This is a story I hope you’ll appreciate.
Botulism nearly ended his life before it had really begun. His sire no longer held any commercial appeal and though his dam had produced a stakes winner he was small and the feeling was that perhaps he should be put down but his owners took the high road and paid for his treatment and recovery.
Just before the New Year colic struck him and the vet was called to put him down but he arrived late and the colt had improved just enough that his owner decided to wait. And again he survived.
The colt was put into a sale and he received no bids so his owners decided to race him. He was gelded and sent to South Carolina to be broken and trained.
He was sent to the Finger Lakes to race and his workouts showed promise. He won an open MdnSpWt by 15 lengths and eleven days later followed that with a victory in the open Finger Lakes Juvenile Stakes ($50,000).
He returned to the races this year on May 11th in an open Allowance race winning by 4 lengths and then won against state-bred Allowance company on May 30th by 8 lengths.
Today (Sunday, June 22nd 2008) he won the $109,700 Mike Lee Stakes at Belmont by 1-1/2 lengths.
TIN CUP CHALICE (b.g. 2005) by Crusader Sword - Twice Forbidden by Spectacular Bid.
Bred and trained by Mike Lecesse and co-owned by Mike Lecesse and our own member, El Camino, Tin Cup Chalice is now undefeated in 5 starts with earnings of nearly $130,000.
His younger 1/2 brother by E Dubai sold for $135,000 at Saratoga as a yearling and topped the FT Midlantic 2yo in training sale in May at $230,000. His dam is in foal to Forest Wildcat.
http://www.bloodhorse.com/article/45316 ... c-sale.htm
The story of the Mike Lee Stakes from the NYRA site:
http://www.nyra.com/belmont/stories/MikeLee.shtml
Links to Tin Cups’ races:
http://www.calracing.com/replays.php
Mike Lee Stakes. Got hit hard at the break and still made the lead easily.
His previous Finger Lakes races can be viewed at the Finger lakes site:
http://www.uptilt.com/content/16298/Fin ... chive.html
4th start - select May 30th, 5th race.
3rd start - select May 11th, 1st race. This is an extraordinary race. From (about) 5:00 onwards you can see the head-on replay you can see how much trouble he was in. It was only 5f.
2nd start - select November 3rd, 8th race
1st race - select October 23rd, 6th race
Congratulations to El Camino and Tin Cup Chalices’ connections. Best of luck in the New York Derby.
Pete
TIN CUP CHALICE
Moderators: Roguelet, hpkingjr, WaveMaster
TIN CUP CHALICE
Has a palomino jean that pop up some.
This stallion is DNA ... all foal can be MBNA inrolled.
Horses like their credit cards. - Four Forty Farms
This stallion is DNA ... all foal can be MBNA inrolled.
Horses like their credit cards. - Four Forty Farms
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bayrabicano
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Turn-To Fan
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Pete - Thanks for posting "the story". I happened to watch this race yesterday and was very impressed by Tin Cup Chalice - he's one heck of a fighter for sure! One of the most exciting finishes of the day - showed himself to be a very tough and gritty young racehorse.
El Camino - You're faith stands rewarded - congratulations!
El Camino - You're faith stands rewarded - congratulations!
Hi Folks,
It's an inspiring and true story although El Camino is the best person to tell it since he lived it. Glad you all enjoyed it and I'll be following his career with great interest.
Tin Cup Chalices' Juvenile Stakes win was against some stakes horses from the bigger NYRA tracks and his 3rd start (first this year) was a freakish performance yet the DRF pickers seemed to doubt that he could beat Belmont NY-bred stakes horses.
He picked up the nickname, "Little Brown".
Regards,
Pete
It's an inspiring and true story although El Camino is the best person to tell it since he lived it. Glad you all enjoyed it and I'll be following his career with great interest.
Tin Cup Chalices' Juvenile Stakes win was against some stakes horses from the bigger NYRA tracks and his 3rd start (first this year) was a freakish performance yet the DRF pickers seemed to doubt that he could beat Belmont NY-bred stakes horses.
He picked up the nickname, "Little Brown".
Regards,
Pete
Has a palomino jean that pop up some.
This stallion is DNA ... all foal can be MBNA inrolled.
Horses like their credit cards. - Four Forty Farms
This stallion is DNA ... all foal can be MBNA inrolled.
Horses like their credit cards. - Four Forty Farms
Yes it is true, the only "other" interesting fact on Tin Cup is that he has "horns". Prominent to the touch, just like a white tail "button buck."
Pete has played a prominent role in this story. He has advised me every step of the way, planning the breedings for the mare the last few years, including the session topping E Dubai as well as selecting the S.C. training center for Tin Cup and race strategy for the last stakes. Pete has been not only a trusted bloodstock advisor and agent but I consider him a close friend. Thanks Pete!
Pete has played a prominent role in this story. He has advised me every step of the way, planning the breedings for the mare the last few years, including the session topping E Dubai as well as selecting the S.C. training center for Tin Cup and race strategy for the last stakes. Pete has been not only a trusted bloodstock advisor and agent but I consider him a close friend. Thanks Pete!
Great story, and I notice TCC is from the family of another crowd-pleaser from humble origins, Silky Sullivan. Unless y'all have any objections, I think TCC would make a great subject for an upcoming Mahubah's Corner column in Blood-Horse Now -- looks like the timing would be about right to get him in just before the NY Derby. What say you, Pete & El Camino?
"A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher...You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse." C. S. Lewis
Hi Mahubah,
El Camino is giving me credit I don't dseserve. It's true that I'm the only one smart enough to have bid on Tin Cup Chalice - but I wasn't smart enough to buy him.
That would be great in my mind but El Camino is the guy to ask (and he's already responded!).
Regards,
Pete
El Camino is giving me credit I don't dseserve. It's true that I'm the only one smart enough to have bid on Tin Cup Chalice - but I wasn't smart enough to buy him.
That would be great in my mind but El Camino is the guy to ask (and he's already responded!).
Regards,
Pete
Has a palomino jean that pop up some.
This stallion is DNA ... all foal can be MBNA inrolled.
Horses like their credit cards. - Four Forty Farms
This stallion is DNA ... all foal can be MBNA inrolled.
Horses like their credit cards. - Four Forty Farms
Hi Mahubah,
As I remember it was the NY Breeder's Sale in 2006.
El Camino asked me to 'start' Tin Cup Chalice with a $1,000 bid and I all I really remember was making certain that I didn't get stuck with the horse.
El Camino feels that he was a poor looking horse but reasonably correct. I remember him being small and uninspring and as a son of Crusader Sword that translates to no bids.
After watching the under-tack video of his younger brother by E Dubai that topped the Midlantic 2yo sale in May I was struck by how similar their stride is and the fact that they keep their action when you might expect them to tire. The E Dubai is a late May foal.
Regards,
Pete
As I remember it was the NY Breeder's Sale in 2006.
El Camino asked me to 'start' Tin Cup Chalice with a $1,000 bid and I all I really remember was making certain that I didn't get stuck with the horse.
El Camino feels that he was a poor looking horse but reasonably correct. I remember him being small and uninspring and as a son of Crusader Sword that translates to no bids.
After watching the under-tack video of his younger brother by E Dubai that topped the Midlantic 2yo sale in May I was struck by how similar their stride is and the fact that they keep their action when you might expect them to tire. The E Dubai is a late May foal.
Regards,
Pete
Has a palomino jean that pop up some.
This stallion is DNA ... all foal can be MBNA inrolled.
Horses like their credit cards. - Four Forty Farms
This stallion is DNA ... all foal can be MBNA inrolled.
Horses like their credit cards. - Four Forty Farms