Flashback: Proud Spell upends Indian Blessing at Fair Grounds

A dozen years ago, future champion Proud Spell was on the rise, but she struggled to top a pesky rival.

A daughter of Proud Citizen out of the Langfuhr mare Pacific Spell, Proud Spell was a Brereton C. Jones homebred conditioned by Larry Jones. She wasn’t supposed to be an early-maturing sort — not with her late-season birth date of May 13, 2005 — but Proud Spell nevertheless demonstrated surprising precocity as a juvenile. She was an impressive winner of her first three starts, most notably claiming Belmont Park’s Matron Stakes (G2) by 4 1/4 lengths.

But then Proud Spell started knocking heads with Indian Blessing, and the dynamic quickly changed.

Speed and brilliance defined Indian Blessing, an exciting daughter of Indian Charlie conditioned by Bob Baffert. A powerful maiden winner at Saratoga, Indian Blessing won Belmont’s 2007 Frizette Stakes (G1) with extraordinary ease before facing Proud Spell in the Oct. 27 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Over a sloppy track at Monmouth Park, with division supremacy on the line, Indian Blessing sprinted to the front and never looked back, winning by 3 1/2 lengths.

But lost in the dazzle of Indian Blessing’s dominant romp was Proud Spell’s gallant runner-up effort. From a pace-tracking position in third place, Proud Spell never gave up. While she couldn’t match Indian Blessing’s explosive move coming off the turn — which gave the winner a six-length advantage at the eighth pole — Proud Spell did narrow the gap in the final furlong, reclaiming 2 1/2 lengths through sheer determination.

Three months later, Indian Blessing and Proud Spell met again in the Feb. 9 Silverbulletday Stakes at Fair Grounds. Once again, Indian Blessing emerged victorious. Having battled to a gritty victory in the Jan. 13 Santa Ynez Stakes (G2), sprinting seven furlongs at Santa Anita, Indian Blessing had an edge in fitness over Proud Spell, who was running for the first time since the Breeders’ Cup.

But while Indian Blessing prevailed as expected, Proud Spell again made a strong impression down the lane. Indian Blessing’s speed carried her to a four-length lead passing the eighth pole, but Proud Spell — rallying fast from mid-pack — cut that margin down to a single length at the finish line. She was trying hard, refusing to give up, and her resilience soon would be rewarded.

The two fillies met for the third and final time in the Mar. 8 Fair Grounds Oaks, a race that was seemingly Indian Blessing’s to lose. Just four horses turned out to contest the 1 1/16-mile event, giving the front-running Indian Blessing a significant tactical speed.

But trainer Larry Jones and jockey Gabiel Saez had a plan. They knew Proud Spell would be fitter than she was for the Silverbulletday. Rather than allow Indian Blessing to secure an uncontested lead, they decided to keep pressure on the favorite, allowing Proud Spell to settle just off the pace through the early going.

It was an ambitious strategy, and for a time, it seemed unlikely to make a difference. Indian Blessing sprinted to the front as usual, leading by a length through fractions of :24.53, :48.17, and 1:12.80 — quite modest by her own lofty standards.

But rounding the far turn, Indian Blessing failed to kick away with her usual authority. Proud Spell matched her move, sticking with her every step of the way. Their overmatched rivals plummeted farther and farther behind as the Fair Grounds Oaks turned into a match race between the two favorites, neither giving an inch around the turn and into the stretch.

Someone had to crack, and to the shock of bettors, it was Indian Blessing. The relentless pursuit of Proud Spell had taken its toll, and in the final furlong, Indian Blessing’s strides wavered. The undefeated Breeders’ Cup winner began to weaken as Proud Spell battled past, slowly at first and then faster, pulling clear in the final sixteenth of a mile in to score by 2 1/4 hard-fought lengths.

The tide had turned, maturity had made a meaningful difference, and perseverance had paid off.

“Nobody else was there to do the dirty work, so we knew we couldn’t cut [Indian Blessing] any slack and give her an easy lead,” Larry Jones told The Blood-Horse magazine. “My rider has a very good sense of pace. He figured he was close enough, and he turned out to be right.”

As it turned out, the Fair Grounds Oaks was more than just a thrilling battle between two classy fillies. It was an early-season showdown between a pair of champions. Following her upset victory at Fair Grounds, Proud Spell went on to claim victories in the Kentucky Oaks, Alabama Stakes (G1) and Delaware Oaks (G2), in the process becoming the champion 3-year-old filly of 2008.

As for Indian Blessing, she cut back in distance and thrived using her speed to sprint. By the end of 2008, she had rattled off triumphs in the Prioress Stakes (G1), Test Stakes (G1), La Brea Stakes (G1) and Gallant Bloom Handicap (G2), plus a runner-up effort in Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. Suffice it to say, Indian Blessing was an easy choice for champion female sprinter at the Eclipse Awards.

It’s not every day one gets to witness two champions square off. Though no one knew it at the time, racing fans were treated to a special show in the 2008 Fair Grounds Oaks. Thanks to Proud Spell and Indian Blessing, it was a race they won’t soon forget.

J. Keeler Johnson is a writer, videographer, handicapper, and all-around horse racing enthusiast. A great fan of racing history, he considers Dr. Fager to be the greatest racehorse ever produced in America, but counts Zenyatta as his all-time favorite. You can follow him on Twitter at @J_Keelerman.