Sweetnorthernsaint is a

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 ...

race horse 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 ...

. A

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

foal of March 2003, he was a top contender 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 ...

in 2006. Late in his two-year-old season, he was very hard to handle, so his owners had him gelded. He lost his only start as a two-year-old, finishing 12th in a maiden race on the turf at

Colonial Downs Colonial Downs is a Race track, racetrack located in New Kent County, Virginia adjacent to Interstate 64, halfway between Richmond, Virginia, Richmond and Williamsburg, Virginia, Williamsburg. The track conducted Thoroughbred flat racing and Standa ...

Three-year-old season

In his three-year-old season, Sweetnorthernsaint trained at

Laurel Park Racecourse Laurel Park, formerly Laurel Race Course, is an American thoroughbred racetrack located just outside Laurel, Maryland which opened in 1911. The track is miles in circumference. Its name was changed to "Laurel Race Course" for several decades unt ...

in Maryland for trainer Michael Trombetta. He broke his maiden at Laurel in his first race of the year but was disqualified and placed fourth. He then shipped to

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

and won a second higher purse maiden race and then went straight into stakes races. Sweetnorthernsaint broke the stakes record in the Miracle Wood Stakes at

, winning by ten lengths over his eight rivals. In the Gotham Stakes, he was too keen early and finished third. At Chicago's speed-favoring

Hawthorne Race Course Hawthorne Race Course is a racetrack for horse racing in Stickney/Cicero, Illinois, near Chicago. The oldest continually run family-owned racetrack in North America, in 2009 the Horseplayers Association of North America introduced a rating syst ...

, Sweetnorthernsaint won the $500,000 grade two

Illinois Derby The Illinois Derby is a race for Thoroughbred horses for three year olds run over a distance of one and one-eighth miles (9 furlongs) on the dirt at Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney/Cicero, Illinois, just west of Chicago in early April each year. ...

by 9 ½ lengths as he passed pacesetting Mister Triester at the top of the stretch, stamping his ticket for 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 ...

. He completed the 1-1/8-mile assignment in 1 minute and 49 4/5 seconds to earn the winner's share of $300,000 for owners Joseph J. Balsamo and Ted Theos. The race earned him a 107 Beyer Speed Figure, which was the highest recorded that year by a three-year-old. As the gates opened, Sweetnorthernsaint assumed the role as post-time favorite in the Kentucky Derby. He was close to the lead on a very fast pace. Barbaro, winner of the Florida Derby, won by six lengths as Sweetnorthernsaint faded to sixth in the full field of twenty colts. Two weeks later in the second jewel of the Triple Crown, 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 ...

, Barbaro went off as an odds-on favorite. He broke through the gate prior to the bell and was re-loaded. Less than an eighth mile out of the gate, Barbaro pulled up. Sweetnorthernsaint led for most of the race, but eventual Eclipse champion

Bernardini Bernadini can mean: * Bernardini (horse), thoroughbred race horse, at Darley Stable in Kentucky * Bernardini (company), safe manufacturer which operated from 1912 to 1992 * Bernardini (surname), family name of Italian origin See also * Bern ...

passed him around the far turn and won. Sweetnorthernsaint placed second in front of his home town crowd. After the Preakness, Sweetnorthernsaint won an allowance race at Laurel and the Odessa Stakes at

Delaware Park Racetrack Delaware Park (also known as ''DelPark'') is an American Thoroughbred horse racing track, casino, and golf course in Stanton, Delaware. It is located just outside the city of Wilmington, and about 30 miles from Philadelphia. Thoroughbred racing ...

Older seasons

As a four-year-old (2007), Sweetnorthernsaint won the H. E. Johnson Memorial Handicap at 9 furlongs at his home track, Laurel Park. He also finished second in the grade three National Jockey Club Handicap at 9 furlongs at Hawthorne, the grade three Lone Star Park Handicap in Grande Prairie, Texas, at 8.5 furlongs, and the grade three Hal's Hope Handicap at 8 furlongs 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 ...

. In 2008, as a five-year-old, Sweetnorthernsaint won the Primal Stakes at

Calder Race Course Calder Casino is a casino located in Miami Gardens, Florida. It includes slots, electronic table games, and bingo. The casino opened in 2010 and features a gaming floor with 1,100 slot machines, including video poker, as well as electronic r ...

at 8.5 furlongs. As a six-year-old, the gelding won the 2009 edition of the Wadsworth Memorial Handicap at 9 furlongs at

Finger Lakes Race Track Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack is a thoroughbred horse-racing track and casino located in Farmington in western New York State, approximately southeast of Rochester. The facility is about one mile south of New York State Thruway exit 44. His ...

Connections

Sweetnorthernsaint is owned by Joseph Balsamo and Ted Theos and trained by Michael Trombetta. He is ridden by

Kent Desormeaux Kent Jason Desormeaux (born February 27, 1970) is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who holds the U.S. record for most races won in a single year with 598 wins in 1989. He has won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes t ...

and was bred in

by Eduardo Azpurura.

Breeding

Sweetnorthernsaint is s son of Sweetsouthernsaint, out of the mare Ice Beauty. To date, he has started thirteen times and won six of his races.

Race Record

{, class="wikitable sortable" , - , Track , Race , Distance , Finish , - ,

Wadsworth Memorial Handicap The Wadsworth Memorial Handicap is a Thoroughbred race for horses three years old and older of either gender set at a distance of one and one eighth miles on the dirt. Run at Finger Lakes Race Track on the 4th of July each year (the track is 46 ye ...

, 1 1/8 miles , 1st , - ,

, Primal Stakes , 1 1/16 , 1st , - , Laurel Park , Harrison E. Johnson Memorial Handicap , 1 1/8 , 1st , - ,

, National Jockey Club Handicap (Grade 3) , 1 1/8 , 2nd , - ,

Lone Star Park Lone Star Park is a horse racing track and entertainment destination located mile north of Interstate 30 on Belt Line Road in Grand Prairie, Texas. Lone Star Park has two live racing seasons every year; the spring Thoroughbred season generally ...

, Lone Star Park Handicap (Grade 3) , 1 1/16 , 2nd , - ,

Hal's Hope Handicap The Ghostzapper Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for four-years-old and older at a distance of one and one-eighth miles on the dirt run annually in March at Gulfstream Park located in Hallandale Beach, Florida. The event cur ...

(Grade 3) , 1 mile , 2nd , - ,

Sunshine Millions Classic The Sunshine Millions Classic is an American race for thoroughbred horses held annually in January at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California and at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Part of the eight-race Sunshine Millions series, hal ...

, 1 1/8 , 5th , - ,

, Odessa Stakes , 1 1/16 , 1st , - ,

Laurel Park (race track) Laurel Park, formerly Laurel Race Course, is an American thoroughbred racetrack located just outside Laurel, Maryland which opened in 1911. The track is miles in circumference. Its name was changed to "Laurel Race Course" for several decades unt ...

, Allowance Race , 1 1/8 , 1st , - ,

Pimlico Race Course Pimlico Race Course is a thoroughbred horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of Ol ...

(Grade 1) , 1 3/16 , 2nd , - ,

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 ...

(Grade 1) , 1 1/4 , 7th , - ,

(Grade 2) , 1 1/8 , 1st , - ,

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 ...

Gotham Stakes The Gotham Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run in early March at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. A Grade III event with a current purse of US$300,000, it is set at a distance of 1 mile on the dirt ...

(Grade 3) , 1 1/16 , 3rd , - , Laurel Park , Miracle Wood Stakes , 1 mile , 1st , - ,

, Maiden , 6 furlongs , 1st , - ,

, Maiden Claiming , 6 furlongs , 4th (DQ from 1st) , - ,

, Maiden (turf) , 1 mile , 12th , -

References

NTRA bio

Sweetnorthernsaint's pedigree and photo
2003 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Florida Racehorses trained in the United States Thoroughbred family A5