3yo+ 12 furlong G1 Year In Review

Over the past 20 months that I have been a trainer in the sim, one category really interests me more than any other; 12 furlongs on turf at G1 level. In my time I have been lucky enough to see many great 3yo+ turf routers and this year was fantastic with Horseshoe Bay and Sunnybank Memorial coming under pressure from a host of up and comers. Leading them was none other than the Galileo trained 4yo wonder colt Lex Luthor.

In what was a great year for 3yo+ 12 furlong turf routing, there were many winners at G1 level. There were 27 G1 races on offer at 12 furlongs with 17 individual winners.

Retirements of note:

The category had huge loss when Sunnybank Memorial was retired on the 16th of June after his last race. Winning 25 of 53 races and amassing $10,848,889 in prize money, he is the sim all time G1 wins leader with 18 and his 3 Eclipse awards in 2004 for 3yo colt, turf horse and sim horse of the year are testament to what a great champion he was. He has recently been inducted into the sim hall of fame and will be greatly remembered but sadly missed.

Fastest G1 at 12f:

The fastest G1 at 12f on turf for the year came from boom 3yo Law Society colt in Rural Law. Trained by vettori, he posted a 115 SP in the Japan Classic running a time of 2:28 2/5. In doing so, he beat 9 horses that have each earned over a million dollars and 10 horses that have each won at least one G1 race. Rural Law had 15 races in 2007 for 6 wins including the G1 Adelaide Derby, G1 Owners Stakes, G1 World Cup, and of course the G1 Japan Classic.

Slowest G1 at 12f:

The slowest G1 win came from Rural Law in the G1 Adelaide Derby. He ran almost 3 seconds slower, posting a 99 SP and a 2:31 1/5 for the 12f however he did win by 3 lengths and cantered across the line in front of Exclusive Habitat.

Another Tenpin Tap also recorded the slowest G1 win in the Classic Turf. Posting a 99 SP, he won by ¼ of a length over a lack luster field.

Biggest purse won:

Lenny’s 4yo Rock Of Gibraltar colt Creepshow had a massive year winning the $3,000,000 Coffeefeilds Cup at 12f then went on to win the $3,000,000 Coxless Stakes at 10f.

Legendary Lex Luthor won the $3,000,000 Breeders Bowl beating 11 G1 winners, 8 of whom had won over 1.5 million dollars. That was the first time Lex had beaten Horseshoe Bay after two previous attempts and his 4th placing ahead of Horseshoe Bay in last weeks Allied Assault G1 made it two a piece in he to head battles. Lex finished ahead of Sunnybank Memorial all three occasions that they met.

Most G1 wins at 12f:

Lex Luthor won 4 G1’s including the Breeders Bowl, Coronation Cup, Tower Bridge and Ark de Triumph collecting $3,000,000 for his efforts in the four races alone.

Rural Law also won 4 G1’s with the Adelaide Derby and Owners Stakes against his own age (3yo’s) and the World Cup and Japan Classic against older horses. He collected 2.1 million in winnings from the four races.

Multiple G1 winners:

Obviously Rural Law and Lex Luthor.

Horseshoe Bay won both the Sand Castle Golden Turf and the Simply The Best for 1.5 million.

Ottoman Turks won both the San Francisco and Giant Killa for $540,000.

Kirby’s Best Yet won both the Sydney Derby and Derby de English for 1.2 million.

Jumpin’ Java won the John Scott and King Geoff & Queen Beth for 1.5 million.

Below is a list of the races sorted by week from early in the year through to week 3441.

3105 – Who Cares Anymore – $500,000 – Western Sculpture – 106 – 2:30:00
3126 – Aslan Memorial Turf – $500,000 – Kool Thing – 103 – 2:30:00 1/5
3147 – John Scott Appriciation – $1,000,000 – Jumpin’ Java – 103 – 2:30:00 2/5
3186 – Sand Castle Golden Turf – $2,000,000 – Horseshoe Bay – 106 – 2:30:00
3196 – San Fransico – $400,000 – Ottoman Turks – 109 – 2:29:00 2/5
3196 – Sydney Derby – $1,000,000 – Kirby’s Best Yet – 100 – 2:31:00
3210 – Simply The Best – $500,000 – Horseshoe Bay – 108 – 2:29:00 4/5
3210 – Adelaide Derby – $500,000 – Rural Law – 99 – 2:31:00 1/5
3231 – The Master – $500,000 – Director – 102 – 2:30:00 4/5
3231 – Giant Killa – $500,000 – Ottoman Turks – 102 – 2:30:00 4/5
3238 – Coronation Cup – $500,000 – Lex Luthor – 109 – 2:29:00 2/5
3245 – U Want A Piece Of Me – $500,000 – Dancin In Seattle – 106 – 2:30:00
3245 – Derby de English – $1,000,000 – Kirby’s Best Yet – 106 – 2:30:00
3266 – Tower Bridge – $500,000 – Lex Luthor – 109 – 2:29:00 3/5
3280 – Lots Of Luck – $500,000 – Simulation King – 104 – 2:30:00 2/5
3294 – King Geoff Queen Beth – $1,500,000 – Jumpin’ Java – 109 – 2:29:00 3/5
3308 – Sword Swallower – $500,000 – Freeze – 108 – 2:29:00 3/5
3308 – Owners Stakes – $500,000 – Rural Law – 103 – 2:30:00 3/5
3350 – World Cup – $500,000 – Rural Law – 111 – 2:29:00 1/5
3364 – Classic Turf – $750,000 – Another Tenpin Tap – 99 – 2:31:00 1/5
3364 – Ark de Triumph – $1,000,000 – Lex Luthor – 109 – 2:29:00 2/5
3364 – Coalminer Cup – $1,500,000 – Max California – 113 – 2:28:00 4/5
3371 – Canada Turf – $1,000,000 – Alum Bay – 106 – 2:30:00
3378 – Coffeefeilds Cup – $3,000,000 – Creepshow – 113 – 2:28:00 4/5
3385 – Breeders Bowl – $3,000,000 – Lex Luthor – 111 – 2:29:00 1/5
3413 – Japan Classic – $2,000,000 – Rural Law – 115 – 2:28:00 2/5
3441 – Allied Assault Handicap – $2,000,000 – Rosenthal – 113 – 2:28:00 4/5

Hope everyone enjoyed this article and I look forward to meeting you all in the big one’s next year.

Lado