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Sim Trainer Stats Sim Race Stats |
DUSTY DANCE Owner/Trainer: bigtexan Record: 100-22-16-12; $9,453,845
Win: Breeders’ Bowl Turf-G1, CA Classic-G1(2x), LA Derby-G1, ASR Cup-G1, Maryland Special Handicap-G1, Out of the City Handicap-G1, Golden Platter Handicap-G2, Easy Goer S-G3, Grey Fox H-G3, Gallant Socks Handicap-G3, Canuck Special, Rock’s Texas Cooking Series (all 3 legs), Gallant Native Special, Henui Challenge, Roman Artist Stakes, Bio Cap. Place: Travelers S-G1, Sand Castle Classic-G1(2x), Eddie O Cap-G1, Boring Belgium Cup-G1, Movieland Shiny Cup-G1, Victory Marathon-G3, X-G3, Chebs Lad Special, Knyaz Stakes, Happy Hooligan Handicap, Pia Star Handicap, X Stakes, Royal Chalice(SAF) Challenge, Revoked Special. Show: United Countries Handicap-G1, Out of the City Handicap-G1, Movieland Shiny Cup-G1, Gotta Fix the Sprinklers Classic-G1, Horseshoe Falls S-G2, Lex Luthor Stakes-G3, Blue Jays Cup-G3, Seattle Slew S-G3, Welcome Home Son Challenge, Victory Cap, Dahar Stakes, Texas Derby. Dusty Dance spent his entire career with bigtexan, from a late_maturing juvenile, until his final day on the track at age seven. He finished a sharp second in his lone start as a two year old, earning an 84 SF for 7 furlongs on the turf, but it was more than his body could handle. Distanced in his next two races (with speed figures of 14 and 26), many trainers would have given up, and tossed him into the auction. Another off the board finish followed, but then, in his fifth start, the colt suddenly woke up, winning a 1 1/16 mile turf event by 5 lengths. After a fourth place finish, Dusty Dance was moved to the main track, where he would spend the next several starts working his way first through some of his allowance conditions, and then into stakes, where he proved to be a consistent check_earner, although he failed to win at that level in his first six tries. Seven proved to be Dusty Dance's lucky number, as he earned the first stakes victory of his career, fittingly enough, in Texas, as he won the Bio Cap by one length, going 9 furlongs on the dirt. Sent off as the favorite, the sophomore made it two in a row at the Texas track, defeating his elders by 3 lengths, and posting his best speed figure to date, a 106 for 9 panels. Graded stakes proved to be too much, and so the decision was made to switch him back to the turf, where he would pick up minor checks in a pair of grade three events. That wasn't really what his connections were hoping for, and so they took a shot with their colt, running him in the G1 CA Classic. It was run at 10 furlongs, a distance Dusty Dance had yet to experience success with, and he had only one minor graded placing to his name, but clearly they knew something that the public didn't in this seemingly bold move. Sent off at odds of 27/1 in the field of 12, Dusty Dance rocketed from seventh to first, drawing off through the stretch to win by three lengths over Prince Joe and Writer Orange. The colt covered the 10 furlongs in a rapid 2:00 4/5, good for a 118 SF. It had taken 22 starts, but Dusty Dance had officially arrived. The colt quickly showed that this performance was no fluke, closing gamely through the stretch to finish second, but falling a length short of the front running Oliver Plus Pit, who hung tough after having things all his own way on an uncontested lead, in the G1 Travelers. After an off_day, Dusty returned to form in the G1 LA Derby, beating Colonel Prospector by two lengths (Oliver Plus Pit finishing fifth), and earning a monster 120 SF. , In his next two tries, the Jockey Guild Gold Cup_G1 and the Breeders' Bowl Classic, the colt closed belatedly, but made no impact. Dusty Dance would spend the rest of his season competing in minor stakes, and was clearly over the top from his mid_summer efforts. It had been a long campaign, with 31 starts and 7 wins. The travels would continue in 2000. After one minor stakes win, and a surprise second at nearly 20/1 in the G1 Sand Castle Classic, behind Colonel Prospector, in his first seven starts, Dusty Dance would switch back to the turf. Dismissed at odds of nearly 23/1, Dusty would defeat a field of nine in the G2 Golden Platter, notching his first victory on the lawn since his maiden score. A third place finish in the G1 United Countries Handicap would follow against some of the best turfers in the sim, with Dusty finishing behind Huge Tale and Stormy Prospector, but ahead of School Kris, and a second in the G1 Eddie O behind School Kris, but otherwise, the drought of losses continued. Dusty Dance was always making a move; he just couldn’t seem to get there in time. The horse finally woke up in the Gallant Native Handicap, winning the 13 furlong affair by 9 lengths. Next came the Breeders' Bowl Turf. The favorite was Joe Cayenne, while Dusty Dance's odds drifted at 11/1. In the biggest race of his season, Dusty Dance would match strides with Joe Cayenne down the stretch, then dug in, besting that rival by 3 ½ lengths. That would be the highwater mark of his 2000 season, as Dusty Dance would lose the final four starts of the year. Dusty's travels would continue at age five. Once again, Dusty would begin his season with a slow start, finishing off the board in three straight turf stakes. Switched to the dirt, Dusty Dance pulled out yet another tremendous effort, winning the G3 Easy Goer by five lengths, and earning a 121 SF in the process, the best speed figure yet of his career. The notorious late runner made a belated rally for third in the next leg of the ASR series, the G3 Seattle Slew at 12 furlongs. Shipped to Dubai, Dusty Dance would finish second in the rich G1 Sand Castle Classic for a second straight year, failing to threaten Stormy Prospector while clearly the best of the rest. After two poor races, Dusty would rebound in the G1 Maryland Special Handicap, winning by 3 ¼ lengths. The horse recorded his second 121 SF for the year. Unfortunately, Dusty Dance would not visit the winners' circle again until his season finale in the G3 Grey Fox, which he won by 1 ¾ lengths. In between, came 14 straight losses, although he had four third place finishes against G1 competition during a five race stretch that summer. For once, Dusty Dance would begin the season with a victory, picking up where he left off with a sizzling, dominant win in the G3 Gallant Socks Handicap. The now six year old earned a career best 122 SF, this at a time when most horses are either retired or on a downward spiral to their career. A third place effort followed against, and then another score. Three graded stakes efforts proved to be unsuccessful, but then Dusty Dance returned to his home state, where his delighted fans cheered him on through a popular sweep of the Rock's Texas Cooking Series, each race won by daylight. Two starts later, Dusty Dance would parlay that confidence boost into a decisive four length win in the G1 Out of the City Handicap, and earning a 119 SF for the 10 panels. Dusty Dance would ship cross country to compete in the G1 Movieland Shiny Cup, where he would make yet another stunning move, this time dashing from twelfth, 13 ½ lengths back, to finish second. He had been left with too much to do against Western Groom. The G1 ASR Cup followed, and Dusty once again came home an easy winner. The CA Classic would prove another homecoming of sorts. Three years ago, the horse had won this race as the upstart longshot. This time Dusty was a seasoned veteran, at an age when most horses are starting to lose a step. Dusty hadn’t been told this, and won the race by 2 ½ lengths, posting a 116 SF, just a tick slower than the 118 SF he had posted as a sophomore. Left in his wake were Buda With the Slew and Pleasant Nijinsky. In a way, it was fitting that this would prove to be the final victory of his career, although he would race five more times that year, and four times the following year in an abbreviated seven year old campaign. With 100 starts under his belt, Dusty Dance was forced into retirement. However, do not feel too sorry for the veteran campaigner. While Dusty Dance failed to hit the board in his final four starts, he was competing in graded stakes. The 99th start of his career came in the G1 California Handicap, where he made a belated rally for fourth and earned a 113 SF for the 10 furlongs. In his final start, he was sixth in the G1 Sand Castle Classic, posting a 105 SF for the 10 furlongs. Both times are better than most horses can hope to achieve as a career best, let alone at the end of a 100 race career. One of the most popular horses ever to grace the sim, Dusty had a long and enduring career, matched only be a few, and with the advent of wear and tear, unlikely to be equaled in the present day. While Dusty never dominated in any one particular season, his ability to compete at the highest level despite constant racing and traveling is a testament to both his class and his durability. Versatile enough to win the Breeders' Bowl Turf on the lawn, and six G1 stakes on the dirt, at distances from 9 ½ to 16 furlongs, and a G1 winner for four consecutive campaigns, Dusty Dance gave the impression he could win over broken glass and not be bothered by it. |
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