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Sim Trainer Stats Sim Race Stats |
SOLAR SONG Owner/Trainer: squirrel4 Record: 52-21-8-6; $16,369,000
Win: Breeders’ Bowl Classic-G1(2x), Sand Castle Classic-G1, Eddie Arcaro-G1, CA Classic-G1, Topicount Special-G1, Michael-Strike S-G1, Buckpasser S-G1, End of Summer Special-G1, Benny Badger S-G2, Sunlight Sonata-G3, Tickling the Robe Bonanza, Pro Court Special, Berry Jove Special, Smackdown III, Calvacade Cup, NWRC-Triple Crown Derby (2x), NWRC Triple Crown Place: Sand Castle Classic-G1, Maryland Special H-G1, Maxxed Platinum Plate Cap-G3, Babified Paint Challenge, Smackdown II Show: Eddie Haskell S-G1, Topicount Special-G1, Maxxed Platinum Plate Cap-G3, Keep That Dog Under the Porch S-G3, Army Ruff Bonanza, Courageous Bell Memorial A few years ago, I had the privilege of writing up Solar Song’s 4yo campaign, one that resulted in his earning Champion Older Horse on Dirt and Horse of the Year honors. In that article, I concluded that his 4yo season would prove to be a championship season, and perhaps, a Hall of Fame season. This summer, I was proven right. “Good things come to those who wait”, began that earlier article, and Solar Song is the horse that proves that point. Too often, trainers lose patience when they don’t get the instant gratification of a stakes win, forgetting that sometimes, horses, like fine wine, only get better with age. Squirrel4 did not forget, and her patience was rewarded in spectacular fashion. The leggy, tall chestnut still had a lot of growing to do as a youngster, and made only four starts as a juvenile. After a disastrous debut over a yielding turf course (a surface Solar Song would never race over again), the colt showed much improvement in his next start. As would be his custom over the next several years, Solar Song would dawdle out of the gate, only to flash some serious late kick at the end. 6 ½ panels, even 9, proved to be too short in his next two starts, but he got the job done in his season finale, a one mile affair against winners, earning a solid 90 SF. Solar Song had the look of a colt that would blossom with age and distance. As far as Derby aspirations went, though, the big chestnut didn’t quite bloom quickly enough. After finishing off the board in two stakes, squirrel4 pulled her charge off the trail, and dropped him into an owner-restricted allowance. At that level, he had the class to pull off the win at a distance clearly short of his best. He then earned his first stakes victory at 9 ½ panels in the Berry Jove Stakes. Next came a triple crown, the NWRC triple crown, and Solar Song proved to be the terror of the residency, sweeping the series. With his confidence high, and his body filling out, Solar Song was ready to return to open company. The Buckeye Derby was too short, but stretched to 10 panels, Solar Song made an impression, making up more than nine lengths in the stretch to grab third in the Eddie Haskell Stakes-G1, behind multiple G1 winner Squal Me Halo. Squirrel’s colt would be a disappointing fifth in the LA Derby-G1. After walloping the NWRC residency again on Cavalcade Cup day, and with three straight 107+ SFs under his belt, Solar Song stood poised upon the stage. He would beat a nice field, including Middle Jewel winner Fly for Buda in the Buckpasser Stakes-G1, notching his first of many grade 1 victories. He would close out the season with a third in the Topicount Special-G1 against older horses, losing to Breeders’ Bowl Classic runner-up and multiple G1 winner Wonderboy Cougar, and Jockey Guild Gold Cup-G1 winner Obispo Town. At the start of his four year old campaign, Solar Song had stamped himself as one to watch in the division, and up and comer. And so, the late closer started the season with his usual rally to grab third in the Maxxed Platinum Plate Cup-G3, at “only” 9 furlongs. Next came a tilt at Equinics Gold. February in Vermont is not the warmest of seasons, but Solar Song would go on to grab the gold, and warm the hearts of the NWRC residency, as he defeated favored Wonderboy Cougar in the Eddie Arcaro-G1. The towering chestnut lost his prep race, but won the war, as he would upset such stalwarts as Wonderboy Cougar and Breeders’ Bowl Classic winner Call of the Wild II in the Sand Castle Classic-G1. Falling almost 12 lengths back at one point, the four year old became a blur down the stretch, reeling in horse after horse, until there were none left to pass, and pulling away to win by three. Final time was a swift 2:00 1/5 (115 SF). While most of his rivals returned to the States in their next start, Solar Song would stay in the Arabian heat a while longer, adding the Sunlight Sonata-G3 to his list of wins. Having nailed down two of the richest dirt routes for the year, squirrel4’s goal was now to keep her prize colt at the top of his game until the end of November, when the Breeders’ Bowl rolled around. Back in the States, Solar Song would bounce slightly, finishing fifth in the Maryland Special H-G1, behind the ultra-talented Unprecedented. Next came an eye-catcher of a performance in the 9 furlong Michael-Strike Stakes-G1, a distance more often than not too short for him. But, given a lively pace up front, despite dropping more than 10 lengths back, and still eighth with a furlong to go, Solar Song showed the heart and determination of a champion, lengthening with every stride until he passed the gallant Sensatious in the shadow of the wire, getting up to win by a hard-fought length. Solar Song gave it his all again in Smackdown II, but couldn’t quite get there, making up almost 12 lengths in the stretch, only to fall short by a ½ length to Brooke Lynn-G2 winner Slither. Solar Song would turn the tables on that rival in the prestigious CA Classic-G1, rallying from ninth in the blink of an eye to win by 2 ¼ lengths. The chestnut had a final quarter mile that was simply breathtaking to watch. Sent in a 9 furlong listed stakes as a final prep for the main event, the race served as the perfect tightener. That year’s Breeders’ Bowl Classic-G1 had a talented group. The favorite was Sensatious, who was currently riding a four race win streak, including the Jockey Guild Gold Cup-G1, Ermington Pegusus (who was beginning to hit his stride in what may very well prove to be a Hall of Fame career), Macho Niner, Wonderboy Cougar and Derby winner Virtuouso. Solar Song was sent off the second choice, and for once, Fred Gossett got his charge to break a little closer to the lead – running ninth instead of near last. That didn’t affect Solar Song’s late charge any. Once rolling, he was third at the top of the stretch and went on to win by 2 ½ lengths with a sharp final time of 2:00 flat for the 1 ¼ mile distance. Solar Song had won the two richest races at 1 ¼ miles in the same year, a remarkable achievement when you consider one is held in March, and the other in late October/early November. Solar Song would run once more that year, finishing third in a G3 race in Vermont, behind Sith, but that race was mostly an afterthought. The voters rewarded the colt, who always managed to find a way to win on racing’s biggest day, with a pair of titles: Champion Older Horse on Dirt, and Horse of the Year. A season like that is a tall order to live up to, but Solar Song, at age five, did his best. He began the season with an easy score in the Benny Badger Stakes-G2 at 11 panels, then disappointed in his prep for the Sand Castle. That wasn’t a real concern, since the chestnut had developed something of a habit of losing the prep, but winning the main event, but it proved not to be this go-round, with Solar Song showing mild interest late to finish seventh behind Ermington Pegusus and Sensatious. A drop to listed company and a stretch out to 11 panels did the trick, as Squirrel4’s pride and joy returned to the winner’s circle. Next came another tilt at the race that continued to elude Squirrel4 and Solar Song, the Maryland Special Handicap-G1. This time, Solar Song would settle for second, again behind Ermington Pegusus. A fifth in the Michael-Strike followed, and concerns were beginning to rise as to whether racing had already seen the best of Solar Song. Those fears were laid to rest in Smackdown III, a listed stakes with a G1 caliber field, attracting the likes of Awegustus and New Found Cyclone. Final time for the 1 ¼ mile distance was a spectacular 1:59 3/5 (118 SF). Solar Song would finish fourth, upset by King of the Wind, in the CA Classic-G1 next out. But, a win in the End of Summer Special-G1 punched the chestnut’s return ticket to the Breeders’ Bowl, where he was sent off the 6-1 choice behind rival Ermington Pegusus. Dual classic winner Awesome Force and Travelers hero Passing Stone were also in the field. Reunited with Fred Gossett, the defending champion started slowly, as usually, and with a quarter mile left, was still more than 10 lengths back in eighth. Showing every bit of the speed and class that had carried him to victory the year before, Solar Song exploded like a rocket down the stretch, pulling out the victory just strides before the wire, and ultimately winning by ½ length, and setting a new stakes record in the process, with another 1:59 3/5 (118 SF). With that impressive accomplishment, Solar Song became the first repeat winner of the Breeders’ Bowl Classic-G1, and became part of an elite group of horses that have won more than one Breeders’ Bowl race. Solar Song would race once more that year in the Topicount Special-G1, and once again, flew from last to first to win by 2 ¼ lengths over Passing Stone, Awegustus and Ermington Pegusus, becoming racing’s highest earner in the process and eclipsing Joe Cayenne, who had been the previous record holder for more than five years. Voters were faced with the task of deciding between the brilliant first half of season by Ermington Pegusus, and an equally stellar late season performance by Solar Song. They chose Solar Song, who for the second straight year, was named both Champion Older Horse on Dirt and Horse of the Year. The next season was largely a footnote to Solar Song’s illustrious career. At six, the chestnut would run well, but without finding the winner’s circle, finishing third in the Maxxed Platinum Plate Cap-G3, second in the Sand Castle Classic-G1, where he unleashed a closing kick that was exceeded by Awesome Force, who rallied from 12th, and another fine second in the Maryland Special Handicap-G1, which was won by 20-1 longshot Star Spangled Kid. After that beginning, the wheels came off relatively speaking. For example, in Smackdown IV, Solar Song posted a 110 SF, good enough to win a G1 in the past, but this year, good enough only to grab fifth. Solar Song would make the trip to the Breeders’ Bowl Classic one more time, but was never really involved, finishing fifth. Still, if perhaps in hindsight he should have retired at the end of his 5yo season, the last season really didn’t tarnish his accomplishments. Winner of two of the richest races in the same year, back to back Breeders’ Bowl Classic wins, an Equinics gold medalist, richest horse, a title Solar Song still holds as of this writing – clearly, this horse deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, and so it proved true, with Solar Song being inducted in his first year of eligibility. His son, Solar Panels, as of this writing sports a win and a second from two starts. By A.P. Indy, the flashy juvenile posted a 76 SF while breaking his maiden on Independence Day. Whether he can ultimately live up to the high standards set by his sire remains to be seen. |
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