Orientate (USA)
March 29, 1998 – Living
Mt. Livermore (USA) x Dream Team (USA), by Cox’s Ridge (USA)
Family 16-g
March 29, 1998 – Living
Mt. Livermore (USA) x Dream Team (USA), by Cox’s Ridge (USA)
Family 16-g
Orientate showed some ability as a miler at 3, but he was far from the top of his division. Cut back to sprint distances at 4, he stepped up his game to become the most consistent horse in the division, racking up five 110+ Beyer Speed Figures in major stakes races and sealing a championship with a win in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (USA-G1). He was not a consistent sire but had his moments.
Race record
19 starts, 10 wins, 3 seconds, 0 thirds, US$1,716,950
2001:
2002:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion sprinter (2002)
Assessments
Rated at 105 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for 3-year-old males of 2001, 23 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Point Given.
Rated at 124 pounds in the Sprint category on the 2002 International Classifications, tops in that division.
As an individual
A handsome dark bay or brown horse with a compact body and short coupling, Orientate had much of the smooth, muscular build of his paternal grandsire Blushing Groom but was leggier and not as flat in the withers. He did his best racing while dictating or prompting the pace and needed his races spaced out.
As a stallion
According to records compiled by The Jockey Club, Orientate sired 562 winners (62.0%) and 38 stakes winners (4.2%) from 907 named foals of racing age.
Notable progeny
Declassify (USA), Intangaroo (USA), Lady Joanne (USA), Lady Sprinter (ARG)
Notable progeny of daughters
Queen Liz (ARG)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Orientate was bred by Gainesway Thoroughbreds. He was owned by Robert and Beverly Lewis and was trained by D. Wayne Lukas. He was ridden to his win in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint by Jerry Bailey. He entered stud in 2003 in Kentucky at Gainesway Farm. He moved to Northview Stallion Station in Maryland in 2013 and was pensioned from stud duty in 2018.
Pedigree notes
Orientate is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to restricted stakes winner Stalwartly (by Gone West), and his dam Dream Team won the 1987 Oak Leaf Stakes (USA-G1).
Likely Double, the dam of Dream Team, won the 1976 Little Silver Handicap (USA-G3). Sired by Nodouble, she is a half sister to Leelark (by Giboulee), dam of stakes winner Court Lark (by Court Trial). The next dam in Orientate’s tail-female line, stakes winner Likely Lark (by T. V. Lark), is a full sister to Briquette, second dam of Grade 3 winner Piratesonthelake, and is out of the winning War Admiral mare Chadwick. Chadwick, in turn, is out of O Play (by two-time Toboggan Handicap winner Okapi), also the dam of the stakes-winning Bull Lea horse Commodore Lea.
Books and media
Footage of Orientate’s win in the 2002 Breeders’ Cup Sprint can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC-DhUvzF-k.
Fun facts
Last updated: January 1, 2024
Race record
19 starts, 10 wins, 3 seconds, 0 thirds, US$1,716,950
2001:
- Won Indiana Derby (USA-L, 8.5, Hoosier Park)
- Won Sir Beaufort Stakes (USA-L, 8FT, Santa Anita)
2002:
- Won NAPA Breeders' Cup Sprint (USA-G1, 6FD, Arlington Park)
- Won Forego Handicap (USA-G1, 6.5FD, Saratoga)
- Won Commonwealth Breeders' Cup Stakes (USA-G2, 7FD, Keeneland)
- Won A. G. Vanderbilt Handicap (USA-G2, 6FD, Saratoga)
- Won Aristides Handicap (USA-G3, 6.5FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Smile Sprint Handicap (USA-L, 6FD, Calder)
- 2nd San Fernando Breeders' Cup Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion sprinter (2002)
Assessments
Rated at 105 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for 3-year-old males of 2001, 23 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Point Given.
Rated at 124 pounds in the Sprint category on the 2002 International Classifications, tops in that division.
As an individual
A handsome dark bay or brown horse with a compact body and short coupling, Orientate had much of the smooth, muscular build of his paternal grandsire Blushing Groom but was leggier and not as flat in the withers. He did his best racing while dictating or prompting the pace and needed his races spaced out.
As a stallion
According to records compiled by The Jockey Club, Orientate sired 562 winners (62.0%) and 38 stakes winners (4.2%) from 907 named foals of racing age.
Notable progeny
Declassify (USA), Intangaroo (USA), Lady Joanne (USA), Lady Sprinter (ARG)
Notable progeny of daughters
Queen Liz (ARG)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Orientate was bred by Gainesway Thoroughbreds. He was owned by Robert and Beverly Lewis and was trained by D. Wayne Lukas. He was ridden to his win in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint by Jerry Bailey. He entered stud in 2003 in Kentucky at Gainesway Farm. He moved to Northview Stallion Station in Maryland in 2013 and was pensioned from stud duty in 2018.
Pedigree notes
Orientate is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to restricted stakes winner Stalwartly (by Gone West), and his dam Dream Team won the 1987 Oak Leaf Stakes (USA-G1).
Likely Double, the dam of Dream Team, won the 1976 Little Silver Handicap (USA-G3). Sired by Nodouble, she is a half sister to Leelark (by Giboulee), dam of stakes winner Court Lark (by Court Trial). The next dam in Orientate’s tail-female line, stakes winner Likely Lark (by T. V. Lark), is a full sister to Briquette, second dam of Grade 3 winner Piratesonthelake, and is out of the winning War Admiral mare Chadwick. Chadwick, in turn, is out of O Play (by two-time Toboggan Handicap winner Okapi), also the dam of the stakes-winning Bull Lea horse Commodore Lea.
Books and media
Footage of Orientate’s win in the 2002 Breeders’ Cup Sprint can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC-DhUvzF-k.
Fun facts
- D. Wayne Lukas had good reason to know what to expect from Orientate as he had trained the colt's sire and dam as well.
Last updated: January 1, 2024