Juvenile Spotlight: Jocosity and Fortify

The Distorted Humor sire line has proven to be a very productive one. Not only has it provided us with numerous grade one victors, but it has given us two of the most impressive maiden winners at the Saratoga meet yet in Jocosity and Fortify. Both two-year-old colts dominated their races, coasting to imposing victories and instilling racing fans with hope that they could be future superstars.

Jocosity

Yet Todd Pletcher juvenile to win in remarkable fashion at Saratoga, Jocosity dominated a two-year-old maiden special weight at the Spa on Friday, August 3. Though his name relates to humor, there was nothing humorous regarding his impressive victory on Friday. With his win, Jocosity displayed that he could very well join the likes of the champions Big Brown and Uncle Mo – horses that strikingly broke their maidens at Saratoga prior to becoming a champion. Those are large shoes to fill for Jocosity, but he could certainly become a top racehorse.

Jocosity broke extremely sharply, going immediately to the lead beneath John Velazquez. With his outside post, Jocosity was forced to race wider than the others, but stayed near the lead as the juveniles continued down the backstretch. First-time starter Judge Wiley pressured him from the inside, but by the time a quarter of a blistering 21.79 had been set, Jocosity had opened up a one-length advantage that was widening.

As Velazquez remained stationary aboard him, the bay colt approached the homestretch with a blossoming lead on the six others. As Jocosity neared the conclusion of the far turn, Solis glanced behind him to evaluate the advancement of their rivals. But there were no real threats.

Velazquez set down on him as they reached the stretch, but it was only a learning experience for Jocosity. The others had no chance. Despite running a tad greenly, Jocosity continued to open up on the field, sailing to the wire with ease. Crossing the wire 7 ½ lengths in front, Jocosity posted an impressive final time of 1:02.85 – just 0.34 seconds off the track record.

Prior to breaking his maiden, Jocosity had contested twice – both starts coming twice over Woodbine’s all-weather track. In his first start, which came this June in a four and one-half-furlong maiden special weight, Jocosity did not come away from the gate well, breaking inward abruptly. He sat off of the pace set by Bear’s Fur while racing wide and was unable to catch that horse in the stretch, finishing second by 1 ½ lengths.

Interestingly, Jocosity already has stakes experience. In his second start, the colt finished second in the Clarendon Stakes at Woodbine in a trip that saw him stumble and come in contact with another horse at the start. Despite the troubled he endured, Jocosity crossed the wire in second. The fact that Jocosity’ s connections had enough confidence in her ability to send him into a stakes race in just his second start and before he had even won is very encouraging.

Not only has Jocosity been impressive on the track, but he is remarkably bred as well. Bred on a cross similar to that on which the graded stakes winners Cowtown Cat and Shumoos were bred, Jocosity has a pedigree fit for a gifted Thoroughbred.

Jocosity’s sire is Sharp Humor, a graded stakes-winning son of Distorted Humor who came within a half-length of defeating the late, great Barbaro in the Florida Derby (GI). In his rather young career, Sharp Humor has sired the graded stakes-winning Hero of Order, as well as such black-type winners as Angelica Zapata, Glint, Mildly Offensive, and Princess Cecilia. Sharp Humor’s sire, Distorted Humor, is one of the best sires in the nation, being last year’s leading sire in North America and the sire of such grade one winners as Commentator, Don Dandy, Drosselmeyer, Flower Alley, Funny Cide, Hystericalady, and Pathfork.

Sobhy’s Gal, Jocosity’s young unraced dam, has also produced the winning filly Tell Her. Her own dam produced Miss Lola, an earner of over $175,000 who contested in three stakes races. The sire of Sobhy’s Gal is Stormy Atlantic, a son of the great Storm Cat. Though relatively new as a damsire, Stormy Atlantic’s future in that department looks bright, as Storm Cat is the broodmare sire of the champions Folklore and Speightstown.

The sire of Jocosity’s second dam is Carson City, the broodmare sire of Barbaro and Havre de Grace. Jocosity is a descendant of the prolific female family four, which has produced the Triple Crown winners Assault and Gallant Fox, as well as the champions Proud Spell, Real Quiet, and Zenyatta.

Perhaps Jocosity’s jaw-dropping maiden victory on Friday was an indication of what the future holds, or maybe we will never see the same brilliance from him again. But with what he has shown on the track thus far, combined with his excellent pedigree, Jocosity could become an intimidating top racehorse that thrills and delights racing fans with his performances. Only time will tell.

Fortify

A regally bred colt, this Darley homebred is a son of Distorted Humor, who, as aforementioned, is the sire of such grade one winners as Commentator, Don Dandy, Drosselmeyer, Flower Alley, Funny Cide, Hystericalady, and Pathfork. Distorted Humor has been ranked as one of the top five leading sires on the continent six of the past seven years, peaking at number one last year.

Fortify’s dam is the English mare Kotuku, who is a result of the mating between the great A.P. Indy and the group one-winning highweight mare Flagbird. This makes Kotuku a full sister to the graded stakes-winning Anasheed, as well as a half-sister to the listed-placed horses Dubai Belle and Marhoob. Flagbird is a daughter of the Reine De Course mare Up the Flagpole, the graded stakes-winning dam of three grade/group one winners, one grade two winner, and four stakes winners. Interestingly, one of those grade one winners is Prospectors Delite, the dam of the champion Mineshaft and the grade one winner Tomisue’s Delight.

Up the Flagpole herself is a daughter of a Reine De Course mare in The Garden Club, who also produced the multiple graded stakes-winning Nostalgia, the stakes-winning Blushing Cathy. This dam line is full of Reine De Course mares, as it is the Baby League branch of the La Troienne dam line. La Troienne, one of the greatest broodmares of all-time, can be found in the dam lines of such horses as the Kentucky Derby winners Go for Gin, Sea Hero, Smarty Jones, and Super Saver, as well as the champions Busher, Caerleon, Easy Goer, Folklore, Mineshaft, Pleasant Tap, Prairie Bayou, Princess Rooney, Rhythm, and Woodman.

Fortify’s broodmare sire, A.P. Indy, only adds to the excellence of this colt’s pedigree. The son of the great Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew has yielded the dams of many top racehorses, including such grade one winners as Bluegrass Cat, Mr. Sidney, Plum Pretty, Royal Delta, Super Saver, and Wait a While. A.P. Indy has been among the top twenty-five damsires on the continent for the past six years, peaking at number four last year.

Fortify’s spectacular pedigree shone through on Saturday, August 4 when he made his debut at Saratoga. Going six and one-half furlongs over the dirt, Fortify was restless in the gate, but broke well, joining a contingent that went to the lead. He took the lead for a short moment, but Boss Man Rocket – the only horse with experience in the eight-horse field – shot up his inside, leading the way as the two-year-olds raced down the backstretch.

Fortify settled beneath Joe Bravo, allowing Boss Man Rocket to lengthen his advantage to a length and one-half as an initial quarter of 21.73 was recorded. The Darley homebred loomed on Boss Man Rocket’s outside, overtaking him as the far turn began. As Bravo sat still aboard him, Fortify commanded the field as the track began to curve. Nearing the conclusion of the turn, Bravo began to urge the bay colt he was aboard, keeping several lengths between his colt and the others as they swept into the homestretch.

With a half-mile time of 44.93 appearing on the toteboard, Fortify galloped into the homestretch with overwhelming ease and dominance, frolicking down the straightaway while the others failed to keep up with him. Bravo kept to work aboard him, but Fortify had the race in hand, galloping to a 5 ½-length victory, leaving racing fans commending his debut as excitement grew within them regarding this colt’s future.

Fortify certainly has future superstar stamped next him in my books. With one of the most impressive, regal pedigrees you could come across and a debut that could not have been much more remarkable, Fortify is a name racing fans should get used to saying, hearing, and reading about. I could rave not only about his bloodlines all day long, but also his racing talent. Though just a two-year-old with only one race under his belt, this Kiaran McLaughlin trainee is a special Thoroughbred.

I'll Have Another Keeps Hopes Alive in Preakness

I'll Have Another alongside Lava Man
Photo by Julie June Stewart

He'd won the most prestigious race in the world, had worn the coveted garland of red roses before the Twin Spires, and had become the only horse with the chance to win the Triple Crown as the Preakness Stakes (GI) approached. Yet Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another did not receive the plethora of respect he deserved as the middle jewel of the Triple Crown grew closer. Derby runner-up, Bodemeister, was set as the morning line favorite due to his amazing performance in the Run for the Roses, leaving I'll Have Another as the second choice.

Breaking smoothly from the ninth gate under Mario Gutierrez before yet another record crowd (there was a record crowd at this year's Kentucky Derby as well), I'll Have Another chased after Bodemeister as Creative Cause, Pretension, and Went the Day Well also rushed toward the front. As Went the Day Well checked going into the first turn, I’ll Have Another went wide around the curve, settling in fourth. While Bodemeister set a much more relaxed pace than he did in the Kentucky Derby, I’ll Have Another remained relaxed on the outside in a stalking position as the eleven Thoroughbreds galloped down the Pimlico backstretch.

Inching closer as the field grew closer to the far turn, I’ll Have Another remained comfortable beneath Gutierrez. Stalking in third after a half in 47.68 seconds, I’ll Have Another set his sights on Bodemeister and Creative Cause as the horses entered the final curve. With urging from his calm, cool, and collected twenty-five-year-old rider, I’ll Have Another began to accelerate around the far turn.

For a large part of the homestretch, the race appeared to be reminiscent of last year’s Preakness, in which the speedy Shackleford led the way down the stretch as Derby winner Animal Kingdom charged on the outside, only to miss by a half-length. However, I’ll Have Another continued to dig in, displaying his brilliance and determination as he ran down the magnificent Bodemeister. Though their noses became even in an electrifying battle in the final yards, I’ll Have Another continued to mow down the Derby runner-up and proceeded to win by a neck. Notably, the top pair left third-place finisher, Creative Cause, nine lengths behind.

Yet again, I’ll Have Another galloped out tremendously. This certainly implies that the colt will relish even more ground, as does his pedigree, considering he is a grandson of Distorted Humor – who sired 2010 Belmont winner Drosselmeyer.

I'll Have Another is the first horse since Big Brown in 2008 to approach the Belmont Stakes (GI) with a chance to win the Triple Crown, a feat that has not been accomplished since Affirmed captured the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes in 1978.

Interestingly, I'll Have Another shares many parallels with Affirmed. Both won the Santa Anita Derby (GI) en route to their Triple Crown journeys. Furthermore, both chestnut colts have young, rather unseasoned jockeys. In addition, both challenged a rival in the prestigious series. Affirmed's rivalry with Alydar is considered the greatest horse racing rivalry to ever exist, whereas I'll Have Another battled Bodemeister in the Derby and Preakness. Whether the two will continue that rivalry in the Belmont remains to be seen, but it is eerie how similar I'll Have Another's Triple Crown journey has been to Affirmed's.

Needless to say, the industry undoubtedly hopes that I'll Have Another will proceed to be similar to Affirmed. If he does, he will end the drought that the sport desperately needs to see conclude. And with four wins in just as many starts this year, I'll Have Another just may have forgotten how to lose.

Since I’ll Have Another was one of my featured “Derby Hopefuls,” you can read more about him here.




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Yet Another Pimlico Special Comeback

All that is left of them are their memories and their marks in the history books. We’ve let them slip through our fingers, becoming solely a part of history. They’ve become something that we can only reflect on and remember, rather than something we can look forward to. What are these lost treasures? They are the prestigious races filled with history that will never be run again.

Unfortunately, there are several of them. Our last memory of the Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap – a race that carries a roll of victors that includes Secretariat, Forego, Seattle Slew, Spectacular Bid, Slew o’ Gold, Chief’s Crown, and Turkoman – is  Java Gold rallying down the Belmont Park homestretch to take the ten-furlong race over Nostalgia’s Star, Polish Navy, Gulch, and Bordeaux Bob in 1987. The final time we saw a horse win the Flaming Stakes was in 2001, when Thunder Blitz concluded the race that saw such horses as Citation, Nashua, Bold Ruler, Northern Dancer, Buckpasser, Foolish Pleasure, Seattle Slew, Alydar, and Spectacular Bid capture a victory. Recently, we almost lost a race that boasted a list of winners that included War Admiral, Seabsicuit, Whirlaway, Twilight Tear, Assault, Citation, Tom Fool, Cigar, Skip Away, Real Quiet, Mineshaft, and Invasor – the Pimlico Special.

Rich in history, the most famous running of the Pimlico Special was the second installment of the race, which came in 1938 when Seabiscuit and War Admiral went to post in their legendary match race that resulted in the West Coast underdog capturing a victory. Since the initial time the race was run, fourteen Horse of the Years won the Pimlico Special during their championship campaigns.

Following Vertex’s win in 1958, the race appeared to be extinct. It was not contested for thirty more years, returning in 1988 as a handicap race won by the Belmont Stakes (GI) victor of 1987, Bet Twice. But the Pimlico Special, despite being won by five champions between 1988 and 2001, was not run in 2002 due to an issue with purse distribution. However, when it was renewed in 2003, it aided Mineshaft in his Horse of the Year campaign. Following three more editions of the Pimlico Special after Mineshaft’s victory, one of which was a win by 2006 Horse of the Year Invasor, the race experienced an absent year yet again for similar reasons as its nonexistence in 2002.

Prior to Friday, May 18, 2012, the Pimlico Special had only been run once since Invasor’s victory – when the grade one-winning Student Council captured the historic race in 2008. But continuously, as the Maryland racing industry struggled, the race was cancelled.

But on Friday, the race underwent another comeback. Technically it was the William Donald Schaefer Handicap (GIII) with a new name, as the Pimlico Special had previously been deprived of its graded status. Yet the legacy of the Pimlico Special continued on as it attracted a slew of ten very talented handicap horses, six of which had previously won at least one graded stakes race.

The race could not have been any more exciting. The Texas Mile (GIII)-winning Endorsement set an impressive pace while running without the anti-bleeder diuretic furosemide (Lasix/Salix). However, setting the pace took its toll on him and the son of Distorted Humor faltered in the final furlong as the multiple graded stakes-winning Alternation and the multiple grade one-placed Nehro surged past him.

The two dark-colored Thoroughbreds crossed the wire in a tight photo finish that saw Nehro give a runner-up performance that resulted in a very narrow loss for the third time in his career. While rallying remarkably on the outside, the 2011 Kentucky Derby runner-up missed by a nose to Alternation, who ran his winning streak to four wins in a row, three of which are graded stakes races.

Like Endorsement, Alternation is sired by Distorted Humor – who is the grandsire of the Kentucky Derby victor, I’ll Have Another. Now possessing four graded stakes wins, Alternation looks to add to the magnificent roll of victors of the historic Pimlico Special. His name is accompanied by the names of some of the greatest racehorses of all-time and his win is certainly one of the most exciting renditions of the Pimlico Special to ever be contested. Hopefully, it was just an indication of what is to come in the future of the race.

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Endorsement: Confirming It Is Possible

Endorsement, fresh off an impressive graded stakes victory, seemed to have a very reasonable chance to perform well. Like every other horse expected to run in the race, he had a shot at wearing the coveted garland of red roses while standing before the Twin Spires. But the Wednesday before the 2010 Kentucky Derby (GI) was run, the chestnut son of Distorted Humor was withdrawn from consideration for the race due to a displaced condylar fracture of his right front leg – an injury that would prevent him from racing for over a year and one-half.

Nearly twenty-one months after his three-length victory in the Sunland Derby (GIII), Endorsement finally returned to the races. His return came in a six-furlong allowance optional claiming over Gulfstream Park’s dirt surface, in which he was forwardly placed but could not catch the eventual winner and finished second. Following another runner-up finish in an allowance optional claiming at Gulfstream (this time at one mile), Endorsement broke through with a victory. Not only did he impressively win the mile and one-sixteenth allowance optional claiming at Gulfstream Park by 2 ¼ lengths, but he set a track record while doing so, running the clock to 1:42.35.

Endorsement after winning the Texas Mile
Photo by Mary Cage

Endorsement continued his rise on April 28 in the Texas Mile Stakes (GIII) at Lone Star Park. Forwardly placed, the robust chestnut settled behind the leaders beneath Robby Albarado as the field of ten galloped around the track. Rounding the far turn, the horse surged to the outside of the stakes-winning and graded stakes-placed California shipper, Canonize, and the multiple stakes-winning Lone Star veteran, Coyote Legend. Endorsement battled those two down the homestretch before galloping past Canonize with a sixteenth of a mile left to go. Once he made it to the front, Endorsement effortlessly coasted to a two-length victory under Albarado, who had ridden the horse brilliantly.

Notably, Endorsement contested in the Texas Mile without Salix (Lasix), the common diuretic used to prevent exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) – or bleeding in the airways of a horse’s lungs. The other nine horses that competed in the race ran on the anti-bleeding medication, and interestingly, Endorsement easily defeated them despite the fact that furosemide (Salix) has shown to be performance-enhancing.

When Endorsement was approaching the Triple Crown, he was owned by WinStar Farm, who ended up winning that year’s Kentucky Derby with Super Saver. At the time, Bill Casner was part of the partnership of WinStar Farm with Kenny Troutt, but in October of that year, the partnership was dissolved and Casner focused on his Casner Racing, whose silks display the green diamond with the initials KC scribed in white for Casner’s late daughter, Karri Casner, who tragically lost her life in a 2002 terrorist attack in Bali, Indonesia.

Casner is among those who believe in the prohibition of the use of furosemide. In fact, he contributed to The Blood-Horse of December 3, 2011 (No. 48, Page 3429), in which he wrote the article The Choice to Rebuild the Sport is Clear. In reference to banning Salix, Casner wrote, “Horses will run as well as they did before without Salix, and we will be in step with our global racing community. It is the right thing for the horse and for our industry.”

Pairing with trainer Eoin Harty, Casner has raced a plethora of horses without Salix and has been quite successful. These horses include Dubai World Cup (GI)-winning Well Armed’s full brother, Arm Force, who impressively won a maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park in February, and Right to Vote, a grade one-placed runner who earlier this year triumphed in an allowance optional claiming at Gulfstream.

The fact that horses like Endorsement are succeeding in graded stakes races gives hope that American Thoroughbreds can compete without being medicated with furosemide. This anti-bleeding medication is not used in other nations, which, of course, is one of many arguments that people like Casner use to push for the prohibition of Salix. Personally, I think we should search for ways to ban race-day medication and that organizations like Casner Racing are very important, persuasive, and supportive in the assistance of banning Salix and other medications.

According to the Blood-Horse online article KHRC to Discuss, But Not Vote on, Salix Plan, dated May 7, 2012, "The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission confirmed it will discuss but not take final action May 16 on a proposal for the three-year phase-out of race-day furosemide in graded and listed stakes." You can read the rest of the article, written by Tom LaMarra here.

As for Endorsement, the five-year-old horse is quickly returning to top form and should he keep improving, he could become one of the top handicap horses in the nation. Texas native Bill Casner even hinted after the race that the horse could certainly go on to bigger and better things.

An earner of half-a-million dollars, Endorsement is beautifully bred. His sire is WinStar Farm’s impressive stallion Distorted Humor, the sire of such horses as the Belmont Stakes (GI)- and Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI)-winning Drosselmeyer, the Kentucky Derby- and Preakness Stakes (GI)-winning Funny Cide, and the Travers Stakes (GI)-winning Flower Alley - who is the sire of Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another.

The sire power in Endorsement’s pedigree does not come to a halt there. His broodmare sire is the great A.P. Indy, one of the best horses to ever stand at stud in the United States. Extremely successful with his own offspring, he is also a very productive sire of sires and broodmare sire. Like his own damsire, the great Secretariat, A.P. Indy has proven himself to be a very successful broodmare sire, being the damsire of such horses as the champions Royal Delta and Wait a While, as well as the fellow grade one victors Any Given Saturday, Bluegrass Cat, Morning Line, Mr. Sidney, Plum Pretty, and Super Saver.

Endorsement is not lacking in his dam line, either. Descending from the same female family of many great horses, including Cigar, Northern Dancer, Point Given, and Secretariat, in female family two, Endorsement comes from a dam line full of Argentinian flair. His second through ninth dams are all Argentinian-bred mares, including his third dam, Chaldee. This chestnut granddaughter of Raise a Native was a group two-placed mare who produced four group one winners – two of which were champions – and a multiple group stakes-winning runner. Endorsement’s second dam, one of those champions, was transferred to the United States when her racing career was over, where she produced Endorsement’s dam, the multiple graded stakes-placed Charmed Gift, who was ironically ridden by Robby Albarado in seven of her fifteen starts.

The appearance of the names Distorted Humor and A.P. Indy are not just “pretty faces” in Endorsement’s bloodlines. The cross between the 2011 leading sire and the Hall of Famer has been tremendously successful, producing many graded stakes victors. Among those horses are the grade one winner Any Given Saturday, the grade three winners Brethren and Z Humor, the ungraded stakes winners Al Muhtasib and Bank the Eight, and the graded stakes-placed horses Attempted Humor, Buen Verso, and Cal Nation. It is no surprise that this cross is rewarding, as A.P. Indy mares have typically crossed well with stallions from the Mr. Prospector sire line, producing such horses as the champion Royal Delta (by Empire Maker), the multiple stakes-winning Ravi’s Song (by Unbridled’s Song), the multiple graded stakes-placed And Why Not (by Street Cry), and the multiple grade one-placed Dunkirk (by Unbridled’s Song).

As a horse with spectacular breeding that is capable of succeeding at upper levels of racing without Salix, Endorsement displays the epitome of what a Thoroughbred racehorse should be. Though he received an injury that kept him from competing for over twenty months, he was injured during a time period in which he ran on Salix. Now, the magnificently bred colt is improving and rising through the ranks without the diuretic that is given to most American racehorses. If Endorsement continues his winning ways and improvement, he could set a huge example for American racing. Kudos to Bill Casner and Eoin Harty for the decisions they’ve made with this talented horse!

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Oaks Contender: Princess Arabella

The sun was setting on the year of 2011 as a chestnut filly paraded before the grandstand at Santa Anita Park in Peachtree Stable’s silks. In minutes, a maiden special weight for juvenile fillies, who the next day would be declared three-year-olds, would be run. It was their last chance to get a victory as a two-year-old. The chestnut filly carrying the purple colors of Peachtree was one of only two first-time starters in the field, but was certainly the most highly-regarded filly entered, as she went off at even-money.

After breaking slowly, Princess Arabella gained on the leaders with every stride, always growing closer to the lead. Under Martin Garcia, the Bob Baffert trainee swung wide on the far turn, floating effortlessly to a victory that resulted in a final winning margin of 3 ½ lengths. By the end of the six-furlong race, many people were talking about Princess Arabella. Lofty hopes and dreams were already pinned to her.

With the champion two-year-old filly of 2011, My Miss Aurelia, out of the picture with sore shins and arguably the best California juvenile filly, Weemissfrankie, also out with an injury, many Kentucky Oaks (GI) dreams found their way to Princess Arabella. She was just a maiden winner, but when she loaded into the starting gate on February 12, 2012 in an allowance race at Santa Anita, those dreams had a chance to expand.

Princess Arabella did not disappoint. The distance of her second start was just one furlong longer than her debut, so the chestnut filly would still only be racing around one turn. In a field of five, Princess Arabella found herself in third for most of the race before striking to the lead under light urging to gallop to another 3 ½-length victory.

Talk of the Kentucky Oaks regarding Princess Arabella heated up. Baffert pointed the filly to the Sunland Park Oaks, the same race that Plum Pretty won by 25 lengths in 2011 before triumphing in the Kentucky Oaks. Facing stakes company for the first time, Princess Arabella used a new tactic, breaking like a rocket from the starting gate to find the lead in her first try around two turns. She did not look back from there, going on to effortlessly win the mile and one-sixteenth race by 8 lengths.

With her remarkably easy win, Princess Arabella likely stamped herself as the current favorite for the Kentucky Oaks. There are still just less forty days until the prestigious race for sophomore fillies, but this filly, who I have followed since nearly the beginning of her career, has clearly declared herself to be one of the most talented three-year-old fillies in the nation. Princess Arabella has not yet faced very tough horses, but in winning the Sunland Park Oaks, she defeated the stakes-winning and graded stakes-placed Glinda the Good, the stakes-winning horses Take Me Away Today and Regal Betty, and the stakes-placed Ize in Trouble. By easily defeating Glinda the Good, she effortlessly conquered a filly who faced one of the top-rated sophomore fillies in the nation, On Fire Baby.

Her pedigree suggests that she will also have no trouble getting the nine-furlong distance of the Oaks. She is by Any Given Saturday, the winner of the 2007 Haskell Invitational (GI, 9F), the Brooklyn Handicap (GII, 9F), and the Dwyer Stakes (GII, 8.5F). Princess Arabella is a member of his first crop, which includes horses that have already been proven at races at one mile or longer. For instance, his daughter, Sunday’s Child, is a black-type winner at one mile on the grass, and his son, Saturday Launch, is an allowance optional claiming winner over one mile on the turf at Gulfstream. Any Given Saturday is by Distorted Humor, who can obviously produce distances horses. He is, of course, the sire of the Belmont Stakes (GI, 12F)- and Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI, 10F)-winning Drosselmeyer, the Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship Stakes (GI, 10F)- and San Luis Rey (GII, 12F)-winning Fourty Niners Son, and the Kentucky Derby (GI, 10F)- and Preakness Stakes (GI, 9.5F)-winning Funny Cide.

Princess Arabella’s dam, Tortuga Lady, is by the 1995 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes-winning Thunder Gulch and out of a Conquistador Cielo (also a Belmont winner) mare. In addition to producing Princess Arabella, Tortuga Lady has produced the filly’s half-sister, Dyna’s Lassie, a stakes winner and multiple stakes-placed mare. Tortuga Lady is full sister to the late Invisible Ink, third-place finisher in the 2001 Florida Derby (GI) and runner-up in that year’s Kentucky Derby.

Princess Arabella descends from female family two, the same family that has produced the great champions Busted, Cigar, Go for Wand, Northern Dancer, Phar Lap, Secretariat, and With Approval. Recent family two stars include Dreaming of Anna, Giacomo, Gio Ponti, Kitten’s Joy, Point Given, and Shackleford.

This filly could certainly be on an ascent to stardom. With her sheer talent and promising pedigree, Princess Arabella packs undeniable potential to not only become a graded stakes winner or even the Kentucky Oaks winner, but a fan favorite. She has not yet been tested and is already beginning to capture the hearts of racing fans. This excitement is only aided by her flawless race record. Princess Arabella could very well go on to do great things and produce a huge fan base along the way.


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Drosselmeyer: From Racehorse to Stud

I can list them easily: Animal Kingdom, Awesome Feather, Blind Luck, Drosselmeyer, Euroears, My Miss Aurelia, Shackleford, Uncle Mo, Weemissfrankie, and Winter Memories. These are the horses of 2011 that captured my heart and had me screaming at the top of my lungs throughout the year. Some of them never got to show just how good they were, some of them couldn’t quite live up to expectations, and some of them flaunted their brilliance when it counted most. Drosselmeyer could be categorized in the latter group.

Photo by Mary Cage

It took Drosselmeyer a while to get going, but he finished up the year better than one could imagine by winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI). As a two-year-old, Drosselmeyer broke his maiden in his fourth start, winning by six lengths at Churchill Downs. He then won an allowance by nearly two lengths at Gulfstream Park, defeating future grade one winners Prince Will I Am and Stately Victor, multiple graded stakes-placed Guys Reward, and stakes-placed No Shenanigans.

Kentucky Derby dreams had formed and the colt made his way to Louisiana for the Risen Star Stakes (GII). I’d heard of the colt and was eager to see how he would do. He made a rally on the inside to finish fourth behind Discreetly Mine. I wasn’t discouraged at all, as it didn’t seem like he’d enjoyed his trip along the rail.

Photo: Terri Cage

Yet that’s exactly what he had to deal with next out in the Louisiana Derby (GII). He rallied along the inside yet again and finished third. I still could tell he was still very talented and I hoped that he would have enough earnings to enter the Kentucky Derby. However, he fell short on the earnings list and was excluded from the Run for the Roses.

Prepping for the Belmont Stakes (GI), Drosselmeyer finished second behind Fly Down in the Dwyer Stakes (GII). Drosselmeyer may have been defeated by six lengths, but he also broke slowly and had traffic problems.

Four weeks later, the Belmont was a different story. Ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith for the first time, Drosselmeyer emerged late on the outside to score a win in the Test of the Champion. Finally, the colt had been able to show the world just how talented he was.

After his Belmont win, Drosselmeyer injured his ankle and was out indefinitely. It broke my heart that the colt would be out, but I hoped that he would come back strong as a four-year-old.

While visiting Kentucky for the Breeders’ Cup last year, we stopped by WinStar Farm for a stallion tour. We were informed that Drosselmeyer was across the street at WinStar’s training facility. I ached to go over there to see the colt, but I knew I couldn’t and instead I just remained glad that he was doing well.

Photo: Terri Cage

After exactly nine months off, the striking chestnut son of Distorted Humor returned in the Challenger Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, finishing fourth. After a disappointing fifth in the Skip Away Stakes (GIII) at Gulfstream Park, Drosselmeyer returned to his winning ways in the One Count Stakes at Belmont Park. Though it was just a $60,000 stakes race, he defeated eventual grade two winner Birdrun, grade three victor Inherit the Gold, multiple stakes winner Alma d’Oro, eventual Breeders’ Cup Marathon (GII) winner Afleet Again, and stakes-winning Edgewater.

Birdrun got revenge on him next out in the Brooklyn Handicap (GII), defeating him by nearly four lengths. Drosselmeyer then returned to the surface he’d run his first two career starts over: turf. In the Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes (GI), Drosselmeyer didn’t show much affinity for the grass and finished seventh.

Drosselmeyer returned to the dirt in his next race, the Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI). Having run mostly against marathon horses – which nowadays are not considered to be of the same class as horses that run a maximum of ten furlongs – prior to the prestigious race, not much attention was on Drosselmeyer. However, Drosselmeyer closed impressively on the outside to finish second, relishing being on the dirt again.

Photo by Mary Cage

As the 2011 Breeders’ Cup approached, I was mostly drawn to the star power. Attending morning workouts, I kept my eyes peeled for horses like Flat Out, Havre de Grace, and Uncle Mo. But when a gleaming golden chestnut stepped into my view and I read the name Drosselmeyer on the yellow saddle towel, my love for Drosselmeyer was renewed.

I was riveted by him once again. It was my first time to ever see him in person, so my eyes locked on him as he jogged alongside a pony horse. My heart thudded in my chest, my head turned as I followed him, and my camera clicked as I took pictures of him and videoed him. He looked spectacular. He carried himself with tremendous class, his coat shining liking a brand new penny and his legs moving so smoothly he could pass as a show horse. Sure, I was picking Flat Out on paper, but from appearances on the track in the morning, Drosselmeyer was my Classic horse.

So, as I stood along the rail near the winner’s circle and finish line during the Classic, my heart soared as Drosselmeyer flew along the outside, eclipsing the talented Classic field. I punched my fist into the air, letting out a shout of joy as Drosselmeyer, reunited with Mike Smith, galloped into the history books. I turned around to face my family, cheering one word with bliss: “Drosselmeyer!”

The colt soon jogged up with my favorite jockey, Mike Smith, aboard and I felt a grin stretch across my face as I recorded the horse entering the winner’s circle on my phone. Just feet from me, the stunning horse entered the winner’s circle under the Twin Spires. Not only was the Classic a story of redemption for Mike Smith (Drosselmeyer Dances Home in the Classic), but it was a story of redemption for Drosselmeyer.

Photo: Terri Cage

Just days prior to Drosselmeyer’s victory, I had visited WinStar Farm for the third time. We were told that the colt would go to New York for his stud career. My heart sank, knowing I’d better relish seeing him at the Breeders’ Cup, as I likely wouldn’t get to see him if he stood in New York.

But after his spectacular Classic win, WinStar faced a decision: should Drosselmeyer go to New York as planned or should he stay in Kentucky now that he’d won the Classic? A win in America’s richest horse race added another question: should he retire or should he continue racing?

I knew that if he was retired, he would go to stud in Kentucky. After all, he was a Belmont Stakes winner that had just won the Breeders’ Cup Classic. However, I didn’t want him to retire just yet. My love for Drosselmeyer had just escalated even more and I wanted to see him run another year.

But that wasn’t the case. On Friday, it was announced that Drosselmeyer was retired to stud at WinStar Farm in Kentucky. Understanding that right after winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic was a good time for him to enter stud, I was disappointed to know racing fans wouldn't get to enjoy him for another year. Yet, I look forward to visiting him at WinStar someday so I can reminisce on watching him race and can see that beautiful gleaming chestnut coat again.

Now Drosselmeyer will begin his new career alongside his sire, Distorted Humor, who is the leading sire in America. Distorted Humor has sired 42 stakes horses, including 17 stakes winners and 9 graded stakes winners. Ever since his first crop, he has sired at least 10 stakes winners a year and has produced an incredible 9 millionaires and 12 grade one winners. Big names he has sired include Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide, two-time Whitney Handicap (GI) winner Commentator, and Travers Stakes (GI) winner Flower Alley. Clearly, Distorted Humor is an incredible racing sire, but he is one of the best commercial sires at stud as well. In fact, he holds the highest three-year yearling average in the nation. Standing for $100,000, Distorted Humor is most definitely a force to be reckoned with.

Drosselmeyer’s dam side is definitely not lacking talent. His dam, Golden Ballet, is a multiple grade one winner and earner of $732,145. She obviously is a good producer, having produced Drosselmeyer, but he is not her only talented offspring. She has also produced Stage Luck, who won the Affectionately Handicap at Aqueduct prior to finishing third in the Rare Treat Handicap, fourth in the Next Move Handicap (GIII), and third in the Ruffian Handicap (GI).

A photo I absolutely love by Terri Cage

Tracing back to influential sires such as Northern Dancer, Seattle Slew, and Mr. Prospector, Drosselmeyer looks to be a successful stallion. His stud fee is set for $17,500. Before we know it, we’ll see little Drosselmeyers collecting prestigious victories.

And for now, as we wait for the breeding season to begin, we can muse over Drosselmeyer’s Classic victory. It was a race that will always be dear to my heart, a race that showed me redemption is possible, a race that evoked feelings of joy for me, and a race that I can always watch and say, “I was there. I was right there.”

Drosselmeyer on the track the Thursday before his Classic win

Video by Mary Cage

Drosselmeyer after winning the Classic

Video by Mary Cage

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