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Hall of Fame - Send In The Giants
Original article written by Nathan Klein posted 3 years 3 weeks agoBeing overshadowed in a year of legends has happened to plenty of horses in the history of the SIM. But one of the biggest (in more ways than one) was Send In The Giants. He had the makings of a superstar. He was bred by the Steward to a broodmare who produced a Grade 2 winner in her first foal. And was bred to a solid sire in Paul Revere who produced Toronto Mile winner British Are Coming. But these bloodlines weren't top tier giving him a more modest in comparison auction price of $403,000. He would make sure to impress as entered his first race nearly immediately when miler races were open for two-year-olds.
He was a big horse standing an imposing 17 hands helping him get the name Send In The Giants. But he was immature and not fully developed. He would have to learn to harness his power if he was gonna be any good as a racehorse. He would use it for blinding speed running home gate to wire in an ever-increasing 4 and 1/4 length win in his first start. But blinding speed isn't full proof and more skilled two-year-olds like Eohippus were able to chase him down in deep stretch. He would be run down twice as a two-year-old by Eohippus. Once in the Grade 3 Star-Studded Stakes and again in the Steward's Cup Juvenile Turf. In between those losses he snagged his first Graded stakes win in the grade 3 Benjamin Franklin.
He rested for the first four weeks of his three-year-old season to return in the Grade 1 French 2,000 Guineas. And it proved successful with no Eohippus he ran home gate to the wire despite a dwindling lead in the last quarter. But a start later he faced an unstoppable force worse than Eohippus. The unbeatable Silver Screen Star. He, Silver Screen Star, and Performing Tales fought in an English 2000 Guineas to end all 2000 Guineas's. the fastest fractions ever seen in a turf mile race were being run as Send In The Giants set the pace. It was a death sentence for him to be running so fast early but that's the way he ran. Silver Screen Star and Performing Tales ran him down after such early speed and at the line, it was Silver Screen Star by half a length and Send In The Giants back in third a length behind a horse who had just set a world record that still remains today.
He only snuck in one more win in the Oceanside Mile a start later but then fell shy in the Arcadia and Steward's Cup Turf Miles. In the Steward's Cup, he was again overshadowed by Silver Screen Star who ran the race of his life opening up an outrageous 11 lengths in less than a quarter of a mile. In second was old rival Eohippus who finished ahead of Send In The Giants once more. Defeat after defeat Send In The Giants seemed always just shy of the top tier. But the big horse was still a growing animal not just physically but mentally.
After so much second fiddling it was his turn to be the big leader he was meant to be. He broke smoothly to the lead in the Prix Fleet Admiral but going into the far turn he surrendered the lead to Sharp Vision. Sharp Vision was two lengths in front but it was a new strategic move as Send In The Giants saved energy approaching the far turn and then resurged in the home stretch. Running down Sharp Vison and winning by 1 and 1/2 lengths. A start later he pulled the same trick in the Grade 2 Dubliner leading early saving ground and then chasing down Sharp Vision to win although it wasn't as big a margin being 3/4 of a length a win was a win.
A grade 3 and a grade 2 win now all that was left was a Grade 1 win. The Grand Tower Stakes was his spot of choice. As usual, he faced Sharp Vision but this time he was in a league of his own. Send In The Giants set a clear pace early and began to drop slightly. His lead went from 3 and 1/2 lengths to 2 lengths going into the far turn. But this was just him conserving his energy he still had another gear left and he used it. His long legs uncoiled once more as he began to reopen over his rivals cruising to victory by 3 and 1/2 lengths for a second career Grade 1.
All that was left now was America and the Steward's Cup Turf Mile. He defended his title in the Oceanside Mile by 1 and 1/2 lengths and then added the Arcadia Turf Mile a race he lost the year before. Now it was just the Steward's Cup Turf Mile that remained on his road of redemption. Out the gates flew and he started third. While still close to the pace it was the furthest back he had been all season. Instead, Marquee led the way and Marquee was hard to beat. Marquee had been the horse to deny Send In The Giants the Arcadia Turf Mile the year before. It was their only previous meeting and now it was time for a rematch. As Marquee led the whole way around Send In The Giants played the role of stalker a role he had never had before.
Marquee was 2 and 1/2 lengths in front going into the far turn with Send In The Giants ready to fire. It was his moment of truth he stretched his long legs and chased after Marquee he wasn't going to be second behind another star racehorse this year. He was the big horse now. He ran after him eating away at the winning margin of Marquee. As he continued forward go head and head with Marquee and reversed the result of the Arcadia Turf Mile the year before instead being the one running down the leader. He took over and then pulled ahead full stride and crossed the wire first by 1 and 1/2 lengths. It was the last piece of his journey. He was the best Turf Miler in the world and had nothing to prove.
After his retirement Send In The Giants became a successful stud producing Steward's Cup champ Keynote Giants as well as other millionaire and grade 1 winning milers. But his racing career is what resonates with most. Never settling for being second best and continuing to race until he was number 1. Growing in size speed and endurance Send In The Giants was a warrior.