Tight Spot (USA)
February 24, 1987 – 2006?
His Majesty (USA) x Premium Win (USA), by Lyphard (USA)
Family 5-f
February 24, 1987 – 2006?
His Majesty (USA) x Premium Win (USA), by Lyphard (USA)
Family 5-f
After taking five tries to break his maiden, Tight Spot began making progress but did not find his true forte until switched over to grass in June of his 3-year-old season. At that point, Tight Spot took off on an eight-race winning streak climaxed by a win in the 1991 Arlington Million (USA-G1). Although he flopped badly in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (USA-G1), won by Opening Verse, he still won the Eclipse Award for American champion turf male. He ran only twice at 5 before retiring to a disappointing stud career that saw him exported to Japan and later to China.
Race record
21 starts, 12 wins, 3 seconds, 1 third, US$1,566,100
1990:
1991:
1992:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion turf male (1991)
Assessments
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American turf runners of 1990, 7 pounds below highweighted In the Wings (winner of the Breeders’ Cup Turf, USA-G1, in his only North American start) and 4 pounds below the official divisional champion, Itsallgreektome.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American turf runners of 1991, 1 pound above Itsallgreektome.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American turf runners of 1992, 3 pounds below divisional champion Sky Classic.
As an individual
A bay horse, Tight Spot typically ran close to or on the pace. He chipped a knee during the running of the 1990 Del Mar Derby and was on the sidelines for eight months after undergoing arthroscopic surgery. At his best, Tight Spot could deliver a sharp burst of speed and had the courage to burst through narrow holes in traffic. He had a good temperament while racing.
As a stallion
According to statistics kept by The Jockey Club, Tight Spot sired 199 winners (43.9%) and one stakes winner (0.2%) from 453 named foals. His only stakes winner was Bravo Green, winner of a listed race in Japan.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Tight Spot was bred by Verne H. Winchell and owned by Winchell (racing as VHW Stable) in partnership with Frank Whitham and Frank Anderson. He was trained by Ron McAnally. Following his racing career, he was sent to Japan, where he stood as the property of the Hidaka Breeders Association at their farm on the island of Hokkaido beginning in 1993. In 2002, sent to Long Tou Farm in China. There is no report of the farm or the stallion after 2006.
Pedigree notes
Tight Spot is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to 1993 Hollywood Futurity (USA-G1) winner Valiant Nature. He is a half brother Dream Away (by St. Jovite), dam of stakes winners Mega Dream (by Medaglia d’Oro) and Grant Jack (by Harlan’s Holiday). He is also a half brother to Phylomina (by Affirmed), second dam of two-time Saudi Arabian champion and multiple Grade 1 winner Premium Tap.
Tight Spot and his siblings are out of Group 3-placed stakes winner Premium Win, a half sister to Grade 2-placed multiple stakes winner Classic Go Go (by Pago Pago) and to Canadian stakes winner Aironlass (by Proud Clarion), dam of 1991 Hillsborough Handicap (USA-G3) winner Classy Women (by Relaunch) and, through her, second dam of multiple English Group 1 winner Ad Valorem and third dam of South African Group 3 winner Our Mate Art. Premium Win is also a half sister to listed stakes winner Melo Melody (by Mr. Leader) and to Royal Nominee (by His Majesty), dam of stakes winner Classic Woman (by Storm Bird).
Premium Win, in turn, is out of the winning Never Bend mare Classic Perfection, whose half sister Femme Elite by Northjet) won the 1985 Grand Criterium (FR-G1) and is the dam of multiple French Group 3 winner Steinbeck, a leading sire in India. Produced from 1966 American champion 2-year-old filly Mira Femme (by Dumpty Humpty), Classic Perfection is also a half sister to 1978 Illinois Derby (USA-G3) winner Batonnier (by His Majesty) and to Native Splendor (by Raise a Native), second dam of 1993 Philip H. Iselin Handicap (USA-G1) winner Valley Crossing. In addition, Classic Perfection is a half sister to Mira Irish Pleasure (by Irish Castle), dam of Grade 1-placed stakes winner Puffy Doodle (by Northjet), and to Femme Pleasure (by What a Pleasure), second dam of 1993 Beaugay Handicap (USA-G3) winner National Treasure. Finally, Classic Perfection is a half sister to Endurable Heights (by Graustark), dam of French listed stakes winner Barodet (by Afleet).
Books and media
Footage of Tight Spot’s win in the 1991 Arlington Million can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWBTNswYhCM.
Fun facts
Last updated: December 17, 2024
Race record
21 starts, 12 wins, 3 seconds, 1 third, US$1,566,100
1990:
- Won Del Mar Invitational Derby (USA-G2, 9FT, Del Mar)
- Won La Jolla Handicap (USA-G3, 8.5FT, Del Mar)
- Won Star Dust Stakes. (USA-R, 8.5FT, Hollywood)
- Won El Cerrito Handicap (USA-L, 8FD, Golden Gate)
- 2nd San Rafael Stakes (USA-G2, 8FD, Santa Anita)
1991:
- Won Arlington Million Stakes (USA-G1, 10FT, Arlington Park)
- Won Eddie Read Handicap (USA-G1, 9FT, Del Mar)
- Won American Handicap (USA-G2, 9FT, Hollywood)
- Won Inglewood Handicap (USA-G2, 8.5FT, Hollywood)
1992:
- Won San Francisco Mile Handicap (USA-G3, 8FT, Golden Gate)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion turf male (1991)
Assessments
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American turf runners of 1990, 7 pounds below highweighted In the Wings (winner of the Breeders’ Cup Turf, USA-G1, in his only North American start) and 4 pounds below the official divisional champion, Itsallgreektome.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American turf runners of 1991, 1 pound above Itsallgreektome.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American turf runners of 1992, 3 pounds below divisional champion Sky Classic.
As an individual
A bay horse, Tight Spot typically ran close to or on the pace. He chipped a knee during the running of the 1990 Del Mar Derby and was on the sidelines for eight months after undergoing arthroscopic surgery. At his best, Tight Spot could deliver a sharp burst of speed and had the courage to burst through narrow holes in traffic. He had a good temperament while racing.
As a stallion
According to statistics kept by The Jockey Club, Tight Spot sired 199 winners (43.9%) and one stakes winner (0.2%) from 453 named foals. His only stakes winner was Bravo Green, winner of a listed race in Japan.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Tight Spot was bred by Verne H. Winchell and owned by Winchell (racing as VHW Stable) in partnership with Frank Whitham and Frank Anderson. He was trained by Ron McAnally. Following his racing career, he was sent to Japan, where he stood as the property of the Hidaka Breeders Association at their farm on the island of Hokkaido beginning in 1993. In 2002, sent to Long Tou Farm in China. There is no report of the farm or the stallion after 2006.
Pedigree notes
Tight Spot is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to 1993 Hollywood Futurity (USA-G1) winner Valiant Nature. He is a half brother Dream Away (by St. Jovite), dam of stakes winners Mega Dream (by Medaglia d’Oro) and Grant Jack (by Harlan’s Holiday). He is also a half brother to Phylomina (by Affirmed), second dam of two-time Saudi Arabian champion and multiple Grade 1 winner Premium Tap.
Tight Spot and his siblings are out of Group 3-placed stakes winner Premium Win, a half sister to Grade 2-placed multiple stakes winner Classic Go Go (by Pago Pago) and to Canadian stakes winner Aironlass (by Proud Clarion), dam of 1991 Hillsborough Handicap (USA-G3) winner Classy Women (by Relaunch) and, through her, second dam of multiple English Group 1 winner Ad Valorem and third dam of South African Group 3 winner Our Mate Art. Premium Win is also a half sister to listed stakes winner Melo Melody (by Mr. Leader) and to Royal Nominee (by His Majesty), dam of stakes winner Classic Woman (by Storm Bird).
Premium Win, in turn, is out of the winning Never Bend mare Classic Perfection, whose half sister Femme Elite by Northjet) won the 1985 Grand Criterium (FR-G1) and is the dam of multiple French Group 3 winner Steinbeck, a leading sire in India. Produced from 1966 American champion 2-year-old filly Mira Femme (by Dumpty Humpty), Classic Perfection is also a half sister to 1978 Illinois Derby (USA-G3) winner Batonnier (by His Majesty) and to Native Splendor (by Raise a Native), second dam of 1993 Philip H. Iselin Handicap (USA-G1) winner Valley Crossing. In addition, Classic Perfection is a half sister to Mira Irish Pleasure (by Irish Castle), dam of Grade 1-placed stakes winner Puffy Doodle (by Northjet), and to Femme Pleasure (by What a Pleasure), second dam of 1993 Beaugay Handicap (USA-G3) winner National Treasure. Finally, Classic Perfection is a half sister to Endurable Heights (by Graustark), dam of French listed stakes winner Barodet (by Afleet).
Books and media
Footage of Tight Spot’s win in the 1991 Arlington Million can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWBTNswYhCM.
Fun facts
- Tight Spot can be said to have won the 1990 Del Mar Derby four times. After a roughly run race that concluded with his outfinishing future champion turf male Itsallgreektome by three lengths, the stewards disqualified the colt for causing a chain reaction in the first eighth-mile that impeded several rivals (including Itsallgreektome) and set him back to 10th. The disqualification was appealed to the California Horse Racing Board, and on September 26, 1990, Tight Spot was reinstated as the winner of the race. The overturning of the racetrack stewards’ decision was believed to be the first such event in California racing history, and many horse racing observers disagreed sharply with the break with the tradition that the stewards’ ruling was the final authority regarding the outcome of a race. A second hearing before the CHRB upheald the reversal. Jhari Redding, owner of Itsallgreektome, appealed the CHRB findings before Los Angeles Superior Court judge William Huss but lost in a ruling issued on July 18, 1991, which left Tight Spot as the official winner of the 1990 Del Mar Derby.
Last updated: December 17, 2024