Something just seems wrong about having the words “slow horse” in an article about a Kentucky Derby winner. Always Dreaming, the winner of the 143rd Kentucky Derby is not a slow horse. To the contrary, he’s fast, probably faster than we’ve seen to date. This article isn’t really about him though. It takes something really special and different to headline any article about The Kentucky Derby that also discusses the winner. Something really special happened last Saturday and as a historian and student of The Sport of Kings, I think it is worth more than a mere mention in passing.
You can do a lot in this great game: you can out play, you can out spend, you can out bet, you can out train, and you can out ride. You can even out run. You can’t bluff. You are either in or out, there is no bluffing.
Terry Finley is in. There is no bluff in him. He’s a major player at the highest level of the game. Terry has been in The Kentucky Derby before last Saturday. Flashy Bull made a showing but did not run particularly well. West Point Thoroughbreds Commanding Curve finished a closing second to California Chrome. He also plays the right way, with class, grace, and dignity. He knows how to win, and how to lose. Both essentials in our sport. None of this is a secret. It is also not a secret he has been chasing the dream of winning The Kentucky Derby as hard if not harder than just about every owner in the game. This is the race we all want.
It’s great to see someone go “all in” in The Sport of Kings. It’s even greater when it works out. Ken Ramsey did it with Kitten’s Joy and made quite the stallion out of him. Many others have tried. The most common occurrence is when owners hungry for the ever elusive roses over spend for yearlings, two- year olds, and of course three- year olds who have raced and earned a fast figure, ran fast, or caught the eye. Those horses have been known to bring funny money, and usually it is based on speed. Bob Baffert did it with War Emblem and won the Derby. He knew War Emblem was fast and bought him off his wire to wire win in The Illinois Derby. Speed has been the emphasis for a long time now. It has changed commercial breeding, it has changed the sales, and it has become the most sought after commodity in young horses with aspirations towards the Classics. Interestingly enough, the Classics are all at distances of ground where one would think, and some of the few old school players still do, that pedigree would be of equal if not more importance than speed. The game has changed though, and pedigree, dosage, bottom, are things you rarely hear when looking for a Kentucky Derby winner.
On March 4th, 2017, Always Dreaming ran in an optional claiming race on The Fountain of Youth undercard at Gulfstream Park. It was no secret he was expected to win, and probably win easily. He was after all about 1-9 in the wagering. It was also no secret he was working better than many of the horses in Todd Pletcher’s powerhouse stable. No small feat considering what that shed row looks like. Always Dreaming won his allowance race at Gulfstream, but not the way many expected him to do it. Yes he won easy. No he didn’t run fast. Splits of 25.52, 51.65, 1:16.82 and 1:41.17 hardly scream off the chart I’m a Kentucky Derby winner. They don’t cause the phone to ring off the hook with astronomical offers to purchase the colt or at least buy in. They did to Terry Finley though, and he wasn’t afraid to believe in what he saw and go all in.
I had the pleasure of discussing the purchase with Terry on it’s Post Time with JJ and Samm Graci, a show I appear on with them regularly. Terry was a gentleman, very straight forward, and forth coming about how the entire deal went down. He’s truly a lover of The Sport of Kings and tries to bring people into it not just with his successful partnership of West Point Thoroughbreds, but with his overall enthusiasm and knowledge of all facets of the game.
Terry saw what a lot of people, myself included, missed in Always Dreaming‘s slow race. He knew the horse was fast from his two-year old races. That wasn’t a concern. He actually liked what turned many people away.
He liked that Always Dreaming would come back to rider Johnny Velazquez and go only as fast as Johnny wanted or he needed to on cue. This told him the horse would shut down in The Derby, relax, do what Johnny wanted, and give Johnny the burst of speed Terry knew he had when John pushed the button. He knew the speed was there and knew he’d show it when it counted which wasn’t March 4th.
Terry called long time friend Anthony Manganaro, owner of Sienna farm and asked if he was in. He was. He then called Always Dreaming‘s owners Vincent Viola and Anthony Bonomo and inquired if they’d be interested in “selling a leg” of their Kentucky Derby hopeful. They weren’t but out of friendship felt obligated or maybe just that it was the right thing to do to give Terry a shot at buying in. The price was high, higher than Terry expected, and higher than he originally thought he and Anthony would be willing to pay. He went back to Anthony and Anthony said let’s do it. I got the impression Vincent and Anthony were surprised but not displeased they had some friends in the deal with them. Terry was certainly pleased.
It didn’t take long for Always Dreaming to make Terry Finley the smartest man in the 143rd Kentucky Derby. He won The Florida Derby easily, and won The Kentucky Derby just as easy. He’s now in Maryland getting ready for The Preakness in famous barn 40 and nobody is talking about that slow race much.
Terry Finley and Anthony Bonomo share a unique distinction amongst Kentucky Derby winning owners. Terry bought the winner because he was slow. Anthony fed his jockey White Castle the night before the Derby. Hey, it was hard to find decent Italian food that time of night in Louisville. If you’re from Brooklyn, you’ll understand.
I had a chance to talk about Always Dreaming‘s run in The Kentucky Derby with John Velazquez. There are a few things people should know. Johnny insisted on going to Tampa to ride Always Dreaming in his race there. He was high on the colt as were all the connections and the whole barn. He didn’t want anyone else riding him. That speaks volumes. I asked Johnny when he felt really confident he’d be tough to beat. I thought I knew the answer. I thought he’d say going into the far turn when he tipped out a few paths into the cat bird seat. It wasn’t. it was earlier. He felt good about his chances when he passed the wire (excuse the pun) the first time. The colt relaxed and was very comfortable. By the time he tipped out approaching the far turn, he knew it was going to come down to timing his move just right and not many do that better than Johnny. When he gave him that burst in the stretch he knew he had done what he and Todd wanted to do together for years. The horse galloped out as good as any he could remember. I agreed, I don’t think I saw a horse gallop out that good after The Derby since Barbaro.
Should Always Dreaming win The Preakness, you will see as an electric Belmont Park as there can be. A Brooklyn crew going for the ultimate prize in horse racing. I hope we get to see it. This is a tough bunch not to root for.
HIGH FIVE: Terry Finley, one of the shrewdest buys in horse racing. Well done! Anthony Bonomo, who feeds their jockey White Castle before the Derby? Talk about “My Way.” Travis Stone for a great Derby call. The Always Dreaming team, winning with class and Todd and Johnny, salut, you got it done together! Steve Haskin for having Always Dreaming on The Derby Dozen all the way! Johnny for using the winningest saddle in The Sport of Kings.
LOW FIVE: Whoever made the decision or agreement to keep the first few live races off Roberts Racing Network before the NBC telecast started. Hello!!! The weather, thanks for nothing!
