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Hall of Fame - Skyfall
Original article written by Nathan Klein posted 3 years 3 weeks agoSkyfall would originally be the name of an Ian Fleming novel and a movie in 2012 starring Daniel Craig. Then it would be the name of a horse who would run from years 34-36 winning a maiden claiming on the all-weather. But soon after 1 SIM year later the name would be used again on a legendary filly. Bay in color with a star on her face and an even bigger star on the track and off the track.
Skyfall would start her career promisingly but not as a top tier filly. She would break her maiden easily stalking on the rail and going to win by 3 1/2 lengths. the speed figure was a 98, a good 16 points higher than the second-place finisher that day. Things were not nearly as easy in her stakes debut next time out, in the grade 3 Okibi Sensei Stakes. She'd go to the lead this time getting into a speed duel with Inara III. At the start of the race Inara III would be right at her neck but slowly but surely Skyfall would open up to win by 1 1/2 lengths. However, despite running a 96-speed figure she was unable to get any better than third in the Steward's Cup Juvenile Fillies.
After that, she was ready to put herself against the best of the best. Not against other fillies but against the boys in the Silver Bullets Stakes. After breaking inwards she challenged Mine to the lead early, tiring him out and keeping a clear lead throughout. In the far turn, she easily drew away and won by 3 1/2 lengths. Next time out she was against only 3 other rivals in the Grade 1 New York New York stakes. Surprisingly, she broke dead last early on, not challenging the pace initially. But she got faster throughout the race going wide off the turn and drawing away under urging. At the wire, she cruised to a 2 3/4 length win. Soon her biggest test would come as she would try to be the fourth filly to ever win the Louisville Derby.
The race began and Doctor was the clear leader. Opening up a clear lead of 2 lengths by half a mile holding on to the margin past 3/4 of a mile. But right before the stretch, Skyfall made her move passing rivals and getting into a clear position she looked stoked to pass the exhausted Doctor. She passed him and began to open up. Until the End made a late bid as well flying late to get into third place but it wasn't enough, Skyfall was too far ahead for anyone to catch her. She won by 1 1/2 lengths and became the fourth filly to win the Louisville Derby. Since then only 1 other filly has ever won the same race. Her name was Owl Let You Know and she did it 10 years after Skyfall.
Next up was the second jewel the Baltimore Crown. At the time no filly had ever managed to win 2 jewels of the race. Skyfall was gonna try and break this tradition and win the Baltimore Crown but things were not as smooth. Doctor gained a way bigger lead over Skyfall fighting with Gorgeous for the front, the two were way further ahead of Skyfall but Gorgeous faded while Tightrope closed fast. Skyfall gained ground but she was not catching nearly as fast as before. Tightrope zoomed on by, ready to catch Doctor but Doctor held off the late challenge to win the second jewel. Skyfall was back in third. With Doctor not in the Long Island Classic Skyfall looked like she could have a break. But despite making a good move Proverb ran amuck. Zooming through and obliterating Skyfall by 3 lengths.
With the triple crown over Skyfall did not attempt to run in the Midsummer Classic and rematch against Doctor instead going back to facing against fillies. She would have to face off against Hallowed Halls who was the winner of the Baltimore Oaks. Skyfall would take advantage of only having 3 opponents and decided to be a front runner this time around. She tried it all closer, front runner, and stalker, the whole shabang. But Hallowed Halls was ready to catch her when they went into the far turn. The two of them were well clear of the rest of the horses in the far turn, Skyfall begging for the wire as the late-charging Hallowed Halls came upon her tail. The two came down to the wire but with one stride left Skyfall pushed her nose forward holding on to her slim lead for the last moment.
She was back with boys again in the Steward's Cup Classic where she would face off against Doctor again. But it wasn't her day as she bobbled out of the gate. Doctor was the undisputed leader and unlike the Louisville Derby, he would not tire as he kept a good lead winning the race by 3 lengths. Even with a slightly underwhelming 4th place finish she still won the Simmy for North American Horse of the Year, and North American Champion Three Year Old Female. But even her 3-year-old-season didn't compare to her nearly flawless 4-year-old season. She ran away with the Rampage Handicap winning by over 5 1/2 lengths. She then would stalk before getting into a battle with Through The Ghost in the Dessert World Cup. The two clashed it out but Skyfall was simply a cut above the rest winning by a neck. The Grade 1 Taylor Swift Stakes would be her next easy triumph winning it by 4 3/4 lengths. Skyfall would then be challenged to a match race with Paha Sapa who had just won the Long Island Acorn following a 17th in the Louisville Derby. Despite leading early Paha Sapa was no match, Skyfall just took her time and passed her easily late, winning by 2 3/4 lengths.
Her only blemish at the age of 4 was a rematch with Hallowed Halls in the Rags to Riches Stakes. Even though she was ahead of Hallowed Halls most of the race Hallowed Halls made a bold move late and passed Skyfall to win by 3/4 of a length. She would run for the final time in the Steward's Cup Classic hoping to redeem herself from her 4th in the previous years running. Just like before she stalked along with Through The Ghost but this time she was even tougher to beat. Through the Ghost took the lead 3/4 into the race but Skyfall was simply too good passing him in the stretch and going on to win by 1 1/4 lengths.
It was the perfect finish to a great season. She would repeat her win of the Simmy for North American Horse Of The Year as well as adding a champion older female award to the list of Simmy's. Even with this illustrious career, it was nothing compared to her career as a broodmare. With 9 of her progeny currently being millionaires. These included Steward's Cup Juvenile winner Spectre, Queens Derby winner Rebel With a Cause who also won 19 races over the course of 6 seasons of racing. The list continues on and on with a total of 22 million in progeny earnings. Sadly at the age of 17, she died while foaling her final foal I've Loved Before. She also has a new hotshot 2-year-old going into Year 56 in Poet's Corner. With already 3 wins at the age of 2 including the grade 1 Louisville Jockey Club Stakes. Poet's Corner and the rest of her offspring hope to continue the legacy of one of the greatest broodmares in the history of the SIM.