THREE YEAR OLD COLT-STORM CAT - MR. PROSPECTOR - BOLD RULER

Owner: billg51

Record: 17-6-4-3

Earnings: $4,466,445

Stakes:

1st: Breeders Bowl Classic (G1), Middle Jewel Stakes (G1), The Yugo Astroturf (G1), The Simulatedsports Stakes (G2), The Dogberry Special (IRE) Stakes

2nd: Bluegrass Derby (G1), Del Webb Derby (G2)

3rd: The New Yorker (G2), Swamps Stakes (G1), Indiana Derby

By-Kingab

It took him a little while to put it all together, but once he did, Gatling Prospector wasted little time in joining the ranks of the very best of the 1999 sophomore crop. In his fourth start of the year, the strikingly handsome son of Storm Cat finally broke his maiden and set course on a trip that would wind up with him being proclaimed as the best three year-old-colt in all the land. The gorgeous chestnut colt might not have been all things to all people, but he danced in all the dances, avoided no showdowns, and ran with the best competition the entire year. And when they held the grand ball, with the best of ALL ages participating, the Gatling gun mowed them all down.

He is your three-year-old champion and a more deserving colt could not possibly be found. After the maiden score, he arrived in Kentucky a complete unknown. Armed with the confidence that only a trainer could have, and the immense talent that had not yet been on display, he shocked the racing world when he ran away from 11 of the best Derby hopefuls in the land and scored a 16 to 1 upset in one of the biggest Derby preps of all. The wire-to-wire score had been done with such complete ease that most experts chose to ignore it, putting it down as one of those ‘loose on the lead-no pressure trips’ that happen quite often in racing. It wouldn’t be that way in the Derby they said, and most were sure that under pressure, he would readily cave in. But first, someone had to run with him early for the pressure to take hold and in the 10 furlongs of the Derby, none could.

At the start of the big race, the sleek chestnut shot to the front and with his crimson coat shining in the Kentucky sun, he set off in search of the Holy Grail of all racing. Under the wire the first time, through the turn and down the backside he flew, daring any to challenge him. None could. Around the last turn and into the stretch he raced, with none able to catch the streaking red colt. Now it can never be proven, and it is a fact that he didn’t win, but his trainer and now legions of fans will swear that you can see the instant that he began to shorten stride, allowing the winner to shoot by with less than a sixteenth of a mile left in the race. They cry, “Look at the tape. He’s all-alone! He’s bored! You can see his ears prick up as that wall of noise hits him. It broke his concentration and that’s why he lost.” Hmmm? Could be. There could be some validity to those claims, especially after what happened next in the Middle Jewel Stakes at Old Hilltop.

The Derby champ and 11 others showed up to continue on the Triple Crown trail, and Gatling Prospector made it a one horse show as he went to the front and simply galloped them all into submission. His lead this time at the eighth pole was an astonishing six length’s, and no horse could make up that kind of ground on the flying red jet. He coasted home an easy, non-threatened winner by two comfortable lengths.

In the third jewel, the 12-furlong New Yorker, the plan to rate him off the pace, so that he might better stay the marathon distance, was a failure. He seemed to resent the snug hold that his jockey employed and he never reached the front at any point in the race. It is a tribute to his class that he still finished third, though beaten some 12 lengths.

After some time off, he returned to the races and was beset with minor injuries and stalked by bad luck. He threw a shoe in this race and broke terrible in that race and developed a minor but troublesome quarter-crack that plagued him throughout the rest of the summer and most of the fall. After all was said and done, his record after the Triple Crown was one win, a second, and two thirds from seven starts. His appearance in the Breeders Bowl Classic was met with skepticism from most turf writers. Even the fans did not think much of his chances as they dismissed him at a generous 12 to 1. But how wrong he would prove them all to be! The big red rocket was ready! His problems were behind him. His very talented trainer had pointed him for this. He had been freshened for a month and had a tightener on the turf a week before the big race so that he would arrive on race day in ‘sharp’ condition. His bright-as-a-penny coat gleamed and he radiated good health. He had drawn the difficult number 11 post-position, but it would not matter. He could have started from the parking lot. This colt, on this day, was not to be denied. He shot to the front at the start, and 11 of the best in the world could not catch the streaking red flash. He humbled the Classic field by two dominating lengths with such authority that no one could doubt who was king on this day.

So there you have him. The champ. And really, what more could you want? Impeccably bred. As good-looking a horse as there is on the planet. A first, second, and third in the Triple Crown races. The winner of three Grade I’s and victorious in the most important race of the year and a one season bank account of some $4.5 million dollars. And you know the best part of it all? He will be coming back for another year!

Race ID	Trk	RST	Srf	Dist	Race	Time	SP#	#	PP	C1	C2	C3	FIN	Odds
474.0210	FL	3yo+	D	10	Breeders Bowl Classic -G1	2:01 4/5	110	12	11	1 1	1 2	1 3	1 2	12.50
467.0210	FL	3yo	T	9	FL Turf Derby -Stk	1:49 1/5	76	12	5	4 2	4 5	7 12	10 24	1.30
439.2011	IN	3yo	D	8.5	IN Derby -Stk	1:40 4/5	116	12	11	8 8	8 12	4 10	3 5	5.20
425.041	NY	3yo+	D	9	Bob Woodward Mem'l -G1	1:47 2/5	107	12	10	1 1	2 hd	2 4	6 10	18.20
411.0103	CA	3yo	T	9	Del Webb Derby -G2	1:50 3/5	88	7	3	1 1	1 2	1 hd	2 4	1.30
397.0608	AK	3yo	D	8.5	The DOGBERRY(IRE) Special -Stk	1:42 3/5	106	8	2	1 1	1 2	1 3	1 1	1.60
383.0904	NJ	3yo	D	9	Eddie Haskell Stakes -G1	1:49 1/5	85	12	7	3 1	3 2	6 6	10 15	2.90
362.0107	CA	3yo	D	9	Swamps -G1	1:49	102	9	5	1 1	1 1	1 ns	3 3	1.90
327.041	NY	3yo	D	12	The New Yorker -G1	2:25 4/5	98	12	11	2 1	2 1	3 1	3 12	4.60
299.0809	MD	3yo	D	9.5	Middle Jewel Stakes -G1	1:55	109	12	3	1 1	1 3	1 6	1 2	5.10
285.0309	KY	3yo	D	10	Bluegrass Derby -Stk	2:02 4/5	102	12	7	1 1	1 1	1 3	2 1	7.00
264.0309	KY	3yo	D	9	The Yugo Astroturf -G1	1:48	113	12	9	1 2	1 3	1 2	1 3	8.50
250.0309	KY	3yo	D	9	-G2	1:48 3/5	109	12	4	1 1	1 2	1 7	1 3	16.30
243.0404	NY	3yo	D	7	MSW-41000	1:23 3/5	92	12	11	2 hd	2 ns	1 1	1 2	2.40
236.0203	FL	3yo	D	8	MSW-48300	1:36	95	12	11	1 1	1 hd	2 3	2 2	3.20
222.0503	LA	3yo	D	6.5	MSW-36400	1.16 1/5	85	12	5	1 1	1 3	1 3/4	4 6	2.70
215.0610	AK	3yo	D	6	MSW-31800	1.10 3/5	80	6	3	1 1/4	1 1/4	1 1	2 2-3/4	1.30