2005 Arabian Triple Crown

ARC News Archive
Arabian Triple Crown 2005! In October 2000 members of the Arabian racing community met for the Arabian Jockey Club's annual open meeting. Among the items discussed was the need for a racing product with which fans could identify. The idea for a Triple Crown was discussed and five years later that idea became a reality.	photos: TH Richie and connections. Courtesy of Los Alamitos Publicity.
Six total Grade 1 stakes (three each for colts and fillies) run at 3 different tracks over 3 different distances made up the Triple Crown Series sponsored by Markel/Pratt Insurance. The races for the colts were the Drinkers of the Wind Derby (G1) at 6 furlongs at Los Alamitos, the Diamond Derby (G1) at 7 furlongs at Sam Houston Race Park and the 1 ¼ mile Bob Magness Derby (G1) at Delaware Park. The filly version consisted of the Daughters of the Desert Oaks (G1) at 6 furlongs, Sapphire Sprint (G1) at 7 furlongs and the Cre Run Oaks at 1 1/8 miles. A $100,000 bonus waited for any horse that could sweep all three races, but there was a catch -- the races had to have at least 7 betting entries, a fact that would come into play during the Diamond Derby (G1). This is not the first Triple Crown put together for the Arabians. Dr. Sam Harrison, founder of the ARC program, challenged any horse to win the Arabian Triple Cup and a one-time $100,000 bonus for winning three of five selected Arabian Cup races. The great Patriot Missle, owned by Buzz and Jacquelaine Brauninger, won the Delaware and California Arabian Cup Juvenile (he only needed one), the Godolphin Arabian Cup Classic and the Arabian Cup International. Now, however, the Triple Crown races are all in one year and exclusively for 4-year-olds.
	Dianne Waldron has dominated Arabian racing winning the Darley Award for outstanding owner three out of the last four years. She has developed an extremely strong program and has competitive horses in most of the major stakes races every year. In 2005 it was her 4-year-old sensation, TH Richie that stepped forward. Waldron bought the colt as a yearling because she knew he was special from the time he was born. "He's lived up to more than my wildest dreams," said Waldron.
He impressively won the Drinkers of the Wind Derby (G1) in January and followed that up with a track record setting performance in the Diamond Derby (G1) in April. Unfortunately for Waldron, there were not seven betting entries in the Diamond Derby (G1), making Richie ineligible for the bonus money. Nevertheless, he still went into the Bob Magness Derby (G1) with the potential to sweep all 3 races. Before that race, he defeated older horses in the Delaware Season Opener and Mandolynn Hill Farm Delaware Open S. The only question Richie still needed to answer was if he could go 1 ¼ miles. He had a few doubters, but not Waldron.
	"I have always said wait until he goes long. " Richie affirmed her belief with an easy victory in the Derby (G1). Bringing the colt along this entire ride has been trainer Phil E. Saxer, Jr. "Phil's done a wonderful job with the horse," said Waldron. TH Richie started only one more time in 2005, which was a third place finish in the Arabian Cup Sprint (G1). He finished the year with 7 wins in 8 starts and is a leading candidate for Champion 4-Year-Old and Horse of the Year. TH Richie was bred by William Shively and is from the first crop of Waldron's imported French stallion Calin Du Loup. He is out of the ZT Ali Baba mare Char Rich Louise, who unfortunately died from West Nile several years ago.
While the first round of the new Triple Crown Series is finished, changes have already been made for 2006. In an effort to simplify and shorten the nominating process, the Diamond Derby (G1) and Sapphire Sprint (G1) have been dropped from the series. In their places, Texas has put together two new races - the Texas Six-Shooter for colts and geldings and the Texas Yellow Rose for fillies, which will be run on March 25 at Sam Houston Race Park. The 2006 version will not have the bonus available, but that incentive should be back in place for 2007.
It all kicks off at Los Alamitos on January 28 with the Drinkers of the Wind Derby (G1) and Daughters of the Desert Oaks (G1). We will have to wait and see if another superstar emerges from the pack. For more information, call 1-800-458-4283, or Contact Us by Email.

ARC News Archive

Arabian Triple Crown 2005!

It all kicks off at Los Alamitos on January 28 with the Drinkers of the Wind Derby (G1) and Daughters of the Desert Oaks (G1). We will have to wait and see if another superstar emerges from the pack.