Speed is the name of the game in horse racing, but fame and glory usually gravitate toward those horses with the stamina to negotiate longer distances of ground in two-turn classics. Sprinters, the horses who can generate electrifying fractions, are usually in the background, except for a handful of champions who possessed speed so dazzling it left a lasting impression on anyone who ever watched them rocket to the winner’s circle. Housebuster was one of those brilliant sprinters.
Tag: Legends
John Nerud: Master of Tartan Farms
In any sport, there are legends of varying degree. In Thoroughbred racing, there are legends like Gallant Fox, and then there are legends like Secretariat. There are legends like Susan’s Girl, and there are legends like Zenyatta. In other words, there are legends, and then there are legends. John Nerud most definitely belongs in the latter category.
Princess Rooney: The First Breeders’ Cup Distaff Winner
The career of Princess Rooney was not unlike a sandwich. Hold the laughter – it’s true. During her three seasons on the track, she packaged a thin layer of disappointment between two sensational winning streaks that stamped her as one of the greatest fillies to every grace the sport of kings. Bred in Kentucky by Ben and Tom Roach, Princess Rooney wasn’t exactly a hot commodity as a yearling. Her pedigree wasn’t the most fashionable; her sire, Verbatim, was a respectable though not outstanding racehorse and stallion, while her dam and damsire were both unraced.
Silverbulletday: A Magical Ride
As stellar as Silverbulletday was in gaining honors as the champion 2-year-old filly in 1998 and as the champion 3-year-old filly the next season, there will always be a “what if” attached to her career. What if she had not drawn far outside, post 14, for the Preakness? What if she had received a more favorable post and been allowed to compete in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown?
