The Maryland Jockey Club will honor the connections of Rapid Redux Feb. 18 at Laurel Park. Rapid Redux has won 22 consecutive races, including a perfect 19-for-19 season a year ago, and took home a pair of national awards.
The celebration will include a poster giveaway, a winner’s circle presentation, and an autograph session with owner Robert Cole Jr. and trainer David Wells. Primary jockey J.D. Acosta will also take part, depending on his mounts that afternoon.
Cole, a Baltimore County native, claimed the son of Pleasantly Perfect at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course for $6,250 Oct. 13, 2010. In his next 24 races, Rapid Redux won 23 times with earnings of $266,074.
The win streak began Dec. 2, 2010, at Penn National. During the streak, Rapid Redux won races at seven different tracks at distances from five furlongs to 1 1/8 miles under seven riders.
He earned his 19th straight victory at Laurel Oct. 27, 2011, to tie Zenyatta and Peppers Pride in the record book for most consecutive victories by a United States-based runner. His latest win came Jan. 4.
“We were able to run seven times in Maryland during the streak, including Timonium, and it is good it worked out that way because I am a Maryland guy,” Cole said. “When the country was watching as we closed in on the record he was running here. Even though he trains at Penn National, I think people think of him as a Maryland horse. David and I feel that way, too.”
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters honored Rapid Redux with the Special Eclipse Award for extraordinary service, individual achievements in, or contributions to the sport of Thoroughbred racing.
Rapid Redux finished 11th in the voting for Horse of the Year honors with 52 points, which included four first-place votes, despite running in starter allowance company in 17 of the 19 starts in 2011.
Rapid Redux also earned “Vox Populi Award” honors. The brainchild of Secretariat’s owner, Penny Chenery, Rapid Redux beat Horse of the Year Havre de Grace, Goldikova, and Uncle Mo in the voting by fans.
Rapid Redux will not be trying to win his 23rd race in a row anytime soon. He was taken out of training following the Jan. 4 score and has been stabled at Wells’ farm near Penn National.
“He is doing fine on David’s farm and we are hoping to extend the streak,” Cole said. “If he was a normal horse he would be coming back to race for sure but we don’t want to bring him back if he is not the same horse. That is the predicament we have, and we don’t know where we’ll be in May or June when he is ready to go again.”
The Feb. 18 card will include the $200,000 Barbara Fritchie Handicap (gr. II) and the $100,000 John B. Campbell Handicap.