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By Tom Hall
While the West Coast was Lookin At Lucky , the king of the synthetic surfaces, the folks in the East were lookin’ at Buddy. Buddy's Saint rose to the top of the eastern-based 2-year-olds at the end of the season with impressive November wins in the Nashua Stakes (gr. II) at a mile by 12 lengths and the nine-furlong Remsen Stakes (gr. II) by nearly five—two solid GPS performances for that upcoming journey on the Triple Crown Trail.
Buddy’s Saint’s previous efforts suggest that classic distances are well within the arc of his compass. But are those extra furlongs in his blood - Buddy’s Saint descends from the Hail to Reason sire line. Although Hail to Reason only raced at 2, he sired horses such as Roberto and Buddy’s Saint’s great-grandsire, Halo, who were not short on stamina or the ability to pass it on to their offspring. For Roberto there were such as Dynaformer and Kris S.; Halo got Sunday Silence and Saint Ballado.
Buddy’s Saint’s sire, Saint Liam, improved with age and distance. At 3 he was good, breaking his maiden at 1 1/16 miles and adding two allowance victories at that distance. At 4 he was better, earning his first black-type win in the gr. II Clark Handicap over nine furlongs. At 5 he was best: Three grade I wins at nine furlongs and the Breeders’ Cup Classic Powered by Dodge (gr. I) at 10 furlongs earned him honors as champion older male and Horse of the Year in 2005. He retired to stud with nine victories from 20 starts. None of those victories came at a distance less than 1 1/16 miles.
His female family is equally accomplished at the longer routes. His dam, Tuzia, won the 1 1/16-mile Nastique Stakes and finished second in the 10-furlong Personal Ensign Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga. Tuzia is a half-sister to multiple grade III winner and nine-furlong specialist Midway Road.
