Buckpasser was an actual character – that’s a pleasant approach of placing it. It’s a testomony to his expertise, if not his tenacity, that the blueblood colt compiled a Corridor of Fame profession regardless of his nonchalant and sometimes irritating angle towards racing.
At one time or one other, Buckpasser did just about every thing you possibly can ask of an amazing horse. He gained sprinting as quick as five-eighths of a mile; he gained main stakes races so long as two miles. He earned $1 million again when that milestone was nonetheless a major feat. He broke or equaled three observe data. He carried nice weights, traveled from coast to coast successful main races, and completed out of the cash solely as soon as, in his profession debut.
Bettors embraced Buckpasser, sending him to publish because the odds-on favourite 24 occasions. On a few events, Hialeah Park in Florida refused to supply wagering on races wherein Buckpasser competed (together with the well-known 1966 Flamingo Stakes) as a result of they feared they might lose cash on the proposition.
That is all of the extra extraordinary while you issue that Buckpasser thought-about racing to be a type of group train and had just about no curiosity in any respect in truly defeating his opponents. As racing historian Ed Bowen put it in “Legacies of the Turf, Vol. 2: A Century of Nice Thoroughbred Breeders,” Buckpasser was a “prettily designed car … with a turbo-charged V-8 engine,” however was additionally “inclined to let the foot off the throttle at awkward moments.”
A homebred racing for Ogden Phipps, Buckpasser was all the time reduce out to be one thing particular. His sire, Tom Idiot, gained Horse of the Yr honors in 1953 due to an ideal 10-for-10 marketing campaign. His dam, Busanda, was likewise a top-class runner. A daughter of Triple Crown winner Conflict Admiral, Busanda gained the 1950 Alabama Stakes and later defeated males within the Suburban Handicap and two editions of the Saratoga Cup.
Buckpasser clearly inherited superior racing genes from his dad and mom, though he appeared to lack their sense of aggressive urgency. Whereas Tom Idiot was a speedster, pressuring his opponents proper from the beginning, Buckpasser was completely content material to gallop alongside behind the early leaders. Within the homestretch, he would rally not a lot as a result of he cared to win, however as a result of he was a lot sooner than his rivals he couldn’t assist however cross them. He appreciated to catch horses, however he didn’t need to lead the pack, an occasion which sometimes triggered overreactions from the wildly proficient colt.
Within the custom of the day, Buckpasser raced closely as a juvenile. Beneath the care of coach Invoice Winfrey, Buckpasser – a tall colt, darkish bay and virtually completely put collectively – completed fourth in his debut on Could 13, 1965 at Aqueduct, charging late from off the tempo to complete simply 1 ¼ lengths behind the chief.
From that time on, Buckpasser was virtually unstoppable. Within the span of 4 months he rattled off eight consecutive victories, using his trademark late-running fashion to nab prestigious prizes just like the Nationwide Stallion Stakes, Tremont Stakes, Sapling Stakes, and Hopeful Stakes. Within the Sapling, he blew the beginning and conceded the sector a number of lengths, however “roared down the homestretch” to prevail by a half-length, as recounted within the Aug. 9, 1965 version of The Every day Register.
“We weren’t prepared firstly. He was backing up and needed to make a lunge,” defined Buckpasser’s common rider, Braulio Baeza. “It was a horrible begin so far as we have been involved, however as soon as he obtained to working, he ran one among his greatest races.”
A slim defeat within the Sept. 25 Futurity Stakes proved to be Buckpasser solely different setback for the season. Three weeks later, when stretching out to a mile for the primary time, Buckpasser cruised to a simple victory within the Champagne Stakes to cement his standing because the champion 2-year-old male of 1965.
However Buckpasser’s season was not with out it quirks. Within the Arlington-Washington Futurity at Arlington Park – the richest race on the planet on the time with a handbag of $335,000 – Buckpasser demonstrated what would develop into a worrisome behavior. After seizing a four-length lead within the stretch, Buckpasser began trying round for competitors. Discovering none, he started to shorten stride.
“Buckpasser was trying again and loafing, so I needed to get after him fairly good,” Baeza stated within the Sept. 12, 1965 version of the Louisville Courier-Journal. “He eased up after getting the lead on the skin.”
This tendency would recur the next season as Buckpasser turned an increasing number of reluctant to race on his personal, with out competitors. He was already a troublesome horse to coach within the mornings.
Kimberly Herbert wrote in “Thoroughbred Champions: High 100 Racehorses of the twentieth Century” that Buckpasser “was not focused on exerting himself unnecessarily, and barely would if there have been nothing to beat. A stablemate needed to be despatched out with him within the mornings to get any conditioning into him, and that didn’t all the time work.”
Eddie Neloy, who took over Buckpasser’s coaching through the winter, referred to the colt’s habits as “idiosyncrasies” in a column by Crimson Smith. “After all, possibly [easing up] is sweet for him. Possibly he conserves himself that approach.”
Neloy’s feedback have been revealed on March 2, 1966 within the Tampa Bay Instances, one week after Buckpasser had endeavored to drag himself up within the Everglades Stakes at Hialeah, within the course of careening into stablemate Stupendous earlier than combating again to win by a head. On March 3, Buckpasser pushed his antics to a wholly completely different stage within the Flamingo Stakes.
“I can’t let you know if the horse will outgrow all his unhealthy habits,” Neloy paradoxically commented the day earlier than the race to Artwork Grace of The Miami Information. “I feel the one horse that may beat Buckpasser is Buckpasser.”
Certainly, Buckpasser did his greatest to defeat himself. In a race Gene Ward described as “bizarre” within the New York Every day Information of March 4, Buckpasser tracked the tempo, took the lead simply on the prime of the stretch, and promptly misplaced curiosity in working. As late-running longshot Abe’s Hope swept to the entrance, opening up a two-length lead, Buckpasser someway restarted his engine and re-rallied within the remaining strides to win by a nostril.
“I’ve by no means been on a horse that made up that a lot floor that quick,” marveled Buckpasser’s non permanent jockey Invoice Shoemaker in The Miami Information of March 4, 1966.
Sadly, 1 / 4 crack hoof damage compelled Buckpasser to overlook the Triple Crown collection, which he would have been favored to dominate regardless of his antics. The excellent news? When he returned to motion in June, he was a minimum of barely extra skilled and wholly unstoppable.
Ten begins between June 4 and Oct. 29: 10 victories, most of them by small margins as Baeza – again within the saddle – labored laborious to time Buckpasser’s late rallies good. With stablemate Spectacular generally serving pace-setting duties, Buckpasser sometimes consented to be sensible. Within the Arlington Basic Handicap at Arlington Park, Buckpasser rallied from behind a blazing tempo to win in 1:32 3/5 seconds, eclipsing the world file for a mile. Later in the summertime, he broke a observe file when claiming the 1 1/8-mile American Derby by a neck in 1:47 flat, and he equaled Saratoga’s observe normal for 1 ¼ miles when successful the historic Travers Stakes in 2:01 3/5.
Victories in opposition to older rivals in storied races just like the Brooklyn Handicap, Woodward Stakes, and Jockey Membership Gold Cup reiterated Buckpasser’s standing as the most effective horse in coaching. Regardless of lacking the spring classics, he was a simple alternative for champion 3-year-old male, champion handicap male, and Horse of the Yr.
Following a two-month relaxation, Buckpasser kicked off his subsequent marketing campaign on the West Coast, delivery throughout the nation to Santa Anita Park to attain victories within the Malibu Stakes and San Fernando Stakes. However simply as his 4-year-old season was heating up, one other quarter crack despatched him to the sidelines, and a sore hoof stored him out of the wealthy Santa Anita Handicap.
The rest of the season was a blended bag. After recuperating for 4 months, Buckpasser returned to motion with a victory within the prestigious Metropolitan Handicap, extending his win streak to fifteen consecutive races. His connections then contemplated an bold journey to France for the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, the place Buckpasser would race on grass for the primary time.
Neloy and Baeza expressed confidence Buckpasser would deal with the transition simply high-quality; per the June 12, 1967 version of the Orlando Night Information, Baeza informed the Related Press “You don’t have to fret about this horse. He can deal with any form of observe, muddy, sloppy, good, quick, grime or grass.”
However Buckpasser had different concepts and dashed these tentative plans by ending third within the Bowling Inexperienced Handicap, his turf debut. Returned to grime for the Suburban Handicap, Buckpasser rallied gamely within the remaining strides to win below 133 kilos, conceding 22 to the runner-up.
This proved to be Buckpasser’s remaining hurrah. Ongoing foot points compromised his coaching, and he failed to provide his trademark stretch problem when ending second in each the Brooklyn Handicap and the Woodward Stakes. Following the latter defeat – a 10-length loss in opposition to future Corridor of Famer Damascus – warmth was detected in Buckpasser’s proper entrance pastern, prompting his retirement.
“It wasn’t Buckpasser [in the Woodward],” Baeza informed the Related Press for a narrative revealed in Fort Myers, Fla.’s The Information-Press of Oct. 3, 1967. “He was not giving out like he can. He began to expire from the primary flip till he obtained into the stretch. The true Buckpasser all the time was wanting to catch the horse in entrance. He was not that approach within the Woodward.”
Regardless of his late-season defeats, Buckpasser acquired another championship title, being voted champion handicap male by the Thoroughbred Racing Affiliation.
Buckpasser’s racing days have been over, however he remained within the headlines for years to come back. Syndicated for a file $4.8 million as a stallion prospect, Buckpasser proved to be successful a stud, with the champion fillies La Prevoyante, Numbered Account, and Stress-free amongst his greatest foals. Regardless of passing away on the younger age of 15, he additionally turned an influential broodmare sire, together with his daughters producing champions Simple Goer and Slew o’ Gold amongst many different notable runners.
Along with his racing exploits and productive stud profession, Buckpasser earned accolades from handicappers and horsemen alike. However maybe nobody was ever extra impressed by the five-time champion than acclaimed painter Richard Stone Reeves.
“Of all of the horses I’ve painted, I consider Buckpasser has come closest to bodily perfection,” remarked Reeves within the e book “Legends: The Artwork of Richard Stone Reeves,” by Ed Bowen.
Reeves heaped reward on Buckpasser’s conformation; his “fine-crested neck and clean-cut throatlatch; deep, well-sloped shoulders; deep by the center, good bone, straight legs; almost good quarters and hind legs … I may go on and on about Buckpasser. He had an clever eye, a large brow, a finely crafted muzzle. … His coat was a wealthy bay, the colour of vintage furnishings, darkish mahogany virtually.”
And Buckpasser may flat-out run, too … so long as he had competitors!
Editor’s Notice: This story was initially revealed in 2019 and has been up to date.
Enjoyable Information
- Buckpasser retired with a file of 25 wins, 4 seconds, and one third from 31 begins. His profession earnings of $1,462,014 ranked him third all-time upon retirement.
- Buckpasser was a champion yearly he raced.
- In 1970 – simply three years after his retirement – Buckpasser was inducted into the Nationwide Museum of Racing’s Corridor of Fame.
- When BloodHorse polled racing specialists to find out the highest 100 racehorses of the twentieth Century, Buckpasser ranked No. 14.
