Derby Hopeful: Revolutionary

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.

Saratoga in the summer is a land of promise for juvenile Thoroughbreds. Any impressive performance from a talented two-year-old often lands a horse on watch lists, with hopes focused upon the Kentucky Derby (GI), several months and more than 800 miles away. But it is typical for just the outstanding maiden winners to land themselves a position on watch lists, leaving the horses that ran well but did not find the winner’s circle to frequently be abandoned.

However, that is not the case for Revolutionary. Despite not winning his debut at Saratoga on closing day, Revolutionary earned himself a place on my list, being featured in a Juvenile Spotlight in September. Suffering a poor break from the gate, in which he was slammed into, Revolutionary was forced to check in the early stages of the five and one-half-furlong maiden special weight. The short distance of the race made it difficult for Revolutionary to regain his momentum, but despite also going wide prior to running greenly, the colt closed remarkably to finish a game third.

Following a runner-up finish at Belmont and a third-place result at Aqueduct, Revolutionary finally broke through with his first victory. Going to post in a one-mile maiden special weight over Aqueduct’s inner oval, Revolutionary settled just off the leaders and as the field neared the quarter pole, the colt surged to the lead and never looked back, coasting to a magnificent 8 ½-length victory that was just .73 seconds off the track record.

With his dominant triumph, Revolutionary turned heads as hopes for the Derby soared higher and higher. He made his graded stakes debut in his initial start as a three-year-old, the Withers Stakes (GIII) at Aqueduct. Breaking alongside Valid, who miraculously stayed up after a terrible stumble at the start, Revolutionary found a position along the rail near the rear of the field. The WinStar Farm-owned colt maintained a ground-saving trip down the backside, a handful of lengths separating him from the leader. The colt appeared full of run as the field approached the far turn, but he remained at the rear, a wall of horses in front of him. Revolutionary began to gain ground under minimal urging from Javier Castellano, departing his position on the rail to gallop around adversaries. But the Todd Pletcher trainee was force to weave his way through traffic and once he found room to run, the colt shot forward, accelerating in eye-catching fashion to find room between horses and win the race by a neck.

Revolutionary clearly has tremendous talent and ability to overcome trouble, but he also receives support from his pedigree. A son of the late 2007 Champion Two-Year-Old Male, War Pass, Revolutionary is a member of the first crop of his ill-fated sire, who died in 2010. 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 Revolutionary’s pedigree suggests that he is limited to short distances, the colt receives assistance for stamina from his dam side.

The dam of Revolutionary is the grade one-winning Runup the Colors, an earner of $555,024. As a three-year-old, Runup the Colors won the ten-furlong Alabama Stakes (GI) at Saratoga. She is also the dam of Tafaseel, runner-up in the 2003 Jerome Handicap (GII), run at a mile, and Ice Road, who finished third in the nine-furlong Ohio Derby (GII). Revolutionary is sure to gain stamina from not only his classic-winning dam, but the ancestry from which his dam descends.

Revolutionary’s broodmare sire is A.P. Indy, a son of 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew that won the 1992 Belmont Stakes (GI) and Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI). As a sire, A.P. Indy has produced nearly thirty grade one winners, including the outstanding distance horses Bernardini, Mineshaft, Music Note, and Rags to Riches. He has also proven to be a top broodmare sire of routers, yielding the dams of the likes of Bluegrass Cat, Super Saver, and Wait a While.

Notably, Revolutionary descends from a dam line abounding with Reine de Course mare, as he is a direct descendant of the legendary broodmare La Troienne, who is also found in the tail female line of the Derby winners Go for Gin, Sea Hero, Smarty Jones, and Super Saver. The nearest Reine de Course mare in Revolutionary’s dam line is his granddam, Up the Flagpole, a daughter of another Reine de Course mare in The Garden Club. Up the Flagpole was a graded stakes-winning runner who produced three grade one winners: Flagbird – a European champion who won at ten furlongs on two occasions; 2003 Broodmare of the Year Prospector’s Delite – a two-time grade one winner at or beyond a mile who produced the grade one winners Mineshaft (a Horse of the Year that won at ten furlongs twice) and Tomisue’s Delight (who won a Saratoga grade one at ten furlongs); and the aforementioned Runup the Colors, Revolutionary’s dam.

The sire of Revolutionary’s third dam, The Garden Club, is Herbager, a French champion who was excellent at long distances, winning the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud (GI) – run at 2,400 meters – and the Prix du Jockey Club (GI) – run at 2,100 meters.

Despite his speedy top side, Revolutionary clearly has a pedigree for distance. An absolutely beautifully bred colt, Revolutionary may be the bravest horse on the Derby trail, as he has proven many times that he can run well despite suffering a troubled trip. Time will tell just how good this colt is, but the sky is the limit for this colt.

Agave Kiss Remains Undefeated

Agave Kiss has raced six times. She has visited the winner’s circle in just as many occurrences. Having followed her since her breathtaking 6 ¼-length maiden victory, I relished the filly’s accumulated next five wins, which came by a combined winning margin of 30 lengths. With plans of contesting in prestigious grade one sprint races at Saratoga this summer, the owner of Agave Kiss, Flying Zee Racing Stables, and her trainer, Rudy Rodriguez, have campaigned the daughter of Lion Heart methodically throughout her career.

After easily winning her debut, Agave Kiss crushed allowance foes at Aqueduct prior to capturing her first stakes win in the Ruthless Stakes. Following a victory in the Cicada Stakes (GIII), the three-year-old chestnut filly captured the Trevose Stakes at Parx Racing in her first race outside the confines of the Empire State.

The daughter of Lion Heart continued her winning ways on Black-Eyed Susan Day at Pimlico Racecourse (May 18) in the Miss Preakness Stakes, going six furlongs – the only distance at which she has ever contested. As usual, Agave Kiss set the pace, breaking very sharply to attain the lead, never allowing the others to come near her. With Ramon Dominguez aboard for the first time, Agave Kiss constantly drew away from the field as the champion rider remained motionless. At the top of the stretch, the striking chestnut filly had a 5 ½-length advantage on the field, which remained the same as she swept under the wire effortlessly without being asked by Dominguez in the final yards.

Among the six fillies Agave Kiss defeated in the Miss Preakness was Millionreasonswhy, a highly-touted Sagamore Farm-owned filly. The daughter of Grand Slam was a graded stakes winner at two who ran second behind eventual champion My Miss Aurelia in the Adirondack Stakes (GII), becoming the filly who came closest to defeating My Miss Aurelia. Prior to the Miss Preakness, Millionreasonswhy had won an ungraded stakes and placed in a graded stakes as a sophomore. However, Agave Kiss easily defeated her in the Miss Preakness.

Clearly, Agave Kiss’ niche is sprinting, considering each of her races – and victories for that matter – have come at three-quarters of a mile. Her main goal has been made the prestigious seven-furlong Test Stakes (GI), which is scheduled for August 4 at Saratoga Racecourse. This race has produced such victors as the champions Go For Wand, Indian Blessing, and Lady’s Secret.

Only one of Agave Kiss’ four stakes wins is a graded stakes victory – her win in the Cicada Stakes. However, the dominance with which she has won implies that she will be competitive in higher company. But it is not just her racing performances that suggest she will be a lucrative graded stakes performer, but her pedigree as well.

Her sire, Lion Heart, is famous for running second behind Smarty Jones in the 2004 Kentucky Derby (GI) and winning that year’s Haskell Invitational (GI). Though Agave Kiss is a sprinter, Lion Heart has sired successful routers in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (GI)-winning Dangerous Midge and the Arkansas Derby (GI)-winning Line of David. However, the son of Tale of the Cat has been primarily successful with one-turn horses, such as the multiple graded stakes-winning Kantharos and the multiple stakes-winning Gran Lioness. He has also been very profitable with fillies following a path similar to that of Agave Kiss, as he is also the sire of the Cicada Stakes- and Miss Preakness-winning Heart Ashley and the runner-up in the 2009 Test, Pretty Prolific. Agave Kiss’ dam, Salty Romance, was a stakes winner and graded stakes-placed runner who has also produced Luxury Appeal – a black-type winner around one turn.

Considering I have followed Agave Kiss since her astounding maiden victory, the undefeated filly’s campaign has been a fine example of how rewarding it is to follow a racehorse from the beginning of its career. Though incredibly exciting for me, I believe the rest of Agave Kiss’ campaign can be quite exhilarating for other racing fans, too, as she looks to extend her undefeated record. Winning streaks have proven to be very effective in building a horse’s fan base, such as in the case of Black Caviar, Cigar, Rapid Redux, and Zenyatta. Of course, Agave Kiss’ name is unlikely to ever be mentioned in the same breath as many of the aforementioned horses, other than when winning streaks are discussed perhaps. And despite the fact that racing is often focused on middle- or classic-distance races, sprinters can capture the hearts of racing fans as well. The brilliant Agave Kiss has the potential to become a very popular filly.




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Derby Hopeful: Alpha

It was a bumpy ride that led to many forks in the road, but the end of the trip is near. The destination looms in the form of a dirt oval below the Twin Spires in Louisville, Kentucky. The rough trip is the road Alpha took to the Kentucky Derby (GI), a journey that was full of confusion and many decisions. But finally, the Kiaran McLaughlin trainee is less than two weeks from contesting in the Run for the Roses.

Alpha was among the most impressive juvenile maiden special weight winners at the prestigious Saratoga meet, settling off the leaders before going to the lead in the stretch and drawing away to a remarkable 6-length victory. With his imposing win, he defeated the future graded stakes-placed Timely Tally and the Sham Stakes (GIII) second-favorite Hierro.

His breathtaking debut convinced McLaughlin to send the Darley homebred to the esteemed Champagne Stakes (GI) at Belmont Park, in which the colt was sent off as the second choice behind the talented graded stakes-winning Union Rags. Settling near the back of the pack, the colt made an impressive move around the far turn before swinging wide in the homestretch to close in on the leaders. However, he could not keep up with the spectacular Union Rags, finishing 5 ¼ lengths behind the then-undefeated colt. In defeat, Alpha beat the stakes-winning horses Laurie’s Rocket and No Spin, as well as the multiple graded stakes-placed Power World.

Alpha continued along the trail many top juveniles take, finding himself at Churchill Downs in November for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI). As the final horse, Optimizer, loaded into the starting gate, Alpha reared and caused much ruckus in the gate. Once jockey Garrett Gomez climbed back aboard, the thirteen-horse field broke from the gate. Despite finding a good stalking position, the colt faltered to finish eleventh, beating just two horses in the very contentious race. However, it was discovered that the colt had bled. In spite of his terrible luck, Alpha still managed to defeat the future grade two winners Daddy Long Legs and Prospective.

Alpha before the Breeders' Cup Juvenile
Photo by Mary Cage

Alpha had a turn of luck when he began his sophomore career, making his first start of 2012 over the inner oval at Aqueduct in the ungraded Count Fleet Stakes. Going a mile and seventy yards, Alpha had a bit of a rough break from the gate, but recovered to garner a position in third before making a move on the outside to waltz to a 2 ½-length victory. Finishing behind him was a half-brother to a classic winner, the winners of one graded stakes race and two ungraded stakes, and runners that would go on to place in three graded stakes and one ungraded stakes altogether.

The Darley homebred continued his winning ways at Aqueduct next out, effortlessly winning the mile and one-sixteenth Withers Stakes (GIII) over many of the same horses he had defeated in the Count Fleet. Yet again, the bay colt performed with a stalking position.

Then came the chaos. It was decided that the colt would not make his next start until either the end of March or early April, but that put many possible races into the picture, including the Florida Derby (GI) at Gulfstream Park, the Louisiana Derby (GII) at the Fair Grounds, and the Wood Memorial Stakes (GI) at Aqueduct. Since he was training in Florida, it appeared as if Alpha’s final prep for the Kentucky Derby would come in the Florida Derby, but then it was announced that he would likely go to the Louisiana Derby. His connections changed their minds again and finally it was decided that his final start before the Kentucky Derby would come in the Wood Memorial.

In the Wood, Alpha faced the toughest field he’d faced yet in 2012. After breaking from the rail, the colt was forced to steady slightly around the far turn when squeezed, but then comfortably settled off the leaders. Meanwhile, the undefeated graded stakes winner Gemologist rated in third for the majority of the race. Around the far turn, both colts made their move, but it was Gemologist that hit the front first. Alpha was then taken off the rail and swung wide by Eclipse Award-winning jockey Ramon Dominguez and as Gemologist appeared to draw away from the field, Alpha dug in on the outside and drew even with the undefeated colt and just when it seemed as if he would accelerate past him, Gemologist found more and denied him. Nonetheless, Alpha displayed an incredible amount of heart, determination, and acceleration.

The colt suffered a minor setback due a laceration he received in the Wood, but he soon returned to training and will mostly train up to the Kentucky Derby at Belmont Park before shipping to Churchill Downs. Though it was originally planned that Alpha would have two works over the Churchill surface prior to the Derby, he will perform his penultimate breeze at Belmont before shipping to Churchill on April 30 to have his final work there.

Beyond just his obvious racing talent, Alpha is certainly bred for Triple Crown distances as well. By the winner of three grade ones at a mile and three-sixteenths or longer in the classic-winning son of A.P. Indy, Bernardini, Alpha has the same sire as the Travers Stakes (GI, 10F)-winning Stay Thirsty and the grade one-winning Pennsylvania Derby (GII, 9F) victor To Honor and Serve.

The dam of Alpha is the eleven-furlong Oaks Trial Stakes-winning Munnaya. The chestnut mare is by the 1970 English Triple Crown winner, Nijinksy II, who is also the damsire of the Belmont Stakes (GI, 12F)- and Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI, 10F)-winning Colonial Affair, the Epsom Oaks (GI, 12F)-winning Jet Ski Lady, and the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (GI, 10F)-winning Archipenko. Munnaya, out of the group stakes-winning Hiaam, is also the dam of the multiple graded stakes-winning Lavender Sky, the stakes-winning and multiple group stakes-placed Mystic Melody, and the listed stakes-placed Numaany.

Featuring two crosses of Northern Dancer, Alpha possesses the same inbreeding that occurs in the pedigrees of the Derby victors Mine That Bird and Big Brown, as well as 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and the recent Belmont winners Ruler on Ice, Drosselmeyer, and Summer Bird.

The fifth dam of Alpha is the Reine De Course mare Nangela, a stakes-winning daughter of Nearctic. She is the dam of the champion Square Angel and the second dam of the stakes-winning and graded stakes-placed Dancing on a Cloud, the grade one-winning Love Smitten, and the graded stakes-winning Minutes Away. Other direct descendants of Nangela include the multiple group one-winning champion Swain, as well as the grade one-winning horses Cuddles, Gorgeous, and Swift Temper. This strong dam line stems from female family fourteen, which has yielded such horses as the champions Artax, Invasor, Foolish Pleasure, and Skip Away.

This year’s running of the Kentucky Derby features one of the toughest fields we’ve seen in years, but Alpha is certainly part of the elite group pointing towards the Run for the Roses. Not only is he clearly a colt with immense racing talent and the important qualities of determination and the ability to settle off the pace, but his pedigree is full of stamina. He appears to be a colt that will be successful throughout the entire Triple Crown should all go well. Alpha has proved himself to be one of the very top contenders for the one hundred thirty-eighth running of the Kentucky Derby.

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Raging Fever: Meant to be a Star

There’s no doubt that when Edward P. Evans sent Pennant Fever to Overbook Farms to visit Storm Cat in 1997 that he was expecting a future star. Pennant Fever came from a long line of champions and Storm Cat – standing for $150,000 – had sired many talented horses himself, including the Preakness Stakes (GI)- and Belmont Stakes (GI)-winning Tabasco Cat. The two together had already produced Stormin Fever, who would go on to win the Sport Page Handicap (GIII) and place second in two runnings of the Vosburgh Stakes (GI).

Pennant Fever’s bloodlines hinted that she would become a sensational broodmare. She was by the great sire and 1977 Triple Crown winner, Seattle Slew, and out of the black-type-placed Letty’s Pennant, who also produced the grade three-winning R. Associate. Her third, fourth, and fifth dams were all Reine De Course mares. Her third dam, Nalee, was a multiple stakes-winning mare who produced a group one winner, five graded stakes-placed horses, two ungraded stakes winners, and two black-type-placed horses. Her fourth dam, Levee, was the multiple stakes-winning 1970 Broodmare of the Year and dam of four stakes winners, including the champion Shuvee. Pennant Fever’s fifth dam was Bourtai, a stakes-placed mare who produced six black-type horses and two Broodmares of the Year.

Like Pennant Fever, her 1998 foal would descend from female family number nine, which is most famous for producing the multiple group- or grade-one-winning horses Alydar, Galileo, Sea the Stars, and Shergar, the first Triple Crown winner in Sir Barton, the only horse to defeat the great Man O’ War in Upset, and some of the most influential sires of all-time in Bull Lea, Fair Play, Mahmoud, Nasrullah, and Royal Charger.

Pennant Fever’s second foal by Storm Cat was born on April 2, 1998. The nearly black filly grew into a beautifully built racehorse by the name of Raging Fever. Edward Evans sent her to trainer Mark Hennig in New York, where the filly reeled off five victories in her first five starts. Among these wins were trips to the winner’s circle in the Adirondack Stakes (GII), the Matron Stakes (GI), and the Frizette Stakes (GI). Though she was sent off as the favorite in the 2000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI), she weakened to finish sixth.

Despite her disappointing run in the Breeders’ Cup, Raging Fever continued her glory. She began her sophomore campaign with a second-place finish in the Dame Mysterieuse Stakes at Gulfstream Park and a third-place finish in the Beaumont Stakes (GII) at Keeneland. She was entered in the prestigious Kentucky Oaks (GI), but it was never a very serious entry and she was scratched.

Due to a fracture of the growth plate in her stifle, Raging Fever did not start again until December. She made her return in the Garland of Roses Handicap at Aqueduct, sweeping to victory for the first time since October of the previous year. She wheeled off another win in her subsequent start, the First Lady Handicap (GIII) at Gulfstream.

Following a defeat in the Shirley Jones Handicap (GII) at the same track, Raging Fever scored two more consecutive wins in a pair of graded stakes: the Distaff Breeders’ Cup Handicap (GII) and the Bed o’ Roses Breeders’ Cup Handicap (GIII). After being beaten by a longshot in the Shuvee Handicap (GII), Raging Fever crossed the wire victoriously in the Ogden Phipps Handicap (GI). She had found the winner’s circle in a grade one race for the first time since her two-year-old campaign.

It was nearly another year before Raging Fever won again. Yet, she placed in four graded stakes races between her triumph in the Ogden Phipps and in her repeat victory in the Bed o’ Roses. However, her win in the 2003 Bed o’ Roses was the final time Raging Fever entered the winner’s enclosure.

Raging Fever left the racetrack with $1,458,198 in earnings from eleven wins, seven seconds, and three thirds in twenty-six starts. She found a home at Evans’ Spring Hill Farm in Virginia and was first sent to the prosperous sire Gone West. Raging Fever has not yet produced a stakes winner, but if her pedigree is any indication, it would be no surprise if she did.

In November of 2011, the complete dispersal of the deceased Edward P. Evans’ estate continued at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. Raging Fever, her full sister in Last Fever, and her 2011 Smart Strike filly were offered at the sale. Last Fever sold for $65,000 to Elaine Lawlor, Raging Fever’s 2011 filly sold for $1,000,000 to Stonestreet Stables & George Bolton, and Raging Fever – in foal to Quality Road – sold for $725,000 to R.J. Bennett, agent.

Raging Fever may never have been presented with an Eclipse Award, but she is still a champion. As I said in my blog post To See a Champion, “a champion is any horse that has accomplished great things.” Raging Fever is not just a champion for winning three grade ones or for being royally bred, but she is a champion for enduring hardships while still maintaining an impressive race record. Perhaps she will not be the broodmare she was expected to be, or perhaps she will someday produce a champion. Nevertheless, Raging Fever was bred to be a star and she accomplished just that.

Raging Fever
Photo by Terri Cage

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Derby Hopeful: El Padrino

Several “wise guy” horses emerge along the Kentucky Derby trail each year. One of the first ones to arise on the 2012 trail to the Run for the Roses is El Padrino. He has certainly appeared to be a top Derby contender and currently ranks sixth on my top ten list.

El Padrino debuted on August 20, 2011 at Saratoga over a fast track in a seven-furlong maiden special weight, in which the chestnut colt closed gamely to finish second by three-quarters of a length. He found the winner’s circle about two months later at Belmont Park after remarkably winning a one-mile maiden special weight over a sloppy track. In that race, he settled off the pace before striking to the lead and galloping to a 12 ¾-length victory.

Trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Let’s Go Stable then ran the colt in the Remsen Stakes (GII) at Aqueduct, in which the colt found a position off the frontrunners before being asked for run by John Velazquez around the far turn. Down the stretch, it didn’t appear as if El Padrino would gain any ground on the leaders, but once he was angled out in deep stretch, he seemed to find a gear and rallied to finish third before galloping out ahead of the others.

He made his sophomore debut on January 29, 2012, coming from off the pace to score by 2 lengths over a sealed track labeled ‘good.’ Impressively, he strode past the talented, graded stakes-placed Take Charge Indy to finish the mile and one-sixteenth allowance optional claiming in a final time of 1:42.68. The mile split (1:36.28) was just .11 seconds slower than stablemate Algorithms’ final time in the one-mile Holy Bull Stakes (GIII).

El Padrino is expected to make his next start in the Risen Star Stakes (GII) at Fair Grounds Race Course on February 25, in which he could face Mr. Bowling, winner of the Lecomte Stakes (GIII).

El Padrino’s pedigree hints that he will certainly be able to handle the ten-furlong Derby distance, as he is by A.P. Indy’s outstanding son, Pulpit, and out of a Giant’s Causeway mare. Both his sire and dam side should allow El Padrino to attain the distances of the Triple Crown races.

A.P. Indy, of course, won the 1992 Belmont Stakes (GI, 12F) and Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI, 10F) and was by the Triple Crown-winning Seattle Slew. Pulpit, El Padrino’s sire, produced Essence of Dubai, who won the U.A.E Derby (GII) when it was competed at the distance of 2,000 meters (about ten furlongs) and the Super Derby (GII, 9F). Pulpit is also the sire of Rutherienne, winner of the Del Mar Oaks (GI, 9F), and Ice Box, winner of the Florida Derby (GI, 9F) and runner-up in the Kentucky Derby.

The dam of El Padrino, Enchanted Rock, is by the 2000 European Horse of the Year in Giant’s Causeway, who won at the distance of ten furlongs several times and has produced horses capable of winning distance races. For example, he has produced Giant Oak: winner of the Clark Handicap (GI, 9F) and Donn Handicap (GI, 9F), runner-up in the Washington Park Handicap (GIII, 9.5F) and Hawthorne Gold Cup (GII, 10F), and third-place finisher in the Breeders' Cup Marathon (GII, 14F). Other horses Giant’s Causeway has sired include Delaware Handicap (GII, 10F) winner, Swift Temper, and winner of the Santa Anita Handicap (GI, 10F), Heatseeker.

El Padrino’s fourth dam, Remedia, is a Reine De Course mare who produced the grade one-winning dam of Chic Shirine – winner of the Ashland Stakes (GI, 8.5F) – and the three-time grade one-winning 1991 Champion Older Female, Queena. Queena in turn produced Brahms – victor of the River City Handicap (GIII, 9F) and the Early Times Hollywood Derby (GI, 9F), La Reina – winner of the Tempted Stakes (GIII, 8F), and Olympic, winner of the ten-furlong Mataji Stakes. Chic Shirine was the dam of Tara Roma, winner of the Ladies Handicap (GII, 10F).

El Padrino hails from female family thirteen, the same family from which Sinndar – winner of the Epsom Derby (GI, 2423 meters), the Irish Derby Stakes (GI, 2414 meters), and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (GI, 2400 meters) – descends from. Another remarkable descendant of this family is the 1977 Triple Crown winner, Seattle Slew.

El Padrino also possesses the conformation of a top racehorse, having a long and slender neck that ties in extremely well to his shoulder, which is quite powerful. Though his shoulder could have a more sloping angle to it, it is still angled well enough to allow him to be very evenly balanced. He is very strong through the loin, having a short, sturdy topline. His croup is rounded and long, tying smoothly into his defined gaskins. This allows him to move with drive and impulsion, therefore having a long stride. He is also quite structurally correct, possessing short, strong cannon bones and angular pasterns.

This colt has every aspect of a top Derby contender with his impressive conformation and pedigree, and his performances on the track enforce this. Should he continue his classy performances, El Padrino could very well be on the way to stardom.


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Agave Kiss: One Sensational Filly

Many horses are criticized for running solely against state-bred company, no matter how dominant they are. Agave Kiss faced criticism of the same sort after her first two starts, but as of Saturday, she no longer has to face that denunciation.

In her first start, I watched on HRTV as the stunning chestnut filly dominated a field of New York-bred juvenile fillies on New York Showcase Day in her debut. After leading from start to finish, the daughter of Lion Heart drew away from the field, crossing the wire 6 ¼ lengths ahead of the others despite the fact that jockey Ryan Curatolo was barely asking her.

She made her next start at the beginning of December, appearing in a six-furlong allowance for state-bred juvenile fillies. Yet again, she never looked back and led from start to finish to win by 10 ½ lengths.

I was very excited about the filly. I knew she had only been running against state-bred company, but as dominant as she was against New York-breds, it seemed as if she definitely had a shot at being competitive against open company.

She made that leap in her three-year-old debut, which was the Ruthless Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday. Over six furlongs on the inner track, Agave Kiss led from start to finish and yet again, she did not stop there. She accelerated under Curatolo, drawing away in hand to win by 3 ¼ lengths.

By Haskell Invitational Handicap (GI) and Hollywood Futurity (GI) winner and Kentucky Derby (GI) runner-up, Lion Heart, and out of the stakes-winning Salty Romance, Agave Kiss is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Luxury Appeal. Of the three foals bred on the same cross as Agave Kiss (Salt Lake mares bred to Lion Heart), all three have been winners. Together, the three have earned $139,036.

Agave Kiss is now a perfect three-for-three with a total winning margin of 20 lengths. With only three starts under her belt, Agave Kiss is obviously very inexperienced. Just imagine how good she could be with even more experience.


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In Awe of Feather

With some paragraphs drawn from “Waiting for an Awesome Return”

When Zenyatta was retired, I felt a void in my heart. I needed another “big” horse to cheer for. I had Blind Luck, but I was still searching for another horse. That’s when it occurred to me that I already had that horse. It was Awesome Feather.

I first heard of the filly in her final prep for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI), the Florida Stallion My Dear Girl Stakes. She won that race by an incredible eight and one-quarter lengths, running her record to a perfect five-for-five.

Awesome Feather battling R Heat Lightning before
drawing clear to win the 2010 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
Photo: Terri Cage

In person, I witnessed Awesome Feather win the Juvenile Fillies beneath the Twin Spires. It was one of my favorite races of the 2010 Breeders’ Cup and she had me cheering her name all the way down the stretch. Little did I know, I had found my “big” horse.

After being sold for $2.3 million to Adena Springs (Frank Stronach), she was transferred to Chad Brown’s stable.  Just days before being named Eclipse Champion Two-Year-Old Filly, it was announced that Awesome Feather had an issue with a tendon and was sidelined for an unknown amount of time. By February, she was walking under tack and by the end of the month, she returned to jogging. She returned to the work tab on May 24, breezing three furlongs at Belmont Park in 36.78. She breezed four more times until some minor issues appeared.

After two more months off, Awesome Feather returned to the work tab yet again. Her return came in the Le Slew Stakes at Belmont Park, in which the stunning bay filly defeated four other females by two lengths under her regular rider, Jeffrey Sanchez. The final time for seven furlongs was 1:22.76.

Despite talk that the champion filly would run in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (GI), her connections decided to bypass that race and point toward the Gazelle Stakes (GI) at Aqueduct the weekend after Thanksgiving instead. I applaud them for that decision, as racing fans were in for a treat.

Coming around the final turn, Awesome Feather loomed large to the outside of Love and Pride. Under brisk urging from Sanchez, Awesome Feather drew clear, crossing the wire an easy five and one-quarter lengths ahead of the others. With that win, she earned her second grade one victory and boosted her record to a flawless eight-for-eight. As they came down the stretch, my heart beat with joy, my eyes lit up, and I bounced up and down. I am in awe of Awesome Feather.


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