Little Current and the Year After Big Red

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

Alysheba4ever — Sun, 23 Feb 2014 05:56:42 GMT

Cold Facts I too am a huge Raise a Native fan and feel he does not get enough kudos but also remember that Affirmed was a grandson of Raise a Native being by Exclusive Native and my personal favorite and only horse to finish second in all three jewels was Alydar a son of Raise a Native so in one year we had a son and grandson finish first and second and that was the year of our last triple crown winner. I always felt like Alydar was a triple crown winner in a round about way.

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

Linda in Texas — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 17:33:37 GMT

Hi Steve, Happy President's Day. I always like to go back and read all comments to see if i have missed anything, so today i did, and read the note from Arnold that Buck Pond is where Little Current is buried and how nice of the farm to be so receptive to visitors. So that led me to read the History of Buck Pond, beginning with it's inception in 1783. My word how interesting their story is and over 231 years old. Being a history buff i really enjoyed the history and still in operation to this day. Thank you Steve and Buck Pond Farm.

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

Mary Pitt — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 23:39:56 GMT

I've just been watching a video of Little Current's sire Sea Bird. He was very impressive winning the Derby, Arc and the other French races. There is a lot of him in Little Current, though Sea Bird did seem to run with his head a bit high.

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

Melissa P — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 18:58:29 GMT

I had the great pleasure to meet Little Current at Buck Pond farm. I must say that he was treated there like royalty. He had completely captivated the staff. He really did have a special "something." Thank you for sharing your wonderful memories and those terrific photos. Such happy memories.

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

Steve Haskin — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 14:05:37 GMT

Ozkr, thank you very much for your kind words and sharing your early memories. They are always the most special.

dsarnoldjr, thank you very much for relaying that invitation. I definitely will stop there to visit during my next trip to Lexington.

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

dsarnoldjr — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 12:03:53 GMT

Little Current is buried at Buck Pond Farm in Versailles, Ky. He receives many visitors each year and the owner of the farm is happy to facilitate your visit.

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

ozkr — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 06:02:23 GMT

Another amazing piece, thank you so much Steve! I have been reading your articles for quite some time and only now offer my gratitude for your work - thank you a million times. Little Current was very important to me, becoming a fan of his during the spring of 1974. Though my memory is not quite as sharp, my racing heroes I can recall so vividly and I have so many... My first hero as a six year old was the black and gold clad chestnut colt, Majestic Prince. Yes, what a start to the racing world. Through the years, such rarely-mentioned, yet vivid in my mind, the heroes come back to me through your work: Pink Pidgeon, Cougar II, Ack Ack, Terlago, Sham, Linda's Chief, Ancient Title, Forego (grrrrr), Crystal Water, Double Discount, Unconscious, Avatar, Fiddle Isle, Quack, Kennedy Road, Autobiography, La Zanzara, Susan's Girl, Convenience, Typecast, etc. - I could go on and on. Your work is golden, thank you so much for your work.

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

cin — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 05:11:31 GMT

Not too many horses are in the same league as Secretariat, but the comparisons for Little Current and Secretariat would HAVE to be Little Current's looks, wow, he's gorgeous! I always thought Trappe Shot was pretty like Secretariat, but I have to add Little Current now. Nice photos, nice article.

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

Shelby's Best Pal — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 04:09:00 GMT

What a great story! I certainly enjoyed reading it.

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

Bellwether — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 19:34:31 GMT

Love those blast from the past race Horse stories...ty and look forward to more...

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

dsarnoldjr — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 16:11:35 GMT

Thanks for the story Steve. Little Current is buried on Buck Pond Farm in Versailles, Kentucky. Many visitors from around the country come each year and lay flowers on his grave.

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

John D'Amato — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 15:07:45 GMT

Great! Also forgotten are other sons of "The Great One" - Ribot. Arts And Letters, Graustark and Tom Rolfe were amomg the very, very best.

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

equinedriven — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 07:20:57 GMT

I was a groom for Mike Moran back in the 90s. I rubbed a wonderful mare for her career...a mare that kept Liuanas female line in the racing scene. Her a name was Turkish Tryst..a grand daughter. Turkey upon retirement produced 4 black type winners her most notable being Hard Spun. As Hard Spun trots around the globe performing his stallion duties...the female line that produced Little Current is alive and well. RIP Turkey.

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

Lise from Maine — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 17:32:39 GMT

Hi!

Never heard of "Little Current" as I was not into horse racing then. I became interested in horse racing in 2006 when I watched Barbaro win the Kentucky Derby and have loved it ever since.

This is a wonderful story, Steve, and thanks for sharing it with the fans.

Thank you!

Lise from Maine

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

Linda in Texas — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 14:39:41 GMT

I read with delight this Sunday Morning, that Havre de Grace has a lovely filly and Plum Pretty has a handsome colt. Happy Birthday to the newly foaled stars of the future, Havre de Grace's filly is by Tapit, And Plum Pretty's is by Distorted Humor.

I am sure Big Red and Little Current would not mind me sharing the good news, a lot easier to read than Chriselliam being euthanized.

And Steve thank you for your memories of Little Current. To be honest i never knew him, but i do now 12 years after his death.

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

Racingfan — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 02:19:33 GMT

Another great article Steve. And ColdFacts, thanks for the Native Dancer stats. He is my all time favorite - even though he died when I was a year old. He was an incredible horse and obviously was an amazing influence in the bloodlines. He sure needs to be given more credit than he seems to get! :-)

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

Mary Pitt — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 00:16:50 GMT

Little Current is one of a handful of colts since 1970 who I believe should have been a Triple Crown winner. (The others being Risen Star, Thunder Gulch and Afleet Alex, though I'm sure others will have differing opinions). His sire, Sea-Bird, an Arc winner, is still considered one of the best horses of all time in Europe.

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

asilarabians — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 20:52:32 GMT

I personally loved Sham, and have tried to find out what happened to him. I just remember that at 3 he was 14.2, and ran stride for stride with Big Red until his heart broke. Little Current was a nice horse, but Sham was a real champ,,, like Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard, or Holyfield.

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

derbylin — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 18:49:32 GMT

I remember going to see Little Current at Darby Dan too. Says a lot about the connections back then letting people visit. Farms need to be that gracious now, maybe more people would get interested in the sport. Unfortunately, raising admission prices to the Belmont will not. Another event I wont be able to fit into my budget. Will rely on TV and great stories like yours, Steve.

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

Lexington Bloodstock — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 17:20:55 GMT

Another choice piece. Keep them coming.

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

Abigail Anderson — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 16:35:36 GMT

I just loved hearing about Little Current who was, in fact, on my "bucket list" for an article, together with the great Sea-Bird. And how fabulous to actually see him as a yearling, Steve. (Talk about being in the right place at the right time.) I don't think that I followed the Triple that year. It was my first year teaching and that's always demanding. But I came to love him when I later discovered just how many fans adored him and, as you point out, believed that only circumstance prevented him from achieving the Triple. If any here are interested, both his Preakness and Belmont are available on YouTube. As much as I loved reading his story, I was wowed by: "Horses are like music. They take you back to a specific time and place in your life." thank you, again, for a great read.

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

Windolin — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 14:40:15 GMT

What a sweetheart of a story. Thank you Steve for yet another beautiful memory from the past. This is why I look forward to your posts every week.

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

Pedigree Ann — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 13:47:25 GMT

Steve, I do dislike seeing deep-closing runners tagged with the pejorative 'plodder.' A deep-closer has to have a 4-5f sprint that would do a Dr. Fager proud to make up as much ground late against horses who have not quit as they do; they just use it differently. Would you have called Buckpasser a plodder because he closed from the back like a rocket? 'Plodder' implies the one-paced sort who runs well in long races because they can keep on at the same pace when the others tire. Like Gato del Sol, whom I name even though he was a son of My Own True Love, His Felinity Cougar II. By the way, Coug was a deep closer with a solid late sprint.

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

LovedMyAlydar — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 11:02:08 GMT

Loved Little Current and was fortunate enough to visit him at Darby Dan back in the day. He was such a cutie. Just something about him, I loved this guy. Thanks for giving him the attention he deserves. What wonderful memories.

re: Little Current and the Year After Big Red

Paula Higgins — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 04:37:09 GMT

O.k. count me as the second person going to Youtube. I have never heard of this guy before and clearly I have missed something special. It made me very happy to hear you mention your Canon AE 1. My father gave me one for my high school graduation. I still have it. A great camera.