Hystericalady in the paddock prior to the 2008 Breeders’ Cup (Drew42e)

My friend Google tells me that, in addition to pictures of Chantal Sutherland, that the internets wants to know more about Hysterical Lady, aka Hystericalady. What the internets wants the internets gets!

Hystericalady, featured as Zenyatta’s main and only competition in the Lady’s Secret on “Jockey’s, Win or Die Trying” is no slouch. Of her 23 lifetime races she had 11 wins, 4 places and 2 shows, that’s 74% in the money and a win percentage of 48%. In both 2007 and 2008 she was only out of the money in one race, she turned in solid performances on both dirt and synthetic surfaces and won at both sprints and routes (races longer than a mile).

She’s knocked heads with almost all of the tough filly & mares of her time including champion Ginger Punch, Nashoba’s Key, Tough Tiz’s Sis, Lemon Drop Mom, Octave, Intangaroo and, of course, Zenyatta.

Here’s her Wikipedia entry, Pedigree Query entry and Bloodhorse Profile. While I don’t recall it being announced, I believe she was retired. She was purchased at auction for $3 Million this fall after the Breeders’ Cup by Sheik Mo.

John Ferguson purchased Hystericalady, the most expensive horse of the day as of 5:30 p.m., on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum. Taylor Made, agent, consigned the mare, one of 11 horses to bring $1 million or more by that point in an atmosphere middle-market consignors ruefully described as more famine than feast.

Hystericalady, a 5-year-old Distorted Humor mare, went through the ring as an exceptional racing or broodmare prospect, leaving her buyer an option to race. But Ferguson said it was “unlikely” Maktoum would elect to run her again, even though trainer Hollendorfer assured him after the hammer fell that the mare is entirely sound. The chestnut daughter of Chilean champion Sacramentada came to the sale off a fifth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic and hit a rare home run in the market.

Enjoy these replays, it’s too bad there aren’t more as she put in a lot of really game efforts.

2007 Humana Distaff (worst audio ever!):

2007 Breeders’ Cup Distaff:

2008 Humana Distaff:

2008 Delaware Handicap:

2008 Lady’s Secret (featured in Jockeys, Win or Die Trying):

2008 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (her last race, and only off the board effort in 2008):

Posted by dana on Feb 10 2009    
Filed Under: Auction, Zenyatta, Tough Tiz's Sis, Jockeys TV Show, Ginger Punch, YouTube, Retirement, Hystericalady, Octave, Race Replay, Racing

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Ginger Punch prepping at Belmont for the 2008 Beldame (Jason Moran)

As usual, Frank is right. In a passage about Ginger Punch he points out:

But in the media or around the blogosphere, there was virtually no discussion of or appreciation for Stronach’s decision to bring the champ back or the horse’s consistent excellence.

Today it was announced that the champion 5yo mare with 6 G1 wins who was in the money in 20 of 21 starts (12/6/2) was retired. Annoying that there’s only a tiny article on DRF with nothing that I could find at the Bloodhorse or Thoroughbred Times.

The best race I saw live this year hands down was Ginger Punch’s win in the Go For Wand where she was completely boxed in and had a make a hole in the stretch. After the race I was standing by fence hoping to get a good photo of her as they took her back to the barn. As she walked by, the crowd really cheered for her. A man with a very professional looking camera was also on hand. He yelled the most sincere and gushing “you’re the best Ginger Punch, a real champion!” as she walked by. I’ve been lucky enough to see her run many times in person, and even when she didn’t win, she never disappointed.

In the clip of last year’s Go For Wand (below), Moss and Bailey (presumably) tell the story about how owner Frank Stronach wanted to retire her to the shed after her 3yo campaign in 2006. It took her 4 tries to break her maiden and then she won 1 mid level allowance and placed in one. Her trainer Bobby Frankel told Stronach that if he brought her back the following year that he promised he could get her a G1. How about 3, including the Breeders’ Cup Distaff AND the overwhelming winner of 2007 Eclipse award for Older Female!

Many thanks to Stronach, Frankel and most of all, Ginger Punch!

2008 Personal Ensign:

2008 Go For Wand:

2008 Ogden Phipps:

2008 Louisville Stakes:

2008 Sunshine Millions Distaff:

2007 BC Distaff:

2007 Go For Wand:

2007 Allowance (on Derby Day at Churchill):

Posted by dana on Oct 27 2008    
Filed Under: Ginger Punch, Farewell, 2008, Jason Moran, YouTube, Bobby Frankel, Fans, Let Horses Race, Retirement, Race Replay, Racing

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Ginger Punch winning the last installment of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (Charles Pravata)

Moran’s post this morning inspired me to watch all of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff races… he’s right, but here are all 23 reasons.

[WARNING - includes Go For Wand’s upsetting breakdown in the stretch]

Posted by dana on Oct 12 2008    
Filed Under: Farewell, Charles Pravata, Ginger Punch, Asi Siempre, 2008, Tough Tiz's Sis, Take Back the Race, Indian Vale, Unbridled Belle, Hystericalady, Breeders' Cup, Octave, Lear's Princess, YouTube, Race Replay, Racing

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Philadelphia Park (~ RAYMOND)

I had the feeling that I might return to blogging tonight as I crabbed to someone in an email that I’m already sick of hearing all the droning about Curlin vs. Big Brown for horse of the year. It’s about as interesting as incessantly following who’s up in the presidential polls.

I’m somewhat surprised (and somewhat not) that no one has seemed to mention Zenyatta in the same breath as HOY (disclaimer, if you have, I may have missed it as I’ve not been keeping up with reading!).

Undefeated? Check. Won on multiple surfaces? Check. Beat an impressive reining champion? Check. Beat the impressive reining champion while making first start on new surface? Check.

Let’s face it, the Filly & Mare Classic division is making a mockery of the boys this year. I loooove Curlin and think Big Brown is pretty great but Zenyatta has been turning in consistently impressive performances all year. And her nemesis Tough Tiz’s Sis demolishing the field in the Ruffian also speaks volumes about her talent.

Speaking of the Breeders’ Cup, Kennedy has an excellent set of observations about inconsistencies with the BC. Just when I thought I had heard it all!

I’ve been too busy to compile the August SAFC reports just yet, which might be a good thing because we got a fab submission today (or possibly sometime in the past few days… I’ve been really out of it!) that has many, many great ideas/issues. One of them, which I want to point out while we’re still on the subject of the BC, is the damn saddle cloths. They’re a serious scourge for those who actually want to be able to tell which horse is which without memorizing hat and silk colors. Please, go to SAFC and complain about this one!

A juicy blind item was revealed over at Moran’s today when he finally got to tell us which NYRA official said ‘Fuck the Horseplayers’. Now I’m sort of wishing I had a done a poll when the original item came out.

GbG horse of interest National Pride won his 3rd race today at Belmont in the third, a $50k OC N2X. He had Coa aboard for the first time and caught a strong On Board Again at the wire. I also thought Goldsville was impressive for the show. He had some traffic trouble in the stretch and had to swing wide but came on nicely as well. As always, looking forward to National Pride’s next start.

And if you’re still reading, I should remind that you the deadline for the SAFC DIY Marketing Presentation Contest has been extended to this Saturday at 7pm EST. So stop farting around reading blogs and get your presentation together! We’ve already gotten a handful of great ones and are expecting a few more… c’mon surprise us with your great ideas or clever harangues! Need some ideas? Start here.

Posted by dana on Sep 17 2008    
Filed Under: Raymond Haddad, 4yo, 2008, Big Brown, Rivalry, Tough Tiz's Sis, Zenyatta, National Pride, Ginger Punch, Breeders' Cup, Curlin, Race Replay, Eibar Coa, 3yo, NYRA, Racing

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Ginger Punch & Rafael Bejarano crushing the field in 2008 Go For Wand (Sarah K. Andrew)

Ginger Punch just head bobbed an impressive Lemon Drop Mom out of an upset (and the crowd went wild, natch!).

Congrats and thanks to the champ & Lemon Drop Mom for a super exciting race. And hear, hear for connections challenging their horses!

Posted by dana on Aug 22 2008    
Filed Under: 2008, Impressive, Ginger Punch, Rafael Bejarano, Saratoga, Racing

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