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Awake As I Am Wins The Triple Crown
Original article written by Chelsey Craig posted 15 years 2 weeks agoIn 23 years of racing, there had only been 3 able to win the coveted Triple Crown. It was such a daunting task. Outdueling a huge and talented Louisville Derby field, cutting back in distance a mere week later to take the Baltimore Crown, and then having the stamina to run for 1 ½ miles while beating fresher horses in the Long Island Classic. The task was so difficult that it had been 10 years since our last Triple Crown winner had graced the track. But that all changed when Dave Shields released his homebred Awake As I Am onto the track. His undefeated juvenile campaign including dual Grade 1 wins, with his biggest victory coming in a stylish romp in the Steward’s Cup Juvenile. He was voted North American Champion 2-Year-Old Colt in a landslide. He stayed undefeated until the Derby, where he was a heavy favorite. Beating out the other 18 contenders, the handsome dark brown colt galloped away to win by an easy 1 ½ lengths. The son of Loki Dynasty won the Baltimore Crown with a fierce determination we had never seen before. Much Like Falling tested the champion, but he passed the test with flying colors.
The Long Island Classic came up as the ultimate test. Awake As I Am seemed every inch a Triple Crown winner. He was undefeated in 8 career starts, and no one had been close to him. However, he had to take on history and 10 rivals in the grueling 1 ½ mile test. This time, he was thrown into a battle with a determined filly in the homestretch. Salute the Sky gave the champ all that he could handle. The 2 flew down the stretch together, opening up 6 or more lengths on the rest of the field. The tiny dark brown filly was head and head with the possible Triple Crown winner stride after stride. The crowd held their breath in the grandstands. The filly was slightly in front of Awake As I Am! Was this it? Was his Triple Crown bid over? That was when Awake As I Am showed his heart, stretching out his long torso, extending him black legs further and further. He inched ahead of the filly, who stayed right with him until the end. Here he was! The coronation of a king! The first Triple Crown winner in 10 years scored by a hard fought half length over the filly that will always be immortalized as his toughest foe. The crowd went wild as he hit the wire in front!
Awake As I Am trotted back to the winner’s circle to receive his blanket of flowers. The audience in attendance screamed and cheered, and Awake As I Am stood confidently while surveying them. The Long Island Classic looks like it will be the hero’s last race. Dave Shields has stated that he plans to retire the title holder to stud duty. What kind of stud fee will an undefeated Triple Crown winner have? For now, we can all relive the amazing moments the dark brown colt has provided us. From the thrills as a 2-year-old to his unbelievable 3-year-old campaign, this horse will go down in history as one of the greatest thoroughbreds to grace the racetrack.
Congratulations on an astounding career, Awake As I Am and all your connections. Thanks for all the wonderful memories and enjoy retirement! You’ve earned it!