Spend a buck was purchased for 12 grand, previous owner thought the horse was garbage. The owner were offered more money to run in the jersey stake, so they skipped the preakness. Horse was a bleeder, and shots to control it are not allowed at the belmont.
What a horse. I was there that day and had every dollar I had on him. I watched the race from a monitor behind the clubhouse and will never forget seeing him come home five in front.
Actually The Jersey Derby is now ran at Monmouth Park. It is also on the Turf now. Does not have the "lustre" it once had when it was the Garden State Park.
I feel he would have had a very good chance. Along with the informative Jersey Derby comments offered here previously, I also vaguely recall reading or hearing somewhere that his owner, trainer or both didn't feel he would get the 1.5 mile Belmont distance anyway; but I could be mistaken. It's a shame that it happened and the organizers of the Triple Crown sweetened the pot to make sure it didn't happen again. Let's hope not anyway.
Spend a Buck actually skipped the Preakness and Belmont to run for and win a big bonus in the Jersey Derby on Memorial Day weekend.
Tank's Prospect, who got a couple of calls in this Derby, would go on to set a record in the Preakness two weeks later. The Belmont was won by Creme Fraiche, who was narrowly beat by Spend a Buck in a thrilling Jersey Derby stretch.
After seeing this race again though, your comment about Spend a Buck being totally underrated is right on the money.
Spend a Buck was a horse with the exciting running style of "catch me if you cause I'm going to the front". 2:00 2/5 final time is incredible considering the early fractions! Where he really impressed me was in the Jersey Derby. Running torrid fractions Spend a Buck lost the lead at the 1/4 pole,but he came right back and went on to win. Most horses would have called it a day right then!
Wow, I had never seen him race before, but I just watched his son Einstein win a grade II race and thought I would check him out. Very impressive KD win. Thanks for sharing it us.
Yep, he was an excellent horse. I'm very surprised there have been no other comments about him until this point. His time of 2:00 2/5 was superb and one of the quickest in Derby history. Spend A Buck seems to be strangely under-appreciated, in my opinion. Thanks for commenting. Take care.
nphanlon1973 Says:
11/04/2012 11:51:22 PM
great ride..cordero loosened the rein with a mile to go which is very brave but he obviously knew what he was doing.
rickyo56 Says:
24/02/2012 10:43:44 PM
Spend a buck was purchased for 12 grand, previous owner thought the horse was garbage. The owner were offered more money to run in the jersey stake, so they skipped the preakness. Horse was a bleeder, and shots to control it are not allowed at the belmont.
bobfritz1466 Says:
30/04/2010 12:31:27 PM
What a horse. I was there that day and had every dollar I had on him. I watched the race from a monitor behind the clubhouse and will never forget seeing him come home five in front.
july2dude Says:
22/01/2010 6:53:48 AM
what a year 1985 was fior spend a buck! and all these years later his son einstein wins santa anita handicap!
Hipico1 Says:
20/01/2010 10:24:51 AM
And the fastest wire-to-wire ever. Bold Forbes was fastest before that.
TOJAKE6 Says:
2/06/2009 10:38:55 PM
Actually The Jersey Derby is now ran at Monmouth Park. It is also on the Turf now. Does not have the "lustre" it once had when it was the Garden State Park.
UpstateinNY Says:
13/04/2009 11:04:45 PM
I was there for this race, sitting in a box at the finish line; we had the exacta 25x, it paid$117.00! Greatest weekend!
cf1970 Says:
3/12/2008 1:48:19 AM
My mistake: Spend A Buck's actual final time was 2:00 1/5. It still stands as the fourth fastest Derby win ever.
cf1970 Says:
3/12/2008 1:44:24 AM
I feel he would have had a very good chance. Along with the informative Jersey Derby comments offered here previously, I also vaguely recall reading or hearing somewhere that his owner, trainer or both didn't feel he would get the 1.5 mile Belmont distance anyway; but I could be mistaken. It's a shame that it happened and the organizers of the Triple Crown sweetened the pot to make sure it didn't happen again. Let's hope not anyway.
jmplays44 Says:
24/04/2008 7:48:53 AM
Maybe Big Brown can do the same this year? Then again, maybe not. 45 and 4 and he just kept a runnin'! That's mighty fine.
smadonna Says:
3/02/2008 11:30:11 PM
Spend a Buck actually skipped the Preakness and Belmont to run for and win a big bonus in the Jersey Derby on Memorial Day weekend. Tank's Prospect, who got a couple of calls in this Derby, would go on to set a record in the Preakness two weeks later. The Belmont was won by Creme Fraiche, who was narrowly beat by Spend a Buck in a thrilling Jersey Derby stretch. After seeing this race again though, your comment about Spend a Buck being totally underrated is right on the money.
BE109 Says:
30/09/2007 3:57:16 AM
Spend a Buck was a horse with the exciting running style of "catch me if you cause I'm going to the front". 2:00 2/5 final time is incredible considering the early fractions! Where he really impressed me was in the Jersey Derby. Running torrid fractions Spend a Buck lost the lead at the 1/4 pole,but he came right back and went on to win. Most horses would have called it a day right then!
cf1970 Says:
18/03/2007 6:22:25 AM
You're welcome. Spend A Buck impressed me too, very much. Take care.
gullybear20 Says:
18/03/2007 2:42:44 AM
Wow, I had never seen him race before, but I just watched his son Einstein win a grade II race and thought I would check him out. Very impressive KD win. Thanks for sharing it us.
cf1970 Says:
2/03/2007 2:57:26 AM
Yep, he was an excellent horse. I'm very surprised there have been no other comments about him until this point. His time of 2:00 2/5 was superb and one of the quickest in Derby history. Spend A Buck seems to be strangely under-appreciated, in my opinion. Thanks for commenting. Take care.