Saint Liam, who was also named champion older male, got off to a fast start
Under confident handling from Jerry Bailey, Saint Liam toyed with his
|
Bred in Kentucky by Edward Evans in 2000, Saint Liam sold for $130,000 at the
2001 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale. He broke his maiden at three and
finished second in the 2003 Iowa Derby. Transferred to Dutrow later that season,
the colt’s career took off in 2004 with placings in the New Orleans H. (G2),
Oaklawn H. (G2) and Woodward, the latter a superb runner-up showing by a neck to
2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper. His first stakes win came in November’s Clark H. (G2)
and he entered 2005 with lofty goals. Saint Liam realized those with four
prestigious wins and the Horse of the Year title.
He heads to stud with an overall mark of 20-9-6-1 and earnings of more than $4.4 million.
Saint Liam is out of the stakes-winning Quiet Dance
(Quiet American), runner-up in the 1995 Demoiselle S. (G2), who is also the dam
of 2004 Bay Meadows Derby (G3) winner Congressionalhonor (Forestry).
Cash is King stable’s
AFLEET ALEX (Northern Afleet) finished second in the
Horse of the Year balloting and was the near unanimous selection as champion
three-year-old male. A convincing Belmont S. (G1) and Preakness S. (G1) winner,
the bay colt fell only a length short of winning the Triple Crown when third in
the Kentucky Derby (G1). The Tim Ritchey-trained colt also recorded an
eight-length success in the Arkansas Derby (G2). He earned more than $2 million
last year.
His racing career concluded with a scintillating seven-length triumph in the
“Test of Champions” (the Belmont), but the dual classic winner will
always be remembered for his spectacular agility approaching the top of the
stretch in the Preakness when a rival suddenly cut in front of his path,
clipping heels and nearly sending Afleet Alex and jockey Jeremy Rose to the
ground. He somehow regained his balance and quickly recovered his momentum,
driving clear in midstretch en route to an awe-inspiring 4 3/4-length tally.
Most onlookers had never seen anything like it.
Bred in Florida by John Martin Silvertand, Afleet Alex brought $75,000 at the
Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May two-year-old sale and earned nearly $2.8 million from
a 12-8-2-1 record. He’s out of the winning Maggy Hawk (Hawkster) and counts
multiple Grade 2-placed Unforgettable Max as a full brother. His maternal
granddam is 1983 Demoiselle S. (G1) winner Qualique (*Hawaii).
ASHADO (Saint Ballado), who shone with terrific victories in the Beldame S.
(G1), Go for Wand H. (G1) and Ogden Phipps H. (G1) last year, was honored as
champion older female. Owned by Starlight Stable, Paul Saylor and Johns Martin,
the four-year-old filly entered 2005 with high expectations — having been named
champion three-year-old filly in 2004 — and Ashado delivered, earning more than
$1 million under the direction of Todd Pletcher. She became only the fourth distaffer to garner both champion three-year-old filly and champion older
female honors, the first since Life’s Magic in 1984-85.
Her campaign didn’t start smoothly with two straight setbacks, but Ashado
returned to form with a three-length tally in the Ogden Phipps in mid-June. She
romped by 9 1/2 lengths in the Go for Wand and recorded the 11th stakes victory
of her stellar career in October’s Beldame. The dark bay concluded her racing
days with a third in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) and retired with total
earnings of $3,931,440 from a 21-12-4-3 line. Bred in Kentucky by Aaron and
Marie Jones, Ashado was purchased for $170,000 at the 2002 Keeneland September
yearling sale and is out of the stakes-winning Goulash (Mari’s Book), who is
also the dam of three other stakes-placed performers. Her granddam is 1985 Santa
Ynez S. (G3) heroine and multiple Grade 1-placed Wising Up (Smarten). Ashado’s
three-year-old full brother, Sunriver, is a Kentucky Derby hopeful this
spring.
Phipps Stable’s
SMUGGLER
(Unbridled) held the unique distinction within the three-year-old filly
division of capturing two Grade 1 prizes. Accordingly, the Shug McGaughey
trainee earned the Eclipse Award, following in the exalted footsteps of her dam,
Inside Information (Private Account), who was champion older mare in 1995.
Smuggler served notice that she would be a prominent player in the division
when finishing a battling second in the Acorn S. (G1) after pressing a torrid
pace. She posted convincing victories in her only other starts, the Mother Goose
S. (G1) and Coaching Club American Oaks S. (G1). In the Mother Goose, she was
bothered for a moment as Spun Sugar (Awesome Again) drifted into her path in the
early stages, but she took no notice, comfortably stalking Spun Sugar’s quick
tempo before collaring her. Although her rival was unfailingly game and kept
plugging away to keep the margin close, Smuggler was tenderly handled by Edgar
Prado and was not extended at the wire. With this victory, she avenged her dam’s
loss in the 1994 edition of the race. In the Coaching Club American Oaks,
Smuggler dispatched her familiar foes by 3 1/2 easy lengths.
Just as she was apparently going from strength to strength, she came down
with a fever that interrupted her training and ultimately led to her being
sidelined for the rest of the season. In 2005, Smuggler scored three wins and a
second from four starts, while her career record stands at 7-5-2-0 with $634,600
in earnings.
Bred in Kentucky by Ogden Mills Phipps, Smuggler hails from one of the most
influential female lines in the stud book, the family of Grey Flight (*Mahmoud),
responsible for a multitude of top-class performers. To focus only on immediate
relations, Inside Information racked up six Grade 1 victories, including a
memorable 13 1/2-length demolition job in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff S. (G1).
Inside Information’s half-sister is multiple Grade 1 queen Educated Risk (Mr.
Prospector), and another half-sister, multiple Grade 2-placed Hidden Reserve
(Mr. Prospector), is the dam of recent Queens County H. (G3) winner
Philanthropist (Kris S.) and 2004 Laurel Futurity (G3) winner Defer (Danzig).
In light of her dam’s phenomenal four-year-old season, Smuggler’s best days
may lie ahead, and it is to be hoped that we see much more of her in 2006.
Leroidesanimaux kicked off 2005 with a gutsy victory in the Frank E. Kilroe
Throughout his North American career, the handsome chestnut compiled a
|
Bred by Haras Bage Do Sul in Brazil, where he began his racing career,
Leroidesanimaux is out of Dissemble (GB) (Ahonoora), who is a half-sister to the
dam of 2005 champion turf female Intercontinental (GB) (Danehill).
Intercontinental has often shown a willful temperament to match her
She saved her best for last in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, her
|
Remarkably, Intercontinental is the third champion produced by her dam, the
French stakes winner Hasili (Ire) (Kahyasi), all of them by Danehill. Her first
foal, Dansili (GB), was a champion in England and France and finished a
barnstorming third in the 2000 Breeders’ Cup Mile. Her second foal is Banks
Hill, who was also a European champion in 2001 and 2002 in addition to her
Eclipse Award. Hasili’s other foals are also accomplished. Heat Haze (GB) (Green
Desert) captured the 2003 Beverly D. S. (G1) and Matriarch S. (G1). Cacique (Ire) (Danehill),
a French Group 2 winner and multiple Group 1-placed, has been transferred to
Frankel and may add to the family laurels in America. Moreover, Hasili is a
half-sister to the dam of 2005 champion turf horse Leroidesanimaux as well
as the dam of 2005 Del Mar Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) winner Three Valleys (Diesis
[GB]). This is also the family of multiple Grade 2 winner Hawksley Hill, who
narrowly lost to Da Hoss in the 1998 Breeders’ Cup Mile. With a genetic code
like this to draw upon, Intercontinental promises to uphold the family tradition
as she joins the Juddmonte broodmare band.
LOST IN THE FOG (Lost Soldier), who captivated audiences from coast to coast
with a brilliant sprint campaign that fell one race short of perfection, is
2005’s champion sprinter. Based in Northern California with trainer Greg
Gilchrist, the Harry Aleo-owned colt won eight races at seven different tracks,
traveling cross-country to New York and Florida repeatedly and dominating his
opposition at every stop but his last with blazing speed. The toll of a long
season may have caught up with him on Breeders’ Cup Day, but voters didn’t hold
that lone setback against the best short-distance specialist in 2005.
His accomplishments included the King’s Bishop S. (G1), Carry Back S. (G2),
Riva Ridge Breeders’ Cup S. (G2), Swale S. (G2), Bay Shore S. (G3) and Sunshine
Millions Dash S., and the superb sophomore was odds-on in all nine appearances
on the track. Now 10 for 11 overall, Lost in the Fog was bred in Florida by
Susan Seper and passed through the sales ring three times, bringing $13,000 as a
2002 Keeneland November weanling and $48,000 at the OBS August yearling sale
before RNA’ing at the 2004 OBS March two-year-old sale. He’s out of the unraced
Cloud Break (Dr. Carter), who is also the dam of the stakes-placed How About My
Place (Out of Place) and a daughter of 1981 Hempstead H. (G2) queen Wistful (Maribeau).
She’s a half-sister to multiple Grade 2 winner Luminaire and closely related to
Grade 1 winners Bonapaw and Listening.
Lost in the Fog is being freshened for a four-year-old campaign in 2006.
The chestnut colt rated near the back of the pack with jockey Garrett
Bred in Kentucky by John Gunther, Tony Holmes and Walter Zent, Stevie
|
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) princess
FOLKLORE (Tiznow) took home
champion two-year-old filly honors. The Bob and Beverly Lewis homebred finished
either first or second in all seven starts in 2005, including a 14-length
spanking in the Matron S. (G1) and a victory at Saratoga in the Adirondack S.
(G2). She finished a close second in both the Spinaway S. (G2) and Astarita S.
and earned nearly $1 million last season.
In the Juvenile Fillies, the bay miss shot right to the lead after the break
but was content to give up the advantage on the backstretch while being
patiently handled by Edgar Prado. Folklore reasserted herself to the lead on the
far turn and surged for home, easily holding off all challengers through the
stretch to win by 1 1/4 lengths. The seventh two-year-old filly champion trained
by D. Wayne Lukas, the Kentucky-bred Folklore is the first foal out of the unraced
Contrive (Storm Cat), who is a daughter of multiple Grade 3 winner Jeano (Fappiano).
Contrive’s granddam is 1985 Delaware H. (G1) heroine Basie (In Reality), who is
a half-sister to Don’t Worry About Me (Foolish Pleasure), the maternal granddam
of Smarty Jones.
Michael Moran’s
MCDYNAMO
(Dynaformer) was honored with his second Eclipse Award as champion
steeplechaser, following his earlier title in 2003. Third in the Royal Chase for
the Sport of Kings (G1) at Keeneland in his seasonal reappearance, the Sanna
Hendriks charge finished second in his next three outings, the Iroquois Hurdle
(G1), David L. “Zeke” Ferguson Memorial Steeplechase S. (G1) and Somerset
Medical Center Steeplechase Race for Cancer Awareness S. (G2) before wrapping up
his year in tremendous style with a Grade 1 double. McDynamo captured the
Breeders’ Cup Steeplechase S. (G1) for an unprecedented third straight year,
seizing the initiative early, widening his margin in the course of the race and
sailing home nine lengths in the clear. The eight-year-old followed that effort
with a game front-running win in the Colonial Cup S. (G1). After brushing aside
an early challenger, he was confronted by 2004 champion steeplechaser Hirapour
(Ire) (Kahyasi) in the stretch but dug deep to secure a 1 1/2-length score.
Bred in Kentucky by Richard Fox, Nathan Fox and Richard Kaster, McDynamo was
sold to Moran for $82,000 at the 1998 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Produced by the unraced Rondonia (Monteverdi [Ire]), he is a full brother to
1995 Generous S. (G3) winner Old Chapel. McDynamo’s 2005 mark reads 6-2-3-1 with
$265,425 in earnings.
In the human categories, Todd Pletcher parlayed a record year of more than
$20.8 million in earnings into his second consecutive Eclipse Award for leading
trainer. Represented by stable stars like Ashado, Flower Alley (Pulpit), Bandini
(Fusaichi Pegasus) and Adieu (El Corredor), Pletcher counted the Travers S.
(G1), Cigar Mile H. (G1), Blue Grass S. (G1), Carter H. (G1) and many other big
races among his numerous accomplishments in 2005. He racked up 256 wins from
1,034 starts, a 24 percent success rate. His stable earned $17.5 million and won
240 races in 2004.
A native of Dallas, Texas, and the son of veteran trainer J.J. Pletcher, the
38-year-old grew up around horses and worked for Charlie Whittingham and Henry
Moreno while at the University of Arizona. He was hired as an assistant by D.
Wayne Lukas upon graduation and served seven years for the Hall of Famer,
opening a public stable in December, 1995, and saddling his first starter in
1996. Pletcher won three Grade 1 races with Jersey Girl in 1997 and trained his
first champion, leading older male Left Bank, in 2002. In 2004, he won his first
two Breeders’ Cup races with eventual champions Ashado and Speightstown.
Pletcher was the leading trainer for the fourth consecutive year at Saratoga
in 2005, captured his second straight title at Gulfstream Park and his first
ever at Keeneland during the Spring Meet.
John Velazquez, who has teamed with Pletcher to win races in bunches over the
past few seasons, established a new single-season record with more than $20.7
million in earnings in 2005 and notched his second straight Eclipse Award for
leading jockey. He was the regular rider for champions Leroidesanimaux and
Ashado last year and guided Grade 1 winners Flower Alley, Adieu, Happy Ticket (Anet),
Sand Springs, and Luas Line (Ire) (Danehill).
The 34-year-old won 250 races from 1,142 starts (21 percent win rate).
A native of Puerto Rico, Velazquez moved his tack to New York in the 1990
under the guidance of his mentor and agent, Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero
Jr.
Emma-Jayne Wilson was named champion apprentice jockey. The 24-year-old
Ontario native led all North American apprentices in wins and earnings and
became the first woman in the 50-year history of Woodbine to be leading rider,
winning 175 races at the Toronto oval. Her biggest mounts in 2005 included
Classic Stamp (Regal Classic) and Our Madison (Tactical Cat).
Michael Gill, whose charges won 349 races and earned more than $6.3 million
in 2005, took home the Eclipse Award for outstanding owner. One of the nation’s
leading owners by wins since 2000, the mortgage banking mogul was exposed to
Thoroughbred racing at Rockingham Park and has been a big supporter of the sport
for many years. His stable has been known for its aggressive claiming style and
placing horses where they can win.
Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs earned its second straight and third overall
Eclipse Award for outstanding breeder. With breeding and stallion operations in
Kentucky, Florida and Ontario, Adena Springs-bred horses won 457 races from
2,685 starts and topped the list of leading individual breeders in North America
in 2005 with earnings of more than $11.6 million. Four Eclipse Award finalists
in 2005 were conceived by Adena Springs stallions.
The year-end championship honors are named after the great 18th century
racehorse and foundation sire Eclipse, who was undefeated in 18 starts.