Congratulations To Funny Cide - Winner Of Kentucky Derby 129
Photo By: Four-Footed Fotos
5.3.2003
Photo By: Jeremy Lyverse
Jackson Knowlton (with trophy), one of the five members of Sackatoga Stable, raised the Derby 129 trophy in triumph after his Funny Cide gamely held favored Empire Maker and Peace Rules at bay to win the first leg of the Visa Triple Crown by a length and three-quarters. To Knowlton's left is Funny's Cide's trainer, Barclay Tagg, and to his right is winning jockey Jose Santos.
Funny Cide
Funny Cide departed Churchill Downs at approximately 9:00 a.m. (EDT) on May 4, a day after winning the 129th running of the Kentucky Derby. Trainer Barclay Tagg said the New York bred gelding appeared to have come out of his Derby win in good shape. "He seems to be fine," said Tagg. "I haven't had much time to go over him thoroughly, but I looked at him and he looked fine. There was no puffiness or swelling or cuts or bruises on him and he seemed like he was sound."
Empire Maker
Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel said Juddmonte Farm's Empire Maker appeared to have come out of the race well. "Empire Maker is a little
immature still," said Frankel. "He still hasn't developed. You can see his body - he's gangly, he's a little light."
Peace Rules
Trainer Bobby Frankel said on May 4 that he is leaning toward sending Edmund A. Gann's Peace Rules a gallant third in Derby 129, to Pimlico
Race Course for the May 17 Preakness Stakes (GI). "Peace Rules is a very, very tough horse," he said.
Bird Town
Overcame a troubled trip to win the 129th running of the Kentucky Oaks by 3 1/4 lengths at Churchill Downs on May 3. "I haven't had a lot of luck lately, said trainer Nick Zito. "But she came into the race perfect; she's done nothing wrong the last month. She trained great all winter. I thought she'd be laying second or third. She's pretty amazing."
Santa Catarina
Finished second in Oaks 129, beaten 3 1/4 lengths by Bird Town. "That was a big, big effort by her, said jockey Gary Stevens. "It was a roughly run race and I was wide on both turns trying to stay away from all of that."
Yell
Finished third, beaten a shade over 3 1/4 lengths for all the money in Oaks 129. "She ran a really good race despite a troubled trip, said jockey John Valzquez. "She got bumped around the first turn and we were caught behind."
Sakatoga Stable's New York-bred gelding Funny Cide, with veteran jockey Jose Santos astride, stalked pacesetting Brancusi, collared the
attending Peace Rules just inside the eighth-pole and pulled away to a clear victory in the final sixteenth of a mile to not only score a victory for the Empire State, but also to eradicate the perceived curse of Clyde Van Dusen, who, until May 3, 2003, was the last gelding to win the Kentucky Derby back in 1929. Funny Cide, a chestnut son by Distorted Humor and the Slewacide mare Belle's Good Cide, covered the mile and quarter distance of the Derby in 2:01 flat over a "fast" surface and returned a healthy $27.40, $12.40 and $8.20. Funny Cide provided Santos, veteran conditioner Barclay Tagg and Sakatoga Stable - a syndicate of six former high school friends from Sackets Harbor, N.Y. with their first Derby win.
Funny Cide Whips Empire Maker For Empire State
By: John Asher
LOUISVILLLE, Ky. (May 3, 2003) -The Kentucky Derby that was supposed to belong to favored Empire Maker instead it belongs to the Empire State. Sackatoga Stable's Funny Cide, a New York-bred gelding trained by Barclay Tagg and ridden by Jose Santos, rallied from third to seize the lead from Peace Rules in the upper stretch and held off a rally by the favorite to win the 129th running of the Kentucky Derby (Grade I) by 1 -lengths. Empire Maker, the 5-2 favorite in the field of 16 3-year-old Thoroughbreds, finished second and Peace Rules was third. Atswhatimtalknbout rallied to finish fourth.
Derby 129 Scene
Kentucky Derby Photos Available For Internet Purchase
Bird Town Sings In Churchill's Rich Kentucky Oaks
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (May 2, 2003) - Marylou Whitney Stable's Bird Town came
rumbling from out of the pack to swoop by the leaders deep in the
stretch and draw out to a 3 1/4-length surprise in Friday's 129th
running of the $573,800 Kentucky Oaks (GI).
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Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel said Juddmonte Farm's Empire Maker appeared to have come out of the race well. "Empire Maker is a little
immature still," said Frankel. "He still hasn't developed. You can see his body - he's gangly, he's a little light."
Trainer Bobby Frankel said on May 4 that he is leaning toward sending Edmund A. Gann's Peace Rules a gallant third in Derby 129, to Pimlico
Race Course for the May 17 Preakness Stakes (GI). "Peace Rules is a very, very tough horse," he said.
Finished second in Oaks 129, beaten 3 1/4 lengths by Bird Town. "That was a big, big effort by her, said jockey Gary Stevens. "It was a roughly run race and I was wide on both turns trying to stay away from all of that."
Finished third, beaten a shade over 3 1/4 lengths for all the money in Oaks 129. "She ran a really good race despite a troubled trip, said jockey John Valzquez. "She got bumped around the first turn and we were caught behind."
