Contenders

Michael Gorham

Gorham, 42, grew up around the racetrack. His father owned horses at the northeast tracks Suffolk Downs and Rockingham Park. The younger Gorham started working as a hotwalker for leading New England trainer Bruce Smith. He went out on his own in 1985. After the introduction of slot machines to Delaware Park, he moved his stable to that mid Atlantic track. His stable of approximately 20 horses splits its time between there and Gulfstream Park, where he stables in the winter. Besides Adore the Gold, his other top horses have been millionaire Mandy's Gold, Salt Cay, Most Charming, Rizzi's Twist, Spanish Moss. Adore the Gold would be his first Kentucky Derby starter.

TBA

John D. Murphy

Like his trainer Mike Gorham, Murphy is a Massachusetts native. Murphy began working in the steel business for his father. He later founded Dorel Steel Erection Corporation in Boston and has served as president since the company's formation. He first became involved in Thoroughbred racing about 20 years ago when he started racing claiming horses at Marshfield Fair in Massachusetts. Looking for better stock, he teamed up with trainer Bill Perry. The duo got their wish when they purchased Formal Gold for $75,000 at the 1995 Saratoga sale of select 2-year-olds in training. Formal Gold went on to be one of the best horses of the 1990's, and was favored in the 1997 Breeders' Cup Classic, but was injured and subsequently retired after a pre-race workout mishap. Gorham trains anywhere between 20 and 30 horses for Murphy. On the breeding side, Murphy keeps some of his stallions and mares along with their progeny on other farms in Kentucky and in New York.

John D. Murphy (KY)

Like his trainer Mike Gorham, Murphy is a Massachusetts native. Murphy began working in the steel business for his father. He later founded Dorel Steel Erection Corporation in Boston and has served as president since the company's formation. He first became involved in Thoroughbred racing about 20 years ago when he started racing claiming horses at Marshfield Fair in Massachusetts. Looking for better stock, he teamed up with trainer Bill Perry. The duo got their wish when they purchased Formal Gold for $75,000 at the 1995 Saratoga sale of select 2-year-olds in training. Formal Gold went on to be one of the best horses of the 1990's, and was favored in the 1997 Breeders' Cup Classic, but was injured and subsequently retired after a pre-race workout mishap. Gorham trains anywhere between 20 and 30 horses for Murphy. On the breeding side, Murphy keeps some of his stallions and mares along with their progeny on other farms in Kentucky and in New York.

Adore the Gold is by Formal Gold, one of the best racehorses of the 1990's. A son of 1991 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Black Tie Affair, Formal Gold debuted in a 1996 Monmouth Park maiden race, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 112, still the highest ever for a first time starter. He went on to earn over $1.5 million, hitting the board in 13 of 16 lifetime starts. He is also the only horse to earn Beyers in excess of 124 in three consecutive starts. He set a track record of 1:40.20 for a 1 1/16 miles at Monmouth Park in the Iselin Handicap (GII). That came at age four, his best year, when he also won the Donn Handicap (GI), Woodward (GI), Brooklyn Handicap (GII). While probably not getting the accolades he deserved, he actually defeated Skip Away in four of their six meetings. The ultimate showdown would have been the 1997 Breeders' Cup Classic, but Formal Gold suffered a career ending injury just before the race, and Skip Away would go on to a dominating win and Horse of the Year honors. Formal Gold has five crops of racing age, with 15 stakes winners to date. He stands in central California at Tom and Nancy Clark's Rancho San Miguel, along with stallions Roar, Marino Marini, Comic Strip and others.

Adore the Gold is out of the Dixieland Band mare Amore E Baci, who like Formal Gold, is owned by John Murphy. Amore E Baci was bred in Kentucky at Harbor View Farm, the owners of the great 1978 Triple Crown winner Affirmed. Murphy keeps Amore E Baci at Meadow Haven Farm in Kentucky. Adore the Gold is her first stakes winner from just two to race. She also has a full sister to Adore the Gold that is a 2-year-old. Amore E Baci's dam, Love and Affection, was a stakes winner at two, taking the Sorority and also finishing second in the Spinaway (GI) at Saratoga. Love and Affection hails from the Raise a Native sire line through Exclusive Native; he was the sire of Kentucky Derby winners Affirmed and Genuine Risk.

Adore the Gold is inbred 5x5 to the aforementioned Raise a Native, Nashua and Bold Ruler. The latter two are more noted for their distance running offspring, and interestingly, appear in the exact same position on both sides of the pedigree, Nashua through two different mares and Bold Ruler two different stallions. Dosage Index: 2.20 - by Mark Hoard

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