Ian Jory - Big Horses

HORSES IN THE PAST

Best Pal

How can you ever say enough about this horse. We were very lucky enough to start him off on his illustrious career, winning two grade 1 stakes and a million dollars with him as a two year old. His stakes that year included the I'm Smokin Stakes, Balboa Stakes (Grade 3) and the Del Mar Derby (Grade 2), all at Del Mar. Also that year he won the Norfolk Stakes (Grade 1) at Santa Anita and the Hollywood Futurity (Grade 1). He finished the year as an unlucky second in the Two Year Old Eclipse Championship voting. As a three year old, he ran a winning race in the Kentucky Derby, only to get blocked by a fast tiring Sea Cadet at the head of the stretch and had to settle for second. He was retired with lifetime earnings of $5,668,245 and a record of 47 - 18 - 11 - 4 which made him the tenth all time money earner in the world at the time, as well as all time leading California Bred earner.

Unfortunately, he died of a heart attack at his birthplace, Golden Eagle Farm in Ramona, California, in 1999, whilst leading yearlings to the track.

Marina Park

This filly tried harder than any horse that I can remember. She won the Grade 3 Las Cienegas Breeders Cup at Santa Anita, bringing her lifetime earnings to over $460,000.

In November 1994, she won the Pine Tree Lane Stakes at Hollywood Park, also at seven furlongs on the dirt, proving that she could run equally well on the turf or the dirt. She was placed in stakes out of state, as well as winning the Osunitas Stakes at Del Mar at eight and a half furlongs on the turf. Marina Park was placed a few times in 1996 before being retired to the breeding shed.

Vying Victor
This game colt made $536,000 before he was five without winning a graded stake. He was a lot of fun and ran a close second in the Jim Beam Stakes (Grade 1) to the eventual Kentucky Derby winner, Little E Tee. He also won the Remington Park Derby, Santa Catalina, Colonel McLaughlin, Sir Winston Churchill Stakes, was second in the Longacres Derby, Most Host Stakes, and third in the Molson Million at Woodbine. He is now a stallion in British Columbia and has been very successful.

R Friar Tuck

This over achiever was bred in Utah and won his first and second races by 13 and 12 lengths, respectively. He ran fourth in the Illinois Derby and then won the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes at Hollywood Park. He returned after an eighteen month rest to win an allowance race at Santa Anita and then ran third in the National Breeders Cup Stakes in Chicago before being retired.

Video Ranger
We claimed this horse for $40,000 and had our first trip on the Derby trail, running second in the Santa Anita Derby and the Jersey Derby, before running fourth in the Kentucky Derby. He is now standing at stud in California.

Denmars Dream
Tragedy took this horse away in his prime but not before he won the Grade 3 San Miguel Stakes at six furlongs and then the California Derby (Grade 3) at nine furlongs, a month later. He was California's Three Year Old of the Year and is still one of Mining's leading earners.

Mateo

Mateo winning on the grass
He broke his maiden in the San Mateo Juvenile Stakes in September and developed on into a very useful young horse. As a three year old, Mateo won the Jim Neuman Stakes as well as going down to Del Mar and losing three stakes, the Oceanside, La Jolla and Del Mar Derby by the smallest of margins. To change our luck, we shipped him to Bay Meadows for their Derby and he got beaten a head after rallying from way back on a soft turf. We then took on Megans Interco, California's champion, in the California Cup Classic, recieving two pounds after the age allowance, and got beaten a courageous neck.

He still races, although he has changed stables quite a few times via the claiming box.

Marvin's Faith
This guy set a new track record at Keeneland winning the Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes. He also won two other graded stakes, the La Jolla Stakes (Grade 3 at Del Mar) and the Bay Meadows Derby (Grade 3), and nearly $350,000 in his short career.

Marvin's Faith is now retired as a riding horse, in Palos Verdes, California.

Service Ace

One of my all time favorite horses. We claimed this guy as a two year old and retired him sound as a ten year old. He won $332,000 the hard way, with a record of 56-9-10-6. Service Ace is now retired and is presently ridden by my eight year old daughter.

Flying Marfa

Another horse who was around a long time, and gave us all a lot of fun. An eternal front runner, Flying Marfa was second in the Bo Derek, The Bart and the Fleet Host stakes, as well as racking up $265,000 in his career. Always a little short of top class, he always tried and gave us a lot of thrills.

Sonjia's Faith

A full sister to Try Jory, Marvin's Faith, and Macward, Sonja's Faith gave us a few tilts at the top, with her highlights being second to Fiji in the Yellow Ribbon, Gp1, and second by a head in the Ramona, Gp1. She won the Las Palmas (Gp2) and Carmel Handicap, as well as placing second in San Gorgonio (Gp2),Dahlia (Gp2) twice, and The Royal Heroine.