The Sim Eclipse Awards @ Sim Hall of Fame
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View the 2009 Champions
- 2 YEAR OLD COLT ON DIRT
- 2 YEAR OLD FILLY ON DIRT
- 2 YEAR OLD COLT ON TURF
- 2 YEAR OLD FILLY ON TURF
- 3 YEAR OLD COLT ON DIRT
- 3 YEAR OLD FILLY ON DIRT
- 3 YEAR OLD COLT ON TURF
- 3 YEAR OLD FILLY ON TURF
- OLDER HORSE ON DIRT
- OLDER MARE ON DIRT
- OLDER HORSE ON TURF
- OLDER MARE ON TURF
- SPRINTER ON DIRT
- SPRINTER ON TURF
- TRAINER OF THE YEAR
- HORSE OF THE YEAR
Champion Turf Sprinter
URKO'S King
3yo Colt - Sadler's Wells x Kingmambo x Roberto
OWNER/TRAINER – Urko1 (Urko)
RECORD: 2009: 9 / 4-3-1
LIFETIME EARNINGS: $1,065,255
2009 Stakes:
WON: Longchamp Sprint (G1), The Jupiter (G3), The Tetris Stakes (G3), Chicago Sprint
2ND: Breeders' Bowl Turf Sprint (G1), Canterbury Tales (G3)
3RD: The Joisy Stakes (G3)
King Of the Turf
By- Cheyenne15
When you are looking for a turf sprinter you look for a quick turn of foot to go from coasting to hi speed dash in one or two strides. They must have that quickness to make it in the grades races. The nominees are....
Ethics Paradox - winner of The Cup of July(G1), and The King's Fall(G1)
Highside- winner of The Breeder's Bowl Turf Sprint(G1), and The Hawkz Challenge(G2)
Sisson's Superstar- winner of The Japan Sprint(G3), The Drummer Boy(G2), The Sprint Cup(G1), and The Sydney Sprint(G2)
And our final nominee is Urko's King - winner of The Longchamp Sprint(G1), The Jupiter(G3), and The
Tetris Stakes
And the winner is.......Urko's King
When you look at Urko's King the first thing that jumps off the page is the foundation that was laid in his two-year-old season winning all but his first and last start. In his last start as a two year old he ran a terrible race finishing almost twelve lengths behind the winner. He was given some time off before he would make his first start as a three year old.
When he did, he ran his best race of his then young career finishing second in an allowance race with a 101 speed figure his trainer had seen enough to go ahead and enter him in The Canterbury Tales(G3). Urko's King was able to get out of the gate in good order and rated two lengths of the leader before making his run to get with in three quarters of a length, he was now a graded placed horse. He would take a couple months off before entering The Tetris Stakes(G3) the time away from the track must of done him some good as he was able to take his usual spot just of the leader only this time he was primed and ready to show what he had learned while he was gone. He was within a half of a length when they made the turn for home he took off and won by daylight. He was now a grade three winner. After the race I caught up to his jockey Z Kentucky to ask him about the race he said, "I don't know what Urko1 did to get this horse to run like that but that was the most amazing speed I have seen in a while". In his very next start he would feel the effects of the race and only manage a third place finish in a listed stakes race but urko1 did not feel the horse liked that surface so he loaded him up on a plane and made the flight across the Atlantic to let him run in New York.
Urko's King was entered in The Jupiter(G3). This would be a huge test for him as it was going to be his first start against older. With N Lawton in the irons he shot out of the gate and made the lead but it was not an easy lead in the early stages. As the race went on he was able to shake a length and a quarter free he would need every bit of that lead at the finish he won by a quarter of a length. He was now a multiple grade three winner.
He would make one more start in the United States in Illinois in the Chicago Sprint. This was not a graded race but it would be one of his best races and send back across the pond. The Chicago Sprint is just that one of the shortest races around at only five and a half furlongs Urko's King broke a little tardy and was two lengths back he was able to find his stride midway through the race to catch the leader as they made the turn into the stretch they would be no further apart than at the finish with a three quarter length victory and a 113 speed figure.
Urko1 was happy and started to find a race that would fit in Urko's King's new distance. The race they found was a grade one going five furlongs in Paris so they got back on the plane and made the trip. The field was full of graded winners but Urko's King was on his game. He got out of the gate smooth started only a half length off the lead and would be no further back than that. he would take the lead before the stretch and go on to win by a measured length with a 106 speed figure.
His next race would be The Breeders' Bowl Turf Sprint. Urko1 said, "I thought that the race would have a good pace and Urko's King should be just off the pace the only question is the distance after his last two shorter runs. I just hope he has the stamina to hold on". Urko's King would do just that sit two lengths off the lead when he made his run he was unable to get to the leader. He would finish second by a length and a quarter with his fastest race yet 115 speed figure. He would make one more start and would be off the board in The King Kong Sprint(G1).
Congratulations to all of the Nominees and their trainers.