Ghostzapper
Encyclopedia
Foaled in Kentucky
on April 6 in the year 2000, the thoroughbred
racehorse Ghostzapper won the Breeders' Cup Classic
in 2004, outdistancing Roses in May
by three lengths in a stakes record of 1:59.02. His gate-to-wire Classic victory completed a 4-for-4 season and established him as one of the favorites for the 2004 Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year
, which he would eventually win.
Ghostzapper's victory gave trainer Robert J. Frankel his second Breeders' Cup victory in 62 starts and jockey Javier Castellano
his first Breeders' Cup win. His overall performance for the year made Ghostzapper the "World's Top Ranked Horse" for 2004 as compiled by the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
.
. His first start came on July 4 at Belmont Park in the Tom Fool Handicap
. He won the 7 furlong race in 1:20.40, just 2/5 seconds off the track record.
Although Ghostzapper was primarily thought of as a sprinter, Frankel now decided to point the horse towards the Breeders' Cup Classic run at 1 1/4 miles. Before that, Frankel needed to find out how far Ghostzapper could actually run, since he had never been further than 7 furlongs.
Frankel entered him in the Philip H. Iselin Breeders' Cup Handicap at Monmouth Park Racetrack
, on August 21. It was his first distance race, run at 1 1/8 miles. The track was muddy, but that didn't stop Ghostzapper from flying home in 1:47.6, winning the race by 10 lengths. He earned a 128 Beyer Speed rating
, one of the highest ever recorded around 2 turns and one of the fastest Beyers ever recorded since the figures were invented. (Groovy
, 1987 American Champion Sprint Horse, was the last horse to break the 130 Beyer Speed Figure, earning 133 and 132 in back-to-back 6-furlong races in 1987.) Now Frankel was confident he had not only a possible starter in the Breeders' Cup Classic, but a probable favorite for the race. But before that, he had one more prep.
That prep came in the Woodward Stakes
at Belmont Park on September 11. Ghostzapper ran the same impressive race as he did in the Iselin, but he wasn't alone. Saint Liam
(eventual 2005 Horse of the Year) ran stride for stride with Ghostzapper down the stretch, bumping several times, before Ghostzapper got his head in front in the final few strides.
His next and final race of 2004 was the Breeders' Cup Classic at Lone Star Park. Returning Breeders' Cup champ Pleasantly Perfect went off at almost identical odds to Ghostzapper, with Ghostzapper a slight favorite. The betting was close, but the race was not. Ghostzapper led the entire way, pulling away in the stretch to a 3-length victory. The final time of 1:59.02 set a new track record and Breeders' Cup Classic record.
Ghostzapper went on to win the 2004 Horse of the year, edging out Smarty Jones
in votes 174-95.
In 2005, owner/breeder Frank Stronach
returned Ghostzapper to racing, which was unusual for a previous Horse of the Year winner. Ghostzapper could easily earn $10 million a season as a stud, which dwarfs what could be made racing. Stronach said he wanted to give something back to the game by returning Ghostzapper to competition, thus taking the financial risk.
Ghostzapper did not disappoint. In his debut 2005 race, he won the 112th running of the Grade 1 $750,000 Metropolitan Handicap
at Belmont Park
.
Ghostzapper commands $200,000 per live foal, the highest fee ever for a first time stallion. His progeny will hit the track some time in 2009.
Ghostzapper covered 111 mares in the 2006 breeding season. On October 20, 2006, Adena Springs announced a reduction in Ghostzappers stud fee. His 2007 stud fee was $150,000 per live foal. From that year's crop he sired Stately Victor
, winner of the 2010 Blue Grass Stakes
. His 2010 stud fee has been reduce to $30,000 per live foal.
"Few horses have devastated their opponents in so many ways, at so many distances, and in such fast times."--Steve Haskin
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
on April 6 in the year 2000, the thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse Ghostzapper won the Breeders' Cup Classic
Breeders' Cup Classic
The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3 year olds and older run at a distance of 1¼ miles on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships...
in 2004, outdistancing Roses in May
Roses in May
Roses in May, Foaled on February 9, 2000, is an American thoroughbred racehorse bred by Margaux Farm in Midway, Kentucky and owned during his racing career by Ken and Sarah Ramsey.Roses in May made 13 starts and won 8 of them, placing in four...
by three lengths in a stakes record of 1:59.02. His gate-to-wire Classic victory completed a 4-for-4 season and established him as one of the favorites for the 2004 Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year
Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year
The American Award for Horse of the Year is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. It has been awarded since 1887 to the horse, irrespective of age, whose performance during the racing year is deemed the most outstanding....
, which he would eventually win.
Ghostzapper's victory gave trainer Robert J. Frankel his second Breeders' Cup victory in 62 starts and jockey Javier Castellano
Javier Castellano
Javier Castellano is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing.Castellano began his riding career in his native Venezuela in 1996 and in June 1997 moved to the United States where rode at race tracks in southern Florida until 2001 when he moved to race on the New York State racing circuit.In...
his first Breeders' Cup win. His overall performance for the year made Ghostzapper the "World's Top Ranked Horse" for 2004 as compiled by the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
The World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings are compiled by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities , an organization established in 2003 with headquarters in Paris, France made up of members from around the world....
.
2004 Season
After Ghostzapper's smashing victory in the 2003 Vosburgh, many racing fans eagerly awaited his return to the track in 2004. It took the 4-year-old almost six months to make his debut as he recovered from quarter cracksQuarter crack
A quarter crack is a term used by horsemen to describe a vertical split in a horse hoof wall at or about the quarter or widest part of the hoof. Quarter cracks are not an uncommon injury in horses worked extensively in horseshoes....
. His first start came on July 4 at Belmont Park in the Tom Fool Handicap
Tom Fool Handicap
The Tom Fool Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early March at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, New York. It was formerly held at Belmont Park. The race is a Grade III event open to horses age three and up who are willing to race the six furlong distance on dirt.The...
. He won the 7 furlong race in 1:20.40, just 2/5 seconds off the track record.
Although Ghostzapper was primarily thought of as a sprinter, Frankel now decided to point the horse towards the Breeders' Cup Classic run at 1 1/4 miles. Before that, Frankel needed to find out how far Ghostzapper could actually run, since he had never been further than 7 furlongs.
Frankel entered him in the Philip H. Iselin Breeders' Cup Handicap at Monmouth Park Racetrack
Monmouth Park Racetrack
Monmouth Park Racetrack is an American race track for thoroughbred horse racing in Oceanport, New Jersey. It is owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and is operated under a five-year lease as a partnership with Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City.Monmouth Park's marquee event...
, on August 21. It was his first distance race, run at 1 1/8 miles. The track was muddy, but that didn't stop Ghostzapper from flying home in 1:47.6, winning the race by 10 lengths. He earned a 128 Beyer Speed rating
Beyer Speed Figure
The Beyer Speed Figure is a system for rating the performance of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America designed in the early 1970s by Andrew Beyer, the syndicated horse racing columnist for The Washington Post...
, one of the highest ever recorded around 2 turns and one of the fastest Beyers ever recorded since the figures were invented. (Groovy
Groovy (horse)
Groovy was an American Thoroughbred Champion sprint racehorse known for his love of jelly donuts. As at 2011, he is the last horse to break the 130 Beyer Speed Figure having accomplished that milestone in his first two starts of 1987. In the Roseben Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack he earned a 131...
, 1987 American Champion Sprint Horse, was the last horse to break the 130 Beyer Speed Figure, earning 133 and 132 in back-to-back 6-furlong races in 1987.) Now Frankel was confident he had not only a possible starter in the Breeders' Cup Classic, but a probable favorite for the race. But before that, he had one more prep.
That prep came in the Woodward Stakes
Woodward Stakes
The Woodward Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race and is one of the premier races for older thoroughbred horses in the United States. Named for prominent racehorse owner, George Nicholas Woodward, it is run at 1⅛ miles on the dirt for a purse of $750,000.The Woodward was run as a handicap in...
at Belmont Park on September 11. Ghostzapper ran the same impressive race as he did in the Iselin, but he wasn't alone. Saint Liam
Saint Liam
Saint Liam was an American thoroughbred racehorse who was voted 2005 Eclipse Award Horse of the Year honors....
(eventual 2005 Horse of the Year) ran stride for stride with Ghostzapper down the stretch, bumping several times, before Ghostzapper got his head in front in the final few strides.
His next and final race of 2004 was the Breeders' Cup Classic at Lone Star Park. Returning Breeders' Cup champ Pleasantly Perfect went off at almost identical odds to Ghostzapper, with Ghostzapper a slight favorite. The betting was close, but the race was not. Ghostzapper led the entire way, pulling away in the stretch to a 3-length victory. The final time of 1:59.02 set a new track record and Breeders' Cup Classic record.
Ghostzapper went on to win the 2004 Horse of the year, edging out Smarty Jones
Smarty Jones
Smarty Jones is a thoroughbred race horse, and winner of the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. He finished second in the Belmont Stakes that took place on June 5th, 2004....
in votes 174-95.
In 2005, owner/breeder Frank Stronach
Frank Stronach
Frank Stronach, CM is an Austrian-Canadian businessman. He is the founder of Magna International, an international automotive parts company based in Aurora, Ontario, Canada, and Magna Entertainment Corp., which specializes in horse-racing entertainment...
returned Ghostzapper to racing, which was unusual for a previous Horse of the Year winner. Ghostzapper could easily earn $10 million a season as a stud, which dwarfs what could be made racing. Stronach said he wanted to give something back to the game by returning Ghostzapper to competition, thus taking the financial risk.
Ghostzapper did not disappoint. In his debut 2005 race, he won the 112th running of the Grade 1 $750,000 Metropolitan Handicap
Metropolitan Handicap
The Metropolitan Handicap, frequently called the "Met Mile," is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the last week of May at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of one mile .The Met Mile was first...
at Belmont Park
Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...
.
Ghostzapper at stud
Ghostzapper was retired from racing on June 13, 2005 after discovery of a hairline fracture in his left front ankle. He retired with career earnings of $3,446,120. He is currently standing stud at Stronach's Adena Springs Farm in Kentucky where his own sire, the champion racehorse Awesome Again (by Deputy Minister) also stands. Ghostzapper's dam is Baby Zip, the 2005 Broodmare of the Year.Ghostzapper commands $200,000 per live foal, the highest fee ever for a first time stallion. His progeny will hit the track some time in 2009.
Ghostzapper covered 111 mares in the 2006 breeding season. On October 20, 2006, Adena Springs announced a reduction in Ghostzappers stud fee. His 2007 stud fee was $150,000 per live foal. From that year's crop he sired Stately Victor
Stately Victor
Stately Victor is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He ran in the 2010 Kentucky Derby, coming in eighth. Bred by Frank Stronach's Adena Springs, he is a son of the great Ghostzapper, the 2004 American Horse of the Year and ranked number one in the world that year...
, winner of the 2010 Blue Grass Stakes
Blue Grass Stakes
The Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, currently sponsored by the Toyota Motor Corporation, is an American Grade 1 horse race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds held annually in mid April at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky....
. His 2010 stud fee has been reduce to $30,000 per live foal.
"Few horses have devastated their opponents in so many ways, at so many distances, and in such fast times."--Steve Haskin
Racing Record
- 1st - Maiden TWO-YEAR-OLDS, Hollywood Park Racetrack, November 16, 2002
- 4th - Allowance Race, Hollywood Park, December 26, 2002
- 1st - Allowance Race, Belmont Park, June 20, 2003
- 1st - Allowance Race, Saratoga Race CourseSaratoga Race CourseSaratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It opened on August 3, 1863, and is the oldest organized sporting venue of any kind in the United States. It is typically open for racing from late July through early September.-History:John...
, July 26, 2003 - 3rd - King's Bishop StakesKing's Bishop StakesThe King's Bishop Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The race is open to three-year-olds willing to sprint seven furlongs on dirt. The race is a Grade I event and carries a purse of $250,000...
G1, Saratoga Racetrack, August 23, 2003 - 1st - Vosburgh StakesVosburgh StakesThe Vosburgh Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Run at the end of September/early October, it is open to horses three-years-old and up of either gender...
G1, Belmont Park, September 27, 2003 - 1st - Tom Fool HandicapTom Fool HandicapThe Tom Fool Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early March at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, New York. It was formerly held at Belmont Park. The race is a Grade III event open to horses age three and up who are willing to race the six furlong distance on dirt.The...
G2, July 4, 2004 - 1st - Philip H Iselin Breeders Cup Handicap G3, Monmouth Park, August 21, 2004
- 1st - Woodward StakesWoodward StakesThe Woodward Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race and is one of the premier races for older thoroughbred horses in the United States. Named for prominent racehorse owner, George Nicholas Woodward, it is run at 1⅛ miles on the dirt for a purse of $750,000.The Woodward was run as a handicap in...
G1, Belmont Park, September 11, 2004 - 1st - Breeders' Cup ClassicBreeders' Cup ClassicThe Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3 year olds and older run at a distance of 1¼ miles on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships...
G1, Lonestar Park, October 30, 2004 - 1st - Metropolitan HandicapMetropolitan HandicapThe Metropolitan Handicap, frequently called the "Met Mile," is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the last week of May at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of one mile .The Met Mile was first...
G1, Belmont Park, May 30, 2005