Rahy: A Stallion Success Story

re: Rahy: A Stallion Success Story

Jan — Sun, 14 Jul 2013 19:49:12 GMT

The old trooper, Rahystrada, continues to remind us that Rahy was a brilliant turf and endurance sire as well as endowing his offspring with speed. I own a Rahy mare that is out of a Riverman mare. No one wanted her because she is just about blind. You would never know it, as she takes great care of herself, is in a large field with other mares and is a sweet mamma. She is now in foal to Circular Quay (GrI winner by Thunder Gulch) and I can't wait for this baby!

re: Rahy: A Stallion Success Story

John T — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 18:51:57 GMT

Rahy is the sire of Strong Suit who won the Challenge Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday over 7 furlongs. At this time it looks like he will be taking his chance in the Breeders Cup Mile at Churchill Downs.

re: Rahy: A Stallion Success Story

Flora — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:56:29 GMT

Thanks for spotlighting this grand little horse. His progeny seem to be gutsy fighters and unlikely stars, just as he was. I loved Serena's Song of course, and I adored Dreaming of Anna and followed her career very closely.

re: Rahy: A Stallion Success Story

Ian Tapp — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 16:35:33 GMT

Thanks, JCRobinson!

re: Rahy: A Stallion Success Story

Darla — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:51:34 GMT

I too was glad I got to see Rahy this July on the same trip to Kentucky to see Rachel Alexandra. Me and a friend had time to kill and drove to Three Chimneys to see if we could go in and see the Stallions. Fortunately ,they had a couple of cancellations and we made the tour. I got to see Rahy and Dynaformer! This made up for the dissappointment of Big Brown not being there! R.I.P. and God speed Rahy!

re: Rahy: A Stallion Success Story

JCRobinson — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 01:43:31 GMT

GOOD Reward is Storm Cat-Heavenly Prize. GRAND Reward is the Storm Cat-Serena's Song- interestingly enough both in the same crop.

re: Rahy: A Stallion Success Story

Ida Lee — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 20:49:46 GMT

Rahy was indeed a beauty as were his beautiful and talented babies and my very favorites Lewis Michael, Dreaming of Anna and my beloved Life at Ten.

re: Rahy: A Stallion Success Story

mz — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:15:30 GMT

I always loved Glorious Song and first followed Rahy because of her.

I am glad that I was able to finally see him in person this May (when I made my famous -- to me, at least -- Kentucky Derby trip). He was in the same Three Chimneys barnlet as my other horse-I-had-to-see, Dynaformer. He was a small, bright horse, ignoring the tourists. (Great contrast to the big, dark horse.)

re: Rahy: A Stallion Success Story

Pedigree Ann — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 13:41:53 GMT

Little is good!! Northern Dancer was little, Hyperion was little, Rahy was little... The fashion for monster-sized horses has led us to devalue the small and medium-sized animals. Let Rahy's example remind us that size does not equal ability.

re: Rahy: A Stallion Success Story

John T — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 01:05:50 GMT

Rahy emulated Nasrullah by finishing placed in the very important group 1 Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket. Both horses became successful sires in North America and as you pointed out he was very noteworthy for his fillies whereas Nasrullah produced two colts we shall never forget, Nashua and Bold Ruler. There have been many great winners of the Middle Park Stakes over the years but how ironic it is that those two placed horses in that race went on to make a great statement in North American racing.

re: Rahy: A Stallion Success Story

Karen in Texas — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:35:43 GMT

Rahy's daughters Exotic Wood and Raw Gold were as exciting to watch in the mid '90's as his more famous offspring, Serena's Song. They were tiny but very fast. He was indeed most noteworthy for his fillies.

re: Rahy: A Stallion Success Story

Ian Tapp — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:04:19 GMT

This is from an Andy Beyer article on Rahy and Drysdale's training methods, published 8/13/1989:

...a 4-year-old colt named Rahy, who ran so brilliantly at Hollywood Park last month that he may prove to be Easy Goer's main rival in the Breeders' Cup Classic this fall.

...He ran a mile at Hollywood Park, battled head-and-head for the lead in a seemingly suicidal 44 seconds flat, but drew away to win by five lengths. And then, in the $300,000 Bel Air Handicap at Hollywood, he sat just behind leaders who were running a half mile in 44, swooped past them and drew away to win by 10 lengths. He ran the mile in 1:33 flat over a track that, by California standards, was not exceptionally fast.

To speed handicappers, this was an even better performance than Easy Goer's celebrated Belmont Stakes triumph. It was an effort that belonged in the Seattle Slew-Affirmed-Spectacular Bid class. Rahy still hasn't run beyond a mile, but Drysdale thinks he has the pedigree, the temperament and the style to be effective at 1 1/4 miles, the distance of the Breeders' Cup Classic.

What was almost as amazing as the brilliance of Rahy's races was the way Drysdale prepared the colt for them. It is an axiom in the West that horses must be imbued with speed, and that the way to sharpen them is with fast workouts.

In his first race at Hollywood, Rahy was facing a speedball named Mi Preferido, whose most recent works included a half mile in 46 flat and five furlongs in 57 4-5. By contrast, Rahy had gone a half mile in a laughably slow 51 2-5, five eighths in 1:02 3-5. Yet when the gate opened, Rahy was able to blow Mi Preferido off the track.

"I almost never work horses fast," Drysdale said. "I think when you work horses you just try to get them fit and maintain that level of fitness. And once they're fit, their natural ability takes over."

To Drysdale, this may sound elementary, but to others it seems a source of wonder and mystery that a trainer can work a horse in 51 2-5 then get him to run a half mile in competition in 44, effortlessly. Drysdale's skills have earned him recognition and admiration in California. Rahy may display his talents to a national audience.

re: Rahy: A Stallion Success Story

smartysgal — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 23:37:21 GMT

I also remember Rahy as being the sire of Genuine Risk's first live foal in 1993, named Genuine Reward. Unfortunately, the colt didn't take to training and was retired not ever having reached the starting gate. What a shame. Rahy will be missed at Three Chimneys and his fans will mourn him greatly.

re: Rahy: A Stallion Success Story

JerseyTom — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 23:23:21 GMT

Nice analysis world traveler. And I learned something; didn't know what name meant.