Hotstufanthensome and Hard Knockers

[alhattab]

I really liked this piece. Maybe because I share Brian's views on Hotstuf and on his love of Monmouth Park. But I also think it speaks to the attachment we have not to the "great" ones, but to the hard knockers that show up meet after meet after meet. Hotstuff certainly fits that bill- a dying breed seemingly- but all of our home tracks seem to have a few that run in the $ allowances, high priced claimers and maybe nibble at a stake or two like Hotstuf.

Who are/were your favorite hardknockers and why?



http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/columns/story?id=3533828

[point given]

[QUOTE=alhattab] "I really liked this piece. Maybe because I share Brian's views on Hotstuf and on his love of Monmouth Park. But I also think it speaks to the attachment we have not to the "great" ones, but to the hard knockers that show up meet after meet after meet. Hotstuff certainly fits that bill- a dying breed seemingly- but all of our home tracks seem to have a few that run in the $ allowances, high priced claimers and maybe nibble at a stake or two like Hotstuf. "

Who are/were your favorite hardknockers and why?

Here's to the Hard Knockers of the womens volleyball team ; they are Hofstufandthensum :lol: (just beat china ! !! )

[alhattab]

[QUOTE=alhattab] "I really liked this piece. Maybe because I share Brian's views on Hotstuf and on his love of Monmouth Park. But I also think it speaks to the attachment we have not to the "great" ones, but to the hard knockers that show up meet after meet after meet. Hotstuff certainly fits that bill- a dying breed seemingly- but all of our home tracks seem to have a few that run in the $ allowances, high priced claimers and maybe nibble at a stake or two like Hotstuf. "

Who are/were your favorite hardknockers and why?

Here's to the Hard Knockers of the womens volleyball team ; they are Hofstufandthensum :lol: (just beat china ! !! )

Not exactly what I was looking for, but that was a good one!

[Stevie Belmont]

Hotstuff is a nice horse. I remember a few years ago at the Meadowlands, there was a tremendous t storm about a half hour before the Cliffhanger. Hotstuff loved the saturated turf and romped by 8 or so. So anytime this one can catch a soft or yielding course, I remember that one.

[onefast99]

Brians story is one that is shared by many a horseplayer from coast to coast. During the early 80's I followed a horse named Outer Voyage he ran here on the eastcoast, Monmouth and the Meadowlands and Keystone. This horse was an earlier version of evening attire. He would slowly break from the gate and trail the field by 5 at the first call about 8 by the second call and off the monitors by the third call. Then as if the freight train forgot to sound the horn here came Outer Voyage picking off horses one by one, making his way around the clubhouse turn and getting within striking distance to win it all. Only the track announcers call could make it as enjoyable to cashing in some nice bets on this come from behind runner. I followed him to the lower level claimers at Keystone(now Philly)where he also repeated the same show race after race. I always wondered where he was today or who had him last, but Outer Voyage sparked my passion for horses, it only takes one!

[alhattab]

My first "hard knocker" loves where actually harness horses- $40k claimers if I recall that used to run EVERY Friday night at the Meadowlands. Avenging Eagle and Kiawartha Shady immediately come to mind. There was another higher priced claimer named Stormy Rowan- he ran EVERY Saturday. They never missed a beat. Obviously more common in harness racing but we see them every now and again.

Onefast your post reminded me of a starter allowance king that was around Philly for awhile. His name was Blue Mug and he could run forever- ruled the marathon starter races they used to run there.

Two more immediately come to mind, one of which may hit a chord. Ask The Lord, who I first met at the Spa when he completed an exacta with Keep It Holy some time ago, just kept on running, and he ran on anything. The other is Weakneeswillie (sp?), who I believe was a J-bred that ended up on bottom claimers, but ran early and ran often.

[applebee]

Having loved horse racing for 40+ years my heart says Rambling Willie.