The sport of horse racing can be rewarding and disappointing. Sometimes, It just makes you shake your head. All three were on display at Golden Gate Fields over the last two weeks and it all stemmed from one race, a year ago.
Lets flash back to the 2010 California Derby for a little perspective. The top three horses in the wagering were Connemara (1-2 choice) with Russell Baze, Shudacudawudya (3-1) and Ranger Heartley (5-1). Ranger Heartley went wire to wire under jockey Julio Garcia and held off a determined Connemara by ¾ of a length. The favorite chased the winner the entire length of the stretch but could not get by. Shudacudawudya finished fourth, beaten just under two lengths, after closing to within a length at the top of the stretch.
Connemara went on to win the El Camino Real Derby, a month later at GGF and then finished third in the Lane’s End Stakes at Turfway Park. He is now racing in Doha, Qatar in he middle east. The other two? well they haven’t had such success. In fact, each returned here to Golden Gate Fields over the last two weeks under very different circumstances.
Lets start with Ranger Heartley. I guess you could say we saw the rise, and the fall that sports can provide. Following his big win, the John Sadler charge made three more starts, finishing 5th in the El Camino Real, 9th in the Lane’s End and 5th in the Affirmed Handicap at Hollywood Park. He then hit the claiming ranks where he was claimed for $62,500 by trainer Bob Hess Jr. He went to Canada and finished 6th in the Canadian Derby before starting down the claiming ladder. Failures at the $62,500 and $32,000 levels prompted Hess to enter the reigning Cal Derby winner for a $12,500 price tag, a race in which he finished 7th out of eight horses at Santa Anita.
Finally, the bottom step of the ladder came on January 21st , just 1 year and five days after the biggest win of his career, he returned to Golden Gate Fields and again went wire to wire, this time under apprentice jockey Kyle Frey and this time, for a $5,000 price tag. Once again, he was claimed.
As fate would have it, he sustained a fracture in his hind leg while finishing fourth in that same derby. The one time winner of the Golden Nugget Stakes (at Golden Gate Fields) and third place finisher in the Stutka Stakes at Hollywood Park was sent to the sidelines in hopes of someday racing again. That hope came true just six days after Ranger Hearltey made his return to the Tapeta surface at Golden Gate Fields. Shudacudawudya stormed from third in the stretch to win a $47,000 allowance race by ¾ of a length over Our Minesweeper. Oh and by the way, Our Minesweeper also was in that California Derby, finishing 5th.
Three horses, one race, and three different stories. Oh what a difference one year can make.