Da' Tara
Da' Tara (foaled April 26, 2005) is an American thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2008 Belmont Stakes in an upset over Big Brown. Da' Tara was a 38-1 underdog entering the post at Belmont.[1] He is trained by Nick Zito, his jockey is Alan Garcia, and his sire is Tiznow.
| Da'Tara | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Sire | Tiznow |
| Grandsire | Cee's Tizzy |
| Dam | Torchera |
| Damsire | Pirate's Bounty |
| Sex | Colt |
| Foaled | April 26, 2005 |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Dark bay |
| Breeder | WinStar Farm |
| Owner | Robert LaPenta |
| Trainer | Nick Zito |
| Record | 19-2-5-3 |
| Earnings | $743,090 |
| Major wins | |
| Triple Crown race wins: Belmont Stakes 2008 | |
| Last updated on June 7, 2008 | |
Two-Year-Old Season
In his first race, a 7-furlong maiden event on the main track at Belmont Park, Da' Tara lost to his stablemate, Anak Nakal, by a length, finishing second and beating the third place horse by a nose. Alan Garcia, who rode Da' Tara to victory in the 2008 Belmont Stakes, was also the jockey that day.
The colt failed to break his maiden as a two-year-old, finishing fourth in a Calder maiden race in December.
Three-Year-Old Season
In January 2008, Da' Tara led all the way to win a nine-furlong maiden race at Gulfstream. He was entered in an allowance race shortly after and finished third, beaten by more than four lengths after dueling on the lead. Already based at Gulfstream Park, trainer Nick Zito decided to enter Da' Tara in the Grade 1 Florida Derby. The other entries included Zito's Fountain of Youth winner Cool Coal Man, South American Champion Tomcito, and Big Brown, who had won both of his two previous starts. Da' Tara finished 9th: 23½ lengths behind the winner, Big Brown.
Da' Tara ran in the Derby Trial, finishing fifth. In the Barbaro Stakes, at 8.5 furlongs, he finished second behind Roman Emperor.
In the June 7, 2008, Belmont Stakes, Da' Tara, the longest shot in the field at 38-1 odds, moved swiftly to the lead under Alan Garcia and led wire to wire, winning by 5.25 lengths over Dennis of Cork, with Anak Nakal and Ready's Echo dead-heating for third another three lengths in arrears. Previously undefeated and heavy favorite Big Brown pulled up in the race in his attempt to win the Triple Crown.[2] Da' Tara ($79) ran the 1 1/2 miles in the relatively slow time of 2:29.65 on a dirt track rated fast (with quarter-mile fractions of 23.82 seconds, 48.30, 1:12.90, 1:37.96, and 2:03.21).[3][4][5]
By winning the Belmont Stakes in 2008, Da' Tara became the first horse since Amberoid in 1966 to have won a leg of the Triple Crown and not belong to the sire line of Darley Arabian.
Da' Tara did not win another race after the Belmont Stakes.[6] He was sold in November 2010 at the Keeneland stock sale in Lexington for $180,000 to Foye Genetics.[7] In March 2011, he was put back into training in Florida,[8] but never started in a race. In late 2011, Da' Tara was sold to Los Aguacates Stud, where he initially stood in Ocala, Florida, and was relocated to Carabobo, Venezuela, in December 2011.[9]
Notes
- "Big Brown denied Triple Crown; Da' Tara wins Belmont Stakes". The Sports Network. 2008-06-07. Archived from the original on 2011-05-25. Retrieved 2008-06-07.
- "Triple Crown Mania: Da' Tara". Bloodhorse.com. Archived from the original on 2008-06-08. Retrieved 2008-06-07.
- "www.ntra.com/video, Belmont S. - June 7, 2008". Archived from the original on June 11, 2008. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
- "ntra.com, Big Brown last in stunning finale". Archived from the original on 2008-06-11. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
- www.nytimes.com, Big Brown Tires as Triple Crown Drought Continues
- "Da' Tara". Equibase. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
- Biles, Deirdre B. (November 16, 2010). "Belmont Winner Da' Tara Sells for $180,000". Bloodhorse. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
- Biles, Deirdre B. (March 2, 2011). "Belmont Winner Da' Tara in Light Training". Bloodhorse. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
- Staff. "DA´TARA IS ALREADY IN VENEZUELA". Los Aguacates. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2012.