royal academy proved a work of art in flesh and blood

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english triple crown, nijinsky, royal academy, tony morris, vincent o'brien

The death of Royal Academy (1987 b h by Nijinsky x Crimson Saint, by Crimson Satan) due to the infirmities of old age brought back a flood of memories. Even more to the old horse’s credit, they are all good ones.

As a Keeneland July yearling, Royal Academy was purely one of the best and most beautiful young athletes I’ve ever seen. Although he wasn’t a half-brother to Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew like record sales yearling Seattle Dancer (Nijinsky x My Charmer), who sold for $13.1 million, Royal Academy was even better looking.

Typical of the Nijinsky stock, and much like his older male-line kinsman Seattle Dancer, Royal Academy possessed great scope, but he also had finesse, presence, and flair. Yet he brought only $3.5 million. That is actually an awful lot of money; the price difference compared to the wildly expensive Seattle Dancer is due to psychological and economic factors.

One reason Royal Academy didn’t sell for more money, if reason there need be, is that the economy had already had a hiccup and was to experience a major depression due to tax-law changes that unduly affected racing and breeding, among other sectors.

Another knock on Royal Academy was that his glorious dam Crimson Saint was 18 when the colt was born, and some buyers refuse to purchase yearlings out of older mares, no matter how good the youngsters look.

Such considerations, of course, did not concern Vincent O’Brien, who had purchased Nijinsky as a yearling and trained him to win the English Triple Crown. O’Brien purchased the grand colt later named Royal Academy for $3.5 million on behalf of the Irish-based ownership group called Classic Thoroughbreds Plc.

As a racehorse, Royal Academy proved quite good. He trained up light and appeared elegant but immature at 2, when he won a maiden commandingly, then finished in the ruck for the G1 Dewhurst. That proved his only finish out of the money.

At Ballydoyle over the winter, Royal Academy filled out his generous frame and justified the high hopes held for the handsome colt. As a 3-year-old, he won three of five starts, including the G1 July Cup and G3 Tetrarch Stakes. He was also second in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and perhaps more importantly in the G1 Sprint Cup to his contemporary Dayjur (b h by Danzig x Gold Beauty, by Mr. Prospector).

Both Dayjur and Royal Academy crossed the Atlantic to participate in the 1990 Breeders’ Cup at Belmont Park, and they provided two of the most dramatic races on the card.

Dayjur, beautifully conformed and freakishly fast, was set to win the BC Sprint when he jumped a shadow near the wire and lost the race to the dead-game Safely Kept.

In the BC Mile, Royal Academy used his own finesse and his jockey Lester Piggott’s uncanny ability to read races to win the Mile by a head. Breaking from the rail, Royal Academy either broke slowly or Piggott walked him out of the gate, then the jockey deftly maneuvered the light-footed bay colt through traffic to a contending position on the outside of the field as they went down the backstretch of the turf course at Belmont.

Giving ground around the turn but not breaking his momentum, Royal Academy rallied from six lengths back at the stretch call to win and guarantee himself a premium place at stud. The significance of the colt’s speed shown against Dayjur and subsequent success at a mile in deep international company cannot be overestimated for his stallion career.

In 1990, 20 years after Nijinsky had won the Triple Crown, the great racehorse and stallion had only one son at stud who had produced first-rate results, and that was Coolmore’s Caerleon, who had sired 1990’s star English juvenile colt Generous (who was to win the Derby, Irish Derby, and King George the next season).

In a contemporary column, the highly perceptive bloodstock writer Tony Morris wrote: “There is a prejudice against Nijinsky horses, which is inevitably working against his long-term influence, but there is still time for perceptions to change. A move in his favour may well occur before long.”

The move was closer than anyone could have predicted, with Caerleon’s best season coming in 1991 and with the success of Royal Academy to follow.

[I will follow up with a separate post on the stud career of Royal Academy.]

book review: the running rein derby

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1844 english derby, history of gambling, history of racing, in search of running rein, racing crime, running rein, sport and scandal, tony byles, tony morris

In Search of Running Rein: The Amazing Fraud of the 1844 Derby, by Tony Byles. Foreward by Tony Morris. Published 2011 by Apex Publishing Ltd, Essex, England. [Available through Amazon.com here in the States as a hardback or as a Kindle ebook.]

The history of the “Running Rein Derby,” as the 1844 renewal of the Derby at Epsom is better known, could not be more sensational if written as a script in Hollywood. With this story’s many bizarre twists, Hollywood producers would more likely reject it than take it on as a project. Although nearly unbelievable, this strange story really happened.

And although the major facts of the conspiracy to win the Derby with a 4yo are relatively well known to racing historians, author Tony Byles enlarges the tale with such a degree of detail as I’ve never before found in a racing history. Byles was signally aided in this plethora of added factual material by the finds of a manila envelope held in storage at Newmarket that was filled with original documents from the investigation into the 1844 Derby and then a contemporary “50-page document of case notes” about the race from Weatherbys.

The principal facts are that Levi Goodman bought a yearling colt from the first crop by the (later) important sire Gladiator in 1841 and another yearling colt by the lesser stallion The Saddler in 1842. Goodman switched the identities of the colts, racing the Gladiator colt as a 2yo and 3yo under the identity of the colt by The Saddler, registered under the name of Running Rein.

Goodman’s goal was to make a killing by betting on the colt in the Derby with the knowledge that he had an advantage unknown to most of the rest of the public.

Despite many kinks in the plan, Goodman was successful in the primary goal, and Running Rein won the Derby. But the devious ship was foundering even as the perpetrators sailed into the harbor of their criminal resort. Word had gotten out that Running Rein was not a 3yo, important figures on the turf had tried to prevent the colt from starting in the race, and shortly after Running Rein finished the Derby in the lead over Orlando by three-quarters of a length, the latter colt’s owner appealed the result to the courts.

Lord George Bentinck, an important breeder and owner in addition to becoming an important member of the British government, was central to unraveling the convoluted swindle that Goodman had organized.

And Goodman’s efforts were not the only ones exposed as fraudulent in the 1844 Derby. Another colt was declared over age, and the favorite and second-favorite apparently were doped to impair their performances.

As Morris writes in his foreward to this gripping saga, “I have waited over half a century for the full story of this scandalous and intriguing affair, and take my hat off to Tony Byles for the prodigious research he has undertaken in this comprehensive account.”

Among the stunning information that Byles imparts is that the Jockey Club had every reason to know that Goodman was attempting fraud but chose the path of least resistance. The result was the most scandalous sporting event of the 19th century.

It is a tale of racing that “shook the nation more than a century and a half ago,” Morris wrote, and it is one that is guaranteed to hold the interest of modern readers and sports fans, as well.

tba honors tony morris

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andrew devonshire bronze, racing post, the sporting life, thoroughbred breeders' association, tony morris

At its annual awards dinner, the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association in England has given the Andrew Devonshire Bronze to the internationally recognized bloodstock columnist Tony Morris.

Morris, who moved from his prominent column at The Sporting Life to be senior bloodstock writer and columnist with the Racing Post when it was founded in 1986, noted that it was a great honor to rceive this award for dedication to service of the bloodstock industry.

In addition to his service as an honorable chronicler of bloodstock and sales, Morris is a former member of the TBA council, and in announcing the award, the TBA’s Alice Plunkett said that “it is no exaggeration to say that he is a world authority on his chosen subject.”

tony morris profiles pedigree with longevity

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eva's request, ingabelle, istanbul trophy, nureyev, premio lydia tesio, theatrical, tony morris, unusual heat

Eva’s Request, winner of the G1 Premio Lydia Tesio, is the product of 20-year-old parents, and both the filly’s toughness and her parents resilience drew the attention of pedigree commentator Tony Morris (read the column here in Racing Post).

The column provides fresh evidence that the male line of the splendid sire Nureyev is going strong. Notable in the States for the successes of the recently pensioned Theatrical and the evergreen Unusual Heat in California, Nureyev has had even more varied success with his sons overseas.

All across Europe and the Antipodes, Nureyev and his sons have exercised an effect for quality, speed, precocity, beauty, and sometimes toughness. The latter tends to be one quality that Nureyev and his stock can stand some reinforcement, and Eva’s Request found just that from her dam, the Taufan mare Ingabelle.

Eva’s Request has raced 10 times this season, has travelled widely, and has won and competed at the highest levels. In one of her farther flings afield, she won the Istanbul Trophy in Turkey, and the chestnut filly is expected to compete in one of the important international events in Japan before the year’s end.

A good horse is a good horse, no matter where she races.

secretariat’s final start: canadian international

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annihilate 'em, belmont park, Belmont Stakes, canadian international, courgar, doncaster, epsom, kennedy road, key to the mint, longchamp, man o' war, onion, penny chenery, riva ridge, sea-bird, secretariat, tony morris, travers, Triple Crown, woodbine

It seems all but impossible that 36 years ago today Secretariat made the final start of his racing career in the Canadian International at Woodbine.

The modern “Big Red,” in a conscious parallel to the final start of the legendary Man o’ War, was sent across the border to race in Canada. In a wicked twist of circumstance, Canadian-born Ron Turcotte was under suspension and was unable to make the final ride on the great son of Bold Ruler after being his partner for fame and glory in the Triple Crown of 1973.

After wrapping up the first Triple Crown in 25 years with a stunning 31-length victory in the Belmont Stakes, many of the breeders who were invested in Secretariat as a stallion wanted to retire him at the peak of his celebrity. Penny Chenery resisted this and sent Secretariat out to race for gold and glory and the undying appreciation of his thousands of fans.

The colt lost two of his six subsequent starts, but Secretariat left no doubts about his place in American racing history or about his superiority to all his contemporaries. In the wake of the Belmont, Secretariat went to Arlington for a special race against his confirmed inferiors, then in the fall won the inaugural Marlboro Cup over one of the greatest fields ever assembled (champion and classic winner Riva Ridge, plus champions Key to the Mint, Cougar, and Kennedy Road, and Travers winner Annihilate ‘Em and Whitney winner Onion).

Secretariat also won his final two starts, the 12-furlong Man o’ War Stakes at Belmont and the 13-furlong Canadian International, both on turf. A horse with extraordinary strength and stride, Secretariat was probably the greatest racer ever over a firm turf course on a relatively level track. My friend and fellow scribbler in England, Tony Morris, would aver that Sea-Bird could have handled Secretariat and perhaps so on undulating ground like Longchamp or Epsom that would favor a change of pace, but for a galloping course like Woodbine, Belmont, or Doncaster, I would take Secretariat over anything.

The decision to take the champion to Woodbine was a grand stroke of luck for the Canadian racecourse and provided me with my first opportunity to see racing in Canada, although I knew they had plenty of good sport there.

But the most memorable part of Secretariat’s victory by 6 1/2 lengths over the high-class racer Big Spruce was the Great One’s effortless stride. The chestnut’s magnificent propulsion drove him around the far turn lengths ahead of his competitors, and due to the chill air, he actually looked like some magical beast. At every stride, the air he breathed was superheated in his great lungs and then expelled in twin plumes of mist from his nostrils.

This supernatural scene in the growing dusk of the Canadian afternoon, coupled with the emotions of seeing the champion’s last race, made the Canadian International an unforgettable experience.

ranking sea the stars: tony morris

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sea the stars, tony morris, zenyatta

The noted bloodstock commentator Tony Morris uses his personal observations of top-class racing over five decades to place European star Sea the Stars in context among the pantheon of racing greats. To read the article in the Racing Post, click here.

Morris is quite right in using all the tools to appraise Sea the Stars adequately. The task is further complicated by the nature of the colt, who is an enthusiastic competitor but sees no reason to win by 20 lengths with a half-length will do. In that regard, Sea the Stars is rather like our own champion mare Zenyatta, who won the Lady’s Secret in about three strides, then pricked her ears and coasted under the wire. They make it look easy.

comments on next year’s euro classic prospects

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aristotle, beresford stakes, count fleet, forli, montjeu, st nicholas abbey, starborough, tony morris

The distinguished bloodstock commentator Tony Morris evaluates the prospects of Beresford Stakes winner St Nicholas Abbey (by Montjeu) for the 2010 classics here.

St Nicholas Abbey traces in the female line through a half-sister to G1 winners Starborough (by Soviet Star) and Aristotle  (by Sadler’s Wells) back to Fleet Flight, a Count Fleet half-sister to major winners Lea Lane and Leallah (both by Nasrullah).

The pedigree for St Nicholas Abbey shows classic influences aplenty and no inbreeding through five generations except for Argentine star Forli 5×5.

tony morris comments on war chant

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breeders' cup mile, kingsfort, national stakes, tony morris, war chant

Among the high-class sons of the great sire Danzig to stand at stud in Kentucky, Breeders’ Cup Mile winner War Chant has been one of the less-beloved sires of late in the commercial market.

Even so, he has been doing some good, including having the winner of the G1 National Stakes in Ireland last weekend.

The internationally famed pedigree commentator Tony Morris analyses the pedigree and prospects of War Chant’s G1 winner Kingsfort here.

understanding stamina and classic performance ii

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brigadier gerard, citation, classics, german breeding, hail to reason, jay leimbach, man o' war, monsun, national stud of england, northern dancer, peter burrell, raise a native, secretariat, soundness, stamina, tony morris

The internationally recognized bloodstock columnist and author Tony Morris offered the following observations on Jay Leimbach’s discourse on stamina and the classic Thoroughbred.

As a synthesis of the issues, combined with lengthy personal observation and study, these comments are among the best I’ve ever read.

Jay,

In many ways, you and I are on the same wavelength. If either of us were the benevolent dictator of the breeding industry, things would be very different – or would have been, if either of us had been given the job as a lifetime post 40 years ago. It would be hard for a new dictator to alter things now.

There should be rules such that the Germans have – no job for a stallion who did not race for at least two seasons, did not achieve a rating that proclaimed his class, that had ever competed under medication, or had recognised hereditary faults. Germany produces sounder horses than any other country; of course, she doesn’t always produce the acknowledged best in the world, and her rules would have meant that such as Hail to Reason, Raise a Native, and, if we believe what has recently been claimed, Northern Dancer would not have entered the breeding population. But she has given us Monsun, and if nobody outside Germany knows of no other German sire, they ought to know about him.

The fact that today’s top horses do not race as often as their predecessors of a few (equine) generations is not all about lack of soundness; commercial considerations are often a large part of it. But there is no doubt: today’s horse is softer than the horse of even 40 years ago. We have bred from inherently unsound stock, and unsoundness breeds unsoundness.

But, Jay, references to breeding policies in plants and animals such as sheep and cattle don’t really signify much. In the early 1970s I was writing to eminent geneticists and asking them why they couldn’t offer solutions for the Thoroughbred; all I got in response was self-congratulatory guff about what they had done for increased milk yield and the good news for butchers in terms of beek and pork. They didn’t want to talk about the Thoroughbred, because they hadn’t a clue about the ATHLETIC animal, who is a completely different beast.

We are in a different world now, and the current crop of equine geneticists will revolutionise the game within a few years – if their findings are published.

In 1960, Peter Burrell, former director of the National Stud in England, gave a lecture in which he said that he believed that the British Thoroughbred had gone as far as it could go in the years before World War I. I have always accepted that view. I also took from that the assumption that American Thoroughbreds of that time were behind the British, and I believed that. Yes, there were exceptional individuals in the States, but overall the standard there was lower.

It remained lower for some time. Noor, who was some way short of top class here, had a few shots at Citation, and when properly on his game, could give him weight. Anyone who has properly analysed form, and recognised both the advances in breeding and the increased competitiveness of racing will know that Citation was a better horse than Man o’ War, and that Secretariat was a decided improvement on the pair of them.

By Secretariat’s time, America had more than caught up with Europe, but he was an exception. We were already recognising that America produced better horses than we did, we imported them in huge numbers, and Americans sent their stock to race here. The impact of all that was we found that traditional European pedigrees didn’t work anymore; Brigadier Gerard was the last of our home-grown superstars.

But, surprising as it may seem, the better American horses who came here – and they are still coming – have never been rated as highly as Brigadier Gerard was. America had reached the peak that Europe had reached just before World War I; the odd one might always rise above that plateau, but when it did, it would never reproduce itself.

I am well aware that America takes far more notice of times than we do in Europe, but, seriously, nowhere in racing do they really matter, when the main objective is to defeat the opposition. There is no virtue, or any more cash, in doing that in a faster time than is necessary. How many Kentucky Derby winners ran a faster time than Citation? How many of them were better than Citation? Aside from Secretariat, name one, and try to justify it.

I wrote a piece for the Racing Post a couple of days ago, referring to the fact that there was nothing special in her female line since Hail to All, and referred to his career – 12 starts at 2 and 16 more as a three-year-old. Yes, to be sure, horses aren’t as sound as they were then, but they also aren’t campaigned as aggressively, and commercial considerations affect the situation.

Think on’t.