A game like this is very specialized and long term, it takes great passion for the sport of horse racing to commit to playing a game online that may take years to be successful at playing. I’m sure there are a few exceptions but for the most part we are horse racing enthusiasts here.<\/p>\n
I want to hear about your favorite race horse. The horse that makes you smile every time you think of them. What made him special to you?<\/p>\n
It was Sept 24th 1994 when I first set eyes on this dark bay brick shit house of a horse at Turf Paradise in Phoenix, AZ. Turf Paradise is a track where the California throw away horses go to languish in endless claiming races, and certainly not the place you expect to fall in love with an unraced 2 year old. He wasn’t a long beautiful horse still waiting to grow into his body like most 2 year olds, this guy was a Mack truck. He looked like his skin was one size too small and his muscles had muscles. Frankly he was more linebacker than racehorse, and I loved it. He was firing bullet works and talk around the track was that he was a legit horse and would hopefully escape the desert and move on to better things.<\/p>\n
The MSW race started and he sat just off the pace in classic stalking position sitting 3rd on the backstretch in this 5 1\/2 race. Splits of 21.3 and 43.3 click off and he makes his move in the turn and takes the lead at the top of the lane. This is the key position of the race and why I was truly hooked. Another promising young colt named Socializedmedicine runs up along side and sticks a head in front. The first time starter wasn’t having any of this and dug in harder, turning away the would be challenger and drew off by a full length to win.<\/p>\n
He followed up his MSW win on October 18th drawing off to win by 3 lengths going 6F in 1:09 2\/5. A quite impressive time for a 2 year old to say the least. This led up to the big 2yo race of the season at Turf Paradise on October 30th. I say big race, knowing all things are relative, it was $25,000 listed stakes called the Arizona Thoroughbred Association Sales Stakes. Really a joke looking back on things now. The gelded son of Gone West did not disappoint as he drew off to win the ATBA stakes by a whopping 10 lengths, stopping the clock for the 6F race at 1:07 2\/5 in what amounts to a world record for a 2 year old horse and is still the world record for a 2 year old going 6 furlongs or dirt.<\/p>\n
It wasn’t long before the offers came rolling in to purchase the gelding, and the Arizona owners and trainers let him go. I unfortunately do not know how much he was sold for, but suffice to say it was well above the $6,000 he was sold for in the Keeneland September sale the year before.<\/p>\n
The gelding got new owners, first class facilities and a new quirky but accomplished trainer in Michael Dickinson. He was quickly put on the Derby trail on the New York circuit for 1995. He would make his 3 year old debut on March 4th 1995 in the Grade 3 Best Turn, going 6F at Aqueduct Racecourse in New York. He was not the post time favorite because this in New York after all and some desert rat horse doesn’t just show up in New York and win against the bluebloods. Well he disappointed the New York racing fans by immediately grabbing the lead and drawing off to win by 3 lengths over the best young sprinters on the East Coast.<\/p>\n
After a short 3 weeks rest the Grade 2 Gotham was next, stretching out to a mile, a win here would lead to the Wood Memorial and obviously the Kentucky Derby down the road. It wasn’t to be this time for the young gelding. He was crowded and surrounded early, constantly harassed and eventually ran out of gas finishing second to Talkinman. It was off the Derby trail and questions arose about his ability to run longer than 6 or 7 furlongs. It was decided to point him towards some of the lesser state derby races in the summer.<\/p>\n
April 29th he was entered into a 1 mile turf allowance race at Garden State Racecourse, basically for lack of anywhere else to run him, but he needed a prep race to continue his campaign in the lesser derby races. He grabbed the lead on the turn and won by 1 1\/2 lengths and shipped to Sportsman Park in Chicago to run the Illinois Derby. In the Illinois Derby he dueled with a horse named Westernecho throughout going 1 1\/8M, he put away Westernecho midstretch only to be overtaken by a good young horse named Peaksandvalleys.<\/p>\n
May 27th and it was back home to Garden State Park for the Grade 2 Jersey Derby going 1 1\/8M or turf. He sat in perfect position a stalking 2nd throughout and grinded out a victory late by 1\/2 length. A pattern was starting to show itself but the connections would be a little slow to recognize that despite his successes they might actually have a turf horse on their hands. Failing to recognize the pattern he was shipped to California for the Grade 2 Swaps to face the best 3 year old dirt horse on the planet in Thunder Gulch. The Grade 2 Swaps was 1 1\/8 on dirt on July 23rd and the gritty gelding ran a perfect race. Dueling for control on the top of the lane with the talented Petionville he poked a nose in front and grinded down Petionville but the late charging Thunder Gulch wasn’t going to lose on his home turf and ran by the leaders late to win by 2 lengths.<\/p>\n
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