Rapid Rise To American Win Sequence Record
26-11-2011
WHEN Robert Cole picked up the tough 4-year-old Rapid Redux for US$6,250 out of a claiming race on Penn National Racecourse, Pennsylvania, the American state bordering that of New York, in October 2010 he could not have envisaged just how busy as an owner the gelding was going to keep him over the next twelve months.
Put in the hands of Penn National based trainer David Wells, Rapid Redux was having his twentieth start and win in his new ownership when he cruised to a four lengths victory as a 1-9 favourite at neighbouring West Virginia’s Mountaineer on November 21.
Eighteen of the wins have been in 2011 and they have ranged in distance from the equivalent of 1000m to 1800m and have been in what they call $5,000 starter allowance (handicaps) events contested by small fields on seven different tracks, mostly ovals of about 1600m. From January 1, he has run at least once every month, and is likely to line up again once or twice in December.
A son of Pleasantly Perfect, an American Breeders’ Cup Classic and Dubai World Cup winner by the Ribot grandson Pleasant Colony, and from an unraced Storm Cat mare, Rapid Redux had race 20 times for six wins prior to his record setting sequence of victories.
The twenty straight wins sequence is a new modern day North American record, surpassing 19 credited to Zenyatta (world class performer who lost at her twentieth and final outing) and Peppers Pride (unbeaten, raced in New Mexico).
Rapid Redux trails the immortal Citation by one for the most wins in North America in one year,19 at three in 1948, but Citation he lost once in 20 starts that year. He finished with16 in succession.
A horse called Leviathan foaled in1793 is credited with the most number of successive wins, 23, in the clouded history of North American racing, but he is a long way behind performers in nearby Puerto Rico.Their honour board is headed by Camero (56 straight wins – won 73 of 76 career starts), Cofres (49), Codado (44) and Galgo Jr (39). All suffered losses during their careers.
The most historic unbeaten horse in world history is Kinscem, the Hungarian mare who in the late 1700s won 54 races, succeeding in her homeland, Austria, Germany, France and England.
The most successful unbeaten Australian performer is current superstar Black Caviar with16 wins, but the leaders by most successive wins according to the trusty annual Millers Guide, a publication available at most newsagents, are the Queensland bush horses Sava Jet (22 wins), Miss Petty (22) and Picnic In The Park (21).
Top Ace, a grey gelding bred by the late Jack Sheppard in 1974 on his Gyarran stud, Muswellbrook, Hunter Valley using resident sire Grey Portal (GB) and Campas Lass, by Wenona Girl’s brother Grammar Lad, is recorded as having raced 31 times in the Mount Isa region in the one year,1979-80, for 22 wins, often several in the one day, and nine minor places.
Two immortals of Australian racing, Victorian bred Gloaming (foaled1915, 67 starts, 57 wins, nine seconds) and New Zealand icon Kindergarten (1937, 35 starts, 25 wins, six minor placings), share the Australasian record for the most number of successive wins in quality racing with19 each.
Courtesy of Brian Russell Bloodstock Media Services
