STATELY VICTOR Surprises Everyone by Winning Blue Grass Stakes

The 86th running of the Grade I Blue Grass Stakes yesterday proved to everyone who thinks they know about horses that we really don't know anything at all when it comes to these powerful but fragile animal athletes.

STATELY VICTOR is out of COLLECT THE CASH (a DYNAFORMER mare) and his papa is GHOSTZAPPER.  The bay colt surprised everyone as he won Keeneland's richest race, coming off as the longest shot on the board at 40 to 1.  His lifetime earnings before yesterday were only $43,213 - pretty good when you've only been on the job for a little over a year, but not enough to garner the superstar status that causes your name and the word Derby to be used in the same sentence.

STATELY VICTOR is owned by F. Thomas Conway and his son, Jack Conway, who is the Attorney General for the State of Kentucky.  Jack's remarks after the race had more to do with the thrill of seeing his father so happy than it had to do with winning $450,000.  That was refreshing. 

As the May 1 Kentucky Derby approaches, I'll be looking at more horses who are rising to the top of their field.  I do think it was interesting that the two big winners this weekend have names that were Biblically inspired: LINE OF DAVID and STATELY VICTOR.   LINE OF DAVID, also a longshot, won the Arkansas Derby, also a Grade I race.  LINE OF DAVID is by LION HEART and is out of the CAPOTE mare EMMA'S DILEMMA. LINE OF DAVID will set his sights straightaway on the Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs.  


pray for peace, y'all,
Kimmy