Bustin his Chops to get into the HOF
BUSTIN CHOPS
4 Year Old Colt – (MALIBU MOON x DYNAFORMER x SADLER’S WELLS)
OWNER/TRAINER – blankpoin4 (POINTBLANK Racing Stables)
RECORD: 2014: 9 / 3 – 3 – 0
CAREER EARNINGS: $10,550,770
2014 Stakes:
WON: Sand Castle Fee Duty (G1), NY Island Cap (G1), Ark de ComicDog (G1),
2ND: Woody Ford (G1), Windy City Turf Classic (G1), Fall Tent Show
By- ladomanor
What an amazing horse! I don’t think I have seen a horse win such prestigious G1 races at such different distances to date. To win the $5M Sand Castle Fee Duty at 8.5f and arguably the worlds greatest 12f turf challenge the $4M Ark de ComicDog is unbelievable, to do it in the one year is unheard of!
Trainer blankpoint has had a really strange ride with this horse but has done an incredible job. In 2013 Bustin Chops won the G1 Queens Dish and set a Sim record for the race at 10f. He is a deep closer and looked to want 12f, subsequently running 3rd in the G1 Owners Stakes and 2nd in the G1 Arc where he failed to catch the leaders after making heaps of ground up late. The switch back to 10f proved a winner as he recorded back to back wins in the G2 McKinnon and then won the $3M G1 King Kong Cup.
Bustin Chops had found his best distance and trainer blankpoint obliged setting him for the 10f G1 Equinics race as his first 2014 assignment. All expected Bustin Chops to clean up however he got too far back and could not make up the margin on Predictability who he had beat convincingly in his last race.
In a stroke of what we can now call training mastery, blankpoint sent Bustin Chops to Dubai for a crack at the Sand Castle Fee Duty at 8.5f. Most Sim trainers would have set him for the 12f Sand Castle Golden Turf but not blankpoint.
$5,000,000 G1 Sand Castle Fee Duty 8.5f Turf, 4yo+
With most of the other runners established G1 winners at the mile, many gave Bustin Chops little hope. Adding to that, many agreed that 8.5f was too short for him to hang back and swoop late – especially in such a great field. He would need to stay closer than what he usually would to have any hope and blankpoint would have had his heart in his mouth as Bustin Chops stood still when the gates opened and went back to last. Jockey O Brim had ridden him many times before and knew he must stay closer and although he rated Bustin Chops last, he was closer than usual.
Three horses went to war at the front setting a furious pace that played right into his hands as they were all the first beaten horses at the third call. Brim had moved earlier than usual and had Chops in 9th with many fading horses in front. When they straightened it was all Bustin Chops swooping home late. By The Pool was gallant after racing up to the leader and taking him on he was attempting to hold out all challenges. In the stretch, By The Pool looked as if he would win it but the freight train in Bustin Chops was steaming home and got By The Pool in the last few strides to win!
$500,000 G1 Woody Ford, 9f Turf, 3yo+
Shipped from the UAE back to the states, Bustin Chops went in as 7/1 favorite after a massive Sand Castle win. He looked every bit the winner on paper – as long as he didn’t give the leaders too much head start! Roxy Epoxy happened to be the lone leader in the race and with little challenge from the others, Roxy Epoxy had it all his own way. Bustin Chops trailed by over fifteen lengths at the second call and at the third call it was still Roxy Epoxy unchallenged by over three lengths to the closest horse with Chops moving through the field into 6th but still over twelve lengths off the lead. As the stretch approached, he couldn’t catch the winner who had been allowed to cater along at the lead and eventually got rewarded with a soft win.
Chops flew home for 2nd and gained nine lengths on Roxy Epoxy in the last two furlongs whilst posting a 118 SP only bettered by the 122 posted by the winner. A massive effort and a great sign to blankpoint that if he was given an extra furlong the result would be a given! Since this race, Roxy Epoxy has just an allowance win as his last victory… Champions break hearts!!!
$400,000 G1 NY Island Cap, 10f Turf, 3yo+
You could hardly get near a bookie to back him… Given the extra furlong and obviously the horse to beat, the crowd were ten deep trying to get a bet on. A casualty from the Woody Ford race was O Brim who was unceremoniously dumped from Bustin Chops and replaced by M Clooch who guided him to the win in the $3M G1 King Kong Cup in 2013. Strict orders were given not to let the leaders get away with murder like last race.
The field lacked the talent of other races but Clooch would have had his heart in his mouth at the second call giving Juggling Bombs a thirteen length head start however unlike the Woody Ford, there was considerable pace on with three horses pushing each other up front. Clooch moved earlier than usual to give Chops every chance to prove himself. At the third call he was still seven lengths off but when Clooch straitened him up it was all over. Chops put his ears back and away they went picking off horse after horse with Juggling Bombs obviously dropping one and exploding to finish nine lengths down on Bustin Chops who drew away and won by over two lengths!
$500,000 G1 Man Of War, 11f Turf, 3yo+
Here he would meet $5M earner in Overindulgence, Equinics winner Predictability and Weekend Romance who he beat easily in the NY Island Cap. In what may well have been a really bad move, Brim was given back the ride after serving his time for his inexcusable ride in the Woody Ford. Blankpoint’s last words to Brim were “you let them get too far in front and he won’t get the ground back and along with that you won’t get the ride back”!
The instructions were simple and after Brim allowed a lone leader to do what he wanted last time you wouldn’t think he would do the same. Somehow, Brim again replicated failure by allowing a lone leader in Overindulgence (a $5M winner so not a hack) to lead unchallenged. At the second call, Bustin Chops was fifteen lengths back and had a lot of ground to cover. At the third call it was all over and Brim chances of another ride were…. grim!
Overindulgence ran away with it after leading by over ten lengths at the final call with Predictability running on well from in front of Chops whilst a super impressive effort from Weekend Romance saw him run past Chops for 3rd. Brim SACKED!
$1,000,000 Windy City Turf Classic, 10f Turf, 3yo+
Back to his pet distance of 10f and with Clooch back in the saddle it all looked good for Bustin Chops. Asterism was his main rival but he had a 1-0 record on him after beating him in the King Kong Cup in December, 2013.
It was always going to happen – Brim who was never to ride for blankpoint again (and certainly not on Bustin Chops), took a ride on Asterism. As the barrier opened, Brim took Asterism to the lead knowing that Chops doesn’t like leaders getting an unchallenged run. Deepseeker however took him on and Chops went back to settle ten lengths off them with Clooch knowing not to make it anymore. After the second call however, Deepseeker dropped away and gave Asterism an unchallenged lead and pace to set accordingly. Saving energy and with a stress free run, Asterism sprinted for home with Clooch shaking Chops up and nailing him with the whip. All other challenges fell away and in the stretch it was two G1 champs fighting it out. As the line approached, Chops just couldn’t account for Asterism’s easy run and went down by half a length. Brim celebrated and pointed at Clooch laughing. Clooch immediately fired back and told Brim to get a great ride for the Ark as Chops and he would be waiting….
$4,000,000 G1 Ark de ComicDog, 12f Turf, 3yo+
The pinnacle of 12f turf racing. Now rated as one of six ‘Super Races’, the Ark de ComicDog is along with the Breeders Bowl Turf the race to win. Again, $5M winner Overindulgence was there along with Weekend Romance who had run past him in the Man Of War. Weekend Romance would gain the status as enemy number one with none other than O Brim aboard. $5M winner Asador Etxebarri was also in the field and the giant killing 3yo Pleasant Walk also arrived.
As the barrier flung open, Overindulgence took up the running but was flanked by three stalkers. Bustin Chops went back towards the rear and sat just behind Asador Etxebarri whilst Brim took up a stalking position on Weekend Romance just two lengths off Chops. At the second call Weekend Romance drifted back a little and Clooch sensed a weakness moving Chops forward slightly as Overindulgence kept a solid pace.
The third call saw Clooch really advance on Chops to within six lengths of Overindulgence. Weekend Romance was the first horse beaten, left behind with Brim screaming at the horse. Asador Etxebarri also couldn’t handle the lift in tempo with Overindulgence beginning to fade. K’s Fallibilism took the lead and attempted to run away with it but Pleasant Walk started to really hit his straps. Bustin Chops got his ears back again and Clooch hung on for dear life as Bustin Chops hit top gear and rocket home and into the Sim Hall of fame with a one length win over K’s Fallibilism and Pleasant Walk gallant for 3rd.
$2,500,000 G1 Fall Tent Show, 10f Turf, 3yo+
Bustin Chops VS Asterism…… Clooch VS Brim…… The scene was set!
After running the best race of his career, Bustin Chops came in to this race with nothing to prove ability wise but everything to prove in the match race. Clooch was super confident that he could keep Asterism under wraps and as they jumped he went back into 11th position and sat eight lengths from leader Red Room who was the only 3yo in the race – a filly who was being put under serious pressure from Yesanditcounts. Brim took a sit on Asterism and was just a few lengths off Red Room giving him a plum ride.
At the 5f, Clooch had Chops over eleven lengths off the lead but was firmly locked on Asterism who was sitting in 3rd and nine lengths in front. There was an air of anticipation in the air as all that mattered were these two horses going head to head.
By the third call, Red Room had stopped running with Will’s horse A Discerning Mind bolting to the front and looking the winner over Yesanditcounts who had done a massive job up front. Clooch has gone for the whip on Bustin Chops as he cut his margin to Asterism to under four lengths and looking like he would get him. Old Dynamics who had been sitting off Chops in the run had followed Clooch’s every move and had now got clear as the stretch approached.
In the stretch it was Old Dynamics who flew home on Bustin Chops coattail. Chops went up to Asterism and gobbled him up, breaking his heart and Brim’s with it as they faded badly to finish over seven lengths behind Bustin Chops who was 2nd.
Bustin Chops’ last run of the year would end in disappointment with a 6th place in the $3M G1 King Kong Cup at 10f. For those wondering, Asterism wasn’t in the race….
So what a year. Running exclusively in G1 races is a huge task that can really pummel horses however this legend won three G1 races including the newly crowned $6M ‘super race’ the Ark de ComicDog and ran 2nd in three other G1 races. He finished fourth in the Sim HOTY rankings and even more impressive was his induction into the Sim Hall Of Fame.
Bustin Chops had an amazing year and being inducted into the Sim Hall Of Fame is proof that he is no one year wonder but a Sim legend.