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Sim Trainer Stats Sim Race Stats |
SCHOOL KRIS Owner/Trainer: theatrical Record:82-25-14-9; $5,880,380
Win: Windy City Turf Classic-G1, Eddie O Cap-G1(2x), Crock of Gold Stakes-G1, Because I Said So Stakes-G1, The Prometheus Gift-G1, Sanders Stakes-G2, Utah BB Mile-G2, Arcade Handicap-G2, All Comers Stakes-G2, Port Marshua Handicap-G3, Ahoy There Stakes-G3, Hooves o Fire Stakes, Affirmant Stakes, Chateau Bay Handicap, Admirals Joy Handicap, The Staff Writer Stakes, Crimson Satan Handicap, Kent State Memorial Stakes, Texas Derby, Dracula Stakes. Place: Breeders Bowl Mile-G1(2x), X Stakes-G1, X Stakes-G2, Cane Toad Stakes-G2, Florida Breeders’ Bowl Sprint Championship-G2, Hyperactive Handicap-G3, Simon and Simon Cap-G3, Blue Jays Cup-G3, Rodger Wilco Handicap-G3, One Attack Special, Pole Position Handicap, Chantilly Lace Cap. Show: Canada Mile-G1, Sydney Mile-G1, Jack the Man Stakes-G1, Walnut BB Mile-G2, Del Webb Derby-G2, Rafael Landestoy Stakes-G2, Kakarazuka Tinen Cup-G3, Kate "The Hottyies" Birthday Special, NC Mile. Theatrical has a gift for getting the best out of his horses. One Attack had a championship campaign in 1999, and Minsky was getting ready to make her own march to the championship, but starting his own run into immortality was an unraced three year old colt by Kris (GB). School Kris gave notice he would be one to watch, breaking his maiden at first asking by 10. Two more wins followed in allowance company, then theatrical took the unusual move of sending his charge to the main track. The unbeaten streak continued. Encouraged by the dirt debut, theatrical sent School Kris on the Derby trail, running him in the Rafael Landestoy Stakes. The lanky colt was a good closing third, but was beaten a two lengths into third by Project Glen and Pharrun Prospect. The effort had been a sparkling one (106 SF for the mile), but School Kris tossed in a clunker in the G1 Florida Derby, and that was the end of that. Back to the turf, the sophomore was nipped at the wire in the Chantilly Lace Cap before winning the Dracula Cup (now a G3 event). School Kris would make one more run on the main track, and that a winning one in the Texas Derby, defeating Dyna Form and Dusty Dance, but despite that fine effort, he would spend the rest of the season on the lawn. School Kris would spend the summer being competitive in a series of G3 and minor stakes, earning his first graded victory in the G3 Ahoy There Stakes. While School Kris would win only one more minor stakes that year, he gave notice that he would be one to watch the following season, closing for third in the G1 Canada Mile; finishing a best of the rest second in the Breeders’ Bowl Mile behind Foggy A.P., but ahead of Enough Knock, Pharrun Prospect and others; and getting nipped by a nose by Lord Head and being denied his first G1 victory yet again in an exciting three-horse photo finish to wrap up the season. All in all, School Kris entered the 2000 season as something of a mystery. He was a horse of undeniable talent and a versatile push-button running style that would let him win from both on and off the pace. That said, School Kris had started to develop a reputation as something of promising more than he would actually deliver, as he had lost his last seven starts of the year (although hardly disgraced in any of those races). The newly turned four year old would put some of those rumors to rest in his seasonal debut, with an easy four length win in the Staff Writer Stakes. A third in a 9 furlong stakes, and a second in a spin over the dirt in the G2 Florida BB Sprint (115 SF) followed. Returned to the lawn, the colt was barely headed in the stretch for the win in a Florida stakes before taking his opponents to school in the G2 Arcade, strolling home four lengths in front of Ten Bump, Project Thor and Lord Head, earning the first G2 win of his career. After a second in a stakes named for his stablemate, the One Attack, the handsome colt reeled off another turf sprint stakes win, then couldn't get there quite in time in the G3 Simon and Simon Cap, left with too much to do to make up the easy lead Clique Ralph had held in the early going. Returned to a flat mile, School Kris once again dominated, this time in the G2 All Comers, pulling away to win by 4 1/4. It would be some time before he returned to his favorite distance. Sprints, routes, even another go on dirt (where he finished fourth in the G1 Movieland Shiny Cup with a 112 SF), in six straight starts, School Kris picked up several minor prizes, but just wasn't the same horse. Dropped back to 9 panels, the speedy colt rejoiced, winning by almost three in the G1 Eddie O over a top field that included His Brooks, Gin Under Slobs, Dusty Dance and Enough Knock, finally joining the ranks of the sim’s grade 1 winners. Two starts later, entered in the 10 panel G1 Windy City Turf Classic, School Kris once again schooled his opponents, at this, a distance thought to be a touch beyond his best, making every step a winning one, romping off to a 4 length win, and a 118 SF. The defeated included Prospector Spend, Gin Under Slobs, Seattle Hit, Her Dances, Colonel Prospector, Joe Cayenne and Pharrun Prospect. Cut back to sprints, School Kris fell just short, losing by a head to Jo Ann’s Yodeler in the G2 Cane Toad (117 SF), but the sorrow was brief. The Equinics had arrived, and with it, School Kris' first start at a flat mile since the All Comers. The overwhelming favorite to capture Equinics Gold for the now defunct California Gold residency, the big guy delivered, simply exploding to win by almost five, and despite the lack of competition in the stretch, still posted a 120 SF. It was understandable when the bay bounced next time out, but again, returned to a flat mile, the colt was simply magic, winning the G2 Utah BB Mile under wraps, five lengths ahead of his nearest rival at the wire. His final prep for the Breeders' Bowl Mile was a bit unorthodox, a tilt at 12 furlongs in G1 company, where he tired to fifth, but then came the big event itself. School Kris was finally beaten over a mile, this time losing to Huge Tale, while managing his second straight runner-up finish in the big dance, but once again was denied Breeders' Bowl glory. The four year old rebounded from defeat with three straight victories, including a a victory sprinting in the G1 Because I Said So Stakes, defeating His Brooks, Pleasant Neck and Foggy A.P., and a nongraded win over (surprise!) a flat mile. Dominant over a turf mile, and superior over a variety of other distances and surfaces, the muscular son of Kris ended 2000 with a remarkable record of 28-11-7-2 and Eclipse honors as both Champion Turf Horse and Horse of the Year. School Kris kicked off his 5yo season with a win in the G2 Sanders Stakes over Dusty Dance and Joe Cayenne, but showed little in his next three. Once again, a return to one mile on the lawn proved all the medicine the champ needed, as he responded with yet another G1 score, this time passing Pompous Project in the stretch and holding off the late charge of High River to capture the Crock of Gold. Two more unplaced efforts followed, then a third place run in the G1 Sydney Mile, where School Kris flattened out in the stretch. The rest of the season would prove to be uneven, even at the star's favored flat mile. Six more losses would follow, before School Kris used the same dirt to turf angle to capture the G1 Eddie O Cap for the second straight year, this time defeating Prospector Spend, His Brooks and One the Naked. Three more losses followed, and then a drop from graded stakes resulted in another one mile stakes victory (the 20th, and final, of his career). Two losses and a sixth in the Breeders' Bowl Mile itself finished off 2001. On his best day, the champ was still a star, but he was having trouble maintaining that form. 2002 was, simply put, anti_climatic, but who knew? Eight starts, eight off_the_board finishes. The 6yo old would not earn a single dime. That said, this disappointing end to a brilliant career did little to tarnish the champ's reputation. School Kris was probably best at a flat mile on turf, although he was gifted at a variety of distances and surfaces. Capable of winning wire to wire or from off the pace, School Kris was always a dangerous competitor, and a difficult one to plan against, in terms of race riding tactics. School Kris’ championship season was a testament to both his brilliance and his durability, finishing first or second in 18 of 28 starts, including four grade one wins, in the process becoming the first turf horse to also capture Horse of the Year. |
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