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Champion 3yo Turf Colt

TITLE DEFENSE

3yo colt - Awesome Again x Kingmambo x Storm Cat

OWNER/TRAINER – Futurestar (Dixiedotco)

RECORD: 2009: 11 / 6-3-2
LIFETIME EARNINGS: $5,350,355

2009 Stakes:

WON: Breeders Bowl Turf (G1), Owner's Stakes (G1), The Japanese 2000 Guineas (G1), Shimko Classic (G2), The Dee Stakes (G3), The Dinky Liquor Special

2ND: Canada Turf (G1), The Japanese Derby (G1), Panhandle Park Derby (G2)

3RD: Japan Classic (G1), The French Grand Prix (G1)

 

A Brilliant Campaign By A Brilliant Title

By- Otistaylor

The Early Years/Mama

If greatness can ever be "expected" then this fantastic colt was born with expectations.   His mother, Dangerous Reward was a grade A mare... an 8 time graded winner... 2 time G1 winner... 2.5 million plus in purses... But before you think that mama passed on all the talent you have to keep in mind that, while her son would become a turf legend, she won all but one of her races on DIRT... Her breeding is Kingmambo x Storm Cat and she had some fairly successful foals before and after Title Defense. The first of her foals ( Life's Reward ) was stakes placed and things have just kept getting better. The next two foals (Perils of Love, Army Ranger) were stakes winners and have raked in over a quarter million in purses each. Perils of Love was the first foal to show some talent on grass and perhaps gave the Dixiedotco syndicate the idea of trying this fantastic mare with a sire that has had success on both surfaces. Sparing no expense now that sires like Afleet Alex (Perils of Love) and War Front (Army Ranger) had thrown stakes winners, Dixie sent his prized mare to the most successful sire in the sim... Awesome Again... He named the foal Title Defense and racing history was on its way to being made. Awesome Again x Kingmambo x Storm Cat is regal breeding indeed so when Title Defense took to the track for the first time even an incredibly successful trainer like Dixie had to be holding his breath with anticipation. Before we start looking at his racing career its worth noting that Awesome Again's son Ghostzapper has made Dangerous Reward a two time graded producing mare and gave Title Defense a graded winning ¾ little sister in Moldavia .

The Two Year Old Campaign

Title Defense debuted at 5.5 over the dirt surface in NY. If you felt champions always start with a win, then the air may have been let out of your sails... This guy showed a little life but nothing that would recommend him to greatness. The result was a hard charging 4 th but a somewhat disappointing speed figure of 63. Undaunted Dixie stretched Title Defense out to 6f on dirt and things got worse another 63.... the finish, a well beaten 6th ... The races came very early in the year so perhaps the spfs were not as scary to an experienced trainer as they look on his card to my eye, but you have to start scratching you head. Title's next effort was a dirt route, a solid effort and his first placing, the future champion ran 2 nd . His 4 th race made it clear that he was not a sprinter, and removed the maiden tag. It was a convincing 3 length win at a mile over the dirt in Maryland. Dixie was clearly very encouraged he shipped Title Defense cross country off the maiden score and entered him in an open stakes. If this was a fairy tale we'd report that he won again by open lengths, but the truth is he was drubbed, beaten over a dozen lengths. It would be the last time Title Defense ran on dirt. A cautious trainer may have given Title Defense a break, or looked for a soft conditional race, try and build his charges confidence, but Dixie is nothing if not BOLD. Title Defense's first trip across the turf came in an open stake just a month after the dirt disaster. His 6 th start would be a doozy. A blistering score in the Arizona sun, an open length win in the 8.5f Labelle Woodsman Bonanza . It was clear this horse was a turf router. He closed out his two year old campaign with a graded try at 9f and just missed. After an inauspicious beginning the future eclipse winner had finished his two year old campaign a stakes winner and also graded placed. The confidence Dixie had felt when sending his champion mare to Awesome Again was just beginning to payoff.

A CHAMPIONSHIP CAMPAIGN

In the first race of Title Defense's 3 year old campaign The Panhandle Park Derby he ran a monster 105 taking another graded placing in the process. He was a bit unlucky to lose, out kicked by a faster closing London Scene. Still the second place earned him vital stakes points and further confidence from his trainer. Title Defense's luck and the notion of horses out finishing the budding superstar would change in his next race, a dominant score in The Dinky Liquor Special .   The three length victory cruise in an open stake was the perfect prep for his first try in a grade one race. Title Defense traveled to Japan where he would face the best in the division at the time. Facing a field that contained 11 other graded placed or graded winners, past or future, Title Defense roared from out of the clouds, sweeping up all of em to become the winner 10f Japanese Guineas in a stunning 108.  

G1 glory would become common place as the year went on, but the next step for the globe trotter was at track E2, The Grade 3 Dee Stakes . Most real good three year olds would bounce off a career best speed in a G1 race, but Title Defense has the stuff champions are made of and he made it two in a row in what was a virtual walkover. Only 3 had the courage to face him and he destroyed them in a hand ride victory. Ted Nugent might has well have brought his guitar along for the ride because his stick was never even waved. The rider never flexed a muscle except in trying to get the huge brown colt to pull up after the 3 and change win. After loading up his latest trophy, Dixie's campaign trail called for a return to the land of the rising sun. What many outsiders did not know is that Title Defense had come back to the barn lay off after the race... Despite the ease of the win the colt's plan looked to be destroyed. It was the most disappointing moment that Dixie had training this incredible beast. Dixie knew the true test for a turf router after winning at 10 clicks is to prove he can get 12 as well... Now he would try a mile and a half for the first time a mere week after coming off his injury.

He would do it in style in the The G1 Japanese Derby .   Title Defense broke alertly and found a spot well off the pace. He looked to be in perfect position for his now patented late run. He came like a freight train and had 10 lengths to make up after the third call... The rush was almost terrifying, gobbling up horses with each step. To this day Dixie maintains that Title won the race but after an unprecedented delay Tex Gold, was declared the winner in a photo finish. The scene at the track was surreal as thousands of outraged patrons made their displeasure known. Dixie had to be restrained from going after one of the stewards.   Despite the anger over the photo this was also the race that sealed in Dixie's mind that he had a championship-caliber horse. He created a schedule that would culminate in a Breeders Bowl run. Could the horse earn enough points to make a field that is incredibly difficult to even gain entry in? The path to California would begin far away in France. Next up the French Grand Prix , Dixie was not there to saddle the colt on this day (after a suspension for his behavior following the Japanese Derby) and it would prove fateful for the great colt. Somehow Dixie's jockey instructions were lost in translation. Dixie had told his jockey not to worry about the leaders, to relax the colt and let him make one terrific run late. Jockey Jesse "the body" Ventura made clear that his biggest muscles were not between his ears. He misunderstood the instructions, later claiming he was told to put the horse on the front end. The move badly compromised Title Defense's chances and he wound up third. Needless to say Ventura would not make the trip to Canada for the next race.

Dixie, back off suspension, made sure his horse was ready for the G1 Owner's Stakes.   His Jockey had one word written in bold black marker on each hand. On the left the word TAKE on the right BACK. Pete Townsend's cousin Victor is no dummy and he listened to the simulated legends orders. TD settled beautifully, and with out being asked he made his move with a champion's flourish. Fans were rewarded with one of the great performances in the Ontario track's storied history. A Stakes record of 2:28 2/5th and a SPF of 115.430. Title Defense romped by daylight over a field that contained 6 other (or would be) graded winners. His crushing kick in full display to those he left in his wake.  

The Shimko Stakes would be the first time Title Defense would face older horses. At this point he ran ITM in all 7 of his graded tries, the winner of two grade 1 races. Some though questioned if he was ready to face older horses but he answered those questions in definitive fashion. Title Defense crushed the field again demonstrating a monstrous stride that looks almost effortless.   He moves over the last 4f like a sprinter. You would never know he has already traveled a mile against the best stayers in training when the kick is unleashed. It is a marvel to watch. Dixie had himself a great one, who had doubled his champion mama's lifetime earnings in just a handful of races. The TD global shuttle returned to Ontario but what might be the biggest race of most horse's life was designed as nothing more than a glorified prep. The Canada Turf left more than a few fans disappointed as the son of Dangerous Reward loped around the track disinterestedly and still managed to be second. The race was designed to set our hero up for the biggest race of his career, The Breeders Bowl Turf . For a trainer who already had been witness to an incredible campaign this was the race that would mean everything. A victory here would likely (and ultimately did) mean an Eclipse Award.   Dixie said in retrospect the key to this race was being able to "win the races he needed to win and still get scheduled rest, plus proper prep races". Title Defense looked like a champion prowling around the ring on BB day. The giant brown colt no longer looked like a three year old. He had filled out beautifully and was showing no sign of the mid season injury that almost derailed his campaign. Title Defense would face an incredible field; two horses that had beaten him earlier Tex Gold and The Wrecking Crew , older turf horse eclipse nominees Proud Souls and Smiling Assassin, plus a horse that may become the all-time prize money winner in The Gun Went Off.   There were also multi millionaires The Oil Rules All, Awesome Force and perhaps his biggest challenger for this award the Arc De Comicdog winner Carnival of Love. When the gate opened Proud Souls set a blistering pace, pressured by Tex Gold but Title Defense settled beautifully more than 10 lengths back. When he made his charge it was clear to everyone at the track the only question was how much he would win by. Once he went by a tiring Proud Souls it was over. The final time was 228 and change but if pressed he might have gone faster. He wound up winning by almost three lengths over The Gun Went Off. TGWO closed well enough to have won on most days, but this was not most days; it was the coronation of a champion 3 year old.   A mere two weeks later he would close out the campaign with a gutty third on what was now his home track in Japan.   Dixie said he risked running Title Defense on the outside chance he could win. Dixie felt The Japan Classic might mean Horse of The Years honors for Title Defense. Who knows he still might have won that award, but on this day The Gun Went Off was too much. It was still a great achievement to run third so close to his BB win.

The Final Numbers

Title Defense ran 11 times in 2009 winning 6 times and was never worse than 3 rd .   He finished with 3 Grade 1 wins twice earned by defeating older rivals. Amazingly he never had a real clunker even though he did suffer a mid season injury in what was perhaps his easiest win of the year. As Dixie said "the horse was the model of consistency, he never ran a bad race." His wins came in electrifying style and in the biggest race of the season he destroyed a star studded field. Whirlwind, the trainer of fellow nominee Carnival of Love, said modestly "It was flattering to be nominated but if Title Defense does not win there is some thing wrong with the public voting system. I know I sure as hell voted for him". To me this is a testament to the horse and the trainer, when rivals can tip their cap to you so deferentially it means your performance was not only worthy but accomplished with class.   Previous winners 2006 Lex Luthor , 2007 Rural Law and last year's winner Portman's Perfect can be proud of the newest member of their very exclusive club. Title Defense's season is one for the ages, and I know every simmer looks forward to seeing if this great champion plans on making his trainer look prescient in naming him Title Defense in 2010.