Future Hero - by Amy Atkins

His name clearly foretold the greatness that was to come: Future Hero was, in fact, destined to become one of the true heroes of the racing world. Perhaps owner Jon Xett somehow knew this when he bred the colt, choosing to send his mare Third Comet to Future Storm, a son of Storm Cat, for her first foal. Third Comet would go on to produce 4 more foals after Future Hero, all of them multiple stakes winners, including his full brother Tread Softly. But it was Future Hero who first demonstrated his dam's great ability as a producer, and established his own place in history.

The diminutive 15.1-hand chestnut went unraced as a two-year-old, before making his debut with a runner up effort behind the seasoned Skip A Stream, one of the top turf horses of that time, in an allowance race. Xett chose to keep his colt in allowance company next time out, and Future Hero responded with his first career victory. So encouraging was that effort that he earned his first stakes try next out, finishing 5th in the Oak Tree Handicap (G1), where the top 2 spots went to the best turf horses in the nation, Commitisize and the familiar Skip A Stream. This set Xett's colt up nicely for his first try at the Steward's Cup Mile (G1), where he finished a solid 3rd, again behind Commitisize and Skip a Stream. All in all, not bad for his first season on the track, but the best was yet to come.

Future Hero returned as a 4-year-old in the Early Times Turf Classic (G2), his first try at a distance longer than a mile. The change did not prove problematic, as he easily handled his rivals at that 1 1/8th-mile distance to pick up his first stakes victory. After a disappointing 2nd to Warpaint next time out in the Eddie Read Handicap (G1), Xett returned his colt to the mile distance he loved, and he proceeded to rattle off 3 consecutive stakes victories, culminating in a spectacular win in the Steward's Cup Mile (G1), making up for his loss the previous year and securing the Simmy Award for Champion Turf Male.

With 1 championship season in the bag, Jon Xett set a new goal for his star turfer: a repeat victory in the Steward's Cup. Future Hero seemed ready to achieve that goal, as he subsequently put together a season that can only be described as legendary. He took the turf division by storm, winning the Texas Turf Championship (G2), Maker's Mark Mile (G1), Dubai Duty Free (G1), Skip A Stream Stakes (G3), and Woodbine Mile (G1) in rapid succession. What Xett wanted more than anything was for his champion to end the year with a final victory in the Steward's Cup Mile (G1), but fate had a different plan. Future Hero had the lead, only to be nosed out on the wire by 99-1 longshot Duskinthemeadow. Later, Xett's Derby Dancer would be disqualified for interference after finishing first in the Steward's Cup Classic (G1), combining with Future Hero's heartbreaking loss to make it a rough night for his owner.

Future Hero was retired to stud duty after being awarded his 2nd consecutive Simmy Award for Champion Turf Male, and he wasted no time in displaying the same dominance he had shown on the track, siring millionaire champions Give Applause and Runaway in his first crop. Runaway proved to be a phenom at virtually every surface and distance, winning Grade 1 sprints and miles on both dirt and turf. And the success of Give Applause was perhaps even sweeter. Jon Xett retained ownership of this son of his turf star, and was finally rewarded with the 2 Steward' Cup Mile (G1) victories that had eluded his sire on the track. In the end, Future Hero sired 79 foals, including 54 winners, an impressive 68.4% rate of success, with total progeny earnings of $25,035,575. His foals earned a phenomenal $316,908 on average, including 9 millionaires: the aforementioned Give Applause and Runaway, Whirl Triomphe, Soft Spoken, All in Fun, Opening Night, Hurtful Words, Fate, and Castle.

Today, Future Hero is represented by 3 sons at stud: Opening Night (sire of 8 stakes winners), Castle (sire of 1 stakes winner), and Yes I Can (whose first foals are 2-year-olds this year). His male line also lives on through the stallions Dreams In Flames (a son of Give Applause), Six Signs (Give Applause), and Wherethecircleends (Runaway). Also, he is the broodmare sire of 7 horses currently at stud, including millionaires Circumstance (by Shamardal) and Boot Legger (by Storm Boot). Future Hero was a true superstar both on the track and at stud, and it is plain to see that the legacy of this late great lives on today.