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Count Fleet (24 de marzo de 1940 – 3 de diciembre de 1973) fue un caballo de carreras pura sangre estadounidense que es el sexto ganador de la Triple Corona estadounidense. Ganó el Belmont Stakes por un margen récord de veinticinco largos. Después de una temporada invicta, fue nombrado Caballo del Año de 1943 y campeón de tres años. También campeón a los dos años, está clasificado como uno de los mejores caballos de carreras estadounidenses del siglo XX, ocupando el quinto lugar en la lista de la revista Bloodhorse. Fue incluido en el Museo Nacional de Carreras y Salón de la Fama en 1961.
Count Fleet comenzó su campaña de dos años con dos derrotas y originalmente era conocido más por su comportamiento errático que por su apariencia o capacidad de carrera. Pero el potro mejoró gradualmente, finalmente ganó 10 de 15 aperturas a los dos años, cuatro de ellas en compañía de estacas. A distancias de una milla y más, estaba invicto. En el Champagne Stakes, estableció un récord mundial para un niño de dos años a una distancia de una milla. Fue nombrado campeón de dos años y se convirtió en el favorito para ganar el Derby de Kentucky.
A los tres años, Count Fleet dominó las carreras norteamericanas, sin perder nunca una carrera. Antes del Derby de Kentucky, ganó el importante Wood Memorial, pero se lesionó en el proceso. Se recuperó para tomar el Derby, la carrera más prestigiosa de los Estados Unidos, por tres largos, luego pasó a Baltimore, Maryland, donde dominó el Preakness Stakes, llevándolo por ocho largos. Ganó el Withers Stakes antes de dirigirse a Elmont, Nueva York para el Belmont Stakes, donde capturó la Triple Corona al anotar una victoria de 25 largos, un margen que se mantuvo como el récord hasta que fue superado por Secretariat en 1973. Cuando terminó la temporada, Count Fleet fue votado Campeón de Tres Años y nombrado Caballo Americano del Año.
Count Fleet también fue un gran éxito como padre y padre de cría, liderando las listas norteamericanas en 1951 y 1963 respectivamente. Engendró al ganador del Derby de Kentucky Count Turf y a los ganadores de Belmont Stakes Counterpoint y One Count. Fue el padre de cría del cinco veces Caballo del Año Kelso, y engendró la segunda presa del influyente padre Mr. Prospector. Murió de causas naturales en 1973 a la avanzada edad de 33 años como el ganador más longevo del Derby de Kentucky.
Antecedentes
Count Fleet fue criado en la granja Stoner Creek Stud en Paris, Kentucky en 1940. Fue criado y propiedad de Fannie Hertz, la esposa de John D. Hertz de la fama de la compañía de alquiler de automóviles. Hertz se involucró en las carreras de caballos en la década de 1920 y compró al eventual ganador del Derby de Kentucky, Reigh Count, cuando tenía dos años en 1927. Reigh Count se convirtió en un padre moderadamente exitoso, pero su descendencia era conocida más por su resistencia que por su velocidad y tendía a desarrollarse tarde. En lugar de pensionar al ahora impopular semental, Hertz decidió criar Reigh Count a solo cuatro yeguas al año, centrándose en yeguas orientadas a la velocidad para equilibrar la influencia de la resistencia de Reigh Count. Una de estas yeguas era la acertadamente llamada Quickly (por Haste), que había ganado 32 carreras en 85 salidas, todas ellas en distancias de seis furlongs o menos. El primer potro de Quickly con Reigh Count, una potra llamada Reigh Fleet, fue descolocado en siete salidas. Rápidamente fue estéril al año siguiente, luego produjo Count Fleet en 1940. [2]
El Conde Fleet no era un caballo particularmente atractivo, llamado "estrecho, de cintura ligera y musculoso plano" por un experto y demasiado piernas y huesos ligeros por otros. También tenía un temperamento rebelde. [3] John Hertz inicialmente no pensó mucho en el Conde Fleet y contempló venderlo hasta que el jinete Johnny Longden lo convenció de quedarse con el potro. [4] El Conde Fleet fue entrenado por Don Cameron y montado por el futuro miembro del Salón de la Fama Longden.
Récord de carreras
1942: Temporada de dos años
Cuando tenía dos años, Count Fleet comenzó lentamente, terminando segundo en sus dos primeras salidas mientras competía erráticamente. [2] El 19 de junio de 1942, sin embargo, ganó atención cuando ganó una carrera inaugural en Aqueduct Park por cuatro largos, a pesar de haber corrido alrededor de la curva y perder muchos largos en el campo. [5] El 4 de julio, ingresó en la bolsa del Ejército y la Marina en Empire City Race Track, parte de un programa especial de carreras para beneficiar el esfuerzo de guerra, y ganó por seis largos. [6] Luego terminó segundo en el East View Stakes a Gold Shower,[7] antes de recuperarse para ganar el Wakefield Stakes por cuatro largos con Gold Shower en tercer lugar. [8]
Luego viajó a Chicago, donde ganó una carrera de subsidios el 11 de agosto en Washington Park. [9] El 15 de agosto, terminó segundo por un cuello detrás de la muy respetada Ocupación en el rico Washington Park Futurity. [10]
Although Occupation was now considered the front-runner for the two-year-old championship, Count Fleet kept his name in consideration with a win in the Mars Purse at Aqueduct on September 15. Going off at odds of 7-10, Count Fleet was pinched at the start, was then bumped by another horse and ran into traffic problems in the turn, but finally got free and closed strongly to win by a head.[11] He and Occupation were next scheduled to meet in the Cowdin Stakes on September 19 but Count Fleet was scratched, presumably due to a sloppy track.[12] Instead, he made his next start on September 24 in The Morello at Belmont Park, where he "conveyed the impression that he was out for a breeze, and merely beating the others as an incidental manner."[13] He finally met up with Occupation again in the Belmont Futurity on October 3 in what was then the world's richest race for two-year-olds. Occupation won by five lengths with Count Fleet finishing third after grabbing his quarter (a situation where one of the hind legs cuts into the hoof of one of the front legs). Count Fleet could not be pulled up after the race and eventually circled the mile-and-a-half track.[14]
On October 10, Count Fleet was entered in the Champagne Stakes, racing for the first time at a distance of a mile. In Occupation's absence, Count Fleet was made the even money favorite. He broke well and, in a change from his normal tactics, went to the early lead. Establishing a two-length lead down the backstretch, he rebuffed a challenge by Slide Rule around the turn and then continued to draw away down the stretch. His final winning margin was six lengths over Blue Swords with Attendant eight more lengths back in third. Count Fleet's time of 1:344⁄5 was not only a new track record, it was also a world record for the fastest mile ever run by a two-year-old.[15]
Count Fleet followed this up with a six-length win in the Thunderclap Purse on October 20 at odds of 1–4.[16] On October 31, he again faced off with Occupation in the Pimlico Futurity in what essentially became a match race. Occupation took the early lead but Count Fleet moved up on the outside and the two matched strides down the backstretch and into the final turn. Rounding into the stretch, Count Fleet started to draw away and eventually won by six lengths. His time of 1:433⁄5 for 11⁄16+ miles equaled the track record and broke the existing stakes record by over a second.[17]
Count Fleet finished his two-year-old campaign on November 10 in the Walden Stakes at Pimlico. Going off as the 1-10 favorite, he ran away from the field and won by twenty lengths[18] (other sources have the margin of victory as 30 lengths.)[2][19] At season's end, he had won 10 of his 15 races while never being out of the money, a performance that earned him the two-year-old championship honors. He was assigned 132 pounds (60 kg) on the 1942 Experimental Free Handicap, the highest impost ever.[3]
1943: three-year-old season
Because of the intensifying war effort, horse racing suffered many cutbacks starting in January 1943, including transportation restrictions and a shutdown of the Florida racing circuit.[20] As a result, Count Fleet spent the winter at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas,[21] then was shipped to Belmont Park, arriving on March 19.[22] In early April, he kicked himself in a morning workout but shrugged off the injury with a strong workout on the following day, completing 11⁄8+ miles in 1:55 despite being eased in the final eighth of a mile.[23]
Count Fleet made his first start of the year on April 13 in the St James Purse over a sloppy track at Aqueduct. Going off at odds of 3-20, Count Fleet rated behind the early pace set by Bossuet, then started his move on the final turn to win by four lengths.[24] Count Fleet was injured in the left foreleg during the race, but although the skin was broken he recovered quickly.[25]
On April 17, Count Fleet returned in the Wood Memorial Stakes, going off as the 1-4 favorite. He was again injured, this time suffering a three-inch slice along the coronet band of a hoof, possibly caused when he was bumped at the start but more likely by a strike from one of his other legs as he started to accelerate. Count Fleet quickly entered into a duel with Blue Swords for the early lead, then was sent to the front on the first turn. He opened up a four length lead down the backstretch, then continued "serenely on his way" to victory.[26]
After the race, the torn portion and part of the left hind hoof were removed, then the wound was packed with sulfa drugs. Fortunately, the wound did not become infected so Count Fleet was shipped on April 19 to Churchill Downs, which had to be done so soon after the Wood Memorial due to extensive travel restrictions.[27][28]
Triple Crown
The 1943 Kentucky Derby was almost not run because of wartime restrictions, but Colonel Matt Winn organized it as a "street-car Derby" – restricting travel for out-of-state residents and not allowing cars be driven to the event. Despite this, some 60,000 people attended the race and made Count Fleet the 2-5 favorite – the shortest starting price in Derby history. Ocean Wave, who would have been the second betting choice after winning the Blue Grass Stakes and Derby Trial, was scratched hours before the race. Count Fleet broke well and challenged Gold Shower, Burnt Shower and Blue Swords for the early lead. After a quarter mile, Count Fleet found himself boxed by the other horses but broke free moving into the first turn. He then moved up to challenge Gold Shower for the lead on the first turn and opened up a two-length lead down the backstretch. On the far turn, Blue Swords mounted a challenge and closed to within a length. Longden then clucked to Count Fleet, who quickly opened a three-length advantage and won handily.[29][30]
"I never was afraid of Ocean Wave or any of the others in that field", said Longden. "I don't know the great horses like Man o' War because I wasn't around then. But the Count is the greatest I've ever ridden. Got everything, speed, heart – just everything."[31]
Count Fleet again injured himself, this time in the left fore, but the injury was not serious.[32] He shipped to Baltimore for the Preakness Stakes on May 8, going off as the 3-20 favorite in a four horse field. New Moon broke fastest but Count Fleet quickly took the lead and coasted to an eight length victory. His time was 1:573⁄5 for the distance of 13⁄16+ miles over a track labeled as good, with the horses racing in the center of the track well away from the rail.[33]
Count Fleet next entered the Withers Stakes at Belmont Park on May 22, cutting back in distance to a mile. Against only two rivals, he was made the 1-20 favorite. He seized the early lead and was never challenged while winning by eight lengths. His time of 1:36 over a slow track was the fastest mile of the meeting, despite the fact that Count Fleet raced more than 40 feet off the rail around the turn.[34]
"Count Fleet’s sophomore year was like a skyrocket flaring across the sky to reach its climax of blinding white, then suddenly blacking out. Man o’ War and, in later years, Citation had somewhat the same effect on the sport. But the shortness of this one, with complete dominance over racers of all ages and sex, is almost without parallel in the Thoroughbred annals."[35]
— Sportswriter Robert Kelly
On June 5, Count Fleet completed the Triple Crown by winning the Belmont Stakes by 25 lengths[19] (listed by The New York Times as 30 lengths). Going off at odds of 1-20 (the legal minimum) in a three-horse field, he led from start to finish. Despite the lack of competition, his time of 2:281⁄5 broke War Admiral's stakes record by two-fifths of a second.[36] This time stood as the stakes record (though tied by Citation in 1948) until broken by Gallant Man in 1957.[35] His margin of victory was also a record until broken by Secretariat in 1973, who won by 31 lengths.[3]
After the race, his silks were auctioned for $50,000 in war bonds.[36]
At the time, his sweep of the Triple Crown was considered "commonplace" as it had been done six times since Sir Barton in 1919. However, the victory earned Count Fleet favorable comparisons with Man o' War.[36]
Once again, Count Fleet injured himself, this time by striking his left fore ankle early in the race. The ankle was X-rayed, indicating a slight wrench.[37] Although it was believed that Count Fleet would soon return to racing, John Hertz released a statement in August that Count Fleet had subsequently developed a splint in his right foreleg that laid him up for two months. This effectively ended his three-year-old campaign, since it would take a further two months to get him back into racing shape. "We like him too well," said Hertz, "and we like racing and breeding too well, to attempt to force the training of this kind of horse and possibly start him in anything but his top condition."[38]
With a record of six wins from six starts, Count Fleet was named the American Horse of the Year and champion three-year-old of 1943.[39]
Racing statistics
Date Age Distance Race Track Odds Field Finish Margin Time Condition
Jun 1, 1942 2 5 furlongs Maiden Special Weight Belmont Park 4.10 16 2 (11⁄2+ lengths) 0:572⁄5 fast
Jun 15, 1942 2 51⁄2+ furlongs Maiden Special Weight Aqueduct *1.35 14 2 (11⁄2+ lengths) 1:061⁄5 fast
Jun 19, 1942 2 51⁄2+ furlongs Maiden Special Weight Aqueduct *0.75 10 1 4 lengths 1:06 fast
Jul 4, 1942 2 51⁄2+ furlongs Allowance (Army & Navy) Empire City *1.15 6 1 5 lengths 1:054⁄5 fast
Jul 15, 1942 2 53⁄4+ furlongs East View Stakes Empire City *0.50 6 2 (1 lengths) 1:08 fast
Jul 22, 1942 2 53⁄4+ furlongs Wakefield Stakes Empire City *0.65 4 1 4 lengths 1:074⁄5 fast
Aug 11, 1942 2 6 furlongs Allowance Washington Park *0.50 9 1 Neck 1:13 good
Aug 15, 1942 2 6 furlongs Washington Park Futurity Washington Park 4.80 11 2 (Neck) 1:12 fast
Sep 15, 1942 2 6 furlongs Allowance (Mars Purse) Aqueduct *0.70 10 1 Neck 1:12 fast
Sep 24, 1942 2 6 furlongs Allowance Belmont Park *1.40 13 1 21⁄2+ lengths 1:103⁄5 fast
Oct 3, 1942 2 61⁄2+ furlongs Futurity Stakes Belmont Park *1.55 10 3 (5 lengths) 1:151⁄5 fast
Oct 10, 1942 2 1 mile Champagne Stakes Belmont Park *1.05 8 1 6 lengths 1:344⁄5 fast
Oct 20, 1942 2 1 mile, 70 yards Allowance (Thunderclap purse) Jamaica *0.25 8 1 6 lengths 1:44 fast
Oct 31, 1942 2 11⁄16+ miles Pimlico Futurity Pimlico 1.25 3 1 5 lengths 1:433⁄5 fast
Nov 10, 1942 2 11⁄16+ miles Walden Stakes Pimlico *0.10 4 1 30 lengths 1:444⁄5 good
Apr 13, 1943 3 1 mile, 70 yards Allowance Jamaica *0.15 8 1 31⁄2+ lengths 1:424⁄5 sloppy
Apr 17, 1943 3 11⁄16+ miles Wood Memorial Jamaica *0.25 8 1 31⁄2+ lengths 1:43 fast
May 1, 1943 3 11⁄4+ miles Kentucky Derby Churchill Downs *0.40 10 1 3 lengths 2:04 fast
May 8, 1943 3 13⁄16+ miles Preakness Stakes Pimlico *0.15 4 1 8 lengths 1:572⁄5 good
22 de mayo de 1943 3 1 milla Estacas de Withers Parque Belmont *0.05 3 1 5 longitudes 1:36 embarrado
5 de junio de 1943 3 11⁄2+ millas Estacas Belmont Belmont *0.05 3 1 25 longitudes 2:281⁄5 rápido
Un asterisco antes de las probabilidades significa que Count Fleet fue el favorito de la hora de publicación
Fuente: Daily Racing Form Past Performances[9]
Registro de sementales
Originalmente se esperaba que el Conde Fleet compitiera a los cuatro años, pero siguió lesionándose antes de poder hacerlo. Se retiró oficialmente al stud en julio de 1944 después de haber ganado 16 de 21 carreras y pasó a disfrutar de un gran éxito como padre. [35] De 434 potros nombrados, engendró 267 ganadores y 39 ganadores de estacas. Él mismo es hijo del ganador del Derby Reigh Count, y engendró otro ganador del Derby, Count Turf. Solo existe otra secuencia de tres generaciones de ganadores del Derby: Pensive, Ponder y Needles. Otros ganadores importantes de Count Fleet incluyen a los campeones de Belmont Stakes Counterpoint y One Count, y la potra campeona Kiss Me Kate. Fue el padre líder en América del Norte de 1951. [3]
Count Fleet fue un padre de cría sobresaliente, liderando la lista de padres de cría en 1963 y subcampeón en 1960 y 1961. [3] Sus hijas produjeron a Kelso, el ganador del Derby de Kentucky de 1965 Lucky Debonair, la potra estrella canadiense Ice Water y los ganadores de múltiples estacas Tompion, Lamb Chop y Quill. Otra hija, Sequence, se apareó con el ganador de Preakness y Belmont Nashua en 1955 para producir Gold Digger, presa del influyente padre Mr. Prospector. [35] Su hija Virginia Water se apareó con Princequillo para producir Milan Mill, la presa de Mill Reef. [40] Aunque la línea de padres del Conde Fleet ahora está extinta, sigue siendo una influencia importante en los pedigríes modernos a través de sus hijas. Por ejemplo, aparece dos veces en el pedigrí del ganador de la Triple Corona 2015 American Pharoah. [41]
Muerte y longevidad
Después de no estar de pie durante dos días debido a enfermedades de vejez y cojera, el Conde Fleet murió el 3 de diciembre de 1973, de un aparente coágulo de sangre y fue enterrado en la granja Stoner Creek en París, Kentucky. En el momento de su muerte, se había convertido en el ganador más longevo de las tres carreras de la triple corona según los registros de potros y muertes disponibles. Además, había sobrevivido a muchos de sus propios descendientes. Más de cuarenta años después, sigue siendo el ganador más longevo del Derby de Kentucky, así como el ganador más longevo del Preakness Stakes de la historia. Cuatro días antes de catorce años después del día de su muerte, Gallant Man lo superó como el ganador más longevo de Belmont Stakes y el ganador más longevo de cualquier carrera de la Triple Corona.
Honores
En 1961, Count Fleet fue incluido en el Museo Nacional de Carreras y Salón de la Fama. [19]
En el ranking de la revista Blood-Horse de los 100 mejores campeones de pura sangre de los Estados Unidos del siglo 20, Count Fleet ocupó el puesto # 5. Su actuación en Belmont Stakes ocupó el puesto # 33 en Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments, un libro publicado por The Blood-Horse en 2006 sobre las carreras en el siglo XX. [20]
Dos carreras fueron nombradas en su honor: el Count Fleet Stakes en Belmont y luego Aqueduct (última carrera en 2012) y el Count Fleet Sprint Handicap en Oaklawn Park. [3]
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