Courageous Champion: A Story about Tim Tam

By 1958, ten years had passed since Thoroughbred racing's last Triple Crown winner. The climb up racing's Mt. Everest, in hopes of seeing a horse sweep all three classics, was once again about to begin. Only one horse proved up to the daunting challenge, and he nearly succeeded. What made him so special wasn't the fact that he barely missed, but rather, why he did, and how he responded to the greatest moment of adversity in his life. He was Tim Tam.

Heritage

Tim Tam, a dark bay colt, was bred and raced by Calumet Farm and trained by Horace A. "Jimmy" Jones. The farm, first owned by Warren Wright, was in the hands of his widow, the remarried Mrs. Gene Markey. Calumet's dynasty was legend, made especially famous by two Triple Crown winners, the colorful Whirlaway in 1941, and the immortal Citation in 1948. Now the farm had another potential superstar in Tim Tam. Sired by the great handicap champion and 1953 Horse of the Year Tom Fool, Tim Tam was out of the champion mare Two Lea, who was sired by Calumet's amazing stallion Bull Lea. Two Lea also demonstrated prowess against males, finishing third in the 1950 Santa Anita Handicap, behind Noor and Citation. The bloodline was fabulously rich, with Bull Lea and Tom Fool's dam Gaga both sired by the French racer Bull Dog, who led the American sire list in 1943 and was leading broodmare sire three consecutive years in the '50s. He was a full brother to Sir Gallahad III, father of 1930 Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox. Tim Tam was inbred to Bull Dog, and thus to the great European racer and sire Teddy.

Tim Tam raced only once as a two-year-old, making his debut in a six furlong Maiden Special Weight on October 18, 1957, when he finished fourth.

Off On The Right Foot

On January 17, 1958, Hialeah opened its meeting, where three-year-old Tim Tam would make six consecutive starts. Under jockey William Hartack, the colt recorded his first win by almost three lengths, covering six furlongs in a time of 1:11 1/5. Five days later, under muddy conditions, and asked to carry ten more pounds, Tim Tam scored by a half-length in an allowance at seven furlongs, clocked in 1:25 1/5. Beau Daumier, in receipt of eight pounds, followed.

Markey's barn also had the promising dark bay/brown colt Kentucky Pride, winner of both his starts at two. A son of Bull Lea, out of the multiple stakes winning mare Blue Delight, Kentucky Pride's damsire was the 1929 Horse of the Year Blue Larkspur. In his three-year-old debut, Kentucky Pride raced six furlongs and romped home by eight lengths. On January 28, both Tim Tam and Kentucky Pride returned in a six furlong allowance against eight others. Kentucky Pride prevailed to record his fourth win. Tim Tam, sitting well off the pace, caught fire in the stretch to finish third, behind the Christopher Chenery owned speedster Yemen.

Prepping in Florida

Kentucky Pride and Tim Tam returned as the favorites on February 5 in the seven furlong Bahamas Stakes. Among eleven runners, Kentucky Pride led the parade, but found himself caught in a speed duel with Alhambra. The brown son of Olympia got the worst of it, but the fight also took its toll on Kentucky Pride, and in the stretch, Olymar started to pick up the pieces, going inside the tired leader, before finishing the job a half length in front in a rapid 1:22 4/5. Tim Tam was wide but made an impressive late run to finish third, a nose behind his stablemate. Ten days later Jones brought his pair back for the 1 1/8 mile Everglades. It had rained earlier in the day, but by the seventh race, the Hialeah track was sufficiently dry to be labeled good. Tim Tam, assigned 114, was in receipt of three pounds from Kentucky Pride. Yemen held a sizeable lead until Kentucky Pride ran him down around the far turn. Tim Tam was also rolling, saving ground on the inside, and caught Kentucky Pride in the stretch, before drawing away by 1 1/4 lengths in a time of 1:51 2/5. Tim Tam had made five starts within a month, posting three firsts, and two thirds. He would return in two weeks.

Nine three-year-olds showed up for the 1 1/8 mile Flamingo Stakes, on March 1. Tim Tam was the favorite but another highly regarded colt was Elizabeth Graham's Jewel's Reward, the two-year-old champion of 1957 (Thoroughbred Racing Associations). Each horse carried 122 pounds and all left the gate in good order. A furlong out, Tim Tam and Jewel's Reward hooked up, with Tim Tam getting bumped repeatedly. At the wire Jewel's Reward was a head in front, clocking 1:48 4/5, but because of the interference to his rival, the stewards moved him down to second. Tim Tam was declared the winner.

On March 19, Tim Tam was at Gulfstream Park for the 1 1/16 mile Fountain of Youth Stakes, a tune-up for the upcoming Florida Derby ten days later. A field of ten loaded and Tim Tam broke the fastest, but was then taken back. He trailed most of the field going into the clubhouse turn, advanced at the far turn but was still only fifth turning for home. Kept near the rail, he surged to the lead and cruised home by two lengths over E.P. Taylor's Grey Monarch. The time on the fast track was 1:42 4/5. Building on the the pultry sum Tim Tam had earned the year before, in less than three months of 1958, he had pocketed close to $138,000.

Tim Tam would prevail in the Florida Derby, on March 29, but he had to earn every speck of dirt to do it. Lincoln Road, a huge longshot, had the audacity to turn what should have been a procession for Tim Tam into a horse race. From the start, Lincoln Road flashed his heels, and just did relinquish the top spot in the final strides. Tim Tam broke slowly. Through three-quarters, Lincoln Road held a sizeable advantage, but Tim Tam advanced steadily and into the turn had overtaken every runner but the leader. As Tim Tam headed for home, Lincoln Road came out, giving Tim Tam an inside opening, and the colt catapulted to the wire a half length in front, going 1:49 1/5 for the nine furlongs, well short of the world record of 1:46 4/5 set a year earlier by General Duke in the same race. Grey Monarch was seven lengths back in third.

Kentucky or Bust

Tim Tam made his next appearance on April 18 and won a seven-furlong allowance at Keeneland. His time of 1:22 1/5 eclipsed the track mark by a fifth of a second, previously held by Your Host and Iron Liege. Through fractions of :23 2/5, :45 2/5, and 1:09 3/5, Tim Tam bolted down the stretch and hit the wire a half-length ahead of Nadir.

Following the allowance, Bill Hartack had broken his left leg in a starting stall mishap. Jones needed a new rider and among the aspirants, the 24-year-old Ismael Valenzuela was selected for Tim Tam's next start, the Derby Trial on April 29. Among a field of seven other runners, Valenzuela kept the horse well off the pace, while Ebony Pearl was in front. When it was time for Tim Tam to go, he had to check twice, and move outside of horses, but once clear, Ismael guided him inside and the colt blasted home, a neck ahead of Ebony Pearl. Giving the runner-up six pounds, Tim Tam finished in 1:39 3/5 on a surface labeled slow.

Pesty Lincoln Road

On May 3, the eighty-fourth Kentucky Derby was dampened by rainy weather and a muddy track, cutting the field size to fourteen. Each runner would carry the classic weight of 126 pounds. The favored Tim Tam drew the 2-hole with Jewel's Reward just to his outside. Ebony Pearl, was coupled with Jewel's Reward and would break from thirteen. Also entered in the race was a chestnut who had captured the media's attention. The exciting California-bred closer Silky Sullivan, trained by Reggie Cornell, had been stopping hearts on the West Coast, coming from out of the clouds by as many as forty lengths to win. "Silky" was simply spectacular to watch, and Bill Shoemaker would be aboard, breaking from post twelve. Lincoln Road, who had put a scare in Tim Tam in their previous meeting, was again one of the longshots, and parked in seven.

At the break, Lincoln Road, under rider Chris Rogers, broke first and would maintain his position almost the entire way. Tim Tam was well back through a half, then began to gradually move forward along the inside, before encountering some traffic around the far turn. As Valenzuela urged him on, the colt swept past the field but was all out in the stretch to collar the leader at the finish. The margin was a half length. Lincoln Road had put his heart on the line, not to mention his speed, and Tim Tam was again reminded of it, needing everything he had to snatch racing's biggest prize from his grasp. Bringing up third, another half length back, was Noureddin, who was six lengths ahead of Jewel's Reward. The final time in the slop was a pedestrian 2:05. Calumet had now won the famous race seven times.

Much of the discussion following the Derby was about Silky Sullivan's dismal performance. Whatever the reason, his trainer didn't offer any excuses, while many criticized the track conditions. “Silky,” an extremely popular horse, would have another chance to strut his stuff in the second jewel.

Black-Eyed Susans

Tim Tam headed next to Maryland for the 82nd running of the 1 3/16 mile Preakness Stakes on May 17. This time the weather was good and the track fast. Seven of the Derby horses would return to challenge Tim Tam, and there would be four new shooters. Tim Tam would break from post eight. Silky Sullivan's loyal followers never wavered and many were hoping he would still provide the excitement that he failed to demonstrate two weeks earlier. Lincoln Road had finally earned respect, and was bet way down. At the start, Tim Tam settled back and saved ground. Lincoln Road controlled the proceedings until Tim Tam emerged at the top of the stretch to take the lead and draw off to win by a length and a half. Lincoln Road, the bridesmaid once again, was more than three lengths ahead of Gone Fishin. The splits had been :46 4/5, 1:11 3/5, 1:37 4/5 and Tim Tam's final time was 1:57 1/5, well off Nashua's 1:54 3/5 set three years earlier. Silky Sullivan, coming late, could only manage eighth. To go along with their Derby victories, Calumet now had a sixth Preakness, and Tim Tam had recorded his eighth consecutive win.

A Tough Climb Up the Hill

In the years between Citation and Tim Tam, five horses had won two of the three Triple Crown races. In 1949, after finishing second in the Derby to Ponder, Capot won the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. The following year, Middleground captured the Roses, and was runner-up to Hill Prince in the next leg, before winning the third. In what has been undoubtedly the most shocking Derby upset in history, in 1953 the great Native Dancer, after a very troubled trip, lost by a head to Dark Star, before going on to win the Withers, and final two classics. Nashua finished second to Swaps in 1955, then in the California-bred's absence won the last two races. In 1956, Needles took the first and third jewels, but finished second to Fabius in the middle.

Tim Tam was unique. He was the only horse during that period to make a legitimate assault on the Triple Crown because he had already won the first two races.

Great Loss...Greater Honor

The Belmont Stakes, named after August Belmont I, whose son would become breeder and first owner of Man o'War, would run its 90^th edition on June 7, 1958. Tim Tam had never raced at Belmont Park but worked that week on the track, was in top form, and would attempt to gain membership in the exclusive fraternity of Triple Crown winners. While racing on the most competitive level for the third time in five weeks, the Belmont Stakes, at 1 1/2 miles, was the most demanding test of a horse's stamina, perserverance, and courage. Tim Tam would now show the depth of his character but the manner in which he had to demonstrate it was regrettable.

Entering the race, the Derby and Preakness winner would meet seven other horses, including a highly regarded Irish chestnut named Cavan. Bred by F.E. Tuthill, and owned by Joseph E. O'Connell, the colt had won four of his five starts on the year, including the Peter Pan Stakes a week earlier. Under rider Pete Anderson, he would break on the extreme outside with Tim Tam next door in post seven. Lincoln Road sat this one out. Under ideal weather conditions and a fast track, the field was off with Page Seven showing early dash. Tim Tam, as was his custom, began well back. In the backstretch, he and Cavan ran virtually in tandem and coming for home, the Irish-bred was close to the rail, with Tim Tam to his outside. After about ten furlongs, Valenzuela went to the stick and the colt bore out, then as he urged the colt once more, Tim Tam was unsteady. Valenzuela then realized that something was wrong and did not perservere. Cavan was long gone and hit the wire six lengths in front. After fractions of :48 2/5, 1:13 3/5, and 2:04 1/5, he stopped the clock in an unremarkable 2:30 1/5, nearly four seconds slower than Gallant Man's record time the year before. Tim Tam was lame, yet on only three good legs and in obvious distress, he gallantly pushed himself in the final quarter to secure second money, five and a half lengths ahead of C.V. Whitney's Flamingo. Tim Tam's injury had cast a pall over the day, and the door leading into racing's highest patheon had been slammed shut.

Cavan finished first. But there was another runner in the race who was equally a winner, if not more so. And his name was Tim Tam.

Damage Control

Tim Tam's right front leg was immediately X-rayed. The vet's final diagnosis revealed not only the full extent of the leg's condition, but also the enormity of the colt's heart. Tim Tam had fractured one of the sesamoids, apparently during his run in the stretch, yet despite the trauma, the horse had been determined to go out a champion. On June 17, ten days after the race, bone fragments were surgically removed at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. The procedure went well and Tim Tam remained under care before being discharged a few weeks later. Although there was optimism that the horse could eventually resume training, in August he was officially retired.

Heart of a Champion

In December, the Thoroughbred Racing Assocations and Daily Racing Form named Tim Tam the 1958 three-year-old champion. In 14 lifetime starts, Tim Tam compiled a record of 10 firsts, 1 second, and 2 thirds. His only non-placing had been fourth in the lone start as a juvenile. Tim Tam had career earnings of $467,475, almost all of it in his three-year-old season.

Legacy

The following year Tim Tam began his career at stud for Calumet. He sired the champion filly and later older mare Tosmah, Kentucky Oaks winner, Nancy Jr., and Royal Entrance, the sire of champion three-year-old filly Davona Dale. Tim Tam's daughter Tamerett is the dam of European champion Known Fact and the second dam of the great sire Gone West. Tim Tam was also broodmare sire of male grass champion Mac Diarmida, juvenile filly champion Before Dawn and multiple grade one winner Tentam.

Three years after his death in 1982, Tim Tam was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Like many Thoroughbreds that had preceded him, and others that would follow, Tim Tam had possessed the highest virtues of his breed. The colt's notable victories made him a champion, but in  defeat, Tim Tam had achieved greatness. His remarkable courage and perseverance, despite severe hardship, had been his ultimate triumph.

Copyright 2011, 2012 by John Califano