Hall of Fame - July

Original article written by Nathan Klein posted 3 years 4 weeks ago

It is the first day of July and to kick it off it is only fitting to talk about a champion racehorse named after the month. The horse started from simple beginnings. Although he was bred by the Steward himself he was sold for a quite small price of $200,000. That would be hefty for most horses but for a Steward Bred which can average half a million to 10 million dollars. This was simply a mere bargain for a horse like him. His father Unconquered had no breakout sons before July and his mother Moscow Burning could produce stakes horses but had never produced a millionaire. July would surpass all expectations in the first race, he was in seventh early but with a sweeping run won by 3 1/2 lengths. He wrapped up his short 2-year-old season with a win in a non-winner of 2. But next year they'd go bigger.

He first took a non-graded stakes race by 4 lengths and in just his fourth start was entered in the Grade 1 German Derby. At the start, he took himself far back being second to last at the start. But he took his time, Feat and Gripping began to separate from the pack but July made his move. Soon all three began to really accelerate and in the stretch, the three opened up a huge margin on the rest of the pack. It was a three horse race down the stretch. July slowly wore down Gripping and then he began to wear down Feat. Feat was trying to hold him off but July was too powerful and steadily opened up till they hit the wire. July took the race by 3/4 of a length. It was his toughest race to date but just a start, later he easily won the Italian Derby. He was 3 lengths behind the leaders when they hit the far turn but July took off like it was Independence Day in the stretch. Because by the end of it he was alone, the victor by 5 1/2 lengths. He then took the Gladiator Stakes in preparation for the Arc De Triomphe. But he would not triumph in the Arc that year as Trafalgar destroyed him in the stretch winning by 5 lengths. July was a well-beaten second but he would have one more race that year. The Steward's Cup Turf would be the sight of his rematch with Trafalgar and this time he changed his tactics. This time staying closer to the pace and staying ahead of Trafalgar throughout the race. It helped get rid of Trafalgar as a challenger and by the far turn, he had the lead. In the stretch, all he could do was open up as by the end, he won the race by 4 1/2 lengths.

That year he would be honored with 2 Simmys, European Champion Three Year Old Male, and North American Champion Male Turf Horse. In his return, he was a bit sloppy having to desperately outfight I Dreamed A Dream who at the time was only a listed stakes winner. Although only winning by 1/4 of a length seemed discouraging they jumped into Grade 1 company next time out. This time around Wayward Fallacy led the pack running away on the lead and at one point leading by 9 1/2 lengths. In the stretch, Wayward Fallacy was in the lead by 5 lengths but July managed to catch up to him and open up 1 3/4 lengths on him. After that his road to redemption in a second attempt in the Arc was easy. He won 2 more Grade 1 races in preparation for the race-winning them by a combined 8 1/4 lengths.

All that was left was the Arc and 4 horses who wanted to challenge him. At the start, he was left behind as Wayward Fallacy and Sword Bearer led the pack by a huge margin. At their peak Sword Bearer was about 12 1/2 lengths in front of July who had taken a stalking position in second to last. But as they hit the far turn July began to unravel. He had made up over half of that margin now it was only 5 lengths that separated him from the lead. But in the long stretch, he continued to accelerate, he swung past the tired runners in the stretch moving past like a firecracker. He took the lead and continued to the wire to win by 2 1/4 lengths. Redemption was his, July had taken the one race that had been denied him.

There was no need to go for another Steward's Cup Turf, he was retired 2 days before the Turf and put out to stud. But not before taking the Simmy for European Champion Older Male and European Horse of the Year. At stud, he had $55,613,895 in progeny earnings with 583 winners including Steward's Cup Turf winner Committee Of Five as well as 9 other millionaires. July is a fine example of a turf horse, nearly unbeatable on the track and an influential sire. It's only fitting his story is told on the month he was named after.

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