1999: Charismatic

A son of 1990 Preakness Stakes winner Summer Squall, Charismatic was born on March 13,1996. His sire's bloodline have him a distant but direct relation to both Secretariat and the great Northern Dancer, whose only career loss was a close second in the Kentucky Derby. Charismatic enjoyed moderate success as a two year old, yet he found himself running in claiming races as late as February 11, 1999--just under three months prior to the Derby.

Having won the Lexington Stakes as his final prep, Charismatic would go off as a 31-1 longshot in the Run for the Roses. A colt named Menifee was favored to win. Unlikely as it was, Charismatic defeated the favorite narrowly that day, surprising most, and granting a decent payday to those who did believe in him.

He would go off as the 8-1 second choice in the Preakness, with Menifee favored again. This time he would best his rival by a length and a half, appearing to put himself in good position for a triple crown bid.

In the final furlong of the Belmont Stakes, it looked as if he would pull it off. He was on the lead in the stretch, but faded to third behind winner Lemon Drop Kid and runner up Vision and Verse. Only when his jockey Chris Antley dismounted and held up the colt's front leg did it become clear what had happened. The jockey would later say that he felt the horse was off and eased him up to prevent a more catastrophic injury--an action that may have saved the horse's life. Charismatic underwent surgery to repair two breaks in that leg the next day, and he never raced again.

Charismatic will always hold a particularly special special place in my heart because the 1999 Belmont Stakes was the first horse race I ever watched, and it lit a fire in me. Already an avid horse lover, I fell in love with the sport that day at ten years old and never grew tired of the excitement. As for Charismatic, being eased in the stretch would imply that it is entirely possible he would've won that day of he hadn't been injured. Horse racing is an unpredictable sport, and when it comes to the triple crown, literally anything can happen.