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Hall of Fame - Graces
Original article written by Nathan Klein posted 3 years 1 week agoImagine having a champion racehorse who was unbeatable on the track. Then its time to retire after a perfect career of 12 career starts. The obvious thing you'd want is a son or daughter who manages to be even better than their father. For Look Close that seemed like a near-impossible challenge. Dual Simmy Award winner and Steward's Cup Winner. And as mentioned before undefeated in 12 races. But at the age of 12 Look Close would be bred to Brianna McKenzie's mare Bon Fire. Together they would do just that and make a mare who would be better than her father in almost every way. That filly would be known as Graces.
Almost every race she had was an easy story. Her first start illustrated what she was able to do. She broke out of the gate like a bullet opening up 1 length to lead early. After that, she became more and more uncatchable as the race went on. Until she finished 5 lengths in front. Soon after she would kick off a winning streak with multiple great wins in the best 2-year-old sprint races for fillies. She opened up a 4 length lead in her next start but was eased up to 3 lengths to save energy for the next start. Her next start was her Graded stakes debut the Party Stakes.
It was a celebration as the great filly hustled to the front giving herself a clear lead of a few lengths. Then in the final quarter, she eased up letting her competition catch up. But it still wasn't enough even when she was under wraps. She won by a length, but after having to fight with her to keep her reserved decided to throw out humility and just let her do the work. She won the Tremendous Strides Stakes by 2 and 3/4 lengths. Then she expanded further when she took the Bequeath Stakes by 4 and 1/4 lengths.
Her speed was so impressive she was entered in a 2-year-old sprint championship elimination race. Her first skirmish against males. It wasn't any harder for her as she won by 4 and 1/2 lengths. Her second greatest margin in her career. Not even males were able to pass her not even for a stride she could still break the fastest and lead them around the field in her little parade.
But there was still her Grade 1 debut. The 2-year-old Sprint Championship against the world's best 2-year-olds both male and female. Could she keep up her indomitable streak with $1,500,000 on the line? The answer was yes with an exclamation point. She took to the lead as usual still having the jump at the highest level. She led by a good length by the second call and continued to inch forward when they went into the final turn being 1 and 1/2 lengths ahead. But when the far turn came it proved a real show. Graces continued to go faster and faster extending her hooves as she zoomed down the track. She was in front by 3 lengths, then it was 4 lengths and with 100 yards to go, she was 5 lengths in front. But with one last kick, she increased it to 5 and 3/4 lengths. The greatest margin of victory in the history of the race.
With that last victory, she was now 7 for 7 and already being compared with the greats. She was so unbeatable that she was co-honored as North American Champion Two Year Old Female along with the other unbeaten filly Lyre who won the Steward's Cup Juvenile Fillies. But with a big year behind her, it took a bit of time for her to get to the destructive level she was at. She won her first race by a comparably more reserved 2 and 1/2 lengths although it was an ever-increasing lead.
She would then cut it short in the Festival Of Light Stakes. She opened up a huge lead at the start and looked ready to open up her already 3 length lead in the stretch. But she got chased by Melanie who came right at her. The two thundered down the stretch with Melanie slowly wearing her down as they opened up over the rest of the competition. But Graces was able to delay Melanie just long enough and fought on to win by a neck. It was the only time she won by less than a length. She came back stronger in the Grade 3 Miss Baltimore winning by 4 and 1/2 lengths.
But after that came a Grade 1 winning streak that consisted of 4 major sprint races. It started with the Challenge Stakes which was not a very fitting title. As she led into the far turn by 5 lengths before easing up to 2 and 1/2. She then broke her marginal best in the Dancer Stakes when she won by 6 lengths and was still well in hand. With two great wins against the best female sprinters, she took a final prep against the best male sprinters in the Lexington Sprint. Just like before no one could get by her as she went straight to the lead. She continued to open up well in hand just like she did with the females. No matter who you put her against it was the same story.
All that was left was the Steward's Cup Sprint. Although she was rarely challenged it was still gonna be an intense challenge to be put at the highest level a horse could achieve at the sprint level. It felt like she'd beaten almost everyone but she had one last horse to race against. Fargo, the previous years champion was back for another round. He had come into this years running 4 for 5. With 3 straight wins and even a victory in his very own race the Fargo Stakes.
It was time for a real horse race. The two broke out of the gates super fast and went right to the front. But in front, it was Fargo, he was ahead of Graces by a slim nose. Graces had never had a horse go toe to toe with her upfront. She pinned her ears back and soon came right back putting her head in front as she eyed Fargo. But even after this attempt at dominance Fargo came right back putting his whole neck in front as they went into the far turn, giving it their all, blazing across the dirt at 40 miles an hour.
But with two super fast quarters who was the to buckle first. Both kept going at it but Graces found another gear. Fargo was spent as he raced down the home stretch. Graces unrelenting speed simply had no bounds. She kept going at it and soon passed Fargo. Everyone was stunned, she fought the good fight and then she went beyond. People cheered on as she began to open up. Fargo fell back to third but it was Graces to win by 2 and 1/2 lengths. It was her greatest showing and the perfect way for to her go out on top. She retired 14 for 14 and got ready to be a mom.
She would give birth to 13 foals. In total, they would give her $15,593,960 in earnings and still counting. These champs include 5 millionaires. Such as Steward's Cup Juvenile Filly And Mare Sprint winner Gales. Steward's Cup Juvenile Sprint winner Dignify, and Steward's Filly and Mare Sprint winner Inspired. As well as two Desert Golden Sprint winners The Big Party and Decency. Then the spread of great progeny continued when Decency retired as he currently has had $21,273,315 in progeny earnings and still growing. But the best sire Graces created was Parody. Who has $29,587,260 currently and should soon break 30 million by then. With the best one being Get Out who earned over 5 million on the track. Parody ironically proved that Graces was no joke.