PrintTrainer Sanna Hendriks was worried; McDynamo still didn't look right.
He was coming off a disappointing start to the 2006 spring season, plagued by a pull-up at Keeneland (Ky.), a fever at Iroquois (Tenn.) and a bad abscess. Although Far Hills (N.J.) had always been the gelding's favorite venue, Hendriks knew he faced more obstacles than usual at this year's $250,000 Breeders' Cup Steeplechase.
The big, bay Thoroughbred had come to the meet with a reputation to uphold--he'd already won an unprecedented three Breeders' Cups at Far Hills in 2003, '04 and '05. But with an off start to 2006 and tough competition that October day, Hendriks wasn't sure if the horse could do it again.
She didn't believe her star hurdler was indicating he was ready to retire--after all, he'd easily won at the Meadowlands (N.J.), a warm-up race a few weeks earlier, with a 10-pound handicap, but at 10 years old and with seven years of racing behind him, she couldn't rule that thought out completely.
If the story ended there, McDynamo still would have had an admirable record. He had already reached--and sustained--a pinnacle few horses in the steeplechase world will ever ascend: three consecutive Breeders' Cup titles, $1.1 million in prize money, two National Steeplechase Association Horse of the Year awards, two Eclipse Awards and perhaps most telling, the adoration of lay people who know little about the sport, but who have come to recognize the 16.3-hand reddish bay by sight, or by name.
What makes this horse's story unique is not one great season, but several; not one person touched by his success, but many.
Back at Far Hills, Hendriks watched the horse walk quietly around the paddock. About the only time the typically calm animal got keyed up was before a race, but now McDynamo was eyeing the puddles of standing water around him with reservation, as if to say, "You want me to run in this?"
Jody Petty noticed too. The 5 1/2 foot, 35-year-old jockey who earned the ride on McDynamo halfway through 2005 wondered why the horse was just walking around the enclosure, instead of marching as he had done a few weeks ago at the Meadowlands. In the tack a few moments later, however, Petty felt the horse perk up. It was show time.
At the start, Mauritania took an early lead, and Petty sat McDynamo just behind the leader. He still marveled at how easily he could adjust the veteran. McDynamo took the hurdles along the 2 5/8-mile course with ease, and by the time he reached the three fences around the last turn, Petty cruised him around a flagging Mauritania. Then Petty felt McDynamo open up on his own. He encouraged him, then realized he couldn't hear the hurdlers behind them anymore.
"I came up to the last hill and turned around to look; there was nobody there!" Petty said. "I had to break my neck again to look behind me. In soft going, especially, you should never relax to the last fence, but he took that last hurdle like it was nothing. We were even a tiny bit long. I continuously patted him on the neck from the last fence to the finish line, and I took a lot of grief because I was smiling so much."
By the time Petty and McDynamo "walked" across the finish line, they were 22 lengths ahead of the second-placed finisher. Hendriks watched the horse charge up to her after the race, ears pricked, head held high. For 2006, McDynamo was back.
The Early Years
He was coming off a disappointing start to the 2006 spring season, plagued by a pull-up at Keeneland (Ky.), a fever at Iroquois (Tenn.) and a bad abscess. Although Far Hills (N.J.) had always been the gelding's favorite venue, Hendriks knew he faced more obstacles than usual at this year's $250,000 Breeders' Cup Steeplechase.
The big, bay Thoroughbred had come to the meet with a reputation to uphold--he'd already won an unprecedented three Breeders' Cups at Far Hills in 2003, '04 and '05. But with an off start to 2006 and tough competition that October day, Hendriks wasn't sure if the horse could do it again.
She didn't believe her star hurdler was indicating he was ready to retire--after all, he'd easily won at the Meadowlands (N.J.), a warm-up race a few weeks earlier, with a 10-pound handicap, but at 10 years old and with seven years of racing behind him, she couldn't rule that thought out completely.
If the story ended there, McDynamo still would have had an admirable record. He had already reached--and sustained--a pinnacle few horses in the steeplechase world will ever ascend: three consecutive Breeders' Cup titles, $1.1 million in prize money, two National Steeplechase Association Horse of the Year awards, two Eclipse Awards and perhaps most telling, the adoration of lay people who know little about the sport, but who have come to recognize the 16.3-hand reddish bay by sight, or by name.
What makes this horse's story unique is not one great season, but several; not one person touched by his success, but many.
Back at Far Hills, Hendriks watched the horse walk quietly around the paddock. About the only time the typically calm animal got keyed up was before a race, but now McDynamo was eyeing the puddles of standing water around him with reservation, as if to say, "You want me to run in this?"
Jody Petty noticed too. The 5 1/2 foot, 35-year-old jockey who earned the ride on McDynamo halfway through 2005 wondered why the horse was just walking around the enclosure, instead of marching as he had done a few weeks ago at the Meadowlands. In the tack a few moments later, however, Petty felt the horse perk up. It was show time.
At the start, Mauritania took an early lead, and Petty sat McDynamo just behind the leader. He still marveled at how easily he could adjust the veteran. McDynamo took the hurdles along the 2 5/8-mile course with ease, and by the time he reached the three fences around the last turn, Petty cruised him around a flagging Mauritania. Then Petty felt McDynamo open up on his own. He encouraged him, then realized he couldn't hear the hurdlers behind them anymore.
"I came up to the last hill and turned around to look; there was nobody there!" Petty said. "I had to break my neck again to look behind me. In soft going, especially, you should never relax to the last fence, but he took that last hurdle like it was nothing. We were even a tiny bit long. I continuously patted him on the neck from the last fence to the finish line, and I took a lot of grief because I was smiling so much."
By the time Petty and McDynamo "walked" across the finish line, they were 22 lengths ahead of the second-placed finisher. Hendriks watched the horse charge up to her after the race, ears pricked, head held high. For 2006, McDynamo was back.
The Early Years
