A.P. Indy Is Odds-On Favorite to Win Vote for Horse of Year

A.P. Indy, a classically bred horse who did not trip over his bloodlines, was expected to be named horse of the year at the Eclipse Awards dinner Friday night in Century City.

After a 2-year-old season during which he underwent surgery for an undescended testicle and won his last three starts, A.P. Indy began 1992 with four more victories, including the Santa Anita Derby and the Belmont Stakes. A cracked hoof prevented him from running in the other Triple Crown races, the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness.

Returning from a three-month layoff, during which his hoof grew back, A.P. Indy was fifth in the Molson Million and third after a troubled start in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. A.P. Indy capped his career with a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and has been retired to stud at Lane’s End Farm near Versailles, Ky.

Will Farish, owner of Lane’s End and one of A.P. Indy’s breeders, received an Eclipse Award on Friday night as 1992’s outstanding breeder. A.P. Indy is a son of Seattle Slew and Weekend Surprise, a Secretariat mare who also produced Summer Squall, winner of the 1990 Preakness.

A.P. Indy was trained by Neil Drysdale and ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye throughout his career, which ended with eight victories in 11 starts and $2.9 million in purses. His owner, Japanese developer Tomonori Tsurumaki, bought A.P. Indy as a yearling for $2.9 million, the highest price for a horse sold at auction in 1990. Seattle Slew was a horse of the year and Secretariat won the national title twice.

A.P. Indy also was selected as top 3-year-old male for last year, beating Kentucky Derby winner Lil E. Tee by a 276-1 margin in voting announced last Monday. Only two other 3-year-olds--Spend A Buck in 1985 and Sunday Silence in 1989--have been voted horse of the year in the last 10 years.

“Now I’ve got to find me another A.P. Indy to ride,” Delahoussaye said when he heard several weeks ago that the horse was going to be retired. “And that won’t be easy, because horses like him don’t come along every day.”