RIP Zippy Chippy

[Tom]

A racing legend, fan favorite at FL.
I bet on him.....more than once.
But I was in the crowd at Batavia Downs when he soundly beat a filly pulling a sulky!


https://www.drf.com/news/zippy-chipp...-loser-dies-31

YouTube

[davew]

I am thinking I have seen a few maidens that made quite a bit money as also rans.

[castaway01]

Originally Posted by davew

I am thinking I have seen a few maidens that made quite a bit money as also rans.

Yes, Zippy Chippy raked in a massive $300 per start in his career. Clearly it was a masterful conspiracy to keep him a maiden forever and reap the benefits.

Hey, he was sound anyway. For better or worse, we probably won't see another 100-loss maiden again. RIP Zippy.

[PaceAdvantage]

Man...time flies...this was like 20+ years ago???....say what?

[xtb]

https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs...164-story.html

In 2000, 2001 and 2002, Zippy Chippy raced a minor-league baseball player at a home game of the Rochester Red Wings, then the Orioles' Triple-A affiliate. He lost to Jose Herrera in 2000 but beat Darnell McDonald and Larry Bigbie in 2001 and 2002.

And in 2001 at Freehold Raceway and last year at Batavia Downs, harness tracks in New Jersey and New York, respectively, Zippy Chippy raced a standardbred pulling a cart and driver. Zippy Chippy won both times.

But against thoroughbreds he has lost - every time. After his 70th defeat at Finger Lakes, he was banned from racing there. After three straight races in which he failed to break with the pack, the stewards decided they'd seen enough.

Richard Hanson, one of the three stewards, said Zippy Chippy was banned not only because he "dwelt" at the break and was non-competitive but because people kept betting on him. In his last race at Finger Lakes on Sept. 8, 1998, Zippy Chippy went off as one of the favorites at 5-2 odds. He finished last, 37 lengths behind the winner.

"We were trying to protect the public," Hanson said.

[Augenj]

We visited him in 2018 at Old Friends where I bought his book and hat. Zippy was a "biter" in the old days. Not so much when we saw him. He almost won a couple of times.

[BettinBilly]

Every spring I re-watch the series "Horseplayers" from 2014 that was aired on the now defunct "Esquire TV" network. I bought the series from Amazon Prime, and I watch it every spring to officially kick off my prep for the Triple Crown.

Yesterday, I left off at the episode where the horseplayers visited 'Zippy Chippy" at "Old Friends" retirement horse farm while they were in the area playing Saratoga. What a coincidence that he would pass to the great grazing grounds the same day I see him on a TV series.

[mountainman]

Originally Posted by castaway01

Yes, Zippy Chippy raked in a massive $300 per start in his career. Clearly it was a masterful conspiracy to keep him a maiden forever and reap the benefits.

Hey, he was sound anyway. For better or worse, we probably won't see another 100-loss maiden again. RIP Zippy.

When I tried to arrange a match race between Zippy and Black Ruby (the super-mule) Zippy's connections claimed to be in preliminary talks with Disney about christening him the "loveable loser horse who just keeps on trying"....animated movie, action figures, and all.

While I had considerable doubt about any of that eventuating, clearly, team-Zipster did not. In fact, when I mentioned that a potentially freshened, fully cranked Zippy probably would best the mule at 440 yards, the response said a lot about the maiden's triple-digit loss total. "Sir, nothing says Zippy has to ever win," I was teasingly informed.

Zippy Chippy was not destined to take his place beside Bambi, Pinnochio, and Snow White. And that's fine with me. I was never a fan.

[mountainman]

I hope he didn't colic. 31 is a good long life. A friend of mine, a now-deceased local trainer, once took me to see TWO (old) Waterford Park horses, both well into their 30's, the careers of each fondly familiar to me. It felt like a visit to horse heaven. Surreal.

[lex]

I was glad I got to see his final race at the fair and to have him close by to visit. Along with all of the other stars at Cabin Creek of course.

[Sysonby]

Originally Posted by xtb

https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs...164-story.html

The public that were betting on him didn't expect him to win. They were betting to indicate that they liked him so they were protecting nothing and losing a large proportion of the people who were coming to their racetrack specifically to see Zippy. I've always thought that was a very foolish decision.

[Track Collector]

Sad News...

I saw Zippy in his final years at the Northampton Fair.

Also saw him almost win (losing by less than a head against a horse whose name I think was Black Rifle).

Wanted to take my wife to see him at Old Friends, but will never get the chance now.

RIP Zippy