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| Staff Writer |
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Fresh from a spectacular triumph in the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar, Straight No Chaser has established himself as America's premier dirt sprinter. Under John Velazquez's masterful guidance, the Dan Blacker trainee unleashed an explosive turn of foot to clinch victory by half a length over Bentornato in a blistering 1:08.62. After skillfully stalking swift early fractions of :21.89 and :44.12, he surged forward at the three-sixteenths pole to capture the US$2 million prize, putting 2½ lengths between himself and third-place finisher Mullikin in a time that nearly eclipsed Del Mar's half-century-old track record.
Now this son of Speightster, who has won six of his ten starts and earned US$1,416,300, is being prepared for an ambitious international campaign that could see him compete for over US$3.5 million in prize money in the Middle East. His targets include both the US$2 million Gr.2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint in February and potentially the US$2 million Gr.1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in April this year, races that could establish him as a global sprint star for the British-born conditioner who has methodically plotted this horse's rise to prominence.
Picked out at the Fasig-Tipton 2YO in training sale in Maryland by the MyRacehorse team for US$110,000, Straight No Chaser's path to the top has been anything but conventional. Nick Hines and Phil Hager picked him out at the sale, before the horse initially went to trainer Andrew Lerner. "They felt like the horse needed more time as a 2YO," Blacker explains. "They push them kind of hard at those 2YO sales to get ready, and he's a horse that's always improved as he's got older."
When Straight No Chaser came to Blacker at the end of his 2YO year, they started from scratch. "We started gearing him up towards his debut at the middle of his 3YO year," he recalls.
"He had a really impressive workout at the 2YO sales," Blacker explains. "I think you could argue he had a modest pedigree. We look for an excellent breeze with a good gallop out, and the horse doing it in hand as much as possible. He had a very good breeze and looked excellent. All credit to Speightster - he's had a lot of winners, but Straight No Chaser is certainly the best one.”
“He wasn't one of the absolute super fashionable sires at that time, so I think this horse was a little under the radar in terms of his pedigree. But he worked really well, and he's a very physically impressive horse." he asserts.
The decision to target major international races without a prep race reflects Blacker's deep understanding of his charge. "It's a combination of factors - these are his big goals, and there wasn't a real obvious race at home that made sense to point for in between. He's a horse that runs really well fresh and doesn't need a prep race. Arguably, he runs even better when he's coming off a freshening."
The patience shown in his early career has been rewarded with spectacular success. After not debuting until his 3YO season, he progressed through the ranks to become a multiple-stakes winner, culminating in consecutive victories in the Gr.2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship and the Gr.1 Breeders' Cup Sprint.
Following his Gr.1 Breeders' Cup triumph, the team took a calculated approach to his recovery. "We freshened him up a little bit after that race, didn't work him for about six weeks, and gave him some time before bringing him back," Blacker shares. "He responded well to the freshening. He's always been a high-energy horse, but he's done really well since the Breeders' Cup - hasn't missed a day and has done everything very strongly leading up to the next race in the Middle East."
Son of renowned equine sculptor and former jump jockey Philip Blacker, Dan's relationship with horses runs deep in his blood. "I don't know if there's a whole lot of parallels you can draw between being an artist and a horse trainer," he reflects. "My father was a very talented jockey, and he's a very talented sculptor now. It's unique - no one else has done that, and he's obviously very successful in both realms, which is very unusual."
The common thread is fundamental. "I think the parallel between the two is just the love of the horse. He was a jockey because he loved horses and racing and the competitive spirit involved. Moving to being an artist, what makes him so good at it is that he's a great horseman. He can assess every horse and capture their individual nuances because he loves horses, and I think that shows in his artwork," Blacker explains,
This passionate connection to horses shaped Blacker's own journey, first through the Darley Flying Start programme, and then that pivotal moment at Churchill Downs during Barbaro's Kentucky Derby triumph in 2006. "That's my beginning as well - I do this because I love horses. When you get a horse like Straight No Chaser coming into the barn, that's why I do it. It drives me and it's exciting. Getting to share that with all the owners, partners, and everyone else involved with the horses is also a big factor in what drives me."
"I learned to ride at an early age, and it's always been a big part of my life. I really owe everything to the Flying Start programme and Sheikh Mohammed for his vision to start that programme. I feel very fortunate to be a part of it, and to be here with a Gr.1 Breeders' Cup win under my belt is just a dream come true."
Starting with just three borrowed saddles from Gary Stevens at Hollywood Park, Blacker has built his operation to 30 horses through sheer determination. His advice to aspiring trainers reflects his journey: "Just stay humble and always keep your foot on the pedal. When you're training, there's a temptation when you win a few races to think, 'Man, this is it. We're going to rise to the top from here.' But the game is really fickle... Hustling when you're not having a good run is really hard, while pushing and keeping your foot on the gas when you're doing good is much easier."
Recent California wildfires tested Blacker's adaptability but failed to derail Straight No Chaser's Middle East campaign preparations. "It was a terrible time for Los Angeles," he shares. "Although we had to evacuate, our house was okay. Santa Anita was geographically close to the fires but never at a point of concern. Santa Anita has a fire marshal who works on the track, and he kept everyone updated."
The timing of the Middle East campaign has aligned perfectly. The expanded six-week gap between the Saudi and Dubai races has opened up tantalising possibilities.
"I think the three most prestigious dirt sprints in the world are the Gr.1 Breeders' Cup Sprint, the Gr.2 Riyadh Sprint, and the Gr.1 Golden Shaheen. When I realised the calendar this year had a six-week gap, I thought there was a good chance we could do both races. The six weeks between races will work in our favour and improve our chances of running a better race in Dubai."
The trainer's methodical approach extends to race planning. "We'll take each race as it comes. Right now, we're pointing to the Riyadh Sprint - that's our next goal. We'll see how he runs there, and hopefully, everything goes smoothly. If he runs well, we can get ambitious and point towards the Golden Shaheen," Blacker says optimistically.
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With over 800 micro-share owners through the MyRacehorse syndicate, Straight No Chaser's international campaign has generated unprecedented excitement.
Through the innovative MyRacehorse syndicate, started by Michael Behrens, Straight No Chaser has become a symbol of accessible racehorse ownership. "They purchase yearlings and 2YOs throughout the year and offer them as syndicated partnerships. Sometimes hundreds of owners buy in for US$100-US$200, depending on the cost of the horse," Blacker explains. "Using Straight No Chaser as an example, I think there are 800 owners involved in him, so every race is like a big party. It's really cool to be in a novel ownership group like that."
The unique ownership structure has proved to be a strength rather than a challenge.
"People often ask me if it's hard with so many owners, and actually, it's not," Blacker explains. "The team at MyRacehorse, like Joe Moran, are really easy to work with, and they're a big part of why the horse has been so successful recently. They were very patient with me and always allowed my team to do the right thing by the horse, giving him time to get ready. As the trainer, it's great not to have that pressure."
His meticulous approach to training this high-energy sprinter has been key to his success. "He's really fast, but he's not uncontrollable," Blacker explains. "It's always been about keeping his speed under control, doing enough to get him fit, but not too much that he burns himself out. There's a fine line in terms of fitness and doing too much. He's the kind of horse you've got to always keep an eye on."
When discussing the horse's physical makeup, Blacker provides a fascinating insight. "If you didn't know his pedigree and race record, you'd probably think he would be more of a miler type, going off the way he's conformed. He's very athletic in the way he looks, and he's got very good conformation. Looking at his race record, he's run well and run best when spacing the races out a little bit. I think horses that are a little leaner, like he is, tend to run better with a little more time between races. That's evident in the way we've approached his training and his campaign."
This understanding of his charge's unique physicality has shaped Blacker's entire approach. "He just doesn't look like your typical sprinter. I think of a dirt sprinter, especially, as being short-coupled, very strong, and having a lot of muscle. But he's kind of a little leaner and a little more scopey. He's just a very talented horse, and I'm really thankful to have him. I’m also thankful for the owners and I'm just really enjoying the ride."
As Straight No Chaser prepares for his international debut, Blacker remains focused on expanding his operation's reach. "I try to go to as many sales as possible - you don't pick up any clients sitting in your office," he says. "The main ones we focus on in the States are the yearling sales at Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton, and the 2YO sales in Ocala."
Working with bloodstock agents worldwide, including Craig Rounsefell of Boomer Bloodstock, Mike McMahon, Jamie Hill, and Connor Foley of Oracle Bloodstock, Blacker maintains a global perspective. "We try to have a presence at all the sales. I like to keep a finger on the pulse of things globally, and obviously Tattersalls back home in England - that's another one we would go to for the horses in training sale."
For now, though, all eyes are on Straight No Chaser's Middle East campaign. "He's proved himself as the best dirt sprinter in America, and I want him to do it on the world stage as well," Blacker states with quiet confidence. "Over the years, it has been hard mentally to stay positive. There are so many more downs than ups. But when you get a horse like Straight No Chaser coming into the barn, that's why I do it. It drives me and it's exciting. Getting to share that with all the owners and partners and everyone else involved with the horses is what makes it all worthwhile."
As February beckons, bringing with it the brilliant lights of the Saudi Cup meeting, this corner of American racing harbours not just a horse and his trainer, but a reminder of how patience and understanding can forge champions wherever their story begins.