Mineshaft (foaled May 17, 1999, 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 ...
) is a multi-millionaire
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
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 and successful
stallion. He was sired by 1992
U.S. Horse of the Year and
U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee
A.P. Indy, who in turn was a son of 1977
U.S. Triple Crown winner
Seattle Slew
Seattle Slew (February 15, 1974 – May 7, 2002) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who became the tenth winner of the American Triple Crown (1977). He is one of only two horses to have won the Triple Crown while being undefeated in ...
. His dam, Prospectors Delite, is by leading North American sire
Mr. Prospector. Bred and owned by the partnership of
William S. Farish III, W. Temple Webber, Jr. and James Elkins, Mineshaft is a product of
Lane's End Farm. He finished racing with a record of 10-3-1 in 18 starts and career earnings of $2,283,402.
Early career
Trained by Classic-winning trainer
John Gosden
John Harry Martin Gosden (born 30 March 1951) is a British racehorse trainer. He has trained over 3,000 winners worldwide, including winners of the Breeders' Cup Classic, the Derby, the Arc, the King George, the Eclipse, and over 600 winne ...
, Mineshaft began his career racing on turf in Great Britain. Unraced at two, he won a mile maiden at
Newmarket on his second start as a three-year-old. He failed to win another race in Great Britain but placed third in the Group Three
Prix Daphnis
The Prix Daphnis is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,600 metres (about 1 mile), and it is scheduled to take place eac ...
in France. His record in Britain was 3-1-1 in seven starts, with annual earnings of $73,716.
American career
Following his seven runs in Great Britain, Mineshaft was transferred to the United States as a three-year-old and moved to the barn of Neil J. Howard. In his North American debut, he won an allowance race by 3 lengths at a mile and 70 yards at
Fair Grounds Race Course
Fair Grounds Race Course, often known as New Orleans Fair Grounds, is a thoroughbred racetrack and racino in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is operated by Churchill Downs Louisiana Horseracing Company, LLC.
As early as 1838 Bernard de Marigny, Ju ...
in 1:38.97. He finished 2002 with another allowance score at a mile at
Churchill Downs in 1:36.2.
With his late success, Mineshaft remained in the U.S. at age four. He started the year at
Fair Grounds Race Course
Fair Grounds Race Course, often known as New Orleans Fair Grounds, is a thoroughbred racetrack and racino in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is operated by Churchill Downs Louisiana Horseracing Company, LLC.
As early as 1838 Bernard de Marigny, Ju ...
in the winter and won the $75,000 Diplomat Way Handicap at eight and a half furlongs in 1:43.8. Mineshaft followed that up with a runner-up finish in the $125,000 Grade III Whirlaway Handicap, losing to Balto Star. He then won the $500,000 Grade II
New Orleans Handicap at nine furlongs in 1:48.9, by 3 lengths before shipping to Kentucky to win the $100,000 Grade III
Ben Ali Stakes
The Ben Ali Stakes is an American race for thoroughbred horses run in the Spring of each year at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. For 4-year-olds and up, it is a Grade III event set at a distance of one mile and one eighth mile on t ...
at
Keeneland
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 ...
by nine lengths in a time of 1:48.52.
Then Mineshaft ran in the $600,000 Grade I
Pimlico Special
The Pimlico Special is a Grade 3 American thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and older over a distance of miles ( furlongs) held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland in mid May. The race currently offers a purse of $300,000.
...
Handicap at "Old Hilltop" in
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
. A field of nine faced 6-5 favorite Mineshaft and Triple Crown veteran Balto Star, who was sent off at 4-1. When the gate opened, Balto Star was sent to the front and led the field through the first half mile, setting fractions of 23.1 and 46.7 over the sloppy track. The 7-2 second choice, Western Pride, stalked him in second and inherited the lead when Balto Star dropped out of contention, going 3/4 miles in 1:11. Turning for home, Mineshaft, who had stalked the pace saving ground early, was eased out three wide on the far turn and passed Western Pride after a mile in 1:36 to win going away by 3 lengths in a final time of 1:56.16. It was a head back to 42–1 longshot Judge's Case in third.
Among his victories later that year, Mineshaft won three straight Grade I races at
Belmont Park in New York. He started by winning the $500,000
Grade I
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
Suburban Handicap by 2 lengths, beating
Volponi
:''not to be confused with the Ben Jonson play Volpone''.
Volponi (foaled 1998 in Kentucky) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred by trainer Philip G. Johnson's family operation, Amherst Stable, he was sired by Florida Derby winner Crypt ...
, Dollar Bill, and
Evening Attire. His next victory came in the $500,000
Woodward Stakes
The Woodward Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race and is one of the premier races for older thoroughbred horses in the United States. It is named for prominent racehorse owner William Woodward.
The race was first run in 1954 at Aqueduct Rac ...
by 4 lengths over Hold That Tiger and Puzzlement. Then he won the $1 million
Jockey Club Gold Cup
The Jockey Club Gold Cup, established in 1919, is a thoroughbred flat race open to horses of either gender three-years-old and up. It has traditionally been the main event of the fall meeting at Belmont Park, just as the Belmont Stakes is of the s ...
, again beating
Evening Attire, this time by 4 lengths, and ensuring his
United States Horse of the Year honors. He finished the year with a record of 7-2-0 in nine starts and earnings of $2,209,686.
Thoroughbred Times Stallion Directory
Retirement
Retired on October 3, 2003, due to an injury in his right front ankle, Mineshaft stands at stud at Lane's End Farm for a fee of $30,000 live foal as of 2013. He is the sire of Grade I winners Fly Down, It's Tricky, Discreetly Mine, and Dialed In, and Grade II winners Cool Coal Man, Casino Drive
Casino Drive (foaled March 7, 2005 in Kentucky, died August 5, 2019) is an American thoroughbred racehorse.
Background
Casino Drive was sired by 2003 United States Horse of the Year Mineshaft, out of the broodmare Better Than Honour, making h ...
, and Nates Mineshaft.
References
Pedigree & Partial Stats
TB Times Stallion Directory Mineshaft
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mineshaft (Horse)
1999 racehorse births
Racehorses bred in Kentucky
Racehorses trained in the United States
Eclipse Award winners
American Thoroughbred Horse of the Year
American Grade 1 Stakes winners
Thoroughbred family 1-x