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Hall of Fame - A Crown Awaits
Original article written by Chani Ruzzo posted 14 years 2 weeks agoWho knew what was to come when the distinguished Australian Horse of the Year, Three Of Crowns was bred to now SIM Hall of Famer, Change the Stars. A match made in heaven as it turned out to be, owner/breeder Isabella Penzance was graced with the powers that be to create a little super-horse that could overcome the trails of speed, strength, courage and endurance.
As a two year old, owner Isabella Penzance, planned a course of action that mystifies the trainers of today. Most trainers wouldn't have dared to dream about running their horses back to back weeks. Not Isa. After a close win in his maiden over Vodka and a triumphant win in his Allowance over the colt Chicago, A Crown Awaits raced, not two races back to back, but three! In Year 24 Week 10 he ran in the G2 Favourite Tricks Stakes, a 6 1/2 Furlong race where he slid under the wire a nose ahead of the competition. The next week in the G2 Commitisize Stakes, a mile on turf, he beat the field by a neck. In his third week in a row, when most horses would be dreaming of a rest, A Crown Awaits raced on to win the G1 Magellan Stakes. The Magellan Stakes was his third run in a row, at a 1 mile 1/6 distance, and he won at the largest gap yet of the three week trial. Half a length. The seasoned horses rarely pull off such stunts, but a two year old? It was easy to see that this horse was a champion in the making.
The following Year A Crown Awaits started it off with an easy win in an Allowance setting him up for another takeover two weeks later in the G3 Firecracker Breeder's Cup Handicap. Establishing rivalries in Sir William and Le Dauphin Noir, this year looked to be grueling. But again two weeks later A Crown Awaits took another romp in the Warpaint Stakes and again in the G1 Canadian Breeders' Stakes. Racing every two weeks and so far undefeated, he finished the year off a win in the Y15 Steward's Cup Turf Mile taking the win from Justified and Le Dauphin Noir.
After such a rigorous 3 year old season A Crown Awaits took it easy for his final year. With his first start of the year in Florida he made a major takeover in the G1 Sunshine Millions Turf just pulling away from the pack. You could tell he enjoyed his break. Following that victory he traveled to the United Arab Emirates and fought hard and long to win the G1 Desert Sheema Classic, this being his best win, it was hard to believe he was going to win as we all thought he was going to be beat. The bay horse was on a win streak that he was clearly not giving up on. With a long rest A Crown Awaits moved to Ireland to run super long in the G3 Doncaster Cup, proving that the horse was unbeatable at every conceivable distance on the Turf. Ending his career with a trip to Tokyo, Japan, A Crown Awaits pulled another victory in the G1 Japan Cup.
As A Crown Awaits was lead into the shed, one could tell that he was a champion. A home-bred winner that no one could touch on the track made his way of life into his progeny. With over 300 winners, on three different tracks A Crown Awaits made himself a household name. Everyone wanted a piece to call their own.