Tag: claiming crown

Claiming Crown Horse of the Year is Frost Or Frippery

Frost Or Frippery (Lewis Michael–Samantha Mulder, by Lac Ouimet) has been named the 2020 Claiming Crown Horse of the Year by the Industry Awards Committee of the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA). The 8-year-old gelding will be honored at the 36th annual awards dinner held by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) Sept. 11 at Hill 'n' Dale Farm at Xalapa in Paris, Ky.

Claimed for $20,000 by Brad Cox for Steve Landers Racing LLC last April, Frost Or Frippery went on a five-race win streak and closed his 2020 campaign with a total of eight wins and four runner-up finishes in 13 starts and $167,350 in earnings. He won his sole out this year–a Jan. 22 starter allowance at Oaklawn–but has since sustained an injury in training and has been retired. In the course of his career, which began as a sophomore in 2016, Frost Or Frippery compiled a record of 67-22-12-13 and earnings of $381,918. A win in the $75,000 Kent Stirling Memorial Iron Horse S. at the 2020 Claiming Crown, held Dec. 5 at Gulfstream Park, led to the Claiming Crown Horse of the Year title.

“It meant a lot for him to win it, because there are a lot of claiming horses in the country,” said Landers, a long-time owner from Arkansas. “That's what the Claiming Crown is about: being the best at what they do. He acted like a more-expensive horse, like high-dollar, more class-type horse than he really was. But he didn't know what his class was. He'd just go out there and win.”

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‘Horse Who Gives You Everything’: Frost Or Frippery Honored As Claiming Crown Horse Of The Year

Steve Landers calls Frost Or Frippery “as hard-hitting a horse” as he's ever owned. There's no better example than the gelding's nose victory in the $75,000 Claiming Crown Kent Stirling Memorial Iron Horse. That day, the 7-year-old was shut off and had to check hard heading into the first turn, got shuffled back on the far turn, rallied to take the lead 70 yards out, then held on by mere inches.

Off that game performance and an 8-for-13 record (with four seconds) last year, Frost Or Frippery is honored as the 2020 Claiming Crown Horse of the Year, selected by the Industry Awards Committee of the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA). Frost Or Frippery will be recognized at the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association's 36th annual awards dinner Sept. 11 at Hill 'n' Dale Farm at Xalapa in Paris, Ky.

“He's not the most expensive horse I've ever had, but he showed the most heart,” said Landers, a prominent Arkansas auto dealer and long-time horse owner. “That's what it's all about: a horse who gives you everything he's got.”

Landers and trainer Brad Cox claimed Frost Or Frippery for $20,000 at Oaklawn Park on April 30, 2020. He won his first four starts and seven of nine overall for those connections. The gelding raced once at Oaklawn in January and subsequently sustained a training injury. He was retired after a career that saw him go 22-12-13 in 67 starts for earnings of $381,918.

All but six of the Maryland-bred's starts came in claiming races or under starter-allowance conditions. The 1 1/16-mile Kent Stirling Memorial Iron Horse is for horses that at some point ran for an $8,000 claiming price or cheaper.

The Claiming Crown at Gulfstream Park marked the 10th track at which Frost Or Frippery competed.

“The hallmark of a good horse is one that is honest and tries every time, no matter their level,” Cox said. “Frost Or Frippery wasn't the best or the fastest, but he was as honest as they come. I'm glad the Claiming Crown rewards such horses and their owners.”

The Claiming Crown program is a partnership between the National HBPA and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA). It was launched in 1999 to be the claiming horse owners' Breeders' Cup, a special event showcasing the blue-collar stalwarts that fill the majority of races in America.

“The group of horses that competed in the 2020 Claiming Crown provided a solid display of talent and class,” said Eric Hamelback, CEO of the National HBPA. “The event was designed as a means of featuring and promoting claiming-level horses while demonstrating to owners that claiming your way to success is an extremely important aspect within our industry. Frost Or Frippery exemplifies the true spirit of the Claiming Crown event, and we congratulate all the connections.”

Landers said he's touched that Frost Or Frippery is being recognized as the Claiming Crown Horse of the Year.

“Because of how tough the horse was,” Landers said. “He knew what he was doing. Didn't act stupid in the paddock, just went straight out there and did his job. It meant a lot for him to win it, because there are a lot of claiming horses in the country. That's what the Claiming Crown is about: being the best at what they do. He acted like a more-expensive horse, like high-dollar, more class-type horse than he really was. But he didn't know what his class was. He'd just go out there and win.”

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Jesus’ Team Breezes for Dubai World Cup

Grupo 7C Racing Stable's Jesus' Team (Tapiture), second in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. Jan. 23, breezed six furlongs in 1:14.45 at Palm Meadows Training Center Saturday morning, three weeks out from a scheduled to run in the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup Mar. 27.

“He went perfect, just like I wanted,” trainer Jose D'Angelo said. “He was spectacular on the gallop-out, faster than he finished. I think we're going to have a great trip to Dubai with him. He'll have one more work, an easy seven furlongs next week. This morning, I liked what I saw.”

Joel Rosario will have the mount in the Dubai World Cup.

Jesus' Team's resume also includes a runner-up finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and a third-place finish in the GI Preakness S. He won the Claiming Crown Jewel two starts back Dec. 5.

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Longtime Racing Executive Nat Wess, 81, Succumbs In Minnesota

Nat Wess, one of the premier publicists in horse racing in the 1970s and '80s when he served as director of publicity at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif., died on Thursday in Minnesota. He was 81.

Wess had been hospitalized since Dec. 31 after suffering a hip fracture and requiring surgery. While hospitalized, he tested positive for COVID-19, according to an email distributed to members of the Minnesota Racing Commission shared with the Paulick Report.

While he began his career as a publicist, working first at Santa Anita and then moving to cross-town rival Hollywood Park, Wess would go on to other racetrack and association management positions, including assistant general manager at Canterbury Park in Minnesota and general manager of the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association.

But it was promoting racing that Wess was best known for, especially during his years at Hollywood Park, when “giveaways” and the launch of the Pick 6 routinely brought weekend crowds of 50,000-plus (the first giveaway, when all paid attendees received a free tote bag, brought out a record 80,348). During his tenure at Hollywood Park, daily average attendance hit a highwater mark of 31,150 in 1980.

Wess left his mark on two other big events. In the early days of the Claiming Crown, when it was held at Philadelphia Park (now Parx Racing) and Canterbury, he  promoted it tirelessly on behalf of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association. During his time at the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Wess was part of the braintrust that created the California Cup, an event that had its 31st running two days after his death.

Wess, who always appeared to be a bundle of nervous energy, is remembered by racing writers for the patience, helpfulness and kindness he showed to those who were just beginning their careers. He was an old-school promoter, learning the ropes from the late Bob Benoit and employing props and publicity photos to promote big races and star horses

He is survived, by Ellen, his wife of 58 years, daughter Deborah and son David. A private memorial service for family will be held, and a public memorial is being planned for summer.

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