Baltimore Crown Review: Gunnarr

Original article written by Fanta Arcadia posted 12 years 0 weeks ago

With every passing SIM year I experience, I tend to revel in the atmosphere of Triple Crown season. It is the time of year that brings out the fiercest competitors in all of us: from the handicappers, to the trainers, to the owners, the jockeys, and even the fans. It is when dreams are made, restored, and realized. It is also when dreams and hearts are broken, and we are left in search of that Holy Grail once again. In just a few short weeks we experience the highest of highs and lowest of lows this sport has to offer.

We watched on as Matt Wilson’s homebred, San Diego Padre, defeated a loaded field of the best three year olds the world had to offer in the historic “Run for the Roses”. This past weekend was the heralding of the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. The Baltimore Crown, in my eyes, is the race that everyone forgets about or underestimates just how difficult it is. Everyone is concerned with the grueling distance of the Long Island Classic, but few remember the harrowing journey that awaits the Derby winner when they arrive in Baltimore.

They are being asked to gear down from the North American classic distance of a mile and a quarter to a quick and snappy mile and three sixteenths. Not only is the distance change something to become accustomed to, but the one week turn around just adds more pressure to the Derby winner (and his competition as well). Follow that up with the suicidal sharp turns of the Baltimore Race Course, sometimes the unpredictable weather, and you have a recipe for an instant thriller.

Closers have an insanely difficult task of trying to sustain their punishing late kicks, as was the fate of Sword, while front-runners are coasting along on the lead and thus they do not have to feel the fear of making their way around traffic. Spartan used this tactic to deny his rival Triple Crown glory.
This year’s Baltimore Crown was a bit more interesting as two horses of the stalking variety attempted to win the Black Eyed Susans: one was the Derby winner and the other was a horse with so much to prove, a horse with all the talent in the world if only he were given his chance to shine.

The day of the Baltimore Crown, the sun shone down intensely making for a sweltering day in Baltimore. The track was labeled as fast for the middle jewel as the field of ten three year olds stood in the gates, ready to charge for the far turn at the drop of a hat.

As the gates clanged open with authority, four horses roared to the front to make pace an issue. Wizardry got there first as Fast was just a quarter of a length behind him; a head behind Fast was Minister as Tinsley trailed in fourth by a quarter of a length.

Not far back from Tinsley came Day to Celebrate and Gunnarr lay in wait just behind him. San Diego Padre was hot on Gunnarr’s heels as Stay Inside was just a whisker away from passing him. Three lengths behind Stay Inside trailed Night Fury as Messiah brought up the rear.

By the second call Wizardry had dropped down to third as Minister took command with Fast in second. Not much happened at the rear as Stay Inside edged in front of San Diego Padre, Night Fury and Messiah still trailing. At the third call, Wizardry continued to slip and by this time was holding fourth as Fast nudged out Minister and Gunnarr ranged up into third at the top of the stretch.

San Diego Padre was closing but he was swallowed up by the furious rush of Night Fury and Messiah, both looking for vengeance after the Louisville Derby. Yet not even they could compare to the might of Emily Mitchell’s Gunnarr who held them all at bay to thwart San Diego Padre’s Triple Crown bid and claim the Black Eyed Susans.

Gunnarr won by half of a length, with Night Fury in second, Messiah third, Derby winner San Diego Padre was fourth, and Minister clung on for fifth.

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