Cotillion Legends: Havre de Grace and Blind Luck

Perhaps the greatest American rivals of the 21st century, Blind Luck and Havre de Grace waged war against one another on six unforgettable occasions during the 2010 and 2011 racing seasons. Though it was already their third meeting, it can be said that the great rivalry did not truly become a rivalry until the 2010 edition of the Cotillion Stakes.

Heading into the their meeting at Parx, Blind Luck was the dominant three-year-old filly of 2010. Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, the daughter of Pollard's Vision had risen from a maiden claiming debut to be one of the best juvenile fillies in the land the season before. She continued her excellent form at three. Before she ever met Havre de Grace, the chestnut filly had accounted for the Kentucky Oaks, Las Virgenes, and Fantasy.

Meanwhile, Havre de Grace was a relative late bloomer for trainer, Larry Jones. Only a maiden winner at two, she came into her first match-up with Blind Luck with only four lifetime races, and no stakes wins. The daughter of Saint Liam would quickly prove to be serious competition for her celebrated foe.

Their initial race against each other came on July 10, 2010 at Delaware Park in the Delaware Oaks. Proving to be a wonderful indicator of things to come,  Blind Luck, under Joel Rosario, needed every inch of the 8 1/2 furlongs to get by Havre de Grace on the wire. It was a terrific race, but few could have guessed what was still to come for the pair of fantastic fillies.

Next came the historic Alabama Stakes, six weeks later at Saratoga. This time their meeting would be stretched to ten furlongs, and once again, Blind Luck needed her patented strong finish to beat Havre de Grace. Round two again went to the champ, this time by a neck over the stubborn newcomer, ridden by Jeremy Rose.

They say a rivalry does not become a rivalry until both sides taste victory and defeat. So it was for Blind Luck and Havre de Grace. Heading into their third meeting, Blind Luck was a seven-time graded stakes winner, while the Fox Hill Farms filly had nary a single stakes win. The Cotillion would change all that.

In their third match-up, on October 2, 2010, the Cotillion, at what was still called Philadelphia Park back then, Havre de Grace finally got the best of Blind Luck. She had to hold off a furious late charge from her excellent competitor, in their third straight fantastic race together, to capture her very first stakes victory. In so doing, a great rivalry was finally official.

Both fantastic females would both go on to become champions. Blind Luck as the three-year-old filly of 2010, and Havre de Grace as the Horse of the Year in 2011, but before the rivalry would end, they would have three more memorable meetings.

Their final race together at three occurred on November 5, 2010 in the 9 furlong Breeders' Cup Distaff (then called the Ladies Classic) at Churchill Downs. It proved to be the only time in their rivalry, where they did not run first and second. In their only Breeders' Cup meeting, Blind Luck would rally by Havre de Grace in the stretch, but fell short of victory to the older Unrivaled Belle. Blind Luck and Havre de Grace finished second and third respectively to close out their sophomore seasons.

At four, the two wonderful young mares would pick up where they left off on  March 19, 2011 at Oaklawn Park in the 1 1/16-mile Azeri Stakes. Though they ran 1-2, for the fourth time in five races, this one proved to be the most lopsided victory within the rivalry. A stronger version of  Havre de Grace was unstoppable in Arkansas, and rolled to a 3 1/4-length victory. Blind Luck easily got up for second-place money, but was no match for the winner on this day. 

The two would go their separate ways for a few races. Each of them victorious in a pair of graded stakes races around the country. For the second time in their rivalry, ten furlongs would be the distance, this time at Delaware Park for the Delaware Handicap. Their final meeting was their best.

My job is done -- I will let the two great mares, ridden with passion by Garrett Gomez and Ramon Dominguez, show you the rest ...