Lil E. Tee
Lil E. Tee | |
---|---|
Sire | At the Threshold |
Grandsire | Norcliffe |
Dam | Eileen's Moment |
Damsire | For The Moment |
Sex | Stallion |
Foaled | 1989[1] |
Country | United States |
Color | Bay |
Breeder | Lawrence I. Littman |
Owner | W. Cal Partee |
Trainer | Lynn S. Whiting |
Record | 13: 7-4-1 |
Earnings | $1,437,506. |
Major wins | |
Jim Beam Stakes (1992) Razorback Handicap (1993) U.S. Triple Crown wins: | |
Honors | |
Lil E. Tee Handicap at Presque Isle Downs |
Lil E. Tee (March 29, 1989 – March 18, 2009) was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who in 1992 scored one of the biggest upsets in the history of the Kentucky Derby.
Background
A bay colt, Lil E. Tee was bred in Pennsylvania by Lawrence I. Littman.
The name of the colt was explained by Gwen Rynkiewicz, assistant trainer at Laurel Race Course: All of Littman's horses have "Lil," the initials of Lawrence I. Littman, somewhere in their names. Rynkiewicz said she was told "that Lil E. Tee was so ugly and gangly when he was a foal that they named him after E.T., the extraterrestrial creature in the Steven Spielberg movie."[2]
Many sportswriters have described his pedigree as being unimpressive. Although his sire, At the Threshold, was a multiple Grade I stakes winner, he produced only eight stakes winners during his stud career.[3] Lil E. Tee's dam, Eileen's Moment, never won a race and had career earnings of $570.[4][5] However, At the Threshold was sired by Norcliffe, who was a son of U.S. Hall of Fame Champion Buckpasser. Norcliffe earned Horse of the Year honours in Canada and was elected to the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. At stud, he was North America's leading juvenile sire by number of wins and was second in earnings in 1981.
As a weanling, Lil E. Tee nearly died but was saved by emergency stomach surgery. Considered to have little racing potential, he was sold for $2,000 as a yearling. When he was two, his owner tried to sell him again but was rejected by an auction company that deemed the horse unsaleable. Lil E. Tee ended up in the hands of a Florida owner and was stabled at Calder Race Course in Miami, Florida.
Racing career
Florida: two-year-old season
In Florida, Lil E. Tee finished second in his first start and then won a 7-furlong maiden race. He was sold again, this time to W. Cal Partee, who shipped him to trainer Lynn S. Whiting at Churchill Downs, where Lil E. Tee won a one-mile allowance race. Of his four starts at age two, the horse won twice and finished second twice.
Arkansas: prep races
Racing in Arkansas, at age three Lil E. Tee won the Grade II Jim Beam Stakes and finished second by a neck to Pine Bluff in the Arkansas Derby, results that led to his appearance in the 1992 Kentucky Derby.
Kentucky Derby: the build-up
Lil E. Tee was ridden by jockey Pat Day, who hadn't won a Derby in nine previous attempts.[6] On a track rated as fast, the horse went off at odds of 17–1 in front of a record crowd that had come to see European Horse of the Year Arazi.[7] The press had talked about little except Arazi since his dominating win in the previous October's Breeders' Cup Juvenile. The New York Times called him "mythical and almost mystical" and TIME magazine said, "Arazi is fast winning a reputation as the second coming of Secretariat." Joe Hirsch, a respected columnist with the New Jersey-based Daily Racing Form, wrote that Arazi was "such an extraordinary animal that he makes other great horses look like hacks". Arazi's jockey, Patrick Valenzuela, who had won the 1989 Derby aboard Sunday Silence, assured reporters that "This race is over." Fifteen years after his Breeders' Cup win, a National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) 2006 article said that "Arazi turned in what many still consider to be the single-most spectacular performance in Breeders' Cup history."[8]
Kentucky Derby: the race
Starting in post position #10, Lil E. Tee got off to a clean start in the 1992 Kentucky Derby and was in tenth place after half a mile. Arazi, who had started on the far outside in post position #17, made an explosive move. ABC television announcer Dave Johnson exclaimed "Arazi is flying" as the colt went seven wide, sweeping past horse after horse to move into third place, tightly bunched with the leaders. Lil E. Tee followed Arazi, moving into 5th place. As they approached the home stretch, though, Arazi tired badly. Lil E. Tee made his move and soon caught the front-running Casual Lies to win the most prestigious race in America and $724,800.
Later career
After the Derby, Lil E. Tee was entered in the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the American Triple Crown races. He finished 5th, five lengths behind winner Pine Bluff. Lil E. Tee then skipped the Belmont Stakes after being diagnosed with a lung infection. On June 9, the colt's racing season ended when he underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips from his front ankles. Recovered, in 1993 at age 4, Lil E. Tee won the Grade II Razorback Handicap. He also finished second in the Oaklawn Handicap. He was retired that year with a lifetime record of 7-4-1 from 13 starts and earnings of $1,437,506.
Race Record
Date | Age | Distance | Race | Grade | Track | Odds | Field | Finish | Winning Time | Winning (Losing) Margin | Jockey | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sep 28, 1991 | 2 | 6 furlongs | Maiden Special Weight | Maiden | Calder Race Course | 3.70 | 10 | 2 | 1:11.56 | (4+1⁄2 lengths) | Gene St. Leon | [9] |
Oct 6, 1991 | 2 | 7 furlongs | Maiden Special Weight | Maiden | Calder Race Course | *0.70 | 10 | 1 | 1:24.56 | 11+1⁄2 lengths | Gene St. Leon | [10] |
Nov 1, 1991 | 2 | 1+1⁄16 miles | Allowance | Allowance | Churchill Downs | *0.70 | 6 | 2 | 1:48.80 | (neck) | Pat Day | [11] |
Nov 12, 1991 | 2 | 1 mile | Allowance | Allowance | Churchill Downs | *0.60 | 8 | 1 | 1:39.17 | 3 lengths | Pat Day | [12] |
Feb 9, 1992 | 3 | 6 furlongs | Allowance | Allowance | Oaklawn Park | *0.70 | 8 | 1 | 1:10.31 | 4+1⁄2 lengths | Pat Day | [13] |
Mar 7, 1992 | 3 | 1 mile | Southwest Stakes | Listed | Oaklawn Park | 2.10 | 6 | 3 | 1:36.68 | (2+1⁄2 lengths) | Pat Day | [14] |
Mar 28, 1992 | 3 | 1+1⁄8 miles | Jim Beam Stakes | II | Turfway Park | 4.50 | 11 | 1 | 1:53.44 | 1 length | Pat Day | [15] |
Apr 18, 1992 | 3 | 1+1⁄8 miles | Arkansas Derby | II | Oaklawn Park | 2.10 | 6 | 2 | 1:49.49 | (neck) | Pat Day | [16] |
May 2, 1992 | 3 | 1+1⁄4 miles | Kentucky Derby | I | Churchill Downs | 16.80 | 18 | 1 | 2:03.04 | 1 length | Pat Day | [17] |
May 16, 1992 | 3 | 1+3⁄16 miles | Preakness Stakes | I | Pimlico Race Course | 4.20 | 14 | 5 | 1:55.60 | (5 lengths) | Pat Day | [18] |
Feb 20, 1993 | 4 | 6 furlongs | Allowance | Allowance | Oaklawn Park | *1.10 | 8 | 1 | 1:08.44 | 1+1⁄4 lengths | Pat Day | [19] |
Mar 20, 1993 | 4 | 1+1⁄16 miles | Razorback Handicap | II | Oaklawn Park | *0.40 | 7 | 1 | 1:41.55 | 1+1⁄4 lengths | Pat Day | [20] |
Apr 10, 1993 | 4 | 1+1⁄8 miles | Oaklawn Handicap | I | Oaklawn Park | *1.10 | 10 | 2 | 1:48.63 | (1+1⁄4 lengths) | Pat Day | [21] |
Stud career
Lil E. Tee stood at stud at Old Frankfort Stud near Lexington, Kentucky, until he was euthanized on March 18, 2009. Farm owner Jim Plemmons said the horse fell ill the month prior following an operation to repair an obstructed bowel.[22]
Lil E. Tee sired 20 stakes winners in total, with progeny earnings reaching $9.9 million. His best runners include multiple graded stakes winner Mula Gula and graded winner Jim'smrtee.
Mula Gula currently stands stallion duties at Midas Hill Farm in Texas.
Pedigree
Sire At the Threshold (USA) 1981 | Norcliffe (CAN) 1973 | Buckpasser | Tom Fool |
---|---|---|---|
Busanda | |||
Drama School | Northern Dancer | ||
Stalina | |||
Winver (USA) 1972 | Vertex | The Rhymer | |
Kanace | |||
Windsor Lady | Prince John | ||
June Fete | |||
Dam Eileen's Moment (USA) 1982 | For the Moment (USA) 1974 | What A Pleasure | Bold Ruler |
Grey Flight | |||
Tularia | Tulyar | ||
Sun Top | |||
Sailaway (USA) 1976 | Hawaii | Utrillo | |
Ethane | |||
Quick Wit | Shannon | ||
Witty (Family: 23-b)[5] |
Bibliography
- John Eisenberg The Longest Shot: Lil E. Tee and the Kentucky Derby (1996) University Press of Kentucky ISBN 0-8131-1956-1
- Old Frankfort Stud website
- Archived copy of Old Frankfort Stud website - Wayback Machine, January 9, 2014
References
- ^ a b "Lil E Tee pedigree". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-05-05.
- ^ Peddicord, Ross (May 4, 1992). "From start as ugly E.T., Lil E. Tee blossoms into a rose Kentucky Derby notes". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
- ^ "At the Threshold, Sire of Derby Winner Lil E. Tee, Dead". BloodHorse.com. 28 March 2002.
- ^ "Not Even A Lil Bit Upset Philly Native Sold Derby Winner For Only $2,000, But Still Rooted For Him". philly-archives.
- ^ a b "Turk Mare - Family 23-b". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
- ^ "Lil Fear of Derby Winner : Big Field Set for Challenge in Preakness". Los Angeles Times. 1992-05-14.
- ^ "Kentucky Derby winner Lil E. Tee dies at age of 20 - USATODAY.com". usatoday.com.
- ^ "Spiraling to the Breeders' Cup: Part 2 - NTRA". Archived from the original on 2007-03-11. Retrieved 2006-12-10.
- ^ "Chart for Calder on September 28, 1991". Equibase. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "Chart for Calder on October 6, 1991". Equibase. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "Chart for Churchill Downs on November 1, 1991". Equibase. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "Chart for Churchill Downs on November 12, 1991". Equibase. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "Chart for Oaklawn Park on February 9, 1992". Equibase. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "Chart for the Southwest Stakes". Equibase. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "Chart for the Jim Beam Stakes". Equibase. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "Chart for the Arkansas Derby". Equibase. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "Chart for the Kentucky Derby". Equibase. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "Chart for the Preakness Stakes". Equibase. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "Chart for Oaklawn Park on February 20, 1993". Equibase. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "Chart for the Razorback Handicap". Equibase. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "Chart for the Oaklawn Handicap". Equibase. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "Derby winner Lil e. Tee euthanized at age 20". ESPN. 23 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
- v
- t
- e
- 1875 Aristides
- 1876 Vagrant
- 1877 Baden-Baden
- 1878 Day Star
- 1879 Lord Murphy
- 1880 Fonso
- 1881 Hindoo
- 1882 Apollo
- 1883 Leonatus
- 1884 Buchanan
- 1885 Joe Cotton
- 1886 Ben Ali
- 1887 Montrose
- 1888 Macbeth II
- 1889 Spokane
- 1890 Riley
- 1891 Kingman
- 1892 Azra
- 1893 Lookout
- 1894 Chant
- 1895 Halma
- 1896 Ben Brush
- 1897 Typhoon II
- 1898 Plaudit
- 1899 Manuel
- 1900 Lieut. Gibson
- 1901 His Eminence
- 1902 Alan-a-Dale
- 1903 Judge Himes
- 1904 Elwood
- 1905 Agile
- 1906 Sir Huon
- 1907 Pink Star
- 1908 Stone Street
- 1909 Wintergreen
- 1910 Donau
- 1911 Meridian
- 1912 Worth
- 1913 Donerail
- 1914 Old Rosebud
- 1915 Regret ♥
- 1916 George Smith
- 1917 Omar Khayyam
- 1918 Exterminator
- 1919 Sir Barton ₩
- 1920 Paul Jones
- 1921 Behave Yourself
- 1922 Morvich
- 1923 Zev
- 1924 Black Gold
- 1925 Flying Ebony
- 1926 Bubbling Over
- 1927 Whiskery
- 1928 Reigh Count
- 1929 Clyde Van Dusen
- 1930 Gallant Fox ₩
- 1931 Twenty Grand
- 1932 Burgoo King
- 1933 Brokers Tip
- 1934 Cavalcade
- 1935 Omaha ₩
- 1936 Bold Venture
- 1937 War Admiral ₩
- 1938 Lawrin
- 1939 Johnstown
- 1940 Gallahadion
- 1941 Whirlaway ₩
- 1942 Shut Out
- 1943 Count Fleet ₩
- 1944 Pensive
- 1945 Hoop Jr.
- 1946 Assault ₩
- 1947 Jet Pilot
- 1948 Citation ₩
- 1949 Ponder
- 1950 Middleground
- 1951 Count Turf
- 1952 Hill Gail
- 1953 Dark Star
- 1954 Determine
- 1955 Swaps
- 1956 Needles
- 1957 Iron Liege
- 1958 Tim Tam
- 1959 Tomy Lee
- 1960 Venetian Way
- 1961 Carry Back
- 1962 Decidedly
- 1963 Chateaugay
- 1964 Northern Dancer
- 1965 Lucky Debonair
- 1966 Kauai King
- 1967 Proud Clarion
- 1968 Forward Pass (Dancer's Image disqualified)
- 1969 Majestic Prince
- 1970 Dust Commander
- 1971 Canonero II
- 1972 Riva Ridge
- 1973 Secretariat ₩
- 1974 Cannonade
- 1975 Foolish Pleasure
- 1976 Bold Forbes
- 1977 Seattle Slew ₩
- 1978 Affirmed ₩
- 1979 Spectacular Bid
- 1980 Genuine Risk ♥
- 1981 Pleasant Colony
- 1982 Gato Del Sol
- 1983 Sunny's Halo
- 1984 Swale
- 1985 Spend a Buck
- 1986 Ferdinand
- 1987 Alysheba
- 1988 Winning Colors ♥
- 1989 Sunday Silence
- 1990 Unbridled
- 1991 Strike the Gold
- 1992 Lil E. Tee
- 1993 Sea Hero
- 1994 Go for Gin
- 1995 Thunder Gulch
- 1996 Grindstone
- 1997 Silver Charm
- 1998 Real Quiet
- 1999 Charismatic
- 2000 Fusaichi Pegasus
- 2001 Monarchos
- 2002 War Emblem
- 2003 Funny Cide
- 2004 Smarty Jones
- 2005 Giacomo
- 2006 Barbaro
- 2007 Street Sense
- 2008 Big Brown
- 2009 Mine That Bird
- 2010 Super Saver
- 2011 Animal Kingdom
- 2012 I'll Have Another
- 2013 Orb
- 2014 California Chrome
- 2015 American Pharoah ₩
- 2016 Nyquist
- 2017 Always Dreaming
- 2018 Justify ₩
- 2019 Country House (Maximum Security disqualified)
- 2020 Authentic
- 2021 Mandaloun (Medina Spirit disqualified)
- 2022 Rich Strike
- 2023 Mage
- 2024 Mystik Dan
Legend – ₩ = Triple Crown winners, ♥ = Filly