Go for Gin (April 18, 1991 – March 8, 2022) 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 ...

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 Christopher John McCarron (born March 27, 1955, Boston, Massachusetts) is a retired American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey. He mounted his first horse ever at 16.5 years old and was racing professionally by 18. At only 19 years o ...

, who had previously won the race on

Alysheba Alysheba (March 3, 1984 – March 27, 2009) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that won two legs of the Triple Crown in 1987. A successful sire, he produced 11 stakes winners. A bay colt, Alysheba was sired by Alydar out of the mare Bel ...

. Foaled in

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...

in 1991, Go for Gin was bred by Pamela duPont Darmstadt and trained by

Nick Zito Nicholas Philip Zito (born February 6, 1948, in New York City, New York) is an American Thoroughbred horse trainer. Zito began his career as a hot walker and worked his way up to a groom, to an assistant trainer, and to a trainer. His first top ...

, who also trained 1991 Kentucky Derby winner Strike the Gold. In 1995, Go for Gin suffered a small tear of a tendon sheath in his left foreleg while working out at Belmont Park. This precipitated his retirement to stud. After the death of Sea Hero in July 2019, Go for Gin became the oldest living Kentucky Derby winner. Upon the death of A.P. Indy on February 21, 2020, Go For Gin became the oldest living winner of any of the

Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, often shortened to Triple Crown, is a series of horse races for Thoroughbreds, often restricted to three-year-olds. Winning all three of these Thoroughbred horse races is considered the greatest accomplis ...

races.

Racing history

Go for Gin started 19 races, winning five and running in the money 14 times. Though he challenged for the

, he never won again, losing his last nine races.

1994 Kentucky Derby

The 120th Kentucky Derby was held on May 7, 1994, over a sloppy track. The race went off at 5:34 p.m. local time. Go for Gin entered the race at 9.10:1 odds, behind

Holy Bull Holy Bull (January 24, 1991 – June 7, 2017) was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse. Although he finished a disappointing twelfth in the 1994 Kentucky Derby, his major wins that year in the Florida Derby, Blue Grass Stakes, Metropolitan Handicap, ...

at 2.20,

Brocco {{Infobox racehorse , horsename = Brocco , image = , caption = , sire = Kris S. , grandsire = Roberto , dam = Anytime Ms. , damsire = Aurelius , sex = Stallion , foaled = 1991 , country = United States , colour = Chestnut , breeder ...

at 4.30,

Tabasco Cat Tabasco Cat (April 15, 1991 – March 6, 2004) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He was best known for his performances in 1994 when he won the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes, the second and third legs of the Triple Crown Series. ...

at 6.10, and Strodes Creek at 7.90. He started by ducking out, forcing Tabasco Cat into Brocco. By the 1/4 mile pole, Go for Gin moved up to second place behind Ulises. At the 1/2 mile pole, he led by half a length. As he entered the stretch, he increased the lead to four lengths. Strodes Creek and Blumin Affair both made late charges, closing the gap, but Go for Gin won by two lengths in a time of 2:03.72 and netted US$628,800 for the victory. Tabasco Cat finished sixth in this race but won that year's other two legs of the Triple Crown. Go for Gin placed second in both of those races.

Race record at age 2

* Won

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 ...

* Won Maiden * Won Chief's Crown Stakes

Race record at age 3

* Won Preview Stakes * Won Kentucky Derby * 2nd at

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 () o ...

* 2nd at Belmont Stakes * 2nd at Fountain of Youth Stakes * 2nd at

Wood Memorial Stakes The Wood Memorial Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually in April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. It is run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) on dirt. The Wood Memorial ...

* 3rd at Forego Stakes

Race record at age 4

* 3rd at

Churchill Downs Handicap The Churchill Downs Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for four-year-old and older sprinters run over a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt annually in early May at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky as an und ...

Statistics

History at stud

Go for Gin was retired to

stud Stud may refer to the following terms: Animals * Stud (animal), an animal retained for breeding ** Stud farm, a property where livestock are bred Arts and entertainment * Stud (band), a British progressive rock group * The Stud (bar), a gay ba ...

in 1995 at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky. In 2004, he was sold to Bonita Farm in

Darlington, Maryland Darlington is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in northeastern Harford County, Maryland, United States.Hot News
His stud feed as of 2007 was US$4000. He was the sire of

Albert the Great Albertus Magnus (c. 1200 – 15 November 1280), also known as Saint Albert the Great or Albert of Cologne, was a German Dominican friar, philosopher, scientist, and bishop. Later canonised as a Catholic saint, he was known during his life ...

, who retired with lifetime winnings in excess of US$3 million and has sired Nobiz Like Shobiz. His runners have earned an average US$71,742 per starter. He has sired seven stakes winners. In total, Go for Gin offspring have netted more than US$22 million in career winnings.

Post-retirement

On August 11, 2011, Go for Gin moved to the

Kentucky Horse Park Kentucky Horse Park is a working horse farm, international equestrian competition venue, and an educational theme park opened in 1978 in Lexington, Kentucky. It is located off Kentucky State Highway 1973 (Iron Works Pike) and Interstate 75, at Ex ...

, an equine-themed park and industry showplace in Lexington, Kentucky. Along with Thoroughbred champions

Funny Cide Funny Cide (foaled April 20, 2000) is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. He is the first New York-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby. He was an immensely popular horse and remai ...

Da Hoss Da Hoss (January 18, 1992 – January 2, 2022) was a champion Thoroughbred gelding best known for winning the Breeders' Cup Mile two times. Background He was bred in Kentucky by Fares Farms and originally owned by Prestonwood Farm as well as W ...

, and

Point Given Point or points may refer to: Places * Point, Lewis, a peninsula in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland * Point, Texas, a city in Rains County, Texas, United States * Point, the NE tip and a ferry terminal of Lismore, Inner Hebrides, Scotland * Point ...

, he greeted visitors to the Hall of Champions Go for Gin was the oldest living Kentucky Derby winner. He died from heart failure on March 8, 2022, at the age of 30.

Pedigree

References

External links

Listing at Bonita Farms

including video of race.
Pedigree at ''Pedigree Online''

Post-Retirement at KyHorsePark
{{Kentucky Derby Winners 1991 racehorse births 2022 racehorse deaths Kentucky Derby winners Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Thoroughbred family 1-x