Fort Larned (horse)

Last updated
Fort Larned
Sire E Dubai
Grandsire Mr Prospector
DamArlucea
Damsire Broad Brush
Sex Stallion
Foaled3 April 2008
Country United States
Colour Bay
Breeder Janis R. Whitham
OwnerJanis R. Whitham
Trainer Ian Wilkes
Record24: 10-2-1
Earnings$4,471,322 [1]
Major wins
Skip Away Stakes (2012)
Challenger Stakes (2012)
Cornhusker Handicap (2012)
Whitney Handicap (2012)
Stephen Foster Handicap (2013)
Homecoming Classic Stakes (2013)
Breeders' Cup wins:
Breeders' Cup Classic (2012)

Fort Larned (foaled April 14, 2008) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 2012 Breeders' Cup Classic.

Contents

Background

Fort Larned is a bay horse with a small white star. He was bred in Kentucky by Janis Whitham, under whose colors he also raced. In 1988, Whitham and her late husband purchased the Argentinian mare Bayakoa and campaigned her in the United States, winning the Breeders' Cup Distaff in both 1989 and 1990. Twice named the American Champion Older Female Horse, Bayakoa was later inducted into the Hall of Fame. [2] Bayakoa produced four foals for Whitham, including the mare Arlucea. [3] In 2007, Arlucea was bred to E Dubai, a horse who won both the Dwyer Stakes and the Suburban Handicap for his owners Godolphin Racing. Apart from Fort Larned, his most successful runner has been the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Desert Code. [4] Whitham, a native of Kansas, named the resultant colt after Fort Larned National Historic Site, located near Larned, Kansas. [5]

Fort Larned was trained by Ian Wilkes, who had been a long-time assistant trainer for Hall of Famer Carl Nafzger, who won the Kentucky Derby with both Unbridled and Street Sense. [6]

Racing career

Fort Larned raced only once as a two-year-old, finishing fourth in a maiden special weight race at Churchill Downs on November 27, 2010. [1]

At age three, Fort Larned ran nine times, winning three of them. His first win came on January 8, 2011, at Gulfstream Park, after which he lost his next four starts. Wilkes decided to try the horse on the turf and Fort Larned responded by winning an allowance race on September 10 at Kentucky Downs. After two more losses on the turf, Fort Larned made his last start of the year at Churchill Downs on November 27 [1] in an allowance race that had been switched from turf to the dirt course due to rain. He won by seven lengths, "turning a proverbial corner" on his way to becoming a top-ranked older horse. [6]

2012: four-year-old season

Fort Larned began his 2012 season in Florida with a loss in a handicap at Tampa Bay Downs followed by a win in the Challenger Stakes on March 3. He then recorded his first important success at Gulfstream Park on March 31, winning the Grade III Skip Away Stakes by two and a half lengths over Alma d'Oro while setting a track record of 1:53.92 for 1+3⁄16 miles. [7] Wilkes stated that the horse had made great improvement and it was suggested that he was well-suited by being allowed to "run free". [8]

At Churchill Downs in May he finished second in the Alysheba Stakes behind Successful Dan, with Mucho Macho Man in third. At the same course a month later he was moved into Grade I class and finished unplaced behind Ron the Greek in the Stephen Foster Handicap after being forced wide in the straight. [9]

In his next race, Fort Larned was ridden for the first time by Brian Hernandez, Jr. At Prairie Meadows on June 30, he led from the start to record a three length success over Successful Dan and Awesome Gem in the Cornhusker Handicap. [10] A first Grade I success followed in August in the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga Race Course. Racing in blinkers for the first time, he took the lead a quarter mile from the finish and won from Ron the Greek and Flat Out. [11] "He's getting better all the time," said Wilkes a few weeks after the race. "Mentally, he has a swagger about him. It's like he’s gone from a boy to a man. He has a presence about him now, a confidence." [6]

Fort Larned's improving form saw him start the 3-1 favorite for the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park in late September. He moved up to challenge the leaders approaching the straight, then faded in the closing stages to finish third behind Flat Out and Stay Thirsty. "My horse ran good; we'll be fine, we'll go to the Breeders' Cup," said Wilkes. "I wouldn't want to trade places. Blame got beat here before he beat Zenyatta (in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic). It doesn't pay to win this race to win the Breeders' Cup. You have to look at the bright side." [12]

Fort Larned was sent to Santa Anita Park in November to contest the Breeders' Cup Classic, staying in the same barn that had housed his grand-dam Bayakoa. [13] He started at odds of 9–1 in a twelve-runner field with Game On Dude being made the 6-5 favorite. Hernandez sent the colt into the lead soon after the start and he was never headed. In the stretch he faced a strong challenge from Mucho Macho Man but stayed on to prevail by half a length, with a gap of six and a half lengths back to Flat Out in third. [14]

"I never thought the horse was that good," said Whitham's son Clay, "because he was so slow developing. He was just a plain bay horse and nothing more. He wasn’t flashy at all. He finally grew up at Churchill Downs last November in the slop. When he won the Skip Away at Gulfstream this winter and set a track record, I finally thought, 'Hey, he’s got some talent.' But I sure wasn’t counting on winning this race." [13]

Fort Larned was a finalist in the Eclipse Award voting for American Horse of the Year and Champion Older Male Horse, but lost both to Wise Dan, a turf specialist. [15] In 2015, the Older Male Horse award became restricted to horses that run on the dirt. [16]

2013: five-year-old season

Fort Larned's first start since winning the Breeders' Cup came on March 9, 2013, at Gulfstream Park. He started favorite for the Gulfstream Park Handicap but lost his chance two strides after the start when he stumbled badly and unseated Hernandez. He injured his left front hoof but Wilkes felt lucky the injury was not worse. "The horse fell on his head," he said. "He's lucky he didn't really hurt himself. He could have ripped his whole heel off or he could have broken his leg. The way he fell, his whole head hit the ground." [17]

A month later he was made 1/2 favorite for the Oaklawn Handicap but ran poorly to finish fifth behind Cyber Secret, leading Wilkes to suggest that the horse had been unsuited by the fast track. [18]

After a break of two months, Fort Larned returned to contest the Stephen Foster Handicap. The horse led from the start and drew clear of his five opponents to win by six lengths from Golden Ticket and Ron the Greek in what was described as a "stunning display". [19] The winning time of 1:47.45 was the second fastest in the history of the race, and just 1⁄5th of a second off the track record. "He ran unbelievable," said winning trainer Ian Wilkes. "It was gratifying to get the horse back and to prove that he's as good as I thought he was and show he wasn't a one-year wonder." [20]

On August 3 Fort Larned was made favorite for his second Whitney Handicap on August 3. Carrying top weight of 122 pounds he finished fifth of the eight runners behind Cross Traffic. Wilkes described his horse's performance as " a dull effort" but added, "We'll regroup. We'll be back." [21]

Fort Larned was scheduled to make his next start in the Woodward Stakes but was scratched because he was not in top form. [22] Eight weeks after his poor run in the Whitney, Fort Larned reappeared at Churchill Downs for the first running of the Homecoming Classic Stakes, which Wilkes had selected in preference to the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Hernandez sent the horse into the lead from the start and he was never headed, winning by one and a half lengths from Windswept in a time of 1:48.58. [23]

Fort Larned made his final start in the 2013 Breeders' Cup Classic, where he entered an early speed duel with Game On Dude and Moreno. The other two horses finished well back but Fort Larned held on to finish fourth behind Mucho Macho Man, the horse he had defeated in 2012. "It is emotional because it’s his last race," said Wilkes. "He laid his body down today. My hat's off to Mucho Macho Man. He made a great comeback. I knew my horse would bring his 'A' game and he did. He definitely didn't disgrace himself. He put the two speed horses away and they aren't slouches." [24]

Retirement

Fort Larned retired to stud at Adena Springs Farm. As a horse with no trace of Northern Dancer or Seattle Slew in his own pedigree, he is expected to be a popular "outcross" for mares from these lines. [25] His first foals will be of racing age in 2017.

Pedigree

Pedigree of Fort Larned (USA), bay, 2008 [26]
Sire
E Dubai (USA)
1998		 Mr Prospector
1970		 Raise A Native Native Dancer
Raise You
Gold Digger Nashua
Sequence
Words of War
1989		Lord At War (ARG)General (FR)
Luna de Miel
Right Word Verbatim
Oratorio
Dam
Arlucea (USA)
1997		 Broad Brush
1983		 Ack Ack Battle Joined
Fast Turn
Hay Patcher Hoist The Flag
Turn to Talent
Bayakoa (ARG)
1984		Consultants Bid Bold Bidder
Fleet Judy
Arlucea (ARG)Good Manners
Izarra (Family: 9-g)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breeders' Cup</span> Grade I Thoroughbred horse racing

The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Grade I Thoroughbred horse races, operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982. From its inception in 1984 through 2006, it was a single-day event; starting in 2007, it expanded to two days. All sites have been in the United States, except in 1996, when the races were at the Woodbine Racetrack in Canada.

Gulfstream Park is a Thoroughbred horse race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida, United States. It is among the most important venues for horse racing in the United States, and is open 365 days a year.

Bayakoa was a Thoroughbred Champion racehorse bred in Argentina. After racing successfully in that country, Bayakoa was sold to Janis and Frank Whitham and subsequently raced in the United States, mainly in California. In the course of her career, Bayakoa won 13 Grade I stakes races including back-to-back renewals of the Breeders' Cup Distaff. She was the American Champion Older Female Horse of both 1989 and 1990 and was subsequently inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. In the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century, she was ranked 95th.

Saint Liam was an American thoroughbred racehorse who was voted 2005 Eclipse Award Horse of the Year honors after winning the Donn Handicap, Stephen Foster, Woodward Stakes and Breeders' Cup Classic. He died in 2006 due to a freak accident, leaving behind a single crop of foals that included Horse of the Year Havre de Grace.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge is a series of Thoroughbred horse races in which the winner earns an automatic spot in a specified Breeders' Cup race. The challenge races change somewhat each year. The Challenge series began in 2007 with 24 "Win and You're In" races from 2 countries. By 2014, the series had grown to 71 races across 13 countries. During that period, 24 winners of Breeders' Cup races had qualified via the challenge series.

Jose Lezcano is a Panamanian jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. He rides in New York in the spring, summer and fall and spends the winter in Florida. His big break came in 2008 when he won a Breeders' Cup race.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Kentucky Derby</span> 137th running of the Kentucky Derby

The 2011 Kentucky Derby was the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby, on May 7. The race was won by Animal Kingdom, ridden by John Velazquez, trained by H. Graham Motion and owned by Team Valor.

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

Shackleford is a chestnut Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2011 Preakness Stakes. He also finished second in the 2011 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and won the Metropolitan Handicap and Clark Handicap in 2012.

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

Mucho Macho Man is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2013 Breeders' Cup Classic. He was foaled in Florida and named after the Village People song "Macho Man". His breeders were Carole and John Rio of Florida, who owned his dam. His foalhood nickname was "Lazarus" because he appeared lifeless at birth, but spontaneously revived. He grew to be a very large horse, standing over 17 hands high. Throughout most of his racing career, Mucho Macho Man was primarily owned by Dean and Patti Reeves of Reeves Thoroughbred Racing of Suwanee, Georgia. They purchased a majority interest in him after his first race in 2010, and in 2012 became his sole owners. In February 2014, Frank Stronach purchased an undisclosed share in the horse on behalf of his Adena Springs Farms, owner of Mucho Macho Man's sire, Macho Uno.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Game On Dude</span> American Thoroughbred racehorse

Game On Dude is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse gelding. He won fourteen graded stakes races, including eight Grade I stakes: the Santa Anita Handicap in 2011, 2013, and 2014 the only horse to have won that race three times; he also won the Goodwood Stakes twice, the 2013 Pacific Classic Stakes, and the Hollywood Gold Cup twice. He has beaten many of the leading North American racehorses including Awesome Gem, Tizway, Ruler on Ice, Uncle Mo, Stay Thirsty, Mucho Macho Man, and Will Take Charge and has been rated among the best thirty racehorses in the world in the annual World Thoroughbred Rankings. Upon his retirement, he was compared favorably as one of the greatest racing geldings of all time, along with Kelso, John Henry, and Forego.

The 2012 Breeders' Cup World Championships was the 29th edition of the premier event of the North American thoroughbred horse racing year, which took place November 2 and 3 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The winners were bred in the United States except where indicated. The Breeders' Cup is generally regarded as the end of the North American racing season, although a few Grade I events take place in later November and December. The 2012 Breeders' Cup results were highly influential in the Eclipse Award divisional championship voting.

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

Palace Malice is an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 2013 Belmont Stakes. After winning one minor race as a two-year-old he made steady improvement in the early part of 2013, being placed in the Risen Star Stakes and Blue Grass Stakes and running prominently in the Kentucky Derby before winning the Belmont Stakes, and the 2014 Metropolitan Handicap. He went on to win the Jim Dandy Stakes and finish second against older horses in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. As a four-year-old in 2014 he won his first four races including the Gulfstream Park Handicap, New Orleans Handicap and Metropolitan Handicap. After two races in 2015, he was retired as a five-year-old and sent to stand at stud at Three Chimneys Farm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Take Charge</span> American Thoroughbred racehorse

Will Take Charge is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, the horse is best known for his wins in the 2013 Travers Stakes and Clark Handicap and for being beaten by a nose in the 2013 Breeders' Cup Classic. He was named American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse for 2013. He was retired in September, 2014, and stands at stud at Three Chimneys Farm.

The 2013 Breeders' Cup World Championships was the 30th edition of the premier event of the North American thoroughbred horse racing year. It took place on November 1 and November 2 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The Breeders' Cup is generally regarded as the end of the North America racing season, although a few Grade I events take place in later November and December. The 2013 Breeders' Cup results were highly influential in the Eclipse Award divisional championship voting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katherine Ritvo</span> American horse trainer (born 1969)

Katherine "Kathy" Ritvo is a race horse trainer who won the Breeders' Cup Classic in 2013 with Mucho Macho Man after having finished a close second in the same race in 2012. She is the first woman to have trained a winner of that race. She also was only the fifth woman trainer to win any Breeders' Cup race, and was the 14th woman trainer to saddle a starter in the Kentucky Derby in the 137 years that race had been run by 2011.

Flat Out is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse and prospective breeding stallion. Bred in Florida, he won nine of his twenty-nine races in a track career which lasted from November 2008 until November 2013. He produced many of his best performances at Belmont Park, where he won the Jockey Club Gold Cup in 2011 and 2012, the Suburban Handicap in 2011 and 2013 and the Westchester Stakes in 2013. His only major win at another track came on his final racecourse appearance when he defeated a strong field in the Cigar Mile Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Big Blue Kitten is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who specialises in turf races. Unraced as a juvenile, he finished third on his debut in 2011 and then went on a five race winning streak, culminating in a victory in the Grade II National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes. After winning one minor race as a four-year-old he emerged as a top-class turf performer in 2013 when his wins included the United Nations Stakes and the Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes. His only win of consequence in 2014 came in the Lure Stakes but he returned to his best as a seven-year-old in 2015 winning the Fort Marcy Handicap, a second United Nations Stakes and the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes. Apart from his victories he finished second in the Arlington Million and third in the Breeders' Cup Turf. His performances earned him the title of American Champion Male Turf Horse for 2015.

The 2013 Breeders' Cup Classic was the 30th running of the Breeders' Cup Classic, part of the 2013 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships program. It was run on November 2, 2013 at Santa Anita race track in Arcadia, California for a purse of $5,000,000.

The 2012 Breeders' Cup Classic was the 29th running of the Breeders' Cup Classic, part of the 2012 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships program. It was run on November 3, 2012 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California with a purse of $5,000,000.

Cross Traffic is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Grade I Whitney Invitational Handicap at Belmont Park in 2013 as a four-year-old.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Fort Larned Profile". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  2. ↑ "Bayakoa". Racingmuseum.org. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  3. ↑ "Mating Choices -- Bayakoa". cs.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  4. ↑ "E Dubai Stud Record". Racing Post. 2012-02-15. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  5. ↑ Dwyre, Bill (3 November 2012). "Fort Larned withstands a siege in Breeders' Cup Classic". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 McGee, Marty. "Belmont: Wilkes emerges with rising star Fort Larned". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  7. ↑ "Fort Larned Sets Track Record in Skip Away". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  8. ↑ "2012 Florida Derby Day". Daily Racing News. 2012-04-03. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  9. ↑ Shinar, Jack. "Fort Larned Fires First in Whitney Surprise". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  10. ↑ "Fort Larned shows the way in Cornhusker". Thoroughbred Times. 2012-07-01. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  11. ↑ "Sports". Sportsnetwork.com. Archived from the original on 2014-12-21. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  12. ↑ Novak, Claire. "Flat Out Grinds Out Jockey Club Repeat". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  13. 1 2 Haskin, Steve. "Classic Recap: Fort Repels Attack". cs.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  14. ↑ Greg Wood at Santa Anita (2012-11-04). "Fort Larned outbattles Mucho Macho Man in Breeders' Cup Classic". The Guardian. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  15. ↑ "HOY Analysis: Traditional Vs. Unconventional". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  16. ↑ "Eclipse Awards: Older Male, Older Female Categories Renamed, Restricted To Dirt". www.paulickreport.com. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  17. ↑ "Fort Larned 'Walking Good' After Gate Stumble". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  18. ↑ Nicholas Godfrey (June 14, 2013). "USA Classic hero Fort Larned out to redeem himself". Racing Post . Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved 2013-06-16.
  19. ↑ Jennie Rees (June 16, 2013). "Fort Larned wins Stephen Foster, qualifies for Classic". USA Today . Retrieved 2013-06-16.
  20. ↑ Angst, Frank. "Fort Larned Rolls to Easy Stephen Foster Win". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  21. ↑ James Burn (August 4, 2013). "USA Fort Larned fades behind Cross Traffic in Whitney". Racing Post . Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved 2013-08-04.
  22. ↑ "Fort Larned Will Miss Woodward Stakes". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  23. ↑ Tom LaMarra (28 September 2013). "Fort Larned Coasts to Homecoming Classic Win". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2013-09-29.
  24. ↑ Shinar, Jack. "Stevens, Mucho Macho Man Capture BC Classic". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  25. ↑ "Fort Larned - Adena Springs". Adena Springs. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  26. ↑ "Fort Larned pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
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.