Breaking News! A Wonderful Fall Morning

Last night I went to the barn after a busy day at work. I had the whole barn to myself and put out my little herd in the roundpen where you see Hailee standing in this photo. The sun was that wonderful late afternoon Fall muted sunlight that falls golden all over. Violet looked radiant against the seasonal leaves and the harvested corn field. Hailee was gorgeaus. And Renny adorable. I got the barn to myself and got to blanket, feed, and shut up the place. That's rare for me to have that treat -- and it was just right on this sunny muted Fall day! There is nothing like the sound of a barn full of horses eating. I am pretty sure He intended that noise as the sound of celestial contentment.

Anyway, I went back to the stable this morning early and it was a beautiful drive out. The fields look great in their post-harvest state and the leaves are changed and falling. And we had a fog that deepened the closer I got to Showgate. I visited with my herd, took Violet for a long-line drive around the farm and down by the road, had a nice quiet ride, chatted with Coy, and let my mare and yearling enjoy a morning in the roundpen. Coy and I talked about Doc Bar, War Admiral, Man o' War, Black Gold, Beggar Boy and Seabiscuit. He talked about his childhood and I prattled on about the Throughbred Training Center. I love talking horses with people and Coy is very knowledgeable about the Western side of my equine family. Turns out Doc Bar, a relative to Hailee, was a failed race horse, but was savage and tough and eager about running down cows! Vi is a very mouthy curious girl and so when I showed up this morning, she gave me her face so that I could see that she had cut and blistered her lip, poor girl. She probably hurt herself chewing some sharp object. Ugh. And I noticed that my little guy has gained a lot of weight since he switched from baby grain to regular. So, I am asking that he be cut back.

But here's what's funny. Coy went to bring Hailee in and she slipped away from him and took off blazing across the cut cornfield through the mist and sun. She looked so pleased with herself. She lifted her beautiful tail and held her head high. She was all that and a bag of chips. So, Violet and I and Coy and Barbie went after her. And I am super duper ear-to-ear proud that Hailee waited with quiet patience and trust for me to retrieve her. I know it's not nice to say, but one of the very nicest parts of my life is the fact that these three amazing wonderful equines love, trust and respect me. They really see me as an integral part of their herd life. Namaste!

Full Celebration! Man 'O War Statue at KHP

Here he is, the reigning king of the equine world, Man o' War at the head of the Kentucky Horse Park. And buried at his feet are his famous children, including Violet's relative War Admiral.

Full Celebration! My Zen Perfect Day

Okay, so in these photos, you see exercise riders at the Thoroughbred Training Center in Lexington, Kentucky. Over 900 racehorses and 100 trainers quarter here to learn the ropes! These are racehorses learning their trade, or tweaking and refining their trade. Here is where they can get their "gate card" which is their official permission to run at our country's race tracks because they have proven they can load into and leap out of a gate. Here is where exercise riders earn about 10$ a ride to jump on novice baby race horses. The place has two tracks, one you see in this photo, and then a second which is only a 5/8th mile on the inside of this larger one. It was an amazing facility! We got to meet and speak with a trainer, Mike Cameron. We got to see Chris McCarron's North American Riding Academy, it was awesome.

Okay, so here was the perfect day, and it occurred on Saturday, April 25th, when I finally got in the zone on my Full celebration weekend. I woke up and felt the cool breeze of early morning. I heard horses whiffling and snorting. I made coffee and had my morning java and chocolate mousse with Revelry and the Paints and Palimino. I drove out to the Thoroughbred Training Center and took a tour. I took a driving lesson with Breimer. I visited a horse farm and talked with a young college student with two paint horses. I went to Rolex and watched the Cross-Country. I met David O' Connor's mother, Sally O'Connor, who was working as a fence judge! I visited the Kentucky Horse Park and saw Funnycide and visited John Henry's gravesite. I took a tour of the Driving Center and looked at all the amazing sorts of carts, carriages, gigs, and phaetons. I saw Secretariat and Man 'o War's statues and visited Violet's and Hailee's relatives, War Admiral and others at their burial ground. I went to an art museum and saw Scott Tree's photos of Arabians and Fay Moore's sports paintings of equines. I went home and had a glass of wine with the horses back at Gayla. And then I had a relaxed dinner at Galvin's in Georgetown while reading In Service of the Horse, reading how David O' Connor's groom cares for his horses. Then I slipped into a sleep, as horses snorted and puffed and made agreeable happy noises!

Somethinaboutlaura and My Girls!

Today's blog is about Somethinaboutlaura, a young lady who raced only in California her entire career. She just retired at the end of March at the age of 6 and was booked to Stormy Atlantic. Her final career record was 34: 18-4-5 with earnings of over $1,129,000. She was born on March 1, 2002 by Dance Floor out of Crystals of Ice by Its Freezing. Over her career, she had 14 stakes wins and 9 wins in added-value races. She won several important stakes races twice, including the Campanile, A Gleam Invitational, and Pacific Heights Handicap. She was great over all surfaces and distances, racing on dirt, turf, and synthetic surfaces and at distances ranging from 5 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/16 miles. The girl deserves some pasture time with a beautiful foal by her side, that's for sure!

My Violet shares a little splash of Nasrullah, Princequillo, Discovery and Man o'War with her, among many other relatives. You can see a resemblance between my sweet Vi and Somethinaboutlaura. Happy retirement, girl! Enjoy your pasture and herd time. Make some beautiful fast, resilient, weight-carrying, flexible horses! Make winners like yourself, who can win stakes races on dirt, turf, and synthetic. What a talented girl!

War Admiral Winning the Preakness!

Here is a photo of Man o' War's kid, War Admiral, busy winning the Preakness Stakes, the second jewel in the Triple Crown! Remember that this great horse is a direct relation to my lovely Violet and indirect to Hailee through his sire! Now here's what I think is important. He was a smaller fella. The movie Seabiscuit made it seem like he was a giant meanie in order to make the tiny Seabiscuit seem like even more of an underground. But truth is, WA was a smaller guy too -- but big on heart!

Majestic Prince -- 1969 Derby Winner!

Majestic Prince won the 1969 Kentucky Derby and was the first horse in history to win both the Derby and Preakness without any losses. His final record was 10: 9(6), 1(1), 0. He retired after problems with osselets. He beat Arts and Letters in both the Derby and Preakness, but then ran with tendon problems and came in second in the Belmont Stakes to his same competitor -- no Triple Crown!

His trainer was Johnny Longdon, the jockey who rode Count Fleet to a Derby win, and thus the only person to both train and ride Derby winners! He was an Albertan, just like Majestic Prince's owner. His jockey was Bill Hartack and MP was his fifth and final Derby winner! MP was inducted into the racing hall of fame in 1988 and was elected #46 of the Top 100 racehorses of the 20th century.

My girls are related to him through Discovery, Case Ace, Man 'O War, Whisk Broom, Royal Charger, Alibhai, and Mahmoud. You can read more about this fabulous gentleman at the following links:
http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=7
or
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majestic_Prince

Citation -- 1948 Triple Crown Winner!

Citation was a Calumet Farms horse who was 8th of the 11 Triple Crown winners! His parents were Bull Lea by Hydroplane by Hyperion. He was in the Kentucky Derby with his half-brother, Coaltown by Bull Lea and Easy Lass by Blenheim. These two brothers were so scorching hot that only 4 other horses had the courage to enter the Derby that year!

The day of the Derby was wet and sloppy, but Citation pulled immediately into the lead. Eddie Arcaro pulled him back and let Coaltown surge ahead. But finally, Arcaro let him go, and Citation went on to win by 3 1/2 lengths!

Eddie Arcaro, one of the best jockeys of all time, said of Citation, "Citation was the best. He was so fast he scared me." Jimmy Jones was Citation's trainer, and his dad, Ben Jones, also a famous trainer, told him the night before the race, "Jimmy, you can sleep well tonight, and you can take this as gospel: any horse Citation can see, he can catch. And he's got perfect eyesight."

Now just a small recap of his racing career! He ended with 45: 32-10-2, and had to take some time off for an osselet in his fetlock joint. He was the first horse to earn more than $1 million. In 1947, he was voted the Champion 2-year-old colt. In 1948, his big year, he earned Champion 3-year-old colt and the Eclipse Horse of the Year, and, of course, won the Triple Crown! He was the first horse in the U.S. to win 16 races in a row, and the second in the world. He had 19 wins in 20 starts. In 1950 and 1951, he was Champion Older Male.

Of his 1948 season, it can be said that he won at every distance, won at 10 different tracks, won in 7 different states, travelling in unairconditioned trucks and rail cars. He won all his races by a total of 66 lengths, and won the Triple Crown races by a total of 17 lengths. He ended his racing career in 1948 (at that point) with a 29-27-2-0 record! His 16 race winning streak made it as #67 of Horse-Racing's Top 100 moments according to Blood Horse, and Blood Horse reported that the owners of the horses entered in the Belmont the year Citation swept the Triple Crown were true good sports, "These gentlemen deserve some credit for their sportsmanship, for they knew when they entered they were filling a race for Citation." He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in 1959. And he was voted #3 of the Top 100 racehorses of the 20th century.

His trainer, Jimmy Jones, said that he would put Citation above Secretariat in that ranking, at #2, saying "He was the best horse I ever saw. Probably the best anybody else ever saw, I expect. Citation didn't have a fault. He could sprint, he could go two miles, he could go in the mud, and could go on a hard track. He could do it all. Secretariat couldn't run a bit in the mud." His dad, Ben Jones, put Citation at #1, saying "Man o' War? Citation is a better horse."

Of the Derby win, writing in his autobiography, Eddie Arcaro reported thinking of Ben Jones' words, "the horse that Citation could not run down had not yet been born." And Jimmy Jones said, "My horse could beat anything with hair on it."

My girls are related to this superstar most immediately through Bull Lea, Hyperion, St. Simon and Isinglass.This blog entry received help from Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments, Thoroughbred Champions: Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century, and Two Minutes to Glory: The Official History of the Kentucky Derby.

You can read more about Citation who is buried at Calumet Farms at the following links:
http://www.spiletta.com/UTHOF/citation.html
or
http://horseracing.about.com/od/famoushorses/l/aa012998.htm
or
http://horseracing.about.com/library/blcitation.htm
or
http://www.thoroughbredchampions.com/biographies/citation.htm
or
http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00014135.html
or
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citation_(horse)

Sanfoin and My Girls!

Sainfoin was the 1890 Epsom Derby winner. He started 11 times and won 4. He was a successful stud who produced the English Triple Crown winner, Rock Sand. And he's felt very strongly in thoroughbred lineage. My girls are related to him through his best connections. Violet carries him multiple ways, especially through Nasrullah whose Nearco has Sainfoin and whose Mumtaz Begum has Sainfoin's full sister, Sierra. Of course, Violet also has Rock Sand. Both Hailee and Violet carry Sainfoin through his daughters, who were bred to Fair Play and produced our darling Man o' War! Sainfoin was pretty studly because he was a 3X3 cross to Stockwell!

Kelso

Kelso is so famous that it's hard to know where to begin. So, let's just jump in! He raced for 8 years! Whoo! That's because he was a naughty boy from an undistinguished family, so they gelded him at 2. Boy, didn't they feel bad once he turned out to be an amazing racer! He was foaled at Claiborne Farms, but belonged to Mrs. Allaire du Pont of Woodstock Farm in Maryland. When his career was over it stood at: 63: 39(31), 12(10), 2(1), and he had earned almost $2 million. He won everywhere, all the time, even carrying shocking weight disadvantages.

As Eddie Arcaro once said, "He can beat anything at any distance. So, here are some of his spectacular achievements. He won the Jockey Gold Cup race 5 times! He was voted #4 of the Top 100 racehorses of the 20th century. He earned the Eclipse Horse of the Year Award 5 times! He earned 5 division championships, earning 3 year-old colt of the year, and champion older horse for another 4 years! He set or equaled 8 track records and set 3 American standards. His 5 Eclipse Horse of the Year awards have never been rivalled and they earned him the #3 Top moments in Racing History. He was inducted into the National Museum and Racing Hall of Fame in 1967, and the Aiken Training Track Hall of Fame in 1977. He was so beloved, especially in 1963 the year I was thinking about being born, that he received fan mail at his own mailbox at his home at Woodstock Farm.

He passed away on October 16, 1983 at the age of 26 at his home in Maryland and BloodHorse said of him in an obituary: "Kelso demonstrated the durability of class. No horse in our time was so good, so long. His was mature greatness." I guess he was -- 8 years! He earned a rest.

My girls are related to him most immediately through the following shared relatives: Count Fleet, Hyperion, Mahmoud, Prince Palatine, Man o' War, Whisk Broom, Black Toney. You can read more about this absolute champion at the following links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelso_(horse)
or
http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=96

Battleship

Here's a picture of Man o' War's kid, Battleship, a true steeplechaser! He was only 15.2 hands, like my little Violet, but a total powerhouse! He won the American Grand National, but then went on to become the first U.S. bred, owned, and ridden horse to win the English Grand National in 1938! He died in 1958 at the age of 31 and was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1969. His final record was 55: 24-6-4. When he retired, he only sired 57 foals, but 20% of them were stakeswinners, including Shipboard and War Battle who were also amazing steeplechasers!

He was nicknamed the American Pony, but he managed that 4 mile long, 30 obstacles which make up the Grand National like the champion he was! In the link below, it describes the grueling complexity and danger of the Grand National. You will come to see that Battleship had a big, glowing, brave heart! My girls share in his royal blood!
http://www.spiletta.com/UTHOF/battleship.html
or
http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Battleship.html
or
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battleship_(horse)
or
http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=25

Breed Spotlight! Rocky Mountain Horse

The Rocky Mountain Horse is a wonderful American breed, sure-footed, easy-gaited, kind, gentle, hard-working, and strong. They belonged to the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in eastern Kentucky where people used them for every variety of task. They became famous in that area of the country in the late 1800s, and one horse in particular is considered the foundation stallion for the breed.

Sam Tuttle ran the trail riding concession at the Natural Bridge State Park, and he had a beautiful chocolate brown stallion who he used on the trails and let people ride. This horse was so wonderful, everyone loved him. He was a breeding stallion, but still useful on the trails. And every baby he made was known for its perfect timing with footsteps. Sam Tuttle had no trouble selling every Rocky Mountain Horse he produced on his farm of 30-50 mares. At one point, this stallion, Old Tobe, was as famous in Estill County as Man o' War was in Lexington!

This breed was not coddled like the thoroughbreds. Their owners in the 1800s did not have spare money for farriers, feed, and vet care. These horses survived on what they could find, including tree bark. So, without doubt, they are a hardy, useful, big-hearted breed!

http://www.rmhorse.com/index.html
or
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mountain_Horse

Man o' War's burial site and statue

I've mentioned this fact before, but one of my favorite sacred places on earth is the entrance into the Kentucky Horse Park. They have special graves and markers for famous horses and jockeys. And above this all is a wonderful statue and the burial site of Man o' War, the number one racehorse of all time -- ol' Big Red!

He is the father of many important horses, including Battleship who won the 1938 Grand National steeplechase, my Violet's War Admiral who won the 1937 Triple Crown, and the grandsire of Seabiscuit through his kid Hard Tack, and the great-grandsire of Kelso, 5X Horse of the Year!

Two of Man o' War's children are buried at his feet, War Relic (his best sire) and War Admiral, Violet's own Triple Crown Winner.

I know I say it all the time, but can you believe that my Violet is related to two Triple Crown winners? Her own sweet War Admiral was only 15.2 hands, so you know he had a big giant heart to win races like he did! And let's not forget that her Count Fleet just romped through his Triple Crown, and won the Belmont by 25 lengths! Then he produced Count Turf to win the Kentucky Derby (a third boy in a row in that family to win the Derby) and Violet's One Count who won the Belmont Stakes. Namaste to all of these family relatives, including Seabiscuit, War Admiral and Man o'War, pictured here in all their young fiery glory!

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=663

Breaking News! John Henry passes at 32

Today John Henry was euthanized at the Kentucky Horse Park, at the venerable age of 32. He was an amazing gelding who was only 15.1 hands, but a whole lot of champion. I have seen this gentleman at the Hall of Champions a few times, and was grateful for the experience.

He was foaled on March 9, 1975 at Golden Chance Farms, and was a "small, ugly, and bad-tempered" foal who was sold at Keeneland for $1,100. He was so naughty and destructive of his stall property that he was gelded and sold for $2,200. But then finally, he was purchased by his family, the Rubins, for $25,000 and sent to train with Ron McAnally who trained him with "carrots, apples and love!"

John Henry raced for 8 years, between 1977-1984, earning more than $6.5 million, and earning the Eclipse Horse of the Year Award twice! His final record was 83: 39-15-9. He earned 7 Eclipse Awards and voted Champion Older Horse. He was the oldest horse to win Horse of the Year at age 9, and oldest horse to win a Grade 1 race at the age of 9. He was the Champion Turf Horse in 1980, 1981, 1982, and 1984. He won 30 stakes races. And is the only horse to win the Arlington Million (G1) twice and the only horse to win the Santa Anita Handicap twice!! He has won more graded stakes than any other thoroughbred in history. Not surprisingly, he was voted Race Horse of the Decade for the 1980s. And is still the richest gelding of any breed in history! He was inducted into the National Museum and Racing Hall of Fame in 1990, and was voted #23 of the Top 100 race horses of the 20th century! When he retired in 1985, he was the highest money-earning American thoroughbred in history!

He was retired to the Kentucky Horse Park, along with his famous buddy, Cigar and has received his adoring public for 22 years! His family and close friends visited him often, with his trainer Ron McAnally and his exercise rider of 6 years visiting him just this past September. He was failing in health over the past few weeks, and took a bad turn over the weekend. He lost considerable weight and was in kidney failure. The KHP executive director, John Nicholson, said, "John Henry was a testament to the fact that a horse's value is far greater than the sum of his pedigree, conformation, sales price, and race record."

John Henry's dad has passed away, so a son said today that his mother and stepfather, Rubin, "loved sharing John's victories with his adoring fans and we appreciate their devotion even to this sad day. We are sure that if Sam Rubin were here today, he and my mother, Dorothy, would agree that their wish would be for John Henry to be rememberd as the mighty cantankerous champion we all loved."

My girls' share many relations with this champion, and I am sure that you can see that he and Hailee share their looks! Some of their shared family members are Princequillo, Bull Lea, Whisk Broom, Mahmoud, Blenheim, Mah Mahal, Blue Larkspur, Bubbling Over, Man 'O War, and Black Toney.

Here are photos of John with Bill Shoemaker up! Rest in peace, you honored creature!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Henry_(horse)
or
http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=93

Kentucky 2007: Nijinsky's Grave

Here is the grave of Nijinsky, the Canadian born racer who is the last English Triple Crown winner! He was born in 1967 and passed in April 1992 from laminitis. He is noted as an "imposing, musuclar horse with anything but a gentle nature." He was purchased by an American who sent him to Ireland where he was the 2 year-old Champion in both England and Ireland. Thirty-six years passed between Bahram, another famous English Triple Crown winner and then Nijinsky's wins! And we have not had another since!

After winning his Triple Crown, he lost the Prix d l'Arc de Triomphe at the Hippodrome de Longchamp in Paris to a horse named Sassafras! I mean, really! Sassafras!. After another place and a final record of 13: 11-2-0, he was sent to spend the rest of his life siring majestic babies at Claiborne Farms! The Sun, a British newspaper, voted him "Horse of the Millenium" and he even had a movie devoted to him narrated by Orson Welles, he was so important!

He is the only sire in thoroughbred history to have colts who won the Kentucky Derby (Ferdinand) and Epsom Derby (Golden Fleece) in the same year! What's sad is that his kid Ferdinand was sent to the slaughterhouse by his Japanese owners when they decided his babies were just not fabulous enough.

My girls are related to him most immediately through Nearctic, Mahmoud, Bull Lea, Blue Larkspur, Menow, and Man 'O War. Nijinsky's parents are Northern Dancer and Flaming Page, and so he has Omaha (a Triple Crown Winner) and Omaha's dad, Gallant Fox (another Triple Crown winner) in his pedigree!

You can read more about this Canadian bred fabulous horse at the following links, and you can even see youtube footage of him winning the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes and the St. Leger!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nijinsky_II
or
http://www.canadianhorseracinghalloffame.com/thoroughbred/1976/Nijinsky_II.asp
or
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_Crown_of_Thoroughbred_Racing
or
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/stallion-directory/reference.aspx?doc=northerndancer
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmO6WttLCqQ
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I70rZCoHGQg

Kentucky 2007: Silent Classic and My Girls!

Barbie and Tom take care of thoroughbreds who need special care, either for injuries or senior care, for example. And they also engage in rescuing thoroughbreds too. In this photo, you see Silent Classic, a very important mare who travelled from Florida to live at Valentine Hall Farm. She was born in 1986, the year I graduated from college. Her sire is Danzig by Northern Dancer and her dam is Sweetest Chant by Mr. Leader.

She was a winner at 2 and 3, and earned $78,100. She has 11 registered foals, 9 raced, and 6 are winners. Her children include A Man of Class, Classic Boom, Creative Control, Jamies Silent Bid, Lang Pup, One Special Lady, Song of Songs, Very Classy Lady, and the filly in this photo the 2005 Silent Western. Silent Classic has had children in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, and then 2005. She's been a productive hard-working racer and mother. Of course, she's related to my girls, in many ways, but here are a few: Nearctic, Nearco, Turn-To, Hail to Reason, Eight Thirty, Man 'O War, Whisk Broom, Blenheim, Gay Crusader, and Teddy! Doesn't she look elegant standing all relaxed and royal in her pasture with her other gal pals?!

Top Flight and My Girls!

Top Flight was a young lady with not that great a pedigree. Her parents were not big winners, but they had genetic potential! By the end of her brief racing career, she retired as the all-time top money-earning filly, which she held for 14 years. She was the first 2-year-old to earn more than $200,000. Her final record was 16: 12-0-0, and $275,900. She beat colts, was unbeaten in 7 starts at 2, including 3 times when she ran against colts. Indeed, she beat Burgoo King, a Kentucky Derby winner, twice!! At 2, she won the Futurity Stakes, Pimlico Futurity, Saratoga Special, Spinaway Stakes, Matron Stakes, Arlington Lassie, and Clover Stakes, and at 3, the Acorn Stakes, Coaching Club American Stakes, Arlington Oaks, Alabama Stakes, and Ladies' Handicap.

She was enrolled in the Hall of Fame in 1966, and was voted 66th of the Top 100 Race Horses of the 20th century! She passed in 1949 and she is buried at CV Whitney Farm which is part of Gainesway Farm. At the link below, you can read about their famous equine cemetary and see Top Flight's stone. Anyway, she had 7 foals, including a stakes winner, and the sires were Gallant Fox, Man o' War, Peace Chance, and Mahmoud.

My girls are related to her, primarily through Commando, Broomstick, Audience, and St. Simon. This photo is from an Ebay ad, and pictures here in Turf and Sport Digest . She was bred by Harry Payne Whitney, but he passed away in 1930 before he got a chance to meet her. So, his son, Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, owned and raced her!

You can read more about her at the following links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Flight_Handicap

or

http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=153

or

http://www.tbheritage.com/TurfHallmarks/Graves/cem/GraveMattersWhitney.html

Gallant Fox and my Girls!

Here's a photo of Gallant Fox, the second Triple Crown winner in history (1930) when he was a baby. He is standing with his mom, Marguerite. His dad is Violet and Hailee's own Sir Gallahad! He raced17 times for a final record of 11, 3, 2. He was owned by William Woodward and under his care won the Wood Memorial by 4 lengths over a field of classic hopefuls, beat 14 other horses to win the Kentucky Derby, won the Arlington Classic, and won the Saratoga Cup. He lost the Travers Stakes to a 100-1 shot, Jim Dandy, the same track where Man 'O War lost to Upset. Gallant Fox and Man 'o War's losses at Saratoga were part of the reason why that track is called "The Graveyard of Champions!" He ended his race career as a top money-earner, a 3 year-old Champion of the Year! He retired where he was born, at Claiborne Farms, where in his very first foal crop, he produced Omaha the next Triple Crown winner. He is blessed as the only Triple Crown winner to sire another Triple Crown winner!!! When he passed, they buried him next to his mom and dad (my girls' relatives). Gallant Fox was voted #28 of the Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th century and was inducted into the National Museum and Racing Hall of Fame in 1957. You can learn more about him at the following links, including seeing some really great film footage of his wins at the Youtube site! They are hilarious because they talk about his "gregarious" style of racing. He liked to be in the pack or come up from behind. Though he could beat horses by lengths, he just generally liked running along with his pals!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvXXNoyIYRQ&NR=1
or

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallant_Fox

or

http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=77

or

http://www.spiletta.com/UTHOF/gallantfox.html

or

http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/SirGallahad.html#GallantFox

Fabulous Saratoga Race Track

Saratoga Race Track was opened in Saratoga Springs, New York on August 3, 1863. It is the oldest sporting event in the United States. In fact, Saratoga holds the Travers Stakes, continuosly running since 1864, the oldest horse race in the U.S.! You will remember the Travers Stakes because that's the one where Violet's relative, Jaipur, beat Ridan in one of the Top 100 moments in racing history!! Saratoga has a 6 week meet and holds many races, some of the most important being the Woodward, Travers, and Whitney! Saratoga is nicknamed "The Spa" and "Graveyard of Favorites." It earned the latter nickname because some pretty famous horses lost there. Man o' War lost his only race against Upset, Secretariat lost his only race to Onion, and Gallant Fox lost his only race to Jim Dandy. Tough to be a favorite and a champion at Saratoga!!! Anyway, here's a photo of Saratoga, and then here's a 2005 photo of Angel Cordero, always a Saratoga favorite, riding Afleet Alex, Preakness and Belmont Stakes winner, at an end-of-career party for Alex. If you want to read more about this historically significant race track, check out the following links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saratoga_Race_Course

or

http://www.nyra.com/index_saratoga.html

or

http://www.nyfolklore.org/pubs/voic29-1-2/saratoga.html

Ace Card and my Violet!

Violet is related to the Kentucky Broodmare of the Year and Gazelle Stakes winner, Ace Card. Ace Card has a great pedigree since her grandsires are Man 'O War and Teddy. For Violet, Ace Card is bred to Count Fleet (Triple Crown winner) to produce One Count(Belmont Stakes winner) who is bred to a filly by War Admiral! Completely cool. In this photo, you see one of Ace Card's boyfriends, the handsome Count Fleet. You can read more about this broodmare of the year at the following links:

http://www.tbheritage.com/TurfHallmarks/Graves/cem/GraveMattersFaraway.html
or
http://www.tbheritage.com/HistoricDams/AmBroodmareofYear.html
or
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gazelle_Handicap
or
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Count

My Favorite Man 'O War photo

Here's my favorite photo of Man 'O War with his groom, Mr. Will Harbut. You can tell that they have great love for each other.