Now that June is soon approaching its end, and this season’s Triple Crown races are in the books, we are just four months away from the Breeders events. This coming week Canada will celebrate its independence on the first of July known as Canada Day, while the United States will have a fireworks celebration of their own three days later on the Fourth of July.

I thought it would be nice to take a look back at a couple of brilliant sprinters of our past here at HRP, sometimes the forgotten heroes of thoroughbred racing.

Back in its infancy, HorseRacingPark was still tweaking the race engine, adding more bloodlines for breeding and pedigree, and setting guidelines for conformation, basically based on the sires and dams that were being selected for the game. But just how long would it take before we would see evidence as to which foals would be suitable for breeding.

As far as sprinters go, history may have turned out quite differently for one racehorse. Opened his career competing at MNR in a miler over the turf. The maiden special weight affair had him placed sixth, some twenty one length back of the winner. He would return just under a month later in August of 2003, same distance and footing, this time an Alw0.00/N3L. While the speed was three seconds faster, once again he would find himself fifth, this time thirteen length out. To many trainers, these kind of results at a free track may have spelled sending him to pasture for the remainder of his career, but trainer Barking Stables was determined to see it through. Shipped quickly up to Belmont in just thirteen days off that event to compete in a Clm18 race on the dirt, and with the assistance of jockey N Arroyo, a thoroughbred by the name of Ljosalfar would jump to three lengths, then eleven at one point, finishing ten lengths better at the wire. He would go on to set amazing speed figures in many affairs, some that haven’t been beat today by better bloodlines and breeding stock. I still remember February of 2007 at Turf Paradise when a then seven year old won the Phoenix Gold Cup in a final time of 1:06.78, some two and a half seconds faster then the runner-up in that event. In its fourteen year history of that race, not one winner has even come close to his time. He would also earn a 115 SRF number for his efforts, his best of his career. In all, he won 36 starts out of seventy five career starts, while finishing in the money 86% of the time. Has was post time favorite for 32 races in his career, and at one point went 18 straight events as the event favorite, a record that still stands today.

So for trainers who think maybe they may have gotten a raw deal from breeding or out of an auctions, may Ljosalfar be a lesson for you. Make sure you explore all surfaces and distances, adds and instructions, before throwing in the towel on a runner who may just need time to find himself.

Another sprinter we should recognize being that he won three Breeders Cup Sprint events in 05, 06 and 2008 would be Alpha Ultimo. While he found success at both short and long affairs, he sits atop the Graded Stakes list of winning horses with thirty four victories. While he was claimed straight out of his very first start by Jerry Garcia Racing, he would break his maiden in first asking for this trainer, going six furlongs in distance at Del Mar. Fifteen days later he would be shipped across country to Saratoga for a mile turf event against Alw50 company, and three other trainers would have liked for him to stay on the west coast, as the then sophomore would go on to win by an amazing 29 lengths. J R Velazquez would guide him to this victory, and the romance between horse and rider would continue for another fifteen starts. Four of those would be Graded company victories, one being the inaugural BC Mile. While he would take home victories in fifteen route affairs, he would win an addition 23 victories in sprints. Post time favorite in twenty of his 66 career starts ( betting only was effective as of 2005 ), he would place in the money 85.2 % of his starts. Was definitely the mainstay of this trainers barn.

Two others who won back to back BC Sprint races in their career were Shoot Skyhigh then under the direct of Angelos Stables, and Bold Star with Sanny Village who is truly missed here at HRP.

As for Shoot Skyhigh, the years were 2009/10, and the then three and four year old was making his mark. Won six of nine events in 2009, with three being Grade I titles to close out the season. He then returned the following year to win another seven straight Graded titles, and from Sept. 09 till early May of 2011, he would win twelve straight titles. Eleven of the events were with jockey M C Berry, one with Gomez and eleven were all sprint affairs. HE would be tied for 12th with thirteen Graded Stakes victories. Completely an amazing effort.

With Bold Star, his capturing of the BC Sprint would take place in 2013/14. There was quite a love affair between this bay thoroughbred out of Bold Honor and a jockey by the name of Mar Garcia. The two would team up for both of his BC Sprint titles as well as taking home three other graded titles. While Bold Star would be passed from Hunterman to Happy Tuesday in earlier events, it was Will and Sanny Village who would turn him into a Graded champion. In 2014, in both the Gr. I Vosberg and his BC Sprint victory, he would be some six to seven lengths back in the early stages, only to charge up against some very fast fractional times to claim victory.

I was able to catch up with Dan from Mb Stables who was a very close friend and confidant with Will from Sanny Village. ” Bold Star had to be one of his favorite the way Will talked about him, ” Dan told me. ” Will was a confident guy to the point of cockiness” he added, “and when he had a horse like Bold Star in his pocket, he would let you know!” Dan would go on to say, ” He would tell you too!!!…Do what ever you want, get a soft lead, push him wide, block him even. But regardless, once he gets clear, he’s coming and its lights out!!” Dan told me in closing, “ Bold Star was one of the most ferocious late closing sprinters the game has ever scene.” On a personal note, this game has been a far better place with the likes of Sanny Village being a part of its history. He is truly missed.

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES