Awesome Again (CAN)
March 29, 1994 – December 15, 2020
Deputy Minister (CAN) x Primal Force (USA), by Blushing Groom (FR)
Family 1-c
March 29, 1994 – December 15, 2020
Deputy Minister (CAN) x Primal Force (USA), by Blushing Groom (FR)
Family 1-c
Awesome Again never earned an official championship but was nonetheless a very good performer, capping an unbeaten season at 4 with a defeat of 1998 American Horse of the Year Skip Away, 1997 American champion 3-year-old male Silver Charm, the high-class international performer Swain and Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) winners Touch Gold (1997) and Victory Gallop (1998) in the 1998 Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1). While he did not get as many winners from foals as might be desired in a stallion of his class, his best runners were very good indeed, and he successfully continued the male line of Deputy Minister through his champion son Ghostzapper.
Race record
12 starts, 9 wins, 0 seconds, 2 thirds, US$4,374,590
1997:
1998:
Honors
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 2001)
Assessments
Rated at 127 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American-raced older males of 1998, 3 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Skip Away.
As an individual
A 16-hand bay, Awesome Again was a well-balanced horse with the strong, well-laid shoulder typical of the progeny of Deputy Minister, powerful hindquarters and an excellent hind leg. He did not race at 2 but excelled over 9 to 10 furlongs at 3 and 4.
As a stallion
According to The Jockey Club's records, Awesome Again has sired 725 winners (53.1%) and 70 stakes winners (5.1%) from 1366 named foals of racing age. He did particularly well with mares returning In Reality and Seattle Slew. Awesome Again's progeny were generally better as they mature and usually preferred distances longer than a mile.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
Per Arion Pedigrees (www.arion.co.nz):
Per The Blood-Horse:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Awesome Gem (USA), Count Again (USA), Daaher (CAN), Dubai Escapade (USA), Game On Dude (USA), Ghostzapper (USA), Ginger Punch (USA), Oxbow (USA), Paynter (USA), Round Pond (USA), Sir Winston (USA), Spun Sugar (USA), Sugar Shake (USA), Toccet (USA), Wilko (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Academic (CAN), Accelerate (USA), Awesome Maria (USA), Highland Falls (USA), Keen Ice (USA), Potager (JPN), Power Squeeze (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Ontario, Awesome Again was bred and owned by Frank Stronach, who raced Awesome Again in the name of his Stronach Stables. The colt was trained by David Hofmans at 3 and by Patrick Byrne at 4. Awesome Again entered stud in Kentucky in 1999 at Stronach's Adena Springs. He was officially announced as pensioned on October 2, 2019, but apparently either was not bred during the 2019 season or was unable to impregnate any of his mates as the announcement stated that his last foals were born in 2019. He was moved to the Old Friends Thoroughbred retirement center near Georgetown, Kentucky, in October 2020. He died of natural causes two months later.
Pedigree notes
Awesome Again is inbred 5x5 to the great Native Dancer and to the unbeaten Italian champion Nearco, a two-time champion sire in England. He is a half brother to 2000 American champion 2-year-old male Macho Uno (by Holy Bull).
Primal Force, the dam of Awesome Again, won half her eight starts but never earned black type. The 2000 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, she is a half sister to Glimmer of Gold (by Slew o' Gold), dam of Grade 3 winner Miss Ra He Ra (by Rahy), second dam of multiple Panamanian champion El Autentico and third dam of 2013 Forego Stakes (USA-G1) winner Strapping Groom. Primal Force is also a half sister to Brise Vole (by Nijinsky II), second dam of Grade 1-placed listed stakes winner Delta Storm.
Primal Force and her siblings were produced from the Mr. Prospector mare Prime Prospect, a stakes-winning half sister to the stakes-winning colts No House Call (by Dr. Fager) and Square Your Hat (by Al Hattab). Produced from multiple stakes winner Square Generation (by Olden Times), Prime Prospect is also a half sister to stakes-placed Back Ack (by Ack Ack), dam of 1987 American champion older female North Sider (by Topsider) and stakes winner Shawnee Creek (by Mr. Prospector) and second dam of five stakes winners including Grade 3 winner Storm Creek. In addition, Prime Prospect is a half sister to Very Clever (by Ack Ack), dam of restricted stakes winner Try and Be Clever (by Regal Intention); to stakes-placed Antique Glow (by Fluorescent Light), dam of Grade 2-placed listed stakes winner Airbourne Command (by Exbourne) and second dam of multiple Argentine Group 2 winner Dona Polenta and Argentine Group 3 winner Dona Polola; and to Square Grouper (by Cox's Ridge), second dam of four stakes winners including New Zealand Group 3 winner Our Fuji.
Books and media
A video discussing Awesome Again's careers as a racehorse and stallion can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfNYjr5qfek.
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photo by Jessica Morgan, taken at Adena Springs in 2008. Used by permission.
Last updated: November 24, 2024
Race record
12 starts, 9 wins, 0 seconds, 2 thirds, US$4,374,590
1997:
- Won Queen's Plate (CAN-R, 10FD, Woodbine)
- Won Jim Dandy Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Travers Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Saratoga)
1998:
- Won Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Whitney Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Saratoga)
- Won Stephen Foster Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Saratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-G2, 10FD, Saratoga)
- Won Hawthorne Gold Cup (USA-G3, 10FD, Hawthorne)
Honors
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 2001)
Assessments
Rated at 127 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American-raced older males of 1998, 3 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Skip Away.
As an individual
A 16-hand bay, Awesome Again was a well-balanced horse with the strong, well-laid shoulder typical of the progeny of Deputy Minister, powerful hindquarters and an excellent hind leg. He did not race at 2 but excelled over 9 to 10 furlongs at 3 and 4.
As a stallion
According to The Jockey Club's records, Awesome Again has sired 725 winners (53.1%) and 70 stakes winners (5.1%) from 1366 named foals of racing age. He did particularly well with mares returning In Reality and Seattle Slew. Awesome Again's progeny were generally better as they mature and usually preferred distances longer than a mile.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- 7th on the American general sire list in 2004.
Per Arion Pedigrees (www.arion.co.nz):
- 8th on the North American general sire list in 2013.
- 5th on the North American broodmare sire list in 2018; 7th in 2015.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- 6th on the American general sire list in 2007; 7th in 2006; 8th in 2004; 9th in 2013.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 7th on the American general sire list on 2004.
Notable progeny
Awesome Gem (USA), Count Again (USA), Daaher (CAN), Dubai Escapade (USA), Game On Dude (USA), Ghostzapper (USA), Ginger Punch (USA), Oxbow (USA), Paynter (USA), Round Pond (USA), Sir Winston (USA), Spun Sugar (USA), Sugar Shake (USA), Toccet (USA), Wilko (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Academic (CAN), Accelerate (USA), Awesome Maria (USA), Highland Falls (USA), Keen Ice (USA), Potager (JPN), Power Squeeze (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Ontario, Awesome Again was bred and owned by Frank Stronach, who raced Awesome Again in the name of his Stronach Stables. The colt was trained by David Hofmans at 3 and by Patrick Byrne at 4. Awesome Again entered stud in Kentucky in 1999 at Stronach's Adena Springs. He was officially announced as pensioned on October 2, 2019, but apparently either was not bred during the 2019 season or was unable to impregnate any of his mates as the announcement stated that his last foals were born in 2019. He was moved to the Old Friends Thoroughbred retirement center near Georgetown, Kentucky, in October 2020. He died of natural causes two months later.
Pedigree notes
Awesome Again is inbred 5x5 to the great Native Dancer and to the unbeaten Italian champion Nearco, a two-time champion sire in England. He is a half brother to 2000 American champion 2-year-old male Macho Uno (by Holy Bull).
Primal Force, the dam of Awesome Again, won half her eight starts but never earned black type. The 2000 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, she is a half sister to Glimmer of Gold (by Slew o' Gold), dam of Grade 3 winner Miss Ra He Ra (by Rahy), second dam of multiple Panamanian champion El Autentico and third dam of 2013 Forego Stakes (USA-G1) winner Strapping Groom. Primal Force is also a half sister to Brise Vole (by Nijinsky II), second dam of Grade 1-placed listed stakes winner Delta Storm.
Primal Force and her siblings were produced from the Mr. Prospector mare Prime Prospect, a stakes-winning half sister to the stakes-winning colts No House Call (by Dr. Fager) and Square Your Hat (by Al Hattab). Produced from multiple stakes winner Square Generation (by Olden Times), Prime Prospect is also a half sister to stakes-placed Back Ack (by Ack Ack), dam of 1987 American champion older female North Sider (by Topsider) and stakes winner Shawnee Creek (by Mr. Prospector) and second dam of five stakes winners including Grade 3 winner Storm Creek. In addition, Prime Prospect is a half sister to Very Clever (by Ack Ack), dam of restricted stakes winner Try and Be Clever (by Regal Intention); to stakes-placed Antique Glow (by Fluorescent Light), dam of Grade 2-placed listed stakes winner Airbourne Command (by Exbourne) and second dam of multiple Argentine Group 2 winner Dona Polenta and Argentine Group 3 winner Dona Polola; and to Square Grouper (by Cox's Ridge), second dam of four stakes winners including New Zealand Group 3 winner Our Fuji.
Books and media
A video discussing Awesome Again's careers as a racehorse and stallion can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfNYjr5qfek.
Fun facts
- At the time of his retirement, Awesome Again was the top Canadian-bred money-winner of all time.
- In 2004, Awesome Again became the first Breeders' Cup champion to be the sire of two Breeders' Cup winners in the same year when Ghostzapper won the Breeders' Cup Classic—Powered by Dodge (USA-G1) and Wilko won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (USA-G1).
- In 2007, Awesome Again became the first Breeders' Cup champion to have sired four Breeders' Cup winners when his daughter Ginger Punch won the Breeders' Cup Distaff (USA-G1). His previous Breeders' Cup winners were the aforementioned Ghostzapper and Wilko and his daughter Round Pond (2006 Distaff).
- The Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita was renamed in Awesome Again's honor in 2012 and continued under that name through 2023. A Grade 1 event for horses aged 3 and up, it was renamed the California Crown Stakes in 2024.
Photo credit
Photo by Jessica Morgan, taken at Adena Springs in 2008. Used by permission.
Last updated: November 24, 2024