The first time I ever layed eyes on Strut the Stage was in the saddling barn at Woodbine. It was only a few minutes before the horses were being called to post for the 2001 Charlie Barley Stakes. For this visit to Toronto's race track, I had brought along my 8 year old niece. Since our entire family has been envolved with horses, it was obvious she liked to be close up to these race horses. I was showing her the diferent equiptment the horses wore when I noticed a gleaming chestnut colt. He was small, but he was the most beautiful chestnut I had ever seen; please take note I am not very fond of chestnuts. I had not yet looked at the racing form to identify this horse, but there was just something so intelligent in this horses eyes, and a confidence in him. I turned to my neice and said, "That is the winner of the race."
It was not until my niece and I had returned to our seats in the grandstand that I found out that this horse was Strut the Stage, by the top turf sire Theatrical. He was also owned by Canada's premiere racing stable Sam-Son Farms. I instantly fell in love with this horse. He won easily that day, and a few weeks later, he won the Toronto Cup (G3).
In late August, it was time for the Arlington Million. To my surprise, Sam-Son had entered Strut the Stage in the Secretariat Stakes (G1), one of the premiere turf races for 3-year-old horses. He was entered against some of the best horses from the States and Europe. At first I thought he was a bit over his head, but he had been progressing nicely, and this race was the step up he needed. In the stretch, he grabbed the lead, but at the wire, it was late closing Startac that caught him by a neck. Strut the Stage had performed great in defeat, and the world had had it's first taste of Strut.
In 2001, the field for the Canadian International (G1), was tough. I travelled to Toronto once again to see Strut the Stage run. When I watched him in the paddock with the rest of the field, he was so much smaller and his coat did not gleam as brightly as it had when I first saw him. With the world class field, and opening up two more furlongs to a mile and a half, I knew he was certainly in deep here. Strut the Stage just couldn't compete at this level so soon. He finished sixth out of the twelve horse field, but because of inquiries on all three of the top finishers, eventually Strut the Stage was placed fourth. This would be the end of Strut's 2001 year. He was sent to Fair Grounds witht the rest of Sam-Son's winter string where he was on light training.
He was supposed to make his 2002 debut in an allowance race at the Fair Grounds, but the race did not fill, and his trainer, Mark Frostad could not find a race until April at Keeneland. Going off as the favourite, Stut the Stage easily beat his ten rivals by more than a length. On May 18th, Preakness Stakes day at Pimlico, Strut the Stage was entered in the Dixie Handicap (G2). He lead through out until Del Mar Show came to contest him in the stretch, but Strut the Stage found another gear and drew off to win the Dixie by two and a half lengths. In that race he also earned his highest speed figure of 104. Three weeks later, after being shipped back to Woodbine for training and then to Belmont Park, Sturt the Stage ran in the Manhattan Handicap (G1), the richest under card race on the Belmont Stakes card. This was a big step forward for Strut, and although he didnt win, he hung on for third against newest turf star Beat Hollow and hard knocker Forbidden Apple.
Strut the Stage is back at Woodbine now, taking it easy. It is unclear where Frostad will run Strut next, perhaps once more at Woodbine or in New York, but there is a very good chance that Strut will be entered in this year's Arlington Million in August. Good luck baby. |
