Hall of Fame - Ad Infinitum

Original article written by Nathan Klein posted 3 years 2 weeks ago

Some horses just simply win races, but some horses go the extra mile and win races in style. Ad Infinitum was a horse who won in style, he won 5 of his 11 races by 3 lengths or more. But he wasn't afraid to fight for his wins either. He was by Tycoon winner of the Los Campeones Dirt Sprint. He also had sired Middle Eastern champion sprinter Look Marvel a few years earlier. Tycoon's best horses would all have Satellite as there Dam Sire and out of that prestigious bunch, Ad Infinitum managed to be the best of all of them.

Ad Infinitum wasted no time running in maiden races when he was a 2-year-old running his first race in the $100,000 Em's Always Busy Stakes. He broke to the lead and opened up nearly 5 lengths at the highest. Eventually, the others did catch up slightly but it was far from enough to catch the speedster as he crossed the line 3 lengths ahead. His next race, the Grade 3 Lightning Stakes was not nearly as easy. He opened up a 3 1/4 lengths at his furthest but with a huge late surge It's Been Awhile exploded late looking ready to zoom right by Ad Infinitum. With the last 1/10 of a mile to go Ad Infinitum dug in deep slowing down It's Been Awhile's huge rush just long enough for him to win by a neck. With his showing of heart, his destination was clear. He was going to go to the Two Year Old Sprint Championship. He would race twice more prepping up to the race and he won them by a combined 13 1/2 lengths.

He had taken down nearly all comers but there was one new one he had to deal with that was gonna give him a run for his money. His name was Rodriguez he was also unbeaten in 4 starts just like Ad Infinitum except he won them by even larger margins. The closest anyone got to the grey colt was 3 lengths. During the race, Rodriguez would get the lead while Ad Infinitum took a stalker approach. Eventually In White Light would make his move early and get close to Rodriguez but Ad Infinitum made a move of his own surging forward on the rail. He moved into the second but Rodriguez was simply too good repelling him by a neck and winning the race.

Rodriguez was retired early to be a stud while Ad Infinitum took his place as the top sprinter at age 3. He blasted through the Sunny Sky Dash to start the year off winning the race by 6 lengths and leaving no doubt who the winner was. In his second start, the Out Of Focus Stakes he took a weirder strategy taking the lead before giving it up to With Glory. With Glory looked like a winner with Ad Infinitum dropping back to second and nearly having Galaxy Grey pass him as well. But he hit a second gear flying late on the rail with Galaxy Grey right at his neck. They passed With Glory and continued to the wire but no matter what Ad Infinitum kept his neck in front, winning by 1/4 of a length. In the Grade 1 Esteemed Stakes, he stayed in the lead the entire way. He first tired out fellow front runner Diablo running him off his feet. Then he repelled nearly all the other horses with his second wind. Galaxy Grey came home late gaining ground but it was too late he could only get within 1 1/4 lengths of him. It would be his first grade 1 win but not his last. Galaxy Grey would reverse the result in their next encounter, winning by 1/4 of a length over Ad Infinitum.

Ad Infinitum would get back to his winning ways when he fought Silhouette Lies. Silhouette Lies would nearly pass Ad Infinitum getting within 1/2 of a length by the home stretch. But Ad Infinitum dug in deep and refused to let him pass holding on to the 1/2 of a length till the end of the race. But now it was back to running against the very best. Although Ad Infinitum had beaten elder horses before he would have to face off against the very toughest sprinters on dirt. Including Look Quick who was riding a 3 race winning streak which included the Dessert Golden Sprint. Initially, Ad Infinitum looked like an easy winner opening up 4 lengths. But with sheer patience Look Quick wore him down. Every stride he got closer until he got him by a head.

After such a defeat Ad Infinitum was denied the honor of North American Champion Sprinter as Look Quick would gain the honor. Ad Infinitum would take quite a while to get back to racing, not racing again until the Dessert Golden Sprint on Week 6. He wasn't as sharp as they would've hoped taking the lead early but not having enough in him to hold off Galaxy Grey who would win the race by half a length. He took another 4 weeks off to go on and win the grade 3 Rapid Bay Stakes gate to wire. In 10 weeks he had raced only twice with 1 win and 1 second. He finally got back to the top of his game when he ran in the Grade 1 Lexington Sprint. He let a black horse named Nicholas set the pace early while he was a distant second. At one point Nicholas was a good 2 1/2 lengths in front. But Ad Infinitum showed off his second wind with 1/15th of a mile and surging past late to win the race 1 1/4 lengths.

But there was one race left for him to run in the Steward's Cup Sprint. A race that alluded him the year before. In general, he had always come up short in the very top sprint races. Would he break the trend today? He would rematch against Galaxy Grey and Nicholas again. At the start, he broke sluggishly and let Nicholas run his race as he stayed back in third. By the far turn, he began to drop back significantly being back in seventh place. But with the acceleration of a jet, he flew absolutely out of nowhere getting into second place in nearly an instant. After that, he chased after Nicholas chasing him down and winning by half a length. The burst of speed proved just how great he was. He could go gate to wire and he could come from behind. After that, there was no doubt he was the Year 26 North American Champion Sprinter. With nothing to prove he went on to be a champion sire. Producing Dessert Golden Sprint winner Hope Rings True and North American Champion Two Year Old Female Shetalkstovillains who joins her father in the Hall Of Fame in Year 56.

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