Awesome Again (March 29, 1994December 15, 2020) was a Canadian
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...
racehorse
Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...
and stallion. As a three-year-old, he won the
Queen's Plate
The King's Plate (known as the Queen's Plate from 1860 to 1901 and 1952 to 2022) is Canada's oldest thoroughbred horse race and the oldest continuously run race in North America, having been founded in 1860. It is run at a distance of for a ma ...
in Canada and the
Jim Dandy Stakes
The Jim Dandy Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race. The Grade II race has been held annually since 1964 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The race is open to horses age three over one and one-eighth miles on the dirt. ...
in the United States. He was undefeated at age four, scoring his biggest win in the
Breeders' Cup Classic
The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3-year-olds and older run at a distance of on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States as part of the Breeders' Cup World Champion ...
after winning the
Stephen Foster Handicap
The Stephen Foster Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three and older over a distance of miles on the dirt run annually in mid-June at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is named in honor of famed ...
,
Saratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap,
Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap
The Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap is a Grade III race for thoroughbred horses run at Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney, Illinois each year. The Hawthorne Gold Cup trophy has always been made of solid gold.
The Hawthorne Gold Cup is currently a G ...
and
Whitney Handicap
The Whitney Stakes (run as the Whitney Handicap through 2013 and still sometimes referred to as such) is an American Grade 1 stakes race for Thoroughbred racehorses four years of age and older run at a distance of miles. The current purse is $1, ...
. He was inducted into the
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 to honour those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness racing, harness and Thoroughbred racing, Thoroughbred horse racing in Canada. It is located at Woodbine ...
in 2001.
At stud, he was an important sire whose offspring include
Ghostzapper
Ghostzapper (foaled April 6, 2000) is a Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Breeders' Cup Classic in 2004, outdistancing Roses in May by three lengths in a track record time of 1:59.02. His gate-to-wire Classic victory completed a 4-for-4 season, ...
, an
American Horse of the Year
The American Award for Horse of the Year, or simply Horse of the Year, one of the Eclipse Awards, is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. Because Thoroughbred horse racing in the United States has no governing body to san ...
.
Background
Awesome Again was a bay horse, bred by
Frank Stronach
Frank Stronach (born 6 September 1932) is an Austro-Canadian billionaire businessman and politician.
He is the founder of Magna International, an international automotive parts company based in Aurora, Ontario, Canada, Granite Real Estate ...
of
Newmarket, Ontario
Newmarket (Canada 2021 Census, 2021 population: 87,942) is a town and regional seat of the Regional Municipality of York in the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario. It is part of Greater Toronto Area, Greater Toron ...
, and foaled in Canada. Awesome Again was sired by
Deputy Minister
Deputy minister is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. A deputy minister is positioned in some way "under" a minister, who is a full member of Cabinet, in charge of a particular sta ...
, who was the Canadian Horse of the Year as a two-year-old in 1981 and became the leading sire in North America in 1997 and 1998. His dam
Primal Force was later named the 2000
Kentucky Broodmare of the Year
The Kentucky Broodmare of the Year is selected each year by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. The title is considered the highest honor an American thoroughbred broodmare can receive, as the majority of American breeding s ...
. Through Primal Force, Awesome Again was a half-brother to 2000
American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt The American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971.
The award originated in 1936 when the ''Daily Racing F ...
Macho Uno
Macho Uno (foaled April 24, 1998 in Kentucky) is an American Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse. He was sired by the 1994 American Horse of the Year and National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Holy Bull.
T ...
. Stronach's son Andy purchased the mare in 1992 for $95,000 at the Keeneland January Sale based on her excellent pedigree and impressive speed on the track.
Awesome Again raced for Stronach Stable as a homebred. He was originally trained by David Hofmans, then was switched to Patrick B. Byrne's stable in 1998.
At maturity, he reached high.
Racing career
Awesome Again did not race at age two. At age three in 1997, Awesome Again won Canada's most prestigious race, the
Queen's Plate
The King's Plate (known as the Queen's Plate from 1860 to 1901 and 1952 to 2022) is Canada's oldest thoroughbred horse race and the oldest continuously run race in North America, having been founded in 1860. It is run at a distance of for a ma ...
. Otherwise, he raced in the United States, winning the
Jim Dandy Stakes
The Jim Dandy Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race. The Grade II race has been held annually since 1964 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The race is open to horses age three over one and one-eighth miles on the dirt. ...
and finishing third in the
Travers Stakes
The Travers Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is nicknamed the "Midsummer Derby" and is the third-ranked race for American three-year-olds accor ...
. His 1997 racing season ended after he suffered a back injury while finishing fifth in the
Super Derby
The Super Derby is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually in September at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, Louisiana.
Inaugurated in 1980, the Super Derby is open to three-year-olds and the distance is miles on the dirt. It is the rich ...
. In 1998, Awesome Again went undefeated in six starts, in the process defeating
Champions
A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional/provincial/state, national, continental and world championships, and ...
Silver Charm
Silver Charm (foaled February 22, 1994) is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and 1998 Dubai World Cup (of all of which he is the oldest surviving winner). He stood at stud in the Unit ...
and
Skip Away
Skip Away (April 4, 1993 – May 14, 2010), was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 1998 Horse of the Year, 1996 Champion Three-Year-Old, and 1997 and 1998 Champion Handicap Horse. He won 10 Grade One races for $9,616,360 in ...
. He came from far back to win over one of the best-ever fields assembled in the
Breeders' Cup Classic
The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3-year-olds and older run at a distance of on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States as part of the Breeders' Cup World Champion ...
.
1997: three-year-old campaign
Awesome Again made his first start on May 25, 1997, in a
maiden special weight at Hollywood Park over seven furlongs. He duelled for the early lead with Reel Wild and hung on to finish third behind the late closing One Man Army.
He made his next start on June 5 in another maiden race at Hollywood Park, this time over miles. He again duelled for the early lead, then started to draw away in the stretch to win by six lengths.
Awesome Again was then shipped north to
Woodbine Racetrack
Woodbine Racetrack is a race track for Thoroughbred horse racing in the Etobicoke area of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Owned by Woodbine Entertainment Group, Woodbine Racetrack manages and hosts Canada's most famous race, the King's Plate. The track ...
in Toronto, Ontario for the
Queen's Plate
The King's Plate (known as the Queen's Plate from 1860 to 1901 and 1952 to 2022) is Canada's oldest thoroughbred horse race and the oldest continuously run race in North America, having been founded in 1860. It is run at a distance of for a ma ...
. Despite only having one win, he was still highly regarded by the bettors, going off at odds of 3–1. The favorite was Cryptocloser, who had won the Plate Trial. Ridden for the first time by Mike Smith, he broke slowly but made a strong wide move on the final turn. He took the lead entering the stretch but ducked inside, apparently distracted by the crowd noise. He regained his stride and held off a late drive by
Cryptocloser
Cryptocloser (1994–2000) was a Canadian Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. He was sired by multiple Grade I winner Cryptoclearance, and his damsire was Northern Dancer's son, Vice Regent. The colt was owned in partnership by American businessman ...
to win by lengths.
Smith noted that the colt won easily despite racing greenly. "About every 10 times he hit the ground, I had to remind him to stay back on the bridle because he was kind of watching everything. I was kinda all tuckered out. But he wasn't," he said.
Awesome Again returned on August 3 in the
Jim Dandy Stakes
The Jim Dandy Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race. The Grade II race has been held annually since 1964 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The race is open to horses age three over one and one-eighth miles on the dirt. ...
over a sloppy track at
Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, Saratoga Springs, New York (state), New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting v ...
. He went off as the second choice to Behrens, who was undefeated in three starts. Awesome Again settled near the back of the field and was still in seventh after three-quarters of a mile. Swinging wide into the stretch, he started to close strongly and drew off to win by three lengths. "I'm a little surprised with his effort because he ran against some really good horses," said Michelle Jensen, Hofmans' assistant trainer. "On the backside, he was laying a little out of it, so I didn't know what to expect from there. But down the stretch, he kicked in and he got it done."
On August 23, Awesome Again went off as the favorite in the
Travers Stakes
The Travers Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is nicknamed the "Midsummer Derby" and is the third-ranked race for American three-year-olds accor ...
. He rated behind the early leaders and made his move with Deputy Commander on the final turn. But he tired in the final furlong to finish third, beaten by seven lengths behind Deputy Commander, who was a nose ahead of Behrens. "I really didn't have a good trip," said Smith. "We were stuck the whole way around, and it was too much to overcome. The winner forced us out, and we got caught wide."
Awesome Again finished fifth in his final start of the year, the
Super Derby
The Super Derby is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually in September at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, Louisiana.
Inaugurated in 1980, the Super Derby is open to three-year-olds and the distance is miles on the dirt. It is the rich ...
at Louisiana Downs. It was the only time in his career that he finished out of the money.
1998: four-year-old campaign
Awesome Again made his four-year-old debut on May 22, 1998, in an
allowance race
The following is a glossary of North American horse racing.
Additional glossaries at:
*Glossary of Australian and New Zealand punting
*Glossary of equestrian terms
This is a basic glossary of equestrian terms that includes both technical term ...
at
Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs is a horse racing complex in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States that hosts the annual Kentucky Derby. It opened in 1875 and was named for Samuel Churchill, whose family was prominent in Kentucky for many years. The first ...
. Going off as the heavy favorite, he duelled for the early lead with Democrat, then pulled away in the stretch to win by seven lengths.
On June 13, he faced off with champion
Silver Charm
Silver Charm (foaled February 22, 1994) is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and 1998 Dubai World Cup (of all of which he is the oldest surviving winner). He stood at stud in the Unit ...
in the
Stephen Foster Handicap
The Stephen Foster Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three and older over a distance of miles on the dirt run annually in mid-June at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is named in honor of famed ...
. Silver Charm, winner of the
1997 Kentucky Derby
The 1997 Kentucky Derby was the 123rd running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 3, 1997, and was won by Silver Charm, ridden by Gary Stevens. There were 141,981 in attendance.
Payout
;The 123rd Kentucky Derby Payout Schedule
* ...
and 1998
Dubai World Cup
The Dubai World Cup (Arabic: كأس دبي العالمي) is a Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1996 and contested at the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The race is operate ...
, was the odds-on favorite despite carrying top weight of 127 pounds. Now ridden by
Pat Day
Patrick Alan "Pat" Day (born October 13, 1953, in Brush, Colorado) is a retired American jockey. He is a four-time winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1991 an ...
, Awesome Again was the third betting choice at 6–1 while carrying only 113 pounds. He rated close to Silver Charm behind the early pace set by Robb. Silver Charm made his move first, hitting the lead when turning for home. Awesome Again closed ground steadily down the stretch, as both horses started to drift. They bumped with half a furlong remaining in the race. Awesome Again drew clear in the final strides to win by a length, with Silver Charm more than five lengths ahead of the third-place finisher. He completed the distance of miles in 1:48, just one-fifth off the track record.
After a brief layoff, Awesome Again made his next start in the
Whitney Handicap
The Whitney Stakes (run as the Whitney Handicap through 2013 and still sometimes referred to as such) is an American Grade 1 stakes race for Thoroughbred racehorses four years of age and older run at a distance of miles. The current purse is $1, ...
on August 8 at Saratoga. He went off as the 3–2 favorite while carrying 117 pounds, compared to second-favorite Tale of the Cat carrying 114 pounds. The two horses went to the lead while running the first quarter-mile in a leisurely 25.01 seconds. The pace then picked up down the backstretch as the two traded positions. Tale of the Cat opened a one length lead on the final turn but Awesome Again responded and took the lead back in mid-stretch, then continued to draw away to win by three lengths. "They were walking out there," said Day, referring to the slow early pace. "At the three-eighths pole, my horse was so relaxed I didn't know if we were out of the race or if he was just loafing. When I realized he had a lot left in him, I knew we were in the driver's seat."
On August 30, Awesome Again was entered in the
Saratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap, where he went off as the 1–4 favorite despite carrying top weight of 120 pounds. He stalked the early pace set by Early Warning, while Day kept an eye on Concerto, the second betting choice carrying just 114 pounds. Concerto made his move first, taking the lead on the final turn. Day swung Awesome Again wide and they started to close rapidly in the stretch, pulling clear late to win by three lengths.
Awesome Again made his next start in the
Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap
The Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap is a Grade III race for thoroughbred horses run at Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney, Illinois each year. The Hawthorne Gold Cup trophy has always been made of solid gold.
The Hawthorne Gold Cup is currently a G ...
as the 1–10 favorite while carrying top weight of 123 pounds. He pressed the early pace set by Muchacho Fino, then moved to the lead around the final turn. The two raced heads apart until mid-stretch, when Muchacho Fino started to drop back. Unruled moved into second but was no match for Awesome Again, who won by lengths. "He ran the way a 1–10 shot should," said Byrne. "We won easily, and he carried the weight. He even had a little left in his tank."
Breeders' Cup Classic
The field for the 1998 Breeders' Cup Classic, held on November 7 at Churchill Downs, is considered perhaps the deepest in the race's history. The favorite was
Skip Away
Skip Away (April 4, 1993 – May 14, 2010), was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 1998 Horse of the Year, 1996 Champion Three-Year-Old, and 1997 and 1998 Champion Handicap Horse. He won 10 Grade One races for $9,616,360 in ...
, who had already won seven races that year, five of them Grade I (the
Donn Handicap
The Donn Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually from 1959 through 2016 at Gulfstream Park
Gulfstream Park is a Thoroughbred racing, Thoroughbred horse race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destinati ...
, Gulfstream Park Handicap,
Pimlico Special
The Pimlico Special is a Grade 3 American thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and older over a distance of miles ( furlongs) held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland in mid May. The race currently offers a purse of $250,000.
...
,
Hollywood Gold Cup
The Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes is a Grade II American thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and older over a distance of miles on the dirt held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California in May. The race currently offers a purse of $200,000 ...
and
Woodward Stakes
The Woodward Stakes is an American Grade Il stakes race and is one of the premier races for older thoroughbred horses in the United States. It is named for prominent racehorse owner William Woodward.
The race was first run in 1954 at Aqueduct Ra ...
). Despite having been beaten by Awesome Again in the Stephen Foster, Silver Charm was the second choice – a major factor being that the two horses would carry equal weights in the Classic compared to the 14 pound difference in the earlier race. The field also included Grade/Group One winners
Swain
Swain, Swains or Swain's may refer to:
Places
* Swain Islands, Antarctica
* Swain's Island (Newfoundland and Labrador), Canada
* Swains Island, an atoll in the Tokelau chain, American Samoa
* Swain County, North Carolina, United States
* Swains ...
(
King George King George may refer to:
People Monarchs
;Bohemia
*George of Bohemia (1420-1471, r. 1458-1471), king of Bohemia
;Duala people of Cameroon
* George (Duala king) (late 18th century), king of the Duala people
;Georgia
*George I of Georgia (998 or ...
,
Irish Champion),
Victory Gallop (
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over the worldwide classic distance of . Colt (horseracing), Colt ...
),
Coronado's Quest
{{nihongo, Coronado's Quest, コロナドズクエスト, ''Koronadozukuesuto'' (February 15, 1995 – March 8, 2006) was an American-based Thoroughbred racehorse. He was sired by 1987 Champion Two Year Old Colt Forty Niner, out of the unraced ...
(
Haskell Invitational
The Haskell Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run over a distance of miles on the dirt held annually in July at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. The event is a signature event at Monmouth ...
, Travers Stakes), Touch Gold (1997 Belmont Stakes, Haskell Invitational), Gentlemen (1997 Hollywood Gold Cup,
Pacific Classic
The Pacific Classic Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually August or September at the Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. This Grade I race is open to horses, age three and up, which race one and one-quarter miles on the ...
) and Arch (Super Derby). Between them, the horses had won 69 stakes races, including 31 at the Grade/Group One level. The quality of the field was matched in recent history by only the 1973
Marlboro Cup
The Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap was a Thoroughbred horse race first run in September 1973 at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. A Grade 1 race for horses 3 years old and up, it was raced over a distance of miles on a dirt track.
The race c ...
, where
Secretariat
Secretariat may refer to:
* Secretariat (administrative office)
* Secretariat (horse)
Secretariat (March 30, 1970 – October 4, 1989), also known as Big Red, was a champion American thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse who was the ninth winn ...
defeated stablemate
Riva Ridge
Riva Ridge (April 13, 1969 – April 21, 1985) was a Thoroughbred racehorse, the winner of the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes in 1972.
Often remembered simply as a stablemate of Secretariat, Riva Ridge was a successful racehorse in his own rig ...
.
Awesome Again broke slowly and settled into eighth place behind a moderate early pace set by Coronado's Quest. He swung wide on the final turn and started to make up ground but was still in seventh place with a quarter-mile remaining, caught up in traffic. Swain moved to the lead at the top of the stretch, but then lost ground when he swerved to the outside and ultimately finished third. Silver Charm took the lead in mid stretch before he too drifted wide. This opened up a hole through which Awesome Again made his move. He finished strongly to win by three-quarters of a length over Silver Charm. Skip Away was never a factor and finished sixth.
Despite his winning streak, Awesome Again had been largely overlooked because he was considered to have faced weaker competition in his previous starts. "Maybe he did dodge some big guns early," said Day. "But
he Classicis the granddaddy of them all. This was the greatest field of horses I ever saw."
After an undefeated season and the head-to-head victory over Skip Away and Silver Charm, Byrne felt that Awesome Again deserved consideration for Horse of the Year honours. However, that honour ultimately went to Skip Away, who was considered to have faced consistently stronger competition over the course of the year. Despite having scored one of the biggest wins ever for a Canadian-bred horse, Awesome Again was not eligible for
Canadian Horse of the Year
The Canadian Horse of the Year is a thoroughbred horse racing honour given annually since 1951 by the Jockey Club of Canada. It is the most prestigious honour in Canadian thoroughbred horse racing.
Part of the Sovereign Awards program since 1975, ...
honours either since that award requires three starts in Canada during the year. He was however given a special
Sovereign Award {{refimprove, date=October 2021
The Sovereign Award is given annually since 1975 by the Jockey Club of Canada to the outstanding horses and people in Canadian Thoroughbred racing.
The most prestigious award for horses is Sovereign Horse of the Y ...
for his achievements.
Awesome Again retired as the leading Canadian-bred money earner of all-time.
Statistics
Stud career
Retired to
stud
Stud may refer to:
Animals
* Stud (animal), an animal retained for breeding
** Stud farm, a property where livestock are bred
Arts and entertainment
* Stud (band), a British progressive rock group
* The Stud (bar), a gay bar in San Francisco
* ...
at the
Midway, Kentucky
Midway is a Home rule, home rule-class city in Woodford County, Kentucky, Woodford County, Kentucky, in the United States. Its population was 1,741 at the time of the year 2020 U.S. census. It is part of the Lexington-Fayette, KY Metropolitan St ...
, branch of Stronach's
Adena Springs Farms
Adena Springs is a Thoroughbred horse breeding operation owned by Frank Stronach and his family. The main farm is located in Paris, Kentucky, with satellite locations in Florida and Ontario, Canada. Adena Springs has won the Eclipse Award for Ou ...
, Awesome Again quickly became an important
sire
Sire is an archaic respectful form of address to reigning kings in Europe. In French and other languages it is less archaic and relatively more current. In Belgium, the king is addressed as "Sire..." in both Dutch and French.
The words "sire" an ...
. His most famous son is
Ghostzapper
Ghostzapper (foaled April 6, 2000) is a Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Breeders' Cup Classic in 2004, outdistancing Roses in May by three lengths in a track record time of 1:59.02. His gate-to-wire Classic victory completed a 4-for-4 season, ...
, voted the 2004
Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year
The American Award for Horse of the Year, or simply Horse of the Year, one of the Eclipse Awards, is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. Because Thoroughbred horse racing in the United States has no governing body to san ...
in the United States and the "World's Top Ranked Horse" for 2004, as compiled by the
World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
The Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings (LWBRR), known as World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings (WTRR) before 2012, are horseracing's equivalent to World Rankings by other major sporting organizations such as ATP Tennis Rankings, World Golf R ...
. Awesome Again became the first Breeders' Cup Classic winner to sire a winner of that race when Ghostzapper won the Classic in 2004. On the same day, another son named
Wilko
Wilko.com Limited (trading as Wilko) is a British Variety store, variety retailer. It was founded as Wilkinson by James Kemsey Wilkinson and Mary Cooper in 1930 as a hardware retailer, opening its first store in Leicester.
In 1972, Tony Wil ...
won the
Breeders' Cup Juvenile
The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually in late October or early November at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup W ...
, making Awesome Again the first Breeders' Cup winner to sire two Breeders' Cup winners on one day.
He was also the sire of
Round Pond, winner of the 2006
Breeders' Cup Distaff
The Breeders' Cup Distaff is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares, three years old and up. Known as the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic between 2008 and 2012, it is held annually at a different racetrack in the United Stat ...
. In 2007, Awesome Again became the first Breeders' Cup winner to sire four Breeders' Cup winners when Adena Springs homebred
Ginger Punch
Ginger Punch (foaled April 23, 2003, in Florida) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. Owned and bred by operations belonging to automotive parts magnate Frank Stronach, she is out of the mare Nappelon and sired by the Canadian-bre ...
won the Breeders' Cup Distaff at
Monmouth Park
Monmouth Park Racetrack is an American race track for thoroughbred horse racing in Oceanport, New Jersey, Oceanport, New Jersey, United States. It is owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and is operated under a five-year lease ...
. His son
Oxbow
__NOTOC__
An oxbow is a U-shaped metal pole (or larger wooden frame) that fits the underside and the sides of the neck of an ox or wikt:bullock, bullock. A bow pin holds it in place.
The term "oxbow" is widely used to refer to a U-shaped meand ...
won the
2013 Preakness Stakes
The 2013 Preakness Stakes was the 138th running of the Preakness Stakes thoroughbred horse race. The race was held on May 18, 2013, and was televised on NBC. The race was won by Oxbow. The post time of the race was EDT. The race was the 12th ra ...
, while son Sir Winston won the
2019 Belmont Stakes
The 2019 Belmont Stakes was the 151st running of the Belmont Stakes and the 108th time the event took place at Belmont Park. The race, known as the "test of the champion", is the final leg in the American Triple Crown, open to three-year-old T ...
. Awesome Again also sired
Game On Dude
Game On Dude (foaled April 26, 2007 in Kentucky) is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse gelding. He won fourteen graded stakes races, including eight Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes: the Santa Anita Handicap in 2011, 2013, and 2014 the on ...
, three-time winner of the
Santa Anita Handicap
The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses four years old and up and was once considered the most important race for old ...
, the
Goodwood Stakes, and the
Hollywood Gold Cup
The Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes is a Grade II American thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and older over a distance of miles on the dirt held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California in May. The race currently offers a purse of $200,000 ...
. His son
Paynter was second in the
2012 Belmont Stakes
The 2012 Belmont Stakes was the 144th running of the Belmont Stakes and the race was won by Union Rags ridden by jockey John Velazquez. It was broadcast in the United States by NBC. The post time was scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, ...
and winner of the
Haskell Invitational
The Haskell Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run over a distance of miles on the dirt held annually in July at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. The event is a signature event at Monmouth ...
.
Awesome Again was retired from stud duties in 2019, at which time he had sired 66 black-type winners, including 14 Grade I winners. He was also an influential broodmare sire; at the time of his retirement, his daughters had produced eight champions, including Breeders' Cup Classic winner
Accelerate
In mechanics, acceleration is the rate of change of the velocity of an object with respect to time. Acceleration is one of several components of kinematics, the study of motion. Accelerations are vector quantities (in that they have magnit ...
.
In 2020, he was donated to
Old Friends Equine
Old Friends is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, 501(c)(3) equine retirement facility in Georgetown, Kentucky, accredited by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA). The organization started with one leased paddock and two horses, but it now ...
, and participated in that farm's regular tours.
Awesome Again died on December 15, 2020, at the age of 26 at Old Friends.
Awesome Again Passes Away
/ref>
Notable progeny
His notable progeny include:
''c = colt, f = filly
A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use:
*In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old.
*In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States
...
, g = gelding
A gelding (Help:IPA/English, /ˈɡɛldɪŋ/) is a castration, castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. The term is also used with certain other animals and livestock, such as domesticated Camelidae, camels. By compa ...
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Honours
Awesome Again was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 to honour those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness racing, harness and Thoroughbred racing, Thoroughbred horse racing in Canada. It is located at Woodbine ...
in 2001. The Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is a Thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent horse racing events in the United States during early fall, winter and in spring. The track is home to numerous prestigious race ...
was renamed in his honour in 2012.
Pedigree
References
External links
Adena Stallions Awesome Again Page
Video at YouTube of Awesome Again's win in the 1998 Breeders Cup Classic
{{Breeders' Cup Classic Winners
1994 racehorse births
Racehorses bred in Ontario
Racehorses trained in Canada
Racehorses trained in the United States
King's Plate winners
Breeders' Cup Classic winners
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductees
Thoroughbred family 1-c
Chefs-de-Race
2020 racehorse deaths