Blue Collar Horses
Ihave had the great pleasure of retiring two of the hardiest campaigners, Cumberland Gap, at age 14, who is with the wonderful Exceller people in WA. And Saturday the great Fax A Freddy was retired. Freddy was Ohio’s three year old horse of the year, and retires at 10 with almost $400K to his credit.
My hard hat is off to these fine horses, it is an honor to know them.
Nancy
Not so much an old warrior due to the number of starts, “only 39”, but still very happily running and going to the victory circle at age 9: Revved Up
The Steeplchase Times/Saratoga Special from 8-22-07 had this piece on him in regards to his Sunday 8-19 victory in the John’s Call Stakes at 1 5/8 mile.
(The race is named after John’s Call who in 2000 was the oldest horse - at age 9 - to win a Grade 1 ever at Saratoga)
Sent off as the even-money favorite, Revved Up didn’t disappoint the bettors – but then again he’s been delivering for years. He broke his maiden at Saratoga as a 2-year-old (in the slop) way back in 2000, has won 18 races and produced $1.4 million in earnings.
“For any guys out there wondering what this guy is doing on the racetrack, well he just showed you,” said Desormeaux afterward. “He wanted to go around again. It was just a matter of picking him a line; that was the only job I had. And when I did present him he jumped into the bridle and he carried me home.”
His two losses this year have come at the hands of Jambalaya who just won the Arlington Million barely over another 9-yr old, The Tin Man.
The secret to the succes is a common one I tend to read - giving these guys an honest break in the winter to do nothing and then when they are ready look for the signs they want to race again!
“He needs to get dirty and just be a horse,” said Collins of the off-season schedule. “He’s white so he gets down and rolls all over, stays out all night and just has a good time. I know he’s ready to go back to work when he jumps around like a young horse. He’ll spin and kick and run up to the fence, that’s when I know he’s getting ready to go back.”
See also:
NY Daily News 8-20 'Even at 9, he’s Revved Up to be back on 'Toga turf "
Daily Racing Form 8-19 “Revved Up going strong at age 9”
TB Times 8-19 “Favorite Revved Up notches game John’s Call triumph”
The race replay is available on calracing.com
No results can be found, yet, but the oldest active running thoroughbred in North America was to make his final start Sunday (Aug 26) at 15 yrs old - Hermosilla!
ESPN/DRF 8-24-07 "15-year-old racing into sunset "
Hermosilla began racing in 1994, his maiden score coming at Hollywood Park. He has won 14 races during his 73-race career, with seven of those victories coming since the age of 13. As a 3-year-old, Hermosilla finished fourth in the 1995 running of the $100,000 Pomona Derby.
Story plans to retire him to his farm in Utah.
“He’ll be around the house,” he said, noting he will ride Hermosilla.
Update - Hermosilla did not finish his long career with a victory - he finished in 6th place in his final start out of 9 runners at Elko County Fair on Sunday, August 26, 2007, race 2. At 5.5 furlongs on the Dirt. Purse: $3,164.
pdf of the race chart from equibase - “Chased pace, placed bid 3 wide far turn, yielded”. For 6th place he earned $41. The winner (“Premium Event”) was a young one at a mere 4 yrs old.
He has now been retired at age 15 and with 74 career starts 14 wins and an unconfirmed record for place and show.
Miracle Ridge, at the age of 12yo, won at Laytown yesterday, his 120th career start. He was carrying top weight of 154lbs in this 6f sprint, on the beach at Laytown.
From RTE.
McDonogh went on to complete a double on the gallant twelve-year-old Miracle Ridge who is arguably one of the jockeys favourite horses and that affection was shown by the Meath man as the son of Indian Ridge received a worthy pat down the neck crossing the line three lengths in front of Hi Spec.
Aido McGuiness trained the veteran performer who was marking his 120th career start with his 16th win
Mircle Ridge is by the late Indian Ridge, isn’t there someone who posts on this forum who stands an Indian Ridge son?
Btw, if you’ve never seen racing on the beach, check out the replay. The Laytown races are held once yearly on the strand, they wait for the tide to go out and set up a make shift rail. All the races are short, under a mile, and straight along the beach.
[QUOTE=Drvmb1ggl3;2669543]
Btw, if you’ve never seen racing on the beach, check out the replay.[/QUOTE]
Great stuff - like something out of Phar Lap with the beach! Thanks for the link. Miracle Ridge is certainly well deserving of the praise as a work horse.
12 year old Dream Counter does it again!
At Suffolk this time in the first on Tuesday & almost wire to wire (he’s a 5 furlong turf specialist anyway).
7Dream Counter12 GBL bf12071 21/2 1hd 11 11 3/4 Hole Taylor M.5.10
7Dream Counter12.206.003.80
3Smoke N Vote7.406.00
10Diablo Reigns3.80
Pedigree: 7 - Dream Counter, Chestnut Gelding, 12, by Geiger Counter - Dream Regally by Vice Regent
The 14yo cross country specialist Spot Thedifference will make a reappearance next week in a hurdle race. He is being pointed at the Sporting Index Chase, a X-Country race, at the Cheltenham festival next March, when he will be 15yo.
SPOT THEDIFFERENCE is set to make his reappearance in a novice hurdle at Galway on Monday at the age of 14 as part of his preparation for Cheltenham next month when he will bid for his seventh win over the cross-country course.
The six-time course winner has not run since giving Enda Bolger his tenth win in the La Touche Cup over the cross-country course at Punchestown in April.
Bolger said on Thursday: “I want to get a run into Spot before he heads back to Cheltenham and as he probably won’t get into the handicap hurdle at Galway, he will probably run in the 2m4f novice hurdle.”
According to Bolger, Heads Onthe Ground, winner of the Sporting Index Handicap Chase over the cross country course at the Cheltenham Festival in March, will run in the 2m 6f handicap hurdle on the same Galway Irish bank holiday card.
We have a warrior at Wood End named Jaguar Key. He ran for seven years, and racked up a couple small stakes wins and a track record along the way. We’re retraining him now, and he’s proving himself to be the most reasonable of animals, and a really nice ride. He’s a barn favorite. I do love to see these old guys find a good situation after they’ve been handled so well on the track.
He done did it again… Spot Thedifference just won the Cross Country Chase at Cheltehnam, for the 4th year in a row!
There was a bit of a scare after the race, when he slipped and fell when pulling up… from the Sportinglife.com
Spot Thedifference came out on top in a remarkable renewal of the BGC Cross Country Chase to win at Prestbury Park for the seventh time.
But it seemed as if there was to be a heart-breaking end to the race as the 14-year-old seemingly collapsed after the line and the screens were erected.
However, the popular teenager soon rose to his feet to the biggest cheer of the day.
The race itself was full of incident, with plenty of fallers and three jockeys appearing to take the wrong course.
Le Duc was travelling well when unseating Sam Thomas just before the home straight and Royal Auclair was also badly hampered when going well.
But the main challenge to the veteran came from Casadei, who took up the running at the final fence.
However, ‘Spot’ showed tremendous courage to fight his way back to the front under JT McNamara and win by a length.
McNamara told Channel 4 Racing: "He just slipped over when we were pulling up. Thank God he got up.
"When the others ran out early I didn’t really want to be in front that soon but I had no choice.
“He’s amazing.”
WOW! Awesome!! 
Spot gets a reception befitting the old hero he is. This horse really has captured the imagination and hearts of a lot of fans.
Spot Thedifference returned to a Dawn Run-type reception after doing what he does best - winning around the unique cross-country course at Cheltenham.
However, his appearance in the winner’s enclosure for a seventh time at this famous venue was all the more special as the veteran had risen to his feet following an incident passing the post in the BGC Cross Country Chase.
Initial fears were he had collapsed and the daunting green screens were erected as a deathly silence enveloped Prestbury Park.
But thankfully the 14-year-old had only slipped as JT McNamara tried to pull him up.
True to his battling qualities, he rose to his feet and strutted his way back to the paddock where hundreds of fans were waiting to greet him, with the applause and cheers lasting well past his return to pose for pictures.
His trainer Enda Bolger said: "JT said he was going so quick when he went to pull him up that his hind legs went from under him.
“It really was a worrying moment. Thankfully he hadn’t collapsed, but I could do with a brandy!”
The race itself was far from devoid of drama with plenty of fallers and three jockeys appearing to take the wrong course.
Early incidents meant Spot Thedifference was unusually left in front, but this did not seem to upset the JP McManus-owned warrior and the 11-4 chance made most until challenged over the final few flights.
He had been relegated to second ahead of jumping the final obstacle but he knows his way home from there and battled back to see off 66-1 chance Casadei by a length.
An emotional Bolger continued: "To win this race four times and seven races in all here is brilliant
"He is a wonderful horse. When he won at Punchestown that was unbelievable, but this beats it - no doubt - and it is the proudest moment of my career.
"I honestly thought turning in that the other horse had got first run on us, but he is an amazing horse and when he comes to the last fence he just flies.
"That was the problem when JT went to pull him up and Spot knows where the stables are. Thank God it was just a slip.
"His battling qualities are his forte - he is never beaten here when he gets in a fight and he is unbelievable.
“Today is his day and we will see what happens in the future and take it one day at a time.”
McNamara said: "He was going far too fast coming past the stands and slipped up.
“He always comes up the hill here and this means an awful lot to me. He is my favourite horse.”
McManus added: "I love all my horses, but he has a place in the hearts of everyone.
"He only came to life when he was about 10 or 11 and he had problems earlier in his career.
“We thought he was retired about four years ago but thankfully Enda got him to make a comeback and thank goodness for these cross-country races as they give horses like Spot another life.”
Puntal was two lengths away in third but his rider Noel Fehily picked up a 12-day ban for taking the wrong course, while David England on fifth-placed Florida Dream was given the same punishment for an identical offence.
Oliver Dayman aboard Happy Hussar also took the wrong course but was exonerated by the stewards who ruled he had been carried out.
Does McCann’s Mojave count as battle tested? Well, he’s not old anyway. So, a good showing this weekend I think for our ‘seniors’. Evening Attire was flying at the end. He isn’t out of the game yet, that’s for sure.
And is anybody excited about Criminalogist?
An aside-if you get a chance, watch the last race at Golden Gate on Saturday. http://www.calracing.com/replays.php
The fog was so bad, the announcer couldn’t tell when the gates opened. He was on the phone with a steward who was at the gate. He made a few funny comments until they got to the final turn when he could see them.
Guess who was back racing at Turf Paradise today?
Our Best Man! The senior statesman at 10-yrs old held the lead into the final stretch, but was overtaken and lost only by a head for 3rd place. He was sent off as the favorite. This was his first start since April of this year.
Wow, that’s awsome. Gives hope to somebody else we all know…
If you haven’t seen the 8th at Aqueduct today, you MUST catch it. You can watch it for free if you sign up through http://www.racereplays.com/nyra/index.cfm?start=gen_nyra
A popular 9 year old grey gelding we all love ran in it.
The funniest thing is the start. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a horse actually trot out of a gate. I guess when you know what you have to do, why waste energy, right?
[QUOTE=miss_critic;2855714]
Wow, that’s awsome. Gives hope to somebody else we all know…
If you haven’t seen the 8th at Aqueduct today, you MUST catch it. You can watch it for free if you sign up through http://www.racereplays.com/nyra/index.cfm?start=gen_nyra
A popular 9 year old grey gelding we all love ran in it.
The funniest thing is the start. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a horse actually trot out of a gate. I guess when you know what you have to do, why waste energy, right?[/QUOTE]
The vid is up on the NTRA site now also.
I agree, Evening Attire made it look like child’s play. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a horse break that un-sharply (new word there, haha) and go on to win. If he could talk, he’d be saying, “Yeah, whatever… you guys so aren’t worth my energy!” :lol:
[QUOTE=miss_critic;2855714]
If you haven’t seen the 8th at Aqueduct today, you MUST catch it.
A popular 9 year old grey gelding we all love ran in it. [/QUOTE]
You can also see the replay of the Grade 3 Queens County Handicap here without registering 
Simply wonderful to see “senior citizens” of US racing continue to enjoy their day in the sun albeit overcast and 30 degrees if that!
For his career, the Kentucky-bred Evening Attire has now earned $2,749,894 with a lifetime record of 63 starts and 14-13-9. His big successes: 2002 Jockey Club Gold Cup S. (G1), Saratoga Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) twice, the Red Smith H. (G3), Discovery H. (G3), Aqueduct H. (G3), Stuyvesant H. (G3) and now the Queens County (G3) twice.
No doubt about it, the boy knows his job, and probably loves it. I’m very happy for him and his connections.
Evening Attire looked to be in great condition when I saw him at the MassCap. Plus I’m in no position to question his connections from my armchair. But guys, I’m just gonna say it: I get a feeling that there’s something NQR with him. Leaving the gate at a trot to me means he’s feeling it somewhere. He is reluctant to pick up his right lead. Note he picks up his left at the start (while most of his competition starts on the right lead, as they should.) Coming down the stretch, again he keeps going on his left lead rather than switch to his right. This is not the first time I’ve seen this from him, either.
Yeah, I know…crazy Barnfairy for finding fault with the winning horse, right?
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