What is it about a Closer?

re: What is it about a Closer?

smddec — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 20:42:27 GMT

I noticed someone talking about AMERITIME. I owned this horse when he finished his racing career at a late age (10 I believe) and bought him for $1.00. Can anyone give me any details on this horse? I know nothing about his racing career except that is was moderatly successful!

re: What is it about a Closer?

Sage — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:38:24 GMT

merlinmerry, I am so with you on Carry Back. I started getting the BloodHorse then, so I could read about him.He took my breath away. And I do love the closers like Zenyatta, Zarkava, Personal Ensign, Concern, Silky.

re: What is it about a Closer?

Julie L. — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 23:22:25 GMT

I've always had a thing for the closers but Victory Gallop catching Real Quiet was one for the books and one time I didn't want to see a closer coming on in the stretch. I still blame Kent D. for that one. Real Quiet should have been our elusive 12th Triple Crown winner!

re: What is it about a Closer?

Dask27 — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:14:31 GMT

I'm kinda surprised no one mentioned Midnite Lute. He had a couple of incredible finishes as I recall!

re: What is it about a Closer?

Mary Lee — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:40:26 GMT

Thanks for the memories.....many of those emotional victories still bring tears to my eyes, especially Personal Ensign retiring undefeated on that wet Churchill Downs track....There's just something thrilling about those closers!

re: What is it about a Closer?

laura511 — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 05:20:13 GMT

We have yet to see Zenyatta put to the test. I looked at the still photos from the Clement Hirsch-she had more in the tank-her she still had one ear pricked crossing the wire. Still, that '76 Marlboro Cup gives me chills.

re: What is it about a Closer?

Mike S — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 22:20:13 GMT

I loved LA ZANZARA. I always had to be at the races to see her run. I thought she was a gorgeous (gray) mare.

re: What is it about a Closer?

Abbie Knowles — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 03:36:54 GMT

Great videos that you have dug out for us to enjoy yet again Becky.

Loved the one of Queen Eizabeth II watching Generous destroy the 1991 Derby field - was there at Epsom too! Such a shame that both Fahd and Ahmed Salman died so young!

Zenyatta and Stardom Bound were wonderful to watch again especially knowing that they both won!!!!

Dahlia not just a fast closer - sometimes she made all! As when walloping Grundy and co in the 1975 Benson and Hedges at York!

Great Blogsite as ever so many thanks Becky!

God Bless

Best wishes

Abbie

re: What is it about a Closer?

Matthew W — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:37:23 GMT

Another deep closing filly great--the stayer La Zanzara, from the 70's...won two San Juan Capistranos I believe, from far back....beautiful grey.....

re: What is it about a Closer?

TJ Connick — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:04:17 GMT

Chris Evert. What a great service it would be if you could locate a film of the thrilling closer.

re: What is it about a Closer?

ellpol — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:49:23 GMT

My favorite closer was Buckpasser. He showed up on network TV on saturdays when I was a young man and would run em down in the stretch. What thrills he supplied. His career was too short but brilliant

re: What is it about a Closer?

Soldier Course — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:51:14 GMT

Yes, thank goodness for YouTube!

The video of Her Majesty was wonderful. At that moment, she's just like the rest of us.

re: What is it about a Closer?

booknfun — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:26:19 GMT

And no one remembers the old grey man of New York. No one closed like Evening Attire. He was awesome to watch walk out of the gate and race into the winners circle.

re: What is it about a Closer?

da3hoss — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:23:26 GMT

Winning Colors (against the colts 4 times (2-0-1) like Risen Star, Seeking the Gold, Forty Niner, Regal Classic, Private Terms) and older mare Personal Ensign, undefeated against her sex... that generation's RA and Zen...3/4 length & a "lip" separates those two great fillies of that day.

My heart still pounds...

re: What is it about a Closer?

Soldier Course — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:07:02 GMT

Lazmannick:

Thanks for the Silky Sullivan video information. This was unbelievable! I kept thinking, "He can't do this."

Interesting facts about Silky Sullivan's 1958 Kentucky Derby effort. They breezed him the morning of the race, after having run him in a seven-furlong race at CD the previous Saturday.

Glad to see they brought him back to Santa Anita for a tribute parade at age twenty. Boy, he was prancing! Or maybe all that braiding was just too tight and he was "ouchie".

re: What is it about a Closer?

LAZMANNICK — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:44:33 GMT

Mustang%

Type in YouTube Silky Sullivan and you can see a vidoe of Silky Sullivan coming from 41 lengths behind to win a race.

re: What is it about a Closer?

AMY ROONEY — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:37:34 GMT

silky sullivan the king of the closers!!

secretariat may have won by 31 lengths, but silky would CLOSE 31 lengths just to catch the field!

re: What is it about a Closer?

Golden Gate — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:28:37 GMT

Becky,

Thank you for putting all those videos together for us. That was great seeing the Queen so happy. Wasn't it nice she visited the US and saw the Derby here. I'll never forget seeing pics of Calvin dining with her and the President.

Another great thing is whoever put together pedigreequery. It is so cool to look up horses in mines ped and see notes on them. I have a couple the Queen raced in their backgrounds.

re: What is it about a Closer?

partymanners — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 04:19:31 GMT

Must include Concern..

Check out the 94 Arkansas Derby and BC Classic.

Take a look at some of Awad too..

re: What is it about a Closer?

Awadfan — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:04:27 GMT

Nobody did it better than Awad in the Manhattan and Arlington Million.

re: What is it about a Closer?

merlinmerry — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 20:13:49 GMT

Frankie S - Carry Back! The only horse I ever sent a fan letter to! His owners sent back a super-sized postcard of Carry Back - an item I still treasure. When I was a kid, I always watched the Triple Crown races on tv but it was Carry Back's Derby that forever made me a fan. Watching that little brown colt with the long tail hurtle down the stretch still sends chills. "By Saggy out of Joppy," he was not exactly bred to the purple, but Carry Back was a racehorse.

www.youtube.com/watch

re: What is it about a Closer?

newsline2 — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 14:21:22 GMT

Zenyatta is awesome. She is a champion of champions because she is so strategic and always runs a horse race. That is exciting.

2009 Horse of the Year--Zenyatta.

re: What is it about a Closer?

LAZMANNICK — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 13:16:17 GMT

Fan1469

You're so right.....an amazing race and an amazing horse!!!

re: What is it about a Closer?

Kate — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 12:27:36 GMT

Pro-Ride! I feel yah, Silky Sullivan was awesome. He was my fathers favorite racehorse back in the day.

Everyone loves a closer. :)

re: What is it about a Closer?

Soldier Course — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 12:00:01 GMT

The biggest heartbreak of all:

Birdstone nips Smarty Jones