Ap Indy seemed born for greatness. He was sied to Seattle Through, the winner of the Triple Crown. His successful dam (mother) weekend surprise was not a surprise as she was sieged to the secretariat, another triple crown champion.
As the ambitious owner pays a large sum for such a stately lineage, it was not a shock that Japanese owner Tomonori Turmaki went to $2.9 million before the auctioneer’s hammer fell on the July annual sale in Keeneland in 1990.
Trainer Neil Drysdale was excited when a top prospect was sent to his barn. He believed that young people could be special, but only time can tell.
“You’ll never know,” Dorisdale said. “But the abilities the horse demonstrated were incredible and obviously he had bloodline and appearance, so those are the three things you’re looking for.”
AP Indy didn’t have one element that would seriously sacrifice him when ranking the best and best ranks. After finishing off his 2 year old season by stealing Hollywood’s future, and taking part in the Santa Anita Derby early in the campaign three years ago, the 1992 Kentucky Derby looked like it was for his filming.
But Dorisdale realizes something is wrong. The fierce effort of a tendency to quarter the night before Derby was useless. The decision was made to hurt him on the morning of Rose Running.
“He was so valuable that he didn’t risk running when he wasn’t completely right,” Dorisdale said.
The decision to scratch AP Indy a few hours before the most important start of his life had to be brave for Dorisdale and his staff, but he made it rough.
“There’s not much you can do. You can’t guess yourself again,” he said. “As a trainer, you’re trying to solve the problem and move on to the next race.”
After the decision to bypass Preakness was made, Ap Indy turned his victory at Peter Pan Stakes into an ideal preparation for a Belmont Stakes victory. He sealed off Top 3-year-olds and Horse of the Year honors by winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
He retired to End Farm, Lane near Versailles, Kentucky, and at the end of his 3-year-old season there was little left. He scored eight of 11 starts with one third-place finish with revenue of $2,979,815.
As his pedigree suggested, he proved to be a great stallion, and had more than 160 stakes winners before being awarded a pension in 2011 for declining fertility. His top descendants include the 2003 Horse of the Year. Bernardini, Preakness Victor, 2006, top three years old. Rags to wealth, the first filly to win a Belmont stake in over 100 years that achieved it in 2007. Elderly male honor code for the 2015 champion.
Editor’s Note: AP Indy died on February 21, 2020 at the age of 31.
Of the hundreds of thoroughbreds passing through Dorisdale’s barn, AP Indy will never be forgotten.
“He was a gorgeous horse and it was a very exciting horse to be around,” the trainer said. “He knew he was a space monster. He knew he was strong and powerful, and he was a bit of a bully.”
The caretaker was on high alert around AP Indy and was acutely aware of his impressive presence. They were always convinced to give him the space he requested.
“A lot,” Dorisdale said.
Note: This story was originally released and updated in January 2014.
Fun fact
- The value of AP Indy increased after his half-brother, Summer Squall, won Preakness just before it was auctioned for the year.
- Ap Indy was slightly wider in the front, his only obvious flaw.
- D. Wayne Lucas was a Hall of Fame trainer and underwear known for her aggressiveness in pursuing top stock.
- AP Indy removed a determined test circle that had not been removed after a disappointing fourth-place show in his debut.
- The son, Leopard Eye, won the queen board of honor in Canada in 2009.
- AP Indy has trained 164 stakes winners, 94 groups or rated stakes winners, and 12 champions, according to Equineline Statistics until May 21, 2024.
- His son, Malibu Moon, raised Orb, the winner of the 2013 Kentucky Derby, and has been ranked multiple times in the top 10 of the major general titular list.
- Jockey Eddie Delawasuei rode AP Indy in all 11 races.
