Hall Of Fame - Sword

Original article written by Nathan Klein posted 2 years 1 week ago

As we get ready for the Louisville Derby which will come at the end of this week we might as well look back on one of the most memorable Louisville Derby performances. That would be the year 31 Louisville Derby when Sword did what no other horse has been able to outdo and win the Louisville Derby from further back than any other horse has ever done. How far back? well, you'll find out as we go over his career which saw him win nearly 6 million dollars and win half of his 20 career starts.

In his debut, he'd establish his way of running when he dropped to eighth of twelve horses. By the second call, he was seven and a half lengths behind the leaders but with one move he made that change. He made up over 2/3 of the margin by the third call heading into the far turn being only two and a half lengths behind. He then went into overdrive when he was asked to move he didn't just pass the leader he eviscerated him. Opening up easily and giving the crowd a real show as he won by 5 and 1/4 lengths. He had made up 12 and 3/4 lengths throughout the race and had plenty to still show.

He came from eighth again in the Grade 3 Cape Stakes. This time it was a field of nine horses and he circled them again. This time it was a closer race with him being 3 and 1/2 lengths behind leader Bodega Head at the top of the stretch. He proved harder to pass as Sword was only a half a length winner when he crossed the wire 2 for 2. Next was Grade 1 company for the Steward's Cup Juvenile which would be one of his two career-defining races. Just like the other two races, he started out eighth but his big opponent was another undefeated colt named Sparten. By the far turn, Sparten was fourth and Sword had only moved up one place to seventh. Despite this Sword was barely two lengths from the leaders and Spartan was closer. at a drop of a hat, the two split from the rest of the pack. Navigating through what was left of the group.

Soon it was just Spartan on the inside and Sword on the outside. The two head and head down to the bitter end for the chance to win to become the Louisville Derby favorite. But only one could come out on top. Six lengths clear of the nearest horse it was Sword vs Spartan. But slowly Sword pointed his nose forward inching ahead of Spartan. At the wire Sword was a neck in front of Spartan and now a perfect 3 for 3. Although this would give him an early advantage as a Louisville Derby favorite statistically Steward's Cup Juvenile winners don't do well in the Louisville Derby. It wasn't impossible by any means with such legends as Priceless Forever, Loki Masterpiece, and Awake As I Am all doing the double. But there wasn't any just regular horse who did this double. To win the two races you had to be freakishly good, doing this would put him on the same pedestal as Simhorseracing legends.

He only had one prep going into the Louisville Derby. The Sunshine Park Derby against three others. Unlike his other races, he went to second place early and just waited. Famous would run on his own up front at one point 10 and 1/2 lengths clear of the pack. But this early lead only had him turn into an easy target for Sword. At the top of the stretch Famous had a 4 and 1/2 length lead. But Sword just waited in second before sprinting to the finish on the inside rail easily eating up the rest of his lead and adding an extra length for good measure to win the race. Then came the faithful and historic Louisville Derby. He would aim to become the fourth horse to do the Steward's Cup Juvenile and Louisville Derby double. But the way he did it put him in a special place in history.

Out the gate came nineteen racehorses including his old rival Spartan all ready to win the same race. Spartan took to the lead and set the pace but Sword was taken back. He was seventeenth of the nineteen horses on the first call and yet that wouldn't be the furthest back he would go. By the second call, he was eighteenth with only one horse behind him. He had seventeen horses to pass and only half a race to do it. Poetically he was eighteen lengths behind the leader Spartan. Eighteen place eighteen lengths back. No horse in the history of the Louisville Derby had ever come from so far back and won. As they approached the far turn it seemed like he wasn't gonna have his race. He made up some ground but at the top of the stretch he was still fourteenth and 11 and 3/4 lengths behind Spartan with only just over a quarter of a mile to go. But Sword was finally unsheathed and surged. Cutting between horses he dived in and out of trouble never losing his momentum as he moved like he had jumped in at the quarter pole. Spartan was tired from leading the entire pack and was two lengths clear of the nearest competitor. Until Sword bowed his head and cut through that lead like paper. He covered the length of two strides in one with his big grey legs down the Louisville stretch. And at the wire, he passed Spartan and still had 1 and 1/4 lengths to spare as he claimed his Louisville Derby.

In total, he had covered 19 and 1/4 lengths with only half of the race to cover it all. No horse ever came from that far back to win the Derby before or since. The closest we've seen was Unmerciful in Year 59 who came from 9 and 1/2 lengths back. He barely could do half of what Sword did. Coincidentally Unmerciful was also the next horse to win the Steward's Cup Juvenile and Louisville Derby 28 sim years after Sword. But Sword was the pioneer of the late surging derby victory. But his luck would run out after that race. He almost caught Spartan a third time in the Baltimore Crown but the shorter distance cost him the race and he was a tight second by a neck. Then the Long Island Classic proved too long for him and he came home beaten 2 and 1/4 lengths back in third behind Home Run Derby and Akon. Solid performances but not wins. This would continue in his final two starts of the year when he was 1 and 1/4 lengths back in second in the Midsummer Classic to Akon. Although he did beat Spartan for that second place position.

Lastly came his first real disappointing race when he had no rally in the Steward's Cup Classic. He was fifth on the outside looking like he could strike but he didn't kick on like he normally did. He stayed fifth the whole stretch as the top four horses traded spots upfront with legendary race mare Amber getting her swan song and winning by 1 and 3/4 lengths. Those late-season losses cost him North American Champion Three Year Old Male. Instead undefeated sprinting sensation and future Hall Of Famer Quicker Than Light took it thanks to six wins and four consecutive Grade 1's.

He returned to his winning ways on route to Dubai the following year. Owner Laura Ferguson sponsored a race just for him. The Grade 3 Silver Charm Stakes. Like in the Sunshine Park Derby he took second and let a speedball named Pacific Saga set the early pace alone. He tired himself out being only 3/4 of a length in front when Sword went to challenge him. He snuck in on the rail and opened up his lead to 2 and 1/2 lengths and scored. Another horse Who I Am had taken a near-identical route. He was third in the previous year's Steward's Cup Classic and took the sponsored Magician Stakes by 1/4 of a length. When five horses stepped up for the Desert World Cup Sword went to dead-last early. Impress led early and Who I Am was second. But by the far turn Impress had tired out and Who I Am was now the leader. Sword had to go wide off the turn and chased boldly. But despite his best efforts Who I Am beat him for a second time by half a length only under a mild drive.

He returned home to get another sponsored victory in the Sun Raider Stakes. Where after Simcast and Bet on Bayou battled upfront with Simcast 10 and 1/2 lengths clear of Sword back in third place. But with one move Sword moved up passing the tired horses and opened up 2 and 3/4 lengths to win. But after this, he was back to being second fiddle again. First, he lost to Spartan in the Spa Classic by only a neck. Then in the Long Island Classic, he fell down to his knees and was second to last immediately. Ironically he passed everyone in front of him but the one horse who beat him was Imperious the one-horse further back than him in seventh. He swooped on the outside to pass the scraped Sword by half a length and win the day. courageous efforts on Sword's behalf but not wins. After an overall consistent season, he ended on a whimper in the Steward's Cup Classic. Just like with the year before he didn't kick on ending up seventh to future legendary sire, and Hall Of Famer Messiah.

As a five-year-old, he wouldn't see the last of Messiah when they faced again in the Desert World Cup. But before that happened Sword got one last Grade 1 victory. In the Arcadia Million against Baltimore Crown and Seek Thrills Handicap winner Gunnarr. He started out second to last with the horse behind him being a dead-end claimer who ran a 1-speed figure. But at the top of the stretch, he was still 7 and 3/4 lengths behind the leader Day To Celebrate. But with only a mild drive he ate them all up. Like a day hadn't gone by since the Louisville Derby he used his long legs to skewer the competition passing Gunnarr late game to win by half a length. But when the faithful Desert World Cup came around he was well beat. That race was going to be between Messiah and his rival San Diego Padre as they raced against each other for the sixth and final time. It was their story to conclude as Sword ran on the rail and snuck passed Bodega Head to get third.

As for who won the race San Diego Padre won by 1 and 1/2 lengths in a gate-to-wire performance. It was the second time he'd beaten Messiah the first being in the Louisville Derby. Despite this Messiah had beaten him four times in between those two races and was considered the better animal. But Sword didn't need to worry about either in his next start the Grade 2 Metropolitan Handicap.

Bluehouse took the lead and Sword went to second place early and waited for Bluehouse to tire. He surely did and Sword was only a neck away from taking the lead at the top of the stretch. Puerto Rican triple crown winner Startled Awake came up on his outside to try and mount a challenge but Sword just slowly opened up. Under merely a mild drive he opened up to win by 1 and 1/4 lengths. Then came the Grade 2 Summer Bird Stakes.

Just like old times, he went to the back of the pack for this one. Dead last of six horses for the first half of the race. And it wasn't close either by the second call he was last by 14 and 1/4 lengths. The only time he was further back was in that faithful Louisville Derby. Ignite My Power and Fast were the leaders and the two would settle the score upfront. Ignite My Power was the leader but Fast began to eat away at his lead bit by bit. But on the inside rail Sword came with an incredible move. The two fighters didn't see him coming on the inside so when he put his head in front in the final strides they were both too tired and too late to act. Sword had come from 14 and 1/4 lengths back and nailed his opponents on the wire. It was to be his tenth and final win a fourth-place finish in his final attempt at the Steward's Cup Classic to Hall Of Famer Harry Potter would be his 20th and final start.

After this, he would be retired to be a stud. In total, he'd have $46,140,590 in progeny earnings. 60 of his kin would be stakes winners. Both are very high numbers for a sire. What was also super impressive was that all of his top 15 highest-earning offspring are millionaires. Most great sires range around 5-10 of their progeny breaking the million-dollar mark so to fill all top 15 slots with millionaires is a true sign of a top-tier sire. At the top of the list was Desert Marathon and Arcadia Million winner Tardis. Long Island Acorn winner Quaffle, Steward's Cup Marathon winner Excalibur and Steward's Cup Ladies Route Positivity. If you notice a pattern his best progeny loved to run far. But no matter how you slice it Sword thrilling horse who always knew how to put on a show coming from the back. Sword was a cut above the rest.

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