RIP Devil His Due

[PaceAdvantage]

Now this is some especially sad news, for me. The early to mid-90s were my favorite years in racing.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...due-dies-at-28

[PaceAdvantage]

He was half of what was one of the greatest races of all time, IMO:

YouTube

[PaceAdvantage]

I still think Lure beat him, but I'd never tell DHD that...

[SuperPickle]

Great Devil His Due story...

His owner had IRS issues for years. In fact I believe the horse raced for someone else later in his career (a relative?) because of it.

So a team of IRS agents showed up on Jerkins barn to put a lien on the horse. This was after one of his big wins and he was becoming valuable. Jerkins was polite and explained to the agents that they're not in a petting zoo the horses kick and bite particularly DHD.

Head agent barks on Jerkins a lien is being placed on horse and he's essentially property of U.S. government and they can do as they chose with him. About a minute latter the head agent got to close to DHD and he promptly took a small chunk out of him sending him to the hospital.

That is karma.

[dilanesp]

If it hadn't been for Cigar and Holy Bull, he would have been a top handicap star with a lot of stakes wins.

[bobphilo]

This is a sad day for me. When I lived in NY I frequented Aqueduct and Belmont and got to see some of his Gr.1 victories. He also was always good to me at the betting windows as well but most of all, was a magnificent fighter with a great will to win and a pleasure to see in action. He was one of my all time favorites.

RIP Champ

[Fager Fan]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

If it hadn't been for Cigar and Holy Bull, he would have been a top handicap star with a lot of stakes wins.

As it was, I think he earned about $3m.

He was one of my favorites as well. One of the most hard-knocking horses to race, and with a heart to match. He didn't always win, but you knew he'd be fighting for it at the end. I also liked his color, about as black as a TB gets.

He had a good long life, which is all we can ask for. RIP, DHD. Thanks for the memories.

PS: Read the article now. Almost $4m, and none of it given, he earned every penny.

[jocko699]

Love the hard knocking old timers. God speed DHD.

[Si2see]

PA,

Thanks for posting that video I had never seen that race, they really threw down

Rip DHD

Jason

[Broad Brush]

Sad to hear. He was not only a tough competitor, I believe he raced
medication free his whole career.

[MargieRose]

Barbara Livingston at her best. A wonderful story with many photos, published just about one week ago. RIP, Devil His Due.

Giving the Devil His Due

DRF
By Barbara Livingston
05/15/2017


Devil His Due at age 3 (Saratoga), 19 (Margaux Farm) and 28 (Margaux Farm)

He leads a relaxed life nowadays, far from the madding crowds - but such wasn't always the case. 24 years ago today, for instance - May 15, 1993 - devoted fans cheered him on when he powered home first in the G1 Pimlico Special.

His look was powerful, his name intimidating, his record extraordinary, his trainer legendary. He ran Lasix-free, and his name is part of racing lore for literally taking a bite out of the IRS.

He is Devil His Due. Born April 18, 1989, the son of Devil's Bag - Plenty O'Toole, by Raise a Cup raced 41 times over a 4-year career. He won 11 races, with 12 seconds, 3 thirds and earnings of $3,920,405. Nearly all of his races were for owner Edith LeButti's Lion Crest Stable, and all were for revered trainer H. Allen Jerkens.

The registered dark bay or brown (equine color students consider him a 'true black') gave signs of being good early on but gave signs of being extraordinary when deadheating with Lure in the 1992 Gotham Stakes. Watching the replay, one might wonder if perhaps his jockey, Herb McCauley, might have allowed Devil His Due to intimidate Lure and Mike Smith just a bit...but an inquiry was disallowed and the results stood. [...]

http://www.drf.com/blogs/giving-devil-his-due