Lately, most racing followers acknowledge Sweet Experience as a famend stallion, the sire of champions reminiscent of Gun Runner, Shared Perception, and Sport Winner.
However earlier than Sweet Experience made his mark at stud, he left an indelible impression as a racehorse. Though he raced simply six occasions, Sweet Experience by no means tasted defeat whereas demonstrating the expertise and energy of a really elite racehorse. By no means was his skill extra obvious than within the $1 million Pacific Traditional in 2003 at Del Mar, the place he trounced three gifted rivals in a record-setting efficiency unequaled to this present day.
The saga started when the Argentine-bred colt dominated three races in his dwelling nation by a mixed margin of 28 lengths. The Gran Premio San Isidro and the Gran Premio Joaquin de Anchorena – each top-level races towards older rivals – went his manner by eight lengths apiece. Nobody may match Sweet Experience’s velocity and stamina.
This show of domination caught the attention of Corridor of Fame coach Ron McAnally. Finest identified for conditioning the two-time Horse of the Yr John Henry, McAnally had loved ample success with South American imports, plucking Bayakoa, Paseana, Festin, Ibero, and Completely different from Argentina to win championships and Grade 1 races in North America.
In Sweet Experience, McAnally noticed one other star within the making, and so he satisfied homeowners Sidney and Jenny Craig to buy the colt for $900,000.
The Aug. 25, 2003 version of Louisville’s The Courier-Journal reported: “On the time, McAnally predicted Sweet Experience can be the horse to offer the Craigs a victory within the race they most needed to win – the Pacific Traditional.”
McAnally took his time with Sweet Experience, letting him acclimate to his new dwelling earlier than coming into him in a 1 1/16-mile allowance/optional-claiming race at Hollywood Park on June 7. Though Sweet Experience’s massive victories in Argentina had come on turf, he dealt with dust simply high quality to win his North American debut by three lengths.
One month later, McAnally switched Sweet Experience again to turf and watched as his star colt – not but 4 years previous – outduel older rivals to win the 1 1/8-mile, Grade 2 American Handicap in a brisk 1:46.20 seconds.
With these prep runs below his belt, Sweet Experience arrived at Del Mar for the Pacific Traditional. The 1 ¼-mile race would mark his stiffest check. Not solely would he be stretching out in distance, he can be going through a small however elite discipline led by the Whitney Handicap and Travers Stakes winner Medaglia d’Oro, the 3-5 betting favourite. The 2-time Santa Anita Handicap winner Milwaukee Brew and the long run Japan Cup Dust winner Fleetstreet Dancer added much more firepower to the aggressive discipline.
Sadly, prerace preparations didn’t go fairly as deliberate. Sweet Experience was scheduled to be ridden by Corridor of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, however every week earlier than the race, Stevens was injured in a spill at Arlington Park. Immediately, Sweet Experience was and not using a jockey for the largest race of his life.
McAnally was left trying to find a substitute rider on brief discover, and whereas he had loads of choices, he in the end assigned the mount to Julie Krone, one other Corridor of Fame inductee who was on the comeback path after taking two years off from driving.
“Julie is nearly as good a rider as there may be in California proper now,” defined McAnally within the Aug. 21, 2003 version of the Oceanside, Calif. North County Occasions. “We may have had any variety of riders, however we’ve had plenty of luck with Julie … ”
Earlier than the Pacific Traditional, Krone obtained considerate recommendation and insights from Stevens relating to one of the simplest ways to journey Sweet Experience.
“He mentioned you’ll by no means get on a horse like this. This horse is so push-button,” Krone revealed within the North County Occasions. “He mentioned take it to Medaglia d’Oro and so they gained’t know what occurred turning for dwelling.”
Krone adopted Stevens’ recommendation to the letter. On a sunny day at Del Mar, 30,458 racing followers turned out to witness the showdown within the 2003 Pacific Traditional. When the beginning gates opened, Sweet Experience got here out a bit awkwardly, however as the sector got here previous the stands for the primary time, Krone allowed Sweet Experience to race up alongside the pace-setting Medaglia d’Oro, pushing the favourite by means of a gap quarter-mile in :23.40.
Medaglia d’Oro, with Jerry Bailey within the saddle, continued to steer into the primary flip and down the backstretch, however Sweet Experience was at all times a menacing presence, looming simply off the tempo by means of more and more testing fractions of :46.82 and 1:10.95.
Lastly, the 2 favorites attached on the ultimate flip. Sweet Experience threw down the gauntlet, reaching even phrases with Medaglia d’Oro by means of a stiff mile in 1:34.78. By operating the fourth quarter in :23.83, Sweet Experience issued a problem his rival couldn’t match.
“When [Candy Ride] glided by, I knew I used to be cooked as a result of Julie nonetheless had a ton of horse and my horse was giving all he was value,” Bailey mentioned within the the Courier-Journal.
By means of the Del Mar stretch, Krone requested Sweet Experience for his finest, and the son of Experience the Rails steadily solid away from Medaglia d’Oro. One size, two lengths, and at last 3 ¼ lengths separated the 2 runners on the end line, with Sweet Experience flying dwelling within the track-record time of 1:59.11.
Sweet Experience’s efficiency was broadly applauded by horseman and handicappers alike.
“It is a phenomenal horse,” marveled McAnally within the Courier-Journal. “He’s nearly as good as any horse I’ve ever skilled.”
“How good of a horse is he? Wow! That’s how good a horse he’s,” mentioned Julie Krone, who made historical past as the primary feminine jockey to win a $1 million race. “Wonderful. He’s a rocket ship.”
“I really like his motion,” added McAnally. “He has such an extended, fluid stride.”
The staff producing the ever-popular Beyer Velocity Figures agreed, assigning Sweet Experience a formidable determine of 123, the very best variety of 2003 and one of many quickest figures posted by any horse for the reason that figures have been launched to the Each day Racing Kind in 1992.
Sadly, the Pacific Traditional marked Sweet Experience’s final hurrah as a racehorse. Little points prevented him from operating once more, and his retirement was introduced in August 2004. Racing’s loss was breeding’s acquire, since Sweet Experience proved to be an outstanding success at stud, main all stallions in North America by 2017 progeny earnings.
However typically it’s important to suppose again and marvel “what may need been.” Twenty-one years later, Sweet Experience’s monitor report nonetheless stands, an unmatched testomony to his velocity, stamina, and expertise.
And what of McAnally’s insightful proclamation – eight months earlier than the nice race unfolded – that Sweet Experience would win the Pacific Traditional? He casually shrugged it off within the North County Occasions of Aug. 27, 2003:
“I’m glad I didn’t need to eat my phrases.”
Observe: This story was initially printed in July 2019 and has been up to date.
