2019 Louisiana Derby Winner
Sire: Goldencents
Grandsire: Into Mischief
Dam: A Jealous Woman
Damsire: Muqtarib
Sex: Male
Foaled: 2015
Country: United States
Colour: Chestnut
Breeder: Don Ladd
Owner: Allied Racing Stable, LLC and Spendthrift Farm LLC
Trainer: Bret Calhoun
Jockey: Gabriel Saez
Record: 17 Starts: 7 - 5 - 1
Earnings: $2,294,430
Major races: 2021 Oaklawn Mile Stakes, 2020 New Orleans Classic Stakes, 2020 Oaklawn Handicap, 2020 Alysheba Stakes, 2019 Louisiana Derby
By My Standards came from a small budget and an unfashionable stable, but he ran his way into the top ranks of his generation through sheer hard work and consistency. He was a bay colt born in March of 2016 in Kentucky. His owner was Allied Racing Stable, and his trainer was Bret Calhoun, a respected horseman based in the Midwest who is best known for his work at Fair Grounds and Lone Star Park. His sire was Goldencents, a champion sprinter who won two Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile races and was himself a son of the dominant stallion Into Mischief. His dam was A Jealous Woman, a stakes winning mare. The pedigree was useful rather than fashionable, and By My Standards was bought at the Keeneland September yearling sale for only 27,500 dollars.
His three year old season turned that price tag into a bargain. He came into the 2019 Louisiana Derby a maiden winner with little reputation, having only broken his maiden a few weeks earlier at Fair Grounds. In the Louisiana Derby itself, he ran past a deep field at 22 to 1 odds to beat Spinoff, with future Kentucky Derby winner Country House and Preakness Stakes winner War of Will both finishing behind him. His winning time of 1:49.53 was the second fastest in the 84 year history of the race. He went on to the Kentucky Derby and finished a respectable mid pack effort during the chaotic running where Maximum Security crossed the wire first but was disqualified. He finished off his three year old season as a useful Grade 2 horse, but his best racing was still ahead of him.
His four year old campaign in 2020 was where he became a genuine top tier older runner. He won the New Orleans Classic at Fair Grounds, the Oaklawn Handicap at Oaklawn Park, and the Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs, all Grade 2 races. In the Alysheba Stakes he beat the high class older horse McKinzie, and that summer he ran a brave second to Improbable in the Whitney Stakes at Saratoga, the most important older horse race of the meet. He also ran second in the Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs. He was retired with earnings of nearly 2.3 million dollars and a record full of graded stakes form against the very best older horses in the country. He was sent to Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky to stand at stud and entered the breeding shed at a friendly fee, giving smaller Kentucky breeders access to a Louisiana Derby winner with a deep four year old page. By My Standards is the kind of horse small owners and small trainers love to dream about, the bargain yearling who proves that classic level talent is sometimes hiding in plain sight.
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