Miss Missile wins 2008 Chantilly.
Chantilly winner was one of the best 3-year-old fillies in Downs’ history
by Bob
Ever since its inaugural run in 1981 the Chantilly has featured some of the finest 3-year-old fillies ever to run at Assiniboia Downs! This year’s edition goes Wednesday, June 26 with a $30,000 purse up for grabs and the six furlong sprint promises to be good one.
Looking back, the list of previous winners includes the likes of One and Only (1983), One More Lady (1985), Coral Prospect (1988) and Hey Hey Renee (2006). And who could ever forget TG’s Stable’s Gleaming Victory, who won the 1990 Chantilly and paid bombs away $125.10 to win! Can you think of any other Don Gray-trained horse that paid 60-1?
But the horse we remember today is one of my sweethearts, and for her we have to go all the way back to 2008. I’m referring to Charlie Smith and Terry Propps’ Miss Missile. Ok, I know this is supposed to be a history piece, but good history pieces don’t always come from the ‘50s and ‘60s. The way I see it, history isn’t always made decades ago. Every once in a while we see it in the making. The trouble is we don’t always recognize it when it’s happening!
Miss Missile wins 2008 Assiniboia Oaks.
For those of you with great memories, there was another Miss Missile who ran at the Downs in the early ‘80s for trainer Gary Suski, but the name is where the similarities end.
We first saw Miss Missile in August 2007 in the Debutante Stakes, when she gave notice that she was a lady to be reckoned with. Not to mention that her victory that year kick-started a 5-year winning streak for Smith and Propps in the Debutante. They went on to win the 2008 Debutante with Lady Countdown, the 2009 version with Ruby’s Big Band, the 2010 rendition with Little Widow Maker and the 2011 renewal with Gospel Gal. Their bid for six Debutantes in a row fell just short when Portales finished second in 2012. Still, it was an amazing run!
From August 2007 to May 2009 Miss Missile went undefeated, reeling off six straight wins. She followed up her win in the Debutante with four consecutive stakes victories in 2008 (Chantilly, Canada Day, Assiniboia Oaks and Jack Hardy). Add to that an impressive win over allowance foes in May 2009 and you have a winning streak to be proud of!
Miss Missile’s only losses at the Downs came in the La Verendrye Stakes in 2009 and 2010. She finished third on both occasions.
Yes sir! Right from the get-go Miss Missiletook a piece of my heart. She is retired now and is hard at work raising her babies at Charlie and Terry’s 40-acre home in Annetta, Texas. If we’re lucky, these babies will find their way to the race track and if we are truly fortunate they’ll show up at our own Assiniboia Downs.
Miss Missile's foal "Spider" by 2010 Preakness winner Lookin At Lucky.
Miss Missile’s first date in the breeding shed was with 2010 Preakness winner Lookin At Lucky. The result was a good looking colt born March 21, 2012. The colt was affectionately nick-named “Spider”. Terry tells me Miss Missile is a great mom and Spider; well he’s your typical boy! I can’t wait to see how he’ll run, but you’ve got to like his chances!
If Spider turns out to be a runner, most will look at his Dad and say he’s the reason, but my heart will always give credit to Mom, a lady who was a champion in her own right.
And the gal who stole my heart in 2007.
Next Post Time for Live Racing: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 26, 2013