Drefong

Last updated
Drefong
Drefong before the BC Sprint.jpg
Drefong at the BC Sprint
Sire Gio Ponti
Grandsire Tale of the Cat
DamEltimaas
Damsire Ghostzapper
Sex Stallion
Foaled19 February 2013
CountryUnited States
Colour Bay
BreederFrederick M. Allor, Michael T. Barnett, Anthony M. Warrender
OwnerBaoma Corporation
Trainer Bob Baffert
Record9: 6-0-0
Earnings$1,538,385 [1]
Major wins
King's Bishop Stakes (2016)
Forego Stakes (2017)

Breeders' Cup wins:
Breeders' Cup Sprint (2016)

Awards
American Champion Sprint Horse (2016)
Last updated on November 11, 2017

Drefong (foaled February 19, 2013) is a Thoroughbred racehorse who was named the American Champion Sprint Horse at age three after winning the King's Bishop Stakes and Breeders' Cup Sprint. He also won the Forego Stakes at age four.

Contents

Background

Drefong is a bay horse sired by three-time Eclipse Award winner Gio Ponti, who was best known as a route runner on the turf, but also finished second to Zenyatta in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Drefong is from Gio Ponti's first crop, which also included Queen's Plate winner Sir Dudly Digges. [2] His dam Eltimaas is an unraced daughter of Ghostzapper, who won races such as the Met Mile, Woodward, and Breeders' Cup Classic. Eltimaas is a half-sister to juvenile champion Action This Day. [3]

Drefong was sold as a weanling in November 2013 for $200,000 at the Keeneland Sales, then was resold as a yearling for $450,000. He is the first racehorse owned by Charlie Chu's Baoma Corporation. Drefong is trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, who helped pick out the colt at the sales based on his excellent conformation. [2] [4]

Racing career

2015: Two-year-old season

Drefong began his two-year-old-season on October 24, 2015, in a Maiden Special Weight at Santa Anita Park at a distance of 5+1⁄2 furlongs. He lost ground when he missed the start, made an "eye-catching" move to gain position, but then ducked in at the sixteenth pole fell back to finish fifth. He made his next start at Del Mar on November 14, going off as the 5-2 second choice. He went straight to the lead while setting fast early fractions, then pulled away down the stretch to win by 8+3⁄4 lengths. The impressive victory earned the colt the "TDN Rising Star" designation for Thoroughbred Daily News. [5]

2016: Three-year-old season

To start off his sophomore season, Drefong ran in a six-furlong allowance optional claimer at Santa Anita on May 30, 2016, against older horses. Drefong broke well and battled for the lead with Saint of Saints to his inside and Gutsy Ruler to the outside. The three completed the first quarter-mile in an exceptionally fast 21.43 seconds, after which Saint of Saints gave way. Gutsy Ruler continued to challenge through a half mile run in 44.12 until he too started to drop back. Drefong continued to draw away and won by 3+1⁄2 lengths in a time of 1:08.50. [6]

On July 4, Drefong ran in another allowance optional claimer, this time at a distance of 6+1⁄2 furlongs. He chased the early leader Guy Code on the outside, then angled in towards the rail and passed Guy Code on the far turn. He continued to draw away down the stretch under a moderate hand ride and won by 5+1⁄4 lengths. [7]

King's Bishop Stakes

Drefong stepped up to Grade I company in the King's Bishop Stakes at Saratoga on August 27 where his main rivals in a field of twelve were horses that had qualified for the Kentucky Derby, Mohaymen and Tom's Ready. Starting from the outside post position, Drefong was urged by jockey Mike Smith to the lead, then moved over to the rail and slowed down somewhat to complete the first quarter of a mile in 23.11 seconds. He relaxed around the turn and then drew away down the stretch to win by 3+1⁄4 lengths in a fast time of 1:21.25. [8]

Breeders Cup Sprint

Drefong returned to California and trained up to the Breeders' Cup Sprint held on November 5 at Santa Anita. The field included Triple Bend winner Masochistic and Alfred J Vanderbilt stakes winner A.P Indian, who also was riding a six race winning streak. However, the likely favorite Lord Nelson was scratched due to an infection. Drefong was bumped at the start but quickly recovered and entered into a speed duel with Masochistic. The two completed the first quarter in :21.49 and the half in :44.03. The two continued to duel into the stretch when Drefong started to edge away, winning by 1+1⁄4 lengths. Mind Your Biscuits closed rapidly to finish third and was eventually promoted to second after a positive drug test disqualified Masochistic. "I knew it was going to be a battle," said Baffert. "About the three-eighths pole, it looked like Masochistic was going to have the edge on us. But this little horse, when the running started, he just brought it, and at the eighth pole, he showed the will he has to win." [9] [10] [11]

Despite having only two Grade I wins, Drefong was named the American Champion Sprint Horse of 2016. [12]

2017: 4-year-old season

Drefong's next race was supposed to be the Malibu Stakes but he spiked a fever and missed the race. He was then considered for the Dubai Golden Shaheen [13] but Baffert decided the colt would not be able to handle the travel. [14] Drefong finally make his seasonal debut in the Bing Crosby Stakes on July 29, 2017. He broke well but then veered sharply inwards at a gap in the rail where the starting chute meets the main track. Mike Smith lost his balance and fell onto the track. Now riderless, Drefong attempted to take the lead and then forced the other frontrunners, Roy H and Moe Candy, very wide at the top of the stretch. This helped Ransom the Moon to sneak through on the rail and hold off both Roy H and Moe Candy. Both Drefong and Mike Smith were checked for injuries as a precautionary procedure after the race, but both were uninjured. "There are a lot of ways to get beat and that's one of them," said Baffert. "You just are glad everybody is fine and safe. He could have just as easily broken a shoulder, but all is good." [15]

On August 26, Drefong redeemed himself with a "straight and true" victory in the Forego Handicap at Saratoga. Although never seriously pressured, his time of 1:21.12 was less than two-fifths of a second off the track record for seven furlongs. [16]

Drefong trained up to the Breeders' Cup Sprint, held on November 4 at Del Mar – the same track as his disastrous run in the Bing Crosby. He was made the 3-2 favorite in a very deep field that also included Roy H (Santa Anita Sprint Championship), Imperial Hint (Smile Sprint), Mind Your Biscuits (Belmont Sprint) and Takaful (Vosburgh). Drefong broke poorly and settled towards the back of the field, then angled out at the top of the stretch and tried to make a run. However, he came up flat and finished sixth, well beaten by the winner Roy H. "I knew in the first 100 yards it was over when he couldn't make the lead," said Baffert. "I knew the inside post would be tough on him and I could tell when he went across the gap there that Mike (Smith) was a little hesitant with him." [17]

Stud career

Following the 2017 Breeders' Cup Sprint, Drefong was retired to stand stud at Shadai Stallion Station in Japan. [18] His initial stud fee for the 2018 breeding season was ¥3 million. [19]

Drefong was named Japan's champion freshman sire of 2021. His first crop of two-year-olds won a total of 33 races that year, with earnings in excess of ¥367 million. [19] His best progeny to date is Geoglyph, who won the Grade 3 Sapporo Nisai Stakes as a juvenile. Geoglyph would go on to win the 2022 Satsuki Shō, the Japanese equivalent of the 2,000 Guineas, to give Drefong his first Grade 1 victory as a sire. [20]

Drefong's stud fee was raised to ¥7 million for 2022. [19]

Notable progeny

c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding

FoaledNameSexMajor wins
2019Geoglyphc Satsuki Shō

Pedigree

Pedigree of Drefong, bay colt, foaled February 19, 2013
Sire
Gio Ponti
2005		Tale of the Cat
1994		 Storm Cat Storm Bird
Terlingua
Yarn Mr. Prospector
Narrate
Chipeta Springs
1989		 Alydar Raise a Native
Sweet Tooth
Salt Spring (ARG)Salt Marsh
Jungle Mythologic (ARG)
Dam
Eltimaas
2007		 Ghostzapper
2000		 Awesome Again Deputy Minister
Primal Force
Baby Zip Relaunch
Thirty Zip
Najecam
1993		 Trempolino Sharpen Up (GB)
Trephine (FR)
Sue Warner*Forli
*Bitty Girl (family: 1-n) [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Point Given</span> 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.

Fatal Bullet is a Canadian Thoroughbred racehorse. A five-time stakes winner, he was crowned 2008 Canadian Horse of the Year and Champion Sprinter.

She's a Tiger is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. In 2013, racing exclusively in California, she won three of her six races including the Del Mar Debutante Stakes and was disqualified after finishing first in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. She was voted American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly for 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bayern (horse)</span> 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Runhappy</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Runhappy is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 2015 American Champion Sprint Horse after winning six consecutive races including the King's Bishop Stakes, Phoenix Stakes, Breeders' Cup Sprint, and Malibu Stakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speightstown (horse)</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Speightstown is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2004 Breeders' Cup Sprint and was named that year's Champion sprinter. He also tied the track record for six furlongs at Saratoga race course. He has since become one of North America's leading sires.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arrogate</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Arrogate was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2016 Travers Stakes in a track record time in his first stakes appearance. He then won the Breeders' Cup Classic and was named the American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse and World's Best Racehorse of 2016. To start his four-year-campaign, he won the 2017 Pegasus World Cup in a new track record followed by a win in the Dubai World Cup. On returning to the United States however, he suffered three straight defeats and retired with a record of seven wins from eleven starts. Despite having only four stakes race wins, the large purses for these wins made him the all-time leading money earner in North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Court Vision</span> American Thoroughbred racehorse

Court Vision is a retired racehorse who was a five-time Grade I winner including the Breeders' Cup Mile. Upon retirement to stud in 2012, he first stood in Ontario, then was moved to Kentucky for 2016 then Louisiana for 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abel Tasman (horse)</span> American Thoroughbred racehorse

Abel Tasman is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse. After finishing fifth in her first start at age two, she won her next three races including the Starlet Stakes. At age three, she finished second in both the Santa Ysabel and Santa Anita Oaks before winning the Grade I Kentucky Oaks, the female equivalent of the Kentucky Derby. She extended her winning streak by taking the Acorn Stakes and Coaching Club American Oaks, before finishing the year with second-place finishes in both the Cotillion Stakes and Breeders' Cup Distaff. She was named the American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly of 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Coast (horse)</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

West Coast is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse, foaled, raised and sold by historic Thoroughbred nursery, Hermitage Farm. Unraced at age two, he was named the Champion three-year-old colt of 2017 after wins in the Travers Stakes and Pennsylvania Derby, plus a third-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Classic. At age four, he finished second in the Pegasus World Cup, Dubai World Cup and Awesome Again Stakes. He finished his career with a record of six wins from 13 starts and earnings of $5,803,800.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roy H</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Roy H is a Thoroughbred racehorse who is the two time winner of the Breeders' Cup Sprint. He was named the American Champion Sprint Horse of 2017 and 2018. He did not start racing until age three, when he won only one race, and he was winless at age four. In 2017 at age five however, he developed into the best sprinter in North America by winning the True North Stakes, Santa Anita Sprint Championship and Breeders' Cup Sprint. In 2018, he defended his wins in the Breeders' Cup Sprint and Santa Anita Sprint Championship, plus finished second in the Bing Crosby Stakes and third in the Dubai Golden Shaheen.

Bolt d'Oro is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. At age two, he won his first three starts, including the Del Mar Futurity and FrontRunner Stakes, before finishing third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He started his three-year-old campaign by winning the San Felipe Stakes by disqualification and finishing second in the Santa Anita Derby. One of the early favorites for the 2018 Kentucky Derby, he finished twelfth in that race.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Game Winner</span> 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Light (horse)</span> American racehorse

City of Light is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2018 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and 2019 Pegasus World Cup in his final two starts. He also won the 2017 Malibu Stakes and 2018 Triple Bend Stakes and Oaklawn Handicap.

Mitole is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse who was foaled and raised at Hermitage Farm in Oldham County, Kentucky. He was named the American Champion Male Sprint Horse of 2019 after winning six of seven starts that year including the Churchill Downs Stakes, Metropolitan Handicap, Forego Stakes, and Breeders' Cup Sprint.

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.

Gamine is a multiple graded stakes-winning American Thoroughbred racehorse. She has won nine races from eleven career starts, including the 2020 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint and four other Grade One events. She was named 2020's champion female sprinter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitmore (horse)</span> American racehorse

Whitmore is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2020 Breeders' Cup Sprint and was named the 2020 American Champion Sprinter at age seven. His other major wins included the 2017 Phoenix Stakes and 2018 Forego Stakes. He was also known for his winning record at Oaklawn Park, where he won the Hot Springs Stakes four times in a row and the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap three times. His career earnings were over $4.5 million.

Jackie's Warrior is a Champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who has won five Grade I events including the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga, the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park in 2020 and the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes at Saratoga (2021). Jackie's Warrior was awarded as Eclipse Award as American Champion Sprint Horse in 2021. In 2022 won the Grade I Churchill Downs Stakes and Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga.

Taiba is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who has won multiple Grade I events as a three-year-old in 2022 including the Santa Anita Derby and Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita Park and Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing.

References

  1. ↑ "Drefong Statistics". Equibase.
  2. 1 2 "Gio Ponti offspring Drefong a surprise sprint success". Daily Racing Form.
  3. ↑ "It's All Gio Ponti's Drefong in the Forego". www.thoroughbreddailynews.com. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  4. ↑ "Drefong Another Fast Start for Chu Family". www.thoroughbreddailynews.com. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  5. ↑ "TDN Rising Stars - Drefong". www.thoroughbreddailynews.com. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  6. ↑ "Chart for May 30, 2016". Equibase. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  7. ↑ "Chart for July 4, 2016". Equibase. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  8. ↑ "Drefong makes cross-country trip pay off in King's Bishop". Daily Racing Form .
  9. ↑ "Drefong Powers Away From Masochistic In Breeders' Cup Sprint". Paulick Report.
  10. ↑ "Drefong gives Baffert fifth Breeders' Cup Sprint win". Daily Racing Form.
  11. ↑ "Masochistic Officially Disqualified from BC Sprint". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  12. ↑ "Big-Race Drefong Named Champion Male Sprinter". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  13. ↑ "Breeders' Cup Sprint Winner Drefong to Miss Malibu". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  14. ↑ "Drefong Set for 2017 Debut in Bing Crosby". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  15. ↑ "Drefong, Ransom the Moon Eye Future After Hectic Crosby". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  16. ↑ "Drefong Crushes Forego Competition". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  17. ↑ "Roy H Continues Big Day for Connections in Sprint". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  18. ↑ "Sprint champ Drefong retired, will enter stud duty at Shadai Stallion Station in Japan". live.drf.com. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  19. 1 2 3 Goda, Naohiro (9 January 2022). "Drefong Ends 2021 as Japan's Leading Freshman Sire". The Blood-Horse . Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  20. ↑ Takahashi, Masakazu (17 April 2022). "First top-level winner for Drefong as Geoglyph captures Japanese 2,000 Guineas". racingpost.com. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  21. ↑ "Thoroughbred Bloodlines - Chelandry - Family 1-n". www.bloodlines.net. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
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.