“Genuine Risk passed away peacefully early this morning shortly after being
Bred in Kentucky by Mrs. G. Watts Humphrey Jr., Genuine Risk was purchased for
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Conditioned by future Hall of Famer Leroy Jolley, Genuine Risk debuted at
Belmont Park on September 30, 1979, winning by 1 3/4 lengths under Jacinto
Vasquez, who would ride her in 12 of her 15 career starts. Genuine Risk went on
to win all four of her starts at age two, capped by a nose victory over that
season’s champion two-year-old filly, Smart Angle, in the
Demoiselle S. (G2) at Aqueduct. Prior to the Demoiselle, Genuine Risk had
captured an Aqueduct allowance by more than seven lengths and the Tempted S. by
three lengths.
Genuine Risk kicked off her three-year-old campaign with a pair of overnight
victories at Gulfstream Park and Aqueduct, and then faced colts for the first
time in the Wood Memorial S. (G1). Though she suffered her first defeat in
finishing an even third behind eventual sprint champion Plugged Nickle, her 1
1/2-length loss did not deter her connections from sending to her to Churchill
Downs for the Kentucky Derby.
Coming on the heels of Seattle Slew, Affirmed, Alydar and Spectacular Bid
over the three previous years, the 1980 crop of three-year-old colts clearly
lacked a standout, perhaps a major reason why the Firestones and Jolley felt
the filly would do well. In addition to Plugged Nickle, the other favorite in
that year’s Derby was the gelding Rockhill Native, who was named champion
two-year-old but who had a mixed prep season culminating in a victory in the Blue
Grass S. (G1).
Not used to seeing a filly compete in the Derby (Silver Spoon who finished
fifth in 1959 had been the most recent), the crowd at Churchill Downs let
Genuine Risk go to post as the 13-1 sixth choice in a field of 13. Racing in
seventh during the early stages, the filly made a big run around the far turn to
assume command at the quarter-pole and continued to hold sway through the
stretch to register a length victory in a time of 2:02. It had been 65 years,
when Regret won the Run for the Roses in 1915, since a filly had stood in the
Derby winner’s circle. Winning Colors, who died earlier this year, became the
third female Derby winner in 1988.
Genuine Risk next moved on to Baltimore for the Preakness S. (G1), a race no
filly had won since Nellie Morse turned the trick in 1924. In one of the more
controversial races ever run, Angel Cordero Jr., aboard Codex, floated Genuine
Risk extremely wide turning for home, thus slowing down the filly’s momentum as
she made a serious bid for the lead. Genuine Risk failed to overcome that bit of
race-riding as Codex drew off late to a 4 3/4 length score with the filly a
clear second. Though film replays showed that little to no physical contact
between the two horses had occurred, many fans across the country were outraged
at the perceived unsportsmanlike ride by Cordero, but were even more incensed
when Pimlico stewards failed to post the inquiry sign. It was left to Vasquez to
lodge a claim of foul, which was ultimately denied. An appeal by the Firestones
of the Preakness result to the Maryland Racing Commission upheld the Pimlico
stewards’ decision.
Three weeks later Genuine Risk had a rematch with Codex in the Belmont S.
(G1). Though she handed that colt a decisive defeat, it was 53-1 outsider
Temperence Hill who stole the thunder with a two-length victory over a muddy
track. Temperence Hill would go on to be named the champion colt of his
generation, and Genuine Risk ran a credible second after leading briefly in the
stretch. Neither before nor since has a filly raced and won or placed in all
three American classics, and it wasn’t until 2007 that Rags to Riches ended the
dry spell of fillies winning the Belmont S., which dated back to Tanya’s score
in 1905.
Genuine Risk raced only twice more in 1980. In the Maskette S. (G2), she met
her great rival for three-year-old honors, Bold ‘n Determined, who had won five
Grade 1 races that year going into the Maskette, including the Kentucky Oaks,
Acorn S. and Coaching Club American Oaks. In receipt of four pounds from Bold ‘n
Determined, Genuine Risk went toe-to-toe with that rival through the stretch but
fell short in the one-mile contest by a nose. Both fillies later defeated older
horses, Bold ‘n Determined in the Spinster S. (G1) and Genuine Risk in the
Ruffian H. (G1), and despite the result of their one meeting, Genuine Risk’s
historic run through the Triple Crown trumped Bold ‘n Determined’s body of work
when Eclipse Award ballots were tallied.
Genuine Risk raced just three times as a four-year-old in 1981, none of them
in stakes. She was a dominant allowance winner at Aqueduct and Saratoga over the
dirt, but was only third in her one and only appearance on grass in a Belmont
Park allowance. She retired with a career mark of 15-10-3-2 and earnings of
$646,587. She was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986.
As famous as Genuine Risk was for her triumph in the Kentucky Derby, her
difficulties at producing offspring were, sadly, equally noteworthy. Bred at one
time to Triple Crown legend Secretariat, Genuine Risk frequently failed to get
in foal and suffered numerous miscarriages. It wasn’t until 1993, at age 16,
that Genuine Risk finally became a mother, delivering a Rahy colt later named
Genuine Reward. The appearance of a healthy live foal was a national news event
at the time, and a photograph of mother and son together in a paddock at Three
Chimneys Farm became iconic. Genuine Risk’s difficulties at producing never
really subsided, and her only other foal was the Chief Honcho colt Count Our
Blessing, born in 1996. Neither Genuine Reward nor Count Our Blessing ever
raced, and Genuine Risk was pensioned in 2000.
“She was a wonderful and outstanding filly; everyone fell in love with her,”
Jolley said. “She had a place in everyone’s heart. Everyone involved with her
took care of her up to the end. She was special to all of us.”
With her death, 1987 Kentucky Derby winner Alysheba is now the oldest living
winner of the race. The 24-year-old was last reported to be standing at stud in
Saudi Arabia.