Tinners Way (horse)

Tinners Way (foaled May 25, 1990 in Kentucky) is a retired American Thoroughbred sired by 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat and out of Devon Diva, whose sire was The Minstrel, grandsire to Cigar. Born in 1990 to Secretariat's final crop, he was his sire's last graded-stakes-winning colt. His five year racing career spanned multiple countries, tracks and surfaces. He began running on European turf in 1992 and concluded three and a half seasons later with wins and strong performances against top-rated fields on American dirt courses. His earnings exceeded $1.8 million which established him, along with Risen Star, Lady's Secret, and others as one of his sire's top performers. Tinners Way won the G1 Pacific Classic in consecutive years, in 1994 and again in 1995.

Career highlights

Bred by and running for Juddmonte Farms, Tinners Way began his career with a 7-furlong maiden win on British turf at Doncaster in his first and only race in 1992. In 1993, on turf courses in England, France and the United States, Tinners Way ran four times capturing two stakes wins and two shows in graded races. In 1994, he remained in the United States competing in California for 8 starts and at New York's Belmont Park for an additional two. Now under the conditioning of Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel, he began the season on dirt courses. Of these races, he finished with 2 firsts, 3 seconds and one third. He also recorded a place in Santa Anita’s G3 Arcadia Handicap, his only turf competition for the year. All but two of the races were graded competitions including his first victory in the G1 10-furlong Pacific Classic at Del Mar. That race chronicled his triumph over Hall of Fame inductee Best Pal and Eclipse winner Bertrando. In 1995 he ran 6 times, 5 of which were on dirt courses. That season, Tinners Way secured a record consecutive win in the Pacific Classic where he bested 1994's Breeder's Cup Classic champion Concern. He earned 2 places including a second to Cigar in the G1 10-furlong Hollywood Gold Cup, and one show. His only turf competition for the year came in the G1 Arlington Million at Arlington Park where he finished 4 1/4 lengths behind the winner Awad.

The 1996 slate opened with a win over Santa Anita Handicap victor Mr. Purple in the G1 9-furlong Californian at Hollywood Park. This performance was followed by a loss in his second attempt at taking the Hollywood Gold Cup. In his next race, his third running of the Pacific Classic, Tinners Way exited the contest with an injury and never competed again. For the season he ran three times capturing one win.

In all, Tinners Way finished in the top three in 17 of 27 starts with 7 firsts, 6 seconds and 4 thirds. He captured major wins (G1) in the Pacific Classic (two consecutive victories) and in the Californian, and stakes wins in the Golden Gate Fields Budweiser Breeders' Cup Handicap at 1 1/16 miles carrying high weight, the City of York Stakes (England, turf, 1993) and in the Milcars Temple Fortune Stakes (England, turf, 1993). He garnered seconds in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1), the Arcadia Handicap on turf (G3), the Mervyn LeRoy Handicap (G2), the Bel Air Handicap (G2), and in the Goodwood Handicap (G2). He secured thirds in the San Bernardino Handicap (G2), the Californian (G1), the Singer and Friedlander Greenham Stakes (turf G3) in England, and in the Prix de la Foret (turf G1) where he carried 136 pounds on the Longchamp course in France¹. He equaled track records in his first Pacific Classic victory and in his second running of the Californian.

Tinners Way was ridden by Hall of Fame inductees Eddie Delahoussaye (his most successful rider), Pat Day and Kent Desormeaux who led Real Quiet's and Big Brown's Triple Crown efforts in 1998 and in 2008. Tinners Way's final earnings amounted to $1,847,734.

Retirement

Tinners Way assumed stallion duties at Vinery, Kentucky in 1996. In 2000 he was sold to the Harris Farm operation in California where he stood for the next three years; and thereafter stood at the Key Ranch breedership in Texas where he completed his stallion career in 2010. His progeny includes blacktype winners and competitors Tin Man Commin, Riverruns Thruit, and Only One Way.

On September 13, 2010 Tinners Way was retired to Old Friends Equine at Dream Chase Farm in Georgetown, KY.

References and external links

• Del Mar Stable Notes,(Wed, Aug 14, 1996);
• Secretariat, Timothy T. Capps, Thoroughbred Legends #19, Eclipse Press 2003.
• ref 1: Equiline.com Tinners Way Racing Record with Statistics
• http://www.harrisfarms.com
• http://www.keyranch.com
• http://www.pedigreequery.com/tinners+way
• http://www.oldfriendsequine.org