Hall of Fame - Battle Cry

Original article written by Tracy Whetstine posted 16 years 3 weeks ago

What do Fighting With Wit, Lucifer, Loki Brilliance, Battle's Baby Girl, Battle Fever, and Soldier Girl all have in common? One thing stands out....they all have the same sire, Battle Cry. Battle Cry continues to sire awesome colts and fillies. Owner in the sim, Ladonna King has to be extremily happy to have such as awesome stallion on her hands.

Bred by Overbrook Farm carried through to the SIM. The 15.2hh dark bay stallion who's now 14 years of age has sired 187 foals in the sim. Owned by Ladonna King, Stabled at The Finish Line. Sired by the most famous Storm Bird, he is out of Navajo Pass (Secretariat). Battle Cry stands for $45,000 and at that price he's a steal. Having sired some of the Sim's most well known mares and stallions such as Fighting With Wit, Battle's Baby Girl, Battle Fever, Soldier Girl, Lucifer and 2 year old Canute who's out of Rain Dancer owned and bred by breeder of the year numerous times, Ara Davies.

On November 7th, 1998 Battle Cry was set at his first race. Running in a simple allowance race over 6 furlongs of dirt track for 2 year olds, Battle Cry was faced with some nice horses. Finishing second wasn't all that bad for this well bred colt, considering Excellent Meeting, himself and Hookedonthefeelin came in first, second and third.

On November 14, exactly a week later, he was again run. This time in a Stakes race, the Bashford Manor, 6 furlongs for 2 year olds (grade 2). He finished in third place with Worldly Maner and Storm and Silence as the first 2 under the wire.

Next was the Futurity Stakes, at 1 mile. Again Worldly Manner was faced with Battle Cry and also Storm and Silence. This race Battle Cry finished in second place, with Worldly Manner finishing in first again.

On December 5th, there was the Champagne Stakes. Battle Cry fought hard to try and pull in his first win but somehow it slipped past him, in the way of his now rival Storm and Silence and Answer Livley, then came Battle Cry in the third position.

December 12 was week 12, the week everyone and every horse trainer dreams abou, the Breeders' Cup! On this particular day Battle Cry was faced with some of the worlds fastest 2 year olds. Again he was racing against a field of 8 horses by the names of Worldly Manner, Bet Me Mom, Storm and Silence, Battle Cry, Answer Lively, The Red Groom, Yes Itís True, and Apollogetic. Again, rivals throughout his racing career, Worldly Manner, Bet Me Mom and Storm and Silence came under Battle Cry, leaving him to come in 4th. Not too bad for a horse that hadn't broken his maiden yet.

As the next year rolled around, Battle Cry was entered in a 1 1/16 mile race, the Holy Bull Stakes. This was his first race of his 3 year old season. He finally broke his maiden in a grade 2 race, leaving The Groom is Red and Answer Lively to finish in second and third.

The next races that Battle Cry would run was the grueling Triple Crown, consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. In a big upset, he won the first race of the Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby over the 1 1/4 miles. Then next came the Preakness Stakes over the 1 3/16 miles, where Battle Cry was faced with was Excellent Meeting and Bet Me Mom again. Still holding up their hard grip on the finish line Excellent Meeting came in first and Bet Me Mom crossed second to leave Battle Cry in third. Finally the last leg of the Triple Crown came around in the form of the Belmont Stakes, 1 1/2 miles of nothing but tough competition all around the track. Again Bet Me Mom and Excellent Meeting were the horses to look out for. There would be no Triple Crown winner that year because Bet Me Mom, followed by Battle Cry, and then came Excellent Meeting.

Not much rest was given to the super horse because later that year, Battle Cry was set to gallop at his top speed in the 1 1/4 miles of the Breeders' Cup Classic for 3 year olds and up. This time he was in a new pack of horses such as Event of the Year, Serena's Song, Silver Charm, Skip Away, Bet Me Mon, Free House, Crypto Star, Unbridled's Song, Menifee, and Real Quiet. Winning the Breeders' Cup Classic was Event of the Year, Battle Cry second, then coming in third was Serena's Song.

Finally Battle Cry was rewarded that long break that he was waiting for and running his hardest for. The break was 3 months long.

Then he turned 4 years old, fully rested and ready to run. Racing in the Donn Handicap over the 1 1/8 miles, Battle Cry came in second. Manistique beat him and with Menifee finishing behind Battle Cry. 7 days later there was the Strub Stake,s again running over the distance of 1 1/8 miles and now finishing in first over Big Gulp and Exploit.

Spring rolled around and he would run in the Santa Anita Handicap. Running with his rivals Storm and Silence and Excellent Meeting over 1 1/4 miles, he finished in third. Storm and Silence came in first and Excellent Meeting finished insecond.

No later than 8 days later Battle Cry was entered in the Pimlico Special for 3 year olds and up. 1 1/4 miles was the distance for this race. Again coming in third, Battle Cry lost to Manistique and Storm and Silence.

Another hard race would be added to Battle Cry's record, the Pacific Classic 3 year olds and up. Adding a win to his record of many, he narrowly beat Lost Ecstacy and Pulpit. Battle Cry's last start was not too bad. The race, Breeders' Cup Classic, 3 year olds and up. He would face some familiar horses, such as Storm and Silence. He came in third leaving Storm and Silence to come in first, Derby, Tilt a Whirl coming in second and Battle Cry coming home in third. With that race ending his career.

He sired 187 foals the ones that stand out are as follows:

Battle's Baby Girl, by Battle Cry out of Can't Tell Me No (Bold Ruckus). Now retired with the record of 16: 8-4-2, and her earnings standing at $2,233,840, she produced some very nice offspring and passed her speed to them. Battle's Baby Girl was bred by Emily Hufford and now owned by Robin Tan.

Another well known is former sire Fighting With Wit. He is by Battle Cry out of Pike Place Dancer (Seattle Dancer). Having over 200 foals, Fighting With Wit is now retired at Heroes Farm. His earnings total up to $2,211,640, he is owned and bred by Jon Xett.

One of the newer offsprings is a chestnut colt called Canute. Canute is out of Rain Dancer (a Storm Cat mare). As a 2 year old, and having only raced 3 times, his record is 3: 2-1-0 and earnings total to $212,000.

Look out for Battle Cry babies they are everywhere and showing off their sire's speed and stamina.

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