In the run up to the 2015 Kentucky Derby, the Thorobros took a good hard look at the past 20 years of Derbies and tried to rank the top twelve. We were able to arrive at this highly scientific ranking through a complicated logarithm that generated a foolproof list of the best Kentucky Derbies of the past two decades. This year’s renewal of America’s most famous horse race looks to be particularly strong – perhaps we will have a new addition to these rankings come May 3, 2015.
Number 4: Funny Cide
When we conjured up this idea, we thought about all the elements that make a Derby great. Not just the running of the race itself, but the story lines and the history they create. We have come to realize that there is no such thing as a “typical” Derby winner. Although many of them share characteristics, there is not one thing that seems to always occur. However, there are some trends that seem to appear almost every year. (see Mazur’s Crushing the Derby).
However, some years those trends are bucked and a horse and the people that are associated with him break all the rules. That is what happened in 2003 with Funny Cide.
The Prelude
Much of the talk of 2003 Road to the Triple Crown revolved around Bobby Frankel and his remarkable tandem of Peace Rules and Empire Maker. Empire Maker showed his ability coast to coast finishing second in the Sham Stakes in his 2003 debut, before adding blinkers and winning BOTH the Florida Derby and the Wood Memorial. As a result of his multi-jurisdictional dominance, Empire Maker would be made the Derby favorite.Peace Rules, kept separate from Empire Maker by Frankel, did some road tripping of his own. Peace Rules won both the Louisiana Derby and the Bluegrass before his train headed toward Louisville. Frankel was seemingly winning every major prep and looked poised to win his first Derby.
However, all the while, a little thought of New York bred gelding was putting forth solid effort after solid effort. This horse was trained by Barclay Tagg for Sackatoga Stables, a group of college buddies and ridden by future Hall of Famer Jose Santos. After a 2 year old season that provided for dominant wins against State-Bred company, Funny Cide tried open water in the Holy Bull. He finished fifth, but after hitting the gate at the start it appeared to be a solid effort. Next he ran into Peace Rules in the Louisiana Derby, and although appearing a little green, he made a strong run down the stretch to ultimately finish second as Kafwain was disqualified. Funny Cide improved again in his next start, finishing second to Empire Maker in the Woodward, where Funny Cide was making up ground on Empire Maker at the end of the race to lose by a neck. This performance punched Funny Cide’s ticket to the Derby.
So there he was: a non-winner during his 3 year old year gelding, attempting to become the first New York Bred to win the Derby ever, for a training who has never had a Derby starter and owners who come to the races on a school bus.
The Race
The race started as expected, with the speedy Peace Rules taking to the early lead. Funny Cide, breaking from post 6, took great inside position in the flight of horses behind the leaders. Empire Maker, sat mid pack and on the outside with a clear look towards the Front. With five furlongs to go, Peace Rules took the lead to himself and opened up by two lengths on Funny Cide. All the while Empire Maker, was making a sustained run passing horses in a few strides. Funny Cide, started his move at the half and slowly crept towards Peace Rules. At the top of the stretch, Peace Rules had a narrow lead, with Empire Maker on the far outside rallying and Funny Cide in between the Frankel duo.
As they approached the eighth pole, it was a three horse race. Funny Cide kept moving forward and kicked past Peace Rules. Empire Maker appeared to flatten out just enough so he could not keep up with Funny Cide and “the gutsy gelding” prevailed.
It was a great race, a fantastic finish and an as always riveting call by the Master Tom Durkin. Listen and watch for yourself.
The Aftermath
Funny Cide, and his seemingly rag-tag team would move onto Pimlico for the Preakness. Transported in their bus, the Sacktoga gang presented a great story of the little guy beating the big guy (Juddmonte Farm, owner of Empire Maker). the win showed the public that anybody could win the Derby, and it didn’t require bluegrass or blue-blood. Funny Cide became a media hero, and created new fans for the sport.
Funny Cide would run one of the most dominating Preakness’ in recent memory and storm “home” to Belmont to attempt to win the Triple Crown. A huge crowd assembled at Belmont to see if the New Yorker could be the first to hoist the Triple Crown trophy since Affirmed.
However, the fairytale ended there with Empire Maker storming home to victory after sitting out the Preakness.
But as a gelding, Funny Cide continued to run on for years, winning more Grade 1 races, including the Suburban and the Woodward and being elected New York bred Horse of the Year twice and Eclipse Award winning 3yo colt in 2003.
Funny Cide is now one of the most popular residents of the Kentucky Horse Park.
