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Stay Awake Extends Streak with Desert World Cup
Original article written by Marzy Dotes posted 13 years 1 week agoThis week saw a couple of horses win major races who were the final offspring of their dams, including Persevere who captured the Louisville Derby in such stirring fashion, as the final offspring of broodmare, Prevail.
Another racehorse which began his life soon before his dam ended hers was the final foal of Hall of Famer and Broodmare of the Year Cadeauje named Stay Awake. This talented four year old colt took command immediately when the starting gates opened and captured the $5 million Grade I Desert Gold Cup in truly stunning fashion. While defeating a fine field of contenders including winners of all three American Triple crown races last year, he ran the 1 ¼ miles on the dirt course at Desert Oasis Park in 1:59 flat.
This victory was the fourth one achieved by Stay Awake in a row and this winning spree came off a trio of frustrating efforts in the American Triple Crown races where he finished second to Believe the Hype in both the Louisville Derby and Baltimore Crown and Highly Regarded in the Long Island Classic.
The handsome dark bay colt was purchased by owner Alysse Jacobs for just a shade over $23 million, a price fitting for any progeny of one of the sport’s greatest broodmares in Cadeauje. This commanding dark bay mare by Sport’s Jersey was nearly undefeated on the race track winning eight out of nine starts, her only loss coming with a third place finish in the Steward’s Cup Distaff. But her legendary status really began when she headed off to the breeding shed and produced the most impressive roster of offspring in the sport. Nine of her 11 foals retired from racing as millionaires and several like Big Dreams, Clearly Best and Lofty Goals won championship titles. The males like Indian, Something Better and Tiger went to sire winners at stud and Big Dreams became a Hall of Famer in her own right producing offspring like Derby Dreams, Big Gamble and Gift Of The Moon.
This son of hers, her final one, impressed the clockers in the morning with his swift works and then headed off to the race track as a juvenile where he raced three times, winning two of those starts including the People’s Champion Stakes. The following year, Stay Awake prepped well for the American Triple Crown series winning the End Result Stakes and the Battle Cry Stakes exerting great command over the fields in both efforts.
Those wins him made him one of the favorites for the Louisville Derby where he dueled mightily from the start which set up the race for closer Believe the Hype who defeated him by about ¾ of a length. The Baltimore Crown followed the same pace scenario where Stay Awake again roared to the lead and by the far turn left the field by four lengths, seeming to have the race in hand. But once again Believe the Hype made his late race kick, again pulling ahead of him for the win. Stay Awake again finished second and went into the Long Island Classic hoping to reverse that trend. But again in that race, he dueled for the lead, this time with The Wonderful and another contender, Highly Regarded benefited from the quick pace winning the final jewel of the Crown. And once again, Stay Awake was vanquished to second place.
But as frustrating as that trio of second place finished in high stakes competition must have been for Stay Awake and his connections, the tide would soon turn in his favor. And as it turned out, Stay Awake wouldn’t finish behind a horse again, winning his next four races including the Steward’s Cup Classic where he controlled the pace and had enough to hold off a late challenge by Believe the Hype by a half length. He then spent three weeks resting and came back strong as a four year old winning the Arkansas Handicap. This stellar effort set him up quite well for a big effort in the Desert World Cup nearly three weeks later.
His jockey Heather Sinclair took him confidently into the starting gate as the horses loaded in anticipation of one of the top races of the early season for older horses. When the gates sprung open, he broke on top and quickly assumed the lead with The Awakening in pursuit along with Prophet. He lengthened his lead to 3 1/4 lengths in the backstretch while the other two horses tried to match him or at least keep in close pursuit. When they hit the turn, Stay Awake had pulled even further away and former Long Island Classic winner Highly Regarded and Prophet with The Awakening falling back into fifth place.
Stay Awake remained strong and free on the lead all the way through the stretch to win the race by five impressive lengths while The Awakening battled back into the second place spot to defeat Prophet by a mere neck for that position. Highly Regarded and Believe the Hype finished fourth and fifth, behind the horse that they had frustrated so much just one year ago.
With that win, Stay Awake has really gotten his season off to an impressive start and looks to remain strong as he boarded the airplane to head back to the United States to refresh himself at the Royal Acres in Ohio to await his next opportunity to vanquish his challengers and to stamp himself as the top older dirt router this year.