The Blooming of Champions

re: The Blooming of Champions

JasonR — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 19:05:03 GMT

I was just reminiscing about working for J. Bowes Bond and rubbing Process Shot's filly, Pan Shot. Those were the days, Steve.

re: The Blooming of Champions

Delrene — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 05:03:17 GMT

Thanks for this great article - I stayed up way too late watching the you tube videos of these fabulous female racehorses. I'm a bit behind but catching up on all your articles. Vacation trumped computer use. Keep them coming. Love learning about horses from the past. Thanks again.

re: The Blooming of Champions

Old Timer — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:09:35 GMT

Steve,

As long as you keep writing I'll definitely keep reading! As I have noted, you bring the past to life. I also have a number of your thoroughbred legends books.

Keep on keeping on!

Thanks again.

re: The Blooming of Champions

qhperson — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 22:46:43 GMT

Kelso was king when I first became a horse racing fan, and Dr. Fager is probably my best love for all time.

Reading this is...to be honest, I can't even explain what reading this piece means to me. It reminds me of all I fell in love with and all that was great in the sport.

re: The Blooming of Champions

tanzkd — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 22:45:03 GMT

Thanks again Steve - reading this article made me get up from the computer - pull out an old scrapbook from 1969 & reread the articles on Dark Mirage , Shuvee, & Dr. Fager. Keep writing - you're my own personal therapy session. Kathy

re: The Blooming of Champions

The Deacon — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 22:43:23 GMT

Bill Two: Wow, didn't know that about Pineda's brother Roberto.

Tough sport, seems very unfair at times.

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Bill Two — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:45:53 GMT

Deacon, speaking of Alvaro Pineda, his brother, Roberto, also died on the track {Pimlico} as the mount he was riding broke down and catapulted him head first into the track. I feel sorry for their parents: imagine losing two children??

re: The Blooming of Champions

The Deacon — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 07:06:54 GMT

Interested! Are you kidding I am frothing at the chops waiting for the next story. You tell a story like Rembrandt paints a picture, like Mantle hit home runs, like Jordan took the ball to the lane and like Montana orchestrated a football game.

Maybe one day you can write about all the great forgotten jockeys, the Shoemaker's, Hartack's, Arcaro's, Longden's, George Wolfe, Bobby Ussery, Johnny Rotz, Baeza, Ycaza, Milo, Blum, Boland, Hawley, and the brilliant ill fated Alvaro Pineda. I was there the day he died in the starting gate mishap. Very tragic, one of my favorites. The list of greats is endless. Those guys paved the way for today's stars. Without these guts and gals there would be no racing....

re: The Blooming of Champions

Steve Haskin — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 18:18:51 GMT

Thanks so much, Deacon, your words mean a lot, especially about the story telling. That is what I'm trying to do.

And thanks to everyone for your comments and for taking these trips either down memory lane or to a place you never knew about. As long as you're interested in them I'll keep writing them.

re: The Blooming of Champions

Susan from VA — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 17:46:57 GMT

Mr. Haskin,

Another fascinating article! When WAS the last time a race horse (male or female) carried 140 pounds in this country?

re: The Blooming of Champions

The Deacon — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 17:42:05 GMT

Wow Steve, another amazing trip down memory lane. For an old timer like me the horses of today pale in comparison to these equine champions of the past. No disrespect to any runner of the past 10 plus years but fillies and mares of today couldn't hold a candle to these greats.

Gamely was amazing, I was at Hollywood Park the day she finished 2nd to Dr. Fager in the Californian. The 60's and 70's were truly the golden age of horse racing and I believe the greatest horses in history ran during those 2 decades. Your memory Steve just continues to amaze me. Most impressive is your ability to tell a story as if we were all there or reliving it. Could you imagine that if we had cell phones, computers and the media coverage back then as we do now.

Anytime I can read one of your posts mentioning the great Dr. Fager and Ta Wee it has made my day. Thr fans of today just don't know about these great horses of the past, it is hall of fame writers like you that have done a wonderful job of educating them.

We all owe you a great gratitude. I was there, I saw many of these races in person, but like others I had forgotten, but thanks to you the passion has been re-born and the memories re-stirred (if that's a word).......thanks Steve, these last 2 posts have made my year....

re: The Blooming of Champions

palominolady — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:27:15 GMT

I had the privilege of working a summer vacation at Tartan Farm, in 1972, and was thrilled when Ta Wee and her first foal were put in the barn where I worked, upon their return from KY where Ta Wee had been bred to Arts and Letters. She was a sweet mare and very mellow, it was hard to believe she'd been the fierce competitor she was. But it was a real treat to be around such a great champion.

re: The Blooming of Champions

Joanna from TX — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:37:55 GMT

Thanks, Steve. Absolutely wonderful recounting of these amazing ladies.

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Bellwether — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 07:04:37 GMT

THANKS...

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Bigtex — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 03:18:09 GMT

Dang it, Steve, I thought I was heading to bed after a nice leisurely read! Now, I'll be on Youtube for the next hour or so watching Gallant Bloom.

re: The Blooming of Champions

Sharon — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 02:56:54 GMT

Mr. Haskin, Thank you for a beautiful article about these wonderful horses.

I live in Albemarle County and have visted Morven but had no idea that Shuvee was foaled there or buried there.

Interestly, the local newspaper The Daily Progress had an article today about Shuvee's return to Charlottesville on her retirement. I never read that paper but just stumbled across the article.

It was lovely to read about these wonderful ladies!

re: The Blooming of Champions

Footlick — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:27:50 GMT

sceptre- I miss the days of the great stud farms who bred to race.

re: The Blooming of Champions

Ranagulzion — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 23:30:42 GMT

Great stuff Steve Haskin. A wonderful journey down memrory lane.

Also, interesting post by Will E. Kayotay. Breeders should be paying attention.

re: The Blooming of Champions

Stellar Jayne — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 19:23:35 GMT

Steve,

Thank you for sharing your memories of these Great Ladies with us!

re: The Blooming of Champions

sceptre — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 17:51:07 GMT

Just a beautifully written recollection, Steve. It jogged my memory, but so much of it I had long forgotten. Interesting, isn't it, that all were homebreds, and all very well-bred; a far cry from today. Thoroughbred racing/breeding is not what it used to be...Rachel NH, very well said, couldn't agree more.

re: The Blooming of Champions

Old Timer — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 16:51:20 GMT

Steve,

You have done it again. I was fortunate to see some of the horses mentioned as I also came of age watching this great sport around the mid-60's. Your love of the game just comes right through in everything you write. Thank you.

Shuvee was a favorite of mine as I always liked the longer distance races. It is sad that they have reduced the JCGC distance first from 2 miles to 1 1/2 and then to "only" a mile and a quarter.

Your words almost make one feel like they are back there again watching these great thoroughbreds. The one that I am really looking forward to is your upcoming piece on little Dark Mirage. That diminutive little filly was amazing. I was there for each of her victories in the New York Triple Tiara. That was back when the Coaching Club was a mile and a half. For a pint sized little filly she could run like the wind!

The other great mare of that era that was a favorite of mine was Susan's Girl. (Perhaps that was the early 70's. Nevertheless she was a great one as well.)

re: The Blooming of Champions

Footlick — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 15:57:53 GMT

JerseyBoy- she was one of my favorites also

re: The Blooming of Champions

steve from st louis — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 13:47:49 GMT

Not only were these thoroughbreds larger than life, you also mentioned two journalists who were. Leon Rasmussen and Charles Hatton's heroic work made this Missouri School of Journalism graduate seek employment at his dream job, working at Chicago's DRF and being "forced" to spend his morning and days at Chicagoland race tracks a few decades ago. Every morning was Christmas (or Hannukah actually) for me. Those were the days!

re: The Blooming of Champions

JerseyBoy — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 13:38:28 GMT

Steve:

It has been a joy reading your two columns on the outstanding 3yos born in 1966.

I did not see the 3yos race, but I did see another member of that age group race 2 years later. She became that monster of the turf who smashed track records at will. Remember, our dear friend Drumtop? At least she deserves honorable mention.

I do not know how so many outstanding horses were born in the same year.

re: The Blooming of Champions

Wil. E. Kayotay — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 12:39:09 GMT

Mr. Haskin,

Just a quick follow up to the great filly/mare story: I'm sure you have noticed that so many of the great runners trace back to the undefeated, blazingly fast Irish champion, "The Tetrarch". I checked the pedigree on Gamely, Shuvee, and Gallant Bloom. They all trace directly back to "The Tetrach" through his "Mahal" line of daughters and their daughters (Mumtaz Mahal, Mumtaz Begum and Mah Mahal, in particular).

Gallant Bloom had multiple crosses of Mumtaz Mahal, as well as the immortal Man O'War in her bloodline! No wonder she was so great.

Could we be looking at(or overlooking) the true foundation sire of the really great horses of the 20th century? I'm fascinated by this subject. Thank you for listening. Wil. E.