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Florida Keys Speeds Home in the Steward's Cup Turf Mile
Original article written by Marzy Dotes posted 13 years 2 weeks agoThough it was showery, Florida Keys maneuvered through the rain drops in the stretch of the $2 million Grade I Steward’s Cup Turf Mile and defeated I’m a Celebrity. Defending champion, Lanarkshire finished third in the nine horse field. The elegant black horse completed the distance at Seattle Downs in a sparkling 1:35.4.
Owned by Miryam Cornwall, the future runner sold at auction for a mere $15,000. Not much was shown in the morning as his workouts were quite modest but he’s one example of why what’s done in the morning doesn’t necessarily transfer to racing performance.
As he showed when he broke his maiden quite handily at London Gallops at first asking and then followed up that feat with five straight wins including in stakes competition. He won the Paris de Fountain and then defeated future Turf Mile winner Lanarkshire in the French 2000 Guineas. He didn’t taste defeat until he finished third late in his three year old season to God Save Ireland and Lanarkshire. He finished out the season with two second place finishes to Boldness in stakes races.
But at four, he came back and never lost another race improving his win column in different places in Europe and North America. He won races like the Grand Tower Stakes, Prix Status Symbol and The Southern California Mile just before the Steward’s Cup. He looked pretty dominating in his performances and many in the industry expected to see a top effort out of him, enough to send him into retirement having won one of the most prestigious races.
He also came from interesting bloodlines given that his sire was Tondeiru who had been a champion two year old colt in Japan. His dam had only won once and had earnings of a mere $20,600. Perhaps Florida Keys is an example of catching lightning in a bottle but that doesn’t diminish his accomplishments.
But he faced a powerful crew of contenders in the field.
Lanarkshire had returned to go after his second consecutive victory in the Turf Mile having won more races than the previous year when he had led up to the race with no wins that season. He captured the Toronto and Monaachi Miles over World of Hurt who had placed second to him at the Steward’s Cup. I’m a Celebrity is a daughter of Broodmare of the year Mexican Wedding which makes him a half brother to Offshore Excursion who won both the Turf Mile and the Juvenile Turf during his career.
They all went into the starting gate as the anticipation begun to build and as the gates opened, Chelsea Rosa placed Florida Keys in second not too far behind leader, Grip while Lanarkshire sat in fourth just behind I’m a Celebrity. During the backstretch run, Grip took off running harder and I’m a Celebrity edged in front of Florida Keys with Lanarkshire about 3 ½ lengths behind him.
In the far turn as they swept around, I’m a Celebrity roped in Grip quite deftly and tried to hold onto the lead over Jaw Dropper while Florida Keys began to kick it into rapid motion in preparation for the stretch run. And when he reached the start of it, he jetted off in strides, his turnover quickening so that he ran going way until the finish line with I’m a Celebrity holding off Lanarkshire by a ½ length to grab the second spot.
Soon after Florida Keys called it a career along with the other two horses that hit the board and they began siring the next generation very quickly who will pick up where they left off in the turf miling arena.