In Excess (IRE)
April 8, 1987 – May 17, 2013
Siberian Express (USA) x Kantado (IRE), by Saulingo (GB)
Family 4-n
April 8, 1987 – May 17, 2013
Siberian Express (USA) x Kantado (IRE), by Saulingo (GB)
Family 4-n
A moderate racehorse in England, In Excess fared better on both firmer turf and dirt in Southern California and then moved to the New York circuit, where he raced exclusively on dirt. The result was a dramatic improvement in his form. He became one of the best handicap males of 1991, blazing through four Grade 1 victories that year. His racing excellence was not enough for Kentucky breeders to forgive his offbeat pedigree and weak female family, but he was a successful regional sire in California and managed to perpetuate the male line of Caro through his son Indian Charlie.
Race record
25 starts, 11 wins, 2 seconds, 3 thirds, US$1,735,194 (including converted English earnings)
1990:
1991:
1992:
Assessments
Rated at 117 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1991, 10 pounds below highweighted In the Wings and 6 pounds below the official divisional champion, Itsallgreektome (a 3-year-old).
Co-highweighted with Black Tie Affair (the official divisional champion and Horse of the Year) and Farma Way at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1991.
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American-raced older males of 1992, 8 pounds below highweighted Best Pal and 6 pounds below the official divisional champion, Pleasant Tap.
As an individual
A big, strong dark bay or brown horse standing 16.2 hands, In Excess was a bit upright in his front pasterns and slightly sickle-hocked. He possessed exceptional speed and usually ran his fields off their legs from the start. He was essentially a brilliant miler whose true limit was about 9 furlongs and owed his Suburban Handicap win to both a favorable pace scenario and the fact that 10 furlongs is effectively a one-turn distance at Belmont, making it easier for a horse with a high cruising speed to stay in a steady rhythm. He had a sensible, professional disposition as a racehorse as long as he could stay in a familiar routine but could easily become unhinged if presented with an unfamiliar situation.
As a stallion
According to The Blood-Horse, In Excess led the California regional sire list in 2002 and 2003. He consistently passed on his speed but also passed on a tendency to be heavy-topped, limiting the racing soundness of much of his stock. Statistics compiled by The Jockey Club credit In Excess with 563 winners (53.8%) and 57 stakes winners (5.5%) from 1046 named foals.
Notable progeny
Indian Charlie (USA), Musical Chimes (USA), Romance Is Diane (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Always Dreaming (USA), Amazombie (USA), Lexie Lou (CAN)
Connections
In Excess was bred and owned by Ahmed Fustok. He was trained by Bill O'Gorman in England. After being purchased by Jack Munari in September 1990 and brought to the United States, In Excess was trained by Bruce Jackson. He entered stud at Rancho Why Worry in California in 1993 and stood from 1995 on at Vessels Stallion Farm, Bonsall, CA. He was pensioned in 2011 and died on May 17, 2013, from the infirmities of old age. He was buried at Vessels next to the grave of Free House.
Pedigree notes
In Excess is inbred 5x4 to two-time English/Irish champion sire Nearco, an undefeated champion on the race course. He is a half brother to Group 3-placed Konbola (by Superlative), dam of Irish Group 3 winner Smart Guest (by Be My Guest). He is also a half brother to Kalimat (by Be My Guest), second dam of 2009 Turkish champion imported 2-year-old male Worldpoint.
Kantado, the dam of In Excess, is a winning daughter of the multiple Group 3-winning sprinter Saulingo (by 1959 English champion 2-year-old male Sing Sing, by Tudor Minstrel) and stakes-placed Vi (by 1946 King’s Stand Stakes winner Vilmorin). A half sister to Prim Dot (by Primera; second dam of Holland’s 1992 Horse of the Year, Kokomo), Vi, in turn, is out of stakes-placed Dotterel, a half sister to 1952 Ayr Gold Cup winner Vatellus (by Denturius).
Dotterel is by 1940 St. Leger Stakes and Irish Derby winner Turkhan out of Lapwing, by the Fairway horse Airway. In addition to Vatellus, she is a half sister to Whipcord (by High Treason), dam of 1970 Prix Jean de Chaudenay winner Shoemaker (by Saint Crespin III), and to Blue Plover (by Majority Blue), second dam of South African Group 3 winner Margot.
Fun facts
Last updated: September 26, 2023
Race record
25 starts, 11 wins, 2 seconds, 3 thirds, US$1,735,194 (including converted English earnings)
1990:
- Won Volante Handicap (USA-G3, 9FT, Santa Anita)
- Won San Gabriel Handicap (USA-G3, 9FT, Santa Anita)
- Won Temperence Hill Handicap (USA-L, 8.5FT, Louisiana Downs)
- 2nd Oceanside Stakes (USA-LR, 8FT, Del Mar)
1991:
- Won Metropolitan Handicap (USA-G1, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Suburban Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Belmont; new track record 1:58-1/5)
- Won Woodward Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Belmont)
- Won Whitney Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Saratoga)
- Won San Fernando Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Charles H. Strub Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Santa Anita)
1992:
- 2nd San Antonio Stakes (second division) (USA-G2, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Metropolitan Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Carter Handicap (USA-G1, 7FD, Aqueduct)
Assessments
Rated at 117 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1991, 10 pounds below highweighted In the Wings and 6 pounds below the official divisional champion, Itsallgreektome (a 3-year-old).
Co-highweighted with Black Tie Affair (the official divisional champion and Horse of the Year) and Farma Way at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1991.
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American-raced older males of 1992, 8 pounds below highweighted Best Pal and 6 pounds below the official divisional champion, Pleasant Tap.
As an individual
A big, strong dark bay or brown horse standing 16.2 hands, In Excess was a bit upright in his front pasterns and slightly sickle-hocked. He possessed exceptional speed and usually ran his fields off their legs from the start. He was essentially a brilliant miler whose true limit was about 9 furlongs and owed his Suburban Handicap win to both a favorable pace scenario and the fact that 10 furlongs is effectively a one-turn distance at Belmont, making it easier for a horse with a high cruising speed to stay in a steady rhythm. He had a sensible, professional disposition as a racehorse as long as he could stay in a familiar routine but could easily become unhinged if presented with an unfamiliar situation.
As a stallion
According to The Blood-Horse, In Excess led the California regional sire list in 2002 and 2003. He consistently passed on his speed but also passed on a tendency to be heavy-topped, limiting the racing soundness of much of his stock. Statistics compiled by The Jockey Club credit In Excess with 563 winners (53.8%) and 57 stakes winners (5.5%) from 1046 named foals.
Notable progeny
Indian Charlie (USA), Musical Chimes (USA), Romance Is Diane (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Always Dreaming (USA), Amazombie (USA), Lexie Lou (CAN)
Connections
In Excess was bred and owned by Ahmed Fustok. He was trained by Bill O'Gorman in England. After being purchased by Jack Munari in September 1990 and brought to the United States, In Excess was trained by Bruce Jackson. He entered stud at Rancho Why Worry in California in 1993 and stood from 1995 on at Vessels Stallion Farm, Bonsall, CA. He was pensioned in 2011 and died on May 17, 2013, from the infirmities of old age. He was buried at Vessels next to the grave of Free House.
Pedigree notes
In Excess is inbred 5x4 to two-time English/Irish champion sire Nearco, an undefeated champion on the race course. He is a half brother to Group 3-placed Konbola (by Superlative), dam of Irish Group 3 winner Smart Guest (by Be My Guest). He is also a half brother to Kalimat (by Be My Guest), second dam of 2009 Turkish champion imported 2-year-old male Worldpoint.
Kantado, the dam of In Excess, is a winning daughter of the multiple Group 3-winning sprinter Saulingo (by 1959 English champion 2-year-old male Sing Sing, by Tudor Minstrel) and stakes-placed Vi (by 1946 King’s Stand Stakes winner Vilmorin). A half sister to Prim Dot (by Primera; second dam of Holland’s 1992 Horse of the Year, Kokomo), Vi, in turn, is out of stakes-placed Dotterel, a half sister to 1952 Ayr Gold Cup winner Vatellus (by Denturius).
Dotterel is by 1940 St. Leger Stakes and Irish Derby winner Turkhan out of Lapwing, by the Fairway horse Airway. In addition to Vatellus, she is a half sister to Whipcord (by High Treason), dam of 1970 Prix Jean de Chaudenay winner Shoemaker (by Saint Crespin III), and to Blue Plover (by Majority Blue), second dam of South African Group 3 winner Margot.
Fun facts
- In Excess went into the 1991 Breeders’ Cup as the favorite for honors as American champion older male and American Horse of the Year, but his connections elected not to run him in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (USA-G1), which was beyond his best distance and had a prospective field including several high-quality front-runners. Fearing that their horse would be caught in a pace meltdown on the front end while running over a track he did not seem to care for during preliminary workouts, Munari and Jackson instead elected to enter In Excess in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (USA-G1). While the distance was a better fit for In Excess, the turf surface at Churchill Downs was not, and In Excess ended up ninth, ending his connections’ hopes for a championship.
- In Excess was the first horse since the great Kelso to win the Metropolitan Handicap, Suburban Handicap, Woodward Stakes, and Whitney Handicap in the same year, a feat Kelso accomplished in 1961.
Last updated: September 26, 2023