A month after he passed away, the life and times of Funny Cide will be celebrated at Siro’s Restaurant, just outside the gates of Saratoga Race Course.
Jack Knowlton, the managing partner of Sackatoga Stable, which owned the 2003 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness (G1) winner, announced that Funny Cide’s memory will be honored Aug. 16 at Siro’s, starting at 6 p.m. ET
“This is something that we feel that we owe him and owe his fans,” Knowlton said Aug. 2. “There was a huge celebration in Saratoga after he won the Derby at Siro’s. The whole town was behind him. Let’s bring it full circle. We are trying to bring together a lot of people that were involved in his life and success.”
Knowlton, trainer Barclay Tagg, assistant trainer Robin Smullen and jockey Jose Santos will be in attendance and will take part in a panel discussion moderated by retired race caller Tom Durkin, who called Funny Cide’s Derby and Preakness.
The event is open to the public. Premium tickets for $100 include admission, food, non-reserved seating at Siro’s and a commemorative T-shirt. General admission tickets for $35 include admission and food. There will also be a cash bar. Tickets can be purchased online at eventbrite.com.
All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, where Funny Cide spent the final 15 years of his life. The proceeds will assist the Horse Park in funding a statue of Funny Cide at the Hall of Champions.
Knowlon said representatives from the Finger Lakes Race Track, where Funny Cide ran his last race—a win July 4, 2007—will be in attendance as will people from Kentucky Horse Park. Joe and Anne McMahon of McMahon Thoroughbreds of Saratoga, where Funny Cide was born, will also be there.
“The Funny Cide Send-Off” will feature music by the Funny Cide band, Blue Hand Luke.
The New York-bred gelding, a son of Distorted Humor , won more than $3.5 million during his racing career and was the first New York-bred to win the Derby.
