its age.

Affirmed won the Jockey Club Gold Cup after battle
for first place with several different horses, including
Spectacular Bid.(credit)

 The race was incredible! All throughout, many horses moved forward to challenged him for first place, including Coastal, the 1979 Belmont Stakes winner, and Spectacular Bid, who challenged him four times. Affirmed won in the end, but Spectacular Bid was far from disgraced. Few horses can repeatedly challenge the leader like he did and not come close to last.

 Affirmed retired after that. He had earned a grand total of $2,393,818 in his lifetime, was made the world's Current Leading Money Winner until Spectacular Bid took his place in June 1980, and once more earned Horse of the Year honors. This time, no one questioned whether he deserved the title or not; he had proved himself many times that year.

 He first served as a stud horse in Spendthrift Farm, the Calumet, and finally Jonabell, where he passed away in January 2001.

 Some racing fans believe he failed as a stud horse since he never duplicated himself at stud. Despite those beliefs, he actually sired several noteworthy horses, including Peteski, winner of the Canadian Triple Crown; Charley Barley, the successful Canadian turf racer who earned $922,943; Bint Pasha, who became France's 1987 Champion Three-Year-Old Filly; Tibullo, who was successfully enjoyed his career in Italy; Easy to Copy, who won in Ireland; Trusted Partner, winner of Irish One Thousand Guineas; Buy the Firm, a good handicap mare; and the mare Flawlessly, who won the Eclipse Reward twice and earned over $2,000,000 while under the racing colors of Harbor View Farm, the same as her sire.

Affirmed: Three-Year-Old Season

 Despite an unusually long rest due to uncharacteristically rainy weather in South Carolina, Affirmed began his three-year-old season with a victory at Santa Anita, followed by a win in the San Felipe Handicap.

 After that, he defeated Balzac by eight lengths in the Santa Anita Derby. There was then only one race to win before he traveled back east: the Hollywood Derby. However, with little competition since Alydar was racing in the east coast, Affirmed began to develop bad habits. Whenever he was in the lead, he would mess around and waste time. This worried trainer Laz Barrera since the same thing had cost Affirmed the Champagne Stakes the year before. In spite of Barrera's worries, the Hollywood Derby proved no problem, and Affirmed, though slightly bored, managed to win by two lengths. After that, he went east and defeated Alydar in three classics.

Affirmed won the Kentucky Derby, with Alydar second and
Believe It third. Credit

 Then came the Kentucky Derby. Sensitive Prince took an early lead, setting a fast pace while Affirmed lingered in third place. Just as the pack entered the backstretch, Believe It took the lead, followed by Affirmed, who quickly replaced him. Alydar gave it his all, but only managed to beat Believe It for second place money. The roses belonged to Affirmed by one and a half lengths.

 In the Preakness, Alydar was more on top of things. When Affirmed took the lead at the half mile mark, Alydar followed close behind, waiting for the right moment to make his move. As soon as the two entered the homestretch, they fought hard until Affirmed won by a neck. Believe placed third for the second time.

Affirmed won the Belmont Stakes by a head in the closest
Belmont victory since 1962, when Jaipur barely defeated
Admiral's Voyage. 

 Only one more race remained, and only one horse stood between Affirmed and the Triple Crown: Alydar. Affirmed took the early lead, followed Alydar, who opted not to wait to make his move fairly late in the race like the two previous times. This time, with more than half a mile left, he began to battle his rival, doing everything in his power to steal the final Triple Crown jewel from Affirmed. Yet it was all in vain. After a long and hard-fought battle, Affirmed won by his head in the closest Belmont Stakes since 1962, when Jaipur barely defeated Admiral's Voyage.

 After a long and well-deserved rest, Affirmed once more won a race. In the Jim Dandy Stakes, he came from behind to beat Sensitive Prince, despite the slick track, carrying his winning streak to eight. However, he was unable to continue his streak to nine, as his fans had hoped. Although he came first in the Travers Stakes, he was disqualified for bumping Alydar.

 Next, he raced Seattle Slew, the previous Triple Crown winner, in the Marlboro Cup. To his fans surprise, he hardly gave Slew a challenge. Later, after a vet inspection, his owner, jockey, and trainer found that a throat infection had been the cause of his poor performance.

 In the Jockey Club Gold Cup, the two met for the second time. Affirmed failed to win once his saddle slipped after battling with Seattle Slew for an early lead. Seattle Slew, though, also failed. He was in poor condition considering the length of the two mile race, so Exceller won by a nose, becoming the first horse to defeated two Triple Crown winners, let alone in one race.

 Despite the fact that Affirmed had lost three times in a row: once because of poor health, another time due to to disqualification, and another due to tack failure, he was voted horse of the year. Lots of arguments followed that decision. Some people were outrage, thinking that Seattle Slew should have had the honors since he had defeated Affirmed---twice. Others believed that Affirmed had fair excuses for his failures. Nevertheless, Affirmed was 1978's Horse of the Year, and no argument could change that.

Affirmed: Two-Year-Old Season

 On February 24, 1975, a chestnut colt with almost perfect conformation was foaled on Harbor View Farm, Florida. His sire is Exclusive Native, winner of the Sanford Stakes and the Arlington Classics. Won't Tell You, sired by Crafty Admiral, is his dam. His pedigree on his dam's side traces back to War Admiral, 1937 Triple Crown winner, and Fighting Fox, full brother of Gallant Fox.

 Affirmed began his career with a victory in Belmont on May 24. Not wanting to waste time, trainer Laz Barrera entered the young colt in the Youthful Stakes, where he would race quality horses. Affirmed came from behind, crossing the finish line for a victory by a neck. 

 In the Great American Stakes, Affirmed met his rival: Alydar, who won their first race together. Next, Affirmed headed west to win the Hollywood Juvenile by seven lengths before returning east to win the Sanford Stakes with his new jockey, Steve Cauthen. 

 Ten days later, he met Alydar in the Hopeful Stakes, this time winning by half a length. A few weeks later, they met in the Futurity. The pair battled down the homestretch until Affirmed came out victorious by a nose. 

 Next came the Champagne Stakes. The track was sloppy, and Affirmed didn't notice that Alydar had passed him until he was too far gone, winning by one and one-quarter lengths.

Steven Cauthen explains what had happened when he said, "My horse had plenty left, but he was too busy playing games with Darby Road Creek he never saw Alydar until it was too late."

 One last time that season, the two raced, battling for victory in the Laurel Stakes and the Champion Two-Year-Old Colt title. They fought long hard down the homestretch at a tremendous speed, with the third place horse some ten lengths behind them. At last, Affirmed won by a neck, earning the title of Champion Two-Year-Old Colt.

Seattle Slew: Four-Year-Old Season

 After recovery from a respiratory infection and a near-fatal virus, Seattle Slew returned to the track in winning condition. His previous trainer, Bill Turner, had been fired, so he had a new trainer: Doug Peterson. Slew won two allowance races in Saratoga and Aqueduct, then lost by a neck in Meadowlands' Paterson Handicap.

 Then came the season's highlight: Slew and Affirmed, the 1978 Triple Crown winner, were going to race in the Marlboro Cup. Not long before the race, Slew's jockey was changed from Jean Cruguet to Angel Cordero, Jr. when Cruguet commented that Slew wasn't ready for the Marlboro Cup. Despite the change, Slew defeated Affirmed by three lengths. 

Seattle Slew running in the Marlboro Cup(credit).

 After that, Slew led from start to finish in the Woodward Stakes, defeating Exceller and It's Freezing by four lengths in track record time of 2:00. 

 Then came one of the greatest races of his career. In the Jockey Club Gold Cup, he battled Affirmed early on in the race, but failed to win, losing to Exceller by a nose. Affirmed was boxed in and ran fourth. Because of his victory, Exceller became the first and only horse to defeat two Triple Crown winners.

 In the Stuyvesent Handicap, his final race, Slew led from start to finish, winning by three and a quarter lengths. He was then retired. By then, he had won fourteen out of seventeen races and had earned $1,208,726. After he was bought for twelve million dollars as a stud horse with a fee reaching $100,000 dollars, he became an excellent stud horse with many notable offspring.

 Among his best is Swale, the 1984 Three-Year-Old Champion Colt. As a two-year-old, though, he stood in the shadow of his stablemate, Devil's Bag. Both were trained by Woody Stephens. While Devil's Bag was hailed as a wonder horse, Swale was just considered "Stephens' other horse." However, things changed when Devil's Bag retired due to a hairline fracture. Swale became the Derby's top contender. 

 The favorites were Althea and Life's Magic, two fillies trained by D. Wayne Lucas. Swale won then Derby by three and three-quarters lengths. Although he failed to win the Preakness, he almost effortlessly won the Belmont Stakes by four lengths. By the time he retired, he had won nine out of fourteen races, earning $1,583,661. Several days later, the racing world was stunned when Swale mysteriously collapsed and died after a workout. He was later buried on Claiborne Farm.

 Also among Seattle Slew's notable offspring are Slew o' Gold, a Hall of Fame colt; Landaluce, and undefeated who died of a viral infection as a two-year-old; A.P. Indy, 1992 Horse of the Year and Belmont Stakes winner; and many more. Even his daughters produced great offspring. The most famous is Cigar, two-time Horse of the Year. One of his descendants, Itsmyluckyday, raced in this year's Triple Crown. 

 During the months leading up to his death, Seattle Slew was in poor health and was beginning to recover from surgery. Then, in May 2002, twenty-five years after being named the tenth Triple Crown winner, the great champion passed away.

Seattle Slew: Three-Year-Old Season

 Seattle Slew, known as the "People's Horse," began his three-year-old season as a favorite for the Kentucky Derby. He first won a seven furlong race at Hialeah, running in the track record time of 1:20 3/5, followed by victories in the Flamingo Stakes and the Wood Memorial Invitational Stakes.

Seattle Slew after the flamingo Derby.
(Credit)

 By the time the Derby rolled around, critics were saying that the lightly raced three-year-old wouldn't stand a chance. Seattle Slew was agitated during the post parade, and was foaming around the mouth, proving to the doubters that he would tire easily. 

 Seattle Slew banged his face on the starting gate right at the beginning, nearly throwing jockey Jean Cruguet. For the Moment took the early lead. Despite his slow start, Seattle Slew caught and passed the leaders within the first quarter mile, leaving the early leaders to fade away.

Seattle Slew winning the Kentucky Derby.
(credit).

"He broke slowly. He was shut off immediately. He had to overcome adversity. And then he went on to do what he was supposed to do. That's the sign of a racehorse," said Billy Turner, Slew's trainer. 

 Seattle Slew won the Preakness in the same manner two weeks later. He ran the fastest opening mile on record, easily passing Iron Constitution, Run Dusty Run, J.O. Tobin. After that, he almost effortless won the Belmont Stakes, becoming the first Triple Crown winner to win all of the classics as well. Furthermore, he became the first Triple Crown winner to be purchased at an auction. Eight others had been raced by their breeder and Sir Barton had been sold privately. 

 After his impressive victories in the Triple Crown races, many people offered to by him, including a $14 million from someone from Texas. Slew became so popular that his owners made tee-shirts, cocktail glasses, and rings featuring the young star. Companies, wanting to gain popularity, featured Slew in their advertisements. 

 However, the star didn't remain undefeated for long. Mickey Taylor and the rest of the crew raced him in the Swaps Stakes two weeks after the Belmont against Billy Turner's advice. Consequently, Slew lost to the English champion J.O. Tobin.

 The Taylors and the Hills took a lot of criticism for Slew's defeat. When Bill Turner told the press that the star should have never entered that race, Mickey fired him. Then Slew suffered from respiratory infections and a near-fatal virus. Even so, he was name 1977 Horse of the Year. 

Seattle Slew: Two-Year-Old Season

 On February 15, 1974, a dark bay colt later named Seattle Slew was born on Ben Castleman's White Horse Acres. His sire was Bold Reasoning, Bold Ruler's grandson, and his dam was My Charmer, a descendant of the great mare Myrtlewood.

 Since Seattle Slew was neither the son of Northern Dancer or What a Pleasure, leading sires at the time, he was purchased for the bargain deal of $17,500 at Keeneland's Yearling Sale. Mrs. Karen Taylor, her husband Mickey, and Dr. and Mrs. Hill(the four shared ownership of Seattle Slew) named the colt in honor of their hometowns. The Taylors came from Seattle, and the Hills came from an area in Florida with lots of swamps, called slews. Hence the name, Seattle Slew.

 Seattle Slew was sent to Billy and Paula Turner's training facility in Maryland. He was clumsy, never got anything right, and swerved to the right when galloping, since his right foreleg curved to the outside. Because of that, Paula nicknamed him Baby Huey after an ungraceful cartoon character.

 However, he soon grew out of the name after several fast workouts in New York. A minor injury kept him out of the Futurity and the Cowden Stakes. Even though a horse named For the Moment dominated the juvenile division, people who had seen Slew's exercise rides knew that he would possibly be the star of the season.

 Seattle Slew won his first race, which was at Belmont Park. He easily repeated the performance before meeting For the Moment in the Champagne Stakes. Despite Billy Turner's belief that Slew needed more experience before entering a major stake race, Slew won by nine lengths, running 1:34 2/5, a new record. Because of his undefeated streak and his impressive victory in the Champagne Stakes, Slew earned Two-Year-Old Championship honors.

Assault: Four-Year-Old Season

 During the winter between his three-year-old and four-year-old season, Assault underwent some changes. He matured a lot, gaining good looks that he lacked as a three-year-old, and his personality made a positive change that would make him more vicious on the track. However, the change negatively affected the time he spent at his stable. He was constantly hungry, impatiently throwing tantrums and attacking handlers if he did not get his food on time.

 Assault, dubbed the Club-footed Comet because of his injury as a young horse, began the season 1947 by winning Grey Lag Handicap, with jockey Warren Mehrtens in the saddle. Eddie Arcaro rode him six days later in the Dixie Handicap. Assault then defeated Natchez and his old rival, Stymie, by two lengths in the Suburban Handicap.

 After that, he defeated Stymie in the Brooklyn Handicap with 133 pounds on his back. With that victory, he surpassed Whirlaway's earnings and became the world's leading money winner. He came close to winning America's unofficial Triple Crown, the Suburban Handicap, the Brooklyn Handicap, and the Metropolitan Mile, but Stymie ended up winning the Metropolitan Mile.

 Next, Assault entered the Butler Handicap, along with Stymie and the great mare Gallorette. On the homestretch, he was boxed in behind the two other champions. Incredibly, he managed to squeeze into an impossibly small opening, beating Stymie by a head.

 Assault's seven race winning streak was put to an end when he came third to Stymie in the International Gold Cup at Belmont. Even so, the third place prize was enough to keep his status as leading money winner.

 Then a match race with a purse of $100,000 was proposed between Assault and Calumet Farm's top gelding, Armed. When Assault was injured during a race, the match race was postponed from the original date of August 30 to September 27. Assault pulled up lame on the September 22.  Many people, including Eddie Arcaro, strongly believed that Assault shouldn't race. In spite of that, Robert Kleberg decided to race his horse since the race was for charity anyway. Assault was much too sore to come close to winning, and lost by eight lengths.

After that, Assault went to rest in South Carolina. With him out of the way, Armed earned 1947 Horse of the Year honors and Stymie became the new top money winner.

 A few months later, Assault was back on the track, but not in winning condition. After coming fifth in the Widener Handicap, he rested another few months. In August he tried once more to win. However, he came second by a nose in the Brooklyn Handicap. In the Massachusetts Mile, Assault's performance was even worse, and he came fourth as well as developing a bleeding problem.

 He won the Edgemere Handicap, yet it wasn't enough to compensate for his losses in the Manhattan and Grey Lag Handicaps after that, so he went into retirement in Texas.

 Tests showed Assault to be sterile, so he was turned out with eight Quarter Horse mares. Surprisingly, he had two sons and two daughters in the spring of 1951. Also, he raced three more times, coming first, second, and third, and earning $675,470 in his lifetime. Though they tried breeding him with thoroughbred mares, he got no more offspring. After passing away on September 2, 1971, he was buried on King Ranch, Texas, where he was born.

Assault: Three-Year-Old Season

 Assault began his three-year-old season with a victory at the Experimental Handicap, followed by the Wood Memorial Stakes. 

 In the the Derby Trial, he placed fourth, with Rippey, Spy Song, and With Pleasure in front of him. Fans began to doubt whether or not he had it in him to win the Derby. 

Assault in the winners circle(photo credit).

 The Kentucky Derby came not long afterward. Lord Boswell was the betting favorite, and Assault was the fourth favorite. When Spy Song took and early lead, Assault followed close behind, catching him and winning by eight lengths, a distance that equaled the Kentucky Derby's longest length victory. However, he missed Whirlaway's time by over five seconds, running only 2:06 3/5.

Assault was made the betting favorite when he ran against Lord Boswell and eight others in the Preakness on May 11. Assault was boxed in early in the race, and was forced wide in the backstretch as he passed Natchez. All the way down the homestretch, he held the lead, with Lord Boswell four lengths behind him. Despite fatigue, he crossed the finish line a neck ahead of his rival. 

 Lord Boswell was the favorite in the Belmont Stakes in spite of Assaults victories. Fans believed that he was more suited to longer distances because of his near victory in the Preakness, especially since Assault had been exhausted at the end of the race. Assault was the second favorite. 

 Assault stumbled at the start, so Hampden took the lead right away. Assault didn't make his move until he neared the first turn, when he gave all he could, passing Natchez and winning by three lengths. Even though the race had been exciting, fans still doubted the seventh Triple Crown winner.

 Two weeks later, Assault won the Dwyer Stakes, but his time was unimpressive, and fans just thought he was the best of that group of of three-year-olds. He next lost the Arlington Classic. When he returned to the barn, he was diagnosed with a kidney infection.

 A month later, he was back on the track. He finished third behind Mighty Story in the Discovery Handicap, then second behind Mahout in the Jersey Handicap. On September 25, he met Stymie for the first time. Stymie was famous for winning from-the-behind, and his career had begun with cheap races, until he became Champion Handicap Horse in 1945. A rivalry was born from the day they first met.

 Stymie won their first meeting, the Manhattan handicap, and Assault cam third. After losing by a neck to Bridal Flower in the Roamer Handicap, he once more challenged his new rival, this time in the Gallant Fox Handicap. Once again he came third.

 In the Pimlico Special, the two met again. Eddie Arcaro, who was riding Assault for the first time, was told not to make a move until Stymie did. Assault ended up winning his first race since the Dwyer Stakes, beating both Bridal Flower and Stymie. 

 Assault won by two lengths in his final start that season, the Westchester Handicap. Despite his losing streak, he earned Horse of the Year honors and was named leading money winning. He had earned $424,195, and had won eight out of fifteen races that year.

 

 

Assault: Two-year-old Season

  On March 26, 1943, a chestnut colt was born on King Ranch, a large Texan ranch owned by Robert Kleberg Jr. He sire, Bold Venture, had won the 1936 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, while his dam, Igual, was an unraced mare. However, her sire is two-time Horse of the Year Equipoise. Her dam's dam is Masda, Man o' War's full sister.

As a young horse, the chestnut colt, named Assault, stepped on a stake, permanently crippling himself. When Assault first trotted before trainer Max Hirsch, the man doubted whether he would ever be able to race. He raced four times before winning a race.

Because of the war, travel was highly restricted, so the Flash Stakes was held on at Belmont on August 5 instead of at Saratoga. he ended up finishing in a four-way photo finish.

 Next he finished third in the Babylon Stakes, with Southern Pride and Tidy Bid in front of him. In the Cowdin Stakes, he finished fourth behind Knockdown, revoked, and Southern Pride. After winning only two out of nine races that season, he was sent to South Carolina.

Count Fleet: Three-Year-Old Season

 Count Fleet began his three-year-old career with an easy victory in the St. James Purse, a mile and seventy yards long race. Then he won the Wood Memorial, a mile and three-sixteenths long race, with a time of 1:43, making quality horses like Blue Swords and Slide Rule look cheap. However, in doing so, he banged his left hind leg, threatening his chances of entering the Kentucky Derby. Even so, he did race. Johnny Longden held ice of the wound the whole time, and Count Fleet won despite his injuries. Once again, Blue Swords came second and Slide Rule third.

 The Preakness told the same story: Count Fleet first and Blue Swords second. The Blood-Horse magazine said, "If Count Fleet is the spectacular comet in the racing skies of 1943, then Blue Swords is the comet's tail."

Count Fleet in the winner's circle at one of the tracks
he raced on(photo credit).

 Count Fleet ran in the Withers stakes between the Preakness and the Belmont. He won by six lengths, with Slide Rule, who had skipped the Preakness, second.

When the Belmont finally came, the owners of Blue Swords and Slide Rule decided to skip it, not wanting to be humiliated one more time. Count Fleet only had to beat two horses, which he did easily. In fact, he won by six lengths, becoming the sixth Triple Crown winner.

 Count Fleet retired due to an injured fetlock soon afterwards. His retirement came as a relief to the owner of Blue Swords, who had been beaten several times.

 He enjoyed great success at stud, producing stake winners and the 1952 Horse of the Year. Count Fleet passed away on December 3, 1973, and is buried at Stoner Creek.

Count Fleet: Two-Year-Old Season

 When a chestnut colt bit another horse during a race in the summer of 1927, John Hertz became interested in it. He soon bought the spirited young horse. Reigh Count, the colt, became rather successful the next year, winning the Kentucky Derby and Horse of the Year honors. Later, he was retired to stud. At first, when he failed to produce promising offspring, Hertz limited the number of mares he could breed with to four each year.

 In 1937, Hertz bought a mare named Quickly, who had won thirty-two out of eighty-five races, all of them in sprints. Furthermore, she was related to an English stallion known as The Tetrarch. On March 24, 1940, she produced a brown colt that proved difficult to handle. Hertz put him up for sale as a yearling, but no one was interested in such an ill-mannered colt. Only one man thought the horse was worth it: Sam Ramsen, a stablehand. He talked with the manager, insisting that the colt would one day be a fine racer, especially because of his long legs.

 Hertz decided to keep the colt. However, it didn't have as much to do with what Ramsen had said as it did with the lack of buyers. The colt--Count Fleet--was sent to trainer Don Cameron. During his first race, which was at Belmont, Count Fleet bumped into another horse, and ended up coming second. when the same thing happened in his next race, he was once more put up for sale.

 Johnny Longden, the colt's jockey, thought highly of Count Fleet. When he told that to Hertz, however, Hertz said, "The colt's dangerous. Someday I'm afraid he'll do you serious injury."

 "I'm not afraid," Longden replied. Once more, Hertz decided to keep the colt.

 Count Fleet won his third race, a five and a half furlongs long one, by four lengths in 1:06. In his next race, he ran the same distance a fifth second faster. After that, he raced in the East View Stakes, but lost to Gold Shower, adding to his list of seconds. Count Fleet then won the Wakefield Stakes, with Gold Shower third. Next, he raced in the Washington Park Futurity, getting caught in traffic early on. Amazingly, he managed to get out of the pack, catching the colt Occupation, but losing by a neck.

 Next on his long list of losses was the Tremont Stakes, where he lost to Supermont. He then won two races. After that, he went to get revenge for his loss to Occupation. Unfortunately, his victory remained out of his grasp, and he placed third behind the filly Askmenow.

Count Fleet, ridden by Johnny Longden(photo credit)

 Then, after winning the Champagne Stakes by six lengths with a track record time of 1:34 4/5, Count Fleet once more attempted to defeat Occupation, this time in the Pimlico Futurity. Occupation led for the first five furlongs, but Count Fleet soon caught up to him. Count Fleet won by five lengths, equalling the track record of  1:43 3/5. Finally, In the Walden Stakes, he won by an incredible thirty lengths! It seemed as if he had stolen Occupations championship honors.

Whirlaway: Four-Year-Old Season

  In 1942, Whirlaway raced mostly in handicaps, never finishing without placing. He first won the Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs, then the Dixie Handicap, the Brooklyn Handicap, the Garden State Stakes,  and the Narragansett Handicap, carrying 130 pounds.

Whirlaway after the Dixie Handicap(credit).

 Meanwhile, and bay colt named Alsab was enjoying great success. Though he had only bought for $700 at he Saratoga Yearling Sale, he had won many races that year, including the Preakness Stakes.

 On September 19, the two met at Narragansett for a match race. The distance was a mile and three-sixteenths, and the prize was $25,000. Alsab, the younger horse, took an early lead, with Whirlaway right behind him. The Flying Tail followed for the first mile before making his move. The two battled for the last three sixteenths of a mile, ending with a photo finish. It was hard to who one at first. Later, however, photographs revealed that Alsab had one by the tip of his right nostril. Even so, Whirlaway had passed the younger horse just inches after crossing the finish line.

 Whirlaway later avenged his loss in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, winning by three-quarters of a lengths.  He also won the Washington Handicap and the Governor Bowie Stakes. By that time, no one dared to oppose him, and he won the Pimlico Special in a walkover. He then finished the season with a win in the Louisiana Handicap, earning Horse of the Year title for the second time and becoming the first horse to earn over half a million dollars.

 However, he had bowed a tendon in the process. Although Ben Jones tried to bring Whirlaway back to the track in winning condition, he was unsuccessful.

 On July 5, 1943, Whirlaway made his last public appearance in Washington Park. Several days later, on July 13, he returned to Kentucky. Fans named that day Whirlaway Day in his honor.

Whirlaway at stud, standing beside Warren Wright(credit).

 Whirlaway sired many stakes winners, including Rock Drill, dam of Champion Three-Year-Old filly Lady Pitt.

 In 1950, French breeder Marcel Boussac convinced Warren Wright to lease him the horse for breeding purposes. Later, he bought the horse. On April 6, 1953, Whirlaway died of a rupture in his nerve tissue. He was buried on Boussac's farm in France before being returned to his home at Calumet.

Whirlaway: Three-year-old Season

 Whirlaway returned to the track in 1941. In his two races before the Kentucky Derby, he bore to the outside, afraid of the inner rail, which cost him the races. Because of that, Ben Jones trained him at home by running him between the rail and another horse. This may have made all the difference in the Derby.

 Equipped with a modified one-eye blinker and an experienced jockey, Eddie Arcaro, Whirlaway ran a somewhat straight line, winning by eight lengths and running 2:01 2/5, a new track record. Then rumors that Whirlaway had been using drugs began to spread. Even the usually calm Ben Jones was angry at the serious accusations.

Whirlaway in the Kentucky Derby winner's circle(credit).

 Nevertheless, Whirlaway proved himself in the Preakness Stakes. He was far behind the other horses after leaving the gate, and it seemed that he would not win. Then he made his move. He sped down the backstretch, passing every single horse for a win of five and a half lengths. It was incredibly breathtaking.

 By the time the Belmont Stakes rolled along, people were scared of Whirlaway's bursts of speed, so only a field of four horses ran that day. Whirlaway's three challengers tried to upset his strategy by setting a slow pace early on, but Eddie Arcaro had anticipated that, and cruised along right past them. He became Calumet Farm's first of two Triple Crown winners(see Citation).

 Whirlaway won several races after that. He beat Market Wise in the Dwyer Stakes, then won the American Derby, the Travers Stakes, defeated War Relic in the Saranac Handicap, and won the Lawrence Realization.

 However, oddly enough, the best race of his career is considered Jockey Club Gold Cup. He and Market Wise had battled throughout the race at a tremendous pace, until Market Wise finally won by a nose, setting a new American record of 3:20 2/5 in the process.

 Near the end of the 1941 season, Whirlaway was sent to the west cost to race there, but the bombing of Pearl Harbor cut the season to and abrupt end. He couldn't return home right away, because World War II travel restrictions. It wasn't until March the next year that he could finally leave.

 Despite the restrictions, he was still successful, and was named 1941 Horse of the Year and Champion Three-Year-Old Colt.

Whirlaway: Two-year-old Season

 On April 2, 1938, Whirlaway, a chestnut colt with a beautiful tail, was born out of of Dustwhirl on Calumet Farms. His sire Blenheim II, was a Thoroughbred from England. Blenheim II had won the Epsom Derby in 1930.

 Ironically, another foal who shared the same markings had born around the same time. Trainer Ben Jones and his son JImmy had a hard time telling the two apart until they finally began training.

 Jimmy claimed that Whirlaway "gave the impression of being tireless, able to gallop all day if we didn't stop him." Unfortunately, with his gift of stamina came a rather unpleasant trait: he had trouble running in a strait line, and would zigzag around the track when he was in the lead. Consequently, he barely won his first, which took place on June 3, 1940, though he was the superior horse.

 Whirlaway was not only the most promising colt that year horse, but also the most difficult to train. Because of this, Ben Jones focused his attention on Whirlaway while his son trained the other horses.

Whirlaway standing beside
Ben Jones, his trainer(photo credit).

 In the Arlington Futurity, jockey Johnny Longden tried unsuccessful to get Whirlaway to run in a straight like other horses do. As a result, the pair placed third behind a horse called Swain. He had a little more luck in the U.S. Hotel Stakes, this time placing third. Then disaster happened.

 In the Saratoga Special, when Whirlaway was continue his usual zigzags, he crashed into the outer rail, winning despite his injuries.

 Ben Jones called Whirlaway the dumbest horse he had trained, but he knew that he was also the fastest, so he spent time with the horse to break him of his bad habits. Even turf write Bill Corum had faith in The Flying Tail(name for his bushy tail), and predicted the he would win that year's Hopeful and Futurity Stakes, as well as the next year's Triple Crown.

 True the prediction, Whirlaway won the Hopeful Stakes, but not with out injury. While on the track, a piece of debris flew into his eye, yet he continued despite the injury, proving that he had the heart to win.

However, he had to leave the track for two months while veterinarians and eye specialists treated the eye, finally managing to save it. Once he had returned, he won the Breeders' Futurity in Keeneland, followed by the Walden Stakes at Pimlico.

 By that time, he had become the season's top money winner, and shared the title of Two-year-old Champion with Our Boots.