Breaking news I just saw over at Ron Correll’s site:
http://articles.tracksideview.com/2008/08/27/benny-the-bull-retired-with-ankle-chip/trackback.aspx
It would seem that IEAH stables sprinter Benny the Bull has finished his days as a word class sprinter. Usually you wouldn’t think I’d be very upset when my not-so-favorite trainer Rick Dutrow loses a colt, but I really liked this guy.
I remember vividly having him keyed on a few bets this past Belmont Day. During the undercard racing action, Benny was the overwhelming favorite in the Grade 2 True North Handicap. He was coming back from Dubai and early on in the race did not appear he was even going to finish in the money.
Then, in the final few hundred yards, he unleashed a charge unlike any I’ve had the pleasure of seeing first hand. He blew past the field from about 6 wide and nailed Man of Danger by a neck at the wire. It was unbelievable. At the time it seemed to be a good omen for Big Brown, but we all know what happened later that afternoon and needn’t return there.
Now, truth be told, I really wanted Benny to continue his winning ways heading into the Breeder’s Cup Sprint. Partly because I thought he’d be an obvious contender, but more appropriately because I wanted to play local California hero Street Boss against him. Now we’ll never get that showdown, which ought to have been a good one. Instead I’ll be stuck with likely favorite odds on Street Boss rather than an upset.
That being said (I use that phrase entirely too much, I’ve noticed), as I like to do when a horse of name and record finishes their career in an unanticipated fashion, I’d like pause and tip my hat to Benny for a moment. Here’s how I’ll always remember him from the True North Handicap. Pay extra attention to the final 100 yards. He’s like a projectile screaming out of a cannon.
I loved Benny The Bull, he had one of the most explosive late kicks ever. His races always put me on the edge of my seat. He waits till the last minute to win at the wire. Thrilling! To bad we’re losing him.
“Usually you wouldn’t think I’d be very upset when my not-so-favorite trainer Rick Dutrow loses a colt, but I really liked this guy.”
Funny you said that. because IEAH’s principal is so sleazy and Dutrow is such a slug we tend root against their horses as is the case for me with Big Brown. Shame the horses are in such lowlife hands.
Kevin; so im sitting here at work looking at the races from saratoga. the 9th is a 2 year old msw the 3 horse is a smarty out of a good mare with a line of 12/1 but trained by d wayne lukas the field is mostly firsters and well breed. baffert has a horse with a 57 and change. others look real good to make a long story longer with a minuite to go i look up and the lukas is 45/1 if anyone else was training this gal 6/1 max. well you of course no BE SMART wires the field at 49/1. 10 years ago that horse goes off at 3/1 with d.wayne training how times change. of course i passed the race. lol …….GLC
Benny would’ve been a lock this weekend in my opinion. Still can’t believe we lost him. Add him to the list of good ones that we won’t see again, along with Heatseeker and Nashoba’s Key (rest in peace).
Interesting you mentioning Nashoba’s Key, it seems like most people have already forgotten her. She was just starting to come into her own when she died, what a shame. Awesome racehorse.
Interesting you mentioning Nashoba’s Key, it seems like most people have already forgotten her. She was just starting to come into her own when she died, what a shame. Awesome racehorse. The Zenyatta of last year.
Whoops, sorry, I hit submit twice!!