Cool Reception (1964–1967) is a Canadian

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

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 ...

. During his two-year-old racing season, trainer Carl Chapman retired and the colt's conditioning was taken over by

Lou Cavalaris, Jr. Louis C. "Lou" Cavalaris Jr. (January 30, 1924 - May 2, 2013) was an Americans, American-born horse trainer, trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses who was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame and who for ten years was a highly respec ...

Racing career

In 1966, Cool Reception dominated his age group in Canada, winning seven consecutive races, including the two richest races for 2-year-olds in the country under jockey

Avelino Gomez Avelino Gomez (1928 – June 21, 1980) was a Cuban-born Hall of Fame jockey in American and Canadian thoroughbred horse racing. Born in Havana, Gomez began a career as a jockey at the urging of a family member. He won his first race in Mexic ...

. His performances earned him the 1966

Sovereign Award for Champion 2-Year-Old Male Horse The Canadian Champion Two-Year-Old Colt is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse racing honour. Created in 1975 by the Jockey Club of Canada, it is part of the Sovereign Awards program and is awarded annually to the top 2-Year-Old male Thoroughbred horse c ...

. At age three, Cool Reception was shipped south to race in the United States, where he met with limited success, winning the Fort Lauderdale Handicap against older rivals and an allowance race in Canada. After he finished second in the

Derby Trial The Pat Day Mile Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on dirt over a distance of one mile scheduled on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The current purse is $500,000. History ...

, his trainer decided to bypass the

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 ...

. Cool Reception returned to Canada, where he easily won the

Marine Stakes The Marine Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Held in mid May, it is open to three-year-old horses and is contested over a distance of miles (8.5 furlongs) on Polytrack synthetic dir ...

. His eight-length victory prompted his handlers to try him in the

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over 1.5 miles (2,400 m). Colts and geldings carry a weight of ; fillies carry . The race, nicknamed Th ...

, where he faced Kentucky Derby winner

Proud Clarion Proud Clarion (January 19, 1964 – December 17, 1981) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1967 Kentucky Derby. Background Owned and bred by John W. Galbreath, Proud Clarion was foaled at his Darby Dan Farm in Le ...

and the winner of the

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held on Armed Forces Day which is also the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs () on ...

and future U.S. Horse of the Year and

Hall of Famer A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...

Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...

. Shipped to

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 ...

, Cool Reception finished second to Damascus in the 1967 Belmont Stakes. Ridden by

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

Johnny Sellers Johnny Sellers (July 31, 1937 – July 3, 2010) was an American National Champion jockey. Born in Los Angeles, but raised in Oklahoma, he began his professional career in 1955 and between 1959 and 1968 rode in six Kentucky Derbys. He won the pr ...

, he raced the last two hundred yards on a broken right foreleg. An operation could not save the colt, and he was

euthanized Animal euthanasia ( euthanasia from el, εὐθανασία; "good death") is the act of killing an animal or allowing it to die by withholding extreme medical measures. Reasons for euthanasia include incurable (and especially painful) conditi ...

Honors

In 2005, Cool Reception's accomplishments were recognized with his induction in the

Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 to honour those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and Thoroughbred horse racing in Canada. It is located at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. The H ...

. Cool Reception at the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame

References

{{reflist 1964 racehorse births 1967 racehorse deaths Horses who died from racing injuries Thoroughbred family 4-g Racehorses bred in Ontario Racehorses trained in Canada Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductees