Saturday’s running of the prestigious G1 United Nations at
Monmouth features two standout mares among its 10 competitors—Chilean Horse of
the Year Belle Watling, and multiple French Group 1 winner Stacelita. A win by
either would be a hallmark occasion as no filly or mare has ever captured this
prestigious turf race first contested at Atlantic City in 1953, although four
have come close—and, interestingly, two of those were owned by George
Strawbridge’s Augustin Stable, and trained by Jonathan Sheppard, Trevita and
Alice Springs:
Trevita (Tyrant, out
of Tack, by Tacitus)
Irish-born Trevita finished a half length behind 14-1
longshot Acaroid in the 1983 edition; even though he had finished second in the
previous year’s running, the 5-year-old colt carried three pounds less than the
6-year-old mare, winner of the G1 Flower Bowl the previous fall.
Career record: 36 starts, 13 wins-10 seconds-3 thirds
($458,099)
Capades (Overskate,
out of Medal of Valor, by Damascus)
In 1990, reigning champion turf horse Steinlen defeated New
York-bred Capades by nearly four lengths in what had been temporarily renamed
the Caesars International.
Career record: 27 starts, 11 wins-9 seconds-2 thirds ($1,051,006)
Alice Springs (Val de
l’Orne, out of First Approach, by Northern Fling)
In the year Sandpit captured the first of his two
consecutive Caesars Internationals (1995), the Pennsylvania-bred mare Alice
Springs finished third, just 1-1/4 lengths back of the winner, but closing
fast. The second-place finisher Celtic Arms numbered the 1994 G1 Prix du Jockey
Club among his victories.
Career record: 26 starts, 9 wins-2 seconds-7 thirds ($768,889)
Honey Ryder (Lasting
Approval, out of Cuando Quiere, by Affirmed)
In 2007, gray mare Honey Ryder began her 6-year-old campaign
with a runner-up finish (by a neck) to Jambalaya in the G1 Gulfstream Park
Breeders’ Cup Turf; after a disappointing 11th place finish in the Dubai Sheema
Classic, she won the G2 Sheepshead Bay. Off that race, she entered the G1
United Nations—and finished second, just a length back of defending UN champion
English Channel, and two lengths ahead of 2005 victor Better Talk Now.
Career record: 33 starts, 13 wins-4 seconds-8 thirds ($2,879,200)
Loved Honey Ryder! Rooted my ass off for her every time she ran! Kevin
ReplyDeleteLoved her too, Kevin! Her Giant’s Causeway colt is now a 2-year-old, and has posted two 3-furlong works at Saratoga in June. We may see him later this summer; his dam took 4 starts to break her juvenile maiden and then finished a narrow second in the 8.5f Hollywood Wildcat over the Calder turf in late November.
ReplyDeleteNot crazy about his name: Oddjob (bowler-hatted Asian villain from James Bond’s “Goldfinger”). Only brought $30k at last September’s Keeneland yearling sale, and purchased by John Greathouse who campaigned Honey Ryder. Being trained by Todd Pletcher, who also trained his mother. It appears that his workout partner is a Street Cry colt named Red Bendel whose dam Magicalmysterycat won the Landaluce and Schuylerville (among others).
Nice pictures of him here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24553848@N03/4998042206/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24553848@N03/4998042960/in/photostream