Serious Happiness.Monaguska wins the fourth race.#4, Bama Bound.Bama Bound.Dawly.Cast a Doubt in winning the seventh race (next two photos).Catch My Drift won the eighth, her third win in four starts.#9, Dancing Lounge, #10, Atlantic Seaboard, prior to the Alphabet Soup Handicap.Prudhoe Bay.
The Cotillion Stakes
Cassatt. “I’m here at the paddock, you gotta come down here, you gotta see this horse!”Jojo Warrior.Untapable.
In the paddock stood two statues, painted to the silks of last year’s Cotillion and PA Derby winner. Close Hatches won the Cotillion and Will Take Charge won the PA Derby. Close Hatches was unbeaten so far in the year, while Will Take Charge had been retired.
The Pennsylvania Derby
California Chrome.Classic Giacnroll.Protonico.Bayern.Noble Moon.Candy Boy.
Bayern set a track record for the mile and an eighth. California Chrome finished sixth.
Tapiture.
As California Chrome passed by, the crowd cheered. He didn’t win that day, but his fans didn’t care. He had already won their hearts.
Malibu S S finished 2nd in his race.Eleven Central being brought down for the 6th race……and after winning, being brought out of the winner’s circle.Two Minute Drill first, Justifying second.Barbaro in the stretch of the 2006 Kentucky Derby.
Lexington
Wish we had statues like this back home…
Old Friends has retired some horses I know and watched on TV, so it really felt like visiting old friends. Among many star-studded residents, the one I was most looking forward to seeing was Game On Dude. Dude was surprisingly unimpressive—small in stature, plain brown, a tapering snout—but a top-class racehorse with multiple stakes wins and $6.5 million in earnings.
Game On Dude.Game On Dude’s pasture buddy, Little Mike.Bellamy Road.Green Mask.Silver Charm.US Ranger.Draxhall Woods and Exulting.Milwaukee Brew.Albertus Maximus stayed in the field across from his half-brother, Nobiz Like Shobiz.Special Ring showing his lip tattoo. Sun King joined in on the fun.
Claiborne Farm
Runhappy is the most playful according to the guide. I was amazed by how athletic he looked.War Front (highest fee on the roster).War of Will (a son of War Front).First Samurai.
Kentucky Horse Park
Man O’ War, described simply by Joe Palmer “as near to a living flame as horses ever get.”Staff Sergeant Reckless served in the Marine Corps during the Korean War, and is known for her actions in the Battle of Outpost Vegas. She is buried at Camp Pendleton. “She wasn’t a horse—She was a Marine!” Champion Funny Cide.
At Keeneland, preparation for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships was underway.
The stretch drive of the first race.She’s All Class after her first career win in the second race.Crackalacking in the third race.Olga Isabel (12) passed the finish line first, but was disqualified and placed 2nd behind Jag Warrior (11).My Uncle Leon in the sixth race.Manny Wah, eventual winner of the Phoenix Stakes.I’m not the only one who loves photographing racehorses… here’s Sabalenka.Delight after winning the Jessamine Stakes.Wonder Wheel after her Alcibiades Stakes win.“The losers” of the last race of the day.Dance Warrior after finishing 3rd.
Three ChimneysFarm
Volatile.Palace Malice.
I saw Will Take Charge in the 2013 Preakness Stakes. He finished 7th. By year’s end, he would be champion 3 year old male. Against top competition (including stablemate Palace Malice and old friend Game On Dude) in 11 races that year, he proved himself a tough racehorse. His 2nd—by a late-surging nose—in the Breeders’ Cup Classic is still one of my favorite races, for when the big chestnut started his stretch drive, you were in for a good race.
“Willy” turned to face us, ears flicking to and fro as he stood calmly. His flashy markings made him easy to spot both live and on TV. His large, tall frame carried a musculature that exuded strength. He was also the friendliest stallion you could ever hope to meet.
Will Take Charge in the 2013 Preakness Stakes.
Stonestreet Farm focuses on broodmares and their babies—how life begins for a Thoroughbred racehorse. We saw Mannerly’s weanling, known as the nicest one around the barn and a camera-hog.
