Grady in his paddock at the Puckett’s farm. (Andi Puckett photo)
By Maribeth Kalinich, Rachel Humphrey, Contributor
Every once in a while a horse comes along to disprove the adage that Thoroughbreds should retire at age six or seven. Grady is one of those horses. Redolent of horses of yesteryear, the compact bay gelding made 104 starts. Now, before you proclaim too much, too long, read Grady’s story. You will understand that he loved to run, he needed to run, even when he wasn’t hitting the board, but hit It he did, 56 times with 15 wins including stakes.
Grady would have been quite discontent to linger in a paddock before it was his time. In fact, I watched Grady sleeping in the straw in his stall at Bowie Training Center with his legs moving dreaming he was racing. That’s how much he loved to run.
In following several horses over the past few years to make sure they came off the track well and well cared for, I’ve learned a few things. One, not all horses have to retire at six. Two, it’s not where a horse finishes a race, it’s how that horse finishes a race. The notes on a chart will tell you more than position. The replay will clarify. And the heart of that horse will complete the story.
Grady’s heart was a big as he was. On the track he was a beast. He kind of was off the track as well as he wasn’t your carrot-eating, mint-feeding stable pony. He was all business and he was the boss. But Grady’s handlers could handle this 1,000 pound equine athlete. And with some, he could be quite civil. Just watch out for the orange cone, in Grady’s case, he had two in front of his stall.
You may want to get out a map of the United States and some pins for the journey you are about to experience. This Thoroughbred is going to take you on a very long, interesting ride.
Never was a Thoroughbred so wanted by his breeder and owners and trainers as Grady. He had several of the latter and made starts at tracks all over the country and at many levels. Grady was named for his breeder, Grady Sanders, who never stopped looking for his Florida-bred. Sanders would finally find his Grady through his last owners, the Pucketts.
Grady’s running style was pack animal. His last trainer, Andi Puckett, said, “Grady had his style, he would normally break well and take himself back to last. If he was feeling it he’d explode at the top of the stretch, and loved being between horses making his bid. We instructed the riders to only hit him twice. That was all he’d tolerate. After Ramon Dominguez won on him he wanted permission to ride without a whip. We agreed as did the Stewards, but I think Grady knew the difference and barely picked his feet up that day!”
The son of Prospectors Gamble out of Petadear by Subpet, Grady had twice been through auction. Grady then traveled to the West Coast to begin his 2-year-old career under trainer Randy Bradshaw for owners Irish American Thoroughbreds and O’Leary’s Irish Farms.
The bay gelding made his first start at Hollywood Park in a five and a half furlongs maiden special weight hitting the board third. Next he placed second at Santa Fe in a seven furlongs an allowance qualifier for the Indian Nations Futurity Cup (Listed).
At the same distance, Grady broke his maiden at Santa Fe in the inaugural Indian Nations Futurity Cup, the second richest race in the country for 2-year-olds at the time. Grady won by nipping General Gems by a neck at the wire and future Preakness winner Real Quiet who finished third back two and a half lengths. He would win a purse of $275,000 and his first stakes. Grady did this with opening fractions of :22.20 and :44.80. This race would show his mettle for the rest of his career. Strong, feisty, come from behind.
The tenacious 2-year-old followed that up placing third in the Barretts Juvenile Stakes (Black Type) at Fairplex Park. His 2-year-old season wrapped up with two more stakes races, one graded, with mixed results.
Still campaigned by Irish American Thoroughbreds and O’Leary’s Irish Farms, Grady would have a five month layoff and begin his 3-year-old season in April 1998 with a new trainer, future Breeders’ Cup winner, Jenine Sahadi. Bringing him back to the basics, Sahadi would drop Grady in class to the claiming level for a freshener. But at that level he was also vulnerable. In July, Grady was claimed for a $32,000 tag.
His next start would be at Del Mar under new trainer Michael Mitchell for new owner Michael House. Competing in six to six and a half furlongs claiming races on the Southern California circuit, the scrappy 3-year-old gelding finished the year on the board with consistent speed figures as high as 104. Grady was coming into his own but still maturing.
After two starts in January 1999, Grady had a seven month layoff but bounced back with a vengeance winning his first start with a 104 ESF paying $25.40. But, alas, he was claimed once again, this time by trainer Robert Hess for owners James Eaton and Ocean View Stables.
Under Hess, Grady had three more starts on the SoCal circuit hitting the board twice all with wicked fast speed figures. And then in his last start of the year, December 26, 1999, as fate would have it, Grady was claimed again. He would go to another future Breeders’ Cup winner Peter Eurton’s barn and be campaigned by owners Frank Alesia and Bram Jam Stable.
The new millennium began for Grady, Eurton and his new connections with third place in a six furlongs claiming race for a $40,000 tag at Santa Anita. The 5-year-old gelding followed up with four wins, two seconds, two third places at the claiming level at Southern California tracks and a fourth place in the G3 Pat O’Brien Handicap at Del Mar. He elevated his speed figures with the highest being a fleet-footed 117.
Grady was cruising through 2000 on the SoCalif circuit. But as Grady still ran in claiming races and, as fate would have it, in his second to last race at Hollywood Park November 16, he was claimed back for $80,000 by trainer Robert Hess this time for new owner, Roddy Valente.
Claims never bothered the stalwart gelding. He knew his job no matter for whom he was working. Two weeks later he won the Albany Handicap (Listed) at Golden Gate for his new connections to close out the year.
2001 would see several changes for the now 6-year-old as he moved east to Aqueduct to a new trainer, Bruce Levine. His first start in late January would be a fifth place in the Paumonok Handicap (Listed). Levine Grady spotted Grady to the allowance level and both his performance and speed improved. The gelding raced at Belmont, Monmouth, the Meadowlands and Saratoga, then got class relief to the claiming level mid-year and ended the year with a record of 13 starts: 1-5-0 with earnings of $94,008.
Grady stayed under Bruce Levine through 2002 with superb results.
Back to claiming going from $125,000 to $10,000, Grady had moderate success in the first half of 2003 under Levine. In July 2003, now 8-years-old, the sturdy gelding moved to the barn of Ronald Dandy by owner Valente and ran at Suffolk Downs for a $8,000 tag. The overall changes seemed to have freshened Grady up a bit as he won the race earnestly by one and one quarter lengths. He had a bit of a relapse in his next two races to rebound in a $6,200 claimer for a $4,000 tag but with a much wider field of twelve. He captured that race by three and three quarters lengths.
Grady in training for the Pucketts in 2004. (Andi Puckett)
Moving from Suffolk Downs in Massachusetts to Laurel Park in Maryland in late 2003, Grady was claimed December 4 by trainers Andi and Dwight Puckett for $7,500 after he placed third in a seven furlong race December 4 at Laurel Park.
“I rode up at Suffolk during the mid 1980s and knew Ron; he was a good horseman,” Puckett told Midatlantic Thoroughbred. “When we looked to claim Grady, he hadn’t been running great but I knew Ron wouldn’t have beat him up. I wanted him mostly because of his past. Here was a classy old gelding, and I vowed that day that I would get him and I would retire him one day. He wasn’t saying he needed to be retired at all at that time. He was sound, he loved what he did. He was 100 percent racehorse.”
Raced under Puckett’s Pilot’s Cove Farm, he stayed on the Mid-Atlantic circuit for 2004, and in the claiming ranks. Grady would do well conditioned by the Pucketts winning his first start of 2004 in January and placing third February 20. The compact bay would pick up a few seconds at Charles Town and hit the board a few times at Pimlico and Delaware Park.
“When we got him he was just a cantankerous old man,” Andi said. “I would gallop him and the only time he really got worked up was when he knew we were going to work. We put blinkers on him and he would just jig-jog, back up, gallop sideways to the pole. It was just ridiculous for an old horse who had run so many times. And then I would break him off and he wouldn’t go anywhere. If there wasn’t a horse in front of him to run at he just kind of spit it, and I would wonder if I could get him out of a two-minute lick. But once he spotted somebody out front, then he would just take off.”
Grady would have five more starts in the Puckett barn with mixed results. Then he was claimed May 22 for $7,500 by trainer Javier Contreras for Flag Stable after finishing last of five in a one and one eighth miles contest on dirt.
Grady was claimed in his next race by Flint. W Stites for Aracrest Racing Stables for $5,000. He had finished fourth of eight in a one and one sixteenth miles. He would start his next race for Stites and take second.
August 26 Grady was claimed again for $7,500 by Kevin Joy for Jeremy Gassman. Giving a strong effort in a seven furlong contest, Grady finished second for trainer Joy in his second start for his new trainer October 20.
On November 20, 2004, then 9-year-old Grady was claimed back by the Pucketts for owner Steve Walfish for $5,000 at Charles Town. Grady had just finished third of ten. This claim would set the pace for the rest of this tenacious Thoroughbred’s life.
When asked why they claimed Grady twice, Andi Puckett said, “I love a war horse, with ninety something starts at that point we knew he’d be tough as nails. We also knew we’d provide him with the best care possible to keep him going strong.
Andi Puckett up on Grad ready for a ride. (Andi Puckett)
“I was amazed that he was a commodity at that point. He ran well when he felt like it. Dwight would let the new owners run him once, and then drop him in for less when he didn’t perform. So we actually made a little money each time. I was always stressed on how he was doing during his time away from us. He was not the easiest horse to deal with or keep happy. My goal from the beginning was to protect him while letting him do what he loved. Then retiring him.”
Puckett brought the bay gelding up to the starter allowance ranks and Grady ran willingly. His results belied his effort. He stayed in that class for six starts having good results. Comments in the notes on the charts were “Willing.” “Finished strongly.”
Dropped back in class, Grady hit the board second finishing gamely in a seven furlongs race, his favored length, at Laurel on April 10, 2005. At a mile in the next race May 9, Grady was outrun by 18 1/2 lengths.
With a win at seven furlongs at Colonial Downs June 28 under Luis Garcia, Grady seemed to regain his old form and mindset. Under Puckett, owned by Walfish, Grady would progress nicely garnering two seconds and two thirds building his purse money for 2005.
As an 11-year-old he would make three starts in 2006 and retire from the track June 4 with his last race at Pimlico.
The resolute, feisty bay gelding with a heart as large as he is, finished his career with 104 Starts, 15 firsts, 22 seconds and 19 thirds, and career earnings of $785,436.
Grady’s last owner on the track, Steve Walfish, gave the gelding to Andi and Dwight Puckett. They brought him to their farm in Charles County, Maryland. When the Puckett family decided to relocated to Florida, they took the then 20-year-old Grady with them as part of the family.
Grady is now 26-years-old. Every day Grady runs and bucks like a racehorse 10 years younger. Is he a riding horse or a paddock pet? Neither. He was the boss on the track and in the barn and he’s the boss in his new digs.
Grady “retraining” with Andi. (Andi Puckett)
“I have been re-schooling him and found he doesn’t like working in a ring. My guess is that he has spent enough time running in circles. He hated lunging, Andi Puckett said. “He’d take two turns around, stop and just look at me like, ‘What are we doing?’ And working in the ring, he was bored. Once every so often I’ll tack him up and ride, usually it’s on his terms. All he wants to do is go for walks. He likes taking trail rides and looking around. He’s very content. He likes to be groomed and fed peppermints.
“He now spends his days out in the pasture and has adjusted well to farm life, although occasionally he will let us know he is still the boss. Grady loves to entertain himself at our expense and will go through periods of not wanting to be caught to come in for the evening. Grady has a lot of “racehorse” still in him,” Puckett added.
“He was (and still is) quite the character. Dwight and I managed him but he was pretty nasty towards others. He bit one of our groom’s and broke his hand one morning, and of course the orange cone was outside of his stall!” she finished.
Grady has his own field, and has a best friend in the paddock next to him. It’s amazing how much the two old retired guys love each other, Puckett said. Grady was never friendly towards another horse since.
According to Puckett Grady has mellowed with age. Although he still gets wound up if there’s any change to his “normal” daily routine. “Every once in awhile I have to put a chain over his nose to remind him that he’s not always the boss,” she said. He still loves a good romp around his field, and rolling in the mud.
When asked to describe Grady in one word Puckett said “Tenacious.” And so he was.
The horse that was bred in Florida, started his career at historic Hollywood Park, raced all over the country and ended his career at historic Pimlico Race Course, came back home to Florida. Sometimes things do come full circle!
Grady in his stall at Bowie Training Center. (Maribeth Kalinich)
Grady foaled January 10, 1995 at Hart Farm in Florida
Prospector’s Gamble – Petadear by Subpet out of Jestadear
Keeneland September Yearling $32,000 to Asia Pacific.
Barretts 2-year-olds and Mixed $55,000 to Chasen’s and O’Leary.
Grady’s maternal family is full of what could be described as bread and butter horses; the type which earn, not huge amounts, but who are consistent.
Petadear, dam of 13 foals.
OK No Problem (Tim Tam Aly) – Stakes money $158,269
Coming Fast (Premiership) – Stakes money $109,020 and raced until 9. Grady’s half sibling Sharpe’s Ferry (Pass the Tab) produced a number of small winners and producers and who have all earned in some capacity, including her daughter of Vaca Sagrada who is the dam of Sok Sok (Trippi), winner of $463,824 and is a sire in Illinois.
Second dam Jestadear (Jester – Lucky Bojo) produced Jestanemerald, dam of multiple stakes winner Lubicon (by Appalachee) who herself produced a number of winners potentially achieved by an upgrade in stallions, such as 1983 U.S. Champion 2yo Colt, Devil’s Bag (who incidentally was syndicated for stud for a juvenile record $36 million; 1999 July Cup winner, Stravinsky and multiple Graded Stakes winner, Lure.
Lubicon is also the dam of Small Vices (With Approval) and seven out of her eight foals have been earners.
Jestadear’s Lure filly, named Luricon, was stakes placed and a handy broodmare, being the dam of earners Royal Tricon (Trippi), and Veros Hero, and later the grandam of earner and Jamaican sire, Emperor’s Hall and Salsas Return via her daughter, Gold Gram.
Third dam, Lucky Bojo (Sky Raider by Man O’War).
In case you were keeping tabs,
• Career record: Starts: 104, Firsts 15, Seconds 22, Thirds 19, Earnings $785,436, Stakes winner and stakes placed
• Foaled January 10, 1995 (Florida), First Start July 12, 1997, Maiden August 24, 1997, Retired June 4, 2006
• Currently resides in Florida at the age of 28.
Nine (9) trainers:
• Randy Bradshaw
• Jenine Sahadi
• Michael Mitchell
• Peter Eurton
• Robert Hess twice
• Bruce Levine
• Ronald Dandy
• Andi and Dwight Puckett twice
• Kevin Joy
Seventeen (17) Tracks
• Laurel Park
• Delaware Park
• Charles Town
• Colonial Downs
• Pimlico
• Suffolk Downs
• Aqueduct
• Belmont Park
• Saratoga
• Monmouth Park
• Meadowlands
• Golden Gate Fields
• Hollywood Park
• Del Mar
• Santa Anita
• Fairplex Park
• Santa Fe
