2010 Among The Best Of Historical Alabama Stakes

Few thoroughbred races in North America have the history of the Betfair TVG Alabama Stakes (gr. 1). The $500,000 race for three-year-old fillies will be run for the 131st time Saturday at Saratoga and is behind only the $100,000 Ladies Handicap at Aqueduct, as the second oldest race for fillies and mares in North America. Along with the Coaching Club American Oaks and the Mother Goose, the Alabama is the third leg of New York’s Triple Tiara grade 1 series for the 3-year-old fillies. Sky Beauty (1993), Open Mind (’89) and Mom’s Command (’85) are Alabama winners also with Triple Tiara titles.

August Belmont himself won the first Alabama Stakes with his Woodbine in 1872. Fifteen years later, Americans began naming a champion among their 3-year-old fillies and future Hall of Famer Firenze took the first trophy without winning the Alabama. But it be only one year before the Alabama would impact the championship as Bella B. won the Alabama and champion 3-year-old filly title in 1888.

Since then 36 Alabama Stakes winners have also been named the divisional champion at year’s end. Hall of Fame mares such as Beldame (1904) (photo left), Maskette (’09), Gamely (’67) and Go For Wand (’90) all were named champion fillies after their victories in the Alabama. Silverbulletday (’99), Open Mind (’89), Life’s Magic (’84), Vagrancy (’42) and Cleopatra (’20) are also among the more popular on the list of Alabama winning champion 3-year-old fillies.

With all of that history, however, last year’s Alabama was among the most exciting and may be well remembered in thoroughbred racing history.

By the time the Alabama came in August last year, Blind Luck had won four of six races, including the Fantasy Stakes (gr. 2) at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas, the Kentucky Oaks (gr. 1 at Churchill Downs and the Delaware Oaks (gr. 2).

But the favorite for the Alabama was Devil May Care, a large filly from the powerful Todd Pletcher barn that had finished 10th against the boys in the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. 1). But Devil May Care had since returned to her division and easily won the Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. 1) at Belmont Park by more than four lengths in a canter.

Devil May Care was odds-on at 3-5 while support for Blind Luck was not far behind as she went to the post at 9-5. A distant third choice was Havre de Grace, who had come to New York after finishing a close second to Blind Luck in the Delaware Oaks (gr. 2) the race prior.

After the break, the field assembled into an order that would stay relatively the same until mid-way on the far turn. Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (gr. 2) speedstress Acting Happy had led the race through a dawdling early pace with the first six furlongs taking 1:14 4/5 seconds to complete but shortly thereafter the excitement level exploded.

Turning for home long shot Acting Happy still had the lead but Havre de Grace and Devil May Care had launched their attacks. Just behind them, the stretch running Blind Luck was also now in full stride on the far outside.

Nearing the black and white pole just one-sixteenth of a mile from the finish, track announcer Tom Durkin called it: “Top of the Stretch! Acting Happy a stubborn foe. Havre de Grace also right there and Blind Luck is gaining on them with every stride!”


Blind Luck and Havre de Grace would battle to the wire with the former winning by just a neck over Havre de Grace with Acting Happy less than a length back in third.

It was the second consecutive time that Blind Luck (photo) and Havre de Grace would finish one-two respectively, but it was the beginning of one the better rivalries in recent history. The two have now raced against each other six times and in five of those races, they finished first and second. Only in the grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic last November at Churchill Downs, did they finish second and third behind winner Unrivaled Belle.

This year, Blind Luck and Havre de Grace have raced against each other twice. Havre de Grace beat Blind Luck in the grade 3 Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn in the Spring before Blind Luck turned the tables on Havre de Grace, winning the Delaware Handicap (gr. 2) last month. With no male stars grabbing center stage and both mares having three graded victories this year, Blind Luck and Havre de Grace are mentioned in 2011 Horse of the Year discussions.

Blind Luck would be the first winner of the Alabama Stakes to later be named Horse of the Year, but has a very good chance to join Primonetta, Gamely, Sky Beauty, Desert Vixen, Tempted and Life’s Magic as Alabama winners to be named champion in the years following their Alabama win.

No matter what happens in the remaining months and races that will be 2011, the 2010 running of the Alabama will be well remembered. And to be among the top versions of a race with 130 years of history with champions dotted throughout, is special indeed.

Rachel Alexandra Tries To Join Historical Group in Mother Goose Stakes

Rachel Alexandra will be returning to the races Saturday in the $300,000 Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park in her first start since winning the Blackberry Preakness Stakes in mid-May. And while the Mother Goose does not carry the prestige or coverage of the Preakness, the Mother Goose is a significant race in it's own right.

It is a grade 1 race, making it among the most prestigious and historically competitive; and it is the second leg to the Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred racing, otherwise known as the Filly Triple Crown. The series is comprised of the one mile Acorn Stakes on Belmont day, the 1-1/8 mile Mother Goose and the 1-1/4 Coaching Club American Oaks in late July. Only eight fillies have swept the series beginning with Dark Mirage in 1968.

The Mother Goose has a rich history since first being run in 1957 when Outer Space and jockey William Legget won the first running.

One of my favorites is 1969 winner Shuvee, who was also the second filly to win the Triple Tiara. Now in the Hall of Fame, Shuvee is perhaps best remembered with her victory in the 1970 Jockey Club Gold Cup when she became the only filly to defeat the colts in the then two mile race.

The most famous Triple Tiara winner is of course, Ruffian (photo at left) who took the crown in 1975. She was undefeated in ten career races before a fatal injury suffered in an infamous match race against Kentucky Derby winner Foolish Pleasure.

Now burried in the infield at Belmont Park, Ruffian was perhaps one of the most amazing race horses of anytime. Lucien Laurin, Secretariat's trainer, once said of Ruffian, "As God as my witness, she may even be better than Secretariat."

After breaking her maiden in record time by 15 lengths, Ruffian went on to set a new stakes record in each of her eight added-money victories and equalled two track records. She was a massive, black filly that stood 17 hands high and broke on top in every race and was never headed at any point during her career before the fatal race in July of 1975.

But the Mother Goose has produced a long list of recognizable female greats including Chris Evert in 1974, 1984 winner Life's Magic, trained by D.Wayne Lukas; Go For Wand in 1990; Sky Beauty, the last Triple Tiara winner in 1993; and Serena's Song, also trained by Lukas, in 1995.