Irish War Cry
{{Short description|American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse}}
{{Infobox racehorse
| horsename = Irish War Cry
| image_name = MonmouthPark-Haskell2017-IrishWarCry.jpg
| caption = Irish War Cry
| sire = Curlin
| grandsire = Smart Strike
| dam = Irish Sovereign
| damsire = Polish Numbers
| sex = Colt
| foaled = May 2, 2014
| country = United States
| color = Chestnut
| breeder = Isabelle de Tomaso
| owner = Isabelle de Tomaso
| trainer = H. Graham Motion
| record = 13: 5-2-0
| earnings = $1,257,060{{cite web|title=Irish War Cry Profile|url=http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse&refno=9700628®istry=T|website=www.equibase.com|accessdate=June 11, 2017}}
| race = Holy Bull Stakes (2017)
Wood Memorial (2017)
Pimlico Special (2018)
Triple Crown placing:
2nd, Belmont Stakes (2017)
| awards=
| honours =
| updated= June 11, 2017
}}
Irish War Cry (foaled May 2, 2014 in New Jersey) is a multiple Graded stakes-winning American Thoroughbred racehorse, noted for winning the Wood Memorial Stakes, Pimlico Special Handicap and finishing second in the 2017 Belmont Stakes.
Background
Irish War Cry is a chestnut colt with white markings that include a star on his forehead and white socks on three legs. He was bred in New Jersey by Isabelle de Tomaso, daughter of Amory Haskell, founder of the Monmouth Park Racetrack. The colt was foaled at her Overbrook Farm in Colts Neck.{{cite web|last1=Edelson|first1=Stephen|title=NJ-bred Irish War Cry poised for historic Kentucky Derby|url=http://www.app.com/story/sports/horses/2017/05/04/irish-war-cry-kentucky-derby/101266476/|website=Asbury Park Press|accessdate=6 May 2017|language=en|date=May 4, 2017}} His sire is the Hall of Fame champion Curlin, and his dam, Irish Sovereign, was a de Tomaso homebred mare, who won three races in 13 starts.{{cite web|title=Irish Sovereign Profile|url=http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse&refno=5394246®istry=T&rbt=TB|website=www.equibase.com|accessdate=6 May 2017|language=en}}
Racing career
=2016: two-year-old season=
Irish War Cry raced twice as a two-year-old, winning both his maiden race and the Marylander Stakes at Laurel Park Racecourse.
=2017: three-year-old season=
Irish War Cry began his three-year-old season in February at Gulfstream Park, where he was ridden by Joel Rosario and won the Holy Bull Stakes by a solid {{frac|3|3|4}} length margin, defeating challengers Gunnevera and Classic Empire.{{cite web|title=Gulfstream Park February 4, 2017 - Race 12 |url=http://www.equibase.com/premium/eqbPDFChartPlus.cfm?RACE=12&BorP=P&TID=GP&CTRY=USA&DT=02/04/2017&DAY=D&STYLE=EQB| website=Equibase|accessdate=6 May 2017|date=February 4, 2017}} In his next race, a month later, Gunnevera turned the tables and won the Fountain of Youth Stakes, with Practical Joke second while Irish War Cry tired and finished a distant seventh, 21 lengths behind the winners.{{cite web|title=Gulfstream Park - March 4, 2017 - Race 13|url=http://www.equibase.com/premium/eqbPDFChartPlus.cfm?RACE=13&BorP=P&TID=GP&CTRY=USA&DT=03/04/2017&DAY=D&STYLE=EQB|website=Equibase|accessdate=6 May 2017|date=March 4, 2017}} He came back in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct Race Track, with a new jockey, Rajiv Maragh, winning by {{frac|3|1|2}} lengths.{{cite web| title=Aqueduct April 8, 2017 - Race 10 |url=http://www.equibase.com/premium/eqbPDFChartPlus.cfm?RACE=10&BorP=P&TID=AQU&CTRY=USA&DT=04/08/2017&DAY=D&STYLE=EQB| website=Equibase |accessdate=6 May 2017 |date=April 8, 2017}} His inconsistency puzzled pundits, who noted that he ran a 101 Beyer Speed Figure in his first and third races, but only a 63 in the Fountain of Youth.{{cite web|last1=Watchmaker|first1=Mike|title=Watchmaker: Can Irish War Cry fire big back to back? |url=http://www.drf.com/news/watchmaker-can-irish-war-cry-fire-big-back-back|website=Daily Racing Form|accessdate=6 May 2017|language=en|date=April 9, 2017}} Trainer Graham Motion was relieved by the win, "He had to step up and prove his other races weren’t a fluke."{{cite web|last1=Gray|first1=Ed|title=Irish War Cry takes aim at the Kentucky Derby|url=http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/other/2017/05/gray_irish_war_cry_takes_aim_at_the_kentucky_derby|website=Boston Herald|accessdate=6 May 2017|date=May 6, 2017}}
He qualified for the 2017 Kentucky Derby as the first New Jersey bred horse to enter the race since 1992. The last time a New Jersey horse had won the Derby was Cavalcade in 1934, when the 86-year-old de Tomaso was a child. The colt's success was viewed as a good omen for the beleaguered horse racing industry in his home state, but fans were disappointed that he was given the number 17 post, a position from which no horse has ever won the Derby. However, the draw did not bother Motion, who quipped, "Someone’s going to win from the 17 hole one day." He went off as the second betting choice just behind the favorite and eventual winner Always Dreaming. He had a poor start, where he ducked to the inside and caused difficulties for other horses, but at one point challenged for the lead before he faded in the stretch and finished 10th.{{cite web|title=CHURCHILL DOWNS - May 6, 2017 - Race 12 |url=http://www.equibase.com/static/chart/pdf/CD050617USA12.pdf| website=Equibase|accessdate=6 May 2017|date=6 May 2017}}
After the Derby, Motion announced his intention to bypass the remaining Triple Crown races and instead focus on New Jersey's most prestigious race, the Haskell Invitational in late July. However, Irish War Cry was training so well that Motion decided to enter him in the 2017 Belmont Stakes on June 10.{{cite web|last1=Izenberg|first1=Jerry|title=N.J.'s Irish War Cry was a mess in the Kentucky Derby, so why is he running in the Belmont Stakes?|url=http://www.nj.com/sports/index.ssf/2017/06/new_jersey_irish_war_cry_kentucky_derby_belmont_st.html|website=NJ.com|accessdate=11 June 2017}} When several top contenders missed the Belmont, Irish War Cry became the favorite for the race with Tapwrit as the second choice.{{cite web|last1=Greenberg|first1=Neil|title=Analysis {{!}} 2017 Belmont Stakes field, updated odds and picks: Epicharis scratched Saturday morning|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fancy-stats/wp/2017/06/07/2017-belmont-stakes-field-updated-odds-and-picks-everything-you-need-to-know/|website=Washington Post|accessdate=11 June 2017}} In the absence of any true speed horses to set the pace, Irish War Cry went to the lead and set a moderate pace. Rounding the turn into the stretch, Irish War Cry opened up a lead before Tapwrit responded. As the gap between the two narrowed, Tapwrit started bearing out to the center of the track before drifting back towards the rail, where he bumped lightly with Irish War Cry. In the final strides, Tapwrit began to pull away and ultimately won by two lengths.{{cite web|title=Chart of the Belmont Stakes|url=http://www.equibase.com/static/chart/pdf/BEL061017USA11.pdf|website=Equibase|accessdate=11 June 2017}}{{cite web|title=$1.2 Million Gamble Pays Off As Tapwrit Captures Belmont Stakes|url=https://www.paulickreport.com/news/triple-crown/1-2-million-investment-pays-off-tapwrit-captures-belmont-stakes/|website=www.paulickreport.com|accessdate=11 June 2017|language=en}}
"We were hoping for a stalking trip," said Motion. "We were hoping that somebody else would go for it. We were forced to go to Plan B. Turning for home, I thought we just might have it. But it's a long way home."{{cite web|last1=Izenberg|first1=Jerry|title=In Belmont Stakes, Tapwrit proves who's the real stud|url=http://www.nj.com/sports/index.ssf/2017/06/tapwrit_belmont_stakes_irish_war_cry_izenberg.html#incart_river_index|website=NJ.com|accessdate=11 June 2017}}
"He ran a real good race; he tried hard to the end," said jockey Rajiv Maragh. "When I (entered the stretch), I had horse left and I knew it was going to take a really big run from another hose to catch me. I was pretty confident turning for home. I saw the other horse coming and obviously a race of this magnitude I'm going to ride hard to the wire, and even when I was ahead you know they're going to be coming at you, but my horse never really gave up. He ran hard to the end he just got a little bit overpowered late in the race, but I'm proud of his effort."
Race record
| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:80%;" |
| Date
! Track ! Race ! Grade ! Field ! Distance ! Finish ! Odds ! Margin ! Time ! ref |
|---|
| 11/11/2016
|Maiden Special Weight |Maiden |12 |6 furlongs |1 |8.40 |4-1/2 lengths |1:10.62 |
| 12/31/2016
|Marylander Stakes |listed |5 |7 furlongs |1 |0.30 |Nose |1:22.71 |
| 2/4/2017
|II |7 |8 furlongs |1 |2.95 |{{frac|3|3|4}} lengths | 1:42.52 |
| 3/4/2017
|II |10 |{{frac|1|1|16}} miles |7 |1.10 |{{frac|21|3|4}} lengths |1:44.25 |
| 4/8/2017
|II |8 |{{frac|1|1|8}} miles |1 |3.50 |{{frac|5|3|4}} lengths |1:50.91 |
| 5/6/2017
|I |20 |{{frac|1|1|4}} miles |10 |4.80 |({{frac|16|1|2}} lengths) |2:03.59 |
| 6/10/2017
|I |11 |{{frac|1|1|2}} miles |2 |4.75 |(2 lengths) |2:30.02 |
| 7/30/2017
|I |7 |{{frac|1|1|8}} miles |4 |2.30 |{{frac|5|1|4}} lengths |1:48.35 | |
| 9/23/2017
|I |10 |{{frac|1|1|8}} miles |8 |6.10 |{{frac|14|1|4}} lengths |1:49.91 | |
| 2/24/2018
|III |7 |1 Mile |2 |1.80 |{{frac|1|3|4}} lengths |1:36.50 | |
| 3/31/2018
|II |6 |1 Mile |6 |1.90 |{{frac|29|2|4}} lengths |1:35.92 | |
Retirement
Irish War Cry was retired from racing in September 2018. It was reported that he would stand as a breeding stallion at Northview Stallion Station in Maryland.{{cite web|url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/229771/irish-war-cry-retired-will-stand-in-maryland-in-2019|title=Irish War Cry Retired, Will Stand in Maryland in 2019|publisher=The Blood-Horse}}
Pedigree
{{Pedigree
|name = Irish War Cry, chestnut colt, 2014{{cite web|title=Irish War Cry|url=https://www.equineline.com/Free-5X-Pedigree.cfm/Irish%20War%20Cry?page_state=DISPLAY_REPORT&reference_number=9700628®istry=T&horse_name=Irish%20War%20Cry&dam_name=Irish%20Sovereign&foaling_year=2014&include_sire_line=Y|website=Equineline|accessdate=6 May 2017}}
|f = Curlin
2004
|m = Irish Sovereign
2000
|ff = Smart Strike
1992
|fm =Sheriff's Deputy
1994
|mf = Polish Numbers
1987
|mm = Irish Genius
1993
|fff = Mr. Prospector
|ffm = Classy 'n Smart
|fmf = Deputy Minister
|fmm = Barbarika
|mff = Danzig
|mfm = Numbered Account
|mmf = Beau Genius
|mmm =Irish Trip (GB)
|ffff = Raise a Native
|fffm = Gold Digger
|ffmf = Smarten
|ffmm = No Class
|fmff = Vice Regent
|fmfm =Mint Copy
|fmmf = Bates Motel
|fmmm = War Exchange
|mfff = Northern Dancer
|mffm = Pas de Nom
|mfmf = Buckpasser
|mfmm = Intriguing
|mmff = Bold Ruckus
|mmfm =Royal Colleen
|mmmf = Saint Crespin III
|mmmm = Tabebuia (family: 14-c)
}}
Irish War Cry is inbred 5 × 4 to Northern Dancer, meaning Northern Dancer appears once in the fourth and fifth generations of the pedigree.