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Hall of Fame - Cowboys Don't Cry
Original article written by Nathan Klein posted 3 years 4 weeks agoWhile in modern times legends like Jeaux and El Dorado took Quarter Horse racing by storm setting new precedents on what Quarter Horses were capable of a decade prior there were two legendary Quarter Horses. American Gold a mare who won 19 of 20 races and came only a win away from breaking 5 million dollars. And the lesser Cowboys Don't Cry. But while he isn't as well known he'll get his chance in the spotlight today.
Cowboys Don't Cry started his career immediately in stakes racing running in the Austin Futurity Trials. He led the whole way always keeping his head or neck in front at all times and breaking his maiden in a six-figure race. Then a start later he was introduced to defeat in the actual Austin Futurity. Going to the lead but being nipped by a head in the final strides by Mitchell Paige. But the rest of his triple crown season was a roaring success as he won the remaining four races in the triple crown series. Trial races and all he took the Rainstorm and Most American Futurities by hard-fought gate to wire wins separated only by heads, necks and noses. But after such a strong campaign he lost his first non Triple Crown start when he lost the California Juvenile by just two noses to regular rivals Flashbang and A Night Of Stars.
But neither showed up in his final victory the Steward's Cup Quarters Juvenile as they focused on getting ready for the Austin Derby the following year. Cowboys Don't Cry sacrificed the first jewel of the Quarters's three-year-old triple crown for the Steward's Cup and it paid off. With another gate to wire score by a neck. It was his ticket to Quarter Horse Champion Two Year Old Male. But a new year meant a slight shift in tables.
He had to fight harder to get Quarter Horse Champion Three Year Old Male. He started the year with three wins in four starts but he struggled to win Grade 1 races. He was successful in trial races but when the actual race came around he was always just short. He was still talented and had many thrilling races such as a match race in the Most American Derby Trial which he won by a whisker. But he seemed just shy of the top tier. After multiple Grade 1 placings he got his Grade 1 in the Steward's Cup Quarter's Championship.
He erupted out of the gate 3/4 of a length in front. He didn't cry over spilled milk he just raced again ready to try once more and this time he valiantly held on by a neck. It was a decisive victory that he needed to back up his three-listed stakes victory. As a four-year-old Cowboys Don't Cry continued his fight for the top. As before it wasn't easy but Cowboys Don't Cry was ready to gut another year out. Just as before he started with success in lower stakes races racking up three wins in his first four races with the biggest one being the Grade 3 Star Of Stars Trial 1. The other races were listed stakes races. But then in the second Star Of Stars Trials and the race itself he lost both by the excruciating margin of just a nose.
Just like the year before he was a monster in the lower grades but in the Grade 1 races, he was always a matter of inches away from victory. Up until his second Steward's Cup Quarter's Championship. In that race, he made the inches. Breaking out of the gate he put his neck in front of Whiskey Gold and he kept that exact margin the whole way around, didn't matter who closed him he held off the front runners and the closers could not keep up when he ran in the Steward's Cup. Crossing the line he won his third consecutive Steward's Cup race. A feat only equaled by champions such as El Dorado, Buljoos.
This win gave him another close but well-earned Simmy Award title for Quarter Horse Champion Older Male but it also snagged him Quarter Horse of the Year his highest achievement as a racehorse. And even as a five-year-old, he was still a top-tier racehorse. Even though he started on the wrong foot with a sixth in a listed stakes race and then a second the following start. He then pulled a final borage of victories winning the Stick To The Plan stakes. And then he swept the Star Of Stars trilogy of races. He won the first trial by a neck then the second trial by just a nose. And to round it out he won the Star Of Stars, one of the few major Quarter Horse races he had yet to win.
It was the last thing it seemed he had yet to win. And with one more gate-to-wire win, Cowboys Don't Cry won the race. It was his last career victory. And his sixth career Grade 1 win. It also propelled him over 4 million in earnings a feat only ever done before by American Gold. While other horses would come after him with better earnings, Cowboys Don't Cry was the first male horse to break 4 million. He then raced one more time in a bid for an unheard-of third Steward's Cup Quarter's Championship but finished fourth. This feat wouldn't stay in the clouds for too much longer, however. As Buljoos successfully made the hat trick. But Cowboys Don't Cry was finished. Even with that last defeat, he snagged a second Quarter Horse Champion Older Male.
In total, he earned five Simmy Awards at least once per year of racing. To win at that high of a level for four straight sim years is beyond impressive. As a sire, he proved not a huge success with his progeny earnings only barely breaking his racing earnings. But Cowboy had his best achievements on the track. And only eight sim years after he was retired the Steward couldn't wait any longer to put him up for eligibility. He won alongside American Gold, the first Quarter Horse filly, and colt to ever break 4 million. A mark that'll last them a lifetime.