Hall Of Fame - Lightninginabottle

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

Along with Jon Xett, Donnie Hidalgo is one of the most long-lived sim players. He joined the game back in year 8 and got his first Steward's Cup victory in year 14. Since then he's had three horses make it into the Sim Hall Of Fame but his most recent was that very horse who gave him that first Steward's Cup. Lightninginabottle and impressively almost half a sim century after the race happened Donnie Hidalgo is still playing the game and currently is in the top 30 ranked owners this sim year. But it had to all start from somewhere and it came with the poetically named once in a lifetime horse, Lightninginabottle.

Lightninginabottle's career began with his mom Extremist a broodmare who produced four different millionaires. But Lightninginabottle was the best of the bunch by far being the only multimillionaire. On the racecourse, Lightninginabottle could be described as nothing short of lightning-fast. In all his races he was described with words along the lines of "fast" "brilliant speed" and "led." He played a simple game run as fast as he could and ask questions later. In his first race, he did just that separating from the pack. The only problem was another horse named Godspeed was just as fast as he was and two separated themselves from the rest of the pack. They were 3 and 1/2 lengths ahead of the nearest horse but the two were inseparable down the stretch.

But this showed off his other great quality. His heart, he wasn't just fast he was fierce. He never wavered for a moment and when the two hit the wire together he came out on top by a nose. He got a similar chase from Inner Light next time out winning by 1 and 1/2 lengths and 7 and 1/2 lengths separating the rest of the pack. Didn't matter much he won and was two for two in sprints. But it was the last sprint race he ran in. Next up he had to go past the mile marker and even a little further than that in the Loki Flame Stakes.

His chaser this time was Hollywoodhotshot a horse who two consecutive maiden special weights because someone was an idiot and didn't bother to check the entries. However, that happened he was unbeaten in two races like Lightninginabottle. Too bad he lost that title as Lightninginabottle led just like he did before with Hollywoodhotshot and Standard being the only horses remotely close to him when he crossed the wire. He won it by half a length to Hollywoodhotshot and then another 1 and 1/2 lengths to Standard. The next horse was 9 and 1/2 lengths back. All of this set him up perfectly for his most important race the Steward's Cup Juvenile.

Earlier that year Donnie had quenched his first trophy race winning the Arc De Triomphe with Dreams In Flames. But now it was time for the Steward's Cup and he got quite an opponent. The incredibly talented but unruly Herkemayah. Herkemayah was meant to be a classic distance horse but as a two-year-old, he had to settle with shorter races and a shorter temper. In some starts, his antics would delay the start of the race. But he'd then come out on top with him winning three straight including the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes. The two Hall Of Famers met each other maker as they raced. Lightninginabottle was slightly faster and had the edge the whole way but Herkemayah never let him out of his sight. The rest of the field was in close proximity, regardless it was Lightninginabottle vs Herkemayah the whole way. But Lightninginabottle was too fast and too furious at the shorter 1 and 1/16 mile distance. The race was too short for Herkemayah who on his raw talent alone still was second by a quarter of a length. But Lightninginabottle could not be stopped becoming one of only two horses ever to beat Herkemayah. The other was yet another Hall Of Fame racehorse the talented but sometimes overlooked Saga.

Some years that kinda campaign would get Lightninginabottle the honor of Champion Two-year-old but it was the same year the undefeated turf star A Crown Awaits swept the Two-Year-Old Triple Crown. Still what Lightninginabottle did to defeat Herkemayah with his raw speed was something only one other horse could replicate and it was also Donnie Hidalgo's first-ever Steward's Cup win. For that Lightninginabottle wasn't gonna be forgotten so easily with time really amping up his achievements. But he still had two years of racing left to show off what he had to offer.

Next was his preparation for Louisville Derby. He increased his undefeated streak in true Lightninginabottle fashion. He ran his guts out the whole 1 and 1/16 miles and at the line Space I was the only one who came close to reaching him. Too close for comfort some would say as Lightninginabottle for the second time in his career came within a nose of defeat. But with the heart of a lion, he held on yet again to go five for five. He kept up that trend of fives next start but not by winning it was with a fifth-place finish. Saga went on to win the Louisville Derby with Herkemayah losing for the final time. Lightninginabottle was left in their wake. The 1 and 1/4 miles were too long for him to carry his raw speed. It was the only time he ever finished worse than second in 16 starts showing just how game he was almost any day he raced.

With Donnie now knowing the limitations of his champion he let Herkemayah sweep the rest of the Triple Crown over Saga. Lightninginabottle took the Grade 3 Silver Valor Stakes over Moon Beam by 3/4 of a length. Moon Beam came back for seconds in the Haskell Invitational next time out and yet again he made up more ground than the average horse but Lightninginabottle only won by a further margin as he took the 1 and 1/8 mile Grade 1 by two lengths. With his confidence back he had a tie-breaker rematch with Herkemayah in the Woodward Handicap. Both were off two-race win streaks with Herkemayah taking the last two jewels of the Triple Crown the Baltimore Crown by 2 and 1/4 lengths. Then in the Long Island Classic, he gave a jaw-dropping career-defining 14 and 3/4 length score.

He was gonna be hard to beat but he hadn't raced since then and had been on a break. The race was set to be run at an even 1 and 1/8 miles an equal opportune distance for the short router Lightninginabottle and the longer Herkemayah. With that Lightninginabottle went right into the lead as always with Herkemayah right behind. But when it came time for the stretch dual the slightly longer distance gave Herkemayah just what he needed to pass Lightninginabottle. Herkemayah forged clear to win by a length with Lightninginabottle a tough second. Interestingly neither ran in the Steward's Cup that year Herkemayah ran in in a half a million-dollar match race against Giocomo to cap off a career that saw him win eight times in ten races. Lightninginabottle ran in the Cigar Mile.

In the race was Cobalt. He had only lost one race, the Lousiville Derby to Loki Dynasty. Otherwise, he had won his eight other races but usually ran at longer distances. He hadn't run at a mile since he was two although it was a seven-length score. He replicated that score with the two horses clear of the nearest horse by three lengths. But Cobalt went the extra mile (no pun intended). Passing Lightninginabottle and handing him another 1 length defeat. Cobalt retired after this race but Lightninginabottle was unfinished. To start his four-year-old season he ran in the Grade 2 San Fernando Stakes against Godspeed. Godspeed was the horse he nosed out in his career debut all those sim years ago. The two fought again with Godspeed on Lightninginabottle's flank like before. But instead of a dual Lightninginabottle shook clear and went for home three lengths clear of Godspeed. But he wasn't clear of Louisville Derby winner Saga. Saga had sat off the front runners early and had saved his best move for the end. He hooked up with Lightninginabottle and the two settled the score but Lightninginabottle had used too much energy early to outfight Godspeed so Saga prevailed by a neck. Just a start later Saga would face the wrath of another Donnie Hidalgo Hall Of Famer in Chinese Bandit who beat him in the Arcadia Handicap although Saga reversed the result a start later in the Desert World Cup before retiring due to injury.

Three consecutive losses for Lightninginabottle against two Hall Of Famers and a horse who only lost once in ten races. He got a confidence boost in the Sunny Sky Classic. His main challenge was For What Its Worth who just like Lightninginabottle had won the Steward's Cup Juvenile but it was two sim years prior. Still, he was no match as Lightninginabottle led the whole way and only seemed to get further away as he kicked clear to a four-length win and a $600,000 paycheck. But it seemed like he was back to the same pattern in the Widener Handicap when Samurai tracked him down and ran him off his feet. Lightninginabottle simply tired late and was second by two lengths. A running theme was taking place at 1 and 1/8 lengths. His speed was just not enough for him to win at the highest level it seemed. So Donnie shortened him up.

First up the Grade 2 Westchester Stakes. He and Devil May Cry set the early fractions. But Devil May Cry couldn't maintain his speed and ended up last. Following this brief challenge, Lightninginabottle began to move away. Renaissance gave a late scare on the outside but the shortened distance gave Lightninginabottle just what he needed to repel him and have a neck to spare. The next time he tried a mile in the Turfway Park Fall Championships things weren't so close. Lightninginabottle only got further away drawing away to four lengths with none of his four opponents ever threatening. All that remained was a single race.

A new Steward's Cup race the Steward's Cup Dirt Mile. It was the first of its kind back in year 16. Samurai who had beaten him before in the Widener Handicap was back for more. Along with the lightly raced Inspired Myth who won the Grade 1 Godolphin Mile and Oceanside Mile going into the race. Out of the gate Lightninginabottle fought along with Darkness Awaits for the lead. He wouldn't be able to throw him off initially with the two inseparable for the majority of the race. But when they reached the top of the stretch that's when a true showing of character began to take place. Late game Darkness Awaits tired with Lightninginabottle still going strong. On the outside, Strongable and Inspired Myth flew into the picture ready to catch Lightninginabottle. But Lightninginabottle was unwavering even with incredible late speed from the closing competitors he was able to hang on by a head. Lightninginabosttle still had the heart to speed through a whole race gate to wire even a Steward's Cup win.

That gutsy finish cinched him a tight and wide-open Simmy for North American Champion Older Male. It was a final crowning jewel to a successful but very difficult career. Only the very toughest could run down the dark lightning bolt. And with only one exception only one horse at a time could place ahead of him. He was just too tough and too fast. Only three sim years later in his first crop, his top son Strike Deadly won the year 19 Desert Mile and the Steward's Cup Dirt Mile in the same year. But his best mark on the Sim came as a damsire. The Year 29 Steward's Cup Dirt Mile winner and Hall Of Fame inductee Shadowless. He was even trained and bred by Donnie just like Lightninginabottle was. But even he wasn't as good as Lightninginabottle. Lightninginabottle was just something Donnie was never gonna see again. Lightning struck once which is more than most people can claim to have. And it produced a legend who gave Donnie his first Steward's Cup. Lightninginabottle was the spark that lit a long and illustrious career for Donnie Hidalgo and finally, he can be honored properly in the sim Hall Of Fame.

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