Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Real Quiet Stakes at Hollywood Park


Trainer Bob Baffert at Clockers Corner, Santa Anita, this morning.

Saturday's feature at Hollywood Park - the $100,000 Real Quiet Stakes - has some great history attached to it. It is named for Real Quiet, trained by Bob Baffert. In 1999, Real Quiet became the first Kentucky Derby champion since Ferdinand (1987) to win the Hollywood Gold Cup, Hollywood Park's premier race.

Real Quiet, owned by Mike Pegram, was nicknamed "the fish" by Baffert because of his narrow frame. As a two-year-old in 1997, Real Quiet won the Grade 1 Hollywood Futurity.

In 1998, Real Quiet faced an impressive crop of three-year-olds, yet he came closer to winning the Triple Crown than any horse since Affirmed did 20 years earlier. After winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, Real Quiet lost his bid for racing immortality in the Belmont, when beaten in the final strides by Victory Gallop. He nevertheless ended the year with an Eclipse Award for best three-year-old colt.

As a four-year-old in 1999, Real Quiet won the Hollywood Gold Cup and the Pimlico Special. Considered to be a strong contender in the Breeders' Cup Classic that year, Real Quiet instead suffered an injury, forcing his retirement.

Real Quiet's progeny include Pussycat Doll, No Place Like It, Wonder Lady Ann L, and Midnight Lute.

Here's the field for the $100,000 Real Quiet Stakes, for 2-year-olds, at 1-1/16 miles on the Cushion Track.

1 Mark S the Cooler (Michael Baze)
2 When We Met (Mike Smith)
3 J P Jammer (Aaron Gryder)
4 Chocolate Candy (Garrett Gomez)
5 Danny Q (Martin Pedroza)
6 Escalon (Rafael Bejarano)
7 Charlie's Moment (Joel Rosario)

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

good time to give Mr. Baffert a double thumbs up for a great training job on Midnight Lute and getting Midshipman to peak at the right time.

Anonymous said...

Hi Mary,

Thanks for the comments over at my blog!

Real Quiet was a champ...but such a heartbreaking Belmont. I think every horse racing fan tried to will him to the wire in front.

You have some great photos here...and I especially liked the blog on Chantal Sutherland. Chantal was my favourite jockey here at Woodbine and she's well missed by all the punters.

Hopefully the California trainers start using Chantal more frequently soon, she's brilliant.

Cheers

Keith

Anonymous said...

Hi Mary, Love your photos, have fun this weekend! My sister-in-law and nephew are Richardson Racing in Michigan. I used to take their horses that wouldn't run and retrain for hunter/jumper barns back here & sell, so stayed at the farm mostly, but the track is exciting. Nice writing, keep it up. Cheers
Mary Richardson
(zurichstudios)

Mary Forney's Blog said...

Thanks, Mary! Glad you enjoy my blog. I have the utmost admiration for anyone who takes retired racehorses and helps them to find a new life as hunter/jumpers or riding horses. We have a new organization in California, CARMA (Calif. Retirement Management Account) that is supported by California racehorse owners through a purse deduction and will fund qualifying equine retirement and retraining facilities. This is something all horse racing states need to do. Hope to hear from you again! Mary

zraces said...

They sure didn't name this horse after his trainer.

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