John Shirreffs
Shirreffs was born June 1, 1945 in Leavenworth, Kansas, and grew up in New Hampshire, where his family ran a small breeding operation. Later he worked as an assistant to trainers Brian Mayberry and Bill Spawr before he took out his trainer's license in 1978; winning his first stakes two years later. He trained privately for Marshall Naify's 505 Farm from 1994-2000. Afterwards, he opened a public stable in southern California. Top horses he has trained include Manistique, Radu Cool, Borodislew, Bertrando, Starrer, and Swept Overboard. He saddled Hollywood Story to a fifth place finish in last year's Kentucky Oaks.
Mike Smith : Derby History
A native of Roswell, N.M., Mike Smith was introduced to racing by his uncle, who trained horses, and his father, who rode for a short time in Arizona. He started riding races in New Mexico at age 11 and took out his license when he was 16. He was the leading rider in the country in 1994 with 316 wins, and he has won numerous accolades including the Eclipse Award twice, the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award and the Venezia Award. Some of his best mounts include Holy Bull, Lure, Unbridled's Song, Inside Information, Prairie Bayou and Cherokee Run.
Mr. & Mrs. Jerome S. Moss
Jerry Moss co-founded A&M records, which was at the time the largest independent record company when he sold it to Polygram in 1990. A&M recorded such acts as The Police, Burt Bacharach and Joe Cocker. Moss now is the chairman of Rondor Music, which he co-owns with Herb Albert. Jerry's wife Ann is active in enviromental pursuits and is the founder of the Dolphin Connection. The Mosses have been involved in racing for about 35 years, winning their first stake in 1983 with Fighting Fit. They won the Kentucky Oaks (GI) with Sardula in 1994, and have yet to have a Derby starter.
Mr. & Mrs. Jerome S. Moss
Jerry Moss co-founded A&M records, which was at the time the largest independent record company when he sold it to Polygram in 1990. A&M recorded such acts as The Police, Burt Bacharach and Joe Cocker. Moss now is the chairman of Rondor Music, which he co-owns with Herb Albert. Jerry's wife Ann is active in enviromental pursuits and is the founder of the Dolphin Connection. The Mosses have been involved in racing for about 35 years, winning their first stake in 1983 with Fighting Fit. They won the Kentucky Oaks (GI) with Sardula in 1994, and have yet to have a Derby starter.
05.06.05 - Spanish Chestnut Due In Saturday Morning 05.01.05 - Sunday Barn Notes 04.30.05 - Saturday Barn Notes 04.29.05 - Friday Barn Notes 04.28.05 - Thursday Barn Notes 04.09.2005 - Buzzards Bay Wins Santa Anita Derby
Couldn't close late; behind Texcess and Chips Are Down
10.23.04
Maiden allowance @ Santa Anita
1st
10 length win; first two-turn race
7.15.04
Maiden allowance @ Hollywood Park
5th
5 1/2 furlongs too short in retrospect
Recent Workouts
Date
Track
Distance
Time
Rank
5.1
Hollywood Park (fast)
6 furlongs
1:11.80 H
1/16
4.25
Hollywood Park (fast)
7 furlongs
1:23.80 H
1/3
4.19
Hollywood Park (fast)
4 furlongs
:53.40 B
16/16
4.03
Hollywood Park (fast)
6 furlongs
1:14.80 B
10/18
This stretch-running colt has won only one of seven starts for his owners, Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Moss, but the son of 1994 "Horse of the Year" Holy Bull has run well enough against top company to merit a trip to Churchill Downs for Derby 131. His best effort may have been a runner-up finish to unbeaten juvenile champion Declan's Moon in the Hollywood Futurity, but he has finished second, third and fourth in three stakes races since that outing. The owners and trainer John Shirreffs are searching for their first victories in the Kentucky Derby. Jockey Mike Smith has three runner-up finishes in the Derby to his credit and was second aboard Lion Heart a year ago.
Giacomo was sired by three-year-old champion and Horse of the Year Holy Bull. Undefeated as a two-year-old, Holy Bull won the seven furlong Futurity (GI) and the 1 1/16 mile In Reality Stakes. At three, he won graded stakes from seven furlongs (Hutcheson-GII) to 1 1/4 miles (Travers GI). Giacomo comes from his seventh crop of racing age. Holy Bull has already sired a champion two-year-old: Macho Uno in 2000. Over his career, his juveniles have won at a solid if not spectacular rate of 12%. Set Them Free produced four foals prior to Giacomo. Two were unraced, a third won two of four starts, and the fourth, Sea Jewel, was a winner of over $170,000, with a third in the Oak Leaf (GII) at Santa Anita at two and a second in the Santa Ysabel (GIII) at the same track at three. Set Them Free also earned over $170,000, with a 5-1-0 record in 12 starts. She also had a nice 3-1-0 record at two, winning the Pasadena Stakes and the Debutante Breeders' Cup Stakes that year, as well as wins in the Very Subtle and Eloquent Handicaps at four.
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