Juvenile Spotlight 9/17/12

Revolutionary (9/3): For the first time ever, a horse that has not yet won a race is being featured in a Juvenile Spotlight. That horse is Revolutionary, who debuted on closing day at Saratoga. After a terrible start, the favorite suffered an unfortunate trip and despite his rough expedition, he closed to finish an impressive third. By the late champion War Pass, Revolutionary is out of a grade one-winning A.P. Indy mare, Runup the Colors. This beautifully bred colt is full of potential.

Tizracer (9/8): Fourth in his debut, Tizracer had better luck in his second start, leading from start to finish in a one-mile maiden special weight at Belmont Park. The race clearly belonged to him, as he drew off to a 10 ½-length victory. The final time of 1:38.38 was uninspiring, but understandable considering the headwind. By Tizracer and out of a graded stakes-placed sprinting daughter of Elusive Quality, this colt is an example of breeding speed to stamina. It will be interesting to see what his future holds.

She’s On Parade (9/9): Debuting at Arlington Park, She’s On Parade found a position just off the lead, remaining with the frontrunners throughout the race. Despite She’s Lit Up’s generous lead on the field as the fillies turned for home, She’s On Parade kicked into gear to overtake the leader down the homestretch, galloping to a 3 ½-length victory. By Fusaichi Pegasus and out of a Storm Cat mare, this filly is bred for success.

Quinzieme Monarque (9/15): This colt’s career got off to a slow start, as he finished fourth in his first two career starts, which came at Saratoga. But when he made his third start – this time at Belmont – Quinzieme Monarque found the winner’s circle after closing from the back of the pack in a mile and one-sixteenth turf maiden special weight to score by 4 ¾ lengths. By Rock Hard Ten and out of a Giant’s Causeway mare, this colt appears to be bred for versatility.

Rose to Gold (9/15): This filly made her first career start in the Lindsay Frolic Stakes last month at Calder, romping by 13 lengths. Coming off that brilliant performance, Rose to Gold dominated the Brave Raj Stakes at Calder on Saturday by 13 ½ lengths. It remains to be seen what she can do outside of listed stakes at Calder, but look what Awesome Feather accomplished after a path of that sort. By Friends Lake and out of a Tabasco Cat mare, Rose to Gold is likely to not only continue to be successful, but be able to stretch out.

Juvenile Spotlight: Brown Almighty

Among the most popular horses of the past decade, Big Brown was a spectacular racehorse, winning the Kentucky Derby (GI) and Preakness Stakes (GI) in impressive fashion en route to a divisional championship title. He retired to Three Chimneys Farm, joining a strong stallion roster. Hopes of the champion becoming a top sire soared, but like any other new sire, doubt was involved.

The dual classic-winning son of Boundary has quickly begun erasing that doubt. So far, Big Brown has sired three winners from his first crop: Ruby Brown, Brown Eyes Blue, and Brown Almighty.

The latter debuted at Arlington Park this past Saturday, going to post in one-mile maiden special weight for juveniles over a firm turf course. Breaking well from the third gate, the chestnut settled into third behind the leaders as the two-year-olds rounded the first turn. With Francisco Torres – who won four races on the card – aboard, Brown Almighty remained in third, but gained on the leader, Wild Slew, down the backstretch.

Brown Almighty appeared trapped behind horses as the field turned for home, remaining behind rivals as the wire grew closer. However, Torres found room for the blaze-faced two-year-old, sending him in between horses. The son of Big Brown accelerated beautifully, galloping to an easy 1 ¾-length victory for trainer Tim Ice, who trained 2009 Champion Three-Year-Old Male Summer Bird.

A member of the first crop of a young sire showing serious potential to become a very effective stallion, Brown Almighty looks to further endorse Big Brown’s success as a sire. The indicators exist that Big Brown will continue to be successful, as he is a grandson of the great sire Danzig, who produced such sires as Chief’s Crown, Danehill, Exchange Rate, Langfuhr, and War Chant. In addition, Big Brown’s damsire, Nureyev, is the broodmare sire of such outstanding stallions as Kingmambo and Zabeel.

Brown Almighty’s dam is the black-type-placed Gone Goodbye, whose only other runner is Shea Goodbye, a winning filly who finished fourth in the New York Stallion Series Stakes. Gone Goodbye’s sire is Gone for Real, a graded stakes-winning sire who stands stud in New Zealand. Notably, Gone for Real is a son of Gone West, who is the broodmare sire of such grade one winners as Awesome Feather, Brilliant Speed, Game Face, Healthy Addiction, Motivator, and Union Rags.

Brown Almighty is a member of female family twenty, which is the same female family that includes the champions Alysheba, Royal Delta, and War Emblem.

This talented young colt should not be classified as solely a turf horse. After all, his sire dominantly took a turf maiden at Saratoga in his career debut prior to winning four grade ones on dirt. Perhaps his pedigree is not absolutely spectacular other than his quickly blossoming sire, but Brown Almighty could certainly become one of his sire’s best offspring, as I believe the best of this colt is yet to come.

Remember to like Past the Grandstand on Facebook and follow Past the Grandstand on Twitter! Links can be found on the right side of the blog.

Derby Hopeful: Take Charge Indy

With wins in the Alcibiades Stakes (GII), the Silverbulletday Stakes (GIII), the Fair Grounds Oaks (GII), and the Ashland Stakes (GI) under her belt, the bay daughter of Dehere loaded into the starting gate for the prestigious Kentucky Oaks (GI) as the favorite. But it was a 20-1 shot that upset the field, leaving the favorite 1 ¼ lengths behind.

Nonetheless, the Oaks favorite continued to be successful in graded stakes races, triumphing in the Dogwood Stakes (GIII), the Spinster Stakes (GI) twice, and the Arlington Matron Handicap (GIII). With $2,480,377 in earnings, Take Charge Lady retired.

Over four years after her final race, the mare was bred to the great sire A.P. Indy. The result of this mating was Take Charge Indy, who made his racing debut as a juvenile at the end of July of 2011 at Arlington Park, going six furlongs over the synthetic surface at the Illinois track. After rating off the pace, Take Charge Indy took command late in the race to draw away to a 6 ½-length win.

He started next in the Arlington-Washington Futurity (GIII), falling a length short to Shared Property after coming from off the pace. Behind Take Charge Indy were the future winners of one grade three and two ungraded stakes races.

Take Charge Indy then took on a tough field at Keeneland in the Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity (GI), settling off the leaders before gamely trying to catch them in the homestretch. However, he did not have the needed acceleration in the stretch and finished fourth behind the future Blue Grass Stakes (GI)-winning half-brother to Mine That Bird in Dullahan, the graded stakes-winning Majestic City, and the multiple graded stakes-placed Optimizer. He defeated a deep cast, however, finishing ahead of two graded stakes winners.

His performances as a two-year-old were enough to convince trainer Patrick Byrne and owners Chuck and Maribeth Sandford to send the colt to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI). Running mid-pack, Take Charge Indy settled along the rail with dead aim on Hansen. Despite willingly trying to chase the leaders around the far turn and into the homestretch, Take Charge Indy yet again lacked the needed kick and was nailed by Dullahan at the wire, finishing fifth behind Hansen, Union Rags, Creative Cause, and Dullahan. Despite being beaten by over 5 lengths, Take Charge Indy defeated runners that had altogether won or would go on to win six graded stakes and seven ungraded stakes, as well as horses that had placed or would go on to place in nine graded stakes and one ungraded stakes in total.

Take Charge Indy’s sophomore debut came in a mile and one-sixteenth allowance optional claiming over a sealed track at Gulfstream Park. That day, however, he contested against the graded stakes-placed and future graded stakes-winning El Padrino. The son of Take Charge Lady pressed the pace before El Padrino swept past him, leaving him 2 lengths behind. It was clear that Take Charge Indy was much better than the rest of the group, however, as he finished 13 ¾ lengths clear of the third-place finisher.

Take Charge Indy
Photo: Terri Cage

Take Charge Indy did not race for two months, but when he returned, it came in Florida’s premier Run for the Roses prep, the Florida Derby (GI). For the first time, Take Charge Indy set the pace, posting steady fractions. Despite the fact that he had the brilliant grade one-winning Union Rags and El Padrino after him, Take Charge Indy dug in beneath three-time Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Calvin Borel to score by a length.

Many worry about Take Charge Indy’s running style, afraid that his early speed will take too much of a toll on him, especially with horses like Bodemeister, Hansen, and Trinniberg slated to run. However, Take Charge Indy has made most of his starts with a stalking style and when he did set the pace, the fractions were certainly not overwhelming fast. The colt could definitely settle off the pace in the Kentucky Derby.

Just by glancing at his parents, you know Take Charge Indy is beautifully bred. If you dig a little deeper, you will be even more impressed by his bloodlines. Not only is his sire, A.P. Indy, a stamina-influencing champion sire and his dam a multiple grade one winner, but Take Charge Indy’s damsire is Dehere, who is also the broodmare sire of the champion sprinter Midnight Lute, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GII)-winning More Than Real, the graded stakes-winning First Passage, and the multiple graded stakes-winning Friesan Fire – who is bred on the same A.P. Indy/Dehere cross as Take Charge Indy. When crossed with sires of Secretariat descent, Dehere mares have produced a total of fourteen stakes winners.

Take Charge Indy is inbred 3 X 4 to the great Secretariat, tracing back to him through A.P. Indy’s dam – the great Weekend Surprise – and through Dehere’s dam. Inbreeding to Secretariat appears in the pedigrees of several grade one winners, including Bluegrass Cat, D’Wildcat, Sky Mesa, and Speightstown. Prominent sires such as Bold Ruler, Northern Dancer, and Turn-To, as well as the great mare Somethingroyal, appear frequently in Take Charge Indy’s bloodlines.

The 2012 Florida Derby winner descends from female family twenty-two, which not only yielded the great champions Blushing Groom and Goldikova, but also the Derby victors Count Turf and Street Sense.

Take Charge Indy will need to run the best race he’s ever run in his life in the Kentucky Derby, but should he live up to his pedigree, Take Charge Indy would give A.P. Indy his first Kentucky Derby winner near the end of the line of the great sire’s progeny’s racing days. This colt is clearly gifted, but the field he is slated to face is not an easy one to compete against. He’ll need to settle off the leaders and provide great acceleration in the stretch, but if any jockey can ride a Derby winner, it’s Calvin Borel.


Remember to like Past the Grandstand on Facebook and follow Past the Grandstand on Twitter! Links can be found on the right side of the blog.

The Return of the Kingdom

Maiden Special Weight, Arlington Park, 9/18/10: “Animal Kingdom is pulled wide…Animal Kingdom stays on...Willcox Inn wins going away from Animal Kingdom.”

Maiden Special Weight, Keeneland, 10/23/10: “Animal Kingdom and Robby Albarado kicking on past the sixteenth pole…Animal Kingdom, the odds-on favorite, will take it.”

Allowance Optional Claiming, Gulfstream Park, 3/03/11: “Animal Kingdom coming again on the outside! Powhatan County holds on.”

Vinery Racing Spiral (GIII), Turfway Park, 3/26/11: “But it is Animal Kingdom now drawing away. He’ll win the Vinery Racing Spiral by two.”

Kentucky Derby (GI), Churchill Downs, 5/07/11: “And Animal Kingdom is pouncing late under John Velazquez. It’s now Animal Kingdom on the outside who goes to the lead for John Velazquez and he’s going clear by two lengths and running to the line. Animal Kingdom wins the Derby!”

Preakness Stakes (GI), Pimlico, 5/21/11: “Animal Kingdom’s in about the six path and beginning to close relentlessly on the far outside…Animal Kingdom on the outside begins to roar home. Animal Kingdom and Shackleford’s got the lead. Shackleford, Animal Kingdom reaching on the outside. Shackleford is doing it, Jesus Castanon a half from Animal Kingdom.”

Belmont Stakes (GI), Belmont Park, 6/11/11: “No, Animal Kingdom almost lost John Velazquez at the break! Animal Kingdom almost lost John Velazquez and he’s out of the irons there in the early stages of the race…And Animal Kingdom is still last and he’s far behind the field, but he’s closer than he was. He’s about twelve lengths behind Shackleford…And can Animal Kingdom make up this ground? He’s gaining ground…Animal Kingdom is on the far outside. Could he be this good? He’s down the middle of the track…Animal Kingdom won’t get there.”

These are parts of the race calls from all of Animal Kingdom’s races. It seems like a lot to go through for just seven starts, doesn’t it? The latter cost him the rest of the 2011 racing season. Since that dreadful June day, Animal Kingdom has not been spotted on the racing scene.

Let’s go back to Derby Day. I had picked Mucho Macho Man and Shackleford and was cheering for them, though it was Shackleford that had me screaming the loudest since I’d followed him since his maiden. However, I felt that about half the field had a decent chance. It was one of the most wide open Derbies I’d ever seen.

At the top of the stretch, it was Animal Kingdom that was coming on the strongest. The son of Leroidesanimaux went on to win by two and three-quarters lengths. Usually when a horse defeats one that I am a big fan of, especially in a race like the Derby, I am not very big fan of the winner. Yet the brilliance of Animal Kingdom was irresistible.

The way his ears pricked forward as he crossed the wire, the way he lit up the faces of his connections, and the way he carried himself reached through the television screen and into my heart. Animal Kingdom not only surpassed the top three-year-olds in the stretch, but he surpassed them in my heart as well. All it took was the final sixteenth of the Kentucky Derby for me to fall in love with Animal Kingdom.

I admit, Animal Kingdom wasn’t one of my top picks for the Kentucky Derby. I may have picked Drosselmeyer in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and told the pizza man to play Hansen in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, but I did not have the winner of the Derby this year. But I don’t care. Horse racing isn’t about the handicapping for me; it’s about the horses. That’s why I didn’t mind that Animal Kingdom won the Derby. It was obvious that the chestnut colt loved to race and his love for running was infectious to me.

I followed him closely after the Derby, reading updates on him daily. I had a good feeling about the horse and hoped he could end the Triple Crown drought.

Unfortunately, it was not to be. Shackleford, who I still loved dearly, defeated Animal Kingdom in the Preakness. There I was, devastated that Animal Kingdom had lost. You would think I’d be overjoyed that Shackleford had won, but I wasn’t. I’d wanted him to finish second and Animal Kingdom to win. Looking back now, I’m at ease with the results, but at the time, I had Triple Crown hopes pinned on Animal Kingdom and they had been shattered.

Leading up to the Belmont, I was hoping that Animal Kingdom could punch a Triple Crown double. I wanted him to become the first horse since Thunder Gulch in 1995 to pull off a win in both the Derby and the Belmont. With his practically European pedigree that hinted that he would love the mile and one-half distance of the Belmont, it looked as if Animal Kingdom had a good chance to do so.

Those chances were crushed when the Graham Motion trainee was impeded at the start, causing him to lose his footing. As a result, John Velazquez lost a stirrup and was nearly launched from the saddle before regaining his balance. The race was over from there, though Animal Kingdom tried valiantly. He could have given up and remained the trailer, but instead he rallied with all his might to finish sixth in the slop.

However, his brave effort resulted in a season-ending injury. Shortly after the Belmont, a slab fracture in Animal Kingdom’s left hind leg was detected. To compress the fracture, he thereafter had two screws surgically inserted at the New Bolton Center, which is possibly most famous to racing fans for being the veterinary clinic where Barbaro was treated.

After resting after his surgery, Animal Kingdom began being led at a walk around the shedrow. In September, the Derby winner began exercising on an aquatred, which is a water treadmill for horses. For a month, Animal Kingdom exercised on the aquatred. It was then time for him to begin being ridden by a rider again. Though at the time he was only ridden along the shedrow at a walk, it was a huge step in his recovery.

Animal Kingdom exercised on the aquatred and jogged under saddle for about a month. On the Monday after the Breeders’ Cup, the winner of the Run for the Roses returned to galloping. Judging by how he looked in the video of his first gallop back, the chestnut colt appeared alert and happy to be running again. He still exhibited the class that draws me to him. He has a lot of catching up to do, but he is one of the classiest horses I’ve ever seen.

Animal Kingdom’s connections have set a big goal for him: the 2012 Dubai World Cup (GI). With ten million dollars on the line for one race, an international night of racing, and talented horses from all around the world, March 31, 2012 seems like it will be a great day. Only one Kentucky Derby winner, Silver Charm, has ever won the Dubai World Cup. With the extreme class Animal Kingdom possesses, it wouldn’t surprise me if that changed. Let’s all pray for him to continue to recover so well and to come back healthy and strong. This could be the horse that horse racing needs.

Remember to like Past the Grandstand on Facebook and follow Past the Grandstand on Twitter! Links can be found on the right side of the blog.

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf

Last year, we saw a huge upset in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf when Shared Account won at 46-1. It’s a turf race at the Breeders’ Cup, so it will surely provide the classic international turf battle. Will we see another long shot win or will it be one of these four? Will the Americans be able to stand up for themselves?

Here are my top four picks for the Filly & Mare Turf:

1. Stacelita: Stacelita’ s first start in the United States was a tall task, as she faced the males in a grade one race. She finished third to Teaks North and Chinchon in the United Nations Stakes (GI). Then it was her time to shine on American turf. She won the prestigious Beverly D. Stakes (GI) at Arlington Park on Arlington Million Day, defeating the most talented American turf females impressively. On a yielding turf course at Belmont Park on October 1, the daughter of four-time leading German sire Monsun easily won the Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes (GI).

The Chad Brown trainee has been training over the Belmont inner turf course and though many of her works haven’t been very flashy on paper, I’ve noticed a pattern in several of her last works: slow work, fast work, slow work, fast work, slow work. I’m not worried at all about her training regimen, as Chad Brown definitely knows what he’s doing.

Since Midday will likely be Stacelita’s top rival in the Breeders’ Cup, it should be pointed out that Stacelita finished second to Midday last year in the Nassau Stakes (GI) at Goodwood. Yes, she lost to Midday, but that was last year and this is this year. It helps that Stacelita is coming into the BC with 2 consecutive victories. Midday, on the other hand, is coming into the BC with 2 consecutive losses. Stacelita may have started out as a European, but she is an American now and she is America’s best shot at winning the Filly & Mare Turf.

2. Midday: Her performance in her final prep for the Breeders’ Cup, the Champion Stakes (GI), in which she finished fourth, was quite flat. Of course, she had to travel wide and cover a lot of ground, but it was not the Midday we’re used to seeing. Before the Champion Stakes, she hadn’t finished worse than third since November of 2008, when she ran in her first stakes as a two-year-old.

However, Midday is always dangerous. She has an impressive record in this race, as she won it in 2009 and finished a close second last year. If she wins this year, she will become just the second horse to win the race twice (the first was Ouija Board). I believe it will be a tougher task for her this year with a stronger American line-up and tough Europeans, but as mentioned, Midday is always dangerous.

3. Dubawi Heights: This filly, bred in Great Britain, also has plenty of European ties. She made her first six starts on that continent, but has since raced primarily in southern California for the Simon Callaghan barn. She has not finished worse than second this year. In fact, her only loss came to Stacelita, in which she finished second in the Beverly D.

After two consecutive graded stakes wins at Hollywood Park, including the Gamely Stakes (GI), Dubawi Heights finished behind Stacelita in the Beverly D. She returned to southern California, winning the Yellow Ribbon Stakes (GI) at Santa Anita while holding off Cozi Rosie.

Her two works after her Yellow Ribbon victory have been impressive. Traveling a half-mile on October 15 over the Santa Anita dirt surface, Dubawi Heights worked in 47.60. A week later, she turned in 59.80 for five furlongs. She is definitely talented and training well, but I’m not sure if she can catch the top two.

4. Cozi Rosie: Maybe she’s just a sentimental favorite and that’s why she’s landed in fourth, but I think this filly has a huge amount of potential on the turf course, especially if it comes up firm. She has not finished off the board this year and has turned in a good performance each time. As a closer, she’ll likely enjoy the extra ground. Her recent works hint that she is building up stamina, as her last five works have been at either five furlongs, six furlongs, seven furlongs, or a mile. The Breeders’ Cup will certainly provide her with the toughest competition she’s ever faced, but she always tries hard.

Honorable Mentions:
Nahrain: She’s undefeated in four starts and coming off a group one win. I think that speaks for itself.
Announce: She finished second to Nahrain by a nose and was closing fast. This filly is classy and consistent: a deadly combination.

*Update (10/26): Midday is now likely going in the Turf against the males rather than the Filly & Mare Turf.
*Update (10/29): Cozi Rosie is out.

Remember to like Past the Grandstand on Facebook and follow Past the Grandstand on Twitter! Links can be found on the right side of the blog.