Dense Fog

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Shannon Hunt
Eclipse Champion
Posts: 1021
Joined: 15 years ago

Dense Fog

Post by Shannon Hunt »

This fool gets his fav horses post now before he makes a fool out of me later. He is very special for a number of reasons.

A few seasons ago, I accidentally stumbled into the world of AWS claimers. It turned out that they were a modest but very easy profit, so I flipped cheap AWS like they were pancakes. One of these was a dinky little mare named Abbas Salam. She had a sort of pretty dam, but was nothing special herself, so she changed hands a few times before falling victim to my claiming habits. I ran her three times, making back her $8k claim tag, and then it was Dylan Christensen's turn to nab her for his growing AWS mare band. He saw the "solid" gallop comment, offered her right back, and I said sure, why not, I'll breed anything. Not spending $10k to check the BSA comment though.

Cut to a few weeks later, I have a pretty mare lined up for breeding, and I desperately want a filly. But I was all maxed out on my fillies - what to do? Breed a cheap colt, of course. I grabbed the crummy solid AWS mare, looked at the division, and saw that Stride Through Air was in that sweet spot where he was, at $14k, far cheaper than the top studs, but had at least produced a handful of stakes winners. Plus, the cross would make a 2x3 to the lovely Cheer for Lute. I did a test hypo for funsies. Flat B. Well then. "Doesn't matter, we can make back that stud fee easily in claimers", I thought, bred my flat B colt, and went back to breed my shiny pedigree filly.

I have no recollection of who that filly was, nor do I imagine she's been remotely useful in my barn. Abbas Salam, however, decided to spite my expectations, and threw a stakes late bloomer.

And not just any stakes late bloomer. In week 8 as a yearling, he tied the all-time work record at 3 furlongs, 36.66 - on my birthday, no less. Incidentally, the horse who held that record was his sire, who worked that time as a five year old.

It came time for a name. I've known Mara Jade Vess since before our sim days, and have followed a lil string of Canadian thoroughbreds vicariously through her. Getting updates on Mara's racers has always been a delight, and my favorite of them all has always been Dense Fog, a big grey gelding with an affinity for mints, a gammy knee, and attitude for days, blazing through bottom claimers with all the stubborn heart of a champion. When it started to look like my colt would be something special, Mara suggested I name him after Foggy. With her blessing, there was no way I could resist. Shortly thereafter, he ran the then-fastest 3f AW of all time in a barrier trial, putting up 36.63.

I'm one of those people who anthropomorphize their sim horses, and let me tell you, this guy runs on pure spite. Bred to be colt fodder, he took his flat B hypo and said "nah, I'm the best now". And when I said "uh huh, okay, are you really though" he broke a record and then won his debut by two lengths in a stakes race. So then I said "okay, fine, you're pretty cool" and put expectations on him... and this little stinker decided to take a nap for the next two races just to remind me not to take him for granted. I went back to expecting nothing, and he cleaned up the rest of the season, just in time to get my hopes up real high for the Steward's Cup. Where he absolutely bombed.

I told him he sucks, and he got mad about losing so thoroughly, and said no, this year I'm going to become a freak and go undefeated all season just to spite you, and spite everyone else. Look at his most recent race, the Synthetic Sprint Classic - tripped over himself at the start, scrambled to catch up, wobbled wide on the turn, and then just "oh *** I want to win though", cue mad dash to sneak his stubborn little nose over the wire for the win. Not the first time he's won by a nose, either. I threw him in the AWS Triple that Dylan put together at Weather or Not Park, and boy did he make me sweat - but he got it!

In short, I present to you DENSE FOG, a stubborn grey named after a stubborn grey king in real life, who so far has managed to:
- tie all-time work records as a yearling
- break all-time speed records as a yearling in a barrier situation (which shows up in the workout rankings but feels a bit different IMO)
- only ever run stakes, winning 11 of them in 14 starts, second in two others; four of his wins are G1s, and right now he's won six times in a row
- win the All-Weather Triple Crown presented by Dylan Christensen™

He runs the SC again tonight. I fully expect him to faceplant in the gate. Because, you know, spite.

Oh, and by the way, after he put up his zippy yearling work, I checked his dam with the bloodstock agent.
Image
You impressed yet, Ms. Doolittle?

I bred a full sister to him this year anyway, since Stride Through Air was pensioning. Would consider selling her on her brother's merits, but let's be real... there's no replicating Foggy.
DENSE FOG - AWS multiple freak producer
YOU WILL BE FOUND - DR millionaire producer
Also standing arabian sprinter ISKANDAR ELAKBAR, all weather router SUNRISE INTHE DAWN, and chasers RACING PIRATE and SURVIVOR SE LEVE
Jack Ryder
Turf Router
Posts: 497
Joined: 4 years ago

Re: Dense Fog

Post by Jack Ryder »

Finally he has a page.
User avatar
Carole Hanson
Hall of Fame
Posts: 5815
Joined: 14 years ago

Re: Dense Fog

Post by Carole Hanson »

Congratulations Shannon on a huge season!! And what a way to cap it off!! So incredibly happy for you 🎉🎉🎉
Shannon Hunt
Eclipse Champion
Posts: 1021
Joined: 15 years ago

Re: Dense Fog

Post by Shannon Hunt »

Well I'll be. Reverse psychology worked and he decided to spite my skepticism by winning the SC sprint by a very stressful nose. Joke's on you, Foggy, that was the plan all along 8-) Just in time for his mugshot, too. Thanks to everyone who has supported him, and put up with my fretting. Undefeated season, check ✔️
Image
DENSE FOG - AWS multiple freak producer
YOU WILL BE FOUND - DR millionaire producer
Also standing arabian sprinter ISKANDAR ELAKBAR, all weather router SUNRISE INTHE DAWN, and chasers RACING PIRATE and SURVIVOR SE LEVE
Shannon Hunt
Eclipse Champion
Posts: 1021
Joined: 15 years ago

Re: Dense Fog

Post by Shannon Hunt »

Foggy won the Pegasus Summit last night, becoming my second horse to reach $2 million in earnings. This is his eighth stakes win in a row, six of which have been G1 races. I think I'm dreaming, but if that's the case, don't wake me up!
DENSE FOG - AWS multiple freak producer
YOU WILL BE FOUND - DR millionaire producer
Also standing arabian sprinter ISKANDAR ELAKBAR, all weather router SUNRISE INTHE DAWN, and chasers RACING PIRATE and SURVIVOR SE LEVE
User avatar
Carole Hanson
Hall of Fame
Posts: 5815
Joined: 14 years ago

Re: Dense Fog

Post by Carole Hanson »

What a champion!
Misty Hills
Sprinter
Posts: 57
Joined: 5 years ago

Re: Dense Fog

Post by Misty Hills »

GOAT
Whoops
Sorry
¯\_ (ツ)_/¯
Jack Ryder
Turf Router
Posts: 497
Joined: 4 years ago

Re: Dense Fog

Post by Jack Ryder »

Misty Hills wrote: 2 years agoGOAT
GOAT of GOATs
Jack Ryder
Turf Router
Posts: 497
Joined: 4 years ago

Re: Dense Fog

Post by Jack Ryder »

KING of AWS.
User avatar
Carole Hanson
Hall of Fame
Posts: 5815
Joined: 14 years ago

Re: Dense Fog

Post by Carole Hanson »

What a beast!
Shannon Hunt
Eclipse Champion
Posts: 1021
Joined: 15 years ago

Re: Dense Fog

Post by Shannon Hunt »

Thanks guys <3 His second Steward's Cup win earlier this week brings him up to 18 stakes wins, of which 10 are G1 wins.

He has a very real shot at breaking the all-time AWS earnings record now...
DENSE FOG - AWS multiple freak producer
YOU WILL BE FOUND - DR millionaire producer
Also standing arabian sprinter ISKANDAR ELAKBAR, all weather router SUNRISE INTHE DAWN, and chasers RACING PIRATE and SURVIVOR SE LEVE
Jack Ryder
Turf Router
Posts: 497
Joined: 4 years ago

Re: Dense Fog

Post by Jack Ryder »

The King of AWS!
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