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Hall of Fame - Legendofthepeople

Original article written by Nathan Klein posted 4 years 1 week ago

It was Week 2 Day 6 of year 14 at Iowan Meadows, and there was a full field of 12 2-year-olds ready to race and win their first race. The reason this is important is the horse who came third in the race. His name was Legendofthepeople and although no one knew at the time his name would become exactly what his name suggested.

Despite this, his beginnings were a bit rough. As a two-year-old, he ran 3 times and proved he had potential finishing third all 3 times including in the Grade 2 California Cup Juvenile. But despite a decent performance in stakes company things would not be as successful later in the year as he struggled through his 3 year season running twice including a fourth in the Grade 1 Arcadia Derby. But after only running once as a 4-year-old he finally got some more experience running 5 times as a 5-year-old. Even though he got 2 third-place finishes including one in the non-graded Keep On Coming Stakes he would end the year just like all his other years, winless.

Although he was able to earn $121,950 as a flat racer a new form of racing had been introduced to the SIM, it was called Steeplechasing and even flat runners could give this new form of racing a shot. With less than 3 weeks of training, he was switched into Steeplechaser ready to see what this new kind of racing had to offer. He made his first start in the Churchill Road Hurdle. It was a massive 180 from his dirt racing days. Instead of struggling to finish third he destroyed the entire field by 10 lengths.

Things would only get better as he would then go to Grade 3 company and win a second race. After that came a legendary racing season where he would win 6 times at the age of 6 never once losing. He would take Grand National in England, the New York Turf Writers Cup, and Colonial Cup in America. Following 3 straight Grade 1 wins came the icing on the cake to his unbeatable season. The inaugural Grade 1 Stewards Cup Steeplechase. They were off, Legendofthepeople broke off well and would settle outside. Then towards the finish, he would angle out and dive for the wire winning by 1 1/4 lengths over future Stewards Cup Steeplechase winner Shrouded in Myst. It was now the end of the first-ever year of Steeplechasing and Legendofthepeople had asserted himself as the best Steeplechaser in the world. Winning the first-ever Champion Older Male Steeplechaser award.

But things were not as easy as a 7-year-old. Despite starting with a win in the Grade 2 Royal Chase he would fail to repeat his wins in the Grand National which he lost to Goblet of Fire or New York Turf Writers Cup which he lost to Evacuee. However, despite starting in a mildly disappointing manner he got himself back together towards the end of the year. When he ran in the Colonial Cup. Despite taking himself back early he rallied strong winning his second Colonial Cup by two lengths. But then came the last race of the year. The Stewards Cup Steeplechase. Just like before he took himself back but just like before he rallied late battling with his old rival Evacuee. But in the stretch, he was too good beating Evacuee by 1 1/2 lengths. It was the fastest Stewards Cup Steeplechase for 10 years. Winning his second Older Steeplechaser award. He'd race for 2 more seasons after that but never won again.

he would end his career winning 9 of his 18 races in Steeplechasing company. Overall he'd race 31 times with 9 wins 1 second and 5 thirds. Despite those last two racing seasons, there is no denying the impact he had. Being Steeplechasing's first-ever champion and a Legend of the people.


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