Hall of Fame Profile: Awake As I Am

Original article written by Dan Kauffman posted 8 years 0 weeks ago

While it's true that the late Awake As I Am deserves more than one sentence written about him (and he will get what he deserves), it's also true that one sentence can sum up his greatness:

Awake As I Am is the only horse ever to win the Triple Crown AND finish his career undefeated.

The fourth of five horses to win the Triple Crown -- doing so in Year 23 -- Awake As I Am had greatness in his bloodlines.

His sire, Hall of Famer Loki Dynasty, won 12 of his 13 starts, including the Louisville Derby in Year 14, for earnings of more than $4.4 million. His lone blemish came in his final outing, the Steward's Cup Classic in Year 15, when Atlas edged him by less than a length. Loki Dynasty's progeny earned almost $80 million on the track, with 20 millionaires.

Awake As I Am's dam was Wonder, another Hall of Famer who won 8 of 16 starts, including five Grade 1 titles, for earnings of almost $3.3 million. Of her 13 foals, 10 of them became millionaires -- including Awake As I Am's younger full sister, Asleep As I Am, who was a Steward's Cup Distaff Champion in Year 26 and earned more than $2.2 million.

Awake As I Am was bred and owned during his racing career by Dave Shields. He debuted in a 7-furlong maiden special weight dirt sprint for juvenile colts and geldings at Baltimore in Year 22 Week 7, winning by two lengths with a modest 73 speed figure.

Three weeks later, in the Grade 3, $100,000 Graduation Year Stakes over 1 mile at Futurity Park in Florida, Awake As I Am steamrolled to a six-length victory with an 82 speed figure. Three weeks after that, he pulled away to another six-length win in the Grade 1, $200,000 Long Island Futurity, posting an 81 speed figure in the 1-mile race.

It was on to the Grade 1, $2 million Steward's Cup Juvenile, held that year in Arcadia Park in California. What looked to be Awake As I Am's toughest challenge to that point, instead turned into a coronation as he humbled his 10 challengers, winning the 1 1/16-mile race by an astounding eight lengths with a 92 speed figure to instantly become the favorite for next year's Louisville Derby. He was named North American Champion Two Year Old Male.

Awake As I Am opened his 3-year-old campaign with more of the dominance everyone by then expected, rolling to a 6 1/2-length victory in the Grade 3, $100,000 Loki Masterpiece Stakes over 1 1/16 miles at Arcadia Park, again posting a 92 speed figure. Two weeks later, and two weeks before the Louisville Derby, he outdueled Much Like Falling over 1 1/8 miles to win the Grade 1, $200,000 Southern California Derby by two lengths, posting an 84 speed figure.

It was off to Louisville for the $2 million run for the roses. Facing 18 challengers and the 1 1/4-mile distance for the first time, Awake As I Am held off East, Anvil and Something Better to cross the wire more than a length in front with an 88 speed figure in 1:59.13. Now 7-for-7, it was his second career million-dollar payday.

The next morning, Awake As I Am traveled to Baltimore, where the following Friday he battled seven challengers in the second jewel of the Triple Crown, the $1 million Baltimore Crown. Forced into a wide trip and given a serious challenge by Much Like Falling, he came up with the goods again, posting a 91 speed figure to win by almost two lengths in 1:53.46 -- setting a Baltimore Crown record that stood for 11 years.

Two weeks later in Long Island, Awake As I Am had a date with history. The unbeaten colt could join Priceless Forever, Tremendous and Jet Ski as the fourth Triple Crown champion. To do it, he had to conquer the 1 1/2-mile test of champions, where 10 challengers were ready to take their shot at denying history.

Of those 10, only one -- Salute The Sky -- proved formidable. In a memorable battle down the stretch, Awake As I Am dug deep and held off Salute The Sky by half a length as the New York crowd roared in approval. Awake As I Am finished in 2:26.20 with a 91 speed figure, capping a racing career in which he went 9-for-9 with more than $3.3 million in earnings. He was named North American Champion Three Year Old Male and North American Horse of the Year.

Four days after the Long Island Classic, Shields officially announced Awake As I Am's retirement. About six weeks later, Awake As I Am was given to The Steward for his next career as a stud.

And what a stud he was. His progeny earned more than $99 million, with 17 millionaires, listed below with their top accomplishments:

* You Are I Am, more than $7.2 million, Steward's Cup Classic, Desert World Cup and Steward's Cup Juvenile champion, North American Champion Three Year Old Colt, North American Champion Older Male, North American Horse of the Year (twice)
* Stay Awake, almost $6.2 million, Desert World Cup and Steward's Cup Classic champion
* Voldemort, more than $5.5 million, Desert World Cup champion, South American Champion Three Year Old Male
* The Awakening, more than $5.1 million, Desert World Cup champion
* Amber, more than $4.7 million, Steward's Cup Classic champion, North American Champion Older Mare (twice), North American Horse of the Year
* Thriller, more than $2.9 million, Baltimore Crown and Long Island Gold Cup champion
* Institutionalized, more than $2.3 million, Steward's Cup Juvenile champion
* Hit the Snooze, almost $2 million, Steward's Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up, Steward's Cup Distaff runner-up
* Impress, more than $1.9 million, Louisville Classic champion, Desert World Cup third place
* Talented As I Am, more than $1.6 million, Queen's Derby champion
* When I Wake Up, more than $1.35 million, Steward's Cup Ladies Route champion
* Altar, almost $1.3 million, Steward's Cup Ladies Route champion, North American Champion Older Mare
* Wildfire, almost $1.1 million, Prince of Peace Stakes champion
* Wide Awake Still, more than $1.05 million, Steward's Cup Marathon runner-up
* Wolfpack, $1.027 million, Inglewood Futurity champion
* Corona, $1.025 million, Long Island Acorn champion
* Just As I Am, just over $1 million, Brooklyn Stakes champion

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