Fort Larned (foaled April 14, 2008) is an American

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 best known for winning the

2012 Breeders' Cup Classic The 2012 Breeders' Cup Classic was the 29th running of the Breeders' Cup Classic, part of the 2012 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships program. It was run on November 3, 2012 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California with a purse of $5 ...

Background

Fort Larned is a

bay A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a ''gulf'', ''sea'', ''sound'', or ''bight''. A ''cove'' is a small, ci ...

horse with a small white

star A star is a luminous spheroid of plasma (physics), plasma held together by Self-gravitation, self-gravity. The List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs, nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked eye at night sk ...

. He was bred in

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

by Janis Whitham, under whose colors he also raced. In 1988, Whitham and her late husband purchased the Argentinian mare Bayakoa and campaigned her in the United States, winning the

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 both 1989 and 1990. Twice named the

American Champion Older Female Horse The Eclipse Award for Champion Older Dirt Female Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a filly or mare, four years old and up, for performances on dirt and main track racing surfaces. In 1971, it became part of the ...

, Bayakoa was later inducted into the Hall of Fame. Bayakoa produced four foals for Whitham, including the mare Arlucea. In 2007, Arlucea was bred to E Dubai, a horse who won both the

Dwyer Stakes The Dwyer Stakes is an American Grade III stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred racehorses held annually at Belmont Park racetrack in Elmont, Long Island, New York. Run in early July, it is open to three-year-old horses and is raced over ...

and the

Suburban Handicap The Suburban Stakes (also known Suburban Handicap) is an American Grade II Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is now run at the mile distance on dirt for a $350,000 pu ...

for his owners

Godolphin Racing Godolphin (Arabic: جودولفين) is the Maktoum family's private Thoroughbred horseracing stable and was named in honour of the Godolphin Arabian, who came from the desert to become one of the three founding stallions of the modern Thor ...

. Apart from Fort Larned, his most successful runner has been the

Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint The Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint is a Weight for Age stakes race for thoroughbred racehorses three years old and up. As its name implies, it is a part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, the ''de facto'' year-end championship for North American ...

winner Desert Code. Whitham, a native of Kansas, named the resultant colt after

Fort Larned National Historic Site Fort Larned National Historic Site preserves Fort Larned which operated from 1859 to 1878. It is approximately west of Larned, Kansas, United States. History The Camp on Pawnee Fork was established on October 22, 1859, to protect traffic ...

, located near Larned, Kansas. Fort Larned was trained by

Ian Wilkes Ian R. Wilkes (born May 25, 1965, in Muswellbrook, New South Wales, Australia) is a trainer in American Thoroughbred horse racing. He worked for leading Australian trainer Colin Hayes before taking a job in 1990 with trainer Carl Nafzger in the U ...

, who had been a long-time assistant trainer for Hall of Famer

Carl Nafzger Carl A. Nafzger (born August 29, 1941) is an American Hall of Fame horse trainer. Before he was involved in horse racing, he was a champion rodeo bull rider. Nafzger trained Unbridled, who won the 1990 Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic. In ...

, who won the

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby () is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of . Colt (horse), Colts and geldin ...

with both

Unbridled Unbridled (March 5, 1987 – October 18, 2001) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1990 Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic. He retired with a career record of eight wins, six places, and six shows in 24 starts, ...

and Street Sense.

Racing career

Fort Larned raced only once as a two-year-old, finishing fourth in a maiden special weight race 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 ...

on November 27, 2010. At age three, Fort Larned ran nine times, winning three of them. His first win came on January 8, 2011, at

Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park is a Thoroughbred racing, Thoroughbred horse race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida, Hallandale Beach, Florida, United States. It is among the most important venues for ...

, after which he lost his next four starts. Wilkes decided to try the horse on the turf and Fort Larned responded by winning an allowance race on September 10 at

Kentucky Downs Kentucky Downs is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on the border between Kentucky and Tennessee, in the city of Franklin, Kentucky, just off Interstate 65. It is unique among American tracks in that it is a European-style course—it ...

. After two more losses on the turf, Fort Larned made his last start of the year at Churchill Downs on November 27 in an allowance race that had been switched from turf to the dirt course due to rain. He won by seven lengths, "turning a proverbial corner" on his way to becoming a top-ranked older horse.

2012: four-year-old season

Fort Larned began his 2012 season in

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

with a loss in a handicap at

Tampa Bay Downs Tampa Bay Downs is an American Thoroughbred horse racing facility located in Westchase in Hillsborough County in the U.S. state of Florida, just outside Tampa. It opened in 1926 under the name Tampa Downs, and has also been known as Sunshine ...

followed by a win in the Challenger Stakes on March 3. He then recorded his first important success at

on March 31, winning the Grade III

Skip Away Stakes The Skip Away Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. A Listed event open to horses age four and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of miles (9-1/2 furlongs). The rac ...

by two and a half lengths over Alma d'Oro while setting a track record of 1:53.92 for miles. Wilkes stated that the horse had made great improvement and it was suggested that he was well-suited by being allowed to "run free". At

in May he finished second in the

Alysheba Stakes The Alysheba Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three and older over a distance of . It is held annually in early May on the dirt on the Kentucky Oaks day meeting at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, duri ...

behind Successful Dan, with

Mucho Macho Man Mucho Macho Man (foaled June 15, 2008) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2013 Breeders' Cup Classic. He was foaled in Florida and named after the Village People song " Macho Man". His breeders were Carole and John Rio of Flori ...

in third. At the same course a month later he was moved into Grade I class and finished unplaced behind Ron the Greek 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 ...

after being forced wide in the straight. In his next race, Fort Larned was ridden for the first time by Brian Hernandez, Jr. At

Prairie Meadows Prairie Meadows is a Racino located in Altoona, Iowa, United States, it runs both Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses at its meet from May to September. History and information In 1984, Prairie Meadows received a license from the Iowa Racing and G ...

on June 30, he led from the start to record a three length success over Successful Dan and

Awesome Gem Awesome Gem (foaled February 6, 2003) is an American Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse who won the 2007 San Fernando Stakes, 2009 Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap, Hawthorne Gold Cup, and 2010 Hollywood Gold Cup. Background This son of Awesome Again ...

in the

Cornhusker Handicap The Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap is an American Graded stakes race, Grade III thoroughbred horse race held annually at the end of June at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa. The race is open to horses age three years and older and currently of ...

. A first Grade I success followed in August 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, ...

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 ...

. Racing in blinkers for the first time, he took the lead a quarter mile from the finish and won from Ron the Greek and Flat Out. "He's getting better all the time," said Wilkes a few weeks after the race. "Mentally, he has a swagger about him. It's like he’s gone from a boy to a man. He has a presence about him now, a confidence." Fort Larned's improving form saw him start the 3-1 favorite for the

Jockey Club Gold Cup The Jockey Club Gold Cup, established in 1919, is a thoroughbred flat race, held at the Saratoga Race Course in the United States, that is open to horses of either gender three-years-old and up. It has traditionally been the main event of the fal ...

Belmont Park Belmont Park is a thoroughbred racing, thoroughbred horse racetrack in Elmont, New York, just east of New York City limits best known for hosting the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the American Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United Stat ...

in late September. He moved up to challenge the leaders approaching the straight, then faded in the closing stages to finish third behind Flat Out and Stay Thirsty. "My horse ran good; we'll be fine, we'll go to the Breeders' Cup," said Wilkes. "I wouldn't want to trade places.

Blame Blame is the act of censuring, holding responsible, or making negative statements about an individual or group that their actions or inaction are socially or morally irresponsible, the opposite of praise. When someone is morally responsible fo ...

got beat here before he beat

Zenyatta Zenyatta (foaled April 1, 2004) is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Breeders' Cup Classic and Breeders' Cup Distaff and 19 of her 20 starts. She was the 2010 American Horse of the Year, and American Champion Older Female H ...

(in the

2010 Breeders' Cup Classic The 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic was the 27th running of the Breeders' Cup Classic, part of the 2010 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships program. It was run on November 6, 2010, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky with a purse of $ ...

). It doesn't pay to win this race to win the Breeders' Cup. You have to look at the bright side." Fort Larned was sent to

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 ...

in November to contest 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 ...

, staying in the same barn that had housed his grand-dam Bayakoa. He started at odds of 9–1 in a twelve-runner field with

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 ...

being made the 6-5 favorite. Hernandez sent the colt into the lead soon after the start and he was never headed. In the stretch he faced a strong challenge from Mucho Macho Man but stayed on to prevail by half a length, with a gap of six and a half lengths back to Flat Out in third. "I never thought the horse was that good," said Whitham's son Clay, "because he was so slow developing. He was just a plain bay horse and nothing more. He wasn’t flashy at all. He finally grew up at Churchill Downs last November in the slop. When he won the Skip Away at Gulfstream this winter and set a track record, I finally thought, 'Hey, he’s got some talent.' But I sure wasn’t counting on winning this race." Fort Larned was a finalist in the

Eclipse Award The Eclipse Award is an American Thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th-century British racehorse and sire, Eclipse. An Eclipse Award Trophy is presented to the winner in each division. The trophy is made by a few small selected A ...

voting for

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 ...

and Champion Older Male Horse, but lost both to

Wise Dan Wise Dan (foaled February 20, 2007) is a champion American Hall of Fame and Canadian Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse. He is the first horse to win the same three Eclipse Awards in consecutive years, having been named American Horse of the ...

, a turf specialist. In 2015, the Older Male Horse award became restricted to horses that run on the dirt.

2013: five-year-old season

Fort Larned's first start since winning the Breeders' Cup came on March 9, 2013, at

. He started favorite for the

Gulfstream Park Handicap The Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes (formerly known as the Gulfstream Park Handicap) is a race for thoroughbred horses run at Gulfstream Park each year. The race is open to horses age four and up, willing to race one mile on the dirt. A Grade II event ...

but lost his chance two strides after the start when he stumbled badly and unseated Hernandez. He injured his left front hoof but Wilkes felt lucky the injury was not worse. "The horse fell on his head," he said. "He's lucky he didn't really hurt himself. He could have ripped his whole heel off or he could have broken his leg. The way he fell, his whole head hit the ground." A month later he was made 1/2 favorite for the

Oaklawn Handicap The Oaklawn Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in April at Oaklawn Park Race Track in Hot Springs, Arkansas. A Grade II event raced on dirt, since 1984 it has been contested over a distance of miles (9 furlongs). It use ...

but ran poorly to finish fifth behind Cyber Secret, leading Wilkes to suggest that the horse had been unsuited by the fast track. After a break of two months, Fort Larned returned to contest the

. The horse led from the start and drew clear of his five opponents to win by six lengths from Golden Ticket and Ron the Greek in what was described as a "stunning display". The winning time of 1:47.45 was the second fastest in the history of the race, and just th of a second off the track record. "He ran unbelievable," said winning trainer Ian Wilkes. "It was gratifying to get the horse back and to prove that he's as good as I thought he was and show he wasn't a one-year wonder." On August 3 Fort Larned was made favorite for his second Whitney Handicap on August 3. Carrying top weight of 122 pounds he finished fifth of the eight runners behind Cross Traffic. Wilkes described his horse's performance as " a dull effort" but added, "We'll regroup. We'll be back." Fort Larned was scheduled to make his next start in the Woodward Stakes but was scratched because he was not in top form. Eight weeks after his poor run in the Whitney, Fort Larned reappeared at Churchill Downs for the first running of the Homecoming Classic Stakes, which Wilkes had selected in preference to the

. Hernandez sent the horse into the lead from the start and he was never headed, winning by one and a half lengths from Windswept in a time of 1:48.58. Fort Larned made his final start in the

2013 Breeders' Cup Classic The 2013 Breeders' Cup Classic was the 30th running of the Breeders' Cup Classic, part of the 2013 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships program. It was run on November 2, 2013 at Santa Anita race track in Arcadia, California for a purse ...

, where he entered an early speed duel with Game On Dude and Moreno. The other two horses finished well back but Fort Larned held on to finish fourth behind Mucho Macho Man, the horse he had defeated in 2012. "It is emotional because it’s his last race," said Wilkes. "He laid his body down today. My hat's off to Mucho Macho Man. He made a great comeback. I knew my horse would bring his 'A' game and he did. He definitely didn't disgrace himself. He put the two speed horses away and they aren't slouches."

Retirement

Fort Larned retired to stud at Adena Springs Farm. As a horse with no trace of

Northern Dancer Northern Dancer (May 27, 1961 – November 16, 1990) was a Thoroughbred that, in 1964, became the first Canadian-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby. After being retired from racing, he became one of the most successful Stallion, sires of the 2 ...

Seattle Slew Seattle Slew (February 15, 1974 – May 7, 2002) was a champion American Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse who became the tenth winner of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States), American Triple Crown (1977). He is one of only ...

in his own pedigree, he is expected to be a popular "

outcross Out-crossing or out-breeding is the technique of crossing between different breeds. This is the practice of introducing distantly related genetic material into a breeding line, thereby increasing genetic diversity. Outcrossing in animals Out ...

" for mares from these lines. His first foals will be of racing age in 2017.

Pedigree

References

{{Breeders' Cup Classic Winners 2008 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Breeders' Cup Classic winners Thoroughbred family 9-g