Alphabet Soup | Horse Racing Free Tips

Medina Spirit To Be Buried At Old Friends

Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement facility in Georgetown, KY., will inter the ashes of multiple graded stakes winner Medina Spirit on Tuesday, April 5. Medina Spirit will be laid to rest in Old Friends's Nikki Bacharach Memorial Garden alongside such champions as Kentucky Derby Winners Charismatic (1999) and War Emblem (2002), as well as Eclipse Winner Hidden Lake and Breeders' Cup Classic Winner Alphabet Soup. Old Friends will host an open house Tuesday, April 5, 2022 from 12:30pm to 2:30pm to offer fans an opportunity to visit the grave site and pay their respects to this great athlete. In addition, the farm will also pay tribute to friend and supporter Bob Neumeier, the acclaimed sports reporter and NBC racing analyst who passed away October 23, 2021.

The post Medina Spirit To Be Buried At Old Friends appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Trainer Hofmans On Alphabet Soup: ‘A Good Horse To Be Around’

Trainer David Hofmans understandably had nothing but fond memories of his 1996 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Alphabet Soup, who was euthanized Friday at Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement in Georgetown, Ky., due to chronic kidney disease.

Foaled on March 31, 1991, Alphabet Soup was 31.

“I guess his kidneys finally gave out,” said Los Angeles native Hofmans, who turned 79 on Thursday. “He's been a good horse to a lot of people. He was super; I've got all good memories about him.”

Alphabet Soup, a descendant of Nearco, was a gray son of Cozzene out of the Arts and Letters mare Illiterate. He compiled a 10-3-6 record from 24 lifetime starts, earning $2,990,270 for Mrs. Georgia Ridder's Ridder Thoroughbred Stable.

He set a track record for 1 ¼ miles at Woodbine when he won the 1996 Classic, defeating both the great Cigar and Preakness winner Louis Quatorze. Upon the death of A.P. Indy on Feb. 21, 2020, Alphabet Soup became the oldest living winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Alphabet Soup raced in 1997 at age six, his best effort coming in defense of the San Antonio Handicap when he finished second to Gentlemen. Alphabet Soup retired to stud duty at Frank Stronach's Adena Springs in Kentucky.

“He was an absolute pleasure to train and an absolute pleasure to race,” Hofmans said. “He tried hard almost every time.

“If he didn't win it was usually because I had him in the wrong race, but he was a good horse to be around, I'll tell you.”

The post Trainer Hofmans On Alphabet Soup: ‘A Good Horse To Be Around’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Breeders’ Cup Classic Winner Alphabet Soup Dies

Alphabet Soup (Cozzene–Illiterate, by Arts and Letters), who won a memorable renewal of the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Woodbine in 1996, died Jan. 28 at Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm in Georgetown, Kentucky, due to chronic kidney disease. The oldest living Classic winner, the gray was 31 years old and had been pensioned at the farm since 2015.

Bred in Pennsylvania by Southeast Associates, Alphabet Soup was trained by David Hofmans for Georgia B. Ridder and came to hand at four in 1995, winning the GII Del Mar Budweiser Breeders' Cup S. at a flat mile and the GIII Native Diver H.

Proving an even better 5-year-old, Alphabet Soup won the GII San Pasqual H. and GII San Antonio H. early in the season before showing his versatility with a 3 1/2-length victory in the seven-furlong GIII Pat O'Brien H. over field that included future GI Breeders' Cup Sprint hero Lit De Justice (El Gran Senor). Disqualified to third from an apparent victory in the GII Goodwood Breeders' Cup H., Alphabet Soup was a 19-1 shot in that year's Classic, the first held north of the border, and managed to nose out that year's GI Preakness S. hero Louis Quatorze (Sovereign Dancer) and defending champion Cigar (Palace Music). He retired with 10 wins from 24 starts and earnings just shy of $3 million.

Alphabet Soup entered stud at Adena Springs and sired 39 stakes winners, 14 at the graded level, including Grade I winners Egg Drop, Alphabet Kisses and G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen hero Our New Recruit. He sired over 700 winners in his career.

“I'm saddened by the news today of Alphabet Soup's passing,” said Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron, who piloted Alphabet Soup to his Breeders' Cup win. “I truly enjoyed my relationship with 'Soupy,' and he will always have special place in my heart. He represented the U.S. well when he bested the Cigar and Louis Quatorze in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Rest in peace old friend.”

“It won't be the same around here without Soup,” said Old Friends President and founder Michael Blowen. “Over these seven years he was a delight to be around with his sweet nature and enormous popularity. He brought joy to everyone.

“His best friend, the donkey Gorgeous George, will miss him terribly,” added Blowen, “and so will everyone on the farm. We are so grateful to Frank Stronach and everyone at Adena Springs for giving us the privilege of retiring this fabulous champion.”

The post Breeders’ Cup Classic Winner Alphabet Soup Dies appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Breeders’ Cup Classic Champion Alphabet Soup Euthanized At Old Friends Due To Chronic Kidney Disease

Multiple graded stakes winner and 1996 Breeders' Cup Classic Champion Alphabet Soup was euthanized Jan. 28 at Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement farm in Georgetown, KY., where he has been pensioned since 2015. The cause of death was chronic kidney disease.

At 31, the gray son of Cozzene was the oldest living winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Bred in Pennsylvania out of the Arts and Letters mare Illiterate, Alphabet Soup was a late bloomer for owner Georgia B. Ridder, winning his first stakes at age four when he captured the 1995 Native Diver (GR3) and the Del Mar Breeders' Cup Handicap (GR2).

In 1996 he was the victor in the San Antonia Handicap (GR2), the Pat O'Brian Handicap (GR3), and the San Pasqual Handicap (GR2) en route to his greatest triumph, the 1996 Breeders' Cup Classic (GR1), where he defeated the “invincible” Cigar as well as that year's Preakness Stakes winner Louis Quatorze—all while setting a new track record at Woodbine.

Retired in 1998 to Adena Springs having captured 10 of 24 starts and earnings of over $2.9 million, Alphabet Soup sired numerous stakes winners, among them Grade 1 winners Egg Drop and Alphabet Kisses, and champions Our New Recruit, Phantom Light, and Sovereign Award winner Alpha Bettor.

“I'm saddened by the news today of Alphabet Soup's passing,” said Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron, who piloted Soup to his Breeders' Cup win. “I truly enjoyed my relationship with Soupy, and he will always have special place in my heart. He represented the U.S. well when he bested the Cigar and Louis Quatorze in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Rest in peace old friend.”

The post Breeders’ Cup Classic Champion Alphabet Soup Euthanized At Old Friends Due To Chronic Kidney Disease appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post