A Dashing Return in Two Parts
Captain Candyman & Vineyard Haven duke it out in the stretch of the King’s Bishop (Adam Mooshian)
This break in Breeders’ Cup content is brought to you by the De Francis Dash and Vineyard Haven!
The De Francis Dash is back this Saturday at Laurel after a brief hiatus.
The 57-day schedule is highlighted by the return of Laurel’s marquee race, the $300,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G1), which was not carded in 2008 due to a purse account shortfall, on October 24.
Many were entered, including Fabulous Strike and Kodiak Kowboy but the recently returned Vineyard Haven is the only marquee name for this years event.
You may remember his stunning return in the King’s Bishop a couple of months ago at Saratoga where he ran huge coming off an 8 month layoff but was rightfully DQ’d for pilot error.
He’s been working great and had a nice blow out today so it’s probably safe to assume that he’ll be sharp on Saturday. But let’s not forget the second choice in the morning line odds, Fleet Valid, son of 1993 De Francis Dash winner Montbrook.
In fact, Vineyard Haven has some family ties to the DeFrancis dash as his half brother On the Vineyard is by the 1996 De Francis Dash winner Lite the Fuse. Who are the previous De Francis Dash winners? Several have turned out to be champion sprinters (from Brisnet):
Introduced in 1990, the De Francis Dash is one of the elite six-furlong sprints in the country with four of the 18 winners — Housebuster (1991), Cherokee Run (1994), Smoke Glacken (1997) and Thor’s Echo (2006) — earning Eclipse Award honors for champion sprinter.
Update: As it turns out current entrant Peace Chant also has ties to the De Francis Dash! This was brought to my attention this morning in the comments by Val of Foolish Pleasure and Fillies First (thank you!):
Don’t forget that the mare Safely Kept, who was left in the gate and came from dead last to finish third in that 1991 De Francis (and had won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in 1990) is the dam of Peace Chant who drew post 6. He wasn’t bad for six furlongs in the G1 Forego last out.
Vineyard Haven won’t become this year’s champion sprinter but that doesn’t mean a strong win wouldn’t be impressive and probably a giant relief for whoever made all those Godophin purchases that are finally paying off! And perhaps this is a prep for the Cigar Mile at the Big A.
While I couldn’t dig up Thor’s Echo’s rendition, here are the rest of the champions mentioned above + Montbrook & Lite the Fuse’s (i.e., everything over at YouTube).
1997 - Smoke Glacken:
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1996 - Lite the Fuse:
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1994 - Cherokee Run:
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1993 - Montbrook:
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1991 - Housebuster - WARNING: there is a breakdown in the stretch.
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It should also be noted that GbG and Brooklyn Backstretch fav Saratoga Russell is entered as well. Good luck to all!
Posted by dana on Oct 21 2009
Filed Under: Saratoga Russell, 2009, De Francis Dash, Laurel, Sprint, Fabulous Strike, Thor's Echo, Race Replay, YouTube, Racing
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Don’t forget that the mare Safely Kept, who was left in the gate and came from dead last to finish third in that 1991 De Francis (and had won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in 1990) is the dam of Peace Chant who drew post 6. He wasn’t bad for six furlongs in the G1 Forego last out.
Thanks for gathering videos from past editions of the De Francis Dash. Not many G1s are run at Laurel - in fact, I think it’s the only one all year.
The Dash was normally held in mid-November and would get a runner or two coming out of the BC Sprint. Not sure why it changed to late Oct but might have impacted the quality of the field.
Vineyard Haven will certainly be tough. Alan Garcia is coming down from NY and it looks to be his only mount of the day. Guess he’s feeling pretty confident.
Unfortunately it’s looking like another rainy day on Saturday but let’s hope the forecast is wrong.
Wow, thanks! I noticed Safely Kept in one of the replays but didn’t realize she was a she… and I love how you said that like I already knew it but just forgot, LOL!
You’re welcome Steve! I wish there were more of them, it was striking that 1997 was the last available rendition. Thor’s Echo and Benny the Bull’s were great!
And thanks for mentioning the odd timing change. I meant to bring that up as well (I ‘dashed’ this post off pretty quickly, har har!).
I think Ah Day likes an off track, right?
You want to hear Something Good…
Ah Day is 7: 6-1-0 on off tracks. (insert eyepopping furball here)
But one of the reasons The DeFrancis is scheduled for Saturday is the reluctance of many easterners to race on “the plastic” on November 7th. This race provides a strong alternative.
Unfortunately big gun Fabulous Strike who was pre-entered is shelved at the moment. I await his nemesis Kodiak Kowboy to look in the westerly direction. He too was pre-entered but will probably wind up anywhere his late kick will be more effective.
FYI:
I will be conducting a contest on the Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash at my blog. (coincidence heh?)
GO, Saratoga Russell!
Great blog you’ve got here! I just started one last week and I’ve been trying to connect with other racing blogs/fans.
Vineyard Haven should run away from this field. He was really impressive coming back from Dubai in the Kings Bishop against Capt. Candyman Can, who is no slouch either. I like how you mentioned Saratoga Russell, I’ve been hearing little blips about him for the last five days or so, a number of people seem to think he’s going to run big.
I really hope they send Vineyard Haven to the Breeders Cup Sprint if he comes out of the De Francis Dash in good health and fresh enough to run again in two weeks. Probably won’t happen, but we can hope right?
I think after today, Vineyard Haven is “hoping” for a long rest.
What a thriller !!
Well, I was at all of the De Francis dashes until this year, when I was sojourning happily in New York, working for NYRA. As usual, it was a corker, despite the absence of top-shelf talent save for the winner. It needed to be a week later on the schedule and must be adjusted in the future to coincide properly with the running of the Vosburgh. Then they likely would have had Fabulous Strike. Great to see the old videos, thank you. The Housebuster edition is an all-time classic marred by the sad breakdown of the fearless and fast Bravely Bold. It was marketed the way races never are anymore. Champions collide, Housebuster vs. Safely Kept, male vs. female. I still have my button that they gave away. When the horses made their way down the stretch from the barn to the paddock for saddling, Safely Kept stopped in front of the grandstand and looked up at the throng of fans and would not budge until she was good and ready — a harbinger of her break, surely. Bravely Bold got out and cut through a sensational 21.3 first quarter, so how possibly could Safely Kept closed in, making up five or more lengths. A ridiculous display of raw speed! She won eight of nine as a 3-year-old, including the Test and Prioress, finishing second to Dancing Spree in the Breeders’ Cup Spring. Those were the days before infinite wisdom trumped common sense. As a 4-year-old, she did not lose, beating Dayjur when he jumped the shadows in an unforgettable BC Sprint. Safely Kept raced again at 5, including in that De Francis, and continued to mix in local showcases at Laurel and Garden State with major displays at Belmont. She won more than $2 million SPRINTING! She won 24 of 31 lifetime. She is one of the greatest racehorses of all time. I remember the former Washington Post handicapper Rich Paul once wrote next to her name in picking her to win yet again: “What hath Horatius wrought?” Brilliant. I asked Steve Crist the other day why in the world she is not even mentioned for the Hall of Fame. His response was that with only one filly allowed in at a time and other greats about to qualify, she is way down the list.
Aside: Runner-up in countless stakes to Safely Kept was a missle named In the Curl, who would have been famous to this day if not for her greater rival. In the Curl raced until she was 9 and won nearly $750,000. She won 26 times and hit the board — check this — in 33 stakes races!!!
Check her out: She is a foundation mare . . . in the quarter-horse game!
John