Affirmed and the Hollywood Gold Cup

On Gold Cup Eve, while most fans are busy handicapping the big race, I found myself in a slightly more nostalgic mood, and the Hollywood Gold Cup is an easy race for which to wax poetic. Seabiscuit and Citation, Swaps and Round Table, Native Diver and Ack Ack, Ferdinand and Cigar, Skip Away and Lava Man, it is not called the Race of Champions for nothing. As unbelievable as the honor role of champions for the race is, there was one edition of the Hollywood Gold Cup that was especially memorable for me. The year was 1979, and a four-year-old Affirmed was saddled with his heftiest impost of his career. Despite the 132 pounds, including rider Laffit Pincay, Jr., he was assigned to carry, the five-time champion and soon to be two-time Horse of the Year was made a heavy favorite against a solid field of Californian handicap horses. The race would turn out to be anything but easy though.

Back to his winning ways, and running at arguably his favorite racetrack, Affirmed was sent off at 3-10 against nine others with designs on defeating a champion. Breaking from the rail, the chestnut superstar would never be able to find his way off the rail the entire 1 ¼ mile trip. His main challenger that day would be a horse by the name of Sirlad, who had the speed to pressure him early, and in receipt of 12 pounds, was able to pressure the Harbor View Farm every step of the way. As the leaders rattled off testing fractions, including six in 1:09 and 3/5, it looked like the last Triple Crown winner might be in trouble. After all, how many horses want to be pinned on the rail in blazing fractions, and carry 132 pounds to boot.

Of course, Affirmed was the opposite of an ordinary horse. Early in the stretch, Sirlad was still there, and Text had ranged right up to the two on the outside. It was gut-check time. In the end, and to no surprise, Affirmed gradually pulled clear to win the decision by a hard fought three-quarters of a length. The final time was 1:58 2/5, which was only a fifth of a second off Noor’s world record for the classic distance. Adding to the momentous occasion, with the win, Affirmed became the first Thoroughbred to reach $2 million in earnings.

[Affirmed currently ranks #8 on the list of the All-Time Greatest Horses on HRN]

For thoroughbred race horses, it was a most atypical performance, but for him, it was typical Affirmed. Three races later, and three more wins to his credit, Affirmed retired as one of our sport's greatest ever. No horse since has been able to win the Triple Crown, and no horse since has showed more heart than the son of Exclusive Native. Further proof of his greatness is the statistic of his perfect nine-for-nine record in races where the decision came down to less than a length at the wire. The great Alydar knew this fact all too well. Affirmed simply refused to lose when he saw the wire.

This was never more true than his victory in the Hollywood Gold Cup. So tomorrow when you are enjoying another great edition of Hollywood's biggest race, please take a second to think back about a very special former winner … Watch and Enjoy!