American Blaze: A Tale of Triumph, Trials, and Transitions; 2023 Night of Champions Winners

There is an empty stall in veteran trainer Tom Rycroft’s shedrow at Nisku’s Century Mile racetrack with American Blaze’s name on it. But whether the horse, who was named Alberta’s Horse of the Year and champion three-year-old at Friday’s Night of Champions, will use it is undecided.

“American Blaze is currently training at Churchill Downs in Kentucky with Brian Lynch,” said Lethbridge’s Terry Hamilton, who owns the now four-year-old with Murray House.

“He might come back to Alberta but not at this point. I kind of want to see if he can cut it down there.”

American Blaze was first or second in seven of his nine starts last year winning the Count Lathum, the Turf Paradise Derby and two allowance races – one in Phoenix and one at Century.

Then he was second in Alberta’s top race - the $200,000 mile and a quarter Canadian Derby. The Derby was a race both Hamilton and Rycroft thought American Blaze could have won.

“We thought he had a really good shot in the Derby but he didn’t get a good trip,” said Hamilton. “With a cleaner trip I think he would have got that race.”

Also the runner-up in Alberta’s six furlong Western Canada Handicap when he had a wide trip in a race that was too short for him, Rycroft said “I thought he should have been laying up closer to the early pace in the Derby. Instead, he was seventh during the early going.”

But there was a reason American Blaze was farther off the pace then Rycroft and Hamilton wanted.

“He ducked in coming past the grandstand the first time and lost his action,” said Rycroft. “He probably lost about three lengths right there when the jockey tried to take a hold of him.”

If that wasn’t enough American Blaze also ducked in with just over a sixteenth of a mile left again shying away from a packed tarmac.

“Those two things cost us plenty,” said Rycroft, 84, who has been training horses since he was 23.

 “Probably the race.”Rycroft said “American Blaze never ran a bad race for me.”

Well meant, American Blaze won his first race as a two-year-old by a ridiculous 17 lengths at Kentucky’s Ellis Park.

“We really thought we had something special. The phone was ringing off the hook. We got offered a lot of money,” said Hamilton, who bought American Blaze for $27,000 (US) at the Two-Year-Old in Training Sale in Kentucky in 2022.

Hamilton is also the owner of illustrious Heart to Heart, who won 15 of 41 starts for over $2 million in earnings while winning two Grade 1 stakes – The Gulfstream Park Turf Stakes and the Maker’s 46 Mile Stakes in 2018. Awarded a Sovereign Award in 2014 and inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2021, Heart to Heart earned a Beyer figure of 105 in the Maker’s 46 Mile.

Heart to Heart, who also was trained by Lynch and who has won 811 races, now stands at stud.

“I hope American Blaze runs well in the U.S. but I’d sure like to have him back in my barn,” said Rycroft.

“I’ve got a stall waiting for him.”

Rycroft said one of his sons, Riley, trained American Blaze for Hamilton in Phoenix. After he won the Turf Paradise Derby Hamilton asked Riley if he would like to take American Blaze to Edmonton to run in the Canadian Derby.

Riley didn’t hesitate. “Riley told Terry 'I’m sure the old man would love to have him,'” said Tom.

“I’m glad I got him and I wish I still had him. He’s a really nice horse.”

In other awards Itsallgoodman cleaned up. Voted the top Two-Year-Old colt, the $17,000 Alberta Yearling Sale purchase, hit for the cycle. He was also named champion Sprinter and champion Alberta-bred. Itsallgoodman, who won three of his five starts and was never worse than third, won the Alberta Premiers’ stake by more than eight lengths and then closed out his magnificent season winning the CTHS Sales stake by an almost effortless four and a half lengths.

Itsallgoodman is owned by Curtis Landry and trained by Gonzalo Anderson.

Miss Miezie was all by herself winning champion Two-Year-Old Filly of the Year. Winning all three of her races, after breaking her maiden by three and a half lengths, Miss Miezie won the Princess Margaret by five and a half lengths and then went wire-to-wire again winning the Sturgeon River.

Miss Miezie is owned by Riverside Racing Stable and trained by another of Tom’s sons, Tim.

Taking the Larry Olesen Memorial Trophy for three-year-old fillies the champion was Big Hug, who won three of her eight races while also running second three times and third once.

Big Hug won her first start of the year taking the Chariot Chaser by open lengths, then won the CTHS Sales stakes and the Alberta Oaks – the latter by five widening lengths.

The Champion Two-Year-Old Filly of 2022, Big Hug is owned by trainer Rick Hedge and Empire Equestrian. In just two years Big Hug has already won $260,400.

Remarkably, Hedge had five horses make the short list for Alberta championship titles.

Champion Older Horse honours and winner of the Century Mile Racetrack and Casino trophy went to well-bred Smart As Me.

Bought for just $6,000 as a two-year-old in Keeneland, Kentucky’s November 2021 sale by 2023 leading trainer Craig Smith for himself, Jamie Graham, Highfield Investment Group and Keith Johns True North Stable, Smart As Me won two allowance races in Tampa Bay, Florida before coming to Alberta and decisively winning the Century Mile Handicap.

“To get Smart As Me for just $6,000 is unbelievable,” Graham said in this space last year. “The horse’s pedigree is amazing. It’s flabbergasting.

“Every once in a while you get lucky.”

Floral was the Champion Older Mare winning the Moore Equine Veterinary Centre trophy after a season that saw the now seven-year-old win the RedTail Landing stake and then draw away by five and a half lengths in the Red Smith. She is owned by trainer Tim Rycroft and Dallas Nelson.

In what had to be a close vote the Champion Claimer was Mi Reyna, who won five of 12 races last year. Claimed twice last year, Mi Reyna currently runs for Kirk Sutherland and trainer Gonzalo Anderson.

In other awards Pierre Esquirol was Alberta’s leading breeder; Dane Nelson was the leading jockey; Craig Smith was the top trainer and Crystal Cates and Anderson were the leading owners. The People’s Choice Award winner was For Cash.

STOCK REPORT – Personally, I can’t thank everyone involved enough for honouring me with the Ken Cohoe lifetime achievement award. The company is humbling with the likes of previous winners Rod Cone, Rico Walcott, Dale Saunders, Red McKenzie, Red Smith, Bob Giffin, Real Simard, Lynn Chouinard, Bobby Marsh, Fred Jones, Lloyd Wilson, Bory Margolus and Don Buchanan to name just a few. The award is for the ‘lifelong personal involvement and contribution for the love of the thoroughbred.’

I’ve been involved in horse racing in one way or another for some 50 years – mostly writing but also promoting, publicizing and advertising horse racing at Northlands. I have no idea how many millions of words I have written on horse racing in the Edmonton Journal, Daily Racing Form, my book The Turcottes: The Remarkable Story of a Horse Racing Dynasty and now – once a week – for Horse Racing Alberta. Actually getting paid to write about something I love has been a dream.

Thank you.

curtisstock@icloud.com
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