Horsenalities features Untapable

With my positions at NBC, TVG and Fashion at the Races, I’m lucky enough to get up close and personal with some of the biggest stars in horse racing. For me, and many others out there, the feeling of meeting these horses is a lot like meeting your favorite celebrities. However, due to the nature of the sport, many fans never get to meet these equine athletes. In my new blog, Horsenalities, I hope to connect fans with their favorite horses on a more personal level. I’ve made it my mission to get the inside scoop, straight from the horse’s mouth… well, almost.

This week’s installment of Horsenalities features the winner of the 2014 Eclipse Award for Champion 3-year-old Filly, Untapable. This bay beauty, by Tapit, out of Fun House (by Prized), has an impressive resume. Her list of achievements includes victories in the Kentucky Oaks and Breeders’ Cup Distaff for a total of 7 Graded Stakes wins out of 11 starts in just two years of racing.

Untapable, with her consistent showing of incredible power and speed, is the epitome of a talented racehorse. Her story began at Churchill Downs in 2013 when she made her first trip to the winner’s circle after breaking her maiden. A few months later, she visited the winner’s circle again, after a big step up in class and a solid finish in the Grade 2 Pocahontas Stakes. That November, she traveled out to Santa Anita Park to run in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Unfortunately, one of the contenders broke down, causing jockey Rosie Napravnik to have to ease Untapable after a wide and troublesome trip. But, the filly rallied to round out her 2-year-old season with a third place finish in the Hollywood Starlet Stakes.

Untapable began her 3-year-old year with a dominating 9 ½ length win in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes, named after the 2009 Horse of the Year (and 2009 Preakness winner) also trained by Steve Asmussen. In a similar fashion, the Fair Grounds Oaks, her last prep for the 2014 Kentucky Oaks, resulted in an uncontested win by 7 ¾ lengths. On May 2, 2014, Untapable and Rosie Napravnik were (in the words of Larry Collmus) “un-stoppable” and “un-catchable” in the Kentucky Oaks. To sweeten the story, this ride marked the second Kentucky Oaks victory for Rosie, the only female jockey to ever win the race.

From there, the ladies traveled up to New York to throw down yet another 9 ¼ length win in the Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park. In July of 2014, Untapable faced her first loss of the season in the William Hill Haskell Invitational Stakes, against some of the nation’s best colts. The field included Bayern, who would go on to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic later that year. But the filly didn't take long to make it back to the top. With a win in the Cotillion Stakes at Parx, she was ready to travel west to Santa Anita for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

On an evening that many consider a fairytale ending to both the filly’s 3-year-old season and the top female jockey’s career, Rosie Napravnik and Untapable came thundering down the stretch to win the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff. And now, with 2014 behind us, we’ve been waiting with bated breath for the return of Untapable. This Saturday, at Oaklawn Park, the champion will make her first start as a 4-year-old in the Azeri Stakes.

Just in case her outstanding record didn’t already impress you, I contacted some of Untapable’s connections, David Fiske (racing manager for Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC) and Mike Callaham (exercise rider for Steve Asmussen) to find out more about Untapable’s Horsenality. 

Megan: What’s her personality like?

David: She is, like many Thoroughbreds, very challenging when she is in training. She wants to do things her way or no way. And she will quickly let you know when she is displeased with what's going on in her world. That said, when she came home for a brief vacation last year after the Breeders' Cup she quickly got back into the more relaxed lifestyle of the farm and was actually a pleasure to have around. It helped that we could put her in the same barn she grew up in with the same grooms that raised her.

Mike: She has a very quick temper. She's not one to be pet on in the stall and isn't always very friendly, just like most good race mares.

Megan: Does she have a nickname?

David: I'm sure she has acquired several nicknames at the track but none that you could print.

Megan: Does she have any interesting quirks or habits?

David: As for quirks, she doesn't really like to be touched. She'll tolerate a brief forehead rub but good luck trying to pet, pat, or touch her anywhere else. The only habit she has that I'm aware of is she visits the winners circle... frequently.

Mike: She's very laid back when walking around or tack walking, she will sometimes just stop and take everything in

Megan: Does she have a favorite treat?

David: Not to my knowledge. Maybe carrots or peppermints. She has not, as yet, developed a taste for Guinness like her sire.

Megan: Tell me about her early background.

David: As with most of the good horses that we've raised, she was remarkable for being unremarkable. Never got sick. Never got hurt. Never caused any trouble. She could get a little obstinate on occasion, but like I said, she likes to have things her own way. The first year and a half of her life she spent in a 30-acre field with six other fillies eating bluegrass and sleeping.

Megan: What's your favorite memory with her?

David: Winning the Kentucky Oaks followed closely by winning the Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Megan: What’s her status right now? What races are you aiming for this year?

David: She arrived at Oaklawn Park (from Fairgrounds) last Monday afternoon. She is entered to run Saturday in the Azeri S. and, if all goes well, should run back in the Apple Blossom S. April 11. After that the road back to the Breeders' Cup forks a few times and hopefully we can chart a route that will get her to Keeneland on October 30.

Megan: Tell us what it feels like to ride her.

Mike: She's a dream to gallop. Everything she does is effortless and smooth. She can be a bit difficult and rank at times but for the most part she's a Cadillac. She rarely acts up or does anything bad under saddle, just very professional and classy

Megan: What sets her apart from other horses that you have encountered?

David: She's faster than all most all of them.