The Toast of New York

The handsome red colt missed his appointment with immortality. Perhaps he wasn't a superhorse after all, but to his fans, and those associated with him, Easy Goer was certainly a “dream horse.” Born in Kentucky, he became vintage New York. And if there was any quality in a Thoroughbred that Easy Goer lacked, God hadn't created it.

Easy Goer had royal bloodlines, dazzling chestnut elegance, striking conformation, and enormous talent. The axiom “breed the best to the best and hope for the best,” defined Easy Goer. He was a marvelous creature of equine athleticism, the focal point of an endearing public, and the toast of New York racing. On a racetrack, Easy Goer had great range, with the ability to win decisively from 6 ½ furlongs to 1 ½ miles.

Part One: A Champion

Family of Distinction

Ogden Phipps, patriarch of one of Thoroughbred racing's most prominent families, owned and bred Easy Goer. Foaled at Claiborne Farm in March 1986, the colt's sire Alydar, was a racehorse of significant promise, largely remembered for his fabled rivalry with the last Triple Crown winner Affirmed, whose greatness reached its summit due to his confrontations with Alydar. Bred by Calumet Farm and conditioned by John Veitch, Alydar had impeccable quality, character, and has been largely remembered for his keen perserverance. The horse's odyssey was a touching blend of triumph and loss, his fine voice giving song to a lovely lyric of 26 career starts, 14 firsts, 9 seconds one third, and $957,195 in earnings. He finished out of the money only twice, and was undoubtedly loved more in times of disappointment than success. Until Alydar's life was tragically cut short, he was one of the industry's best sires. In addition to Easy Goer, his other sons included Horse of the Year honorees Alysheba and Criminal Type, champion Turkoman, and Kentucky Derby winner Strike The Gold.

Easy Goer's dam, Relaxing, was by the great and beautiful Buckpasser, racing's first three-year-old millionaire and 1966 Horse of the Year. Buckpasser, in one stretch, won fifteen consecutive races, and was among the trio of titans in the middle of that decade who ran in the famous Woodward Stakes of 1967, along with Damascus and Dr. Fager. Relaxing was an accomplished turf and dirt runner, who first raced with moderate success in Great Britain, before arriving in the States. While competing almost exclusively at New York tracks, Relaxing won or placed in several graded stakes. In her last three starts, she finished fourth in the Woodward Stakes, won the Ruffian Handicap, and exited the scene with a third place effort in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, when she finished less than a length behind the future legend John Henry. In 28 starts, Relaxing recorded 13 firsts, 2 seconds, 5 thirds, nearly $600,000 in earnings, and named 1981 champion older female.

Moving forward

The young Easy Goer was put under the handling of Claude “Shug” McGaughey III, whose barn also had another Phipps star, the four-year-old filly Personal Ensign, who was on her way to a unique and distinguished place in the sport's history. Easy Goer made his racing debut on August 1, 1988 in a six furlong maiden special weight at Belmont Park. Pat Day, who had been voted the nation's top jockey three out of the last four years, was given the mount, and would stay in the irons for keeps. The colt broke slow, and after a compromised trip, came on with a strong rally to lose by a nose to Lorenzoni. It was a good beginning however, and Easy Goer would subsequently showcase his brilliance. He raced again less than three weeks later at Saratoga, and overtook Is It True, in a time of 1:22 3/5, in their first of four meetings that year. Easy Goer then won a Belmont Park allowance in early September, covering 6 ½ furlongs in 1:09 1/5. As the colt's reputation grew, other two-year-olds were catching some attention. Trapp Mountain would annex the Saratoga Special and Futurity Stakes, and Mercedes Won would do the same in the Sanford and Hopeful. Another promising youngster in McGaughey's barn was Fast Play, a son of Seattle Slew, who would win the 1 1/8 mile Remsen Stakes, while finishing second and third in the Hopeful and Futurity respectively.

Easy Goer's trademark style was to generally sit off the pace, before making a powerful strike in the stretch, his prowess amplified by remarkably fast times. The colt's dominance continued with a three length win in Belmont Park's seven furlong Cowdin, in 1:23 3/5. Winners Laugh was behind him, followed by Is It True. Two weeks later, on October 15, in the one mile Champagne Stakes that included Mercedes Won, Easy Goer ran down Is It True, and drew away by four lengths, his final clocking 1:34 4/5.

The 'Downs' Mud

It was finally time for Easy Goer to leave his familiar confines of New York and venture to Churchill Downs as the heavy favorite for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, its fifth edition run on November 5, 1988. The weather in Louisville had been rainy and for the first time Easy Goer would have to negotiate a muddy track, over 1 1/16 miles. He would always respond favorably to distance, but surface conditions were problematic. On the same day that Personal Ensign climaxed an undefeated career with a historic come from behind victory in the final stride over Winning Colors in the Breeders' Cup Distaff, Easy Goer faltered. Positioned in stall nine, he was a step slow out of the gate, veered out, bumping the outside horse, then couldn't get a good hold of the track. Going into the first turn, he was about eight lengths back in seventh, but began a bid into the far turn. With six furlongs left, he was gaining on the leaders, and from there his natural ability enabled him to pass every runner but one. Is It True, a horse he had previously beaten three times, finally turned the tables. He had taken an early lead, repelled one challenge, then another, and as Easy Goer continued to relentlessly eat away at his lead, Is It True hit the finish line 1 ¼ lengths ahead, with Easy Goer eight lengths to the good of the French racer Tagel.

Honored

With four impressive wins in six starts, and a bankroll close to $700,000, Easy Goer's two explainable defeats were overlooked, and he was widely recognized as the best two-year-old colt in training. In addition to 1988 Eclipse awards for Phipps as owner/breeder, McGaughey as trainer, and Personal Ensign as champion older female, Easy Goer was named juvenile male champion. He was also early favorite for the Derby. His two-year-old season in the books, he would take a break in Florida, where he would then begin preparation for a sophomore campaign geared toward the spring classics. In 1989, the grandeur that marked Easy Goer would reach lofty highs and unanticipated lows.

To Be Continued...

Copyright 2010, 2012 by John Califano