Body Works, Super Filly and Grandam to a Champion!

Body Works wins 1992 R.C. Anderson.

High class Manitoba thoroughbred family resulted in Santa Anita Derby-G1 winner

by Bob

In 1992 local legendary trainer, the late Don Gray, described 3-year-old Body Works as the best filly he had ever trained. That’s about as high praise as you can get around these parts! And it turned out to be so true, with Body Works' bloodlines producing 2013 Santa Anita Derby winner Goldencents.

Body Works was a beautiful bay goddess and her resume was just as impressive. In 1991, as a 2-year-old, she won the La Verendrye and Buffalo Stakes. As a 3-year-old she won the Victoria Day, Matron Stakes, Assiniboia Oaks and the R.C. Anderson Handicap.

As a 4-year-old Body Works won the Duchess Stakes and the Canada Day Handicap. At five she scored victories in the Hugh Jackson Memorial and Winnipeg Sun Handicaps, and at six she became a repeat winner of the Hugh Jackson Memorial.

Not so coincidentally, the 38^th running of the $50,000 R.C. Anderson Stakes goes this Saturday, July 13. The race for 3-year-old Manitoba bred fillies is named in memory of popular local horseman Robert Carr Anderson (Hillside Farms) who started racing in the 1940s at Whittier and Polo Park.

If you look at the list of previous winners of the Anderson, Body Works’ name literally jumps off the page, and she was a beauty! The bay filly was named Horse of the Year in 1992, and after a second place finish in the 1995 Matron, she retired from the track to raise babies. Who could have guessed that one of her offspring, Golden Works, a mare who was no star runner, would become a famous mom?

By now every one knows that this spring, a bay colt named Goldencents won the Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes, Sham Stakes and the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. Goldencents also participated in two of the three legs of the famed Triple Crown, which really helped to put Manitoba breeding on the map! Goldencents’ mom was none other than Manitoba bred Golden Works.

Kinto, dam of Body Works, wins at ASD in 1984.

Now before I confuse everyone, let’s review the female line that resulted in Goldencents. His mom was Golden Works, who in turn was out of our honouree today, Manitoba-bred Body Works. As a point of interest, Body Works was out of the multiple stakes-placed mare, Kinto, who was not a Manitoba bred, but who ran here at the Downs.

All three of these moms were owned by K-Tel’s Phil Kives, who won the 1995 Broodmare Award of Excellence for Kinto, the dam of Body Works and Prospect’s Hope. But of the three moms, Body Works was the star runner.

It is widely accepted that sires are the main contributor of a thoroughbred’s quality and this may be a fact. There are those who believe however, that the dam side accounts for most of the quality. Who can say for sure, because isn’t breeding thoroughbreds a real mystery, nature’s lottery, if you will.

All we know for sure is that you are a product of your parents, getting traits from both. Isn’t it nice to know that three local moms, Golden Works, Body Works and Kinto, all contributed to producing a multiple graded stakes winner like Goldencents!

Not that anybody asked, but I’d like to think that Goldencents got some of his talent from his grandam, Body Works, a multiple stakes winner and a champion in her own right!

Postscript:

A few weeks back a reader asked for information about three runners from days gone by, Lea’s Lightning, Rushin’ Red and Shamrock Field. After a little more searching I was able to put my hands on these old past performance charts from the Daily Racing Form.

Lea's Lightning Past Performances 1969 ASD

Rushin' Red Past Performances 1969 ASD

Shamrock Field Past Performances 1969 ASD

Next Post Time for Live Racing: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 10, 2013