Genuine Risk dead at 31

GENUINE RISK [Exclusive Native x Virtuous (Gallant Man)], the oldest living Kentucky Derby winner, died peacefully this morning in her paddock at Newstead Farm in Upperville, Virginia. She was 31 years old.

Purchased for $32,000 at the 1978 Fasig-Tipton Yearling Sale in Kentucky, and conditioned by future Hall of Famer Leroy Jolley, Genuine Risk went an undefeated 4-for-4 her juvenile year under future Hall of Fame jockey Jacinto Vasquez, who would guide the chestnut filly through 12 of her 15 career starts for owners Bert and Diana Firestone.

After a pair of overnight victories at the start of her three-year-old season, she first faced the boys in the 1980 Wood Memorial, where she ran 3rd to sprint champion Plugged Nickle. The effort was enough however to get her connections talking about the Kentucky Derby; and on that first Saturday in May, at the dismissive odds of 13-1, she became the second filly in history (the first since Regret in 1915) to capture the coveted Run for the Roses.

She next moved to Pimlico for the GI Preakness Stakes, which has since gone down as one of the more controversial runnings of the event in recorded history. Though the stewards declared no foul, Angel Cordero Jr., aboard Codex, floated the filly 6+ wide into the stretch. Unable to make up the ground, she finished 2nd by 4 1/2 lengths.

A rematch of the pair would be settled soundly in the Belmont Stakes, where Genuine Risk took control into the lane with no sign of Codex in sight. However, it would be 53-1 long shot Temperence Hill to win over the slop that day. Still, in finishing second, Genuine Risk became and remains the only filly in history to place in all three legs of the North American Triple Crown. She completed her 3yo season with a nose victory over Misty Galore in the Ruffian, securing an Eclipse Award for Top Three-year-old Filly. She retired at 4 with a record 10-3-2 from 15 starts and earnings of $646,587. She was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1986.

As grand as her trackside exploits were, they were never reproduced in her offspring as, for most of her post-race career, the mare was plagued with fertility issues. Suffering numerous miscarriages-- including one to Triple Crown winner Secretariat-- it wasn't until 1993 that she carried to term a son of Rahy named Genuine Reward. Photos of the pair galloping together at Three Chimneys became iconic, and new hope bloomed that the troubles were over. However a second colt (Count Our Blessing by Chief Honcho, later gelded) in 1996 would bring an end to her broodmare days. Neither colt raced, although Genuine Reward is currently siring polo ponies in Big Horn, Wyoming. Genuine Risk was pensioned in 2000.

With her passing, the title of Oldest Living Derby Winner moves to Alysheba (1987). The 24-year-old son of Alydar is standing stud in Saudi Arabia. As for Oldest Living Triple Crown Race Winning Filly, the successor is of course Rags To Riches (2007 Belmont), who is currently at Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky. She is in foal to Giant's Causeway for 2009.