| Sweetnorthernsaint | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Sweetsouthernsaint |
| Grandsire | Saint Ballado |
| Dam | Ice Beauty |
| Damsire | Waquoit |
| Sex | Gelding |
| Foaled | 2003 |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | Eduardo Azpurura |
| Owner | Glencrest Farm |
| Trainer | Michael Trombetta |
| Record | 25: 8-5-3 |
| Earnings | $947,632 |
| Major wins | |
|
Miracle Wood Stakes (2006) Preakness Stakes 2nd (2006) |
|
| Horse (Equus ferus caballus) | |
| Last updated on July 6, 2009 | |
Sweetnorthernsaint is a Thoroughbred race horse. A Florida foal of March 2003, he was a top contender for the Triple Crown in 2006. Late in his two year-old season he was very hard to handle, so much so that they could not get him to focus enough to train on the track and his owners made the decision to geld him. He lost his only start as start as a two year-old finishing 12th in a maiden race on the turf at Colonial Downs.
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In his three year old season Sweetnorthernsaint trained at Laurel Park Racecourse 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 and won a second higher purse maiden race and then went straight into stakes races. Sweetnorthernsaint won by smashing the stakes record in the Miracle Wood Stakes at Laurel Park Racecourse winning by ten lengths over his eight rivals. In the Gotham Stakes his connections tested him by seeing if he could rate. He was too keen early and his jockey fought him most of the way and the "Saint" finished third. They shipped him to Chicago to the speed favoring Hawthorne Race Course. Sweetnorthernsaint never looked back rating right off a fast pace. He won the $500,000 grade two Illinois Derby by wide margin at 9 ½ lengths as he blew past pacesetting Mister Triester at the top of the stretch and demolished his foes in the lane, stamping his ticket for the Kentucky Derby. He completed the 1-1/8-mile assignment in 1 minute and 49-4/5 seconds, to earn the winners 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. Doing what he did best, the "Saint" was close to lead on a very fast pace. The front-runners burned each other out as the race fell apart. Barbaro, winner of the Florida Derby went on to win 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, Barbaro went off as an odds-on favorite. Barbaro crashed through the gate prior to the bell and had to be re-loaded. Less than an eighth mile out of the gate, Barbaro pulled up. Sweetnorthernsaint eventually pulled in front and led most of the race, then around the far turn, eventual Eclipse champion Bernardini passed him and won. Sweetnorthernsaint placed second in the grade-one Preakness Stakes in front of his home town crowd.
After the Preakness Stakes, Sweetnorthernsaint won twice more in 2006. He won an allowance race at Laurel and won the Odessa Stakes at Delaware Park.
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.
In 2008 as a five year-old Sweetnorthernsaint won the Primal Stakes at Calder Race Course at 8.5 furlongs and as a six-year old the gelding won the 2009 edition of the Wadsworth Memorial Handicap at 9 furlongs at Finger Lakes Race Course.
Sweetnorthernsaint is owned by Joseph Balsamo and Ted Theos and trained by Michael Trombetta. He is ridden by Kent Desormeaux. Sweetnorthersaint was bred in Florida by Eduardo Azpurura.
Sweetnorthernsaint is the son of Sweetsouthernsaint, out of the mare Ice Beauty. To date, he has started thirteen times and won six of his races.
| Finish | Race | Distance | Track | Condition |
| 1st | Wadsworth Memorial Handicap | One and one-eighth mile | Finger Lakes Race Track | fast |
| 1st | Primal Stakes | One and one-sixteenth mile | Calder Race Course | fast |
| 1st | Harrison E. Johnson Memorial Handicap | One and one-eighth mile | Laurel Park | muddy |
| 2nd | National Jockey Club Handicap (Grade 3) | One and one-eighth mile | Hawthorne Race Course | |
| 2nd | Lone Star Park Handicap (Grade 3) | One and one-sixteenth mile | Lone Star Park | |
| 2nd | Hal's Hope Handicap (Grade 3) | One mile | Gulfstream Park | |
| 5th | Sunshine Millions Classic | One and one-eighth mile | Gulfstream Park | |
| 1st | Odessa Stakes | One and One-Sixteenth Miles | Delaware Park Racetrack | Fast |
| 1st | Allowance Race | One and One-Eighth Miles | Laurel Park | Fast |
| 2nd | Preakness Stakes (GRADE 1) | One and Three-Sixteenths Miles | Pimlico Race Course | Fast |
| 7th | Kentucky Derby (GRADE 1) | One and One-Fourth Miles | Churchill Downs | Fast |
| 1st | Illinois Derby (Grade 2) | One and One-Eighth Miles | Hawthorne Race Course | Fast |
| 3rd | Gotham Stakes (Grade 3) | One and One-Sixteenth Miles | Aqueduct Racetrack | Fast |
| 1st | Miracle Wood Stakes | One Mile | Laurel Park | Sloppy |
| 1st | Maiden | Six Furlongs | Aqueduct Racetrack | Fast |
| 4th (DQ from 1st) | Maiden Claiming | Six Furlongs | Laurel Park | Fast |
| 12th | Maiden | One Mile (Turf) | Colonial Downs | Firm |