Nafzger Recalls Unbridled's Emotional Derby

A quarter of a century later, the heartwarming nationally televised exchange between trainer Carl Nafzger and owner Mrs. Frances Genter as Unbridled stormed through the stretch to capture the 1990 Kentucky Derby (G1) remains the most uplifting and joyful celebration in recent Triple Crown history.

The general public would have been denied the opportunity to listen in on Nafzger’s stride-by-stride commentary for Unbridled’s frail 92-year-old owner that first Saturday in May if it weren’t for the Hall of Fame trainer’s confidence in the 1990 Florida Derby (G1) winner.

“I remember after the Florida Derby, we were in Gulfstream’s Director’s Room and I told Mrs. Genter she was going to the Derby, and she said, ‘No, I’m going to watch it from home.’ I said, ‘No, you’re not. You’re going to be there,’” Nafzger recalled recently. “Going into the Florida Derby, I knew I had the horse. We just had to take care of him and do everything right. We knew we didn’t hit rock bottom with the horse. He was getting better, stronger.”

Unbridled put it all together at Gulfstream Park in the Florida Derby on March 17, 1990. The son of Fappiano had begun his winter campaign with a victory in the What A Pleasure Stakes before finishing fifth in the Tropical Park Derby (G3) at Calder. He prepped for the Florida Derby with a third-place finish in the Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

“Herb McCauley (aboard Roanoke) wouldn’t let him out. Pat Day was trying to get out. If you watched the replay, Herb pulls his horse in and wouldn’t let him out. As soon as he got running, he was right there,” Nafzger said. “The last 20 yards, he probably made up two lengths on them.”

Following the troubled trip, Nafzger told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel: “I’m thinking of one Derby, the Florida Derby,” he said confidently.

Unbridled rewarded his trainer’s confidence with a thoroughly convincing performance in which he stalked the pace before taking the lead in mid-stretch and drawing off to a four-length victory under Day.

“I was confident,” Nafzger recalled. “All we needed was to get a lane to run, because he was a closer.”

Following his strong Florida Derby score, Unbridled disappointed everyone but his trainer with a third-place finish in the Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland three weeks before the Kentucky Derby.

“Everybody said, ‘He’s over the hill.’ Laz Barrera said, 'I’m not worried about Unbridled. He’s over the hill. He’s raced too much,’” said Nafzger, recounting the comments made by the trainer of 1990 Santa Anita Derby winner Mr. Frisky. “But Unbridled was a horse that needed all those races to tune up.”

Unbridled certainly was in peak form on May 5, 1990, when he dominated 14 rivals (including favored eighth-place finisher Mr. Frisky) to score by 3 ½ lengths, leading the way to the televising of the emotional celebration between Nafzger and Mrs. Genter.

“Someone asked me something about winning the Derby. I said, “Let’s put it this way: if I ever win one Kentucky Derby, I want it to be this one because of Mrs. Genter. That was three or four days before the race,” said Nafzger, who went on to win a second Kentucky Derby with Street Sense in 2007. “She was such a lady. She was such a lady, you would not believe.”

Unbridled went on to finish second in the Preakness and fourth in the Belmont before winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) to clinch the 1990 Eclipse Award championship for 3-year-old colts.