STRETCH CALLAn international cast of 14 turf specialists heads postward, with each fully prepared to deliver the performance of a lifetime. Here they are in post position order:
PP HORSE YEAR AGE WEIGHT JOCKEY TRAINER
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1 PRETTY POLLY (GB) 1904 3 120 W. LANE P. GILPIN
2 MIESQUE 1987 3 120 F. HEAD F. BOUTIN
3 STEINLEN (GB) 1989 6 126 J. SANTOS D. W. LUKAS
4 RIDGEWOOD PEARL (GB) 1995 3 120 J. MURTAGH J. OXX
5 LURE 1993 4 126 M. SMITH C. McGAUGHEY
6 ROYAL HEROINE (Ire) 1984 4 123 F. TORO J. GOSDEN
7 TUDOR MINSTREL (GB) 1947 3 123 G. RICHARDS F. DARLING
8 PETITE ETOILE (GB) 1959 3 120 L. PIGGOTT N. MURLESS
9 BAHRAM (GB) 1935 3 123 F. FOX F. BUTTERS
10 DA HOSS 1996 4 126 G. STEVENS M. DICKINSON
11 SPINNING WORLD 1997 4 126 C. ASMUSSEN J. PEASE
12 PEBBLES (GB) 1985 4 123 P. EDDERY C. BRITTAIN
13 SADLER'S WELLS 1984 3 123 G. McGRATH V. O'BRIEN
14 BRIGADIER GERARD (GB) 1972 4 126 J. MERCER W. R. HERN
Following are race records (year chosen and lifetime) for each horse, as well
as notable accomplishments and other tidbits:
1 PRETTY POLLY (GB) 1904 Race Record: 8- 7-1-0 $Not Available
Lifetime Record: 24-22-2-0 $189,965
- Won England's classic One Thousand Guineas (3yo fillies at one mile) by
three lengths (1904)
- Won England's classic Epsom Oaks (3yo fillies at one mile and 885
yards) by three lengths (1904)
- Won England's classic St. Leger S. (3yo at one mile, 6 furlongs and 132
yards) easily by three lengths (1904)
- Won England's 1904 Coronation S. (3yo fillies at one mile)
- Finished second in the 1904 Prix du Conseil Municipal (3&up at 1 1/2
miles) at Longchamp carrying 127 pounds
- Won England's Coronation Cup (3&up at 1 1/2 miles) in 1905 and 1906
- Finished second in England's 1906 Ascot Gold Cup (3&up at 2 1/2 miles)
carrying 127 pounds
2 MIESQUE 1987 Race Record: 8- 6-2-0 $1,187,445
Lifetime Record: 16-12-3-1 $1,971,485
- Champion Two-Year-Old in France (1986)
- Champion Turf Mare in the U.S. (1987)
- Champion Three-Year-Old Filly and Miler in France (1987)
- Champion Three-Year-Old Filly and Miler in England (1987)
- Champion Turf Mare in the U.S. (1988)
- Champion Older Mare and Co-Champion Miler in France (1988)
- Won 1987 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at Hollywood Park, setting a new
course record of 1:32 4/5
- Won 1988 Breeders' Cup Mile at Churchill Downs
- Won England's classic 1987 General Accident One Thousand Guineas (G1)
- Seven-time Group 1 winner in France (lifetime)
3 STEINLEN (GB) 1989 Race Record: 11- 7- 3-1 $1,521,378
Lifetime Record: 45-20-10-7 $3,300,340
- Champion Turf Horse in 1989
- Won Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at Gulfstream Park in 1989
- Won Arlington Million (G1) in 1989
- Set a new course record of 1:52 for 1 3/16 miles on turf in the
Caesars International H. (G2) at Atlantic City Race Course (1990)
- Equalled the course record of 1:34 1/5 for the mile at Santa Anita
(1989)
4 RIDGEWOOD PEARL (GB) 1995 Race Record: 6-5-1-0 $1,155,150
Lifetime Record: 8-6-1-1 $1,179,650
- Highweight Three-Year-Old in France (7-9.5 furlongs) (1995)
- Highweight Three-Year-Old in Ireland (7-9.5 furlongs) (1995)
- Won Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at Belmont Park in 1995
- Won 1995 Irish One Thousand Guineas (G1) (3yo fillies at one mile)
- Won England's 1995 Coronation S. (G1)
- Won Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (G1) (3&up at about one mile) in 1995
5 LURE 1993 Race Record: 8- 6-2-0 $1,212,323
Lifetime Record: 25-14-8-0 $2,514,809
- Won 1992 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at Gulfstream Park, setting a new
course record of 1:32 4/5
- Won 1993 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at Santa Anita
- Won 1993 Early Times Turf Classic S. (G3) at Churchill Downs, setting a
new course record of 1:46 1/5 for 1 1/8 miles
- Set a new track record of :56 1/5 for five furlongs at Belmont Park in
career debut as a two-year-old (1991)
6 ROYAL HEROINE (Ire) 1984 Race Record: 8- 4-2-1 $1,023,500
Lifetime Record: 21-10-5-1 $1,219,222
- Champion Turf Mare in 1984
- Won 1984 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at Hollywood Park, setting a new North
American record of 1:32 3/5
- Finished second to John Henry in the 1984 Budweiser Million S. (G1) at
Arlington Park
7 TUDOR MINSTREL (GB) 1947 Race Record: 6-4-1-0 $Not Available
Lifetime Record: 10-8-1-0 $Not Available
- Champion Two-Year-Old Colt in England (1946)
- Won England's classic Two Thousand Guineas (3yo at one mile) in 1947
- Only two lifetime losses came at distances beyond one mile
8 PETITE ETOILE (GB) 1959 Race Record: 6- 6-0-0 $Not Available
Lifetime Record: 19-14-5-0 $Not Available
- Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, Miler and Horse Of The Year in England
(1959)
- Champion Older Horse in England (1960)
- Champion Miler in England (1961)
- Won England's classic One Thousand Guineas in 1959
- Won England's classic Epsom Oaks in 1959
- Won England's Sussex S. (3&up at one mile) in 1959
- Won England's Coronation Cup in 1960 and 1961
9 BAHRAM (GB) 1935 Race Record: 4-4-0-0 $Not Available
Lifetime Record: 9-9-0-0 $215,430
- Champion Two-Year-Old Colt in England (1934)
- Champion Three-Year-Old Colt in England (1935)
- Only English Triple Crown winner of the 20th century to retire
undefeated
10 DA HOSS 1996 Race Record: 5- 3-1-1 $ 698,680
Lifetime Record: 20-12-5-2 $1,931,558
- Won Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at Woodbine in 1996
- Won Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at Churchill Downs in 1998
- Set world record of 1:07 1/5 for six furlongs in the A.T.B.A. Sales S.
at Turf Paradise as a two-year-old (1994)
11 SPINNING WORLD 1997 Race Record: 5-4-0-0 $ 943,566
Lifetime Record: 14-8-3-1 $1,733,529
- Highweight Three-Year-Old in Ireland (7-9.5 furlongs) (1996)
- Highweight Older Horse in France (7-9.5 furlongs) (1997)
- Won 1997 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at Hollywood Park, equalling the
course record of 1:32 3/5
- Won 1996 Irish Two Thousand Guineas (G1) (3yo at one mile)
- Won Emirates Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (G1) in 1997
- Finished second to Da Hoss in 1996 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at Woodbine
12 PEBBLES (GB) 1985 Race Record: 5-4-1-0 $1,198,303
Lifetime Record: 15-8-5-0 $1,429,243
- Champion Turf Mare in the U.S. (1985)
- Champion Older Mare and Miler in England (1985)
- Won 1985 Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) at Aqueduct, setting a new course
record of 2:27 for 1 1/2 miles
- Won England's classic One Thousand Guineas (G1) in 1984
- Won England's 1985 Coral Eclipse S. (G1) (3&up at 1 1/4 miles) carrying
130 pounds
- Won England's 1985 Dubai Champion S. (G1) (3&up at 1 1/4 miles)
- Jockey Pat Eddery chooses Pebbles over Sadler's Wells
- Pebbles drank a pint of Guinness each day
13 SADLER'S WELLS 1984 Race Record: 9-4-4-0 $626,324
Lifetime Record: 11-6-4-0 $663,423
- Champion Miler in France (1984)
- Won Ireland's 1984 Airlie/Coolmore 2000 Guineas (G1) (3yo at one mile)
- Won England's 1984 Coral Eclipse S. (G1)
- Jockey G. McGrath subs for Pat Eddery (who opts for Pebbles)
14 BRIGADIER GERARD (GB) 1972 Race Record: 8- 7-1-0 $Not Available
Lifetime Record: 18-17-1-0 $Not Available
- Champion Miler in England (1971)
- Champion Older Horse, Miler and Horse Of The Year in England (1972)
- Won England's classic Two Thousand Guineas (G1) in 1971, defeating
Mill Reef
- Six-time Group 1 winner in England (lifetime)
- Only career defeat came when second behind Riverman in the 1972 Benson
and Hedges Gold Cup (G1)
- Defeated Riverman in the 1972 Champion S. (G1) at Newmarket to avenge
his only career loss
Now, for the race:TUDOR MINSTREL charges to the lead from the outset with LURE in close pursuit as those two angle toward the rail. MIESQUE takes up a stalking position on the inside, and RIDGEWOOD PEARL matches strides a neck back in fourth. PRETTY POLLY breaks alertly, then settles into stride along the rail behind the leaders, with ROYAL HEROINE to her outside and PETITE ETOILE a half-length back in seventh. STEINLEN, BAHRAM, DA HOSS and SPINNING WORLD race heads apart, while PEBBLES, SADLER'S WELLS and BRIGADIER GERARD bring up the rear as the field enters the clubhouse turn. TUDOR MINSTREL accomplishes the first quarter-mile in a swift :22 3/5, with LURE skimming the rail a half-length back in second. There are few position changes through the turn, although SPINNING WORLD gets caught four wide toward the back of the pack while MIESQUE, PRETTY POLLY, STEINLEN and PEBBLES manage to save ground. In the run down the backstretch, TUDOR MINSTREL extends his lead over LURE to 1 1/2 lengths and passes the half-mile mark in a quick :45 3/5. Mike Smith takes LURE off the hedge, allowing MIESQUE to move up along the inside as they approach the far turn. RIDGEWOOD PEARL races in fourth, with PRETTY POLLY to her inside in fifth. The rest of the field remains bunched, with the trailers no more than eight lengths off the pace. Midway on the far turn, TUDOR MINSTREL maintains his 1 1/2-length advantage, but it is MIESQUE who has surged into second, with LURE a neck back in third. PRETTY POLLY follows MIESQUE along the rail into fourth, leaving RIDGEWOOD PEARL in fifth to her outside. ROYAL HEROINE looks for running room in sixth, as does BAHRAM to her inside in seventh. PETITE ETOILE launches her four-wide bid in eighth, and BRIGADIER GERARD picks up steam after Joe Mercer asks him for his run. At the top of the stretch, TUDOR MINSTREL presses on with a one-length lead over MIESQUE after zipping six furlongs in 1:09 and seven panels in 1:20 4/5. PRETTY POLLY remains boxed in on the rail in third, with ROYAL HEROINE, who split horses, a neck back in fourth. LURE holds down the fifth position after drifting out slightly, and RIDGEWOOD PEARL continues on gamely to his outside in sixth. PETITE ETOILE is beginning to flatten out behind RIDGEWOOD PEARL while BAHRAM and DA HOSS remain bottled up behind a wall of horses. BRIGADIER GERARD is moving fastest of all on the far outside with four lengths to make up on the leader. With a sixteenth of a mile to go, MIESQUE weakens slightly, leaving room for the great PRETTY POLLY to charge after TUDOR MINSTREL, whose lead is down to a precarious half-length. ROYAL HEROINE, LURE and RIDGEWOOD PEARL are unable to gain ground on the leaders, but BRIGADIER GERARD is closing with every stride and now trails by 1 1/2 lengths. As they approach the wire, PRETTY POLLY edges past a desperate TUDOR MINSTREL, but BRIGADIER GERARD is flying and puts a head in front on the line. Time for the race is 1:32 4/5, eclipsing the old Churchill mark by four-fifths of a second. Following is the complete order of finish:
HORSE FINISH COMMENT
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
BRIGADIER GERARD 1 hd Prevailed in a sustained drive
PRETTY POLLY 2 1/2 Saved ground, found room late
TUDOR MINSTREL 3 1 1/4 Made the pace, continued gamely
MIESQUE 4 1/2 Pressed leader, finished evenly
ROYAL HEROINE 5 hd Loomed boldly, hung
LURE 6 nk Vied for early lead, weakened
RIDGEWOOD PEARL 7 nk Wide into stretch, lacked bid
PETITE ETOILE 8 hd Four wide turn, flattened out
DA HOSS 9 no Lacked room stretch
PEBBLES 10 nk Saved ground, failed to threaten
BAHRAM 11 3/4 Steadied repeatedly
SPINNING WORLD 12 1 Wide first turn, no factor
STEINLEN 13 1 Blocked backstretch, faded
SADLER'S WELLS 14 Dull effort
That's all for now. Keep checking back in the Brisnet.com Library for the next event - the Century Dream Distaff!
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