Awesome Gem

Thoroughbred racehorse infobox
horsename = Awesome Gem


caption = Awesome Gem and his groom at Monmouth Park.
sire = Awesome Again
grandsire = Deputy Minister
dam = Piano
damsire = Pentelicus
sex = Gelding
foaled = 2003
country = United States flagicon|USA
colour = Chestnut
breeder = Runnymede Farm Inc, Catesby Clay & Peter Callahan
owner = West Point Thoroughbreds
trainer = Craig Dollase
record = 17: 4-7-2
earnings = $1,161,360
race = San Fernando Breeders' Cup Stakes (2007)
awards=
honours =
updated= October 17, 2007

Awesome Gem (foaled February 6, 2003 at Runnymede Farm in Kentucky is a Thoroughbred racehorse. After making his way to California, this son of Awesome Again was sold for $150,000 at 2005 Barretts March 2yo sale by Crupi's New Castle Farm to West Point Thoroughbreds and his partnership includes Scott Cadwallader and Patrice Arundel of Vista, CA, and Rob Keen of Encinitas, California. This chestnut has recently risen to became a major stakes contender on the main track in the Southern California racing circuit. Awesome Gem tends to stand out as a smaller and slimmer horse then many of his competitors.

As a three year old this chestnut managed two second places before winning a Maiden Special Weight at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meet on Sept. 29th, 2006. He went on to capture an Allowance on Oct. 26th, 2006, and then polished off the year with a nice 2nd place on the turf in the Grade III 1 mile Sir Beaufort Stakes on Dec. 26th, 2006, on opening day of Santa Anita's 2006-07 winter meet.

Awesome Gem managed his only stakes victory at the start of the 2007 season, on Jan. 13th, when he won the 1/16 mile Grade II San Fernando Breeders' Cup Stakes on the dirt after bounding down the stretch to snatch the lead from favorite Midnight Lute just before the wire. The chestnut then placed 5th in the 1 1/8 mile Grade II Strub Stakes on the dirt track at Santa Anita Feb. 3rd, 2007, and went on to place last in the eight horse field for the 1 1/4 mile Grade I Santa Anita Handicap run on Mar. 3rd 2007.

After a brief rest, the chestnut was dropped in class and placed 2nd in an Allowance race at Hollywood Park on May 26th, 2007, and then managed to return to the winners circle on June 23rd, 2007, an an Allowance Optional Claiming. These two races were run on Hollywood Park's new synthetic Cushion Track.

On July 21st, 2007, Awesome Gem returned to the stakes scene to place second, behind winner Sun Boat, in the 1 1/16 mile Grade II San Diego Handicap on Del Mar's new Polytrack. On August 19th, 2007, the colt earned an impressive second place in the 1 1/4 mile Pacific Classic Stakes at Del Mar. In the race, Awesome Gem made a furious closing effort down the stretch from near last to narrowly miss overtaking the leader Student Council at the wire.

On Sept 29, Awesome Gem unsuccessfully dueled Tiago down the stretch in the 1 1/8 mile Grade I Goodwood Handicap on Santa Anita's new Cushion Track during the 2007 Oak Tree meet, losing by a nose and again placing second.

Awesome Gem ran as a long shot in the prestigious Grade I 1 1/4 mile Breeders' Cup Classic on Monmouth Park's on October 27th, 2007. The chestnut delivered impressively on the sloppy track conditions and was able to rally down the stretch and overtake 2007 Kentucky Derby winner [Street Sense] to earn third place. The $500,000 third place prize effectively doubled the gelding's career earnings and made him West Point Thoroughbred's first horse to reach a million dollars in winnings.

The chestnut took off the rest of the 2007 season and was sent to an undisclosed farm for some much deserved rest. While the gelding was on break, trainer Craig Dollase announced that he plans to point Awesome Gem toward the 2008 Dubai World Cup scheduled for March 29th. Awesome Gem made his first start for the 2008 season in the Grade 2 San Antonio Handicap at Santa Anita, placing a respectable third and besting his Pacific Classic rival, Student Council, who managed fifth. On March 1st, 2008, Awesome Gem placed a very disappointing 7th place in the G1 Santa Anita Handicap, lacking his usual powerful drive down the stretch.

Resources

* [http://www.pedigreequery.com/AwesomeGem Pedigree & Partial Stats]
* [http://www.ntra.com/stats_bios.aspx?id=22745 Breeders Cup Bio Awesome Gem]