Happy Birthday Cost of Freedom!

Happy belated birthday to Cost of Freedom! The son of Cee’s Tizzy out of  Freedom Dance turned eight years olds on February 24^th.

         

Cost of Freedom has got to be one of the most magnificent veteran geldings in training. He didn’t debut until August of his three-year-old season, when he finished ninth in a seven furlong maiden claiming race at Del Mar. He broke his maiden in a similar event nineteen days later, but then a setback occurred and he was forced to miss the remainder of 2006, all of 2007, and the first two months of 2008. But perhaps the time off did him good, for he then turned into one of the best sprinters in the country. The gelding’s biggest victory came in September 2008, when he rallied from just off the pace to score a half-length victory in the grade I Ancient Title Stakes. But then more trouble occurred, and the unlucky gelding missed another year.

         

In 2009, he made three starts. He won none. First, he ran fourth in the Pirate’s Bounty Stakes. Then he ran fourth in the Ancient Title Stakes. It looked as though the gelding had passed his peak age – until he ran third in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, beaten just a nose and a head.

        

The gelding finally got through an entire year in 2010. He made eight starts, and won five of them. Two of his losses could be explained by circumstances – one was a turf race and he broke poorly in the other. He won a pair of grade III stakes races and finished a close fourth in the Ancient Title Stakes. In his final start of 2010, he broke Hollywood Park’s five furlong track record in the Mike Tyson Stakes.

          

But perhaps his gamest performance came this year, in the Sunshine Millions Sprint Stakes. He was sent straight to the lead in the six furlong event, and set simply unimaginable fractions. He ran the opening quarter mile in :20 4/5. He ran a half-mile in :42 3/5. Despite this, he still managed to finish third. . .  beaten just two heads.

        

So happy birthday to Cost of Freedom! May you celebrate many additional birthdays (and perhaps additional grade I stakes victories!) in the future!

            -Keelerman