It’s a uncommon prevalence when a 2-year-old manages to earn the Horse of the Yr title on the Eclipse Awards, however then once more, it’s not each day {that a} 2-year-old as proficient and dominant as Favourite Trick emerges on the scene.
Born in 1995, Favourite Trick’s heritage steered he was lower out to be a sprinter. In any case, his sire (father), dam (mom), grandsire, and grandam all had been achieved sprinters, notably his sire, Cellphone Trick, who had gone 9-for-10 in his profession whereas profitable three Grade 2 sprints. Moreover, three of Favourite Trick’s older siblings had been sprinters. Maybe due to his comparatively retro pedigree, Favourite Trick offered for simply $32,000 on the 1996 Keeneland September yearling sale (nicely beneath the sale-topping worth of $1.4 million) and for simply $100,000 as a 2-year-old when offered to proprietor Joseph LaCombe the next February.
However pedigree isn’t all the things, and Favourite Trick was destined to rise above his comparatively humble beginnings. His pedigree full of sprinter pace could have been answerable for Favourite Trick’s early maturity and brilliance, however the fact of the matter is that Favourite Trick — although very quick — was rather more than only a sprinter.
Below the care of the up-and-coming coach Patrick Byrne, Favourite Trick confirmed expertise proper from the beginning and received his debut at Keeneland on April 25, 1997, leaving eight rivals behind to win by a simple 1 ½ lengths below Corridor of Fame jockey Pat Day. That promising debut was adopted by three straight stakes wins at Churchill Downs, together with a powerful 4 ½-length romp within the Grade 3 Bashford Manor Stakes that stamped Favourite Trick as clearly the very best 2-year-old in Kentucky.
After that, it was off to Saratoga, the place Favourite Trick took on a number of the finest younger horses in New York and beat them decisively within the Grade 2 Saratoga Particular Stakes and the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes. A 6-for-6 file was spectacular, however Favourite Trick had by no means run past seven-eighths of a mile and wanted to show that he was greater than only a sprinter … which he did when returning to Keeneland and profitable the Grade 2 Lane’s Finish Breeders’ Futurity going 1 1/16 miles by three lengths with a pointy rally from simply off the tempo.
The logical conclusion to the season was the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Hollywood Park, which might require a cross-country journey to California. Contemplating the size and extent of Favourite Trick’s marketing campaign, he may have been forgiven if he regressed a bit within the Juvenile. As a substitute, he seized command turning for dwelling and drew off to win by 5 ½ lengths.
“He was simply enjoying with the opposition,” Byrne mentioned within the Nov. 9, 1997 version of Bridgewater, N.J.’s The Courier-Information. “And people had been robust horses. There have been horses in there that weren’t simply coming off maiden wins.”
Having accomplished an unbeaten 8-for-8 season, Favourite Trick was a shoo-in to be voted champion 2-year-old male on the Eclipse Awards, however he was additionally gaining assist for Horse of the Yr honors. In a 12 months that lacked a standout amongst older horses, Favourite Trick’s clear-cut superiority over his rivals was interesting and even paying homage to the good Secretariat, the one earlier 2-year-old to win Horse of the Yr on the Eclipse Awards.
Turf author Jennie Rees, discussing the topic within the Courier-Journal, made a case for Favourite Trick to be named Horse of the Yr and famous that racing followers within the space strongly agreed. Positive sufficient, when the votes had been counted, Favourite Trick was a transparent alternative for the glory, profitable the title over Breeders’ Cup Traditional winner Skip Away.
Thereafter, Favourite Trick’s profession was a narrative of ups and downs. Patrick Byrne quickly gave up his public steady to work as a personal coach for proprietor Frank Stronach, and Favourite Trick was turned over to coach Invoice Mott, finest identified for his work with two-time Horse of the Yr Cigar.
Favourite Trick opened his 1998 season with a simple win within the Grade 3 Swale Stakes sprinting seven-eighths of a mile, however suffered a stunning defeat when ending third by a neck within the Grade 2 Arkansas Derby, his longest race so far at 1 1/8 miles.
As soon as once more, issues about Favourite Trick’s pedigree rose to the forefront, particularly with the stiff check of the 1 ¼-mile Kentucky Derby quickly approaching. Even Mott had puzzled whether or not Favourite Trick may run that far; in an article by Neil Milbert within the Could 2, 1998 version of the Chicago Tribune, Mott mentioned: “When Favourite Trick received the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, I assumed, ‘He may win all the things as much as the Derby, however I query the gap issue.’ You need to be round him to understand him. He has given me extra confidence that he can get the mile and 1 / 4.”
In the long run, there wouldn’t be a transparent reply, for Favourite Trick by no means critically threatened within the Derby and completed a distant eighth in a efficiency that was tough accountable on a easy lack of stamina. Given a brief break from racing, he rebounded in the course of the summer season to win the Lengthy Department Breeders’ Cup Stakes and the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes in slim style (the latter race at 1 1/8 miles) earlier than a troubled journey compromised his probabilities and led to a fifth-place end within the Grade 2 King’s Bishop Stakes, the one dash race he would ever lose.
However Favourite Trick was stuffed with surprises, and when Invoice Mott concluded that Favourite Trick’s finest distance was in all probability round a mile, he entered the colt within the one-mile Grade 2 Keeneland Breeders’ Cup Mile Stakes on the turf course at Keeneland.
“With out query, I really feel like he’s not a six-furlong specialist, and a mile and 1 / 4 isn’t his bag, both,” Mott mentioned in an Oct. 18, 1998, story by Jennie Rees within the Courier-Journal. “We thought simply strive the grass and see how he favored it.”
Apparently, Favourite Trick favored it very nicely, as he led from begin to end to win by 3 ½ lengths.
“That’s the very best he’s felt since Breeders’ Cup final 12 months,” mentioned jockey Pat Day within the Courier-Journal. “He appeared dynamite. … Three jumps away from there he threw his ears up and went into an enormous gallop. I imply, he was simply tip-toeing over the grass, simply blissful and getting over the bottom so good.”
Favourite Trick couldn’t replicate the trouble within the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile, wherein he battled for the lead earlier than tiring to complete eighth, however whereas his unbeatable aura was gone, he had confirmed himself to be a flexible, proficient horse, and rather more than only a sprinter.
At stud, Favourite Trick wasn’t fairly as achieved as he was on the racetrack, however he achieved some success as a stallion in New Mexico earlier than he was sadly misplaced in a barn fireplace in June 2006.
Within the 25-plus years since Favourite Trick’s unbeaten juvenile season, no different 2-year-old has received Horse of the Yr honors on the Eclipse Awards. It takes a particular horse to tug off that feat, and there’s little doubt that Favourite Trick was particular.
Observe: This story was initially revealed in 2017 and has been up to date.
Enjoyable Details
- Favourite Trick retired with a file of 12 wins and a 3rd from 16 begins, with earnings of $1,726,793.
- Amongst Favourite Trick’s most profitable runners had been the stakes winners Yucatan, Sum Trick, Difficult R., and Tight Spin.
- Favourite Trick was the main New Mexico-based sire of 2006.
- Favourite Trick was favored to win in all however three of his races and by no means went off at odds increased than 7-1.
