Winner of the 2003 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) by Sackatoga Stables Funny Cide died from complications of abdominal pain at the age of 23.
Humorous Meow’s son has resided at the Hall of Champions in Kentucky Horse Park for the past 15 years. He will be cremated and buried there. Winner of $3,529,412 in 38 starts, gelding retired in 2007 with an 11-6-8 record for coach Barclay Tagg.
Jackson Knowlton, managing partner of Sackatoga Stables, will regularly visit Funny Cide and even hold meetings at the Hall of Champions, giving fans a first-hand account of Funny Cide’s memorable spring and summer. the feeling of the owner when experiencing those thrills.
Sackatoga Stables tweeted on July 16: “We are heartbroken by the passing of Funny Cide this morning. What an exciting ride the brave horse team took us to win the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. Staking”. he has a great retirement. To say we will miss him is an understatement.”
Knowlton told BloodHorse contributor Tim Wilkin, “He changed my life.”
Kentucky Horse Park will feel the loss. Last year, Hall of Champions manager Rob Willis said that when telling the story of Funny Cide’s classic victories, fans and those less familiar with racing will recall the school bus that the Sackatoga Stables partner has been to the Derby and other major races.
Willis said: “The Funny Cide is by far the most famous and beloved horse of the Horse Park. “A lot of people come here and I’m going to start telling the story of the school bus and 10 high school friends getting together (as its owner). There’s always someone in the crowd saying, ‘Oh, me. know that horse.’
“Once you get that and you start talking to them about racing, they want to go ahead and talk more about breeding and the Thoroughbred business in general. It’s really an interesting thing to do. watched and was pleased to see them leave.”
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Funny Cide this morning. What a ride The Gutsy Gelding took us to victory @KentuckyDerby & @PreaknessStakes. We are very grateful @KyHorsePark for giving our guy a great retirement. To say that we will miss him, is an overstatement.💔 pic.twitter.com/ZZHDuqDubY
– Sackatoga Stable LLC (@sackatogastable) July 16, 2023
Unbeatable at 2, the New York-bred Funny Cide won the first question at Belmont Park and followed by victories in Bertram F. Bongard Stakes and Sleepy Hollow Stakes.
The following year, he finished second in the Louisiana Derby (G2) and Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) before hitting his best form just in time. He’ll make the Kentucky Derby 1 3/4 longer than his favorite Derby Empire maker , who crossed the Half-length Funny Cide in the Wood Memorial. With the win, Funny Cide became the first jockey to win a Derby since Clyde Van Dusen in 1929. Funny Cide would then beat his Preakness Stakes rivals under regular and eventual riders. was Hall of Famer Jose Santos, taking the lead with a score of 9 3/4 length.
Funny Cide wins Preakness Stakes in 2003 as Jose Santos celebrates
“Funny Cide, you mean so much to not only my family but the racing community as a whole,” Santos tweeted on Sunday. “You will be best remembered for your bravery, determination, will to win and become the champion that no one could have imagined.
“With me, you’ll be remembered for the moments you spent with our family. You’re a family member to me. I feel so comfortable knowing if I’m having a bad day, I am. could get in a car and drive an hour to get to you It hurts to know I’ve lost it, but I’ll never lose the memories you gave me and the love that I have for you. Fly high. You mean more to me than I can put into words. I love you Funny.”
He will fail in pursuit of the Triple Crown, finishing third later Empire maker in Belmont Shares (G1). Funny Cide ended its 3-year campaign with third place in the Haskell Invitational Handicap (G1) and an out-of-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita . Park.
After the victory in the Derby, Tagg’s assistant Robin Smullen, the Funny Cide regular gymnast, recounted that Tagg knew he had a talented horse.
“Barclay was in New York and he told me from the start that this horse was special,” says Smullen. “He made things very easy, and he would gallop through everything on the track. But he became difficult to gallop. I was in Delaware (Park) and Barclay had some riders. freedom weighs 90 pounds. He ran away one day in Saratoga and his shin splintered. Since then, no one has approached him in the morning but me.
“We helped him straighten out and he was ready to swing.”
At age 4, he finished third in Donn Handicap (G1) and New Orleans Handicap (G2) before winning the Excelsior Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G3) in April at aqueduct. During the summer, he placed second in the Massachusetts Handicap (G2), Saratoga Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G2) and second in the Suburban Handicap (G1). He then clinched another top-level victory with a Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) victory at Belmont Park. He ended the year with a brilliant finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Lonely Star Park.
Race to age 7, combine Funny Cide for three more bet wins, 2006 Kings Point Handicap at Aqueduct and Dominion Day Stakes (G3) at Honeysuckleand then in his final year on the field in 2007, he went on to win the Wadsworth Memorial Handicap, winning by three innings.
2003@KentuckyDerbyAnd@PreaknessStakesThe Funny Cide winner passed away early Sunday morning from complications from abdominal pain at@KyHorsePark, where he has lived for the past 15 years. Funny Cide 23. “He Changed My Life,” Jack Knowlton’s@sackatogastablespeak. pic.twitter.com/6FPdpxUAF0
– Tim Wilkin (@tjwilkin) July 16, 2023
WinStar Farm bred Funny Cide from Slewacide Belle’s Good Cide mare. As an aspirant, he was purchased by Tony Everard for $22,000 during the 2001 Fasig-Tipton New York Preferred Yearling Sale. Everard provided initial training on Funny Cide and later sold him for the price. $75,000 to Tagg on behalf of Sackatoga.
Funny Cide was a three-time New York champion at the age of 2, 3 and as an older horse. He was the Horse of the Year in New York from 2002-2004.
Funny Cide with Wes Lanter in 2013 at Kentucky Horse Park’s Championship Hall near Lexington
