Big Truck (February 12, 2005 – March 4, 2010) was an American

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

Racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...

. Sired by Hook and Ladder, he was a great-grandson of

Northern Dancer Northern Dancer (May 27, 1961 – November 16, 1990) was a Thoroughbred who, in 1964, became the first Canadian-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby. He then became one of the most successful sires of the 20th century. He is considered a Canad ...

, out of the

mare A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four ...

Just A Ginny, a daughter of the 1994

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The competition is a Grade I stakes race for three-year ...

winner,

Go for Gin Go for Gin (April 18, 1991 – March 8, 2022) was an American thoroughbred racehorse best known as the winner of the 1994 Kentucky Derby. He was sired by Cormorant out of the dam Never Knock. He was ridden in the Derby by Chris McCarron, who h ...

. Trained until the fall of 2009 by

Barclay Tagg Barclay Tagg (born December 30, 1937, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania) is an American thoroughbred horse trainer. A 1961 graduate of Pennsylvania State University with a degree in Animal Husbandry. Barclay is best known for conditioning Kentucky De ...

, owned by Eric Fein and ridden by Ramon Dominguez, Big Truck broke his maiden on August 23, 2007, at

Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting venue of any kind in the country, but is actua ...

, winning by about 6 and half lengths over runner-up Post Exchange. Prior to his next start in the

Bertram F. Bongard Stakes The Bertram F. Bongard Stakes is a listed stakes race for Thoroughbred two-year-olds run in the fall at Belmont Park, New York. At a distance of 7 furlongs, it will be in its 39th running in 2016. The Bongard is a major prep race for up-and-comin ...

Belmont Park Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse racing facility in the northeastern United States, located in Elmont, New York, just east of the New York City limits. It was opened on May 4, 1905. It is operated by the non-profit New York Racin ...

on September 23, 2007, trainer Tagg noted that Big Truck might be his best two-year-old in a barn that had many promising colts for the

Triple Crown Triple Crown may refer to: Sports Horse racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States) ** Triple Crown Trophy ** Triple Crown Productions * Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Trip ...

. Tagg said that Big Truck might "end up being the best out of them all," adding, "This guy's as smooth as glass." Following Tagg's remarks, Big Truck was sent to the gate as a heavy 1/5 favorite in the Bongard Stakes on September 23, 2007. He defeated a field of 5 after dueling with the

Todd Pletcher Todd Pletcher (born June 26, 1967 in Dallas, Texas) is an American thoroughbred horse trainer. He won the Eclipse Award seven times as Trainer of the Year, four of these in consecutive years. His horses Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming (20 ...

-trained colt Spanky Fischbein in the final 1/8 of the stretch, winning by about two and a half lengths. Big Truck next raced on October 20, 2007, in the

Sleepy Hollow Stakes The Sleepy Hollow is an American ungraded restricted stakes race for two-year-olds Thoroughbreds held in the fall at Belmont Park, New York. Though not restricted to New York bred horses, this is not an open race: it is considered a race on the ...

, stretching out to one mile. Though sent off as a heavily favored 1/4, he was upset by Giant's Moon and edged out for second by a nose by Costal Drive. Big Truck's next race was on November 24, 2007m in the $200,000 Grade II

Remsen Stakes The Remsen Stakes is an American Grade II race for Thoroughbred horse race run annually near the end of November at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. The one and one-eighths mile race is open to two-year-olds and currently offers a purse of ...

. Ridden by

Alan Garcia Alan may refer to: People * Alan (surname), an English and Turkish surname * Alan (given name), an English given name **List of people with given name Alan ''Following are people commonly referred to solely by "Alan" or by a homonymous name.'' * ...

, he was cut off by the first and third place finishers, Court Vision and Trust N Dustan, in the stretch. Garcia claimed foul after the race, and following a lengthy inquiry no changed were made. Big Truck finished fourth.

2007 season

Tagg brought the Horse down to Florida in preparation for the major Kentucky Derby preps at

Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park, owned by The Stronach Group, is a Thoroughbred race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Thoroughbred horse racing occurs year-round, defined by three distinct race meets ...

Tampa Bay Downs Tampa Bay Downs is an American Thoroughbred horse racing facility located in Westchase in Hillsborough County in the U.S. state of Florida, just outside Tampa. It opened in 1926 under the name Tampa Downs, and has also been known as Sunshine Pa ...

and

Fair A fair (archaic: faire or fayre) is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. Fairs are typically temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks. Types Variations of fairs incl ...

grounds. Big Truck was put into the 7-furlong Hutchenson Stakes, which was shorter than the horse's preferred distance. Over a sloppy track, Big Truck was no factor and finished fifth. Despite the need for graded money in order to qualify for the Kentucky Derby, Big Truck was put in the Sam F Davis Stakes at

to regain some form and confidence. He avenged his Hutchenson loss to Smooth Air by finishing 2nd to Smooth Air's 3rd and lost by 3/4 of a length to Fierce Wind. Big Truck stunned the racing world by upsetting 1-9 favorite

War Pass War Pass (April 17, 2005 – December 24, 2010) was an American champion Thoroughbred racehorse and winner of the 2007 Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Owned by Robert V. LaPenta and bred by Cherry Valley Farm, he was out of the mare Vue, a daughter of th ...

in the Tampa Bay Derby. Big Truck, who sat off the pace for most of the race, turned for home outside a troubled War Pass and dueled with Atoned before winning by a neck. That win put him on the Kentucky Derby Trail, and Tagg said he would most likely ship right to Churchill in preparation for the Kentucky Derby on May 3, 2008. In the Grade 1

Blue Grass Stakes The Blue Grass Stakes, currently the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes due to sponsorship by the Toyota Motor Corporation, is a horse race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds held annually in April at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky. The race is run ...

Keeneland Race Course Keeneland Association, Inc. is an equine business based in Lexington, Kentucky. It includes two distinct divisions: the Keeneland Race Course, a Thoroughbred racing facility, and Keeneland Sales, a horse auction complex. It is also known for its ...

, Big Truck competed early and flattened out in the stretch in his first career start on the Polytrack. Tagg was shocked by the results and didn't know the reason for his performance, although all of the main contenders including

Pyro Pyro comes from the Greek word πῦρ (pyr), meaning ''fire''. It may refer to: Businesses *Pyro Plastics Corporation, a plastic model kit maker 1940s through the 1970s *Pyro Studios, a computer game developer based in Madrid * NRK P3 Pyro, a No ...

and Cool Coal Man didn't produce. With his 11th place finish, Big Truck didn't earn any graded money. With the defections of War Pass and Salute the Sarge from the Kentucky Derby trail, Big Truck finished the graded stakes race in 18th place, good enough to earn a start in Kentucky Derby 134 on May 3, 2008. He was ridden by Javier Castellano, who rode him in the Hutchenson Stakes, because Eibar Coa picked up the mount on Tagg's other Derby entrant, Tale of Ekati, due to Edgar Prado committing Adriano for the Derby. In the

, Big Truck broke well from the 7 post but steadied after about 6 furlongs because of hard contact with Remsen foe Court Vision. He finished 18th in the Run for the Roses. Big Truck was rested until the August 20, 2008, running of the Albany Stakes at Saratoga, where he was in contention and fell out to finish third behind OTB Big Apple Triple Winner Tin Cup Chalice and Thatsrightofficer.

2009 season

Unraced in 2009, Big Truck was transferred from the training barn of Barclay Tagg to trainer Derek Ryan in the fall of that year.

2010 season

Under Ryan, Big Truck started in a $20,500 allowance race at Tampa Bay on January 29, 2010, where he finished last. During training, he was injured and euthanized on March 4, 2010, at Tampa Bay Downs.

Races

, - , Finish , Race , Distance , Track , Date , Jockey , - , 1st , Maiden Special Weight , 6.5 Furlongs ,

, August 23, 2007 , Ramon A. Dominguez , - , - , 1st ,

, 7 Furlongs ,

, September 23, 2007 , Ramon A. Dominguez , - , - , 3rd ,

, One Mile ,

, October 20, 2007 , Ramon A. Dominguez , - , - , 4th ,

, One Mile and an Eighth ,

Aqueduct Racetrack Aqueduct Racetrack is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and casino in the South Ozone Park, Queens, South Ozone Park and Jamaica, Queens, Jamaica neighborhoods of Queens, New York City, United States. Aqueduct is the only racetrack locate ...

, November 24, 2007 , Alan Garcia , - , - , 5th , Hutchenson Stakes , 7 Furlongs ,

, January 6, 2008 , Javier Castellano , - , - , 2nd , Sam F. Davis Stakes , One Mile and a Sixteenth ,

, February 16, 2008 , Eibar Coa , - , - , 1st ,

Tampa Bay Derby The Tampa Bay Derby is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three years old horses over the distance of miles on the dirt scheduled annually in March at Tampa Bay Downs racetrack in Oldsmar, Florida. The event currently carries a purse ...

, One Mile and a Sixteenth ,

, March 15, 2008 , Eibar Coa , - , - , 11th ,

, One Mile and an Eighth ,

, April 12, 2008 , Eibar Coa , - , - , 18th ,

, One Mile and a Quarter ,

Churchill Downs Churchill Downs is a horse racing complex located on Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, famed for hosting the annual Kentucky Derby. It officially opened in 1875 and was named for Samuel Churchill, whose family was ...

, May 3, 2008 , Javier Castellano , - , - , 3rd , Albany Stakes , One Mile and an Eighth ,

, August 20, 2008 , Eibar Coa

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Big Truck (Horse) 2005 racehorse births 2010 racehorse deaths Thoroughbred family 14-c Racehorses bred in New York (state) Racehorses trained in the United States