Musique Toujours
AP/Gary Rothstein Photo
$1 million Ocala Breeders Sales Classic
MUSIQUE TOUJOURS

HALLANDALE, Fla. (Jan. 29, 2005) – California-bred longshot Musique Toujours, a $40,000 claim 14 months ago who hadn’t raced in four months, scored a stunning front-running win in the $1 million Ocala Breeders Sales Classic, to cap the Sunshine Millions card at Gulfstream Park Saturday.

Musique Toujours is by Musique d’Enfer, out of the Inherent Star mare Starry Farrari, was bred by Jacquie Takaha and Lorenzo Preciado and is owned by Lloyd DeBruycker and Richard Glassman. He was trained by John Sadler and ridden by Jorge Chavez.

“He warmed up so good and I could see he was going to be able to make the lead,” said Chavez. “It was easy and comfortable so I just let him go and He just kept on trying.”

The 5-year-old gelding won for the fifth time in 19 starts and the $550,000 first prize ballooned his earnings from $176,320 to $726,320. He went off as the second-longest shot in the field at 70-1. He ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.17 and held off Zakocity by a neck.

“This is a dream,” said Glassman. “I’ve been out of work for a while and I’m trying to become a Los Angeles Police officer. It was my idea to claim this horse. We’ve been planning this (race) for two months. I probably shouldn’t say this, but the trainer didn’t think we had a chance.”

Musique Toujours’ most recent win was a May 22 $50,000 claimer at Hollywood Park, which he followed with a second in the Claiming Crown Jewel, his stakes debut. He was coming off a third in an Aug. 29 first-condition allowance race.

“When we were talking about a million-dollar race, realistically, we were talking about just getting on the board,” said Sadler. “To win is a great thing. I think this horse is better than he was last year because we gave him a little rest after Del Mar. He had some fast races before. He had run a ‘2’ on the Sheets, which is a system we use, so we knew he could run a race like this.”