In seven years as a Thoroughbred racing fan, there have been few horses I've loved more that the lightning fast colt, whose story was too short; from his brief tenure on the racetrack, to what should have been a long, happy, and productive life. Like a devastating wildfire, the shocking news spread rapidly, our hearts consumed by grief. On Christmas Eve, 2010, only a day after a shuttle return from Australia, the beloved five-year-old War Pass died in his paddock. As of this writing, the cause of his death is unknown. As many of us anxiously wait in hopes of learning what cruel fate awaited him, the following is this blogger's testimony to a wonderful and forever treasured champion.
"Pure Lightning"
In the summer of 2007, a visually stunning dark bay/brown colt, streaked across the racing landscape. He was so fast that his Hall of Fame trainer would describe him as “pure lightning.” War Pass was an exhilarating rush of blinding speed, and so much fun, that when he crossed the finish line, dusting off his opponents with consumate ease and authority, I was swept up to. Everything about War Pass, from his very name, to his style on the track, bespoke an aggressiveness easy to admire. There were certainly some people who weren't sure he could carry such speed over the classic American distance, and one had to look closely at his bloodline to know he did have the capacity to run on.
Family
War Pass, foaled on April 17, 2005 at Cherry Valley Farm in Kentucky, was a son of champion sprinter and Preakness runner-up Cherokee Run, the sire of many standout runners, including two-year-old champion filly Chilukki. The colt's dam,Vue, although lightly raced, was a daughter of the great stallion and speed influence Mr. Prospector. War Pass' paternal grandsire, Runaway Groom, was 1982 champion three-year-old male in Canada, and holds the distinction of defeating Derby winner Gato del Sol, Preakness winner Aloma's Ruler, and Belmont Stakes winner Conquistador Cielo in the Travers Stakes. War Pass' great-grandsire, Blushing Groom, was a champion in France and later a leading sire. A few of his notable children included the sensational Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner, Eclipse two-year-old male champion, and European Horse of the Year Arazi, and filly triple crown winner and later champion older female Sky Beauty. Blushing Groom's daughter, Primal Force, foaled Breeders' Cup Classic winner Awesome Again, who later sired 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, while another daughter, Once Wed, produced Japan's T.M. Opera O, Thoroughbred racing's all-time leading money earner.
Precocity
As a Keeneland sales yearling, War Pass was purchased by Robert V. LaPenta, and put under the handling of trainer Nick Zito. The colt would define himself as a juvenile, making his debut in a six furlong maiden special weight, at Saratoga, on July 28, 2007. Breaking just behind Globilization and Commandeered, War Pass was quickly among the leaders and soon grabbed the lead, covering the quarter in a solid 21.98, before drawing away to the wire by almost three lengths in 1:10.26. With Cornelio Velasquez, now as his regular rider, War Pass returned one month later. As pacesetter, he created a five and a half length separation between himself and five others at the wire, covering six furlongs in 1:10.61. Behind him in second and third were Fidelio and Pyro respectively. War Pass returned on October 6 in his first major test, the one mile Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park. In a field of eight, which included Pyro, Z Humor, Majestic Warrior, and Ready's Image, War Pass broke fast and wired the field, setting solid fractions. Although a rally by Pyro paired War Pass' winning margin down to one and a half lengths, he was never threatened, and stopped the timer in 1:36.12. The unbeaten War Pass would make his final start of the year in the Breeders' Cup. And before a national television audience, he would have an opportunity to seriously strut his stuff, with a championship in his sights.
No Equal
The 24th Breeders' Cup, on October 26-27, 2007, introduced new races to its card, and was the first edition staged over two days. Hosted by Monmouth Park in Oceanport, New Jersey, the commendable efforts by grounds personnel were up against nature, which forced horses and riders to deal with adverse weather conditions that left the turf course a bog, the main oval a sea of slop, with the event ultimately marred on the second day by the fatal breakdown of the superb European runner George Washington in the Classic. Earlier that afternoon the Breeders' Cup Juvenile saw eleven two-year-old males vying for their share of glory. War Pass left from the two post, broke very fast, and never looked back. Before anyone knew what happened, the colt had run the socks off his rivals, skipping merrily over the slippery surface, his margin four lengths after three-quarters and seven lengths in the stretch, before hitting the wire four and a half lengths to the good of Pyro, who again rallied late after a compromised trip. Kodiak Kowboy was third less than a length ahead of Tale of Ekati. The winner had clipped off fractions of :22.76, :45.56, 1:09.65, 1:35.64, before finishing the 1 1/16 mile test in 1:42.76. He was later awarded a Beyer speed figure of 113, the highest ever recorded in the race. With four starts and four wins for the year, War Pass would be voted champion two-year-old male at the Eclipse Awards held in January. It was time for him to take a breather before a resumption of training as a three-year-old.
He Works and Romps
In 2006, the two-year-old Street Sense, under Calvin Borel, had rocketed home via the rail, in a compelling Breeders' Cup victory, then the pair virtually performed the identical act the following spring in the Kentucky Derby. It was now War Pass' turn to try and emulate Street Sense with a Breeders' Cup/Derby “Double,” and he began 2008 giving every indication he would succeed. Assigned the high weight of 127 pounds in the Jockey Club's Experiment Free Handicap, the colt had two nice works during the first two weeks of February at Palm Meadows Training Center prior to making his first start of the year in a one mile allowance race at Gulfstream Park. On February 24, against four mismatched rivals, War Pass broke fast from post five and ran off by seven and a half lengths in a time of 1:36.38, to start the year on the right foot, padding his career record with a fifth win in five career starts. His next race would not go so easily.
Nightmare
The champion was a huge favorite for the 1 1/16 mile Tampa Bay Derby on March 15. Entering stall three, War Pass did not break well, then was abruptly squeezed back, then bumped again, thus neutralizing his biggest asset, speed, which had always allowed him to get clear of other horses. The blown start had put him in a situation he had never encountered before. Instead of running freely, War Pass found himself stuck in traffic. Accustomed to being ahead of every horse, he was now in the middle of them, and his usual crushing impact was negated. From this point on, he was merely a follower instead of a leader, awaiting his fate instead of controlling it. As Gentleman James set the early pace, War Pass stayed within striking distance, a bit wide, but he was not used to being in a crowd, and didn't like it. Whether physically shaken from the rough start or discouraged, in the stretch run War Pass fell back precipitiously, as the Barclay Tagg trained Big Truck won a furious duel with Atoned, crossing the finish line first. But the outcome was baffling and unthinkable. War Pass didn't merely lose, he finished last, more than twenty-three lengths behind the winner.
War Pass' shocking defeat would no doubt pose questions and give any doubters reason to dismiss him as perhaps another precocious two-year-old who was now beginning to regress. It seemed as if the colt, faced with adversity for the first time, couldn't handle it, that he was merely a fast front runner who could only succeed if he had things entirely his own way. If he had experienced this kind of trouble against only six other horses, how could he succeed in America's premier contest, among as many as nineteen top three-year-olds, where front running speed is often heavily pressured by other speed? War Pass had never been pushed around, and never had to look another horse in the eye, much less his backside. It was a predicament he was always able to avoid because of his ability to get a powerful jump on his opponents and then run uncontested. It was also reported that the colt had a fever some days prior to the race, and perhaps this may have been a factor in his performance. In considering all elements, some might have wondered if this was War Pass showing another side of his character, or simply a racer who had suffered an off day, and would return to his good form the next time. War Pass would get a chance to redeem himself, and draw a line through the nightmare at Tampa Bay.
Heart
Twelve days later, War Pass put in a four furlong bullet breeze, and was on target for the East's premiere prep, the 1 1/8 mile Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 5. War Pass would break from post five in a field of ten. There was some concern that being in the middle of the pack could get him squeezed back again, but he broke well enough to get the advantage on the others. Another speed horse named Inner Light was also in the mix, employed as a rabbit to try and take War Pass out on behalf of Court Vision. Inner Light stayed with War Pass, pressuring him into punishing fractions. Going around the first turn, the two horses were more than three lengths ahead of Giant Moon and Tale of Ekati, but War Pass had run the quarter in a murderous :22.46. Midway down the backstretch War Pass maintained a one and a half length lead, with a half in :46 flat. By now Inner Light was through, and after six furlongs, the champ had run 1:11.50. By the time he came into the stretch, War Pass was essentially cooked but perservered. The wire couldn't come soon enough, and as he struggled gallantly to maintain his lead, Tale of Ekati was bearing down on him from the inside. Approaching the finish, War Pass, out toward the middle of the track, and still reaching for any residual strength left, was unable to hold off Tale of Ekati who passed him in the closing strides to win by a half length in a final time of 1:52.35. War Pass had done all the dirty work and despite the loss, he showed everyone what was inside him. This was the real War Pass with a huge heart.
Aftermath
War Pass possessed the virtues inherent in all Thoroughbred champions: class, courage, ability, and perserverance. Yet his bright star was soon to disappear. The year which had started so auspiciously, turned sour beginning at Tampa Bay, but what followed the Wood was even worse. The colt had sustained a fracture to the left front sesamoid and had to be taken out of training. He missed the entire Triple Crown series, and his racing future was uncertain. Surgery wasn't presently indicated and it was hoped that the injury would heal on its own, with re-evaluation after an extended period of rest. War Pass stayed largely out of the news for the next several months, until in early September, the fastest two-year-old his trainer had ever conditioned, was retired. War Pass had won five of seven starts, with earnings of $1,583,400. He probably didn't have enough time to stake a legitimate claim to greatness; but before he was injured, was on his way.
Beloved Horse
War Pass began the next chapter of his life as a stallion at William S. Farish's Lane's End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky. His first offspring was a filly and his first crop of foals will reach racing age in 2012.
It would be easy to think of War Pass as a shooting star, racing across the heavens with incredible speed, then just as quickly disappearing. And yet, that analogy would be wholly inadequate because a celestial body is likely to be soon forgotten. War Pass' children will carry his legacy, some of them perhaps becoming champions themselves, and through them, War Pass will always be with us, his name on our lips, and his memory certainly shining bright in our hearts. The beautiful young horse is now with the racing immortals, happily running free. War Pass always loved being on the lead and we can only wonder how far he'll go in this elite company.
Copyright 2010, 2012 by John Califano
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