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COLD STORAGE Owner/Trainer: springtime Record: 33-13-6-5; $4,214,178
Win: Breeders Bowl Turf Distaff-G1, Bob Champion S-G1, Virgin Mary S-G1, Ugly Breeders Bowl Distaff-G1, Rich and Famous H-G1, Yolkshire Oaks-G1, DelWebb Oaks-G1, QE2 Challenge-G1, Bluto Cup-G2, Michigan Sophomore Turf Invitational-G2 Place: Barbara Bush S-G2, Mattress S-G3, Lawnmower Mile-G3 Show: Flower Pot S-G1, Cremation S-G1, West Point Thoroughbred Turf Derby-G1, The Last Chance Turf Distaff-G1 There is a musician famous for his video game compositions by the name of CoLD SToRAGE, and I kind of wonder if springtime had that in mind when he sent L’Rod’s Songbirds to Victory Gallop. The mating was a gamble at the time – Victory Gallop’s first crop had not exactly set the world on fire at that point. But, racing is full of underachievers and overachievers, and on the turf, Cold Storage ultimately proved herself to be one of racing’s top turf females. Cold Storage raced three times at two, all dirt sprints, and broke her maiden in her final start of the year with an 83 SF. A nice filly, to be sure, but it would take a change in surface to bring out her best. At three, springtime would race his filly three more times on dirt, stretching her out in distance. Cold Storage hit the board in all three tries, and won an entry level allowance with a 91 SF, but again, she was proving to be a nice filly, nothing more on the grass. Figuring there was nothing to lose, the fateful decision was made to try the turf. Cold Storage was entered in an N2x, but a stakes winner was in the field – Lacrima, who had previously won the Queen A.P. S, and would go on to win the Rippleschip-G2 and place in G1 company later that year. Cold Storage went straight to the lead, and grudgingly gave way to Lacrima in the stretch, losing by a head. She posted a career best 97 SF in that effort, and the decision was made. Cold Storage’s future was on the grass. Wheeled back at a mile, Cold Storage won for fun, posting a 100 SF. With that race under her belt, she moved up to stakes competition, facing Mambo Birdie, who proved to be a very nice miler/short router in her own right. Similar to her turf debut, Cold Storage set the early fractions, only to be passed in the final strides by Mambo Birdie. She had to settle for second, but once again, posted 100 SF. The thought was that Cold Storage might relax more with additional distance, so her next spot was the Michigan Sophomore Turf International-G2. Liberalia, winner of the Train Yard Special-G1, was in the field, but it didn’t matter. Cold Storage shot to the lead and never looked back, winning by a comfortable 3 ½ lengths. It was on to Royal Ascot, and one of racing’s premier races at a mile for 3yo fillies, The Cremation S-G1. The field was stellar, containing Otto Elusive and Devil’s Slide. Cold Storage gave it her best try, but similar to her previous tries at a mile, she couldn’t quite hang on to the lead, and finished third behind those two fillies. Stretched back out to nine furlongs, Cold Storage turned the tables on Otto Elusive, winning by 2 ¼ lengths. The roan would finish third in the West Point Thoroughbreds Turf Derby-G3 before rebounding in the Del Webb Oaks-G1. That race was a dominant performance, as the springtime trainee opened up by five lengths at the top of the stretch, and won as easy as she pleased, the jockey never touching the whip. She earned a 104 SF for the effort. Next was a return to a flat mile, where once again, she was caught in the stretch. It was on to the QE2 Challenge S-G1, and back at nine panels, the roan miss once again showed herself to be much the best, winning by 4 ½ lengths with a 105 SF. After an upset loss to Buck Wild in the Mattress S-G3, Cold Open would close out her sophomore campaign in the one mile Last Chance Turf Distaff-G1 for 3yo fillies. This would prove to be no different, with a third place effort to show for it. At the end of her campaign, Cold Storage had proven herself to be one of the better fillies in the division, particularly at 9 furlongs. The real question was, could she do even better going farther? That question would be quickly answered. The filly’s four year old debut came in the Equinics, where she represented the Minnesota residency in the Bob Champion S-G1. Cold Storage was the second choice behind Devil’s Slide (mostly because of the distance issues, the lack of a prep race, and first time over an off-track), but quickly showed the bettors the error of their ways. She skipped to the front under Harzheim and never looked back, and was geared down to win by two, a gold medalist. She bounced a little in her next start, finishing a well beaten fourth in the Black Betty H-G2, but fared better next out, leading most of the way in the Barbara Bush S-G2 before being reeled in by Otto You Do It in the final sixteenth. Cold Storage would then go on an absolute tear for the remainder of the season. In the Virgin Mary S-G1, she never looked back, turning the tables on Otto You Do It, and also defeating top filly Devil's Slide in the process. She posted a 109 SF and stopped the clock in 2:01. She cut back in distance in her next race, the Ugly Breeders' Bowl Distaff-G1, but this would be no repeat of the Black Betty. The roan filly was getting better with each start, and even though G1 winners Thirteenth Date and Empire Reef were in the mix, it didn't matter. After dueling early on for the lead, Cold Storage drew away to win by two emphatic lengths, posting a 107 SF. Devil's Slide was back to challenge in the Rich and Famous H-G1, but there was no one to press the pace, so Cold Storage was off to the races and never looked back. The lead grew from six lengths to 10 lengths, and then, she coasted. Her jockey almost let her coast too much of it, or maybe she was more tired than it looked, but she was able to withstand the furious rally of Devil's Slide to prevail by 1/4 length. The next challenger would be the classy Sadfly's Dubai in the Yolkshire Oaks-G1. Once more, Cold Storage went to the front and made every pole a winning one. Cold Storage had won four consecutive Grade 1 races, an accomplishment rarely achieved by any horse. Springtime had the Breeders' Bowl Turf Distaff-G1 firmly in sight, and so the prize filly was given a brief freshener. She would make her return to the races four weeks before the Breeders' Bowl in the Flower Pot S-G1. Although she was favored, Cold Storage clearly needed the race, and despite opening up a 5 1/2 length lead, tired late in the stretch to third behind A Perfect Sunday and Spooky Ballet. Springtime was not too disappointed. While the win streak had come to an end, the race had set the Victory Gallop filly up perfectly for the big dance. The Breeders' Bowl Turf Distaff-G1 was no walk in the park. Devil's Slide was back, as well as top fillies La Pata Daisy, Wicked Wench, Kiss of Betrayal and a host of others. Springtime's confidence was rewarded, as Cold Storage bounced out of the gate, reunited with Harzheim, who rode her in the Equinics earlier in the year. She bounced out of the gate and dared the rest of the field to catch her. The lead grew from four lengths to seven to eight and a half. The race was 11 furlongs, the longest she had ever gone, but it didn't matter. Cold Storage was 2 1/4 lengths ahead of Devil's Slide at the wire, with the outcome never in doubt. The Breeders' Bowl championship belonged to her. Cold Storage would make two more starts that year, losing to Devil's Slide and Empire Reef in the Penn Turf Distaff-G1, and finishing off the board against males one week later. Still, the rest of the year was good enough to bring her championship honors. She had danced every dance, winning both the Equinics and the Breeders' Bowl, and four other Grade 1 events along the way, and defeated practically every top turf routing filly that year. At five, attempts were made to return Cold Storage to the races, but in four starts, she clearly, emphatically, made the point that she was done, finishing far back in each of those starts. Unable to change the filly’s attitude, springtime retired his pride and joy. As a broodmare, she has produced four foals to date, the best of which is Cold Picture (by Fastnet Rock), who, as of this writing, has won 7 of 15 starts and earned over $200k. The other three foals have been a disappointment. Still, despite her disappointing broodmare career to date, Cold Storage has made her mark. While her career was shorter than many of the other horses in the Hall of Fame, among all retired mares, as of this writing, only Cecil Roo has more G1 victories (Cold Storage is tied for second with Storm Dog and Xtremely Gold), and she is seventh on the all time earnings list for fillies. |
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