Word: backstretcher
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...held him off the lead through the first mile of the race, rating him gently behind the leaders, well outside of traffic. Meanwhile, Spectacular Bid's jockey, Ron Franklin, pushed his colt to the front as the horses moved out of the clubhouse turn and into the long backstretch. Franklin had made an early move in the Preakness, and Spectacular Bid had saved enough to finish in front, but the short Preakness distance of 1 1/16 miles is made for front runners...
...Pimlico Race Course. It was a dazzling performance by the big gray son of Bold Bidder, the heaviest favorite for the Preakness since Man o' War went to the post in 1920. Carried wide by the field through the clubhouse turn, Spectacular Bid exploded on the backstretch, striding effortlessly past the early leaders to take command of the race. Though Jockey Ronnie Franklin eased him to the wire, Spectacular Bid finished the 1 3/16-mile Preakness circuit just 1⅓ sec. off the track record...
...seemed on Derby day. Franklin broke the colt cleanly from the gate, then held him under firm control through the clubhouse turn. In the backstretch, he took Spectacular Bid to the outside, avoiding the tight traffic near the rail. When Flying Paster moved up inside on the far turn, Franklin held his ground. Spectacular Bid looked Flying Paster right in the eye and then went to work. As they swung into the home stretch, Franklin and Spectacular Bid were free and clear. "I talked to him and tweaked him," said Franklin later, "and he moved right up. I said...
...second turn, with slightly less than a mile to run, Jockey Jorge Velasquez moved Alydar up on the outside and parked his big, handsome colt on Affirmed's right shoulder. Down the long backstretch the two colts ran stride for stride, coats glistening in the big move to the finish. The field was already left far behind. Affirmed and Alydar flew out of the final turn and into the home stretch, driving for the wire, joined in desperate struggle. With 3/16 of a mile to go, Alydar pushed in front by a nose, but Affirmed, running now on heart...
...time Cannonade won in 1974, Steve had been working to learn the jockey's trade for two years. He watched the race with a wise young eye, studying how the riders broke from the gate, maneuvered for position in the backstretch and then opened up for the run to the wire. At 14, he vowed to win the Derby himself some day. Some day came very soon: five days after his 18th birthday, just two years and one week after he had received his jockey's license...