Ghostzapper was not precisely a workhorse.
He by no means raced greater than 4 occasions in any of his 4 seasons.
But within the comparatively temporary time he spent on the racetrack, Ghostzapper had few – if any – friends.
In 2004, when he was named Horse of the Yr, he was an undefeated graded stakes winner, versatile sufficient to win at seven furlongs, 1 1/8 miles, and 1 ¼ miles whereas registering blazing quick occasions in every of them.
“He dealt with any sort of racetrack, and also you couldn’t take a race away from him,” Ghostzapper’s coach, the late Bobby Frankel, stated to the Related Press on the time of the colt’s retirement in 2005. “In the event that they needed to go too quick, he may come from final. In the event that they had been going gradual, he’d go proper to the lead. How do you beat a horse like that?”
They didn’t. At the least not that always. In 11 begins, he received 9 occasions and earned $3,446,120 in a profession that was rewarded in 2012 with a spot within the Nationwide Museum of Racing and Corridor of Fame.
A homebred son of Superior Once more, Ghostzapper raced underneath the banner of proprietor Frank Stronach’s Stronach Stables and made his profession debut as a 2-year-old at Hollywood Park on Nov. 16, 2002, notching a nine-length victory at 11-1 odds for Frankel.
Despatched off as a 3-10 favourite in his second begin, an allowance race at Santa Anita Park on Dec. 26, Ghostzapper was squeezed again at the beginning and completed a disappointing fourth.
Given ample time to relaxation and develop, Ghostzapper returned at 3 only a few weeks after the Triple Crown ended with Humorous Cide denied a sweep by Frankel’s Empire Maker within the Belmont Stakes. He began his 3-year-old marketing campaign with a powerful 3 1/4-length victory in a June 20 allowance race at Belmont Park.
A half-length victory in an allowance race at Saratoga adopted, however then within the Grade 1 King’s Bishop Stakes, Ghostzapper dropped again to tenth within the area of 13 and needed to rally six extensive. The bottom loss got here again to hang-out him as he wound up third, denied by a pair of heads from claiming his first stakes win.
Ghostzapper returned in September and tackled older horses within the Grade 1 Vosburgh Stakes. In a sign of what was to return in 2004, he romped to a 6 ½-length triumph because the 3-1 second alternative.
Minor foot accidents ended his season and prevented him from working within the Breeders’ Cup, however when he lastly brushed these illnesses apart and resumed racing in July of 2004, he was higher than ever.
He began with a 4 ¼-length win within the Grade 2 Tom Idiot Handicap, protecting the seven furlongs in 1:20.42, solely lacking the observe file by .46 seconds.
Although Ghostzapper appeared destined to be the 12 months’s champion sprinter, Frankel had a lot larger plans for him – specifically the Breeders’ Cup Basic.
Given his first likelihood at two turns, Ghostzapper responded with a monstrous 10 ¾-length victory within the Grade 3 Iselin Handicap at Monmouth Park, falling in need of a observe file by .86 seconds with a closing time of 1:47.66 for the mile and an eighth.
A tough-fought victory by a neck over Saint Liam (who would win the 2005 Breeders’ Cup Basic) within the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes vaulted Ghostzapper to the highest of the older male division.
Frankel, who handed away in 2009, focused the Breeders’ Cup Basic at Lone Star Park subsequent, and a few questioned if the mile-and-a-quarter distance can be too demanding for a horse with such a superb flip of pace.
The sector included 2003 Breeders’ Cup Basic winner Pleasantly Good and each he and Ghostzapper had been despatched off as co-favorites at 5-2.
It turned out to be a mismatch.
Taking the lead at the beginning underneath jockey Javier Castellano, Ghostzapper cruised alongside on the entrance finish after which pulled away within the stretch to win by three lengths over Roses in Could, with Pleasantly Good one other 4 lengths again in third.
“I instructed everybody, this was one of the best horse I ever educated,” Frankel stated. “I do know he needed to exit and present it. In my coronary heart, I all the time felt that manner.”
The ultimate time was 1:59.02, which nonetheless stands as a file for the Breeders’ Cup Basic.
“Ghostzapper is an excellent horse,” stated Dale Romans, who educated Roses in Could. “He could also be one of the best horse we have seen in a very long time. We picked a foul 12 months to have a high horse for the Basic.”
After securing simply his third Breeders’ Cup win in 63 tries, Frankel was sure Ghostzapper had achieved sufficient to be named Horse of the Yr, although earlier within the 12 months Smarty Jones had received the Kentucky Derby and Preakness earlier than ending second within the Belmont Stakes.
Other than profitable all 4 of his 2004 races by a mixed 18 ¼ lengths, Ghostzapper additionally notched amazingly fast Beyer Pace Figures of 120, 128, 114, and 124.
“Breeders’ Cup day hasn’t been an amazing day for me, however this time the dream got here true. I feel [Horse of the Year] is a no brainer,” Frankel stated. “[Ghostzapper] could be very versatile. He can go six furlongs with one of the best of them, and he can come from 15 or 20 lengths out of it or win on the lead. He can win going lengthy on the lead. He loves mud, and he does not must take his racetrack with him.
“He is a dream horse, and probably an excellent horse.”
When the Eclipse Awards had been introduced, the Corridor of Fame coach was confirmed appropriate as Ghostzapper was named Horse of the Yr and the champion older male.
Frankel introduced Ghostzapper again to the races at 5 and the son of Superior Once more romped by 6 1/4 lengths within the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap in a closing time of 1:33.29 for the mile.
Sadly, Ghostzapper suffered an ankle harm within the Met Mile and Stronach and Frankel determined to retire their champion.
“He went out the proper manner, in a great way,” Frankel instructed the Related Press. “He did run that one good race this 12 months, and if something it gave him extra respect.”
It was respect as among the finest horses of his period. Ghostzapper could not have had the longest profession, however few put their time on the racetrack to make use of as brilliantly as he did.
Be aware: This story initially was revealed in September 2015 and has been up to date.
Enjoyable Details
- Superior Once more (1998) and Ghostzapper (2004) had been the primary sire and son to win the Breeders’ Cup Basic. Curlin (2007) and Vino Rosso (2019) duplicated that feat.
- The victory aboard Ghostzapper within the Basic was the primary for jockey Javier Castellano within the Breeders’ Cup.
- Ghostzapper is the sire of 765 winners, of 58 graded stakes winners and 15 millionaires via Sept. 27, 2024, together with Eclipse Award champions and Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Dash winners Goodnight Olive and Judy the Magnificence, Canadian Horse of the Yr Moira, and 2021 Dubai World Cup Introduced by Emirates Airline winner Mystic Information.
