Tremendous: A Great Champion Passes at 25

Original article written by Marzy Dotes posted 12 years 2 weeks ago

Some of his followers believed him to be as invincible in life as he had been while achieving his memorable victories but the venerable Hall of Famer Tremendous passed away while grazing in his pasture.

He died at the ripe old age of 25 during a season which has seen the likes of Conduit, Banner and Deep Impact travel off to the meadows in the sky. Even as a veteran, a proud member of the Old Guard, he wore his stature well, and the handsome chestnut with the stripe will remain in the memories of those who witnessed his greatest races.

Tremendous achieved what few horses had ever done when he captured the Long Island Classic over Bishoujo Senshi to capture the American Triple Crown. The flowery blankets which still adorn the wall outside his stall are faded but not the recollections of how he won them. As the sport realizes a new Triple Crown winner in Maelstrom this season, another one passes as it should be.

Bred by Jon Xett, he was sired by Hall of Famer and multi-titled champion, Event of the Year who had to satisfy himself with winning two jewels in the triple, with only the Baltimore Crown proving elusive. He did go on to win the Steward’s Cup Classic twice before heading off to stud where his career can only be described as amazing. His progeny averaged over $769,000 per start and nearly one third of his runners became stakes winners. That success is reflected in his siring of 12 millionaires including his other Triple Crown winner Priceless Forever who made his own mark in the sport. Another noteworthy son of his, Serena Success sired the well known Hall of Famer and top sire Midnightconfession.

Pike Place Dancer (by Seattle Dancer) was undefeated on two surfaces and then produced Tremendous in her roster of foals. She also produced another memorable runner and broodmare in Prevail whose progeny included the very formidable Boise and North American Horse of the Year Persevere.

Tremendous grew up in a very different era of horse racing, when quite a few horses tried their luck at a variety of racing distances and it wasn’t uncommon to see routers start out their careers by sprinting. He broke his maiden at 4 ½ furlongs and it wasn’t until his third race, the Futurity that he reached the mile distance. After winning that race, he headed off to the Steward’s Cup Juvenile and placed third in his first career loss.

He prepped for the Louisville Derby with two second place finishes in the Lone Star and Arkansas Derbies losing both times to the mighty Lucifer who would become an influential sire himself with the likes of Hall of Famer mare Shentaan among his offspring. But then he took his fitness and went on to win the next three races, which happened to be the Triple Crown. He won the California Cup Classic before capping out his monumental season in the Steward’s Cup Classic with a second place finish behind Serena Success.

He did what many top stakes horses do, he went to Desert Oasis Park to take on the Desert World Cup where again he finished second. He won two straight stakes in a row before finishing his career with a fourth place finish in the Steward’s Cup Classic behind Five Circles.

But Tremendous became well known at stud blazing a career which makes him memorable today even in death. He won the titles of champion three year old colt and horse of the year but his performance as a sire would help cement him in the Hall of Fame.

One of his most famous sons was of course, Mighty Big who did pretty well in the Triple Crown himself hitting the board in all three races and winning the Louisville Derby to wear the roses. But like Tremendous, he liked being at stud siring a string of some top sires and also broodmares as well. Even though he mostly did routes, Mighty Big preferred siring horses who favored the mile distance. Some of his sons include millionaires Mighty Black, Jake, North American Champion Two Year Old Colt Arms Race and Brash. But he also produced some fancy females as well including North American Champion Three Year Old Filly Mighty Big Smile and of course the Hall of Famer and champion, Big Dreams.

The latter in particular has been a huge influence on the dirt miler scene at the highest levels. Her son Big Bucks (by hot sire Buckingham) is one of the favorites in the Steward’s Cup Dirt Mile while her two year old by Fire Added Starter just placed second in the Tempting Stakes behind the hugely hot Soldier Girl Glory.

Tremendous also sired Tremendous Machine who proved to be on the opposite end of preferred distances, being a marathoner. He was an exercise in persistence finishing twice in the Steward’s Cup Marathon twice behind Worth the Effort and Savvy respectively before finally winning the race in his final performance. At stud, he sired 66 winners including eight who won in stakes but interestingly enough, he soon became seen as a prospect for siring chasers.

So his influence in the sport was much greater than his petite but powerful frame, and his place in history assured. But Tremendous remained popular with those who visited him at his final home. Field trips from neighboring schools continued stops for children to check out the old timer as he grazed in his pasture or came out on display still with a spring in his step. They check out the flowery blankets and his trophy display and listen to the stories that are told by those who took care of the champion during his racing and stud careers.

His passing wasn’t entirely unexpected as the vet came out to look at him checking for vitals while fretting about his busy family life. Mary Weather who just happened to be passing through spoke of the mighty chestnut that had caught her eye at a memorial that was held later that day after the burial.

It’s clear from the stories told by those who remembered this member of the sport’s oldest guard will never forget him or his contributions to make horse racing the sport that it continues to be in the present.

That is also how it should be.

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