Lawyer Ron returns in St. Louis Derby
 

By Joel Cunningham
Wire to Wire Editor

If you would have asked trainer Bob Holthus earlier this spring where he envisioned campaigning one-time Derby favorite Lawyer Ron in the late summer, he would have probably mentioned a premier 3-year-old event such as the prestigious Travers (G1) to be run Saturday at the famed Saratoga Race Course as a likely possibility.

One of those possibilities, however, would not have likely been the St. Louis Derby at Fairmount Park.

But much has happened since Lawyer Ron captured his sixth consecutive win with a sparkling victory in the Arkansas Derby (G2). The son of Langfuhr entered the Kentucky Derby (G1) as one of the race favorites in what was considered a wide-open affair, but he incurred quite a bit of misfortune in that race – one that is so dependent on having luck on your side. Lawyer Ron had a rough trip in the full field of 20, subsequently breaking his win streak by checking in a disappointing twelfth, beaten more than 21 lengths.

That wasn’t the worst thing that happened. Lawyer Ron, who had just been purchased by majority owner Stonewall Farms days prior to the Derby, was found to have returned from the race with a chip in his right hind ankle, requiring surgery and sidelining him for most of the summer.

Installed as the 2-1 favorite on the morning line for Saturday’s $250,000 event for 3-year-olds, Lawyer Ron makes his return since that dreadful experience in the Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs in May, and he’ll meet a full field of 12 sophomores when he lines up in the gate for the mile and-a-sixteenth event. If workouts are an indication, the speedy chestnut seems primed for a big effort, which would be bad news for his rivals.

Lawyer Ron, who will be piloted by regular rider John McKee from post No. 4, figures to get his sternest competition from stakes winners Lewis Michael, More Than Regal and Casino Evil, as well as up-and-comer Cielo Gold, and a good run Saturday will set him up for a probable start in next month’s $500,000 Super Derby (G2) at Louisiana Downs – where earlier this year he romped in the Risen Star (G3) at the Fair Grounds at Louisiana Downs meeting, which was potentially his finest performance to date.

Joel, nice piece. Check your PM.

if he's healthy and fit LR should romp.

FYI: Fairmount is in Illinois not Missouri.

Holtus said LR had the chip all along his campaign and finally had it removed after the KD disaster.

troubling...


St. Louis treated me really well last weekend....fingers crossed

Michael Lewis wins if he's in

:D ...yeah, Bogey made me aware of that....I had only just heard the name of the track prior to a couple of days ago....Needless to say, it sin't one that I wager on very often...:D Sorry for the mistake....

That is not how I understood it........I was told that he vetted out clean when his new owners bought him...I think your info may be a little off because I know that there is no way that a stud farm would invest millions in a colt that didn't vet out and then turn aroudn and jeopardize breaking him down in a tough race like the Derby....just wouldn't happen...no way

No real need to apologize. This $250k race just upgraded it from a track that can be completely ignored and forgotten 365 days a year, to a track that can be completely ignored and forgotten for 364 days, 23 hours, and 58 minutes a year. If I didn't have family that lived in both Collinsville and St. Louis, I probably would not have been able to tell you which country it was in.

war emblem had chips when the t'bred corp bought him. mineshaft ran with a chip or two. they acknowledged that down the line it could be a problem with them, but until the time came...

didn't kittens joy have one he ran with for a bit, until it started to bother him?

i searched and i could not find anything to substantiate my recollection that Lawyer Ron had known chips in his ankle prior to the KD.

That's my pick.

I thought the chips were discovered after the Derby, but Holthus said he wouldnt have had surgery except for the fact that he was a graded stakes horse. if he were a claimer, he wouldnt have had it.

well, another thing with chips is unless they become a hindrance, you can pretty much pick your battles with them. had he not had a setback when he did, they wouldn't have fooled with him....instead they decided to lay him up for a bit, he was certainly due a break after his campaign! now they crank him back up. the timing is perfect if he comes out in a big way here. the super derby, and then maybe (maybe??) the bc--third off a layoff.

ambitious, yes. but if you're going to dream, why waste your time if it's not a BIG dream?

Yeah, but my point is that there is no way that a stud farm would have bought him with chips for the money they spent...they wouldn't be able to insure him for the right price...think about it...trust me from knowing a little bit about that facet of the game, if he didn't vet out they wouldn't have spent that kind of cash on him.....or I would be VERY surprised because it is not normal or correct practice....he is giving up a lot already as a stallion prospect IMO...he is smallish and is by Langfuhr...those alone hurt his value...just can't see Stonewall buying with a chip..

forgive my ignorance....but why would a stud farm care if he had a chip? esp when you consider some of the horses at stud who have rotten conformation...
a chip is enough to pass on a horse?
then you consider unbridleds song...he didn't vet out, and the owner had the last laugh, hell he's still laughing now.

i guess i don't see the huge problem, considering the price the japanese paid out for war emblem and his chips.

why does being a son of Langfuhr hurt his value at stud ? i know Langfuhr stands for $20k.

and LR is a little light on reines de course. has 5 in his first 5 gens wchich limits some inbreeding possibilities. he's o/o a Lord Avie mare which opens up a possible Secretariat/SIr Gaylord cross.

Langfurh is no world beater and by no means an established sire of sires....sorry, but bloodstock agents won't like his second-hand blood until he proves something
.....

becasue they wouldn't want to invest in a stud that wasn't 100% to risk breaking him down and not getting him to the original reason they bought him - for stud duty...if the horse retires and goes to stud and then doesn't vet out then it is no big deal, But if he is stillr raicng it is a VERY big deal from a risk standpoint....the insurance wouldnb;t go for it first of all..

Langfuhr's oldest foals are now 7; supposing a son from that first crop went into service at age 4, his oldest foals would now be 2. Not much of a chance to be established as a 'sire of sires' yet. Anyway, people usually emphasize that aspect when the horse they are offering has limited performance credentials, which is not a problem for Ronny. Langfuhr won the Met Mile, Carter H, Forego H, and Vosburgh S; he was bred in Canada and most of his earlier foals were Canadian-bred or based. He also has shuttled, so has some SWs Down Under that nobody ever heard of.

Langfuhr has sired 2 champions: Wando (Horse of the Year in Canada, Triple Crown winner), Mobil (champion older horse in Canada), and numerous SWs including Imperial Gesture (Beldame S-G1), Imperialism (3x G2 winner, 3rd Kentucky Derby), Black Tom (Perth Cup-G2,Aus), Frightening (G2 in Australia), Jambalaya (G2), etc. He's not Storm Cat or Mr. P or Danzig (his dad), but most stallions aren't; yet many such have had good racing sons who make good sires, like Ack Ack (his best son Youth failed at stud, but Broad Brush carries on) or Damascus (no major sire sons, but several decent ones).

And LR does it again. Winning the St Louis derby in his first race back from the chip. Quite impressive when a horse who has a chip taken out can return first crack out of the box and win a 250 grand race, no matter where a 250 grand race is run, they don't give those away.

An Addendum - Lawyer Ron is the sort of stallion who going to be desparately needed in Kentucky very soon. He has one cross of Northern Dancer but NO Raise a Native (so no Mr. P) or Storm Cat or Seattle Slew or any of the really fashionable bloodlines. Outcrossing is going to be vital and Ron can provide that.

Ann I think thats obvious. WIth so many Storm cats out there as well as Slews, etc. At some point outcross stallions are going to be vital.
You would be surprised how sought after Offlee Wild was when lansdon sold is breeding rights, one of the main reasons cited was that he was an outcross and that they were going to be in demand in the very near future.

I'm so happy he's back-- I loved him this spring. Does anyone know if the video of the race is available anywhere? I didn't see it listed on NTRA.com.

I looked everywhere, but no luck.

I'm telling you, Pedigree Anne, he is not the most attractive stallion prosepct due to his size and Langfurh does hurt him alot...the Danzig sire line is not a very productive line anyway...sure, there is Danehill, etc. - but Danzig has actually been considered as a disappointing sire of sires...he is FAR better on the broodmare side...

I'm just stating what the industry experts opinions are....

lol
danzig a disappointment?! good lord man what are you drinking?? danehill ALONE would grant any sire a title as sire of sires. i can't believe you would dismiss that horse so readily. danehill over 200 stakes winners, danzig with 192 last time i looked. yeah, unproductive as hell. danehill led the sire list 9 times.

Obviously i can tell your bias by your screen name....say what you will, but I'm telling you that his paternal line is very cold in the eyes of bloodstock agents, much like Kris S. is, etc.....it is an undeniable fact.....of course there are exceptions in any thing, especially with all of the sires he has floating around out there. But I'm just saying that with all of the stallions he has and all of the nice mares he's bred over the past 20+ years before passing that he is known for being a racehorse sire and a pretty solid influence on the dam side....with all of the great runners hes had i would consider their success (or lack there of) as a relative failure - again, much like Kris S. sireline, etc....

It would be nice just once if you gave us some original thought rather than constantly referring to these mystery "industry experts".

I just think of Joel as a wannabe blueblood. For the most part, his opinions and inside info are pure comedy gold.

I don't make personal attacks like you low-lifes...i give my opinion on HORSES - what a concept on a horse racing chatboard, huh? :D

...if you don't like it then don't read it, OR even better - give me a good debate why you don't agree with what i say...But simply leaving criticizing personal comments only makes you both look stupid.....debate with me if you want, or just ignor me, but when you get personal it tells alot about the type of person you guys really are....

hell yeah i'm biased. lol

with war chant, belong to me, boundary, langfuhr, the legend known as danehill, i'll withhold judgement on his lasting legacy....i just think the word disappointment has NO place next to danzig. top stakes sire ever in north america...and he's spent too much time on too many lists to ever be considered that. but how can a horse who sired a nine time leading sire not be a sire of sires???? that's ludicrous.

it wasn't too long ago that i read that storm cat hadn't proven himself a sire of sires. that's not being said anymore.


and yes, kris s was outstanding as a sire, but hasn't had much luck in becoming a sire of sires....but to compare him to danzig is laughable. and danzig has produced both dirt and turf stars, sprinters to stayers...

What would you say your biggest accomplishment within the racing game has been Joel?

'I don't make personal attacks like you low-lifes'

er..........

All out to beat Smokeyjonessutton?

Well ... at least he's healthy again ... and a win is a win. Does Fairmount have any more stakes races carded for him?

Onward and upward.

Ok i'll "ignor" you. You're too smart for me, gaybo.

Hes a liar who makes up things that people never said. Find the post where I supposedly said what this liar has made up.

Yeah I know what he is. I've got a new title for him...

Cunningham Racing - Gay for Godolphin

that is your opinion and you're entitled to it...success is measured in the eye of the beholder....I think War Chant, Belong to Me and Boundary were all disappointing at stud relative to the mare books they recieved and how well they performed on the racetrack......just my opinion...look at War Chant....beuatifully bred and was a serious runner that had every chance to get a few stellar first crops with the book of mares he got, yet he relatively has had nothing special in my eyes...Also, look at the beautifully bred Dayjur, who was a freak of a racehorse and couldn't sire a $30K claimer.....you see where I'm going with this...it is just my opinion, man....:)