Go For Wand
Encyclopedia
Go For Wand was a champion American
thoroughbred
racehorse.
Sired by Canadian Hall of Famer
Deputy Minister
, out of Obeah (winner of, among other races, the Blue Hen Stakes
, and the Delaware Handicap
twice). Go For Wand was foaled and raised at Jane du Pont Lunger's
Christiana Stables. As a two-year-old, she had a record of three-for-four before winning the 1989 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
. Her performances earned her the 1989 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Two-Year-Old Filly.
As a three-year-old, she was seven-for-nine and was voted the 1990 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Three-Year-Old Filly. In a highly anticipated match against the Argentinian
mare
Bayakoa
in the 1990 Breeders' Cup Distaff
, Go For Wand was leading by a head at the sixteenth pole when she suffered an open fracture to her right cannon bone. She fell to the track and threw jockey Randy Romero
to the ground before rising to limp on three legs across the finish line and into the winner's circle. Track personnel got her to lie down, and she was immediately euthanized
on the track. The next day, she was buried in the infield at Saratoga
.
The tragedy unfolded on NBC
on live television, and painfully reminded viewers of Ruffian
, another promising filly who was fatally injured on the track. In a strange coincidence, several veterinarians estimate that she actually broke her leg about twelve strides before she fell. This would have meant that "Wanda" suffered her catastrophic injury while passing the flagpole that Ruffian was buried next to.
In 1992, the Maskette Stakes
, a Grade 1
handicap race for fillies and mares, was renamed the "Go For Wand Handicap" in her memory.
She is listed as #72 by Blood Horse
on their list of top 100 U.S. thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century and in 1996 was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
.
As part of the "Thoroughbred Legends" series, in 2000, author Bill Heller published a book about the filly titled "Go For Wand." - Eclipse Press (ISBN 1-58150-046-7)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse.
Sired by Canadian Hall of Famer
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 at the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario to honor those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and thoroughbred horse racing in Canada....
Deputy Minister
Deputy Minister (horse)
Deputy Minister was a Canadian-bred Thoroughbred horse racing Champion. At age two, he won eight out of his nine starts and was voted the 1981 Sovereign and Eclipse Award winner as North American Champion 2-Yr-Old, and was also voted Canada's Sovereign Award for Horse of the Year...
, out of Obeah (winner of, among other races, the Blue Hen Stakes
Blue Hen Stakes
The Blue Hen Stakes at Delaware Park Racetrack is an American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old fillies held annually in early October at Delaware Park Racetrack in Stanton, Delaware...
, and the Delaware Handicap
Delaware Handicap
The Delaware Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in mid July at Delaware Park Racetrack in Wilmington, Delaware. The Grade II race is open to filles and mares, age three and up, willing to race one and one-quarter miles on the dirt....
twice). Go For Wand was foaled and raised at Jane du Pont Lunger's
Jane du Pont Lunger
Jane du Pont Lunger was an American heiress, philanthropist, and an owner/breeder of Thoroughbred racehorses. A sixth generation member of Delaware's prominent Du Pont family, her father, Philip Francis du Pont, was a major benefactor to the University of Virginia.In 1934, Jane du Pont married...
Christiana Stables. As a two-year-old, she had a record of three-for-four before winning the 1989 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies is a 1 1/16-mile thoroughbred horse race on dirt for two-year-old fillies run annually since 1984 at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships.-Automatic Berths:Beginning in 2007, the Breeders' Cup...
. Her performances earned her the 1989 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Two-Year-Old Filly.
As a three-year-old, she was seven-for-nine and was voted the 1990 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Three-Year-Old Filly. In a highly anticipated match against the Argentinian
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
mare
Mare (horse)
A mare is an adult female horse or other equine.In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse age three and younger. However, in Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four years old; in harness racing a mare is a...
Bayakoa
Bayakoa
Bayakoa was a Thoroughbred Champion racehorse bred in Argentina. A descendant of the very important sire Nearco through both her sire and dam, after racing successfully in Argentina, Bayakoa was sold to Americans Janis and Frank Whitham....
in the 1990 Breeders' Cup Distaff
Breeders' Cup Distaff
The Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares, 3 years old and up. Known as the Breeders' Cup Distaff from its inception in 1984 through 2007, it is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders'...
, Go For Wand was leading by a head at the sixteenth pole when she suffered an open fracture to her right cannon bone. She fell to the track and threw jockey Randy Romero
Randy Romero
Randy Paul Romero is a Hall of Fame jockey in the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing, Born into a family involved with horses, his father Lloyd J...
to the ground before rising to limp on three legs across the finish line and into the winner's circle. Track personnel got her to lie down, and she was immediately euthanized
Animal euthanasia
Animal euthanasia is the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, an animal suffering from an incurable, especially a painful, disease or condition. Euthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and distress...
on the track. The next day, she was buried in the infield at Saratoga
Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It opened on August 3, 1863, and is the oldest organized sporting venue of any kind in the United States. It is typically open for racing from late July through early September.-History:John...
.
The tragedy unfolded on NBC
NBC Sports
NBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
on live television, and painfully reminded viewers of Ruffian
Ruffian (horse)
Ruffian was an American champion thoroughbred racehorse. Ruffian is considered by many to be the greatest female racehorse in history. Ruffian is among the greatest U.S. racehorses of all time. Her story was told in 2007 film Ruffian.- Career :An almost coal black filly of 16 and a half hands,...
, another promising filly who was fatally injured on the track. In a strange coincidence, several veterinarians estimate that she actually broke her leg about twelve strides before she fell. This would have meant that "Wanda" suffered her catastrophic injury while passing the flagpole that Ruffian was buried next to.
In 1992, the Maskette Stakes
Go For Wand Handicap
The Go For Wand Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race established in 1954 for fillies and mares age three and up. Raced at the end of July/early August, it is a Grade II race on dirt at a distance of one and one-eighth miles .Inaugurated in 1954 at Belmont Park as the Maskette Stakes in...
, a Grade 1
Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
handicap race for fillies and mares, was renamed the "Go For Wand Handicap" in her memory.
She is listed as #72 by Blood Horse
The Blood-Horse magazine
The Blood-Horse is an international weekly news magazine about Thoroughbred horses, horse breeding, and horseracing. It was founded in 1916, the oldest continually published North American Thoroughbred magazine. The magazine is based in Lexington, Kentucky, the Horse Capital of the World...
on their list of top 100 U.S. thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century and in 1996 was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
.
As part of the "Thoroughbred Legends" series, in 2000, author Bill Heller published a book about the filly titled "Go For Wand." - Eclipse Press (ISBN 1-58150-046-7)