Left Bank (horse)

Left Bank (May 9, 1997 – October 7, 2002) was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse.

Left Bank
Sire	French Deputy
Grandsire	Deputy Minister
Dam	Marshesseaux
Damsire	Dr. Blum
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1997
Country	United States
Colour	Chestnut
Breeder	John Youngblood & Fletcher Gray
Owner	Michael B. Tabor
Trainer	Todd A. Pletcher
Record	24: 14-2-0
Earnings	US$1,402,806
Major wins
Discovery Handicap (2000) Cigar Mile Handicap (2001) Vosburgh Stakes (2001) Bold Ruler Handicap (2002) Tom Fool Handicap (2002) Whitney Handicap (2002)
Awards
American Champion Older Male Horse (2002)

Background

Out of the mare, Marshesseaux, Left Bank was sired by Jerome Handicap winner, French Deputy, a son of Deputy Minister who was the 1981 Canadian Horse of the Year and two-time Leading sire in North America.

English horseman Michael Tabor purchased Left Bank as a two-year-old for $600,000 at a February 1999 Fasig-Tipton sale at Calder Race Course. Tabor turned him over to trainer Todd Pletcher to race in the United States. However, the colt suffered from colic that necessitated surgery which resulted in the removal of twelve feet of small intestine.

Racing career

2000: Three-year-old season

Recovered, Left Bank was able to race the following year notably winning the 2000 Discovery Handicap at New York's Aqueduct Racetrack.

2001: Four-year-old season

At age four in 2001, Left Bank got off to a slow start but in the fall won two Grade 1 races. He first beat the betting favorite Squirtle Squirt to capture the September 22 Vosburgh Stakes at Belmont Park, clocking the second-fastest time in the race's 62 year history. Then, on November 24 at Aqueduct Racetrack, Left Bank won the Cigar Mile Handicap by defeating top-rated challengers, Graeme Hall and Red Bullet. [1]

2002 Championship year and death

Rested since his win in November's Cigar Mile, Left Bank began his five-year-old campaign on May 12, 2002 with a win in the Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap.[2]^{[permanent dead link]} After a poor showing in the May 27 Metropolitan Handicap, on July 4 Left Bank set a Belmont Park track record for seven furlongs in winning the Grade 2 Tom Fool Handicap by six and a quarter lengths. [3]^{[permanent dead link]} Moving up from sprint race distances, Left Bank followed his record-setting win in the Tom Fool by equaling the Saratoga Race Course track record for 1⅛ miles (9 furlongs) in his victory in the Grade 1 Whitney Handicap. [4]

After his win in the Whitney, Left Bank was being prepared to run in the Woodward Stakes at Belmont Park but suffered another attack of colic. On August 10, 2002 the horse was rushed to the equine hospital at Tufts University near Boston, Massachusetts where he underwent emergency surgery. Following his surgery, Left Bank was sent to recover at Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky but had to undergo further operations from which he was unable to recover and died on October 7, 2002.

Assessment

Left Bank posthumously earned the Eclipse Award when he was voted the 2002 American Champion Older Male Horse. It marked the first Eclipse Award for trainer, Todd Pletcher. [5]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Left Bank

Sire French Deputy	Deputy Minister	Vice Regent	Northern Dancer
			Victoria Regina
		Mint Copy	Bunty's Flight
			Shakney
	Mitterand	Hold Your Peace	Speak John
			Blue Moon
		Laredo Lass	Bold Ruler
			Fortunate Isle
Dam Marshesseaux	Dr. Blum	Dr. Fager	Rough'n Tumble
			Aspidistra
		Due Dilly	Sir Gaylord
			Lord Matron
	Loboette	Good Counsel	Hail To Reason
			Polylady
		Chanderelle	Graustark
			Chandalle

References

• Left Bank's pedigree and partial racing stats
• Video at YouTube of Left Bank setting new Belmont Park track record
• August 12, 2002 New York Times article titled Surgery May End Left Bank's Career
• October 8, 2002 ESPN report titled Left Bank dead after colic surgeries