Creator (horse)

Last updated

Creator
CreatorJimDandy.jpg
Creator at Saratoga in 2016
Sire Tapit
Grandsire Pulpit
DamMorena (PER)
DamsirePrivately Held
Sex Stallion
FoaledMarch 30, 2013
Country United States
Colour Gray
BreederMt.Brilliant Broodmares
Owner WinStar Farm and Bobby Flay
Trainer Steven M. Asmussen
Record12: 3-4-1
Earnings$1,610,320 [1]
Major wins
Arkansas Derby (2016)
Triple Crown Race wins:
Belmont Stakes (2016)
Last updated on August 28, 2016

Creator (foaled March 30, 2013, in Kentucky) [1] is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse, best known as the winner of the 2016 Belmont Stakes and Arkansas Derby.

Contents

Background

Creator is a dapple gray colt, a color he inherited from leading sire Tapit, whose other offspring include the 2014 Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist and 2015 Belmont Stakes runner-up Frosted. His dam, Morena, was a champion filly in Peru at both age 2 and 3 before being sent to the United States, where she finished third in the Personal Ensign Stakes. [2]

Creator was bred by Mt. Brilliant Broodmares and sold at the Keeneland September Sale for $440,000 to WinStar Farm. His consignor, Michael Hernon, said later, "He was a correct, good mover, with a touch of class, and he seemed real genuine. He had size and scope and was well made. He was our number one choice, and it is very gratifying to see he is a grade I winner and a horse who is coming into his own of late." [3]

Creator was trained by Steve Asmussen, whose numerous stakes winners included champion filly Untapable, also by Tapit. It was the first time WinStar had sent a horse to Asmussen. WinStar's CEO Elliot Walden explained, "[Creator]'s been a very high-strung horse in the beginning. I liked what Steve had done with some of the Tapits he's had in the past, so that's why we sent Creator to him. ... I love his style." [4]

Just before the Belmont Stakes, celebrity chef Bobby Flay purchased a minority interest in the colt. [5]

Creator is a closer who likes to sit back and make a strong late move. [6]

Racing career

In 2015 at the age of two, Creator ran four times, finishing second three times and fifth once. [1] His first race on September 19 was typical: the chart says that he was outrun for the first half mile, went wide around the turn and closed fast, finishing second to Samicean (GER). [7]

In 2016, now age three, he started out on the same foot, finishing second in a maiden special weight race at the Fair Grounds. He then shipped to Oaklawn Park and, on February 27, finally broke his maiden. Although he again raced wide, this time he was "full of run" to win by over seven lengths. [8]

He was next entered on March 19 in the Rebel Stakes, also at Oaklawn Park, a qualifying race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The chart for the race shows that he broke last, raced 4-wide into the far turn, and closed powerfully to finish third. [9] Most eyes though were on the Bob Baffert-trained winner, Cupid. [10]

Creator in the post parade before the 2016 Arkansas Derby Creator before the 2016 Arkansas Derby.jpg
Creator in the post parade before the 2016 Arkansas Derby

On April 16, he entered the last major Kentucky Derby prep, the Arkansas Derby, at odds of 11–1. He again faced Cupid plus ten other colts, all of whom he trailed coming out of the gate. At one point, he was over 15 lengths behind Cupid on the lead. But Cupid eventually tired just as Creator hit his best stride. His jockey, Ricardo Santana, took him through traffic and though the colt was lightly bumped, Creator powered clear and drew off to win by 1+1⁄4 lengths. Santana explained, "(Trainer) Steve [Asmussen] told me to be patient, be patient, because you're going to have a lot of horse. It worked out — worked out really good. I hope I have the same trip in the Kentucky Derby." [4]

Instead, Creator would have the worst race of his career. On May 7, he was sent off at odds of 16–1 in the 2016 Kentucky Derby. He broke slowly and settled near the rail at the back of the pack with a few other horses who shared his running style. He started his run on the far turn and angled to the outside but was bumped heavily at the head of the stretch. Losing his momentum, Creator could not make up enough ground and finished thirteenth. [11]

Asmussen gave the colt a few days off [12] and skipped the Preakness Stakes. For the 2016 Belmont Stakes on June 11, he engaged Irad Ortiz, Jr, one of the leading jockeys on the New York circuit. After racing at the back of the field around the first turn, Ortiz moved the colt up to sixth place down the backstretch, continuing to save ground on the rail. As they entered the stretch, Creator was full of run but had nowhere to go, surrounded by other horses. Ortiz waited patiently until a hole opened, then burst through, rapidly closing on the leader, Destin, to win by a nose. "I thought Irad gave him a perfect trip," Asmussen said. "I thought he saved yards and won by inches. He made the difference." [13]

Creator came out of the race well and was turned out at WinStar Farms for some "mental freshening." [14] He returned to racing in the Jim Dandy Stakes on July 30, finishing sixth. In the Travers Stakes on a fast track at Saratoga on 27 August Creator finished seventh of the thirteen runners behind Arrogate. [1]

Stud career

Creator retired in October 2016. He was sold to the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders’ Association and stands at the Shizunai Stallion Station in Hokkaido, Japan for the 2017 breeding season. His first foals will be of racing age in 2020. [15]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Creator (USA), gray colt, 2013 [16]
Sire
Tapit (USA)
2001		 Pulpit
1994		 A.P. Indy Seattle Slew
Weekend Surprise
Preach Mr. Prospector
Narrate
Tap Your Heels
1996		 Unbridled Fappiano
Gana Facil
Ruby Slippers Nijinsky (CAN)
Moon Glitter
Dam
Morena (PER)
2004		Privately Held
1994		 Private Account Damascus
Numbered Account
AdvanceNorthfields
Minnie Hauk
Charytin (PER)
1991		 Summing Verbatim
Sumatra
Crownit (FR)King of Macedon (IRE)
Queen's Up (Family: 2-o)

Creator is inbred 4 × 5 to Mr. Prospector, meaning Mr. Prospector appears once in the fifth generation of Creator's pedigree and once in the fourth generation. Creator is also inbred 5 × 5 to Northern Dancer.

Related Research Articles

Tonalist American Thoroughbred racehorse

Tonalist is an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 2014 Belmont Stakes, beating the favored California Chrome, who was attempting to win the Triple Crown. Tonalist won the Peter Pan Stakes in May 2014. He is the first horse since A.P. Indy in 1992 to win the Peter Pan/Belmont double. Later in the year he defeated older horses to win the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

War Emblem American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

War Emblem was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2002 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

Point Given American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Point Given is a Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 2001 American Horse of the Year. That year, he won the Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, Haskell Invitational, and Travers Stakes, becoming the first horse to ever win four $1 million races in a row. The only time he finished out of the money was in the 2001 Kentucky Derby, where he ran 5th. Point Given was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2010.

Steve Asmussen American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer

Steven Mark Asmussen is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer. The leading trainer in North America by wins, he is a two-time winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2016. His horses have won the Breeders' Cup Classic, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, Breeders' Cup Distaff, Kentucky Oaks and Dubai World Cup.

Pioneerof the Nile American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Pioneerof the Nile was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the second-place finisher in the 2009 Kentucky Derby. After retiring from racing, he became a breeding stallion, notable as the sire of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, 2016 Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Classic Empire, and other graded-stakes winners.

Tapit is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won three of his six races, including the Wood Memorial Stakes, then a Grade I event. He was an immediate success after retiring to stud, becoming the leading freshman sire in North America of 2008 with Breeders' Cup winner Stardom Bound becoming his first Grade I winner. He was the leading sire in North America in 2014, setting an earnings record that he broke in 2015 and again in 2016. For the 2015 season, his stud fee was raised to $300,000, the highest in North America. In 2021, Essential Quality became his fourth Belmont Stakes winner, tying him for the all-time record of winners sired in this race with the great Lexington.

The 2004 Kentucky Derby was the 130th running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 1, 2004 and was won by Smarty Jones, who earned a $5 million bonus. There were 140,054 in attendance.

Untapable American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Untapable is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. She showed promise as a two-year-old in 2013 when she won two of her four races including the Pocahontas Stakes and was placed in the Starlet Stakes. In 2014 she emerged as a top-class racehorse, winning the Rachel Alexandra Stakes, Fair Grounds Oaks, Kentucky Oaks, Mother Goose Stakes, Cotillion Handicap and Breeders' Cup Distaff and was named American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly.

Bayern (horse) American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Bayern is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. In 2014, he won the Grade I 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic, following wins in the Haskell Invitational and the Pennsylvania Derby. He is owned by Kaleem Shah, who purchased him as a two-year-old, based upon the advice of his teenaged son. He was named after Shah's favorite soccer team, FC Bayern Munich. The horse was trained by Bob Baffert, and was retired in 2015.

2016 Belmont Stakes 148th running of the Belmont Stakes

The 2016 Belmont Stakes was the 148th running of the Belmont Stakes. The 1+1⁄2-mile (2,400 m) race, known as the "test of the champion", is the final jewel in Thoroughbred horse racing's American Triple Crown series, and was held on June 11, 2016, three weeks after the Preakness Stakes and five weeks after the Kentucky Derby. The race, which had no Triple Crown at stake, was broadcast by NBC beginning at 5:00 p.m. EDT, with pre-race coverage on NBCSN starting at 3:00 p.m. The race was won by Creator by a nose over Destin. 2016 Preakness Stakes winner Exaggerator finished eleventh.

Frosted (horse) American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Frosted is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. In 2016, he set a stakes record while winning the Metropolitan Handicap in a "dazzling performance" and followed up with a win in the Whitney Handicap. Prior to that, despite winning several stakes races, he was best known for finishing behind American Pharoah four times, including a runner-up performance in the 2015 Belmont Stakes.

Practical Joke (horse) American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Practical Joke is a retired multiple Grade I-winning American Thoroughbred racehorse whose wins included the Hopeful, Champagne and H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes.

Cupid is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse who won multiple graded stakes races despite several interruptions to his training. At age three, he was a leading contender for the 2016 Kentucky Derby until he developed a breathing problem and missed the race. Returning later in the year, he won the Indiana and West Virginia Derbies before finishing eighth in the Pennsylvania Derby. After an eight-month layoff, he returned in May 2017 to win the Grade I Gold Cup at Santa Anita. He finished his career with six wins from thirteen starts and earnings of $1.7 million.

Tapwrit is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2017 Belmont Stakes. He first attracted attention when he set a track record winning the Tampa Bay Derby, but disappointed in the Blue Grass Stakes and Kentucky Derby. Skipping the Preakness Stakes, he then became his sire Tapit's third winner of the Belmont Stakes in the previous four years. Retired in 2018, Tapwrit stands at Gainesway Farm for the 2019 season.

Justify (horse) American Thoroughbred racehorse, 2018 Triple Crown winner

Justify is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who in 2018 was the thirteenth winner of the American Triple Crown. He also was the first horse since Apollo in 1882 to win the Kentucky Derby without racing as a two-year-old.

Game Winner American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Game Winner is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the champion two-year-old colt of 2018. He was undefeated in four starts at age two, including wins in the Del Mar Futurity, American Pharoah Stakes and Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He started his three-year-old campaign with second-place finishes in both the Rebel Stakes and Santa Anita Derby before finishing fifth in the 2019 Kentucky Derby. After a brief layoff, he returned in July to win the Los Alamitos Derby.

Sir Winston is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2019 Belmont Stakes.

Tiz the Law is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2020 Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes. He was the first New York-bred horse to win the Belmont since Forester in 1882. He also won the 2019 Champagne Stakes and 2020 Florida Derby, and came second in the 2020 Kentucky Derby.

Authentic is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2020 Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic, where he set a new Keeneland track record. He also won the Sham Stakes, San Felipe Stakes, and Haskell Invitational, and was second in the Preakness Stakes and Santa Anita Derby. He was the Horse of the Year and Champion Three-Year-Old Male in 2020 and was the second highest ranked racehorse in the world. He also won the Secretariat Vox Populi Award.

Essential Quality is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Belmont Stakes, Travers Stakes, and 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He was also the 2020 American Champion Two-Year-Old.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Creator (2013) Profile". www.equibase.com. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Morena Horse Pedigree". www.pedigreequery.com. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Behind the Sale of Creator as a Yearling". The Blood-Horse . Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  4. 1 2 Balan, Jeremy. "Creator Soars Home to Win Arkansas Derby". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Flay Purchases Minority Interest in Creator". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  6. ↑ Greenberg, Neil. "Best bets for the 2016 Kentucky Derby". Washington Post. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Chart for September 19, 2015". equibase.com. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Chart for February 27, 2016". equibase.com. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Chart for March 19, 2016". equibase.com. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Baffert Claims Another Rebel Win With Cupid". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Chart for the 2016 Kentucky Derby". equibase.com. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Other Trainers Impressed with Nyquist". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  13. ↑ Balan, Jeremy. "Creator Edges Destin to Take Belmont". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Asmussen Basks in Belmont Afterglow". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Belmont Stakes winner Creator retired, sold to Japan | Daily Racing Form". www.drf.com. Retrieved January 13, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Creator pedigree". Equineline. June 12, 2016. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.