also tho not doing so well now, ticker tape had a nice late kick also didn't she?

Yes he did. He said that he would sleep through the race too if he let him but when he asked him to go he didn't think a horse could get to his top speed that quick.

I loved Victory Gallop. I was soooo bummed that he didn't run in the Classic. I got tickets for my whole family to go to the Breeders Cup that year. (It was at Gulfstream) I was depressed for a week after I heard he was retiring.

please dont remind me of any Breeders Cups at Gulstream, all very very painful memories

I had a great time. My mom won a nice Win bet in the classic and bought us all dinner. Remember good things about it. Forget the bad. I remember Bob Baffert waving to my husband as he walked by because my hubby shouted "go get em Bob". Bob waved to him and the crowd went crazy.

another great closing kick i know to well is one from my dad when i mess up or act out of line

hope wasnt wearing "bends or stickers"...

If we're talking about dramatic closing kicks, then this is it.....I really believe that when Afleet Alex was on his A-game that he had one of the most devastating turns of foot from the 3/8-pole to the wire...

No doubt as far as suden acceleration and obtaining top speed he had to be the best I have seen. Most of the deep closers just roll into there top closing speed but he was the true push button speed horse. Two or three strides and he was there. Amazing turn of foot. The horse in training now that shows this push button trait is Surf Cat. If they would just show him off around the country. We may never realy be able to appreciate this horse f they want venture out of Cal.

AMEN JOEL. does anyone remember the arkanasas race from 2003 --think it was Sir Cherokee or something similar. I know the horse didn't go on but the effort was visually impressive on the day and sticks in my mind...

gate dancer 84 super derby, alysheba 88 big cap.

Yeah, that was a good race. The name was Cherokee something. I can't really remember the horse's name off the top of my head, but I remember the race clearly...

You were right. It's Sir Cherokee.

candy ride in the pc...

OK, I know this sounds weird but the race that made my hair stand on end was GZ in the King's Bishop.


He only rallied for 3rd that day but he slingshot around that field like they were suddenly thrown into reverse. Made my eyes fall out of my head and certainly put him on my radar map. AFter The Rock in the 2002 Mile (ironically another non-winning performance) that was my favorite close of all time.

Ooops looks like you beat me to it.

Nice call...these were two great closing efforts...

Kittens Joy was great to watch. Loved those powerful moves on the turf.

Hey thanks. This board seems a nice place.

Personally I'd have to say Unbridled. Believe he was a 2 year old and ran in like a 4 horse field in the slop at Arlington. Was last down the backstretch and alone by a furlong and came by the horses at the top of stretch like they were all standing still finishing 10 plus lengths ahead of the field.

ill change it up a little and just list one of my fav closing kicks. was a local horse named paddys spy, always loved watchin the big old man mow em all down......did it successfully way into his elder years and not for a bottom tag either

heres good pic of paddy last year@arlington


http://image26.webshots.com/27/0/96/...8pFHlXs_fs.jpg

How about when Unbridled came back after his 1990 BC Classic victory and turned back to 7f in the Deputy Minister at Gulf for his 1991 debut? He came from 8th place to blow by one of the best sprinters of the time, Housebuster, like he was standing still. Because he was turning back off two turn races and the layoff from the BC, the public dismissed him at 3-1 thinking it was just a public work for the Donn or Gulf Hcp. They were wrong and I was sitting in the grandstand with a nice win ticket and was blown away by the stretch run.

Bigs

Secretariat and Whirlaway's Preakness' was like - :eek: !

Grindstone's Derby when Bailey was talking to him down the back stretch still sides shivers down my spine. The call was awsome also did Cavinor hang on, did he lose by a nose the photo is worth a million. One of JB best rides I can ever remember. Poor Bob Baffert thought he won it.

I think one of the most fun one's I saw was when Kudos won the Californian and at the 3/8 pole Vic Stauffer said if Kudos is gonna win from here he is going to have to catch a plane or something like that .
He got on the next flight at the 5/16 pole and won going away lol.

Point Given in the 2000 BC Juvenile. I think he was still last at the top of the stretch and still almost caught Macho Uno. I love watching that replay. He became my Derby horse that day.

Good pick.. I forgot about that one!

LOL...missed that one...hilarious...I love when the bold announcers get it stuck to them...I've seen it before too...Wrona called Funny Cide as "throws up the White Flag" in the Louisiana Derby a few years ago and the horse came back to be very game at the wire....lol

Yep, but I needed that big chestnut SOB to get up for me to crush the race...lol...I never believed in Macho Uno and can't believe he won that race...that was all Jerry Bailey...

Silverbulletday's Alabama victory was amazing! Watch it from the roof that rainy day. She was my pick in the Belmont Stakes that year. She belongs in the HOF!!!

Probably one of the best and most exciting closers from the last 25 years was Turkoman. He has a win at 7F ( or maybe even 6F ) at Hialeah that has to be seen to be believed.

I thought of 3 more while making coffee today of all things.

1. MACH SPEED, might have been 2YO msw, I know it was a few years ago probably 2004. Jaw on floor. Just saw him this weekend in that ANEW sprint race--at least he's resurfaced in classy company, even if he disappointed.

2. SCIPION's msw victory. (1/2 bro to Vindication) 2005? so it was a group of non-winners, but i was cheering him for my friend, and he looked hopelessly beaten, doing nothing. Durkin even sounded disappointed. Then all of a sudden, almost mid-stretch, he explodes and in a few inhales everyone practically on the outside rail.

3. DOUBLE D APPEAL in the Nursery S., 2004. Never seen such a slow break and a horse come from what seemed like 80 lengths back to furiously rally past and win... as a 2YO.

Seeking The Gold...one of the best closers of the bunch

dont remind me of Mach Speed, thinking about that horses depresses me, I thought he would really be something for D Stewart. Another horse who really was hyped was Flanders Fields or something I think last year as a 2 yr old

Deep closers are visually impressive always, but more so when what is up front is quality that is still running hard . From the past, Forego and Damascus are the ones that come to mind . Rock of Gibralter's near miss was tremendous, though just short . Personal Ensign against the grain of a track she did not like. Borrego's big one last year, a classic example of supreme inhalation, whether you like the guy or not.

My favorite must as always be His Felinity, the REAL Big Cat, Cougar II. (All of you now turn to the south and bow towards Chile.) The Coug positively LOOMED when he came looping around fields on the far turn. He didn't have to run as a closer - he got rank with the Shoe and led gate to wire in a 10f turf race during his first year in the US - but once he learned to close, that became his style; his San Juan Capistrano win vs Fort Marcy was glorious. I hugged a total stranger in the stands that day.

The best kick I have ever seen was Artie SChillers maiden debut going 6f on the turf. All I had to say was OM F G

From than on I thought he was quite the amazing turfer and he sure is.

Sorry dude i didn't know

Yeah the 2YOs are deceptive in all three of those cases i mentioned but that is why they go together b/c all proved slow later. Anyways they are still just entertaining to watch when flipping by TVG and they stay in my head to this day.

HOW could i forget that one, THANK YOU for bringing that up.


To this day I have not heard Durkin so orgasmic (sorry if I am not supposed to use that word). But that trumps the other 5 I already mentioned so strike the record and put the colt w/ the "horns" onto the top of the list. Pulled up an 1/8th from home after lapping the field in a few lazy strides.

"Borrego does it in hand..."



"IN! HAAAAANNNNNNNND!!!!!"

Yeah, Bubba, the audio here was just as good as the visuals. Imagine what Durkin must sound like HAVING an orgasm.