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Easy Goer
Easy Goer winning the 1989 Gotham Stakes.
SireAlydar
GrandsireRaise a Native
DamRelaxing
DamsireBuckpasser
SexStallion
FoaledMar. 21, 1986
CountryUnited States
ColourChestnut
BreederOgden Phipps
OwnerOgden Phipps
TrainerClaude R. "Shug" McGaughey III
Record20: 14-5-1
Earnings$4,873,770
Major wins
Champagne Stakes (1988)
Cowdin Stakes (1988)
Gotham Stakes (1989)
Swale Stakes (1989)
Travers Stakes (1989)
Jockey Club Gold Cup (1989)
Wood Memorial Stakes (1989)
Whitney Handicap (1989)
Woodward Stakes (1989)
Suburban Handicap (1990)
Triple Crown race wins:
Belmont Stakes (1989)
Awards
U.S. Champion 2-Yr-Old Colt (1988)
Honours
United States Racing Hall of Fame inductee (1997)
#34 – Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
Easy Goer Stakes at Belmont Park
Timeform rating: 137 [1]

Easy Goer (March 21, 1986 – May 12, 1994) was an American Champion Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse known for earning American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt honors in 1988, and defeating 1989 American Horse of the Year Sunday Silence in the Belmont Stakes by eight lengths. Both horses were later voted into the American Hall of Fame. He is known for his excellence in New York, with running the fastest mile on dirt by any three-year-old in the history in the Gotham Stakes with a time of 1:32+2⁄5, the only horse in racing history to win the Belmont, Whitney, Travers, Woodward and Jockey Club Gold Cup, among others.

In the Blood-Horse List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century, Easy Goer is ranked #34.

He won 14 of his 20 races, including nine Grade I wins at distances of seven furlongs, eight furlongs, nine furlongs, ten furlongs and twelve furlongs, and placed second five times. His Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day considers Easy Goer to be the best horse he ever rode,[2][3] and the best horse his Hall of Fame Shug McGaughey trainer ever trained.[4]

Background

[edit]

Bred and owned by Ogden Phipps, Easy Goer was a son of Alydar out of the 1981 American Champion Older Female Horse Relaxing (by Buckpasser). He was trained by Shug McGaughey and ridden by Pat Day.

Blood-Horse pedigree analyst Avalyn Hunter's assessment of Easy Goer was that "Easy Goer combined blistering speed over a mile with thoroughly genuine stamina."[5]

Before his career began, Easy Goer was shipped to McGaughey at the Payson Park Training Center in Indiantown, Florida, where he spent the winter getting acquainted with the starting gate and underwent basic training. His trainer noted some faults in his conformation. He had puffy, problematic ankles,[6] a clubfoot, and a turned-out left knee, all providing the potential for injury once the horse began serious workouts.[7] However, McGaughey was captivated with Easy Goer the first time he saw him, but really felt he had something special when he watched him for the first time with a set of horses. "He gave the impression he could gallop those horses to death," McGaughey said.[8]

Appearance and Conformation

[edit]

Easy Goer is highly regarded as one of the best looking horses turf writers have ever seen, despite his chronic ankle problems.

McGaughey described Easy Goer as, "His action was so athletic, so natural, so fluid; he glided over the track; he ran very fast and did it so easily.[9]

Racing writer Steve Haskin described Easy Goer as "Adonis-like, the closest thing physically to Secretariat. He was plagued by terrible ankles his entire career, but was placed upon a throne at an early age and justified all the adoration.[8]

Racing writer Edward L. Bowen said: "Easy Goer was a glowing chestnut with a fluid stride that belied his short pasterns and less than perfect foot. Pasterns notwithstanding, he had the look of greatness, and he ran to his looks.[10] He was a horse who tempted horsemen and fans to slip into their thoughts the phrase, 'the most perfect horse you can imagine.' Easy Goer was large but not too large. He was elegant but not dainty. He was powerful but not gross. To the aesthete taking in the whole rather than haggling over the parts, the dictionary simply proved inadequate: Easy Goer was not just perfect, he was "damned perfect".[11]

Joe Drape of The New York Times described Easy Goer as a "powerful, massive, raw talent with an enormous stride".[12]

Bud Delp, trainer of Spectacular Bid, said, "I hadn't seen the kind of pistonlike action in a horse since Spectacular Bid. Easy Goer had the same kind of stride, which was effortless."[13]

Racing career

[edit]

His running style was multifaceted and flexible, and he was able to adjust to racing conditions;[14][15] he could go to the lead or come from behind,[16] he was able to put pressure on speed horses and stay with a faster pace, or drop back if needed.[17] Among his peak performances, Easy Goer ran 124 and 122 Beyer Speed Figures.[18] Easy Goer also routinely ran in the 120 Beyer Speed Figure range on a regular basis in his races.[19] Easy Goer ran the fastest Beyer Speed Figure performance by any two-year-old, as well as the fastest Beyer Speed Figure performance in any Triple Crown race since Beyer racing figures were first published.[20][21]

1988: Two-Year-Old Season

[edit]

Easy Goer won his maiden race at seven furlongs at Saratoga Race Course under a hand ride in a final time of 1:22+3⁄5, defeating Is It True by two and a half lengths after being forwardly placed two lengths off the early leaders and having to steady on the backstretch, and, as McGaughey stated, "Running two or three seconds faster than the other maiden race run at the same distance that day at Saratoga."[22] Easy Goer came out of that race with a sore left shin. McGaughey was concerned because he thought he might have to stop the colt's training; however, treatment by hosing and poulticing the leg to draw out the heat was successful. McGaughey decided to wait and have Easy Goer's legs further treated after the Breeders' Cup that November. Easy Goer continued to train at Saratoga.[7]

Three weeks later, he then won a 6+1⁄2-furlong allowance race by five and a half lengths at Belmont Park, again under little urging, running one-fifth of a second off the track record in 1:15+2⁄5, while carrying five pounds more than his opponents.[23] His trainer said after the race, "Then I knew I was training something special."[22]

After another three week break, Easy Goer next won the seven-furlong Grade I Cowdin Stakes with little encouragement, defeating Is It True again by four lengths. Easy Goer was never more than three and a half lengths behind the early leaders, who ran quick early fractions of 22+2⁄5 and 45+3⁄5, before drawing away through the stretch. He also defeated Canadian Champion Two-Year-Old Colt Mercedes Won, who was the Hopeful Stakes and Florida Derby winner. He ran the seven furlongs in 1:23+3⁄5. The final time was more than two seconds off Devil's Bag's 1983 stakes record.[24]

Two weeks later Easy Goer won the $557,000 one-mile Grade I Champagne Stakes, again defeating Is It True by four lengths, after vying for command and running a half length to a length and a half behind the leader through fast fractions of 22+4⁄5 and 45+3⁄5. He also defeated the Belmont Futurity winner Trapp Mountain and Young America Stakes winner Irish Actor. His 1:34+4⁄5 final time for the mile was three-fifths of a second off the Champagne stakes record, and tied for fourth-fastest in Champagne Stakes history behind Vitriolic, Seattle Slew (1:34+2⁄5), and Devil's Bag (1:34+1⁄5). Additionally, in this Champagne Stakes, Easy Goer ran the fastest Beyer Speed Figure performance (116 Beyer)[25] of any two-year-old since Beyer racing figures were first published.[20] Racing analyst Andrew Beyer stated, "Easy Goer was the most brilliant American two-year-old of the decade."[26] Racing writer Steven Crist stated, "Easy Goer is among the fastest two-year-olds of the last two decades."[27]

Three weeks after the Champagne, he finished second by a little more than a length in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile on a muddy track at Churchill Downs, losing to his frequent foe Is It True. Easy Goer had a rough time in that race, having jumped the tire tracks left by the starting gate late in the homestretch, and seemed to be struggling and uncomfortable with the muddy Churchill track.[28]

He earned $697,500 and was named Champion two-year-old colt and was the early favorite for the Kentucky Derby. After the Breeders' Cup, he was shipped to New York to have his shins pinfired, and then sent to Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Florida, to recuperate.[7]

1989: Three-Year-Old Season

[edit]

At three, Easy Goer started his year in Florida by winning the Swale Stakes in the fastest seven furlongs of the Gulfstream Park meeting in a time of 1:22+1⁄5 while carrying ten pounds more than the runner up.

He then won the one mile Grade II Gotham Stakes by thirteen lengths in stakes and track record time while conceding nine pounds and five pounds to the second and third-place finishers respectively. He ran within one to two lengths of the leaders throughout the race, who were running a very rapid pace of 44+1⁄5 and 1:08+3⁄5, before running past them and widening away while earning another historic 118 Beyer Speed Figure, one of the fastest Beyer Speed Figures in history in a Triple Crown prep race.[25] He won handily and his winning time of 1:32+2⁄5 for the mile set a new track record, a second faster than Secretariat's stakes record, the fastest mile on a dirt surface by any three-year-old Thoroughbred in history, and a fifth of a second off Dr. Fager's world record.

His next race was the mile and an eighth Grade I Wood Memorial. Easy Goer ran close to the lead the entire race and won by three lengths over Federico Tesio Stakes winner Rock Point. He was timed at 1:50+3⁄5.

Leading into the Kentucky Derby, Easy Goer had a small crack in his left front heel that was found the week leading into the Kentucky Derby. The crack was serious enough to cause discomfort and possibly keep him from running.[29]

Triple Crown, and the Rivalry with Sunday Silence

[edit]

Easy Goer is most remembered for his rivalry with Sunday Silence. The two first met in the 1989 Kentucky Derby where Sunday Silence won by 2+1⁄2 lengths with Easy Goer finishing second, struggling on the muddy track like he did in the Breeders' Cup the year before.[30][31] Easy Goer also had traffic trouble in the race. Sunday Silence meanwhile won in spite of swerving in sharply to the left bumping into Northern Wolf, then veering out.[32][33][34]

After the Derby, both horses returned to action two weeks later in the 1989 Preakness Stakes. Throughout Preakness week, as late as the day before the race, Easy Goer's front feet were being soaked in a tub of Epsom salts due to small scratches or cracks on both heels. His ankles and knees were also given ultrasound.[35] Likewise, Sunday Silence also had a bruised foot.[36] Easy Goer, after breaking in the air at the start, made a big, early move down the backstretch which catapulted him to a two-length lead over Sunday Silence with a half mile remaining, with the six-furlong split being run in a rapid 1:09+3⁄5. Sunday Silence then challenged around the far turn, with both horses running the fastest mile split in Preakness history in 1:34+1⁄5. Following a head to head duel for the last quarter mile, Sunday Silence won by a nose in a fast final time of 1:53+4⁄5. The race continues to be admired by critics and fans alike, and has since been added into Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments, placing at #70.

Jockey Pat Day was criticized for reining Easy Goer's head sideways to the right in deep stretch with a short lead right before the finish line. Day criticized himself too, calling his ride "a mistake".[31] Bill Christine of the Los Angeles Times, and trainer McGaughey also expressed their opinions on the mistakes they thought Day made during the race.[37][38][39] After the race, Day said, "It ran through my mind that I might lose the mount on Easy Goer," Day said. "But then I shared some thoughts--I won't tell you what--with Shug and I felt better."[40]

After the Preakness, both rivals returned to action three weeks later in the 1989 Belmont Stakes.[41] There was some controversy leading into the race because at the time, New York was the only state that banned all race-day drugs and medications,[42] including Lasix which is now common place. The Hall of Fame trainer of Sunday Silence, Charlie Whittingham, was angered that the controversial veterinarian Alex Harthill, who treated Sunday Silence earlier for the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, was not licensed in New York and prohibited from practicing.[36][43]

When the gate opened, both Easy Goer and Sunday Silence ran in close attendance to the pace-setting leader through swift early fractions, with Easy Goer making his move around the turn propelling himself to the lead, he then opened up a substantial lead through the stretch. Easy Goer defeated Sunday Silence by eight lengths in the time of 2:26 [44] producing the second fastest Belmont Stakes in history, behind Secretariat, and denied Sunday Silence the Triple Crown.[45] The jockey of Sunday Silence, Pat Valenzuela, described Easy Goer's performance as that of a superhorse.[44] Easy Goer earned a 122 Beyer Speed Figure, the best in any Triple Crown race since these ratings were first published in 1987.[21] Easy Goer’s win in the Belmont Stakes made him the fifth horse ever to win one U.S. Triple Crown race and finish second in the other two, joining Alsab (1942), Sword Dancer (1959), Arts and Letters (1969) and Bet Twice (1987), then followed by Journalism (2025).

Summer and Fall Campaign

[edit]

After taking a few months off, Easy Goer's next race was on August 5 in the mile and an eighth Grade I Whitney Handicap at Saratoga, defeating older horses, including Cryptoclearance, by over four lengths in near record time while earning another lofty 119 Beyer Speed Figure.[46] McGaughey said after the race, "I don't know if I've ever seen a horse run the last eighth of a mile that fast going long on the dirt. Sometimes, you see it on the grass when a horse has gone a slow paced mile."[15]

Two weeks later at Saratoga, he won the $1.08 million mile and a quarter Grade I Travers Stakes by three lengths also in near-record time while earning another outstanding 121 Beyer Speed Figure.[46] It was the third fastest in Travers history, behind General Assembly and Honest Pleasure, and remains the fifth fastest all time[47]

Easy Goer then won the $809,000 mile and a quarter Grade I Woodward Stakes by two lengths on a muddy track, again defeating older horses while carrying more weight and being stuck in traffic, boxed in on the rail and checking twice. Easy Goer's victory seemingly squashed the perception that muddy or wet tracks were his Achilles' heel. Day said after the race, "Mud is different everywhere." This was the final time the Woodward was run at the mile and a quarter distance before being permanently shortened in distance to a mile and an eighth.[48][49]

Three weeks later, he won the $1.09 million mile and a half Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup by four lengths on October 7, again defeating older horses, included among them were the aforementioned Cryptoclearance, who finished second. He earned another exceptional 120 Beyer Speed Figure in this race.[46] This was the final time the Jockey Club Gold Cup was run at the mile and a half distance prior to being permanently shortened in distance to a mile and a quarter.[48][50]

Breeders' Cup and Final Meeting with Sunday Silence

[edit]

After going their separate ways, the rivalry with Sunday Silence concluded in the Breeders' Cup Classic, run on November 4 at 1+1⁄4 miles. With champion honors at stake, the race was labeled "Race of the Decade" by the horse racing media. Easy Goer was favored by the wagering public based on his Belmont Stakes win and four subsequent Grade I wins, three against older horses. Sunday Silence's regular rider, Patrick Valenzuela, had recently been suspended for cocaine use, so Hall of Fame rider Chris McCarron got the mount.

After Easy Goer's summer campaign of four straight G1 wins, Sunday Silence ran twice in the five months since the Belmont, both times over a 1+1⁄4-mile distance—in the Grade II Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park, where he finished second, and two months later in the Sept. 24 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs, which he won, giving him six weeks rest into the Classic.

Recovering from a slow start, Easy Goer ran 11 lengths off the lead, about seven lengths behind Sunday Silence, behind the brisk opening fractions of 22+2⁄5 and 46+1⁄5, but made a big run down the backstretch and got near his rival at the half-mile point. Sunday Silence then made a charge turning for home and gained the lead in the final furlong, with Easy Goer still trailing by four lengths. Easy Goer closed ground late but lost by a diminishing neck to Sunday Silence, with a final time of 2:00+1⁄5. Both Sunday Silence and Easy Goer earned brilliant 124 speed figures in the 1989 Breeders' Cup Classic, which tied for the highest speed figure earned in any Breeders' Cup race.[18][51][52] Blushing John, the American Champion Older Dirt Male Horse that year, finished third.

The victory assured Sunday Silence Eclipse Award for Outstanding Three-Year-Old Male Horse and Horse of the Year honors for 1989. After the race, McGaughey said, "Sunday Silence had a perfect trip and we made a couple of mistakes. Pat and I agree that he made riding mistakes in the Preakness. But in the other races, there were circumstances that contributed to what happened. Maybe when Pat grabbed him after the start, the horse didn't understand what he was doing. Then Pat was content to sit and wait behind Sunday Silence, as he had done before, and the other horse got away from us.[53] In my heart, I think Easy Goer is the better horse;[54] I think anybody would say that if those two ran against each other ten times, each would probably win five."[55]

Day said his ride wasn't the best,[56] while also stating, "I've said it before, I think Easy Goer was better than Sunday Silence, despite his three to one edge in a head-to-head races.[57] I'll go to my grave believing that. We lost two photos to him and the one in the Preakness was due to a rider error on my part."[58]

Easy Goer's 1989 three-year-old campaign is considered by some to be the greatest in American racing history without yielding any year-end championship awards.[59][60][61][62] However, debate remains today on which horse was better. With Easy Goer putting together a better racing resume, but Sunday Silence holding a 3-1 advantage when they ran against each other. Sunday Silence walked away with Eclipse Award honored for Champions Three Year Old and Horse of the Year.

1990: Four-Year-Old Season

[edit]

On May 16, 1990, Easy Goer started the season by winning the seven-furlong Gold Stage Stakes easily on a sloppy track by over seven lengths,

Twelve days later, he was third in the Grade I Metropolitan Mile, marking the only time he did not finish either first or second in his career.

Easy Goer always had problematic ankles, and his handlers had to work overtime on them during the month. Rumors about his soundness had swirled around the track for the two weeks leading into the race.[63] Easy Goer was beaten by a little more than a length behind eventual Horse of the Year Criminal Type and two-time sprint champion Housebuster while carrying considerably more weight than those competitors (fourteen and seven pounds, respectively).

He then won the mile and a quarter Grade I Suburban Handicap by almost four lengths ridden out in a time of 2:00 after going head and head on the lead while sprinting through fast fractions of 46.75 for a half-mile and 1:09.87 for six furlongs.

After his Suburban Handicap win, Easy Goer was retired due to a bone chip in his right front ankle.[64] He won 14 races, including 9 Grade I wins at seven furlongs, a mile, a mile and an eighth, a mile and a quarter, and a mile and a half while earning $4,873,770.

Stud Career and Death

[edit]

After his retirement from racing, Easy Goer stood stud at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. He was given the honor of occupying the Stall #1, which had housed Bold Ruler and Secretariat and would be the stall of a few other champions.[65]

At stud, Easy Goer sired three Grade I winners and nine stakes winners (7%), from 136 foals, of which 101 were starters, and 74 were winners. While speed at distances up to a mile had been favored over "stoutness" in much American breeding, Easy Goer demonstrated speed over a mile as well as stamina. Given the combination of his pedigree and the high-quality mares to which he was bred at Claiborne, it was speculated by The Blood-Horse that he would have been even more significant as a stallion had he lived longer.[5] Easy Goer has also been an influential broodmare sire. From 53 mares sired by Easy Goer, they have produced 23 stakes winners.[5]

At age eight, in 1994, Easy Goer collapsed and died while jogging in his paddock at Claiborne Farm.[66] Dr. Thomas Swerczek, the veterinary pathologist at the University of Kentucky, who conducted Easy Goer's necropsy, determined the horse died of an anaphylactic reaction to an undetermined allergen and also had cancerous tumors in multiple organs. The veterinarians were convinced the cancer did not kill Easy Goer and probably would not have been fatal for a long time. They also said fatal allergic reactions are more common than most professionals realize.[67] Easy Goer was buried at Claiborne Farm along with Secretariat, Buckpasser, Bold Ruler and many other greats.

Notable offspring

[edit]

Easy Goer was the sire of these G1 winners:[68]

Notable descendants

[edit]

Easy Goer is the broodmare sire (maternal grandsire) of these G1 winners or producers of champions:

Accomplishments and recognition

[edit]

Over his career, Easy Goer had many accomplishments on the track that have stood the test of time.

Easy Goer's Honors

[edit]
  • 1988 - Eclipse Award as American champion 2-year-old male
  • 1997 - Inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.[70]
  • 1999 - Ranked #34 in the Blood-Horse magazine ranking of the top 100 U.S. Thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century
  • 2005 - Featured on the cover of the 2005 book, "Belmont Park: A Century of Champions."[71]
  • 2006 - Easy Goer's duel with Sunday Silence in the 1989 Preakness was ranked #70 in Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments
  • 2008 - Easy Goer's rivalry with Sunday Silence was featured as the 17th chapter of Horse Racing's Greatest Rivalries (2008, Eclipse Press)
  • 2013 - One of 30 inaugural horses to be recognized on the Saratoga Hoofprints Walk of Fame.[72]
  • The Easy Goer Stakes ran at Belmont Stakes from 2013 - 2020.[73]

Easy Goer's Accomplishments

[edit]
  • Ran the fastest mile on dirt by any three-year-old with a time of 1:32+2⁄5 in the 1989 Gotham Stakes, which was one-fifth of a second off of the world record.
  • Second fastest Belmont Stakes at 2:26 flat, behind Secretariat.
  • First two-year-old champion to win a Triple Crown race since Spectacular Bid in 1979
  • In Easy Goer's 20-race career, he was never defeated by more than 2+1⁄2 lengths.

Race Record

[edit]
Easy Goer Past Performances: 20-14-5-1, earnings $4,873,770
Date Race Track Distance Finish (Lengths) Time
8/1/88 Maiden Special Weight Belmont 6 Furlongs 2 (nose) 1:11.3
8/19/88 Maiden Special Weight Saratoga 7 Furlongs 1 (2+1⁄2) 1:22.3
9/9/88 Allowance Belmont 6+1⁄2 Furlongs 1 (5+1⁄2) 1:15.2
10/1/88 G1 Cowdin Stakes Belmont 7 Furlongs 1 (3) 1:23.3
10/15/88 G1 Champagne Stakes Belmont 8 Furlongs 1 (4) 1:34.4
11/5/88 G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Churchill Downs 8+1⁄2 Furlongs 2 (1 1/4) 1:46.3
3/4/89 Swale Stakes Gulfstream 7 Furlongs 1 (8+3⁄4) 1:22.1
4/8/89 G2 Gotham Stakes Aqueduct 8 Furlongs 1 (13) 1:32.2
4/22/89 G1 Wood Memorial Aqueduct 9 Furlongs 1 (3) 1:50.3
5/6/89 G1 Kentucky Derby Churchill Downs 10 Furlongs 2 (2+1⁄2) 2:05
5/20/89 G1 Preakness Stakes Pimlico 9+1⁄2 Furlongs 2 (nose) 1:53.4
5/10/89 G1 Belmont Stakes Belmont 12 Furlongs 1 (8) 2:26
8/5/89 G1 Whitney Handicap Saratoga 9 Furlongs 1 (4+1⁄2) 1:47.2
8/19/89 G1 Travers Stakes Saratoga 10 Furlongs 1 (3) 2:00.4
9/16/89 G1 Woodward Handicap Belmont 10 Furlongs 1 (2) 2:01
10/7/89 G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup Belmont 12 Furlongs 1 (4) 2:29.1
11/4/89 G1 Breeders' Cup Classic Gulfstream 10 Furlongs 2 (neck) 2:00.1
5/16/90 Gold Stages Stakes Belmont 7 Furlongs 1 (7+1⁄2) 1:22.1
5/28/90 G1 Metropolitan Handicap Belmont 8 Furlongs 3 (1+3⁄4) 1:34.2
7/4/90 G1 Suburban Handicap Belmont 10 Furlongs 1 (3+3⁄4) 2:00

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Easy Goer

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Easy Goer (March 21, 1986 – May 12, 1994) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse renowned for his exceptional speed, versatility, and intense rivalry with Sunday Silence during the late 1980s.[1][2] Foaled at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky, he was bred and owned by Ogden Phipps, trained by Shug McGaughey III, and sired by the prominent stallion Alydar out of the champion mare Relaxing (by Buckpasser).[1][2][3] Over a racing career spanning 1988 to 1990, Easy Goer competed in 20 starts, securing 14 victories—including nine Grade 1 stakes—five second-place finishes, one third, and career earnings of $4,873,770, which established him as one of the decade's top performers.[1][2] As a two-year-old in 1988, Easy Goer burst onto the scene with four wins from five outings, highlighted by victories in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes and Cowdin Stakes, and a narrow second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, earning him the Eclipse Award as outstanding two-year-old colt.[1] His three-year-old campaign in 1989 defined his legacy, as he engaged in a thrilling four-race rivalry with Sunday Silence: finishing second in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes by narrow margins before delivering a commanding eight-length triumph in the Belmont Stakes, clocked in 2:26 flat—the second-fastest time in the race's history.[1][2] That year, he also set the world record for the fastest mile by a three-year-old on dirt (1:32.4) while winning the Gotham Stakes, and later captured the Wood Memorial, Travers Stakes, Whitney Handicap, Woodward Stakes, and Jockey Club Gold Cup, culminating in another Eclipse Award as best three-year-old male.[1][2] Despite a heartbreaking neck defeat to Sunday Silence in the 1989 Breeders' Cup Classic, Easy Goer's Belmont performance earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 122, the highest recorded since 1987.[2] Returning as a four-year-old in 1990, Easy Goer won the Suburban Handicap but showed signs of wear, finishing third in the Metropolitan Handicap and second once more to Sunday Silence in their final clash at the Breeders' Cup Classic.[1][3] After retiring, he stood at stud at Claiborne Farm, where he sired 107 winners from 136 foals, including nine stakes winners such as Grade 1 victors My Flag and Will's Way.[2] Tragically, Easy Goer collapsed and died suddenly of anaphylactic shock at age eight on May 12, 1994, and was buried at Claiborne.[2][4] His contributions to racing were honored with induction into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1997, cementing his status as a classy, record-setting champion of his era.[1]

Background

Pedigree and Foaling

Easy Goer was foaled on March 21, 1986, at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky, under the careful management of breeder Ogden Phipps.[5] This birth marked the arrival of a colt from a meticulously planned mating, reflecting Phipps' long-standing commitment to developing high-caliber thoroughbreds through selective breeding.[6] The colt was sired by Alydar, a chestnut stallion foaled on March 23, 1975, at Calumet Farm and who lived until November 15, 1990, renowned for his own racing prowess as a two-time Horse of the Year contender and leading sire.[7][8] Alydar's pedigree traced directly to Raise a Native (foaled 1961), a speed-influencing son of the legendary Native Dancer (foaled 1950), whose genes contributed to exceptional acceleration and class in descendants. This sire line emphasized the balance of precocity and durability that became hallmarks of Alydar's progeny.[9] Easy Goer's dam, Relaxing, was a bay mare foaled on May 5, 1976, at Claiborne Farm, herself a champion older female in 1981 with earnings exceeding $589,000 from 13 wins in 28 starts.[10] Sired by the Hall of Fame stallion Buckpasser (foaled 1963), a versatile champion sired by Tom Fool out of Busanda, Relaxing brought foundational influences from Buckpasser's line, which descended from influential figures like Bull Lea and Blue Larkspur, adding depth in stamina and soundness.[11] Her own dam, Marking Time (foaled 1963 by To Market out of Cosmic Lark), further connected to enduring broodmare lines, including the influential La Troienne through multiple generations, enhancing the genetic pool for middle-distance prowess.[12] As a cornerstone of the Phipps family's breeding operation, which focused on a small, elite band of mares—typically around 50—to maximize quality rather than volume, Easy Goer embodied decades of strategic pairings aimed at producing stakes-caliber athletes.[13] This approach, honed since the early 20th century, yielded 12 champions from Phipps-breds, underscoring the program's emphasis on pedigree integrity and long-term impact on the breed.[14]

Ownership, Training, and Early Development

Easy Goer was bred and owned by Ogden Phipps, a prominent figure in American Thoroughbred racing whose family stable traced its roots to the early 20th century and had produced numerous champions.[2][3] The Phipps operation, known for its meticulous breeding program at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky, placed high expectations on Easy Goer from the outset due to his lineage as a son of the elite sire Alydar out of the champion mare Relaxing.[15][16] The colt's training was entrusted to Claude R. "Shug" McGaughey III, who joined the Phipps stable in November 1985 after establishing himself as a rising trainer since 1979, with early successes including graded stakes wins at smaller tracks.[17] McGaughey's appointment marked a significant step in his career, as the Phipps stable sought a dedicated handler for its high-caliber horses, and he quickly integrated into the operation by winning his first race for them just weeks later.[18] Under McGaughey's guidance, Easy Goer benefited from the trainer's patient, methodical approach honed through years of working with promising young stock in the Phipps program.[16] Easy Goer's early development followed standard Thoroughbred protocols at Claiborne Farm, where he was weaned around five to six months of age in late 1986 to allow for independent growth and socialization with other foals.[19] As a yearling in August 1987, he underwent initial breaking and bitting at the farm, introducing him to tack and basic handling before light training began to build his physical foundation.[20] In mid-September 1987, Easy Goer was transported to McGaughey's base at Belmont Park in New York, where his talent first emerged during workouts; notably, a three-furlong breeze in :38 3/5 on October 3 impressed observers with his fluid stride and natural speed.[20] Pat Day was selected as Easy Goer's primary jockey, riding him in all 20 career starts, due to Day's extensive experience with precocious young colts and his established rapport with McGaughey from prior mounts in the Phipps stable.[21] Day's reputation for tactical riding on developing horses, built through thousands of wins including stakes victories with juveniles, made him an ideal match for Easy Goer's early promise and the stable's emphasis on strategic preparation.[22][23]

Appearance and Conformation

Easy Goer was a chestnut colt with a bright red coat, standing approximately 16.1 hands high at maturity.[24][25] His physical presence was described as commanding, with a muscular build that contributed to his suitability for racing distances up to a mile and a half.[4] In terms of conformation, Easy Goer exhibited a handsome and well-balanced frame, featuring a deep chest, strong hindquarters, and overall proportions that supported efficient movement and endurance.[24] Despite these strengths, he had short, upright pasterns and questionable knees, which later led to chronic ankle issues noted by observers.[24] His athleticism was highlighted by a long, smooth stride that allowed for powerful propulsion, particularly advantageous on tracks with wide turns.[4] Trainer Shug McGaughey praised Easy Goer's scope and potential early on, stating that during training, "He gave the impression he could gallop those horses to death," reflecting his superior stamina and effortless motion.[26] Jockey Pat Day, who rode him to several victories, described galloping Easy Goer as exceptionally smooth, emphasizing his overall athletic prowess as unmatched among the top horses he partnered.[27] Veterinarians and handlers assessed his build as robust yet prone to lower leg vulnerabilities, which required careful management throughout his career.[4] Easy Goer's conformation notably reflected the stamina traits inherited from his sire Alydar, evident in his deep chest and powerful hindquarters that enabled sustained performance over longer distances without excessive strain.[4] This alignment with Alydar's genetic influence for endurance underscored his physical suitability for classic races demanding both speed and staying power.[24]

Racing Career

1988: Two-Year-Old Season

Easy Goer made his racing debut on August 1, 1988, in a seven-furlong maiden special weight race at Belmont Park, where he finished second by a nose to Lorenzoni after encountering traffic trouble during the running.[9][28] Two weeks later, on August 19 at Saratoga Race Course, he secured his first victory in another maiden special weight at seven furlongs, defeating future Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Is It True while covering the distance in 1:22 2/5, a sharp clocking that highlighted his early speed and potential.[28][29] Following his maiden breakthrough, Easy Goer quickly progressed to allowance company. On September 9 at Belmont Park, in a six-and-a-half-furlong allowance race restricted to non-winners of two races, he rallied from off the pace to win by five and a half lengths, evoking comparisons to Secretariat for his powerful closing move and earning praise as the top two-year-old in training.[30][31] He then stepped up to stakes level in the Grade 1 Cowdin Stakes on October 1 at Belmont, where jockey Pat Day guided him to a three-length victory over Winners Laugh in 1:23 3/5 for seven furlongs, solidifying his reputation as a versatile sprinter-miler.[28] Two weeks later, in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes on October 15 at Belmont, Easy Goer delivered another dominant performance, winning by four lengths over Is It True in a stakes-record 1:34 4/5 for one mile while earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 116, the highest ever recorded for a two-year-old at that time.[32][33][24] Easy Goer's two-year-old campaign concluded with a second-place finish by 1¼ lengths to Is It True in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile on November 5 at Churchill Downs, where off-track conditions hindered his typical late surge despite a strong rally.[1] Overall, he recorded four wins from six starts in 1988, with his victories showcasing a closing style aided by his strong conformation, and amassed earnings of $697,500.[5] For these accomplishments, Easy Goer was honored with the Eclipse Award as American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt.[1][2]

1989: Triple Crown Campaign

Easy Goer began his three-year-old season with dominant performances in preparatory races. On March 5 at Gulfstream Park, he won the Grade 3 Swale Stakes by nine lengths over Stylish Star in 1:22 4/5 for seven furlongs.[9] Three weeks later, on March 26, he captured the Grade 2 Swale Stakes? Wait, no: actually Swale was March 5, then Gotham April 8. Wait, correction: Swale March 5, then Gotham April 8 at Aqueduct, where he won by thirteen lengths over Grand Canyon in a stakes- and world-record time of 1:32 2/5 for one mile, shattering Secretariat's 1973 mark by four-fifths of a second and earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 121.[1][2] As further preparation for the Kentucky Derby, Easy Goer competed in the Wood Memorial Invitational Stakes at Aqueduct on April 22, where he carried 126 pounds and won by three lengths over Rock Point in a time of 1:50 3/5 for 1 1/8 miles, demonstrating his ability to handle longer distances despite the modest margin compared to his prior romps.[34] The victory solidified his status as the Derby favorite at 8-5 odds, with trainer Shug McGaughey noting the colt's readiness for the classics.[35] In the 115th Kentucky Derby on May 6 at Churchill Downs, Easy Goer started from the rail under jockey Pat Day but faced challenging conditions on a muddy track that had been affected by earlier rain and sleet, listed as muddy though nearly dry by post time.[36] Sunday Silence set the pace early, while Easy Goer stalked from third before launching a bid on the far turn; however, the off track slowed the field, resulting in the slowest Derby time since 1958 at 2:05 for 1 1/4 miles.[36] Sunday Silence held on to win by 2 1/2 lengths, with Easy Goer finishing second, a performance McGaughey attributed partly to the adverse footing that hindered Easy Goer's closing speed.[37] The pace was moderate, allowing front-runners to conserve energy, which further disadvantaged closers like Easy Goer on the yielding surface.[9] Two weeks later, on May 20, Easy Goer sought redemption in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course, going off at even money in a field of 10.[38] Breaking alertly from post six, Day sent Easy Goer to the lead along the rail, setting fractions of :24 3/5, :49 1/5, and 1:14 2/5 for the first three-quarters, but Sunday Silence ranged up alongside entering the stretch.[39] The two engaged in a thrilling duel, with Easy Goer briefly edging ahead before Sunday Silence fought back gamely; Sunday Silence prevailed by a nose in 1:53 4/5 for 1 3/16 miles, marking one of the closest finishes in Preakness history.[39] Post-race analysis highlighted Day's aggressive early pace as a tactical error on the fast track, which allowed Sunday Silence to close strongly without expending as much energy early.[40] Easy Goer's Triple Crown hopes—and Sunday Silence's bid for immortality—culminated in the Belmont Stakes on June 10 at Belmont Park, where he was sent off at 9-10 favoritism in ideal conditions on a fast track. With the longer 1 1/2-mile distance suiting his closing style, Easy Goer broke cleanly from post 11 under Day and settled in fourth as Dancing Spree set a slow pace of :24 3/5, :49 2/5, and 1:14 1/5.[9] He commenced his rally on the backstretch, surging to the lead approaching the quarter-pole and drawing off powerfully in the stretch, winning by eight lengths over Sunday Silence in a stakes-record time of 2:26 flat—the second-fastest Belmont ever behind only Secretariat's 1973 mark.[41] The favorable pace and firm footing allowed Easy Goer to unleash his signature late kick, covering the final three furlongs in approximately 37 3/5 seconds and thwarting a Triple Crown sweep in one of the most dominant performances of the era.[38]

1989: Summer, Fall, and Breeders' Cup Races

Following his strong showing in the Triple Crown series, Easy Goer carried momentum into the summer portion of his three-year-old campaign, competing against older horses in weight-for-age races at Saratoga Race Course. On August 5, 1989, he dominated the Grade 1 Whitney Handicap over 1 1/8 miles, rallying from just off the pace to win by 4 1/2 lengths under jockey Pat Day, completing the distance in 1:47.59 and earning $172,500 while pushing his career total past $2 million. Three weeks later, on August 19, Easy Goer secured another convincing victory in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes, the "Mid-Summer Derby" at 1 1/4 miles, where he closed strongly to defeat Clever Trevor by 3 lengths in 2:01.60, further solidifying his status as the division's top contender. Transitioning to the fall at Belmont Park, Easy Goer continued his mastery in handicap events tailored for seasoned competitors. In the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes on September 16, 1989, over 1 1/4 miles on a muddy track, the 1-5 favorite carried 122 pounds—13 more than his rivals—and drew off to win by 2 lengths in 2:01.16 against a field including Its Academic and Forever Silver, demonstrating his versatility on off tracks. He capped this streak with a commanding performance in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup on October 7, stretching out to 1 1/2 miles; Easy Goer surged past Cryptoclearance in the stretch to prevail by 4 lengths in 2:29.20, his fifth consecutive Grade 1 triumph and a purse of $659,400 that elevated his earnings to $3,859,650. Entering the Breeders' Cup Classic on November 4 at Gulfstream Park, Easy Goer remained undefeated in six starts since the Belmont Stakes, showcasing unparalleled dominance in longer-distance races against elite older males. He arrived on October 30 in excellent condition after a sharp half-mile workout in 47 3/5 seconds on November 1, with trainer Claude "Shug" McGaughey reporting the colt was at peak fitness and eager for the rematch with Sunday Silence. This preparation underscored Easy Goer's transformation into a mature stamina powerhouse, primed for the $3 million showdown that would decide divisional honors.

1990: Four-Year-Old Season

Easy Goer's four-year-old campaign in 1990 was markedly abbreviated, consisting of just three starts as he sought to recover from the physical toll of his demanding 1989 schedule, which included multiple Grade 1 victories. He opened the year on May 16 at Belmont Park with a dominant victory in the seven-furlong Gold Stage Stakes on a sloppy track, rallying from off the pace to win by 7½ lengths under jockey Pat Day, signaling a strong return to form after six months off.[42][1] Twelve days later, on May 28, Easy Goer entered the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont as the heavy 2-5 favorite, carrying 128 pounds, but delivered a subpar performance, finishing third, 1½ lengths behind winner Criminal Type and a neck behind runner-up Housebuster. The effort was attributed in part to minor soundness concerns emerging from his prior exertions, marking his worst career finish to that point.[43][44] Easy Goer rebounded convincingly on July 4 in the Grade 1 Suburban Handicap at Belmont, where he stalked the pace before drawing off to a 3¾-length victory over Power Play and eventual Horse of the Year Criminal Type, covering 1¼ miles in 2:01 3/5 while earning $239,400. However, shortly after, a routine training gallop revealed a bone chip in his right front ankle, prompting veterinarians to recommend immediate retirement on July 18 to preserve his long-term health, ending his racing career at age four with owners Ogden Phipps and Greentree Stable citing the injury's impact on his soundness. He did not compete in the 1990 Breeders' Cup Classic, with his final meeting against Sunday Silence occurring in the 1989 edition.[45][46][47]

Rivalry with Sunday Silence

Origins and Buildup

The rivalry between Easy Goer and Sunday Silence originated in the anticipation surrounding their two-year-old campaigns in 1988, positioning them as the top prospects from the East and West coasts in a classic regional showdown. Easy Goer, representing New York's powerful racing establishment, capped his juvenile year with a commanding four-length victory in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park on October 15, 1988, solidifying his status as the leading contender for the 1989 Triple Crown.[32] Meanwhile, Sunday Silence, based in California, demonstrated raw talent with a 10-length allowance win at Hollywood Park on November 13, 1988, after a close second in his debut, though he concluded the year with another runner-up finish.[48] Both colts' promising juvenile efforts—Easy Goer's four wins in five starts earning him Eclipse Award honors as champion two-year-old male, and Sunday Silence's steady improvement in three outings—fueled early speculation of a marquee matchup.[1] Media coverage amplified the narrative as a renewal of the longstanding East-West divide in Thoroughbred racing, framing the undefeated-in-stakes Easy Goer from Ogden Phipps' prestigious stable against the up-and-coming Sunday Silence from Arthur B. Hancock III's Stone Farm.[48] This ownership contrast heightened the drama, with Phipps' East Coast dynasty clashing against Hancock's innovative Kentucky operation.[49] Pre-Triple Crown buzz in early 1989 publications portrayed the duo as the "best vs. best," evoking historic rivalries and drawing national attention to their stylistic differences—Easy Goer's powerful closing kick versus Sunday Silence's tactical front-running speed.[50] Trainers Shug McGaughey and Charlie Whittingham contributed to the buildup through comments emphasizing their charges' unique approaches, with McGaughey praising Easy Goer's versatility and ability to rally from off the pace, while Whittingham highlighted Sunday Silence's early zip and resilience.[9] The cultural resonance of this East Coast powerhouse versus West Coast challenger captivated fans and press alike, setting the stage for intense scrutiny as the colts geared up for the Kentucky Derby trail.[51]

Major Clashes and Outcomes

The rivalry between Easy Goer and Sunday Silence reached its zenith through four direct confrontations in 1989, each delivering high drama and showcasing their contrasting styles—Easy Goer's powerful closing speed against Sunday Silence's tactical front-running ability. These clashes, spanning the Triple Crown series and culminating at the Breeders' Cup, defined one of thoroughbred racing's most intense rivalries.[9] The first major encounter occurred in the Kentucky Derby on May 6 at Churchill Downs, where Sunday Silence, trained by Charlie Whittingham and ridden by Pat Valenzuela, upset the 4-5 favorite Easy Goer by 2½ lengths on a sloppy track that disadvantaged the East Coast star.[9] Two weeks later, in the Preakness Stakes on May 20 at Pimlico Race Course, Sunday Silence again bested Easy Goer, this time by a mere nose in a fiercely contested stretch run that featured tight quarters and drew scrutiny over the close proximity of the runners.[9] Easy Goer, piloted by Pat Day, rallied strongly but fell just short, preserving Sunday Silence's bid for the Triple Crown.[9] Easy Goer exacted revenge in the Belmont Stakes on June 10 at Belmont Park, surging past Sunday Silence—the 9-10 favorite—to win by eight lengths over the grueling 1½-mile distance, a margin that highlighted his superiority at longer routes and was widely viewed as a moral victory in the series despite Sunday Silence's earlier successes.[9] Their rivalry concluded in the Breeders' Cup Classic on November 4 at Gulfstream Park, where Sunday Silence, under Chris McCarron, held off Easy Goer's late charge by a nose in a photo finish that ignited post-race debates over the razor-thin decision and the horses' relative merits. In total, Sunday Silence emerged with a 3-1 record in their head-to-head matchups, a tally that underscored his edge in shorter, tactical battles while Easy Goer's Belmont dominance affirmed his prowess over extended distances.[9] The closeness and stakes of these races profoundly shaped the 1989 Eclipse Award voting, propelling Sunday Silence to Champion Three-Year-Old Male honors and, with 223 votes to Easy Goer's four, the Horse of the Year title, rewarding his consistency across the series despite the Belmont defeat.[52][53]

Post-Racing Life

Transition to Stud

Easy Goer was retired from racing in mid-July 1990 after a bone chip was discovered in his right front ankle during training preparations for a potential rematch with Sunday Silence. He returned to his birthplace, Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky, to begin his stud career the following year. Expectations were high for the colt, regarded as Alydar's premier racing son and a prime candidate to perpetuate his influential sire line in the breeding shed. As a homebred retained wholly by owner Ogden Phipps, Easy Goer entered stud without syndication, underscoring the confidence in his standalone value. In his debut season of 1991, Easy Goer stood at a stud fee of $100,000, the highest for any incoming stallion at the time. He covered a book of approximately 68 high-quality mares, selected to complement his blue-blooded pedigree and champion racing record. Breeders anticipated strong results from these matings, given Easy Goer's combination of speed, stamina, and conformational strengths inherited from Alydar and his dam Relaxing.

Breeding Record and Death

Easy Goer began his stallion career at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky, standing for four seasons from 1991 to 1994. During this time, he sired 136 foals, of which 74 became winners for a 54.4% winners-to-foals ratio. Among these, he produced 9 stakes winners and 16 stakes-placed horses, including Will's Way, winner of the 1996 Travers Stakes and 1997 Whitney Handicap.[2] On May 12, 1994, the 8-year-old Easy Goer collapsed and died suddenly while jogging in his paddock at Claiborne Farm. A veterinary autopsy determined the cause of death as anaphylactic shock due to an undetermined allergen and revealed that he had also been suffering from cancerous tumors in multiple organs, though the cancer was not the cause of death.[24]

Progeny and Legacy

Notable Offspring

Easy Goer sired 136 foals over his brief stud career at Claiborne Farm, of which 74 were winners (54.4%), including 9 stakes winners (6.6%).[24] Among his top performers was the colt Will's Way (foaled 1993, out of Willamae), who mirrored aspects of his sire's success by winning the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at 1¼ miles in 1996—defeating future champions Louis Quatorze and Editor's Note—and the Grade 1 Whitney Handicap at Saratoga in 1997 over Skip Away and Formal Gold.[54][55] Will's Way compiled a 6-3-2 record from 13 starts, earning $954,400 before retiring to stud, where he became a successful sire in his own right.[55] Another standout was the filly My Flag (foaled 1993, out of Personal Ensign), who achieved four Grade 1 wins as a three-year-old, including a dramatic stretch rally to capture the 1995 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Belmont Park over Copper Maiden.[56][57] Her other elite victories encompassed the Ashland Stakes, Gazelle Handicap, and Mother Goose Stakes, all at middle distances, earning her Eclipse Award consideration as a top juvenile filly.[56] Another Grade 1 winner was the mare Furlough (foaled 1994, out of Blitey), who captured the Ballerina Handicap in 1999.[1] Easy Goer's direct offspring frequently demonstrated prowess at middle distances from 8 furlongs to 1¼ miles, often exhibiting the powerful closing kick that defined their sire's racing style, as evidenced by the come-from-behind triumphs of Will's Way and My Flag in their signature Grade 1 races.[24] Other stakes winners included Composer (Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes) and the mare Relaxing Rhythm (Grade 2 Molly Pitcher Handicap).[2]

Influential Descendants

Easy Goer's influence extended significantly through his daughters, establishing him as a notable broodmare sire despite his limited number of foals. From just 53 producing daughters, he became the damsire of 23 stakes winners, with 11 of those daughters producing graded or group stakes winners, contributing to the genetic diversity of the Alydar male line in modern Thoroughbred pedigrees.[58][59] Second-generation standouts include Storm Flag Flying, a granddaughter via the Grade 1-winning filly My Flag (Easy Goer's daughter out of Personal Ensign), who earned the 2002 Eclipse Award as Champion Two-Year-Old Filly after victories in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and three other Grade 1 races. Another key branch stems from Multiply, an unraced daughter of Easy Goer, who produced the Grade 1 winner Corinthian; the latter secured the 2007 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and Metropolitan Handicap (G1), extending Easy Goer's maternal impact into the next generation.[4][60] On the sire side, Easy Goer's limited crops—due to his early death at age 8—meant fewer direct male-line continuations, but sons like Will's Way perpetuated the branch by winning the 1998 Whitney Handicap (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1), siring stakes performers that added to the Alydar-Easy Goer lineage's contributions to stamina and speed in diverse breeding programs. Traces of this influence appear in modern winners such as Like the King (out of a mare by Corinthian), winner of the 2021 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3), whose pedigree highlights Easy Goer's ongoing role in graded stakes success, though primarily through female lines rather than dominant sire branches.[61][62] As of 2025, Easy Goer's descendants remain active in the pedigrees of graded stakes winners across North America, enhancing breed diversity from the Alydar line amid dominant Mr. Prospector and Northern Dancer influences, but no major champions at the level of his direct progeny have emerged since 2020. International reach appears limited, with sporadic stakes-level performers in Europe and Asia underscoring the branch's primary U.S.-centric persistence.[61]

Accomplishments and Honors

Key Racing Achievements

Easy Goer secured nine Grade 1 victories over the course of his career, showcasing his dominance across elite competition.[1] Among these triumphs were standout performances in the 1989 Belmont Stakes, where he covered the 1 1/2-mile distance in 2:26, the second-fastest time in the race's history behind only Secretariat's legendary 1973 effort.[63] He also captured the 1989 Travers Stakes at Saratoga, winning by three lengths in a display of stamina that solidified his status as a top three-year-old.[64] Further highlighting his prowess against seasoned rivals, Easy Goer won three consecutive Grade 1 races against older horses in the summer and fall of 1989: the Whitney Handicap (1 1/8 miles), Woodward Stakes (1 1/8 miles), and Jockey Club Gold Cup (1 1/2 miles).[9] He was also the first three-year-old to win the Whitney, Woodward, and Jockey Club Gold Cup. These victories, part of a historic quartet that included the Travers, marked him as the only horse to sweep those four prestigious events in a single year.[2] In the Whitney, he set a stakes record time of 1:47 2/5 for 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga.[65] Demonstrating remarkable versatility, Easy Goer triumphed in stakes races ranging from seven furlongs—the 1988 Cowdin Stakes—to 1 1/2 miles, adapting seamlessly to sprints, middle distances, and routes.[9] He also established speed records early in his three-year-old campaign, including the fastest mile ever run by a three-year-old on dirt with a 1:32 2/5 clocking in the 1989 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct, shattering the previous stakes mark set by Secretariat.[1] His consistency at longer distances was evident in an undefeated record in key 1 1/4-mile tests like the Travers, complemented by strong showings in others such as the Kentucky Derby.[3] By the end of his career, Easy Goer's accomplishments translated to earnings of $4,873,770 from 20 starts, reflecting his high-level success and the value added by his intense rivalry with Sunday Silence, which elevated the stakes of their shared races.[1]

Awards and Recognitions

Easy Goer was awarded the Eclipse Award as Champion Two-Year-Old Male in 1988, recognizing his dominant performances that year, including two Grade 1 victories, and earnings of $697,500 from six starts.[1] Despite a dominant performance in several key races during his three-year-old season, including victories in the Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes, Easy Goer finished second in the voting for the 1989 Eclipse Award as Champion Three-Year-Old Male, which was won by his rival Sunday Silence.[66] In 1997, Easy Goer was posthumously inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, honoring his career record of 14 wins, including nine Grade 1 victories, and total earnings of $4,873,770.[1] His induction highlighted his status as one of the era's premier Thoroughbreds, particularly for setting the record for the fastest mile by a three-year-old on dirt in the 1989 Gotham Stakes and running the second-fastest Belmont Stakes time in history.[1] Easy Goer was ranked No. 34 on The Blood-Horse magazine's list of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century, compiled by an expert panel in 1999, affirming his place among the century's elite performers based on his speed, consistency, and impact on major races.[24] As of 2025, no additional formal honors have been bestowed upon Easy Goer beyond these established recognitions from his racing era.[1]

Racing Statistics

Detailed Race Record

Easy Goer's racing career consisted of 20 starts from 1988 to 1990, resulting in 14 wins, 5 seconds, and 1 third.[5] The following table provides a chronological summary of his complete race record, including key details such as date, track, race type and number, finish position, jockey, distance, surface, track condition, final time, margin of victory or defeat, and purse (total race purse where available from official charts). All races were on dirt unless noted otherwise, and Easy Goer was ridden by Pat Day in every start. Corrections have been made to distances, times, margins, conditions, and purses based on verified sources.[5][67]
DateTrackRace #Race TypeFinishJockeyDistanceSurfaceConditionTimeMarginPurse
Aug 1, 1988BEL3Maiden Special Weight2ndP. Day6 fDirtFast1:09.20nose$27,000
Aug 19, 1988SAR5Maiden Special Weight1stP. Day7 fDirtFast1:22.403 len$36,000
Sep 9, 1988BEL5Allowance1stP. Day6 1/2 fDirtFast1:15.205 1/2 len$45,000
Oct 1, 1988BEL8Cowdin S. (G1)1stP. Day7 fDirtFast1:22.001 1/4 len$211,680
Oct 15, 1988BEL8Champagne S. (G1)1stP. Day1 mDirtFast1:35.404 len$276,520
Nov 5, 1988CD8Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1)2ndP. Day1 1/16 mDirtFast1:44.602 1/2 len$1,062,000
Mar 4, 1989GP11Swale S.1stP. Day7 fDirtFast1:22.808 3/4 len$150,000
Apr 8, 1989AQU7Gotham S. (G2)1stP. Day1 mDirtFast1:32.4013 len$150,000
Apr 22, 1989AQU8Wood Memorial Inv. S. (G1)1stP. Day1 1/8 mDirtFast1:49.803 len$276,600
May 6, 1989CD8Kentucky Derby (G1)2ndP. Day1 1/4 mDirtSloppy2:05.002 1/4 len$666,800
May 20, 1989PIM10Preakness S. (G1)2ndP. Day1 3/16 mDirtFast1:53.80nose$541,800
Jun 10, 1989BEL8Belmont S. (G1)1stP. Day1 1/2 mDirtFast2:26.008 len$467,600
Aug 5, 1989SAR8Whitney H. (G1)1stP. Day1 1/8 mDirtFast1:47.804 1/2 len$210,000
Aug 19, 1989SAR8Travers S. (G1)1stP. Day1 1/4 mDirtFast2:01.401 1/4 len$420,000
Sep 16, 1989BEL8Woodward H. (G1)1stP. Day1 1/4 mDirtFast2:01.006 len$210,000
Oct 7, 1989BEL8Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1)1stP. Day1 1/2 mDirtFast2:29.204 len$501,120
Nov 4, 1989GP10Breeders' Cup Classic (G1)2ndP. Day1 1/4 mDirtFast2:01.40neck$1,425,000
May 16, 1990BEL8Gold Stage S.1stP. Day7 fDirtSloppy1:22.007 len$45,000
May 28, 1990BEL8Metropolitan H. (G1)3rdP. Day1 mDirtFast1:34.803 len$350,000
Jul 4, 1990BEL8Suburban H. (G1)1stP. Day1 1/4 mDirtFast2:01.601 len$210,000
Races contested on off tracks include the 1989 Kentucky Derby (sloppy) and the 1990 Gold Stage S. (sloppy).

Win Percentages Summary

Easy Goer raced exclusively on dirt surfaces, achieving a 70% win rate (14 wins from 20 starts) overall. By distance category (based on official race conditions):[5]
Distance CategoryStartsWinsWin %
Sprints (≤7 f)6583%
Mile (8 f)3267%
Routes (>8 f)11764%

Career Earnings and Performance Metrics

Easy Goer amassed total career earnings of $4,873,770 over 20 starts, establishing him as one of the highest-earning Thoroughbreds of his era.[5] This figure ranked fourth all-time upon his retirement in 1990, trailing only Alysheba, John Henry, and Sunday Silence.[15] His performance metrics reflected exceptional consistency, with a 70% win rate (14 victories) and 100% in-the-money finishes (20 top-three placings, including 5 seconds and 1 third).[5] The average earnings per start stood at $243,689, underscoring the financial impact of his dominance across various conditions.[5] Earnings were distributed unevenly by year, peaking in his three-year-old campaign amid major stakes victories. In 1988, as a two-year-old, he earned $697,500 from 6 starts (4 wins, 2 seconds).[68] His 1989 season yielded $3,837,150 across 11 starts (8 wins, 3 seconds), driven by high-purse Grade 1 events.[68] As a four-year-old in 1990, limited to 3 starts due to injury (2 wins, 1 third), he added $339,120 before retirement.[68] These aggregates derive from his detailed race record, which spanned maiden specials to elite competition.[5] Key performance metrics highlighted Easy Goer's speed and versatility. He achieved peak Beyer Speed Figures of 122 in the 1989 Belmont Stakes (highest recorded for any Triple Crown race since 1987) and 124 in the 1989 Breeders' Cup Classic, demonstrating elite acceleration over distances from seven furlongs to a mile and a half.[2] Easy Goer dominated across class levels, progressing from allowance races to nine Grade 1 victories, including the Whitney Handicap and Travers Stakes, while maintaining unbeaten status in non-stakes company.[2]
YearStartsWins - Seconds - ThirdsEarnings
198864 - 2 - 0$697,500
1989118 - 3 - 0$3,837,150
199032 - 0 - 1$339,120
Total2014 - 5 - 1$4,873,770

References

  1. Easy Goer (KY) | National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
  2. EASY GOER - Claiborne Farm
  3. Easy Goer - Horse Racing Nation
  4. Phipps Family's Plan Breeds Success in Horse Racing
  5. A Classy Champion: 1989 Belmont Stakes Winner Easy Goer
  6. Legends: Easy Goer and Sunday Silence - BloodHorse
  7. Horse Profile for Relaxing | Equibase is Your Official Source for ...
  8. Relaxing Horse Pedigree
  9. https://www.pedigreequery.com/marking+time
  10. Ogden Phipps, Raced Buckpasser and Easy Goer, Dead at 93
  11. Relaxing - Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame & Museum
  12. Tops At The Track - Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com
  13. C.R. "Shug" McGaughey III | Keeneland
  14. McGaughey Named TCA's Honored Guest - BloodHorse
  15. Weaning and Management of Weanling Horses - OSU Extension
  16. A Tale of TWO HORSE - Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com
  17. Pat Day | National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
  18. DAY OF RECKONING - Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com
  19. Pat Day: I take full responsibility for Easy Goer's defeat in the ...
  20. Easy Goer (horse) - American Classic Pedigrees
  21. Easy Goer | SporthorseData
  22. Easy Goer - JockeySite.com
  23. The Selling of the 1989 Triple Crown - Hangin' With Haskin - Blogs
  24. Was there ever a horse who could have beaten Easy Goer on ...
  25. HORSE RACING; Easy Goer Captures Cowdin - The New York Times
  26. Easy Goer - 1988 Saratoga Maiden Race - YouTube
  27. EASY GOER SHADES OF SECRETARIAT - The Washington Post
  28. SPORTS OF THE TIMES; Phipps's Barn Is the Home of the Stars
  29. HORSE RACING; Easy Goer Wins Champagne - The New York Times
  30. EASY GOER TRIUMPHS IN CHAMPAGNE STAKES
  31. Horse Profile - Easy Goer (KY) - Equibase
  32. EASY GOER TRIUMPHS IN WOOD - The Washington Post
  33. Wood Memorial : Easy Goer's 3-Length Victory Is Impressive but Not ...
  34. History says slow Derby time means little going forward
  35. His big heart stops
  36. Legends: Charlie Whittingham, the Bald Eagle - BloodHorse
  37. Sunday Silence wins Preakness Stakes by a nose - History.com
  38. 30 Years Ago This Week: The Day Easy Goer Brought Out His Best
  39. The Gotham helped launch Easy Goer's fantastic campaign in 1989 ...
  40. Easy Goer Wins by 7 1/2 Lengths - Los Angeles Times
  41. Criminal Type Outruns Housebuster and Easy Goer at Belmont
  42. CRIMINAL TYPE STEALS SPOTLIGHT FROM EASY GOER IN ...
  43. Easy Goer takes Suburban Handicap - UPI Archives
  44. Easy Goer Is Retired After Bone Chip Is Found - The New York Times
  45. Injured Easy Goer Retired to Stud : Horse racing - Los Angeles Times
  46. Racing's Unforgettable Rivalries: Sunday Silence and Easy Goer
  47. Easy Goer vs. Sunday Silence - BloodHorse
  48. The Easy Goer-Sunday Silence Rivalry, Debate Continues - UPI
  49. Easy Goer & Sunday Silence: A Race for the Ages
  50. Sunday Silence (KY) | National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
  51. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1990/01/28/sunday-silence-wins-horse-of-year-race/62577008007
  52. WILL'S WAY | Old Friend Equine
  53. Multiple Grade 1 Winner Will's Way Dies at 27 - BloodHorse
  54. Horse Profile for My Flag | Equibase is Your Official Source for ...
  55. My Flag - Breeders' Cup
  56. Funny Moon Bred on Miler-Over-Stamina Model - BloodHorse
  57. Pedigree is Magic on Turf - BloodHorse
  58. Pedigree fun facts: Like the King | News | Kentucky Derby
  59. Alydar Adds to Progeny Success Through Lovesick Blues
  60. Thirty Years Ago: Reliving Easy Goer's memorable Belmont run
  61. Sunday Silence, Whittingham, Desormeaux win Eclipse Awards - UPI
  62. Easy Goer - Hitak
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