Bet Twice
Bet Twice | |
---|---|
Sire | Sportin' Life |
Grandsire | Nijinsky |
Dam | Golden Dust |
Damsire | Dusty Canyon |
Sex | Stallion |
Foaled | 1984 |
Country | United States |
Colour | Chestnut |
Breeder | William S. Farish III & E. J. Hudson |
Owner | Cisely Stable & Robert Levy |
Trainer | Warren A. Croll, Jr. |
Record | 26: 10-6-4 |
Earnings | $3,308,599 |
Major wins | |
Pimlico Special Handicap (1988) Haskell Invitational Handicap (1987) Fountain of Youth Stakes (1987) Laurel Futurity (1986) Sapling Stakes (1986) Arlington-Washington Futurity Stakes (1986) Triple Crown race wins: Belmont Stakes (1987) | |
Last updated on August 17, 2007 |
Bet Twice (April 20, 1984 – March 5, 1999) was a multi-millionaire American thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Foaled in Kentucky, he was out of the mare Golden Dust and was sired by Sportin' Life, who in turn was the son of the British Triple Crown champion Nijinsky. He was bred by William S. Farish III and E. J. Hudson and born on what became Lane's End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky.
Two-year-old season
Bet Twice was owned by a syndicate of approximately three dozen that included baseball players Pete Rose and Garry Maddox. His principal shareholder was Robert Levy, the owner of Atlantic City Race Course. As a two-year-old, Bet Twice won the grade one Laurel Futurity and Arlington-Washington Futurity Stakes and the grade two Sapling Stakes.
Three-year-old season
Early in his three-year-old season, Bet Twice won the grade two Fountain of Youth Stakes on the road to the Triple Crown. He met a crop of talented horses in that three-year-old year, including Gulch and Cryptoclearance; however, his rivalry with Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Alysheba was most famous. He faced the other colt nine times, beating him three times (Alysheba won four times, while neither horse won in their other two meetings).
Bet Twice and Alysheba battled down the stretch in what many consider one of the most physical Derbies ever. Alysheba prevailed by a half length over Bet Twice with both colts almost two and a half length in front of the rest of the field.
In the Preakness Stakes, Bet Twice was listed at post time as the fourth choice at 5-1. He broke sharply and was third going into the first turn. He was up with the leaders when he was floated out wide. Approaching the stretch, the colt took the lead from Lookingforthebigone and Alysheba. In the closing moments of the race, Alysheba rallied, and Bet Twice lost by a half length again. In third and fourth were Cryptoclearance and Gulch respectively.
Bet Twice may be best known for his victory in the 1987 Belmont Stakes. Ridden by Craig Perret and trained by Jimmy Croll, he won by 14 lengths and denied Alysheba the Triple Crown. By virtue of his victory in the Belmont and runner-up performances in the Preakness Stakes and the Kentucky Derby, he edged out Alysheba for the first ever $1,000,000 Chrysler Triple Crown Bonus as the top performing three-year-old in the Triple Crown series.
Bet Twice then won the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park over Alysheba. He also finished ahead of Alysheba in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, though both horses finished in mid-pack behind Java Gold on the sloppy track.
Four-year-old season
When Bet Twice was four, his connections accepted an invitation to run him in the first revival of the $500,000 Grade I Pimlico Special Handicap at "Old Hilltop" in Baltimore, Maryland. He entered that race as the post-time fourth choice at odds of 7-1 in a field of seven graded stakes winners, including Crytoclearance. Going into the famous "club house turn" at Pimlico Race Course, Oaklawn Handicap winner Lost Code led the field, followed by local favorite Little Bold John and dual classic winner Alysheba. Then, on the far turn, Bet Twice weaved through traffic and moved between horses to challenge for the lead. Coming down the stretch, he drifted out and brushed Lost Code. Then he drew off and won by 3/4 lengths. The time for the Grade I race at 1 3/16 miles was 1:54 1/5.
Later that year, Bet Twice had runner-up finishes in the Grade I Philip H. Iselin Handicap, the Grade III Ben Ali Stakes and the Grade III Salvator Mile. He also had show performances in the Grade I Suburban Handicap and the Grade I United Nations Handicap.
Retirement
Bet Twice stood at stud for six years at Muirfield Farm from 1990 through 1996. He was pensioned from stud duty at age 12. On March 5, 1999, he died at Muirfield East in Maryland at age 15.
Resources
- Pedigree & Partial Stats
External links
- NY Times Bet Twice a Winner
- Video at YouTube of Bet Twice winning the 1988 Pimlico Special
- v
- t
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- 1867 Ruthless ♥
- 1868 General Duke
- 1869 Fenian
- 1870 Kingfisher
- 1871 Harry Bassett
- 1872 Joe Daniels
- 1873 Springbok
- 1874 Saxon
- 1875 Calvin
- 1876 Algerine
- 1877 Cloverbrook
- 1878 Duke Of Magenta
- 1879 Spendthrift
- 1880 Grenada
- 1881 Saunterer
- 1882 Forester
- 1883 George Kinney
- 1884 Panique
- 1885 Tyrant
- 1886 Inspector B
- 1887 Hanover
- 1888 Sir Dixon
- 1889 Eric
- 1890 Burlington
- 1891 Foxford
- 1892 Patron
- 1893 Commanche
- 1894 Henry of Navarre
- 1895 Belmar
- 1896 Hastings
- 1897 Scottish Chieftain
- 1898 Bowling Brook
- 1899 Jean Bereaud
- 1900 Ildrim
- 1901 Commando
- 1902 Masterman
- 1903 Africander
- 1904 Delhi
- 1905 Tanya ♥
- 1906 Burgomaster
- 1907 Peter Pan
- 1908 Colin
- 1909 Joe Madden
- 1910 Sweep
- 1913 Prince Eugene
- 1914 Luke McLuke
- 1915 The Finn
- 1916 Friar Rock
- 1917 Hourless
- 1918 Johren
- 1919 Sir Barton ₩
- 1920 Man o' War
- 1921 Grey Lag
- 1922 Pillory
- 1923 Zev
- 1924 Mad Play
- 1925 American Flag
- 1926 Crusader
- 1927 Chance Shot
- 1928 Vito
- 1929 Blue Larkspur
- 1930 Gallant Fox ₩
- 1931 Twenty Grand
- 1932 Faireno
- 1933 Hurryoff
- 1934 Peace Chance
- 1935 Omaha ₩
- 1936 Granville
- 1937 War Admiral ₩
- 1938 Pasteurized
- 1939 Johnstown
- 1940 Bimelech
- 1941 Whirlaway ₩
- 1942 Shut Out
- 1943 Count Fleet ₩
- 1944 Bounding Home
- 1945 Pavot
- 1946 Assault ₩
- 1947 Phalanx
- 1948 Citation ₩
- 1949 Capot
- 1950 Middleground
- 1951 Counterpoint
- 1952 One Count
- 1953 Native Dancer
- 1954 High Gun
- 1955 Nashua
- 1956 Needles
- 1957 Gallant Man
- 1958 Cavan
- 1959 Sword Dancer
- 1960 Celtic Ash
- 1961 Sherluck
- 1962 Jaipur
- 1963 Chateaugay
- 1964 Quadrangle
- 1965 Hail To All
- 1966 Amberoid
- 1967 Damascus
- 1968 Stage Door Johnny
- 1969 Arts and Letters
- 1970 High Echelon
- 1971 Pass Catcher
- 1972 Riva Ridge
- 1973 Secretariat ₩
- 1974 Little Current
- 1975 Avatar
- 1976 Bold Forbes
- 1977 Seattle Slew ₩
- 1978 Affirmed ₩
- 1979 Coastal
- 1980 Temperence Hill
- 1981 Summing
- 1982 Conquistador Cielo
- 1983 Caveat
- 1984 Swale
- 1985 Creme Fraiche
- 1986 Danzig Connection
- 1987 Bet Twice
- 1988 Risen Star
- 1989 Easy Goer
- 1990 Go and Go
- 1991 Hansel
- 1992 A.P. Indy
- 1993 Colonial Affair
- 1994 Tabasco Cat
- 1995 Thunder Gulch
- 1996 Editor's Note
- 1997 Touch Gold
- 1998 Victory Gallop
- 1999 Lemon Drop Kid
- 2000 Commendable
- 2001 Point Given
- 2002 Sarava
- 2003 Empire Maker
- 2004 Birdstone
- 2005 Afleet Alex
- 2006 Jazil
- 2007 Rags to Riches ♥
- 2008 Da' Tara
- 2009 Summer Bird
- 2010 Drosselmeyer
- 2011 Ruler on Ice
- 2012 Union Rags
- 2013 Palace Malice
- 2014 Tonalist
- 2015 American Pharoah ₩
- 2016 Creator
- 2017 Tapwrit
- 2018 Justify ₩
- 2019 Sir Winston
- 2020 Tiz the Law
- 2021 Essential Quality
- 2022 Mo Donegal
- 2023 Arcangelo
Legend – ₩ = Triple Crown Winners, ♥ = Filly