Remembering ... Manila

The Arlington Million, one of my favorite races of the year, is only eleven days away. My memory bank of past Millions is deep and rich. There was the Miracle Million of 1985, and John Henry's fantastic wins in 1981 and 1984.  I saw one of my favorites, Paradise Creek win in 1994, and I witnessed the trials and tribulations of Powerscourt in 2004 & 2005.  But as far as sheer ability of the winner, no Million meant as much to me as the 1987 running. People often ask me, who was the best American turf horse I ever saw. With all due respect to the excellence and longevity of John Henry, my answer for the past 23 years has been the same, the 1987 Million winner, Manila. The first time I saw Manila in person was the 1986 Lexington Stakes. The moment was not lost on me. Manila, A Lyphard colt out of Dona Ysidra, by Le Fabuleux, had taken to turf like a fish to water just a few months before the Lexington. That day at Belmont, he would relentlessly track down a talented turf runner named Glow, who appeared home free in the stretch. It was an impressive and dogged stretch run that I remember left me thinking that Manila was on the cusp of becoming a turf star. Little did I know how soon that would become reality. Mike Shannon had purchased Manila just months before, from breeder and Filipino businessman Eduardo M. Cojuangco Jr., who was a close associate of Phillipines president Ferdinand Marcos. Cojuangco left the country in February 1986 on the plane that carried the deposed dictator to exile in Hawaii. Shannon purchased several of Cojuangco's horses, including the young Lyphard colt who had been 0 for 3 on the dirt as a juvenile for his former owner. But it would not take long for Manila to prove to be the star of the bunch. Beginning with the race before the Lexington, Hollywood Park’s Cinema Handicap, Manila went on a stakes skein seldom seen in American turf. He rolled up nine straight stakes victories in a little over a year. After the Lexington, Manila would never run strictly against his age set again. He broke the track record in Atlantic City’s prestigious United Nations Handicap in his very next start, to bring his victory streak to three. After that, Manila would win a graded stakes at the Meadowlands by almost ten lengths, before earning hard fought victories in the Turf Classic and Breeders' Cup Turf, and what’s more, he won those races as a three-year-old. In that season of 1986, he was named the nation's champion grass horse and finished second in the balloting for Horse of the Year to the great filly, Lady's Secret. Heading into the Breeders’ Cup Turf, all the talk was about another three-year-old turf star. Dancing Brave was the toast of Europe after powerful wins in the 2000 Guineas, King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Also a son of Lyphard, Dancing Brave’s press clippings were more than glowing and the colt was thought to be near invincible, despite the presence of Manila, and two other turf tigers in Theatrical and Estrapade. But my friends, that is why they run the race, for it was the other three-year-old who would prove to best on the Santa Anita Turf. As the field straightened for home, it was the great mare Estrapade on the lead, but a three-prong challenge of males was ready to pounce. Manila was moving strongly on the rail, with Theatrical in the middle and Dancing Brave a threatening presence on the outside. The threat never materialized as Dancing Brave hung badly and finished a well beaten fourth at odds of 1-2. Meanwhile Theatrical made a winning move collaring the mare and quickly edging away. Manila’s hole on the rail was closed tightly, and rider Jose Santos had to snatch him up at the 3/16 pole. Theatrical was in full flight and appeared to be long gone, that is, long gone if Manila had been just another horse. Digging down unbelievably deep, Manila accelerated in gargantuan proportions and nailed his older competition at the wire. It was a fantastic performance, and one that saw Manila beat three champions. Seeing Manila in the Arlington Million the following Summer was especially gratifying for me on many fronts. Despite winning impressively in three straight stakes races to begin 1987, naysayers were doubting him after his first loss in a long time when he ran 2nd in the Bernard Baruch at Saratoga. On that afternoon he was beaten by a half length. He did give winner Talakeno 12 pounds in the Baruch, but it was his first non-Manila like performance since I started following him. I was hoping for redemption for the great horse, and I was thrilled that he would be doing it in Chicago’s biggest race. As usual the Million came up tough, and to win he would need to beat the sharp import Sharrood, and his old rival Theatrical. It was no contest. Manila had all of his class and ability on full display in winning the Million easily over Sharrood, while Theatrical was beaten nearly five lengths back in 3rd. The win was ample affirmation of his spot as the nation's leading grass horse. Sadly, only 12 days later to Manila was retired from racing because of a hairline fracture in his left cannon bone. Theatrical would begin his own streak after the Million, culminating with a BC Turf victory and an Eclipse Award. But those of us lucky enough to see Manila’s final race, knew who the best turf horse was. Overall, Manila won 12 of 18 lifetime starts, including a sensational turf record of 11 wins and 3 seconds in 14 races, and earned $2,692,799. At the time of his retirement, his earnings put him into the top ten all-time. As a stallion, he was initially sent to Lane’s End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky, where he sired multiple Grade 1 winner Bien Bien from his first crop. He was purchased by the Turkish Jockey Club in 1996, where he would spend the second half of his life. Manila went on to sire three champions, and was the leading broodmare sire in 2003 in his new home. He remained in Turkey until the time of his death last year. Manila passed away on February 28, 2009, from an aortic rupture. He was 26 years old. In case my words have not yet displayed just how special a horse Manila was, perhaps his trainer can do him justice. Leroy Jolley declared that he considered Manila to be the single best horse he ever trained. Powerful words when you consider that this man also trained Genuine Risk, Foolish Pleasure, Ridan, Gulch, Honest Pleasure, General Assembly, Meadow Star, and What a Summer, to name a few. I remember you Manila. Photo by Frances J. Karon

How Far Can Paddy Go?

Quick … what do Kitten’s Joy, Sunshine Forever, Manila, Mac Diarmida, Johnny D., Secretariat, and Run the Gantlet have in common? While I give you a few seconds to mull that over, please read on about the horse I believe most likely to be remembered as a superstar from the foal crop of 2007.  In the $500,000 Colonial Turf Cup last month, Paddy O'Prado who had finished 3rd in the Kentucky Derby and 6th in the Preakness in his previous two outings, went wide coming out of the turn, before making an electrifying move under regular rider Kent Desormeaux to take over from Two Notch Road. From there, he accelerated down the Colonial Downs stretch to win by three lengths over Arlington Classic winner Workin for Hops. To say it was an impressive score would not do it justice. The win in the Turf Cup was only the second career victory for the El Prado colt owned by Jerry Crawford and trained by Dale Romans, a figure that should be on the rise soon. It was an impressive win to be sure, but how can I predict such lofty heights for a horse with only two victories in nine starts? Easy. Paddy O’Prado is the best turf horse in the nation. No, not the best three-year-old turf horse, but the best horse running on American grass period. Hyperbole? I don’t think so. The Turf Cup was the best performance by any grass horse this year, and the observant race goer could see it coming. Good performances in the Blue Grass and Kentucky Derby underlined how good this attractive gray colt was getting. He drew raves from those who saw him train up to the Derby. One thing to remember with those performances though, is that they were not on his surface. Paddy O’Prado is a turf horse. Remember his maiden breaking run back in March? Paddy pointed at things to come as he easily dispatched a solid stakes field in the Palm Beach Stakes. That day he blistered the teletimer in 1:45.40 for the nine furlongs over Gulfstream Park’s turf course. With trainer Romans making the wise decision to skip the Belmont Stakes and focus on grass racing, the sky is now the limit. I see the Colonial Turf Cup as the first of many turf stakes for the future turf champ, continuing tomorrow. Look for Paddy O’Prado to handle a strong field in the Virginia Derby that includes Interactif, Stately Victor, and Krypton. From there it should be on to Chicago for Arlington Million Day as he marches towards the Breeders’ Cup. A march that I see culminating with an Eclipse Award as America’s best turf horse. Will Paddy O’Prado keep it rolling in the Virginia Derby? Will Dale Romans be so impressed with another win that he enters Paddy O’Prado in the Arlington Million next? Will I be right, and he will become only the eighth American three-year-old to be named turf champion in my lifetime? Stay tuned… Oh, I almost forgot, the answer to my opening question is: they are the only American three-year-olds to be named turf champion in the past 40 years. But you already had figured that out, now didn’t you?

Oh Paddy O’!

I have news for you folks, the colt who came within a whisker of finishing second in the Kentucky Derby is not a dirt horse. That same horse, who finished second in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes is also not a synthetic horse. His name is Paddy O’Prado and he is a grass horse, and oh baby, what a grass horse he may be. After the Blue Grass, Kentucky Derby, and a 6th place finish in the Preakness in his last three starts, trainer Dale Romans had his star back on his preferred surface and it resulted in an explosive performance. Showing a turn of foot reserved for superstars of our sport, Paddy O’Prado stalked the moderate pace set by Two Notch Road and quickened to join the leading pack in what seemed like a matter of strides. From there, the American colt, with the Irish name, easily loped away from his competition to an authoritative score in yesterday‘s Colonial Turf Cup. Coasting home under rider Kent Desormeaux, he finished clear by three lengths stopping the timer in a strong 1:54.20 for 1 3/16 miles as the 3-to-2 choice. The win was Paddy’s second straight visually impressive score on the lawn as he also decimated the field in the Palm Beach Stakes in March. In that victory, he became a graded stakes winner despite entering as a maiden. While the win in the Colonial Turf Cup was only his second win in nine starts, it is clear that Paddy O’Prado has developed into a real talent. A talent that becomes magnified on the lawn for the great looking gray colt. The son of El Prado, out of the Prized mare, Fun House, will now be pointed for the Virginia Derby and then the Secretariat Stakes in August. So turf will now be the focus for Paddy, and an ultimate destination of the Breeders’ Cup Turf in November is in the cards. American three year-olds do not have a great history in the Breeders’ Cup, but this may be a colt up to the task. It is a rare three-year-old turf horse that looks like he will be able to compete with his older contemporaries at this point in the season, but Paddy O’Prado gives me every indication that he is becoming that type of horse. Obviously, he has a long way to go to be considered as the top turf horse in the nation of any age, but his performances on grass recently rank up there with great turf horses like Mac Diarmida, Manila and Kitten’s Joy at the same time in their career. Those three were all horses who I admired early in their turf careers who were good enough to go on and become champion turf horses at the young age of three. Can Paddy O’Prado follow in their footsteps? I’ll be watching.