Feature Race | Auction | Breeding | General | Hall of Fame | Harness | Interviews | Mixed Breed | New Players | Racing | Site Updates | Steeplechasing | Steward's Cup | Triple Crown

The More You Know (AW Router History)

Original article written by Garret Folsom posted 8 years 2 weeks ago

It’s very easy to see that the All Weather divisions are an afterthought for a large majority of the SIMmunity (new word achieved). It’s also very easy to see that I am trying to get more attention drawn toward the division with my many posts on the subject (mostly just AW Routers, but I have to start somewhere). This article is to highlight some of the history of the the AW Router division in the SIM. Sit back and enjoy.

It all started in Year 20. The first race was run on W11. There were two AW Router races on that day. Both races took place at Artificial Arena and both were won by Ronnie Dee. The first race was for 3YO and up Fillies and Mares. It was a Maiden Special Weight race, with a $15,000 purse. The race was won by Thanksgiving, a then 3YO filly sired by A.P. Indy. In the very next race, we had our first male winner, Sting. He was a 2YO Gelding at the time, sired by Giacomo, Sting went on to earn $434,540 in his racing career, including three straight “All Weather Championships” which look to be precursors to the Steward’s Cup races.

It was four weeks after those first two races that the SIM saw the first AW Router Stakes Winner. The race was the “All Weather Championship” and it was one by that very same Sting. After that first win back in week 11, Sting was sold by Ronnie Dee. His new owner was Emma Lochran, who paid $25,000 for him. Her reward was a first race stakes win and a $50,000 pay day. One race later, Laura Ferguson’s Chincoteague (Chesapeake Bay) was the first female Stakes winner in the All Weather Matron. Her win was over none other than Ronnie Dee’s, Thanksgiving.

We jump ahead to Week 12 of Year 21, Four A.M. Miracle (Five Circles) becomes the first Grade 1 Stakes winner in AW Router history. The race was the “All Weather Ladies Classic”. It was a field of 8 and Susie Rydell’s 3 year-old filly won the race ahead of Gelandesprung and previously mentioned Chincoteague. Four A.M. Miracle would go on to produce Susie’s current Turf Router stallion, Appreciate That. For anybody looking to try to find some new AW Router blood, this 13 year-old guy could be a nice option for just $6,500.

Next stop on our way through the SIMline (another new word), we stop at W16 of Year 29. This is our first of 36 AW Route Steward’s Cup Races (so far). The winner’s name should ring a bell, it’s Ali Weasley’s recently pensioned Dumbledore. He won the Steward’s Cup Synthetic Marathon over 5 other races including future stallions Infinite Glory and Defend Your Rights. Running that same day was the Inaugural Steward’s Cup Synthetic Matron, won by Desert Seeker (King of the Desert) for Lee Cara, as well as the Steward’s Cup Synthetic Classic, Dan Gordon’s Dr. Ghazi. The good doctor won over a field that included, Run Tell That, Widdo, All Dressed Up and Rabbit From a Hat.

Let’s look at some firsts for the Owners. John Hannibal Smith was the first owner to 100 wins, getting to that number in Week 4 of Year 27. It took until Y34, Week 2 for anybody to reach 200 wins. That was Leigh Ann Anderson. The race to 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700 have all been won by Madelene Gilbert. She hit 300 in Y36, W15 and hit 700 back in week 3 of this year.

Now that the “Firsts” have been covered, let’s look at the “Mosts”. Most Grade 1 Stakes wins is a tie between recently retired 10YO mare Sunbledore and long retired 12YO mare Miraculous Storm. Most G1 wins for an owner belongs to Ara Davies at 15. Those 15 wins come from just 4 different horses (Sunbledore – 6, Sunscape – 4, Sun Flare – 4 and Start of the End – 1).

No horse has ever won three Steward’s Cup Races, but there are ten of them that have won two. Courageously won the Y32 and 33 Matron, Dr. Ghazi won the Y29 Classic and the Y30 Marathon. Reverse those and that’s what Dumbledore did, Y29 Marathon, Y30 Classic. D’s Excaping won back-to-back Classics in Y35 and 36. D’s Hercules won the Y37 Marathon and the Y39 Classic. Ghazi’s Dream picked up the Y33 and 34 Marathons. King of Consent hit back-to-back classics in those same years. Suchanobsession hit two straight Matrons, Y35 and 36. Something that Sun Flare did 5 years prior in Y30 and 31. Finally, Sunbledore won the past two Marathons in Y39 and 40.
Join us again next time when we talk about the career wins of the AW Router division.


Back to Racing articles

Copyright © 2024 SIMHorseRacing.com | Legal