Midnight Lute(foaled May 13, 2003, inVersailles, Kentucky) is an AmericanThoroughbredracehorse.He was namedAmerican Champion Sprint Horsein 2007.
| Midnight Lute | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Sire | Real Quiet |
| Grandsire | Quiet American |
| Dam | Candytuft |
| Damsire | Dehere |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 2003 |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Dark Bay |
| Breeder | Tom Evans, Macon Wilmil Equines &Marjac Farms, Inc. |
| Owner | Michael E. Pegramand Watson and Weitman Performance, LLC |
| Trainer | Bob Baffert |
| Record | 12: 6-3-1 |
| Earnings | US$2,690,600 |
| Major wins | |
| Perryville Stakes(2006) Forego Handicap(2007) Breeders' Cupwins: Breeders' Cup Sprint(2007, 2008) | |
| Awards | |
| American Champion Sprint Horse(2007) | |
Background
editMidnight Lute was bred by Tom Evans, Macon Wilmil Equines &Marjac Farms, Inc.and owned during his racing career byMichael E. Pegramand Watson and Weitman Performance, LLC. He was named forLute Olson,theUniversity of Arizonabasketballcoach. He was sired by theKentucky DerbyandPreakness StakeswinnerReal Quietand was out of themareCandytuft. His damsire isDehere,a multiple stakes winner and the 1993American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt.Midnight Lute was sold as a yearling for $70,000 at theKeeneland September sales.He was trained by three-time Kentucky Derby winning trainerBob Baffert.
Racing career
edit
Midnight Lute won theGrade 3Perryville StakesatKeeneland Race Courseon October 13, 2006, in track-record time. He collected his first Grade I win on September 1, 2007, while setting a new stakes record in theForego HandicapatSaratoga Race Course.
He also placed in several graded stakes, including theMalibu Stakes(3rd, Grade I) and theSan Fernando Stakes(2nd, Grade II) atSanta Anita Park.
On October 27, 2007, Midnight Lute scored the most important victory of his career when he won the six-furlongBreeders' Cup SprintatMonmouth Park,ridden byGarrett Gomez.Coming from last to first, he won by4+3⁄4lengths over a sloppy track in a time of 1:09.18, with Idiot Proof second and Talent Search third.
An injury kept him away from the races for most of the 2008 season. In his first start of the year, he finished 10th in thePat O'Brien HandicapatDel Mar Racetrack.His second start was theBreeders' Cup SprintatSanta Anita Parkon October 25. He won the six-furlong race in a final time of 1:07:08 on a fast track. Fatal Bullet ran second, with Street Boss third. With that win, Midnight Lute became the first horse to repeat in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.
On October 28, 2008, it was announced that Midnight Lute would be retired to stand stud atHill 'n' Dale Farmsin Kentucky for an initial fee of $20,000.
Assessment and honors
editIn the 2007 Forego Handicap, Midnight Lute earned the year's highestBeyer Speed Figureof 124.
In the voting for the 2007American Champion Sprint Horseaward, Midnight Lute received 229 of the 267 votes.[1]
Midnight Lute was a finalist for theEclipse Award'sAmerican Champion Sprint Horsefor 2008, but with a final vote of 106 to 86 lost to Benny The Bull.[2]
Stud career
editMidnight Lute's descendants include:[3]
| Foaled | Name | Sex | Major Wins |
| 2010 | Midnight Cello | c | Hanshin Cup Handicap |
| 2010 | Midnight Lucky | c | Acorn Stakes |
| 2010 | Shakin It Up | c | Malibu Stakes |
| 2010 | Tiz Midnight | c | Bayakoa Handicap |
| 2011 | Midnight Hawk | c | Sham Stakes |
| 2012 | Midnight Miley | c | Seaway Stakes,Ontario Matron Stakes |
| 2014 | Midnight Pleasure | c | Forego Handicap |
| 2015 | Midnight Bisou | f | Santa Anita Oaks,Ogden Phipps Handicap,Houston Ladies Classic,Cotillion Handicap,Mother Goose Stakes,Santa Ysabel Stakes,Santa Ynez Stakes |
| 2015 | Midnight Disguise | c | Busher Stakes |
References
edit- ^"Home".
- ^"2008 Eclipse Awards Voting Summary".Archived fromthe originalon 2012-02-20.Retrieved2012-12-09.
- ^"Midnight Lute".Ahonoora.Retrieved6 August2019.