Keywords: Cavonnier, DaHoss, Funny Cide, geldings, John Henry, The Tin Man, Thoroughbred racing
Great Geldings in Throughbred Racing
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January 24, 2009
Jan Hoadley
Great Geldings in Throughbred Racing
The geldings are the truly overlooked of racing in many times. They have no breeding career and they are too often forgotten after their glory days are over. Geldings in Thoroughbred racing have given us some of the most exciting performances in racing. For example there's the gutsy gelding Cavonnier who was in the 1996 Kentucky Derby against a good field that included Unbridled's Song, Skip Away and Editor's Note. Cavonnier sat comfortably just off the lead and Unbridled's Song put a bid on with the gallant Cavonnier coming up to challenge and surging on the inside to the front. He started putting daylight between him and Unbridled's Song and looked home free but Grindstone was driving on the outside and in the photo finish Grindstone won by the narrowest of margins. Cavonnier has unfortunately all but been forgotten by many but was a very talented horse that showed one didn't need to be a colt to know how to run. In the Santa Anita Derby was in full flight and hung on for a win there. Sadly the brilliant gelding bowed a tendon in the Belmont Stakes that year but again overcoming, Cavonnier not only recovered but returned to racing and notched two more wins from seven starts. He is retired now to just be a horse and last reported to be at Vine Hill Ranch in California. Another brilliant, more recent gelding is the pretty and talented The Tin Man. A beautifully bred horse sired by Triple Crown champion Affirmed out of Lizzy Rolfe he was a half brother to the great filly Flawlessly. The Tin Man was an iron horse that met problem after problem and came through it all. As a two year old he owed both tendons which required surgery to repair. Colts often get a heavy front end which is 60% of a horse's weight so to trim that the colt was gelded, despite his pedigree to have a sound gelding rather than problems that would end his life. Because of this he was a late starter to the races and won multiple graded races at four and five. He injured an ankle and was laid off for over a year, but as he healed he wanted to run. He won again at 7, then 8, then 9. He was headed to the Breeders Cup after being nipped at the wire in the Arlington Million by Jambalaya, a Canadian gelding, then winning a stakes race. After the California race the old man was sore and it was found he had an issue in one ankle which needed surgery. He came through the surgery fine but coming out of anesthesia spooked, resulting in a fall and a fractured knee. In a gelding of his age there was no point in attempting a comeback and The Tin Man arrived at River Edge Farm in California for a well deserved retirement in April 2008. Champions DaHoss and Funny Cide both brought many winning moments to fans and are both retired to the Kentucky Horse Park where fans can visit them. Funny Cide worked as a pony' escorting race horses to the track for some time after retirement but began having occasional sore days which meant finding an easier life for the champion. Another champion gelding who became a pony horse after retirement, and also lives at the Kentucky Horse Park is Kona Gold. Kona started 30 times, winning 14, second 7 times and twice placed. That's 23 times on the board out of 30 starts with over $2million in earnings. Of course one of the most beloved of champion geldings who died at the Kentucky Horse Park at age 32 from complications to Cushing's disease is champion John Henry. A tough horse, cheap enough to sell for just $1,100 as a yearling, John Henry was talented enough to finish behind Darby Creek Road setting a track record. Sold to a businessman sight unseen for $25,000 in 1978 John Henry could be ornery. He started an incredible 83 times winning 39 of those, 15 times second and 9 times third. He held at one time the all time money winning record at $6,591,860 until it was passed by Alysheba. He still today sits in the top 10 with champions such as Pleasantly Perfect, Smarty Jones, Skip Away Cigar and Curlin. Retired at age 10 following a tendon injury John Henry arrived at the Horse Park in 1985. He is in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame and is among the best Thoroughbreds of all time. These are just a few of the champion Thoroughbreds that thrilled racing fans on and off the track. They are ambassadors of the breed in retirement and champions on the track. Thoroughbred geldings are numerous and often forgotten but they can also, in many ways, represent the sport. They don't have breeding careers to go to they just race until they can do so no more.
Posted by Jan Hoadley
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