Racing! War Admiral comes in at No. 6 in Triple Crown poll

Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as Saturday’s Snow Chief Stakes reminded everyone what a difficult business racing can be.

But first, we assembled a blue-ribbon panel of experts to rank the 12 winners of the Triple Crown. And now we’re getting to the top half of the field.

6. War Admiral (1937), 78 points

War Admiral was the fourth horse to win the Triple Crown but his greatness is better defined by his full body of work, both racing and beyond. He won 21 of 25 races but turned into a great stallion, whose long-term lineage eventually helped make up horses such as Seattle Slew, Affirmed, American Pharoah, Alysheba, Cigar and Zenyatta. Much of his breeding success was on the broodmare side.

The majority of the panel nailed his ranking at No. 6. One person voted him eighth, two put him as seventh, five correctly called his sixth-place position, one had him fifth and two had him fourth.

His father was the great Man o’ War, who would most assuredly be on this list except his connections chose to skip the Kentucky Derby and instead point to the Preakness. Man o’ War won 20 of his 21 starts. In addition to his father’s enormous talent, War Admiral also inherited his difficult temperament, which would often manifest itself in troubled gate loads.

As a 2-year-old, War Admiral won his first two races and in his fifth race he won the Eastern Shore Handicap by five lengths. That was the last time he didn’t run as the favorite. In his sixth and final race of the year, he finished second. He would win every race he ran for the next 20 months.

He started his 3-year-old season with wins in an allowance (2 ½ lengths) and Chesapeake Stakes (6 lengths). Samuel Riddle, who owned Man o’ War and War Admiral, didn’t like racing 3-year-olds 1 ¼ miles that early in the season but made an exception for War Admiral and entered him in the Kentucky Derby. War Admiral delayed the start of the race with a troublesome load but then wired the field from the rail to win by 1 ¼ lengths.

A week later he went to the Preakness and War Admiral, again from the rail, really struggled to separate himself from the field after going to the lead and getting caught up in a speed duel. He worked hard down the stretch and briefly lost the lead to Pompoon but got up at the very end to win by a head.

War Admiral delayed the start of the Belmont Stakes almost eight minutes when he kept breaking through the starting gate. Then he stumbled leaving the gate and suffered a bad cut on his right front leg. Still, he got up over the field of seven to win by three lengths. Here’s a look at all three races.

The injury forced War Admiral to take the summer off but he came back to win three more times.

As a 4-year-old, he won eight of nine races and then was put in a match race with Seabiscuit. The race did not use a starting gate because of his history of unruliness. Seabiscuit, usually a come-from-behind horse, went to the lead and War Admiral chased him, eventually coming even near the top of the stretch. But War Admiral then tired and finished four lengths back. If it weren’t for that race, his legacy would be even greater. He ran twice more that year, winning both, before retiring to a life as a stallion.

He died in 1959 at age 25.

The Times Triple Crown panel is composed of horse racing experts, journalists and racing secretaries. It members are Rick Hammerle, racing secretary at Santa Anita; Steve Haskin, racing author and columnist the BloodHorse; David Jerkens, racing secretary at Del Mar; Tim Layden, turf writer at Sports Illustrated; Tom Pedulla, lead writer for America’s Best Racing; Jay Privman, national correspondent for the Daly Racing Form; Jeff Siegel, veteran horseman and lead commentator at XBTV.com; Childs Walker, turf writer at the Baltimore Sun; Alicia Wincze Hughes, racing editor at the BloodHorse; Jon White, racing historian and morning-line maker at Santa Anita and Tim Wilkin, turf writer at the Albany Times Union.

Vote totals were 14 points for first place, 12 for second, 10 for third, and then one point less in descending order.

7. Whirlaway (read about him here)

8. American Pharoah (read about him here)

9. Gallant Fox (read about him here)

10. Assault (read about him here)

11. Omaha (read about him here)

12. Sir Barton (read about him here)

Belmont updates

A lot of the horses aren’t in New York yet, but the NYRA Press Office is gathering up information from everywhere. Here’s what they culled from areas near and far on Saturday.

--Justify galloped 1 ½ miles at Churchill Downs on Saturday. “He went good again today,” assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes said. “He was full of energy. Very happy. He goes over the track very nice. … We didn’t do much on [Friday] and came off a walk day and a jog day, so I expected him to be pretty happy. He was his professional self [Saturday].” Justify and stablemate Restoring Hope will work on Monday and fly to New York on Wednesday.

--Gronkowski had his second work since he came to New York. He breezed five furlongs in 1:01.87 at Belmont Park. “It went well, galloped out a good three-quarters and I was real happy with it,” trainer Chad Brown said of the work. “This horse hasn't put a foot wrong since he's arrived. He's a real classy horse and came to me in outstanding condition.” Here a look at his work.

--Blended Citizen, who we haven’t seen in a Triple Crown race yet, breezed five furlongs in 1:00.64. What was unusual about the work is it was at 12:45 p.m. before the first race. “We don't school horses like some trainers,” said assistant trainer Leandro Mora, who works for Doug O’Neill. “If we work a horse prior or between races, or before the first race, we do it like a race, so they think they went through it, but they didn't go through the hassle. They come back to the barn, they've gone through the workout, and it's a whole psychological thing for them.” Here’s a look at his work.

--Tenfold wrapped up his workouts at Churchill Downs going five furlongs in 1:01 3/5. (Now why do some in racing still use fractional fifths?) “He’s always been very talented,” said trainer Steve Asmussen. “He’s a lightly raced horse. He’s had four lifetime races now. I think his Preakness solidified his quality. The fact that he has continued to train well since has a lot of people talking about him that weren’t before. He went into the Preakness the longest shot on the board (26-1) and I don’t think that will happen in the Belmont.”

--Bravazo went for a two-mile jog for trainer Wayne Lukas. “I watched some of those others go, and my stomach’s aching a little bit,” Lukas said. “Boy, Tenfold galloped out pretty. I thought he looked terrific.” But Lukas held his best comments for Justify. “He dominates the race. He’ll decide what the first half-mile is going to be for sure. … I think he’s going to do whatever he wants. He’s like the gorilla in the room. Where is he going to sit? Wherever he wants.

“After that it may be a different story. It’s a great superfecta, with so many different scenarios. You can make a superfecta bet up and say, ‘Whoa, I can’t leave that one out.’”

Santa Anita review

A good day of racing at Santa Anita was thrown into tatters when a horrific accident played out in the stretch during the Snow Chief Stakes, a race for Cal-breds going one mile on the turf. Waya Ed appeared to clip heels trying to get between horses causing a bad fall and catapulting jockey Tiago Pereira into the air. Pereira came hard down onto the turf and barely missed being stepped on by Continental Divide.

Pereira was loaded on a backboard and taken to the hospital for precautionary measures. He was conscious, moving his arms and legs and complaining of leg pain. Waya Ed was euthanized on the track with a fracture to his right hind leg, which may have come as a result of the fall.

It made for a painful winner’s circle as Take the One O One, the winner, was trained by Brian Koriner and owned by Samantha Siegel of Jay Em Ess Stable, who trained and owned Waya Ed.

“The highest of highs and the lowest of lows in a fifth of a second,” Siegel said. “I don’t even know what happened. … Never had anything like this happen in all the years we’ve been racing, except we had a filly win the Landaluce one year at Hollywood Park and she collapsed from heat exhaustion.”

Unique Bella was brilliant in winning the Grade 1 $400,000 Beholder Mile by 2 ¼ lengths. She ran off the shoulder of Paradise Woods until midway in the far turn when she turned it on. La Force made nice run at the end to get second with Paradise Woods in third.

“We expected Paradise Woods to go out there like she did and [jockey] Mike [Smith] didn’t want to let her get away,” said winning trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

Unique Bella paid $3.00, $2.20 and $2.10.

“It was always going to be a little bit of a chess match me, Vale Dori and Paradise Woods,” Smith said. “I was pretty sure that if I got away well, I would go ahead and take it and I figured that Paradise Woods would be the speed today.

“I just have way too much respect for [the owners] to let Paradise Woods just take it and Unqiue Bella doesn’t like it if you take hold of her either. She likes to take it to the competition and sometimes it can hurt you at the end.”

Santa Anita preview

Sunday’s nine-race card at Santa Anita, starting at 12:30 p.m., is a good one for Cal-breds with four restricted races including the big stakes race. There are four turf races, including 1 ½ miles, which starts at the top of the downhill turf course and goes through the stretch twice.

The feature is the $200,000 Melair Stakes going 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-old Cal-bred fillies. Spiced Perfection, who has been running ungraded stakes such as this, is the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Koriner. She has won three of her last six races, at all three Southern California tracks. Joe Talamo is the jockey. Pulpit Rider, at 5-2, is coming off a win in the Campanile Stakes at Golden Gate. Trainer Mike Puype keeps Corey Nakatani in the saddle. There are seven fillies entered. Post time is around 4:20 p.m.

There is a lesser stakes, the $80,000 Possibly Perfect, for fillies and mares going 1 ¼ miles on the turf. It’s the fourth race at about 2:10 p.m. Plein Air is the tepid favorite at 5-2 with Pantsonfire at 3-1 and Queen Blossom and Evo Campo at 4-1. Plein Air has won eight of 12 races, but seven of those were in Italy. She won the Astra Stakes at Santa Anita in her first of two starts in the U.S. She also switches jockeys from Tyler Baze to Mike Smith for trainer Bob Baffert.

The turf races are the first, fourth, seventh and ninth. The field sizes, in order: 6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 10, 9, 7, 12 (1 also eligible).

Big Races review

A look at graded stakes or races worth more $100,000 or more on Saturday.

Penn National: $100,000 New Start Stakes, Penn-bred fillies 3-years-old, 6 furlongs. Winner: Bronx Beauty ($14.40)

Woodbine: Grade 2 $175,000 Connaught Cup Stakes, 4 and up, 7 furlongs on turf. Winner: Caribou Club ($18.00)

Penn National: $100,000 Lyphard Stakes, Penn-bred fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 1/16 miles on turf. Winner: Imply ($11.00)

Penn National: $100,000 Danzig Stakes, Penn-bred 3-years-old, 6 furlongs. Winner: Smooth B ($13.40)

Penn National: $100,000 Penn Ladies Dash, fillies and mares 3 and up, 5 furlongs on turf. Winner: Morticia ($3.60)

Penn National: $200,000 Penn Oaks, fillies 3-years-old, 1 mile on turf. Winner: Got Stormy ($10.40)

Belmont: Grade 3 $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes, 3-year-olds, 1 1/8 miles on turf. Winner: Catholic Boy ($10.80)

Santa Anita: $200,000 Snow Chief Stakes, Cal-breds 3 and up, 1 1/8 miles on turf. Winner: Take The One O One ($5.20)

Penn National: $200,000 Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup, 3 and up, 5 furlongs. Winner: Oak Bluffs ($6.80)

Penn National: Grade 2 $500,000 Penn Mile Stakes, 3-year-olds, 1 mile. Winner: Hawkish ($4.80)

Santa Anita: Grade 1 $400,000 Beholder Mile, fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 mile. Winner: Unique Bella ($3.00)

Big races preview

A look at graded stakes or races worth more $100,000 or more on Sunday. All times PDT:

1:57 Woodbine: $125,000 Achievement Stakes, Ontario-bred 3 and up, 6 furlongs. Favorite: Pink Lloyd (1-9)

4:22 Santa Anita: $300,000 Melair Stakes, Cal-bred fillies 3 years old, 1 1/16 miles. Favorite: Spiced Perfection (2-1)

Bob Ike’s SA play of the day

SECOND RACE: No. 2 Dragon Flower (4-1)

Not a strong field of $10,000 claimers and the race came up with very little pace, so let's give this Derek Meredith-trained mare a good chance to take these gate to wire. Her best efforts have come on the front end and she should get every opportunity in this spot.

Saturday’s result: Waya Ed (12-1) was involved in a terrible spill in mid-stretch and unseated his rider.

Bob Ike is a Partner/VP of Horsebills.com (here’s a video) and the proprietor of BobIkePicks.com (full-card picks, 3 Best Plays and betting strategy).

Ed Burgart LA play of the day

SEVENTH RACE: No. 3 Favorite Wise Lady (3-1)

It looks like trainer Christopher O’Dell, who had won with 23 of 75 starters through last Friday, has another talented 2-year-old in this Favorite Cartel offspring. In both of her works, she broke sharp and went strong past the wire while never asked for her best. She must beat the experienced One Way Woman, who was quick early in both starts and finished third in a Kindergarten trial last month.

Final thoughts

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Any thoughts, drop me an email at johnacherwa@gmail.com or feed my ego by following me on Twitter @jcherwa

And now the stars of the show, Saturday’s results and Sunday’s entries.

FAMOUS ROCK STAR reluctant to load, pulled and steadied early, angled in and stalked inside, came out leaving the second turn, bid three deep into the stretch to gain the lead, kicked clear under strong handling and some urging, drifted in and drew off under a long hold late. BUDDY BEAR chased outside a rival or off the rail, swung four wide into the stretch and gained the place. PULPIT'S DIRTY RED pulled early, stalked off the rail then bid outside a rival to duel for the lead, was between horses into the stretch and past midstretch and held third. SPEND IT angled in and saved ground off the pace, came out for room in upper stretch, was boxed in between and behind horses from midstretch to deep stretch and was edged for the show. CALL ENDED three deep into and on the first turn, stalked outside the winner, came out four wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. WAR IN THE WEST broke a bit slowly, angled in and chased outside a rival, was blocked off heels in midstretch, came out for room and could not offer the necessary response. JERSEY'S HEAT off a bit slowly, saved ground chasing the pace, was blocked and steadied in midstretch, continued blocked along the rail through the drive then came out for room late. STAY GOLDEN had speed inside then dueled along the rail, fought back on the second turn, came out a bit in upper stretch, drifted inward in midstretch and weakened in the final furlong.

ABOVE BOARD sped to the early lead, set the pace inside, responded when rivals bid on the backstretch, inched away on the second turn and won clear under urging and steady handling late. I'LL WRAP IT UP between horses early, was taken out on the first turn, bid three deep on the backstretch, stalked again outside a rival on the second turn and three wide into the stretch, drifted in some in the final furlong and was clearly second best. HACKLETON angled in off the rail on the first turn, bid between horses on the backstretch, stalked again under urging just off the rail on the second turn, drifted in some in the drive and bested the others. FINALLYGOTABENTLEY was in a good position chasing the pace outside a rival to the stretch, came out in the drive and weakened. OREJAS saved ground stalking the pace, continued inside in the stretch and also weakened.

OUR TIGER'S BOY quickly sped to the front and angled in, set all the pace a bit off the rail and drew away in the stretch under a couple left handed cracks of the whip and steady handling, then a long hold late. MICHAEL MUNDO chased four wide on the backstretch, angled in outside a rival on the turn, came out in upper stretch and just got the place three deep on the line. WORKING stalked a bit off the rail to the stretch, remained off the inside in the drive and lost second late. ARTISTIC AB broke a bit slowly, pulled between horses then stalked outside rivals, came three wide into the stretch and was edged for a minor award between foes late. ROYAL SEEKER bobbled at the start, saved ground chasing the pace, came off the rail in the drive and weakened. RUFF HOUSE stalked outside a rival then between foes into and on the turn and also weakened.

KONA COAST three deep into the first turn, stalked outside then three wide leaving the backstretch, bid outside the pacesetter leaving the second turn to take the lead into the stretch, inched away in midstretch, kicked clear and held under some urging. SUPER DUPER COOPER bobbled at the start but recovered quickly, chased between horses then a bit off the rail, went outside a rival on the second turn, came out into the stretch and finished well. POLITY sped to the early lead, set the pace inside, fought back leaving the second turn and into the stretch and held third. AMERICAN ALL STAR between horses early, stalked just off the rail to the stretch and was edged for the show. ORIGINAL INTENT three deep into the first turn, chased off the rail, dropped back and angled in some on the second turn and did not rally. ZIPPY GROOM saved ground stalking the pace, fell back on the second turn, came out leaving that turn and into the stretch and weakened.

SO GOLDEN settled a bit off the rail, went outside a rival on the second turn, steadied between horses leaving that turn, came four wide into the stretch, rallied under urging to the lead in deep stretch and won clear. LETHAL LEGACY stalked inside then a bit off the rail, continued between foes into the stretch and rallied between horses in the final furlong. ROAD TEST pulled early, stalked between foes then a bit off the rail, continued between horses on the second turn, swung four wide into the stretch and was edged for the place. PROPER DRINK sped to the early lead, set the pace inside then dueled along the rail, came out some into the stretch, drifted in under right handed urging in midstretch, fought back in deep stretch and was edged for a minor award. CHRISTMAS CAROL angled in and stalked between horses then a bit off the rail, bid outside the pacesetter to duel for the lead, was carried out a bit into the stretch, was between horses much of the final furlong and also was edged for a minor share. LOOKING AT THELAKE saved ground chasing the pace, was in a bit tight then got through along the fence leaving the second turn, bid inside in the drive then steadied sharply a furlong out and could not recover. MIDNIGHT LILLY stalked three deep, went four wide leaving the second turn and five wide into the stretch and was outfinished. INNYMINNIEMINEYMOE hopped in a slow start, was five wide early then four wide into the first turn, stalked three deep then between foes leaving the second turn, drifted four wide into the stretch, gave way and was eased in the final furlong. Following a stewards' inquiry, PROPER DRINK was disqualified and placed sixth for interference in midstretch.

BEAR DOWN CATS chased off the rail, came three deep into the stretch and rallied under urging to be along in time. KOPITAR stalked between horses, bid three deep between rivals on the turn, took the lead into the stretch, inched away and drifted in and could not hold off the winner. COMPETING bumped between horses at the start, stalked a bit off the rail then inside, awaited room leaving the turn, came out into the stretch and bested the others. ANZIYAN CAT stalked just off the rail then bid between horses on the turn to duel for the lead and weakened in the final furlong. COASTAL EDDY broke in and bumped a rival, saved ground chasing the pace, came out leaving the turn and into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. FLY FIRST CLASS stalked outside foes, bid four wide on the turn, came three deep into the stretch and weakened. CYCLOLITE bumped at the start, had good early speed and inched away leaving the backstretch, set the pace inside, dueled along the rail on the turn and weakened in the drive. A DAY AT THE RACES hesitated to be away slowly then steadied, settled a bit off the rail, angled in on the turn, came out in the stretch and passed a tiring rival. CITY RULER stalked outside a rival then off the rail, angled to the inside into the stretch and gave way.

TAKE THE ONE O ONE saved ground stalking the pace, came out into the stretch, took the lead three deep in midstretch and kicked clear under left handed urging and held. HARDBOOT pulled along the inside then a bit off the rail, went outside a rival into and on the second turn, swung four wide into the stretch, drifted in some in the final furlong and gained the place. PSYCHO DAR broke out a bit, stalked outside a rival, went three deep into and out of the second turn and bested the others. HIT THE SEAM also broke out a bit, stalked outside a rival, bid alongside the pacesetter on the second turn, took the lead into the stretch, was between horses in midstretch, drifted out a bit a sixteenth out and was outfinished. HUDDLE pulled his way to the early lead outside, angled in and set the pace a bit off the rail then inside, dueled on the second turn and into the stretch, fought back along the fence in midstretch and weakened late. CONTINENTAL DIVIDE pulled along the inside then chased a bit off the rail, came out some in the stretch, steadied sharply at the spill a sixteenth out and was eased late. WAYA ED saved ground stalking the pace, came out into the stretch, clipped heels in tight quarters and fell a sixteenth out and was vanned off. The stewards conducted an inquiry into the incident in the stretch but made no change when they ruled no other runners were responsible for the trouble to WAYA ED.

LEMON CRUSH chased a bit off the rail, angled inward in upper stretch, came out in midstretch, bid outside the runner-up under left handed urging in deep stretch and gamely prevailed. CHASIN LUCAS a bit slow into stride, stalked inside, split horses into the turn, bid inside a foe but off the rail to gain the lead, kicked clear in the stretch, fought back inside the winner in deep stretch but could not quite match that one late. Z Z TIGER sped to the early lead, inched away and set the pace off t he rail, dueled outside the runner-up on the turn and into the stretch and bested the others. INTO RISSA broke slowly, settled inside, came out into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. ROCKETANN chased outside on the backstretch, went between foes on the turn, came out into the stretch, drifted in and did not rally. QUEEN SHELLY ANN hit the side of the gate, swerved in and steadied and had the rider lose the left iron until nearing the five eighths pole, chased wide then four wide into the turn, came three deep into the stretch and was not a threat. LEGENDARY PARFAIT saved ground stalking the pace, continued inside on the turn and into the stretch and weakened. MAGNOLIA'S HOPE stalked outside and four wide into and on the turn and into the stretch and had little left for the drive.

UNIQUE BELLA dueled outside a rival, took the lead leaving the second turn, continued along the rail in the stretch and drew clear under left handed urging and held. LA FORCE (GER) between horses early, chased off the rail, went outside a rival leaving the second turn and three deep into the stretch and gained the place. PARADISE WOODS bobbled some at the break, had speed between foes then dueled inside, fought back on the second turn, continued toward the inside in the stretch and bested the others. VALE DORI (ARG) three deep into the first turn, angled in and chased a bit off the rail to the stretch and lacked a rally. MUNNY SPUNT settled inside chasing the pace, came a bit off the rail on the backstretch and second turn and also lacked a rally.

VENDING MACHINE stalked the pace inside, bid between horses in midstretch, drifted out some from the whip to bump with the runner-up twice in deep stretch and gamely prevailed. TINA'S EXCHANGE close up stalking the pace outside a rival, bid three deep in the stretch, drifted in some from the whip to bump with the winner twice in deep stretch and continued willingly. SKELTON PASS sped to the early lead off the rail, angled in and set the pace inside, fought back along the fence through the furlong and also went gamely to the end. INCENSED hopped and steadied at the start, chased outside a rival, came three deep into the stretch and could not quite summon the needed late kick. PASSIONATE REWARD chased a bit off the rail then inside, came out into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. HOOTIE broke a bit slowly, settled a bit off the rail then outside rival, continued three deep leaving the hill and five wide into the stretch and also could not offer the necessary late response. BUCKYS PICK settled a bit off the rail then saved ground chasing the pace, continued inside into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. TASTE'S LEGEND chased off the rail then outside a rival, angled in leaving the hill and into the stretch and split foes late. SPOKANE EAGLE a bit off the rail early, chased outside a rival, came out on the dirt crossing and four wide into the stretch and could not offer the necessary response. Following a stewards' inquiry and a claim of foul by the rider of the runner-up against the winner for alleged interference in deep stretch, no change was made when the stewards ruled both runners contributed to the contact between them. Rail on hill at zero.