Favorite Trick (USA)
April 20, 1995 – June 6, 2006
Phone Trick (USA) x Evil Elaine (USA), by Medieval Man (USA)
Family 9-e
April 20, 1995 – June 6, 2006
Phone Trick (USA) x Evil Elaine (USA), by Medieval Man (USA)
Family 9-e
Favorite Trick was not bred to be anything but a sprinter, but he was a beautifully coordinated specimen gifted with the superb athleticism and efficiency of gait to carry his speed substantially further than his bloodlines warranted. Undefeated as a juvenile, he was the first 2-year-old to gain American Horse of the Year honors since Secretariat in 1972. At 3, he was unable to stretch out far enough to be a contender in the Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) but was a courageous competitor at up to 9 furlongs. He was not a notable success at stud before his death in a 2006 barn fire.
Race record
16 starts, 12 wins, 0 seconds, 1 third, US$1,726,793
1997:
1998:
Honors
Assessments
Highweighted at 128 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile males of 1997, 5 pounds above second-rated Grand Slam.
As an individual
A smoothly made, well-balanced dark bay or brown horse standing 16 hands, Favorite Trick had an extremely efficient, fluid gait and plenty of natural speed. He did his best racing on or just behind the lead. He handled fast going, slop, and turf with equal ease. He was professional and sensible as a racehorse.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Favorite Trick sired 276 winners (53.4%) and 20 stakes winners (3.9%) from 516 named foals. His best runners were Grade 3 winners Datrick and Trick’s Pic. Favorite Trick was also used as a sire of Quarter Horses.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky at Wintergreen Farm, Favorite Trick was bred by Max and Sylvia Wood. Sold for US$35,000 at the 1996 Keeneland September sale and then resold for US$100,000 at the 1997 Ocala Breeders’ Sales February sale of 2-year-olds in training, he was owned by Joseph LaCombe. Favorite Trick was trained by Patrick Byrne at two and by Bill Mott at three after Byrne became the trainer for Frank Stronach’s Stronach Stable. The colt was ridden by Pat Day throughout his racing career.
Favorite Trick entered stud at Walmac International near Lexington, KY, in 1999, and shuttled to Collingrove Stud in Australia. He moved from Walmac to Cloverleaf Farms II near Reddick, Florida, in 2005, and then relocated to JEH Stallion Station, Hondo, New Mexico, in 2006. He died in a barn fire on June 6, 2006.
Pedigree notes
Favorite Trick is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to restricted stakes winner Cold n Calculating (by It’s Freezing) and to stakes-placed Crafty and Evil (by Crafty Prospector), second dam of Grade 2 winner Tizfiz and Grade 3 winner Fury Kapcori and third dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Tiz the Law. He is also a half brother to Grade 3-placed Tricky Elaine (by Grindstone), dam of Grade 2 winner Favorite Tale (by Tale of the Cat) and third dam of 2018 Venezuelan champion 2-year-old filly Cacciatora. In addition, he is a half brother to Legs Lawlor (by Unbridled), dam of listed stakes winner Clarinet (by Giant’s Causeway). Finally, Favorite Trick is a half brother to Unenchantedevening (by Unbridled’s Song), dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Moonshine Memories (by Malibu Moon) and Grade 2-placed listed stakes winner Indian Evening (by Indian Charlie) and second dam of Grade 3 winner Souper Hoity Toity.
Favorite Trick and his siblings are out of Grade 3-placed restricted stakes winner Evil Elaine, a full sister to listed stakes winner Ravensmoor. Sired by multiple sprint stakes winner Medieval Man (by Noholme II), the siblings are out of sprint winner Distinctive Elaine (by the stakes-winning Never Bend horse Distinctive). Distinctive Elaine is a half sister to stakes-placed Jackie O’k (by What a Pleasure), dam of listed stakes winner Wipe ‘Em Out (by Annihilate ‘em), and to Wendi’s Turn Now (by The Axe II), dam of listed stakes winner Attaway to Go (by King of the North). Distinctive Elaine is also a half sister to T.’s Turn (by Paristo), dam of listed Mexican stakes winner Malakoff (by Bob’s Dusty).
Distinctive Elaine, in turn, is out of juvenile stakes winner Jackie Dare (by 1952 Maryland Gold Cup winner Prince Dare, by Princequillo). The next dam in Favorite Trick’s tail-female line, Jacoenda (by Endeavour II), is a half sister to multiple stakes winner Nora Dares (by Prince Dare).
Books and media
Footage of Favorite Trick’s victory in the 1997 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile can be accessed at the Breeders’ Cup Hall of Champions (https://www.breederscup.com/history-tradition/hall-champions/favorite-trick).
Fun facts
Last updated: July 3, 2022
Race record
16 starts, 12 wins, 0 seconds, 1 third, US$1,726,793
1997:
- Won Breeders' Cup Juvenile (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Hollywood)
- Won Hopeful Stakes (USA-G1, 7FD, Saratoga)
- Won Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (USA- G2, 8.5FD, Keeneland)
- Won Saratoga Special Stakes (USA-G2, 6FD, Saratoga)
- Won Bashford Manor Stakes (USA-G3, 6FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won WHAS-11 Stakes (USA-L, 5FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Kentucky Breeders' Cup Stakes (USA-L, 5.5FD, Churchill Downs)
1998:
- Won Keeneland Breeders' Cup Mile Stakes (USA-G2, 8FT, Keeneland)
- Won Jim Dandy Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Saratoga)
- Won Swale Stakes (USA-G3, 7FD, Gulfstream Park)
- Won Long Branch Breeders' Cup Stakes (USA-L, 8.5FD, Monmouth)
- 3rd Arkansas Derby (USA-G2, 9FD, Oaklawn Park)
Honors
- Eclipse Award, American Horse of the Year (1997)
- Eclipse Award, American champion 2-year-old male (1997)
Assessments
Highweighted at 128 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile males of 1997, 5 pounds above second-rated Grand Slam.
As an individual
A smoothly made, well-balanced dark bay or brown horse standing 16 hands, Favorite Trick had an extremely efficient, fluid gait and plenty of natural speed. He did his best racing on or just behind the lead. He handled fast going, slop, and turf with equal ease. He was professional and sensible as a racehorse.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Favorite Trick sired 276 winners (53.4%) and 20 stakes winners (3.9%) from 516 named foals. His best runners were Grade 3 winners Datrick and Trick’s Pic. Favorite Trick was also used as a sire of Quarter Horses.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky at Wintergreen Farm, Favorite Trick was bred by Max and Sylvia Wood. Sold for US$35,000 at the 1996 Keeneland September sale and then resold for US$100,000 at the 1997 Ocala Breeders’ Sales February sale of 2-year-olds in training, he was owned by Joseph LaCombe. Favorite Trick was trained by Patrick Byrne at two and by Bill Mott at three after Byrne became the trainer for Frank Stronach’s Stronach Stable. The colt was ridden by Pat Day throughout his racing career.
Favorite Trick entered stud at Walmac International near Lexington, KY, in 1999, and shuttled to Collingrove Stud in Australia. He moved from Walmac to Cloverleaf Farms II near Reddick, Florida, in 2005, and then relocated to JEH Stallion Station, Hondo, New Mexico, in 2006. He died in a barn fire on June 6, 2006.
Pedigree notes
Favorite Trick is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to restricted stakes winner Cold n Calculating (by It’s Freezing) and to stakes-placed Crafty and Evil (by Crafty Prospector), second dam of Grade 2 winner Tizfiz and Grade 3 winner Fury Kapcori and third dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Tiz the Law. He is also a half brother to Grade 3-placed Tricky Elaine (by Grindstone), dam of Grade 2 winner Favorite Tale (by Tale of the Cat) and third dam of 2018 Venezuelan champion 2-year-old filly Cacciatora. In addition, he is a half brother to Legs Lawlor (by Unbridled), dam of listed stakes winner Clarinet (by Giant’s Causeway). Finally, Favorite Trick is a half brother to Unenchantedevening (by Unbridled’s Song), dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Moonshine Memories (by Malibu Moon) and Grade 2-placed listed stakes winner Indian Evening (by Indian Charlie) and second dam of Grade 3 winner Souper Hoity Toity.
Favorite Trick and his siblings are out of Grade 3-placed restricted stakes winner Evil Elaine, a full sister to listed stakes winner Ravensmoor. Sired by multiple sprint stakes winner Medieval Man (by Noholme II), the siblings are out of sprint winner Distinctive Elaine (by the stakes-winning Never Bend horse Distinctive). Distinctive Elaine is a half sister to stakes-placed Jackie O’k (by What a Pleasure), dam of listed stakes winner Wipe ‘Em Out (by Annihilate ‘em), and to Wendi’s Turn Now (by The Axe II), dam of listed stakes winner Attaway to Go (by King of the North). Distinctive Elaine is also a half sister to T.’s Turn (by Paristo), dam of listed Mexican stakes winner Malakoff (by Bob’s Dusty).
Distinctive Elaine, in turn, is out of juvenile stakes winner Jackie Dare (by 1952 Maryland Gold Cup winner Prince Dare, by Princequillo). The next dam in Favorite Trick’s tail-female line, Jacoenda (by Endeavour II), is a half sister to multiple stakes winner Nora Dares (by Prince Dare).
Books and media
Footage of Favorite Trick’s victory in the 1997 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile can be accessed at the Breeders’ Cup Hall of Champions (https://www.breederscup.com/history-tradition/hall-champions/favorite-trick).
Fun facts
- While standing in New Mexico, Favorite Trick was used as a Quarter Horse sire as well as a sire of Thoroughbreds. His Quarter Horse foals include Grade 1 winners Favorite Cartel and Good Reason SA, both currently at stud.
- Assisted reproduction techniques such as artificial insemination and embryo transfer are permitted by the American Quarter Horse Association, though not by The Jockey Club. Thanks to the use of stored sperm and the technique of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (in which a single sperm is injected directly into the cytoplasm of an egg cell), Favorite Trick was still available as a sire of Quarter Horses long after his death.
Last updated: July 3, 2022