Chief Stipe Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Horse racing: The Kiwi behind triple crown winner Justify 10 Jun, 2018 3:15pm 4 minutes to read Justify (1), with jockey Mike Smith up, leads the pack as it approaches the first turn during the 150th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race. Photo / AP Photo NZ Herald By: Michael Guerin The Kiwi standing in the middle of Justify's Triple Crown storm says the feeling was surreal. And even more so for Cambridge bloodstock agent Michael Wallace because he was one of those responsible for choosing racing's newest superstar from the yearling sales. Trained by the legendary Bob Baffert and ridden by Mike Smith, Justify completed the his Triple Crown with a stunning all-the-way in the Belmont Stakes as the crowd went crazy. He returned to their cheers with an unblemished record and perfectly clean silks in sharp contrast to his muddied and beaten rivals. Justify was purchased at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for the China Horse Club & Maverick Racing for $500,000 by their buying team that consists of Wallace, the China Horse Club's racing and bloodstock manager, along with Mick Flanagan and Tom Ryan of SF Bloodstock. Now owned by WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, Starlight Racing and Head of Plains Partners, Justify defeated former UK galloper Gronkowski by just on two lengths with Hofburg back in third. The China Horse Club not only part own Justify but had the honour of him completing the Triple Crown racing in their now famous colours, which are increasingly seen around tracks in New Zealand. Cambridge bloodstock agent Michael Wallace. Photo / Trish Dunell The 37-year-old Wallace was part of buying team that purchased Justify when China Horse Club was still relatively new to the North American yearling market. "It was a steep learning curve for me personally when we started buying horse in the US market because it was all new to us," said Wallace from the Belmont track. "But you never dream it could produce a result like this. To have this level of success so early is something you wouldn't dare to dream. "Only two Triple Crown winners have ever been bought at public auction and to think we are all involved in one of them is remarkable. "There are good horse and great horses. But if you win the Triple Crown you become a legend and that is what he is now." Wallace went into yesterday's race in a pragmatic mood, knowing wishing doesn't tend to make racehorses run any faster. "We had already had a great run with him and were very proud of what he had achieved. "But to win it, to be there and one part of it was surreal. It was an amazing feeling but I think it is going to take a while to really sink in." Wallace got special joy out of watching the race in the Belmont stands with his father Jim and brother David. "It was great too have them there but there are a lot of sacrifices that go into making all this work, time away from my wife Nicky and family. "But a day like today, to be part of this, is something I will never forget." Wallace spends "about eight months a year" travelling the world attending sales, inspecting yearlings and going horses and managing the careers of the China Horse Club's ever-growing band of racehorses. But he also has his own bloodstock company, Waterford Bloodstock. "And we have people working hard there too who enable me to do what I do year round." Wallace was still pinching himself hours after the race as the team around Justify set out to celebrate the unique achievement. "It is such a surreal feeling and one that I'm still trying to take in," he said. "The crowd was in excess of 100,000 so the noise was unbelievable and when they started to roar as he got near the finish it just got even louder. "After the race so many people wanted to shake your hand and congratulate you. It's an experience I will never forget and will be hard to top in the future. "To become just the 13th winner of the Triple Crown is amazing and even more special is the fact that he is only the second Triple Crown winner to be bought at public auction after Seattle Slew in 1977." Remarkably Justify is one of only two horses to have won the Triple Crown while having been undefeated in any previous race; the other is Seattle Slew who feature's in the pedigree of Justify through his dam Stage Magic. Justify has won all six of his career starts, four at grade one level. Remarkably, Justify did not have his first start until February 18th this year and has quickly become the pin-up horse of American racing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomass Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Outstanding effort... ..but he had a pretty good grounding to be fair... The old mans knowledge would have been imprinted in the wee fella from the cradle... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted June 10, 2018 Author Share Posted June 10, 2018 10 minutes ago, Thomass said: Outstanding effort... ..but he had a pretty good grounding to be fair... The old mans knowledge would have been imprinted in the wee fella from the cradle... As well as his Granddad James senior the vet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 Possibly one of the greatest accomplishments of any Kiwi born bloodstock agents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Centaur Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 3 hours ago, curious said: Possibly one of the greatest accomplishments of any Kiwi born bloodstock agents. Possibly??? But he didn't breed, own, train or ride the horse. How many "team members" does there have to be? Neither was it the NZ Horse Club. Compare say to Snow Lupton winning the Melbourne Cup the joint selection with two others of Justify is rather insignificant. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted June 11, 2018 Author Share Posted June 11, 2018 33 minutes ago, The Centaur said: Possibly??? But he didn't breed, own, train or ride the horse. How many "team members" does there have to be? Neither was it the NZ Horse Club. Compare say to Snow Lupton winning the Melbourne Cup the joint selection with two others of Justify is rather insignificant. Perhaps you are correct in considering it is insignificant however my understanding is he has a major influence on what the China Horse Club purchases. Nice to see a Kiwi connection on the big stage no matter how big or small it might be. Also great to see the Kiwi connection through Lonhro being the sire of Gronowski. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryb Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 42 minutes ago, The Centaur said: Possibly??? But he didn't breed, own, train or ride the horse. How many "team members" does there have to be? Neither was it the NZ Horse Club. Compare say to Snow Lupton winning the Melbourne Cup the joint selection with two others of Justify is rather insignificant. What a misery guts you are. Typical kiwi knocking machine in action. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mardigras Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 1 hour ago, The Centaur said: Possibly??? But he didn't breed, own, train or ride the horse. How many "team members" does there have to be? Neither was it the NZ Horse Club. Compare say to Snow Lupton winning the Melbourne Cup the joint selection with two others of Justify is rather insignificant. I think it is a bit easier to be involved with a Melbourne Cup winner than a triple crown winner. Especially for a New Zealander, and in 1983. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 1 hour ago, The Centaur said: Possibly??? But he didn't breed, own, train or ride the horse. How many "team members" does there have to be? Neither was it the NZ Horse Club. Compare say to Snow Lupton winning the Melbourne Cup the joint selection with two others of Justify is rather insignificant. Read again. I said accomplishment of a kiwi bloodstock agent, not a kiwi owner, trainer or jockey. In that respect it's an outstanding feat imho, and whether the owners he was acting for were the China Horse Club or the Kiwi Horse Club is irrelevant. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Centaur Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 1 hour ago, barryb said: What a misery guts you are. Typical kiwi knocking machine in action. All Wallace has done is help place Justify in China Horse Club ownership. Justify may well have done the same without any involvement from Michael. His achievement would be the total success of China Horse Club for which he is no doubt well paid. There are people around who actually breed, train and ride their horses putting up their own hard earned as well. Nice to see a triple crown winner but lets be reasonable Tiger Woods had Steve Williams as caddy I didn't see much accolades for Williams even though being on the golf course he was far more visible than Michael Wallace. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryb Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 Misery Guts as I said. Be bloody proud of the guy for christs sake. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaltedMilkshake Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 I have to agree with Centaur...in fact from reports here in Australia, that whilst Michael Wallace signed the sales slip...the selection of the horse is down to the principal of Newgate Farm and the SF Bloodstock representative. The other Wairarapa Bloodstock agent, Bruce Perry, has an impeccable record with horses purchased at the cheaper end of the scale... 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 2 hours ago, The Centaur said: All Wallace has done is help place Justify in China Horse Club ownership. I think doing that is a magnificent effort that should be acknowledged. If you don't think so, then each to their own. I'm just trying to recognise something that I doubt any other kiwi bloodstock agent has ever done, or is likely to do in the foreseeable future. It's a tough game and credit is due where ever credit is due. How many horses have you sold as agent TC? And does that include a triple crown winner? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted June 11, 2018 Author Share Posted June 11, 2018 10 hours ago, curious said: I think doing that is a magnificent effort that should be acknowledged. If you don't think so, then each to their own. I'm just trying to recognise something that I doubt any other kiwi bloodstock agent has ever done, or is likely to do in the foreseeable future. It's a tough game and credit is due where ever credit is due. How many horses have you sold as agent TC? And does that include a triple crown winner? I agree Curious - a great effort and should be applauded. It is a hard game to do well in and Wallace and Waterford have done very well in a short space of time. Granted they have had big cheque books behind them but you don't get that unless you put in the hard yards. You are right I doubt any other NZ bloodstock agent has achieved that level of success. The China Horse Club doesn't have unlimited funds and so it is up to a bloodstock agent to select horses from the yearling draft. You can't buy all of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowley Mile Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 There's no mention of MW in the press over in Oz, it's all about Henry Field of Newgate who 'found' the horse.......it's a bit like Duncan Ramage who signed the cheques for Bart and the Dato, Bart selected the horses, Duncan had the financial arrangement with the sales companies, Mulcaster is the same with Waller, I wonder who signed the 'slip' for Winks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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