Top 5 greatest failures I've seen among racehorses

[The Indomitable DrugS]

My top five horses who had a race and the probability for projected improvement that put them on a justifiable path to greatness ... only to see said horse hang around for more than a few races and never improve.

#1. Afternoon Deelites. A Dick Mandella trained West Virgina bred who was being advertised as the next Seattle Slew or Spectacular Bid after his incredible win in the Hollywood Futurity.

He did end his career 5-for-5 with 4 Graded Stakes wins in sprint races ... but suffered humiliating defeats in the Kentucky Derby and Santa Anita Handicap to horses he toyed with early on in his career.


#2. Pulpit. A Frank Brothers trained son of A. P. Indy. Won his debut going 7fs at Gulfstream with a 107 Beyer.

When you're a son of strong finishing marathoner like A. P. Indy - and you win a debut sprinting like he did. If you don't eventually make the Hall of Fame you're probably a gigantic failure.

He never panned out after the debut win - but was productive enough to win the Blue Grass and run a soundly beaten 4th in the Derby in his final two starts.


#3. Arazi. Won the Breeders Cup Juvenile with just about the most visually devastating sustained move you'll ever see.

Insanely impressive performance for a Euro shipper making his dirt debut - he had won 3 straight Gr 1's with ease in his 3 prior starts in Europe.

Could only manage an 8th place Derby finish and flopped as the favorite in the BC Mile on turf in his next two Euro visits. But did win a Gr 2 in Europe very nicely - and his middle move in the Derby was very impressive even though he hung badly.


#4. Lil's Lad. Neil Howard took over the training of this horse as a 3-year-old and his four races at Gulfstream Park in the winter of '98 were about as scary as anything you'll see from a newly turned 3-year-old.

He took his first start in an alw sprint by 16.5 lengths, in hand throughout, with a 109 Beyer. He took his 2nd start in an alw route by 6 lengths with a 106 Beyer. The camera guy couldn't even keep up with him .. Halory Hunter finished 2nd in the alw race .. he later won the Blue Grass and was 4th in the Ky Derby.

Lil's Lad dominated Coronado's Quest in a 113 Beyer Fountain of Youth win in his 3rd GP start. He was DQ'd from victory in the Florida Derby in his 4th and final start of the meet .. probably the greatest losing performance I've ever seen in a Ky Derby prep.

After leaving GP he was 2nd in the Blue Grass at odds of 2/5. Was sidelined and had to miss the Derby. Other than a nice 4yo debut he pretty much stunk it up after that.


#5. Badge of Silver. http://www.airdriestud.com/pdf/badge_pp.pdf

Won his first three races like he was the best 3yo in America at any distance ranging from 4 furlongs to 14 furlongs. Just sensational visual performances that also got big figures.

Injury issues plauged him though. He did have a few good moments later on. Including a 3rd place finish in the Breeders Cup Mile while making his first start off of an 11 month layoff .. a very tough thing to do. He also won a Graded Stake on dirt over Commentator and Dynever with a 111 Beyer.


* I didn't include Favorite Trick even though he won Horse of the Year as a 2-year-old ... because basically he always sucked.

* I also didn't include Discreet Cat because he didn't fall off the path until his 2nd winter-long Dubai trip. He was scratched from his World Cup prep race at the last second and basically became of claiming horse ability after that.