Majestic Prince: Six Bright Months

Between November, 1968 and June of 1969, a beautiful chestnut colt was the brightest star in American horse racing. Majestic Prince, impeccably bred, physically gifted, and extremely handsome, seemed to have no equal on a racetrack. His career however was as brief as his star was bright, having taken the strain of chasing history's Triple Crown elite for a share of their glory. Never crowned a champion, every race he ran was championship level, including his last, gallant start; and the only one he lost.

Majestic Prince was bred by Leslie Combs at his Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. In tail-male line, he was a fifth generation descendant of Sickle (GB). The son of Phalaris (GB), out of the Chaucer (GB) mare Selene (GB), Sickle was a top quality racer, among the best two-year-olds of 1926, and third place finisher in the following year's Two Thousand Guineas. After limited success as a stallion in England, he came to the United States, becoming a pivotal sire. Moving a few generations after Sickle, Majestic Prince was a paternal grandson of Native Dancer.

Sire - Raise a Native - Chestnut Colt -- b. 1961
Raise a Native, by the great Native Dancer, was out of the black-type winning mare Raise You, by black-type winner Case Ace. Raise a Native was an extremely fast colt, so good that despite making only four career starts, he bested or equaled the track record in three of them. After suffering a tendon injury, Raise a Native was retired and began his second career as a phenomenal sire. Of his 863 foals to race, 77 were black-type winners and his overall progeny earnings were in excess of $20 million.

Among Raise a Native's children was Exclusive Native, born in 1965, out of the mare Exclusive, by Kentucky Derby/Belmont Stakes winner Shut Out. Bred in Florida, Exclusive Native was a stakes winning or placed chestnut colt, victorious in the Sanford Stakes at age two, and one mile Arlington Classic Stakes as a three-year-old. Exclusive Native was the sire of Triple Crown winner Affirmed and Derby winner and champion Genuine Risk.

Dam - Gay Hostess -- Chestnut mare -- b.1957
Bred in Kentucky, Gay Hostess was unraced. Heavily inbred, top and bottom, she was a daughter of the group winner and great stallion Royal Charger (GB), out of the Alibhai (GB) stakes placed mare Your Hostess. In 1963, Gay Hostess produced the filly Lovely Gypsy, a black-type winner by Armageddon, and in 1969 foaled the chestnut colt Cairo Prince, by Raise a Native, and a group winner in England.

When first bred to Raise a Native, Gay Hostess gave birth to a male foal, on March 19, 1966. A handsome chestnut colt, with two rear socks, he became Majestic Prince. Through the dam, he was inbred 5Dx5D to English Triple Crown winner Gainsborough (GB), and Bleinheim II (GB), an Epsom Derby winner, who later distinguished himself in America, siring Calumet Farm's Triple Crown winner Whirlaway and two-time champion Coaltown.

The yearling, Majestic Prince, was bought at a Keeneland auction for $250,000, a record amount at the time, and gained instant notoriety, generating high anticipation about his potential as a racehorse. His new owner was Frank McMahon, a Canadian multimillionaire, who had made his fortune in the oil industry.

The two-year-old
Majestic Prince was trained by Johnny Longden, the former jockey, who had retired after amassing a previous all-time record 6,032 career victories, including the Triple Crown aboard Count Fleet, in 1943. Bill Hartack would be the Prince's only rider. On Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1968, Majestic Prince made his anxiously awaited debut in a six furlong test among eleven other juvenile maidens at Bay Meadows, offering a $4,000 purse. With over 14,000 watching, the young colt easily put away his rivals, crossing the finish line with a two and three-quarter length margin, in a sharp time of 1:09 2/5.

Majestic Prince was scheduled to make his next start in Bay Meadows' $20,000 added San Mateo Stakes on December 7, a one mile prep for the $50,000 added Bay Meadows Juvenile Championship; however, Longden decided to ship his charge to the Southland for the races at Santa Anita. On the track's opening day, December 26, Majestic Prince was entered in the fifth of nine races, a six furlong allowance worth $6,000. He would tentatively face fifteen others and carry high weight of 120 pounds, giving three to eight pounds.

The public bet Majestic Prince down to 3-5, and he won by a nose over Right Cross in a time of 1:13, to earn $3,300. In post three of eight, Majestic Prince had a dull break and was the sixth runner in line, as Track Surveyor began the proceedings. Majestic Prince was two lengths back after a quarter in :22 3/5, but eventually found his rhythm and caught the leader in the far turn. He was briefly passed by Salud Y Pesetas in mid-stretch, and with encouragement from Hartack re-gained the lead, persevering when challenged late by Right Cross, who was charging from the outside, under Laffit Pincay, Jr.

Turning three-years-old in just a matter of days, Majestic Prince had enjoyed early success in addition to earning a little money, in the amount of $5,500. As good as he seemed to be, the two non-stakes starts were insufficient for any post-season award. Racing in the East was a small chestnut Florida-bred named Top Knight. Trained by Ray Metcalf, Top Knight had won or placed in eight of his nine juvenile starts, including wins in Saratoga's Hopeful, and Belmont Park's Futurity and Champagne Stakes, and was named the two-year-old champion male. 

With his reputation growing, Majestic Prince would soon have a much busier, and monumental campaign in 1969, which included meetings with Top Knight.

Superior
On January 7, 1969, the sophomore, Majestic Prince, started in his first stakes contest, the 6 1/2 furlong Los Feliz Stakes, at Santa Anita, for an added $20,000. When the gates opened, he was off quickly, matched early strides with Right Cross, while being rated by Hartack. The quarter was cut in :22, with Right Cross staying with him through a half in :44 3/5. Majestic Prince took a commanding lead in the stretch, the three-quarters polished off in 1:09 2/5, and drew away to the finish with a four length winning margin. His time of 1:16 1/5 equaled Royal Orbit's record set ten years earlier, and he picked up a $14,500 paycheck. Following the runner-up, Right Cross, was Salud Y Pesetas, another five lengths back.

In February Majestic Prince easily captured both Santa Anita's seven furlong San Vincente by five lengths, and one mile San Jacinto Stakes by four, the latter over duel stakes winner Mr. Joe F.

Longden's praise
Longden gushed over his protege. And who could blame him? The colt had five consecutive wins, the last three in stakes company, with most of his victories coming with wide margins and remarkable ease. Johnny was comparing him to Count Fleet, extremely high praise for a horse who hadn't yet stepped onto the national stage. But Majestic Prince appeared to have all the tools necessary to become a great horse. He was fast, powerful, spirited, and his incredible good looks enhanced his appeal. 

Between the San Jacinto and his next start, the Santa Anita Derby, Majestic Prince worked a mile in 1:34 and change on a fast, sealed track. 

Big test
On March 29, Majestic Prince faced his biggest test yet, in the 32nd running of the Santa Anita Derby. The 1 1/8 mile run had a field of ten, each carrying 120 pounds, with Majestic Prince a 1-5 favorite. Rated during the race behind the leaders but well placed, Majestic Prince passed Mr. Joe F and Right Cross in the final turn and merely galloped toward the wire, in an eight length romp, in front of 48,000 spectators. The margin was the biggest in the race's history, as he stopped the clock in 1:49 1/5. With a purse of $132,000, the winner earned $87,200. 

On the opposite coast that same afternoon, champion Top Knight, under Manny Ycaza, ran off with the 1 1/8 mile Florida Derby by five lengths, in 1:48 2/5. Finishing second, among the small field of five, was the Virginia-bred Arts and Letters, owned and bred by Paul Mellon's Rokeby Stables, and sired by the 1950s European superhorse and duel Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Ribot (GB).

Top Knight, by Vertex, out of Ran--Tan, by Summer Tan, started his sophomore season on February 5 with a win in a division of the seven furlong Bahamas Stakes at Hialeah; however, he was disqualified and put third. Two weeks later he finished second, among twelve entries, three lengths to the rear of Arts and Letters in the 1 1/8 mile Everglades, then turned the tables on that horse on March 4 in the Flamingo Stakes, also in a field of twelve, two lengths to the good of his rival. Metcalf wasn't sure yet if he'd run his colt in one more prep race, the Wood Memorial, or train up to the Derby, then elected to train.

Stepping up
Majestic Prince was now going back to his Kentucky birthplace and run in either Keeneland's 1 1/8 mile Blue Grass Stakes on April 24, or the seven furlong Stepping Stone Purse two days later, on the first day of the Churchill Downs meet. On the day of the Blue Grass he covered four furlongs in :46 1/5, and galloped out another furlong to finish the work in :58 2/5. He started in the Stepping Stone, which was probably a wise choice. In a visually stunning performance, against only two hapless rivals, the Prince won by a half dozen lengths, in 1:21 3/5, just a tick shy of the track record. Fast Hilarious was next, and Texas Dancer, who had initially held a brief lead, finished a distant third, twenty-one lengths behind Majestic Prince.

The winner of the Blue Grass, by fifteen lengths, was Arts and Letters, under Bill Shoemaker.

Majestic Prince's next start was the Kentucky Derby on May 3 where he would finally meet up with Top Knight, Arts and Letters, and five others, including the Gotham and Wood Memorial winner Dike, a son of Herbager (FR.), out of the Nasrullah (GB) mare Delta.

The 95th running of the "greatest two minutes in sports" had eight entries. It was a small field but a tough one, with Majestic Prince going off at 6-5, and Top Knight 9-5. Majestic Prince, 16.1 hands and 1,120 pounds, was fit and ready to go. His odds fluctuated slightly, going to 7-5. Braulio Baeza would ride Top Knight, replacing the injured Bill Shoemaker. The purse was $155,700 and the winner's share $113,200.

A horse race
The track was fast as 100,000 people watched the field sent off with Ocean Roar taking the lead, followed by Arts and Letters. Top Knight was next on the inside, with Majestic Prince in fourth. Ocean Roar increased his advantage to four lengths heading for the clubhouse turn. Entering the backstretch Ocean Roar maintained his lead but eventually was challenged by Top Knight, who took command nearing the far turn. Majestic Prince had kept in third or fourth most of the way but in striking position. As they turned into the stretch, Arts and Letters slipped through on the inside and took a slight lead as Majestic Prince moved into second, and Dike, who had gradually improved his situation from way back, now advanced to third, with Top Knight retreating to fourth. Majestic Prince was quickly even with the new leader and in the stretch was between Arts and Letters and Dike. The three horses charged down the lane toward the wire with Majestic Prince holding a slight advantage. When they crossed the finish, Majestic Prince was in front by a neck with Arts and Letters next, and Dike another half length behind. In back of Dike was Traffic Mark, Top Knight, Ocean Roar, Fleet Allied, and Rae Jet. The finishing time was 2:01 4/5, after fractions in :23 3/5, :48, 1:12 2/5, and 1:37 3/5. For one of the few times in his career, Majestic Prince had been in a horse race.

Many tried to explain Majestic Prince's success and the others' failure: Shoemaker's absence from Arts and Letters, Ycaza's ride on Top Knight, the five week gap between Top Knight's last prep and the Derby, the distance, the surface conditions. One individual was so sure his horse would beat the Prince next time that he was willing to bet thousands of dollars, even though the horse had lost by more than ten lengths. The big disappointment was Top Knight.

Longden didn't feel that Majestic Prince had peaked in the Derby, and would do better in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico in Baltimore. Off the track he was a very laid back horse.

Act II
In two short weeks Majestic Prince would have to prove himself all over again, but for now, he was the best three-year-old in the country. He was versatile, could win under various scenarios, could be on or near the pace or off. He had been successful over various surface conditions, and had won from six furlongs to 1 1/4 miles. The Prince had also become the first racer since Morvich in 1922 to win the Derby while undefeated. He now had the opportunity to be the first in history to take the Derby and Preakness as an unbeaten horse.

Arts and Letters and Top Knight were also heading to Maryland for another crack at Majestic Prince. Other probable starters included the multiple stakes winner Al Hattab, among his victories the Fountain of Youth; Jay Ray, winner of the California Derby; Greengrass Greene, Captain Action, and Glad's Theme.

Two days before the Preakness, Majestic Prince worked a half in :45 flat, very close to the world record. Top Knight worked his half in :46 and change, and Jay Ray worked three furlongs in :35 and change. Arts and Letters, who went six furlongs on Wednesday, galloped on Thursday.

On May 17 more than 43,000 spectators showed up to witness the Preakness, offering a purse of $182,000, with the winner earning $129,500. From the rail out was Top Knight, Captain Action, Glad's Flame, Jay Ray, Majestic Prince, Arts and Letters, Al Hattab, and Greengrass Greene. The track was fast, and the field got away in good order with Majestic Prince, Greengrass Greene and Glad's Flame leaving first. Greengrass Greene seized the lead with Glad's Flame close by, and as they made their way past the stands for the first time, these two separated themselves, with Top Knight, Majestic Prince, and Al Hattab next. Heading into the clubhouse turn, there was no change with Greengrass Greene and Glad's Flame hooked up, five lengths ahead of the next pair, Majestic Prince and Top Knight. As they continued down the backstretch Majestic Prince moved inside and held a slight advantage over Top Knight. Six furlongs were covered in 1:11 2/5, and entering the far turn Majestic Prince closed in on the two leaders on their outside, putting his head in front in the stretch. Glad's Flame backed out of it but Greengrass Greene stubbornly held second. Top Knight was still in contention. Arts and Letters, who had been much farther back along with Jay Ray, now rallied from way out on the track. As the horses charged home, Arts and Letters had taken second, driving toward the new leader and Jay Ray was also closing fast. Arts and Letters kept at it, getting closer to Majestic Prince, but once again he wasn't going to win the argument as Majestic Prince crossed over first, followed by Arts and Letters, just a head back. In third, four lengths behind the runner-up, was Jay Ray, who in turn was four lengths to the good of Top Knight. Greengrass Greene, Captain Action, and Glad's Flame followed. The winning time of 1:55 3/5 was a full second off Nashua's record mark set in 1955.

Majestic Prince wasn't declared the winner for twenty-five minutes as the stewards deliberated on an interference claim by Baeza, who felt Hartack and his mount impeded Arts and Letters around the first turn. The order was left alone and Majestic Prince, the first undefeated horse in history to win both the Derby and Preakness, now had a chance for the first sweep in twenty-one years.

To run or not to run
The rigors of a long, busy campaign were beginning to catch up to Majestic Prince. He had lost about one hundred pounds, and was fatigued. Longden felt that horses who had run in tough Derby and Preakness races, and returned in the Belmont Stakes, were never at their best again.

Longden could become the first person to win the Triple Crown as both a jockey and a trainer, but he wasn't about to put glory ahead of his horse's best interests. Majestic Prince was the only thing that mattered, and he wanted to take the colt to his ranch in Riverside, California for a rest before resuming his campaign in late summer or fall. The day after the Preakness, the trainer announced that Majestic Prince would not run in the Belmont Stakes. At first McMahon went along with him, although with less decisiveness.

It was suggested to Longden that some may think he was holding his colt out of the race for fear of a drop in his value should he lose. He scoffed at the idea, and was considering races later in the year, namely the 1 1/8 mile American Derby at Arlington, with a $100,000 purse, and perhaps an East Coast race. Both Majestic Prince and Arts and Letters had also been asked to the $100,000 Monmouth Invitational on August 2.

On Thursday, May 22, Majestic Prince fell asleep on the job--literally--and missed his scheduled gallop, showing up for work later that morning. Longden usually exercised the horse himself, but today it was Larry Adams. It appeared he would run in the Belmont Stakes after all, pending his condition, but so far all systems were go.

Highest standard
If Majestic Prince ran in the Belmont Stakes, he could become the first American Triple Crown winner since Citation, and emulate the great horse from Calumet Farm after others had failed. But the Belmont Stakes was a race Majestic Prince would have been better off bypassing.

A formidable adversary
In the end, Longden did not get his way. McMahon reconsidered and decided if Majestic Prince could run, he would. A Triple Crown was not an easy prospect to resist. Elliott Burch, the trainer of Arts and Letters, had already won the Belmont Stakes in 1959 with eventual Horse of the Year Sword Dancer. He won the race again five years later when Quadrangle spoiled Northern Dancer's bid for the classic sweep. Now it was Arts and Letters who would have an opportunity to be a spoiler. Arts and Letters was no pushover as Majestic Prince had already found out. The little horse, who stood only 15.2 hands, had fighting genes in him. His sire, Ribot, was a fierce competitor and later as a stallion developed quite a temper, requiring strong handling. But with his fire, Ribot retired undefeated in sixteen starts. The broodmare sire of Arts and Letters was the champion Battlefield, a racehorse with a huge heart, who always dug in. A descendent of Man o'War, Battlefield was inbred 4Sx4D to the notoriously irascible Hastings. Battlefield was always ready for a fight, and his opponents knew it, including the great handicap horse Tom Fool.

Sword Dancer had won the one mile Metropolitan Handicap prior to the Belmont, and Quadrangle had finished second in the Met. One week before the Belmont, Arts and Letters had won it over older horses, in a good time of 1:34. If history repeated itself, Arts and Letters could have the final say.

On Sunday, June 1, Majestic Prince worked 1 1/8 miles in 1:51 4/5, and 1 1/2 miles in 2:36 1/5 with Longden aboard for the drill. Two days before the race, Majestic Prince breezed four furlongs in :45 4/5, before a 5/8 finish in :59. Arts and Letters covered the same distance in a sharp :45 1/5, while easing off five in a torrid :57 3/5, and a six furlong gallop in 1:11.

Test of the Champion
Six runners, Arts and Letters, Dike, Rooney's Shield, Prime Fool, Distray, and Majestic Prince lined up for the 101st running of the Belmont Stakes, on June 7, 1969. The contest was for a purse of $125,000 added for a total of $147,800.

Arts and Letters was in post position one with Majestic Prince in post three. When the gate opened Arts and Letters and Dike were the quickest to leave and they assumed control of what was to be an extremely slow pace, so slow that Dike, a typical closer, was intially out in front, until challenged by Arts and Letters. Majestic Prince was further back. The complexion of the contest did not change and Arts and Letters called the shots, never extending himself as Baeza kept the horse steady and relaxed. Arts and Letters was firmly in command four furlongs out, and began drawing away in deep stretch as Majestic Prince made a strong closing rush, sailing past Dike; but he couldn't make up his early deficit and had no chance of running down the eventual winner who hit the finish with a five and a half length margin. Majestic Prince, suffering the first defeat of his career, arrived next, two lengths ahead of Dike who was ten lengths ahead of the next horse, the longshot Distray. Rooney's Shield and Prime Fool completed the group.

For Arts and Letters it was vindication after his close calls to Majestic Prince in the first two legs, and he took away $104,050. His finishing time was 2:28 4/5, well off the stakes and track record set by Gallant Man (GB) in 1957, after dawdling fractions of :51 for the quarter, 1:16 1/5 for six furlongs, 1:40 1/5 for the mile, and 2:04 2/5 for ten furlongs. Arts and Letters had taken his time, until two furlongs out, when he flew home in :24 1/5.

Burch had won his third Belmont Stakes, and so did Baeza, who had previously been aboard Sherluck in 1961, and Chateaugay in 1963.

Questions
The general opinion was that Majestic Prince lost the race because Hartack had kept the horse too far back despite such a slow pace. Baeza alluded to this rather saracastically. Eddie Arcaro, the only jockey to win a Triple Crown on two different horses (Whirlaway, Citation), and currently a television commentator, was exasperated that Majestic Prince had been stuck so far behind when the going was so slow. Majestic Prince was not a one-dimensional runner and could adjust to a variety of scenarios. Longden didn't blame his rider, although conceded that perhaps the horse shouldn't have been back as far as he was. By the time he got going, Arts and Letters was too far ahead to catch.

Both Majestic Prince and Arts and Letters would get a break and resume racing later in the year. For Arts and Letters the Belmont victory was only the beginning of a whirlwind run toward year-end honors. Two months later, on August 8, he returned with a ten length win in the one mile Jim Dandy, and two weeks after that captured the 1 1/4 mile Travers Stakes by more than six lengths. Arts and Letters later took on older horses again, in the 1 1/4 mile Woodward Stakes, winning by two lengths, before a romp in the two mile Jockey Club Gold Cup by a staggering fourteen for his sixth straight win.

Majestic Prince never raced again.

Aftermath
Majestic Prince developed inflammation in both his front ankles. Longden had suspected something was amiss even during the Preakness when the colt bore out. The treatment of choice was "pin firing." In November the horse began to gallop but still endured splint and knee problems, making his racing future dubious.

On February 25, 1970, the retirement of the great Majestic Prince was announced, due to leg and ankle maladies. He would now return to Kentucky and Spendthrift Farm, but not before he was paraded in a final appearance at Santa Anita on February 28.

Majestic Prince had won nine of ten races, including two-thirds of the Triple Crown. His only blemish was a courageous second in the Belmont Stakes, after a questionable trip. He had earned $408,700 in his three-year-old season, and a career total of $414,200. Although his spring campaign had been spectacular, he did not win a championship. Arts and Letters had deservedly collected both a divisional title and Horse of the Year honors.

Majestic Prince at stud
At Spendthrift, Majestic Prince sired 32 stakes winners, with overall progeny earnings exceeding $10 million. Among his offspring were Belmont Stakes winner Coastal, and multiple graded stakes winners Sensitive Prince, and Eternal Prince. Other notable progeny were the chestnut gelding Prince Majestic and chestnut colt Majestic Shore, both multiple stakes winning or placed runners. Majestic Prince's finest son was Majestic Light, a grade one and multiple stakes winner on dirt and turf, and later the sire of 69 stakes winners, including Prince True, San Juan Capistrano Invitational and Cinema Handicaps; Hidden Light, Santa Anita, Hollywood, and Del Mar Oaks; gelding Solar Splendor, Man o'War Stakes twice; and Lite Light, Kentucky Oaks, Coaching Club American Oaks, and Santa Anita Oaks. Eclipse champion two-year-old male Maria's Mon, and his sons, Kentucky Derby winners Monarchos and Super Saver, trace in tail-male line to Majestic Prince through Majestic Light's son Wavering Monarch.

Goodbye, dear Majestic Prince
Majestic Prince didn't have a chance to live a full life. On April 22, 1981, the magnificent horse, only fifteen-years-old, passed away, apparently from a heart attack. In 1988, he was posthumously inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. It was the perfect tribute, and his sport is so much the better for the achievements and contributions he made to it.

Majestic Prince always raced like a champion. It is strongly hoped that what he did, forty-five-years ago, is still locked away in the memories and hearts of those who were fortunate to see him. The laid back horse, with the easy spirit, rests happily with his fellow racing greats.

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Copyright 2014 by John Califano

Victory Gallop: Rightful Place

Victory Gallop was a sterling racehorse. He put the first blemish on a reigning Horse of the Year, and later stopped immortality from placing its mark on another horse's brow; but his rightful place in history was a cumulative process of three campaigns, more than three million dollars in earnings, a championship, and ultimately induction into the racing hall of fame in his home country. 

This is one writer's account of a beautiful story.

One of the modern dominant sirelines descending from Phalaris (GB) is the Native Dancer line, of which Victory Gallop is a fifth generation descendant. Bred by Ivan Dalos at Tall Oaks Farm, in Ontario, Canada, the horse is inbred to Native Dancer 5Sx5D, Almahmoud 5Dx5D, and Turn-To 5Dx5D. 

Sire - Cryptoclearance - Dark bay or brown horse - b.1984

Cryptoclearance, by Florida-bred multiple stakes winner Fappiano, out of the Hoist the Flag mare Naval Orange, made forty-four racing starts, and posted wins or placings in several key route contests, namely the Florida Derby at age three, 1 1/4 mile Hawthorne Gold Cup as a four-year-old, and Donn Handicap at five. He recorded placings in the Preakness, Travers, first Donn, Jockey Club Gold Cup, and Whitney Handicap. As a stallion, Cryptoclearance fathered more than 1,200 foals, over 1000 starters, with 40 black-type winners, and overall progeny earnings of $54 million. His other notable children included Arkansas and Louisiana Derby winner Crypto Star, Blue Grass Stakes victor Millennium Wind, and Volponi, who captured the Breeders' Cup Classic in 2002. Cryptoclearance was bred to approximately 35-40 mares sired by Vice Regent, including Cuddle Up Closer, a Canadian-bred bay mare, who produced Cryptocloser, Canada's Sovereign Champion Three-Year-Old Male in 1997.

Broodmare sire - Vice Regent - Chestnut horse - b.1967

A son of Northern Dancer-Victoria Regina, Vice Regent had a brief race career but then excelled in the stud, leading Canada's sire list thirteen times and producing sixty stakes winners including Deputy Minister and the filly Ruling Angel, both named Sovereign Horse of the Year in 1981 and 1986 respectively. Deputy Minister was also an Eclipse Two-Year-Old Champion Male, and later an outstanding sire, his progeny including two-time Eclipse Champion Go For Wand, and Breeders' Cup Classic winner and prominent sire Awesome Again. Deputy Minister was also broodmare sire of more than 100 stakes winners.

Second dam - Glass House - Dark bay mare - b.1979

The New York-bred, black-type winner Glass House had been bred to Deputed Testimony, a bay horse, who in 1983 won the Preakness and Haskell Stakes. After this mating, the pair produced the bay filly Don't Throw Stones in 1986. Don't Throw Stones, a Maryland-bred like her sire, was a winner from forty-seven starts.

In tail-female line, five generations removed, Victory Gallop descended from Log House, a brown mare born in 1956.

The second through fifth dams were not illustrious like the sires; however, each dam was sired by a notable horse. Glass House was sired by Halo, the sire of Sunday Silence. Glass Collector, was in turn sired by First Landing, 1958 American Champion Two-Year-Old Male and also the sire of dual classic winner and two-time champion Riva Ridge. The fourth dam, Masked Kiss, was by the great American Horse of the Year Damascus, while the fifth dam, Log House, was sired by multiple stakes winner Cosmic Bomb, whose own sire, Pharamond (GB), was a half-brother to British immortal Hyperion (GB) and full brother to leading sire Sickle (GB), the latter who also appears in Victory Gallop's tail-male line.

The offspring of Glass House and Vice Regent was Victorious Lil.

The Dam - Victorious Lil - Bay mare - b.1989
Victorious Lil was a winner from twenty-seven Canadian starts, including the La Prevoyante Stakes. Among her six other foals, known to this writer, were black-type placed Run to Victory by Eclipse Two-Year-Old Champion Male Gilded Time, and Victorious Laurie, by Giant's Causeway, and a winner from eleven starts. 

The foal

Victorious Lil produced her champion in the very first breeding, made with Cryptoclearance. After their affair, a bay colt was born on May 30, 1995, at Joanne Clayton's Darrowby Farms, and given the name Victory Gallop. The young horse was quite attractive with an abundance of energy.

Beginnings

Victory Gallop grew into a beautiful sixteen hand horse, with a star on his forehead and snip on his muzzle. Dr. E.C. "Pug" Hart and his wife Susan Hart bought Victory Gallop as a yearling from Tall Oaks, then broke and trained the horse, racing him through his two-year-old season of 1997, a campaign which earned him $124,800. First conditioned by Mary Eppler, the juvenile made five starts beginning on July 20, covering five furlongs in a Maiden Special Weight at Delaware Park, where he finished fifth in a field of eight, after rallying late, a style which would typically be his custom. The colt then proceeded to win his next three outings, an eight length romp over seven rivals in a seven furlong test at Laurel Park, before annexing two stakes contests at Colonial Downs, the seven furlong New Kent Stakes on September 1, and the mile Chenery Stakes on October 11. He next negotiated Laurel's 1 1/8 mile Futurity, endured a wide trip, and finished second to Fight for Milady, after advancing from fourth in a field of six. His first campaign over, he had posted three wins and a second. 

Transition

In November the Harts sold Victory Gallop to Prestonwood Farm in Versailles, Kentucky, owned by Art, Jack, and J.R. Preston, the trio who had also owned two-time Breeders' Cup Mile winner Da Hoss. Elliott Walden would now be the horse's trainer. Victory Gallop contracted a cough and made his sophomore debut later, in the grade 3 Rebel Stakes, at Oaklawn Park, on March 21, in a field of ten. A prep race for the Arkansas Derby (gr. 2), it was contested at 1 1/16 miles. Eibar Coa was in the irons, and despite losing his whip, horse and rider won by a head after a stretch duel with longshot Robinwould. The finishing time was 1:44 3/5, after splits of :23 1/5, :47 3/5, and 1:13 1/5 on the fast track. Victory Gallop earned his first triple digit Beyer speed figure of 105, and for the duration of his career, these numbers would stay over 100.

Arkansas Derby

The 1 1/8 mile Arkansas Derby, on April 11, had a field of nine three-year-olds, with a purse of $500,000. Alex Solis would ride Victory Gallop and the pair would break from post position five. In post eight was the 2-5 favorite and reigning Horse of the Year Favorite Trick, only the second two-year-old, after Secretariat, to earn American racing's highest year-end Eclipse honor. Pat Day was the only jockey Favorite Trick ever knew, and under his skillful hands, the colt had posted a perfect eight for eight campaign the previous year which included six stakes, culminating with a victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Sired by Phone Trick out of the Medieval Man mare Evil Elaine, the dark bay/brown colt Favorite Trick had been conditioned by Patrick Byrne and was now under the handling of Bill Mott. He had extended his unbeaten record to nine wins with a victory in the seven furlong Swale Stakes (grade 3) at Gulfstream Park on March 14, to begin his campaign toward a run in the Triple Crown races. 

When the field was sent off, Favorite Trick, under 122 pounds, got the jump, moving fast with a quarter in :22.2, as Battle Royale sparred with him for the lead. The half was done in :46 and Victory Gallop, also under 122, was the eighth horse back. With six furlongs in 1:10.4, Favorite Trick inched ahead, keeping his position rounding the far turn as Robinwould and Victory Gallop closed in. In deep stretch Victory Gallop and Hannuman Highway, assigned 118, caught the leader. The three horses hit the wire together with Victory Gallop a head in front of Hannuman Highway, who in turn was a head to the good of Favorite Trick, who suffered his first loss in ten starts. 

Victory Gallop's next start would be in the Kentucky Derby. Favorite Trick was heading that way to.

Changing Course

Prior to the Arkansas Derby win, Victory Gallop had been pointed for Canada's Queen's Plate, the country's most prestigious race and the oldest continuously run horse race in North America. The Queen's Plate was the first leg of Canada's Triple Crown, a series Victory Gallop would have contested had he been kept by the Harts. With his win in the Arkansas Derby, he would now take a different course. It also marked Walden's first time bringing a horse to America's most famous racing event. The last Canadian-bred to win the Derby was Sunny's Halo in 1983, also via the Rebel and Arkansas Derby. 

The drama begins

On May 2, fifteen entries walked into the starting gate at Churchill Downs with more than 143,000 spectators present to witness the race's 124th edition. Stakes winning entries were the Bob Baffert trained Indian Charlie (Santa Anita Derby), Chilito (Flamingo Stakes), Victory Gallop, and Halory Hunter (Blue Grass Stakes). From the rail out were Nationalore, Basic Trainee, Real Quiet (stablemate of Indian Charlie), Halory Hunter, Chilito, Hanuman Highway, Favorite Trick, Indian Charlie, Rock and Roll, Parade Ground, Cape Town, Artax, Victory Gallop, Old Trieste, and Robinwould.

The Louisville area had experienced wet, chilly weather during Derby week but on Saturday the track was fast. When the gate opened longshots Basic Trainee and Old Trieste started things off and dictated the pace going into the clubhouse turn with Chilito and Indian Charlie tracking. Old Trieste advanced into outright leadership, followed by Rock and Roll, Chilito, and Favorite Trick. Six furlongs were covered in 1:10 3/5, and at a mile in 1:35 3/5, Old Trieste tired. Victory Gallop had been sixteen lengths back, and ahead of only one horse after six furlongs but had moved into seventh and began a powerful rally. Meanwhile Real Quiet, who had been in sixth position, was making his presence felt leaving the far turn, and at the mile mark passed Indian Charlie and Old Trieste to take the lead. With two furlongs left Real Quiet began to pull away from the others. Despite a troubled trip Victory Gallop had advanced into second. After trailing in the backstretch he had swept to the outside and closed with resolve in the stretch. At the wire he was a half length late of the winner Real Quiet. 

Real Quiet had recorded his first win of the year, finishing the 1 1/4 mile test in 2:02 1/5. Indian Charlie hung on for third, a head in front of Halory Hunter. For Real Quiet's rider, Kent Desormeaux, it was the first Derby victory of his career. Real Quiet, who had been bought by Mike Peagram for $17,000, had in one race earned more than fifty times his price. A disappointing eighth was Favorite Trick.

Moving forward

Real Quiet and Indian Charlie would run in the $1 million Preakness Stakes, in Baltimore, on May 16. The tentative plan for Victory Gallop was to skip that race and wait until the Belmont Stakes on June 6. One horse who had been withdrawn from the Derby, and was also questionable for the Pimlico classic was Wood Memorial winner Coronado's Quest, trained by "Shug" McGaughey. One of the most talented three-year-olds in the country, Coronado's Quest, at age two, had won the Remsen, Cowdin, and Nashua Stakes (all grade 2). Bred by Stuart Janney III, he was a son of Forty Niner out of the Damascus mare Laughing Look. 

Baquero, trained by D. Wayne Lukas, had good speed and could run with Coronado's Quest but he had never gone beyond seven furlongs or raced two turns, so his ability to hang around was questionable. Coronado's Quest was then scratched after bruising his right rear foot following a workout. He would tentatively make his next start in either the Met Mile or Belmont Stakes, pending recovery. Baquero and Black Cash were now the speed in the race. Real Quiet became the 2-1 favorite. Victory Gallop would have the services of Gary Stevens in the irons and was next at 5-2; however, at post time the two horses flip-flopped in favoritism. 

Two down, one to go

Over the past few weeks Pimlico had been experiencing rain but the day of the race the track was fast. The 123rd addition of racing's second jewel had an attendance of more than 91,000 spectators, and for most of them it would not be a comfortable day. There was a power outage due to a transformer malfunction, leaving the venue dark on a hot afternoon.

When the race started, Real Quiet, breaking from the outside post among ten runners, lagged behind but slowly advanced in the far turn to put himself in fifth. He then accelerated to take the front after Baquero had dictated a mile in 1:35 4/5. Victory Gallop, who began as the eighth horse out, made his way through the bunch and eventually was the closest to the new leader. He was running strongly but unable to close any more ground and finished two and a quarter lengths behind Real Quiet at the finish. Real Quiet was now one race away from immortality and Victory Gallop would take another run at him.

Post race

After the Preakness, Victory Gallop suffered a skin rash and Walden broke his ankle playing basketball. It was not a good way to go into the third leg of racing's Triple Crown, called the "Test of the Champion" which after months of preparation was the most grueling of the three races. The Belmont Stakes, at 1 1/2 miles, was run over 'big sandy," Belmont Park's cavernous track with wide, sweeping turns. 

Except for gallops, Victory Gallop had just one workout between the Preakness and Belmont. Real Quiet, very tired after his win in Baltimore, finally had a work on May 24. He looked good, and covered five furlongs in :59 4/5, the second fastest of forty.

Halting history

The 130th running of the Belmont Stakes was on June 6, 1998, with a turnout of 81,062 to see if Real Quiet could become the twelfth horse to join American horse racing's most coveted club, and the first new member since Affirmed twenty years earlier. With an eleven horse field Real Quiet would break from post seven under Desormeaux. Victory Gallop, retaining Stevens, would leave from post nine. In addition to earning $600,000 of the $1 million purse, Real Quiet would also receive a $5 million bonus from Visa for a three race sweep.

At the break, everyone was away in good order. Chilito took the early lead, followed by Raffie's Majesty. Real Quiet was close to the pace in fifth followed by Thomas Jo and Basic Trainee. Victory Gallop straggled with only one horse, Classic Cat, behind him. Chilito took the group through dawdling opening fractions with a quarter in :23 3/5 and a half in :48 3/5, when Grand Slam moved into second. Chilito still called the shots after a six furlong split in 1:13 2/5. With three furlongs remaining, Real Quiet made his bid. Chilito was closest to the rail, with Grand Slam in the middle, and Real Quiet on the outside, as the trio separated themselves from everyone else. At the top of the stretch, Real Quiet took the lead, and built a four length advantage; but Victory Gallop was charging. Desormeaux urged his mount forward trying to get as much out of him as possible but Victory Gallop was relentless. As Victory Gallop reached the leader, Real Quiet initiated a bumping incident. It was apparent that the outcome would be extremely close and when the two horses hit the finish, they were inseparable. For a long agonizing moment the racing world was suspended in time until the result of the photo was determined. The margin was only a nose.

The winner was Victory Gallop.

A credit to Real Quiet

According to the stewards, due to the contact first made by Real Quiet during the race, even if he had reached the wire first, in all probability would have been disqualified. They undoubtedly were thankful that Victory Gallop prevailed, taking the outcome out of their hands, a decision which would have been one of the most unpopular in history.

Not everyone had been behind Real Quiet, with some individuals feeling he wasn't a horse worthy enough to belong among this elite group of eleven Triple Crown winners. These sentiments were unfortunate and unfair. In the most demanding series of Thoroughbred flat races anywhere in the world, Real Quiet had not only competed in all three contests, he had won the first two and lost the third by only a nose. If he wasn't made of the right mettle, nobody was. To lay his body on the line and barely miss reaching one of the greatest pinnacles in sports were true testimonies to the horse's character, ability, and stamina.

Real Quiet, a bay colt, looked so narrowly built when viewed frontally, that his barn nicknamed him "the fish." The son of mulitple stakes winner Quiet American, out of the Believe It mare Really Blue, Real Quiet was put away for the year. He would make five starts in 1999, all in graded stakes races, and cap off his career with a victory in the Hollywood Gold Cup (gr. 1). He would retire with a sparkling resume of twenty starts, six wins, five seconds, six thirds, and $3,271,802 in earnings, quite a return on an initial investment of $17,000. 

The other adversary

Victory Gallop made three more starts on the year, all in grade one races. He was at Monmouth Park, on August 9, for the 1 1/8 mile Haskell Invitational Handicap, offering a purse of $1 million. He would meet Coronado's Quest, who after skipping the classics, later won the Riva Ridge and Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park. 

The Haskell had a small field of six runners. Coronado's Quest was in contention early, and closely followed frontrunner Arctic Sweep, before moving to the front in the far turn, and repelling a challenge from Grand Slam. Victory Gallop broke fifth, and was more than eight lengths behind. He advanced to fourth with a five length deficit, and continued to inch his way forward until he was flying in the stretch; but he arrived second, one and a quarter lengths short of the winner, Coronado's Quest, who stopped the clock in 1:48 3/5. 

Twenty days later Victory Gallop and Coronado's Quest met again in the $750,000 Travers Stakes (gr. 1) at Saratoga. There were seven entries with Victory Gallop breaking from the outside post. In the race's early stages, Victory Gallop was in fifth position. Raffie's Majesty was in the mix after being shuffled back at the start by Coronado's Quest. Victory Gallop advanced to third but at the wire his nose was just shy of Coronado's Quest, who finished the 1 1/4 mile race in 2:03 2/5. Raffie's Majesty was in third, a nose behind the runnerup. 

Season finale

Victory Gallop returned on November 7, for the Breeders' Cup Classic, at Churchill Downs, facing nine rivals among them Skip Away, Silver Charm, Swain, and Awesome Again. As was his custom, he was behind early, before closing well to finish a respectable fourth, only a length behind the winner Awesome Again, while just a nose shy of third finisher Swain.

Solid campaign

Victory Gallop earned $1,981,720 for his eight starts in 1998. All his races were graded stakes, with the first two starts grade two's and the remaining six grade one's. The Breeders' Cup was the only race where he finished lower than second. 

An honest horse

The son of Cryptoclearance-Victorious Lil seemed to be headed toward greatness. He began his four-year-old campaign with a win on March 3, 1999, at Gulfstream Park, in a 1 1/16 mile allowance, under Jerry Bailey, who would now ride the colt for the duration of his career. The margin was two and three-quarter lengths against a small field of four other runners. Three and a half weeks later Victory Gallop found himself halfway around the world in the United Arab Emirates for the Dubai World Cup, on March 28. In a field of eight, which included fellow Americans Malek and the reigning Cup winner Silver Charm, Victory Gallop stayed in midpack before closing with powerful resolve in deep stretch to finish third, beaten only a length and a half by the winner Almutawakel (GB). 

Victory Gallop didn't race again until June 12, when he returned at Churchill Downs and won the 1 1/8 mile Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. 1) by five lengths, in stakes record time of 1:47.28, earning a career high Beyer of 118. In an anticipated matchup on August 1,Victory Gallop met the standout five-year-old Behrens, a multiple graded stakes winner, with victories in the Gulfstream Park and Oaklawn Handicaps (both grade 1). The contest was Saratoga's 1 1/8 mile Whitney Handicap (gr. 1). In the backstretch Behrens was at least five lengths behind the leader with Victory Gallop several more lengths further back. Behrens made a very wide move around the far turn and took the lead, while Victory Gallop, out on the track, began to sweep past horses. In the stretch Behrens maintained his lead but Victory Gallop was bearing down, and the two horses hit the wire together. Victory Gallop prevailed by a nose over a horse who would continue to be a standout. Behrens was long on heart, and the following year, at age six, captured his second Gulfstream Park Handicap, ran in a second Dubai World Cup, where he was runner-up to Dubai Millennium, and later that summer had an epic struggle with Lemon Drop Kid in the Woodward Stakes (gr. 1), a race he lost by a head. When he retired, Behrens had earned more than $4.5 million. 

Strong body of work
Victory Gallop had run his last race. It was discovered that he had torn the suspensory ligament in his left front leg.  Upon retirement his resume was impressive. There had been seventeen starts, nine wins, five seconds, one third, and $3,505,895 in earnings. He had won or placed in eleven graded stakes races, seven of these grade one. He had finished unplaced only twice, in his juvenile debut going five furlongs, and the Breeders' Cup Classic when he ran a credible fourth. He had won from seven furlongs to 1 1/2 miles and at the end of his third campaign was deservedly voted Eclipse Champion Older Male.

The stallion

Victory Gallop has enjoyed considerable stallion success at home and internationally, first standing at WinStar Farm in Kentucky, where he was leading second crop sire in 2004. He shuttled to Chili for the 2007 Southern Hemisphere breeding season, and since 2008 has been at The Jockey Club of Turkey Stud Farms. Victory Gallop has thus far fathered 818 foals of racing age for 594 starters of which more than 55% have been winners. Of these progeny, at least 50 have been stakes winners, and the stallion's total progeny earnings to date are over $48 million.* A few of his offspring include the filly Victory U.S.A., a grade 2 winner, and multiple stakes placed, with a third place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Filles; Norfolk Stakes (gr. 1) winner Jaycito; Prince Will I Am, winner of the Jamaica Handicap (gr. 1T); Eishin Dover, a racer in Japan and winner of the Keio Hai Spring Cup (JPN II); and Pennsylvania Derby and Kentucky Jockey Club victor (both gr. 2), Anak Nakal. Other stakes winners include Galloping Gal, Victory Thrill, and Victory Alleged et al.

Rightful place   

In 2010 Victory Gallop was inducted into the Canadian Racing Hall of Fame. His achievements speak for a horse who was honest, giving, and performed like every race was the most important and last. In some respects, he had indeed achieved greatness, not because of one or two memorable moments, but in where he is placed in the hearts of racing enthusiasts in Canada. His legacy should flourish, as his influence expands in North America and internationally. 

*The writer is not certain if this is the most updated information, or if the figures include Victory Gallop's stud duty in Chili and/or Turkey.

Bibliography

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"Victory Gallop," equineline.com, http://www.equineline.com/Free-5X-Pedigree.cfm?page_state=ORDER_AND_CONFIRM&reference_number=4014335&registry=T&horse_name=Victory%20Gallop&dam_name=Victorious%20Lil&foaling_year=1995&nicking_stats_indicator=Y##

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"Breeders' Cup Appears Loaded," (Philadelphia Inquirer), The Gazette, November 7, 1998, p. 4a, col. 4.

A.P., "He's Awesome Again," The Gazette, November 8, 1998, p. 2B col. 2.

Associated Press, "Not much Charm in Dubai Cup," Daily Herald, March 29, 1999, p. 9, col. 1.

Amy Whitfield, "Leading 2nd Crop Sire 2004: Victory Gallop," Blood-Horse, January 5, 2005, http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/26057/leading-2nd-crop-sire-2004-victory-gallop

The Blood-Horse, Stallion Register for 2011, "Victory Gallop," (Lexington, KY: Blood-Horse Publications, 2010). 

"Victory Gallop," Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, http://horseracinghalloffame.com/2010/01/01/test-post/

Copyright 2014 by John Califano