Derby Hopeful: Java's War

Java's War is a cherished Thoroughbred, as he is among one of just a limited amount of crops sired by champion War Pass, who tragically died at the age of five. In fact, Java’s War was his first winner, winning a maiden special weight over Ellis Park’s turf course last July. Since then, he has proven to be one of the late sire’s best progeny, alongside fellow Derby contender Revolutionary.

Prior to becoming War Pass’ initial offspring to capture a race, Java’s War was fifth in a five-furlong turf maiden special weight at Churchill Downs. The added three-eighths of a mile in his following start were to the colt’s benefit, allowing the bay colt to kick clear to a 1 ¾-length triumph.

Sent to Louisiana for his stakes debut, the Sunday Silence Stakes over Louisiana Downs’ turf course, Java’s War faced a tough opponent in the highly-touted Brown Almighty, who was coming off an easy win in the Sunny’s Halo Stakes, contested over the same grass oval. Away rather slowly from the gate – which would become his trademark –, Java’s War progressively gained ground on the frontrunners with a rail-skimming trip. By the time the field had commenced their run into the far turn, Java’s War had upgraded to a position among the first half of the field. He swung wide as the two-year-olds turned for home, using powerful strides to close in on Brown Almighty, surging past that rival to score by a neck.

Java’s War made his first start away from the turf on a rather similar surface – the Polytrack at Keeneland – in the Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity (GI) in his subsequent race. Rating off the pace between horses, Java’s War found himself behind a barrier of horses rounding the far turn but, when angled to the outside, began to close in on the leader. However, with a furlong of the race remaining, the rivals to both sides of him – Pataky Kid and Dynamic Sky – drifted toward him, squeezing him and thus harming his momentum. But Java’s War managed to finish third, bested by just 1 ¾ lengths.

Transferring to the dirt for his juvenile finale, Java’s War took on twelve rivals in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (GII) at Churchill Downs. The race was essentially over for the colt from the beginning, when he broke slowly from the rail post, ahead of only one rival as the field entered the first bend. He improved his position down the backstretch, closing the gap between himself and his rivals as he raced on the outside. Remaining very wide around the far turn and down the lane, Java’s War flattened out in the homestretch, crossing the wire sixth.

The Kenny McPeek trainee made his three-year-old debut in the Tampa Bay Derby (GII), competing against the highly regarded, undefeated Verrazano. Away from the gate very snaillike yet again, Java’s War was the trailer by an abundance of lengths as the field headed into the clubhouse turn. Although he appeared to have no chance down the backstretch as he lagged behind by double-digit lengths, Java’s War made up remarkable ground on the rest of the field, passing all but three horses by the middle of the final curve.

Going wide around the far turn, the colt set his sights on the drawing-away Verrazano, effortlessly gaining ground on him despite running greenly. Although Verrazano was an easy winner of the race, the rally Java’s War had made was breathtaking, as he had made up a plethora of lengths within a short amount of time. His final quarter-mile of 25.02 seconds was the third-fastest final two furlongs of any Derby prep of the season recorded by Trakus.

Java’s War’s final prep for the Derby resulted in a return to Keeneland’s Polytrack for the Blue Grass Stakes (GI). The colt again left the gate very sluggishly, hesitating and thus being left several strides behind his thirteen competitors. Again double-digit lengths behind the leaders, Java’s War seemed hopelessly beaten early on down the backstretch, racing several lengths off even the nearest adversary. After a half-mile, the colt finally began to grow closer to the rest of the field and at about the three-eighths pole, he kicked into gear, passing his closest rivals.

Maneuvered to the outside by Julien Leparoux, Java’s War raced incredibly wide as the field turned for home. But this did not deter his impressive rally; powerfully, the bay grew closer to the front, passing multiple rivals as he determinedly chased the frontrunners. Achieving what seemed to be the impossible, Java’s War got up in time, overtaking Palace Malice by a neck to take the winner’s purse of $450,000.

Java’s War had traveled more ground than the majority of his rivals in the Blue Grass and his final two furlongs of 24.01 was the fastest of any last quarter-mile recorded by Trakus during the 2013 Derby prep season.

Java's War's pedigree
From pedigreequery.com

Java’s War’s pedigree should assist him in traveling a route of ground over dirt. The colt’s sire – the late, undefeated champion juvenile War Pass – won up to a mile and one-sixteenth but came within a half-length of winning at nine furlongs. War Pass was a result of the mating between Cherokee Run, a champion sprinter who produced nearly fifty black-type winners, and a black-type-placed Mr. Prospector mare, Vue. Though this side of Java’s War’s pedigree implies that he is limited to short distances, the bottom side of the colt's pedigree provides much greater distance implications.

Out of the British-bred Java, a mare who won up to ten furlongs, Java's War is a half-brother to Coffee Bar, a stakes-placed runner at nine furlongs that won up to a mile and a sixteenth. Java's sire is Rainbow Quest, a European champion that proved brilliant over long distances, winning many prestigious races over a route of ground, including the 2,400-meter (approximately 1 1/2 miles) Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. At stud, Rainbow Quest was outstanding, producing more than 100 stakes winners - many of which won at the group level. He sired a wealth of grade/group one winners that were victorious at ten furlongs or beyond, including Colour Vision, Croco Rouge, High and Low, Millenary, Nedawi, Quest for Fame, Rainbow Dancer, Raintrap, Saumarez, Spectrum, Sunshack, and Urgent Request. Rainbow Quest has also proven to be a spectacular broodmare sire, producing the dams of the group one-winning distance horses Look Here and Spanish Moon – both of which won at twelve furlongs.

Java’s War’s granddam, Island Jamboree, was a multiple stakes-winning miler that was also graded stakes-placed. A daughter of Explodent, Island Jamboree was a terrific broodmare, foaling the multiple grade one-winning champion turf female Fiji, who won at ten furlongs twice, and the multiple group stakes-winning Capri, victorious at 2,400 meters on numerous occasions.

Java’s War's third dam is a daughter of Wing Out, a successful distance horse that won or placed in several long distance events, including a trifecta of grade ones. The colt's fourth dam, Careless Notion, was a fantastic broodmare, producing the grade one-winning Cacoethes, who won multiple mile and one-half races, as well as the additional grade one winner Fabulous Notion and the stakes-winning Margaret Booth.

The sire of Java's War's fifth dam is Nasrullah, a champion who won the prestigious Champion Stakes at ten furlongs. He has been very influential in the ancestry of the Thoroughbred and as a sire, he sired numerous distance horses, including Nashua - who won the Preakness and Belmont after finishing second in the Derby; Bold Ruler - Preakness victor and sire of Triple Crown winner Secretariat; Bald Eagle - a champion that excelled in route races; Belmont champion Jaipur; and an impressive abundance of other brilliant distance horses.

The main worry regarding Java's War's chances in the Kentucky Derby pertains to the questions about his ability to break sharply. In his past few starts, Java's War has left the gate very slowly, which could be detrimental in the Derby. However, he has left the gate well in the past. In addition, there may be doubts regarding his affinity for Churchill's dirt due to his sixth-place effort in the Kentucky Jockey Club over the Louisville oval last fall. But that number is deceiving, as Java's War turned in a better performance in that race than one may think. He could easily become underrated and surprise many on race day with a superb performance.

Derby Hopeful: Palace Malice

Derby Hopefuls feature the horses I view as the best contenders leading up to the Kentucky Derby. Each horse spotlighted in a Derby Hopeful will join the 2013 PTG Derby Hopeful roster, found on the right side of the blog. Horses will be listed in an order that corresponds to how highly I think of them, with the horse I think most highly of ranking at the top. A horse featured in a Derby Hopeful may be taken off the roster if its performances after its article are published are not up to par or if that horse is taken off the Triple Crown trail, though those articles will remain on my blog.

Last-minute changes in plans can leave a huge impact on life. Their effect is being felt along the 2013 Kentucky Derby trail, as at least two Derby contenders – Vyjack and Palace Malice – would never had existed if it weren’t for such changes. Whereas Vyjack is sired by a horse that his dam wasn’t intended to be bred to – meaning, had things gone as originally planned, he would not have existed –, Palace Malice’s dam escaped death – or at the very least, severe injury – due a quick change of schedule.

The dam of Palace Malice, Palace Rumor, was trained by small-time trainer Burl McBride, who sent the daughter of Royal Anthem to Hal Wiggins’ barn at Churchill Downs for a start beneath the twin spires while the remainder of his small stable remained at Ellis Park. Although he planned to send Palace Rumor – two years old at the time – back to Ellis Park after her race, he decided to keep her overnight at Churchill following a taxing effort.

Early the next morning, a tornado ripped through Ellis Park, killing three of the seven horses McBride had stabled there. Palace Rumor – who, by the intervention of fate, had remained safe at Churchill Downs – was the only horse he had left. She would go on to be a black-type winner, accumulating career earnings of $271,135 before being sold for $140,000 to William S. Farish of Lane’s End Farm at the 2008 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale while in foal to Tiznow.

One year later, Palace Rumor was bred to Curlin. The result was Palace Malice, who McBride attempted to purchase but was never able to, although he has eagerly followed the colt, owned by Cot Campbell’s Dogwood Stable.

Second in his debut behind the later graded stakes-placed Carried Interest, Palace Malice was shipped to Saratoga for his second attempt at breaking his maiden. After being anxious while loading into the gate, the bay colt broke sharply, finding a position just off the pacesetters. Tracking the leaders throughout, Palace Malice raced wide while sitting just off the brisk pace of the six and one-half-furlong maiden special weight. In authoritative fashion, Palace Malice took the lead around the far turn prior to storming to a 3 ½-length victory. Among the horses finishing behind him was Hightail, eventual winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint.

Palace Malice’s first start as a three-year-old resulted in a runner-up effort in a seven-furlong allowance optional claiming event at Gulfstream Park. This set him up for a run in the Risen Star Stakes (GII) at the Fair Grounds, his first try around two turns. After a clean break, the Todd Pletcher trainee settled near the rear of the main group of horses. Finding a gap between horses as the field entered the far turn, Palace Malice surged forward, gaining ground on the leaders. Guided to the outside to maneuver traffic, Palace Malice ran greenly, veering in and out, but managed to finish third, beaten less than ¾ of a length.

Disappointment embodied the colt’s next start, the Louisiana Derby (GII). Receiving a ground-saving trip, Palace Malice made a stunning rally down the backstretch, coasting closer to the leaders to prepare himself for a run in the final portion of the contest. Having upgraded from eighth to fourth, Palace Malice was forced to check on the far turn when he became boxed in, thus allowing an abundance of horses to pass him as his remarkable rally came to a forced halt. Although his rider searched for room down the homestretch, he had no luck. Once he finally found room in the late stages of the race, Palace Malice’s momentum had been ruined and he could finish no better than seventh.

But the colt’s fortune improved next out in the Blue Grass Stakes (GI) at Keeneland. Contesting over a synthetic surface for the first time in his career, the son of Curlin broke inwardly but galloped away well, taking a position near the rail behind the pacesetters. Appearing comfortable as he settled approximately five lengths off the leader as the field reached the backstretch, Palace Malice again received a ground-saving trip along the rail, growing closer to the leaders down the backstretch to assume the third spot.

The favorite, Rydilluc, led the field by 3 ½ lengths as the fourteen horses turned for home, but Palace Malice accelerated, being angled to the outside to attempt to gear down on him. Reaching Rydilluc outside the eighth pole, Palace Malice incorrectly changed leads at the sixteenth pole – either a sign of fatigue or greenness, the latter of which is a trait he has been known to exhibit – but took the lead, only to be passed by Java’s War in the very final strides as he switched back to the correct lead. Palace Malice was second by just a neck.

Palace Malice (green & yellow silks) coming down the homestretch of the Blue Grass
Photo by Brittlan Wall

Although Palace Malice appeared to be getting tired in the final stages of the Blue Grass, each race has been a learning experience for the colt and this race was only adding to his foundation. Moreover, he is bred through and through for classic distances.

His sire, all-time leading money earner Curlin, was an excellent distance horse, finishing in-the-money in all three of the competitive 2007 Triple Crown races: he was third in the Derby, first in the mile and three-sixteenths Preakness Stakes (GI), and second in the mile and one-half Belmont Stakes (GI). The two-time Horse of the Year was victorious at ten furlongs on five occasions and came within a head of winning at twelve furlongs. Considering Palace Malice is a member of his first crop, there is not much to measure Curlin’s success as a sire just yet. However, in addition to Palace Malice, he has also produced Zimniy Dvorets – a group stakes winner in Russia, the black-type-winning Countess, and the graded stakes-placed runners Blue Violet and Liberated.

Curlin’s sire, Smart Strike, is among the best sires on the continent, having been North America’s leading sire in 2007 and 2008 and a consistent top-five sire. Smart Strike is the sire of numerous distance horses, including champion English Channel – victorious in five grade ones at eleven furlongs or longer; champion Lookin’ At Lucky – winner of the 2010 Preakness; Kazakhstan champion Nodouble Destiny – a group one winner at 2,400 meters (almost 12 furlongs); Fleetstreet Dancer – victor of the Japan Cup Dirt (GI) when it was contested at 2,100 meters (approximately 10.4 furlongs); Tenpins – winner of the mile and three-sixteenths Washington Park Handicap (GII) and runner-up in the Hawthorne Gold Cup (GII) at ten furlongs; Strike a Deal – a graded stakes winner at eleven furlongs; and Smart Bid – a stakes winner at twelve furlongs.

An important stamina influence in Palace Malice’s pedigree is Curlin’s broodmare sire, Deputy Minister. A horse who has appeared in the first three generations of the likes of successful routers such as Paynter and Rags to Riches, the Canadian Hall of Famer was a tremendous broodmare sire, producing the dams of many talented distance horses, including the multiple group one-winning Kane Hekili and Sarava, winner of the 2002 Belmont.

Palace Rumor, who won up to a mile and one-sixteenth, is a daughter of Royal Anthem, a multiple group one winner who won up to twelve furlongs. A son of outstanding distance horse Theatrical, Royal Anthem sired several brilliant routers, including Divine Fortune – a multiple graded stakes-winning steeplechaser that has won up to two and one-half miles – and Presious Passion – a multiple grade one winner known for his speedy turf races that won at a mile and one-half on three occasions.

Palace Malice’s granddam, Whisperifyoudare, is a daughter of Red Ransom, who sired a wealth of distance horses, including Ekraar, Electrocutionist, Perfect Sting, and Roc de Cambes. But Whisperifyoudare was a successful broodmare of sprinters, including the multiple black-type-winning horses Jumpifyoudare and Maya’s Storm. However, her dam, Stellar Affair, was a stakes winner at nine furlongs and is a daughter of Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI, 10F) winner Skywalker. Stellar Affair is also the dam of Sweet Trip, the dam of Rail Trip, a grade one winner at ten furlongs.

The fourth dam of Palace Malice – Fawn and Hahn, who gave Eddie Delahoussaye his 4,000^th career victory – is a daughter of Grey Dawn II, the only horse to ever defeat the great Sea Bird. Although the French champion was primarily a successful sprinter/miler, the son of the great distance horse Herbager produced a fair share of routers, including Bounding Basque, Christmas Past, and Vigors. A leading broodmare sire, Grey Dawn II sired the dams of many talented distance horses, such as Itsallgreektome, Silver Patriarch, and Waquoit. Fawn and Hahn is out of the group stakes-placed Ecstatica, who is out of a productive mare and is sired by the great Damascus, third-place finisher in the Derby who went on to win the Preakness and Belmont.

Palace Malice's pedigree
From pedigreequery.com

Palace Malice could easily fly into the Kentucky Derby under the radar and although he is merely the winner of a maiden race, he is a natural talent whose bloodlines could easily carry him over classic distances. Questions around Derby contenders, particularly one that hasn't won since his maiden victory as a two-year-old, are always abounding, but one thing is certain: Palace Malice's story will allow him to gallop into the hearts of the public. I encourage you to read his story in the words of the great turf writer Steve Haskin here.

Brilliant Speed: Always Brilliant

With turf superstars such as Gio Ponti and Cape Blanco retired to stud, the turf male division must direct its attention to new turf stars for 2012. Though we will lack many of the classy turf horses we've seen in past years, the division will still be deep. Acclamation should return after his spectacular year in 2011, as should the prospering gelding Sanagas and the spectacular Mr. Commons, but where do we look to make the division deeper? We look to the underrated, grade one-winning Brilliant Speed.

Despite carrying the well-known black, red, and white silks of Live Oak Plantation onto the track, Brilliant Speed didn’t exactly turn heads when he made his racing debut. Not only was his performance unimposing, but the colt went off at odds of 20-1, which made him the third longest shot on the board.

Brilliant Speed
Photo: Terri Cage

Most people’s attention was on the winner of the race, Boys at Tosconova, who had debuted in the Kentucky Juvenile Stakes (GIII) – finishing third – and would eventually go on to be a grade one winner. Boys at Tosconova won the five furlong maiden special weight over Belmont Park’s dirt surface by twelve lengths while Brilliant Speed finished 19 ¼ lengths behind him, finishing fourth in a field of seven.

Next out, Brilliant Speed tried the Saratoga dirt surface in a seven-furlong maiden special weight, but turned in yet another lackluster performance, finishing seventh of nine. The bay son of Dynaformer finished behind two future graded stakes winners in that race: the grade three-winning Joe Vann and the grade two-winning and Kentucky Derby (GI) third-place finisher, Mucho Macho Man.

Four weeks later, the Tom Albertrani trainee made his return to Belmont, making his turf debut and finishing third at odds of 9-1 behind the late multiple graded stakes-winning Banned while finishing willingly. He finished third on the Belmont turf yet again in his next start, showing a good turn of foot while going wide to finish behind the future multiple stakes-placed Beachcombing and grade three-winning Derby Kitten.

Brilliant Speed didn’t race for over two months, returning in a mile and one-sixteenth maiden special weight on the turf at Tampa Bay Downs. Despite traffic problems, the bay colt crossed the wire a length and one-half in front of the others.

Ever since, Brilliant Speed has faced only stakes company. Three weeks after his breakthrough maiden victory, the half-brother to the now graded stakes-placed Souper Speedy made both his three-year-old and stakes debut in the Dania Beach Stakes. After encountering traffic problems, Brilliant Speed finished second by a nose to Adirondack Summer. While doing so, the Live Oak Plantation homebred defeated six future stakes winners.

With just inches keeping the colt from his first stakes win in the Dania Beach, Albertrani pointed Brilliant Speed to the mile and one-sixteenth Hallandale Beach Stakes, in which he faced many of the same horses he had competed against in the Dania Beach. However, the colt was to face trouble and just miss yet again. After being forced wide by King Congie, who was later disqualified to third, Brilliant Speed crossed the wire in third and was moved up to second.

Brilliant Speed
Photo: Terri Cage

After over two months away from the races, the Dynaformer colt faced his biggest test yet: the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GI) at Keeneland. Not only would it be Brilliant Speed’s first try against grade one competition, but it would be his first race over a synthetic surface. In spite of being sent off at 19-1, the colt swept to a narrow victory under Joel Rosario, leaving in his wake horses that had won or would go on to win a total of five graded stakes and eight ungraded stakes.

Even though Brilliant Speed had run primarily on non-dirt surfaces, the talented three-year-old was pointed toward the greatest two minutes in sports – also known as the Kentucky Derby – which of course is run on dirt. After all, the Blue Grass winner had run in the Derby for twenty-eight consecutive years.

At nearly 28-1, Brilliant Speed raced extremely wide and despite closing well, he finished seventh in a tight three-horse photo finish. In nearly any other race, a seventh-place finish is quite a blemish, but by finishing seventh in the Kentucky Derby, Brilliant Speed defeated twelve horses, ten of which had won or would go on to win seventeen graded stakes races altogether.

His connections opted to skip the Preakness Stakes (GI) and aim for the Belmont Stakes (GI), the final leg of the Triple Crown. The Florida-bred colt went off at much lower odds in the Belmont than he did in the Derby – 11-1 – due to the fact that he was a “wise guy” horse. Racing wide yet again, Brilliant Speed rallied well over the sloppy track but couldn’t hang on and finished third in the mile and one-half race.

Following seven weeks away from the races, Brilliant Speed returned in the Jim Dandy Stakes (GIII) on Saratoga’s dirt surface. He finished fifth, defeating just two horses: the future stakes-winning Will’s Wildcat and the grade three-winning Scotus.

It was decided that Brilliant Speed would make his return to turf, which he had not raced on since finishing second in the Hallandale Beach Stakes in February. Just over five weeks after his disappointing performance in the Jim Dandy, Brilliant Speed went off as the favorite in the Saranac Stakes (GIII), a nine-furlong turf event contested over Saratoga’s inner turf course. With an imposing turn of foot, the athletic bay struck to the lead in the final furlong, sweeping by the others to score by 2 ½ lengths. Beaten by Brilliant Speed were the winners of seven stakes races total.

Brilliant Speed competed against grade one company on the turf in his next start, the Jamaica Handicap (GI) at Belmont Park. Due to the sluggish pace, the Albertrani trainee sat near the pace throughout the race, though he usually closes from mid-pack. Brilliant Speed and Western Aristocrat, who was making his North American debut, battled neck and neck around the far turn and though Brilliant Speed tried valiantly, he could not pass Western Aristocrat and finished second, beaten a length.

Brilliant Speed
Photo by Mary Cage

Brilliant Speed’s final race as a three-year-old would be one of his toughest tasks to date: the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf (GI) at Churchill Downs. Facing some of the most talented grass horses in the world, Brilliant Speed was one of four American-trained horses in the nine-horse field. As the third longest shot on the board, the three-year-old made a rally on the outside on the far turn and took the lead at the top of the stretch, maintaining it until inside the final furlong, when he was overtaken by the gifted European horses St. Nicholas Abbey and Sea Moon.

Brilliant Speed has always faced quality fields, even while he was still running in the maiden ranks. The colt will return for a four-year-old campaign in 2012 and will hopefully continue to display his ability to run against the best. If he does, he will likely be pointed toward some of the nation’s top grass races, as Brilliant Speed has never finished out of the money on the turf and has earned$460,000 – nearly 44% of his earnings – on the grass. The turf is clearly where his brilliance shines.

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