How Good is Main Sequence?
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Every so often a horse catches your fancy, and back in July
of 2014 on the turf course at Monmouth Park, Main Sequence did just that. Little did I know at that time what
Main Sequence would go on to accomplish. After winning his fifth consecutive
graded stakes race in the Mac Diarmida at Gulfstream Park this past weekend, I
was left to think; just how good is Main Sequence?
The six-year-old gelding now has a career record of 19:
9-3-3 with earnings of $3,418,666 and since coming to the American barn of
trainer Graham Motion his stats are
staggering at 5: 5-0-0 and purses of $2,730,280.
Throughout the win streak, we have all become accustomed to
his powerful and relentless stretch drives. Whether there is a fast pace or a
slow pace, Main Sequence has been able to overcome all situations with his determination
to get to the finish line first. Most of all, he seems to love to win as he
swooshes his tail around with his regular rider Rajiv Maragh guiding him to
victory.
Before we make some historical comparisons, here are the
videos of his five fantastic American wins.
It all began in the United
Nations at Monmouth Park on July 6, 2014, when Main Sequence loafed out of
the gate and, for the first time, we got to see that explosive kick to the wire
after a perfectly timed ride by his regular rider, Rajiv Maragh. Travis Stone called the race and summed it up perfectly,
“Main Sequence surges to win it, making his North American debut in a big way.”
Next came the Sword
Dancer at Saratoga on Aug. 17, 2014, where he had to rally from a distant
last place after a very fast pace. This would be the only time in Tom Durkin’s
career that he got to call one of Main Sequence’s races, “A hesitant start and
a powerful finish for Main Sequence.”
Main Sequence then headed to Belmont Park for the Joe Hirsch
Turf Classic, where after another slow start, Maragh hustled him up the rail to
stay closer to the leaders. This time they had to run between horses down the
stretch to his third very tight victory. Later on that Super Saturday card,
Maragh would be lost for the rest of the year when he was unseated from Wicked
Strong in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.
Next up was the Breeders’ Cup Turf run at Santa Anita, with
the downhill start on that very firm grass course. Here, Main Sequence would take on a stellar
field that contained European stars Flintshire and Telescope. Coming down the
stretch it looked like he was struggling, but substitute rider John Velazquez
got him to win by one length, his biggest margin of victory in America.
After a month of rest from the race track, Main Sequence
returned to training in preparation for the Mac Diarmida at Gulfstream Park.
Motion had him ready to run. Maragh was
back in the saddle, as he broke alertly for the first time, and they rode the
rail behind a slow pace. After the race,
Maragh tweeted, “For me, to ride him feels like time stops and I’m riding a
rocket.”
How good is Main Sequence? Let’s compare him to some of the
best long distance turf horses since 2000.
Cape Blanco came
over from Europe under the guidance of the great Aidan O’Brien to win three
consecutive grade one stakes in the Man o’ War, the Arlington Million, and the
Breeders’ Cup Turf to take the 2011 Eclipse Award.
In 2009 two-time champion Gio Ponti’s campaign included four consecutive grade one victories
at distances ranging from a mile to a mile and three eighths in the Kilroe,
Manhattan, Man o’ War, and Arlington Million.
In 2007 English Channel won the Eclipse Award by ending the year with the same four grade
ones as Main Sequence. The Todd Pletcher trainee won three of them including
the BC Turf, but finished second in the Sword Dancer.
Kitten’s Joy won
the 2004 Eclipse with three consecutive graded stakes wins in the Virginia
Derby (G3), Secretariat, and Turf Classic. His streak ended with a second place
in the BC Turf.
During that time span several great Europeans, like High
Chaparral, Conduit, Fantastic Light, and Kalanisi won the Eclipse Award by
winning only the Breeders’ Cup Turf in the U.S.
So how good is Main Sequence? His 2014 campaign is just as good or better than any long distance horse that we have seen this century. Wise Dan’s dominance as a turf miler puts him in a special category above which he towers. However, going 11 or 12 furlongs Main Sequence is something special, and the best may be yet to come as he heads next to Meydan for the $5,000,000 Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) on March 28th to take on the world’s best turf stars.
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