They don't talk much about Ack Ack these days. But few horses before or since have commanded his versatility – setting sprint records and winning handily at classic distances under staggering imposts.
Editor's note: A.P. Indy died Feb. 21, 2020, at age 31 due to the infirmities of old age at Lane's End in Versailles, Ky.
A.P. Indy was seemingly born to greatness. He was sired by Seattle Slew, a Triple Crown winner. His successful dam (mother), Weekend Surprise, was no surprise because she was sired by Secretariat, another Triple Crown champion.
Justin Zayat, racing manager for Zayat Stables, looks hopefully at every young horse his family breeds or purchases, wondering if another American Pharoah might come his way again. He looks in vain.
Bobby Frankel’s success started with his unending love for the animals he trained. It was almost as if he was able to establish a personal connection with every horse in the barn.
“Bobby just had a natural gift, a natural feel, for not only training horses but for animals in general,” said Chad Brown, a former assistant who has established himself as a top trainer. “He could almost sense what they were thinking and feeling.”
A list of Woodford Cefis Stephens’ accomplishments could pretty much fill a chapter of an encyclopedia.
In a career that started in the 1930s and lasted into the 1990s, the Hall of Fame trainer known as “Woody” was revered as one the sport’s most respected and beloved figures. He won eight Triple Crown races, saddled nine champions and received enough trophies from his stakes wins to stock a three-story museum.
