Don’t Give Up The Cup
January 18th, 2006by Jude T. Feld
Claiborne Stallion Out of Place – Sire of Out of Gwedda
Claiborne Farm Photo
The Green Monkey is safely bedded down in the stable of Todd Pletcher at Saratoga. His $16 million price tag made even the hardest of boots take notice. It’s no secret the Coolmore boys have deep pockets, so does Sheik Mohammed’s family and the Yoshidas of Japan, but here is a list of three two-year-olds a successful caddy could have purchased at auction. The highest priced one was a mere $52,000. They have all “won themselves out” and then some, but best of all, they’ve all earned big black type and a trophy in their short careers.
Barilko (E. Dubai – Hausman by Greinton)
Won Woodbine’s Colin Stakes, running five furlongs in 57.11 over a sloppy inner track. A $30,000 bargain from the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, owner-trainer David Dwyer’s colt has already won almost three times that amount in purses. His sire, who stands at Darley at Jonabell Farm in Kentucky, is a Grade 2 winning son of Mr. Prospector. He puts a great hindquarters and good bone on his foals so it comes as no surprise that this guy’s got some zip.
Out of Gwedda (Out of Place – Gwedda by Gone West)
Won the Tremont at Belmont Park by 2 ½ lengths after stumbling badly at the start, posting a final time of 1:06.66 over the main track labeled fast. The Kentucky-bred son of Claiborne stallion Out of Place was purchased for $52,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and has now made close to $90,000 for owners Pegasus Dream Stable. He’s a stablemate of The Green Monkey, as they are both conditioned by Todd Pletcher.
Straight Faced (Straight Man – Susie Smile by Smile)
Won the Birdonthewire at Calder after dueling on the lead and drawing away late to post a facile victory in 1:05.17 for the 5 ½ furlongs over the fast main track. Purchased for $48,000 at OBS March Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, the Florida-bred son of Straight Man, who stands at Signature Stallions in the Sunshine State, is trained by Steve DiMauro, and has earned over $60,000 his owner, for Walter Donnelly, LLC. Smile is the grandsire of Smarty Jones, so Straight Faced should be able to put a few more dollars in the bank at longer distances.
These three stakes winners illustrate the fact that a king’s ransom is not necessary to have success in Thoroughbred racing. There will be several more juveniles this year who could have been picked up for a song but go on to do great things. Keeneland has catalogued over 5,000 horses in the 2006 September Yearling Sale. Somebody’s gonna buy a stakes winner. It might as well be you!
