Denis of Cork

Denis of Cork will head into March with an undefeated record. With 3 wins at 3 different tracks, Dennis of Cork has displayed strong acceleration and powerful closing kick. Dennis of Cork is sired by Harlan’s Holiday, and is part of his first crop of foals to hit the race track. Other stakes runners from this first crop of include, Tasha’s Miracle and Call Call Futurity winner Into Mischief.


Harlan’s Holiday was a Grade 1 winning son of Storm Cat and Kentucky Derby favorite in 2002 when checking in with a 6th place finish. Despite a high stud fee and many promising runners, Storm Cat has failed to produce a Kentucky Derby winner, but is developing many strong runners as a sire of sires. Harlan’s Holiday was able to win at 9 furlongs, but was not able to produce his best finishes at 10 furlongs. With just one crop to race, the development and improvement of his runners will be watched this spring. The initial evaluation of Harlan’s Holiday when retiring a few years ago, were precocious horses with a scope of 8-9 furlongs his top producing status.

Denis Of Cork won at Churchill Downs in his first lifetime start, closing from 8th place and winning going away in a strong Maiden Special Weight event. In his second start he ran wide and closed determinedly, despite a muddy track and slow fractions at the Fair Grounds.

His Southwest Stakes win was aided by a lone front runner, setting fast fractions and then tiring badly. It should be noted however that Turf War and Riley Tucker also were 15 lengths behind the pace and failed to close at all.

For a February Stakes Race the competition does not matter, because in the first couple rounds of preps, all the races will only be 1 or 2 horses deep. Dennis of Cork has impressed me with his ability to run from behind with wide rallies. Also with only one juvenile start, he was able to come off the layoff and win at the Fairgrounds and the long stretch. His Southwest Stakes win was solid and still is light on experience with only 3 lifetime starts. It will be interesting to see if he is give 2 more preps before the Derby, or just one more start in the Arkansas Derby before heading to Louisville. The current indication is that he will run in both the Rebel and then the Arkansas Derby, but I would not rule out a trip to Keeneland for the Blue Grass.

Robbie Albardo rode him in the Southwest after Calvin Borel jumped off and stuck with Turf War in that race. Robbie is very talented and is no stranger to the Triple Crown, having rode Curlin last year.

Denis of Cork has shown both speed and overcoming adversity in his first 2 starts. In all 3 of his races he has conceded racing experience. In his MSW win he caught a very promising Stungbythestorm who came back to win in his next start. At the Fairgrounds he defeated Unbridled Vicar who had ran in a touch allowance race at Churchill Downs and faced winners twice.

In the Southwest, he was meeting 3 horses who had trips over the track, and was also able to relax behind a lone speedball and go “get em” on the turn! Watching the replay, the stretch run was a little slow, but when he approached the turn, the race was never in doubt.

Can he get 10 furlongs? With only one juvenile start, he is coming from behind in development, but with 3 preps as a Sophomore that may have him more tuned up than many horses with only 2 preps. The Rebel Stakes will be another class jump, but his 9 furlong prep will be his true test of class.