Famous Claiming Horses

[RacingFan1992]

Hi everyone,
I was wondering who are some famous horses who had a less than stellar start at the bottom and rose to the top. The three I can think of are Seabiscuit, Stymie, and John Henry. Those three were bought for rock bottom claiming prices and were eventually crowned champion of their division if not Horse of the Year. Let me know who you can think of.

[onefast99]

Lava Man

[EMD4ME]

I believe Charismatic ran in a MDCL 75 before his rise.

[RacingFan1992]

I forgot my favotite long distance horse Princequillo was a former claimer.

[Odds-On]

Kings Swan

[Robert Fischer]

wouldn't call him 'famous' or a low-claimer, but some may remember River Keen


Irish bred, claimed by Baffert for 100K 12/4/98
got hot in '99
2nd Pacific Classic
1st Woodward
1st JCGC

-----
another one I remember that wasn't exactly famous
Dutrow's Willy Beamin
25K
wins mike lee/albany/Kings Bishop back to back
and the part I remember was the G1 Kings Bishop was only 3 days after the Albany :lol:

[burnsy]

Shifty Sheik

[MONEY]

Creme de La Fete

shIGaNTBg9M

[Delta Cone]

Budroyale, full brother to Tiznow, claimed for $50k and won $2.8 million for his career.

[pele polo]

Rapid Redux, won 16(?) in a row, most oh which were in Starter Allowances

[onefast99]

Rapid Redux, won 16(?) in a row, most oh which were in Starter AllowancesClaimed from Kelly Breen for $7500. Interesting runner who seemed to have many races "tailor made" for him.

[Valuist]

Recoup the Cash. Not a $50 or $75k claim but a mere $15,000. Went on to become a graded stakes winner.

[SAL]

Lava Man's first career race was in a mcl12500. He went on to win multlple grade 1 races after being claimed for $50,000

[Tom]

John Henry

[cj]

Big Blue Kitten, nearly 3 million in earnings and counting.

Xtra Heat, won almost 2.4 million.

Didn't stay in claimers long in either case, but could have been had for 35k / 25k.


http://www.equibase.com/premium/chartEmb.cfm?track=GP&raceDate=02/21/2011&cy=USA&rn=4

http://www.equibase.com/premium/chartEmb.cfm?track=LRL&raceDate=06/30/2000&cy=USA&rn=3

[BIGTKLO]

Mr. Amore Stable claimed RIBO BOBO for 6,250 in March 2013 and he won 6 stakes races in the next 18 months.

[thespaah]

Peat Moss. While not a huge graded stake winner.
Went from a broken ( literally) down claimer/starter allowance horse to something special....
http://www.nytimes.com/1981/04/26/sports/peat-moss-a-winner-under-145.html
Just missed in the 1981 JCGC...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CNOqZ7u4VA
BTW, I was there.
See attachment

[mistergee]

I believe Caixa Electronica a Pletcher stakes winner ran for 15k at one time

[pele polo]

John Henry

Of course, that probably should have been the first response.

The ultimate rags to riches story, will never be duplicated

[RunForTheRoses]

Thanks for that Peat Moss program, I knew all those horses.

Moro and Mr Sinatra were two good Moschera's. I'm sure Ferriola (remember him?) had a few but can't think of them.

[clocker7]

Top Row ran for a $3,500 tag on 12Oct1934, and went on to win multiple big stakes including the Big Cap.

http://www.pedigreequery.com/top+row

For those who snort at CC's dam, it's well to remember that My Charmer's first race was a $10k claimer at FG, and she dropped down the ladder for $6k at Keeneland (4-8-1971).

[pandy]

Thanks for that Peat Moss program, I knew all those horses.

Moro and Mr Sinatra were two good Moschera's. I'm sure Ferriola (remember him?) had a few but can't think of them.


Good thread! Moschera had several others. Videogenic, a filly, was claimed for $100K, won several graded stakes races. Moro was claimed for $35,000 won four stakes races and over $600,000.

A horse who could give John Henry a run for his money as the greatest claim of all time is Stymie. He was claimed for $1500 in 1943 and went on to win over $900,000, which at the time made him the richest racehorse of all time. That's an enormous amount of money for that time period. Stymie was a great handicap horse and without a doubt one of the top 5 claims of all time.

[Shemp Howard]

You could have claimed Page McKenney several times at the Pig Penn in Grantville for $16K.

He's won $1.4 million.

[thespaah]

I believe Caixa Electronica a Pletcher stakes winner ran for 15k at one time
And had a great career and life cut short due to a stupid accident.

[thespaah]

Thanks for that Peat Moss program, I knew all those horses.

Moro and Mr Sinatra were two good Moschera's. I'm sure Ferriola (remember him?) had a few but can't think of them.
Pete Ferriola.....Mr Claimer.....

[thespaah]

Thanks for that Peat Moss program, I knew all those horses.

Moro and Mr Sinatra were two good Moschera's. I'm sure Ferriola (remember him?) had a few but can't think of them.
You're welcome.....I became a fan of Peat Moss after i read that story in the NYT....
And yes I bet him every time he ran after that. Just because I wanted to.
Prior to the mid 80's NYRA had no exacta wagers on even numbered races. So the '81 JCGC was one of them. Weird. Anyway, I like Peat Moss in that race because I thought he had a legit shot. So I bet that one WPS...It was a fun time....
On the harness side there were a couple of former claimers that went on to have very good careers in much higher classes. Fight the Foe and Fog.
The latter most likely named for his unusual coat color. The horse was almost white. He had a grey mane and tail. Otherwise he looked like he was dipped in Clorox at birth....

[Zaf]

Arromanches 78 Starts, 31 Wins, 15 Places, 9 Shows Career Earnings: $807,924

Enjoyed watching this guy run :ThmbUp:

Z

[mostpost]

Stymie and Seabiscuit

[v j stauffer]

Win Stat

Southern Truce

Bluesthestandard

[wisconsin]

Bundle of Iron

[reckless]

I forgot my favotite long distance horse Princequillo was a former claimer.

I am close to being definitely sure that Princequillo ran as cheaply as claiming $2,500 -- not 25 thousand -- for Senor Horatio Luro.

[pandy]

Stymie and Seabiscuit


Probably Stymie, Seabiscuit, and John Henry would be the top three of all time, all three were great horses, champions, and legendary horses.

[johnhannibalsmith]

Arromanches 78 Starts, 31 Wins, 15 Places, 9 Shows Career Earnings: $807,924

Enjoyed watching this guy run :ThmbUp:

Z

Loved him.

From that era had to love the AZ-bred Coyote Lakes. Went from getting beat in maiden $12.5 as a 2yo and $8k claimers at Turf Paradise to being a two or three time winner of the Grade III Gallant Fox as an eight-year-old I believe. Back in the good old days of the real winter warriors at Aqueduct.

[clocker7]

I am close to being definitely sure that Princequillo ran as cheaply as claiming $2,500 -- not 25 thousand -- for Senor Horatio Luro.
Due to closure of Santa Anita and the gasoline rationing in 1942, the prospects for racing in 1943 seemed dim. In January, Tropical Park closed early and Hialeah didn't open. It left Fair Grounds as the last track standing in the winter. Horses that would have never run there otherwise appeared.

As a result, the price of bloodstock was impacted. Princequillo indeed ran for a cheap tag at FG. Bull Reigh, who had finished 2nd in the SADerby (and who would finish 2nd twice in the Hol Gold Cup) was ran for a $1,100 tag.

Total collapse would never materialize, but purses were cut drastically. Tracks like Havre deGrace, Bowie and Rockingham did not open. The KD that year was the "streetcar derby" because of the severe crackdown on private transportation.

[Arapola]

SHIFTY SHEIK!!!!!!!!!
Man, you're showing your age with that one.
OSB claimed him, ran him in an Alw race then moved right to Stakes company in just a few weeks. Boy, he could REALLY Train!!!!!!!!!!!

[Arapola]

Creme de la Fete!
Starts
151
Wins
40
Place
27 Show
16
Earnings $460K
They don't make them like they used to!

[DSB]

A couple of my personal favorites from yesteryear:

Port Conway Lane
Lexington Park

They won nearly 100 races between them and often raced against each other in Maryland in the 70s and 80s.

[Big Peps]

Royal Posse was a hell of a claim by Rudy Rod/ Dubb

Kid Cruz as well by Linda Rice

[depalma113]

Parka - claimed for 10k

Winner of the United Nations Handicap and named Champion Turf horse in 1965 at age 7.

[Elliott Sidewater]

Gallant Bob. I'm pretty sure JR Cowden put him over at big odds in a maiden claimer in his career debut.

Oops, it was JD Marquette, but the rest was correct - he won at 46.4-1 in a Md 12500 claimer.

[mountainman]

Romeo Jason. Who remembers??

To me, he more symbolizes the proper spirit of this thread.

[Elliott Sidewater]

Romeo Jason. Who remembers??

To me, he more symbolizes the proper spirit of this thread.
I remember Romeo Jason, he won 12 of 13 races one year at Keystone. No one would touch him because he had a bowed tendon. I almost mentioned him myself, he was a personal favorite. A true blue collar horse if there ever was one.

[reckless]

SHIFTY SHEIK!!!!!!!!!
Man, you're showing your age with that one.
OSB claimed him, ran him in an Alw race then moved right to Stakes company in just a few weeks. Boy, he could REALLY Train!!!!!!!!!!!

I believe Joe Trovato originally had him and dropped him in for $35,000 during the 1984 Saratoga meet, a race he won, and was claimed by the great Oscar.

Shifty Sheik would later lose by a very game half-length by champion Slew O' Gold in the Grade 1 Woodward at Belmont.

When the horses were returning to get unsaddled the crowd was cheering Shifty Sheik and his gallant battle! They were yelling out 'Shifty, Shifty, Shifty'. Oscar Barrera was near tears by all this and said: 'I never had a horse with so much heart. Look how much the people love him.'

[jk3521]

I believe Joe Trovato originally had him and dropped him in for $35,000 during the 1984 Saratoga meet, a race he won, and was claimed by the great Oscar.

Shifty Sheik would later lose by a very game half-length by champion Slew O' Gold in the Grade 1 Woodward at Belmont.

When the horses were returning to get unsaddled the crowd was cheering Shifty Sheik and his gallant battle! They were yelling out 'Shifty, Shifty, Shifty'. Oscar Barrera was near tears by all this and said: 'I never had a horse with so much heart. Look how much the people love him.'


They might have been yelling "Shifty, Shifty, Shifty " at Oscar !

[mountainman]

Sagely, a member of the elite 50-win club. I'm pretty sure he won 42 races after reaching the age of nine. Top that!

[thespaah]

Sagely, a member of the elite 50-win club. I'm pretty sure he won 42 races after reaching the age of nine. Top that!
Stop the thread!!!! No one can top that!