Trainer: Graham Motion
Jockey: Jeremy Rose
Owner: Earle I. Mack
Breeder: Gallagher's Stud
Like Preakness winner Big Brown, Icabad Crane also came into the second jewel of the Triple Crown with just four lifetime starts; and again, like the Derby winner, he won his only outing at age two. Trainer Graham Motion, who stables at Fair Hill, Md. training center, just about an hour from Pimlico, shipped this son of Jump Start to Turfway for the Rushaway, part of the Lane's End (gr. II) undercard. Stablemate Adriano won the feature while Icabad Crane managed to be third in the supporting stake. That set him up nicely for the Tesio win, where he defeated Mint Lane, who was second to Casino Drive in the Peter Pan (gr. II) on May 10 at Belmont. He came into the Preakness as quite a longshot, but rewarded his connections with a third place effort, and a shot at the Belmont (gr. I). Read more here.
| Year | Sale | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Saratoga August Yearling Sale | $65,000 |
| 2007 | Ocala Breeders' February 2YO Sale | $110,000 |
| Date | Race Name | Distance | Finish | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/03/08 | Preakness (gr. I) | 9.5 f | 3 | $110,000 |
| 04/19/08 | Federico Tesio | 9 f | 1 | $60,000 |
| 03/22/08 | Rushaway | 8.5 f | 3 | $9,600 |
| 01/20/08 | Allowance @ Aqueduct | 8 f 70 yds | 1 | $28,200 |
| 11/21/07 | Maiden @ Aqueduct | 6.5 f | 1 | $27,600 |
| Record: 5 Starts, 3-0-2 | Total Earnings: $235,400 | ||||
| Race Records provided by equineline.com | ||||
The New York Racing Association said June 2 a field of nine is probable for the June 7 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), third leg of the Triple Crown.
Icabad Crane's connections had faith in him at least hitting the board in the May 17 Preakness Stakes (gr. I) at Pimlico, and their intuitions were proved right when the son of Jump Start finished a game 5 3/4 lengths in third behind Big Brown.
Icabad Crane, who most recently won the April 19 Frederico Tesio Stakes at Pimlico, will be entered in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), according to the racing manager for owner Earle I. Mack.
Launching a strong bid from between horses on the final turn, favored Icabad Crane ran down the front-running Mint Lane in the final sixteenth of a mile to register a head victory in the $100,000 Federico Tesio Stakes on opening weekend at Pimlico April 19. The triumph could provide trainer H. Graham Motion and owner Earle I. Mack with a prospect for the May 17 Preakness (gr. I) over the track.
John Servis has not been on the Triple Crown trail since Smarty Jones captivated the Thoroughbred racing world in 2004. The veteran trainer will try to change that this year, as he sends out Indian Jump in the $150,000 Federico Tesio Stakes April 19 at Pimlico Race Course, a 1 1/8-mile dirt event that serves as the local prep for the May 17 Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
| Icabad Crane | Jump Start | A. P. Indy |
| Steady Cat | ||
| Adorahy | Rahy | |
| Adorable Micol |