Lawyer Ron

Thoroughbred racehorse infobox
horsename = Lawyer Ron


caption =
sire = Langfuhr
grandsire = Danzig
dam = Donation
damsire = Lord Avie
sex = Stallion
foaled = 2003
country = United States flagicon|USA
colour = Chestnut
breeder = James T. Hines, Jr.
owner = James T. Hines, Jr.
Stonewall Farm (May, 2006)
trainer = Bob Holthus
Todd Pletcher (October 2006)
record = 25: 12-4-4 (ongoing)
earnings = $2,790,008 + (ongoing)
race = Risen Star Stakes (2006)
Southwest Stakes (2006)
Rebel Stakes (2006)
Arkansas Derby (2006)
St. Louis Derby (2006)
Oaklawn Handicap (2007)
Whitney Handicap (2007)
Woodward Stakes (2007)
awards= American Champion Older Male Horse (2007)
honours =
updated= October 1, 2007

Lawyer Ron (foaled March 1, 2003 in Kentucky) is an American thoroughbred race horse. He was bred and owned by James T. Hines, Jr., an entrepreneur who started his first company, Premium Allied Tool, in Owensboro, Kentucky in 1966, and it became a multi-million dollar business. Hines became involved in thoroughbred horse racing in 1995, but died at the age of 69 in a drowning accident in his home swimming pool on February 20, 2006 just before Lawyer Ron's victory in the Rebel Stakes. The estate and Lawyer Ron's racing career are both managed by Mr. Hines' lawyer, Ron Bamberger, for whom the horse is named.

A majority interest in Lawyer Ron was bought by Stonewall Farm of Midway, Kentucky in the week preceding the 2006 Kentucky Derby. In 2007, he is racing as a 4 year old under the banner of Hines Racing LLC, and will stand at stud for Stonewall Stallions Farm after he retires.

Lawyer Ron broke his maiden on October 10, 2005 in a maiden race at Keeneland. The race was Lawyer Ron's first ever race on a dirt track and he won by 3 and 1/2 lengths. On December 9, 2005 in an allowance race at Louisiana Downs, Lawyer Ron drew away from the field to win by ten lengths. Lawyer Ron had another impressive performance in the Diamond Joe Stakes at Evangeline Downs on December 31, 2005, when he won the race by eight lengths.

Although Lawyer Ron has dominated in races on the dirt, his performances on the turf and polytrack surfaces have so far been less than stellar. Overall he is 0-7 away from the dirt only finishing in the money four times. However he won nine of his next twelve races (and placed second in one), all on dirt.

Risen Star Stakes

In the 2006 Grade III Risen Star Stakes held at Louisiana Downs on January 14, Lawyer Ron displayed one of the best races of his career. He broke well and was in second heading into the first turn. He stayed just to the outside of the leader, Mark of Success, before passing him early on the backstretch. Lawyer Ron and Mark of Success battled all the way down the backstretch and into the final turn with Mark of Success on the inside and Lawyer Ron on the outside. Mark of Success continued to press Lawyer Ron for the lead early in the final stretch until Lawyer Ron opened up and pulled away to an 8 length victory.

outhwest Stakes

The 2006 Southwest Stakes was held on February 25 at Oaklawn Park featuring Lawyer Ron as the odds-on favorite. Lawyer Ron broke strongly from the gate to take an early lead. He proceeded to set the pace staying comfortably ahead of his competitors. Heading down the stretch Steppenwolfer made a strong surge challenging for the lead, but Lawyer Ron held him off to win by 3/4 of a length.

Rebel Stakes

In the 2006 Grade III Rebel Stakes held at Oaklawn Park on March 18, Ron got a less than stellar start and wound up trapped against the rail in fifth. Coming out of the first turn he moved to the outside but remained in fifth down the backstretch. Jockey John McKee and Lawyer Ron made their move at the start of the second turn. Moving strongly up the field, Lawyer Ron had taken the lead by the time he came out of the turn. Lawyer Ron did not let up down the stretch, charging to a 3 length win.

Arkansas Derby

The 2006 Arkansas Derby was a $1 million Grade II stakes race run at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas on April 15, 2006. Lawyer Ron was an odds-on favorite in the race and did not disappoint. As the race started, Lawyer Ron was bottled in between horses in fourth. He charged up the rail coming out of the first turn to gain the lead. After gaining the lead, Ron held off his competitors at about a 1-1/2 lengths, until he was challenged by Private Vow coming out of the second turn. Lawyer Ron then pulled away and won by 2-3/4 lengths over a late surging Steppenwolfer.

Past Performances

In most of Lawyer Ron's victories, he has jumped out to an early lead and set the pace. All of his wins have been characterized by a strong driving finish. In the 2006 Rebel Stakes, Lawyer Ron demonstrated the ability to come from the back of the field as well. Lawyer Ron's ability to both start and close a race had made him a favorite to win the 2006 Kentucky Derby according to many experts. He left the gate in 6th place in the Derby but after the first turn moved quickly to 2nd place where he remained down the long back side. He tired at the top of the stretch and finished 12th.

On August 25, 2006, Lawyer Ron won the inaugural running of the St. Louis Derby at Fairmount Park Race Track in Illinois.

Ridden by John Velazquez and hard to handle in the early part of the race, on September 30 Lawyer Ron lost to Curlin by a neck in a stretch dual in the Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park. The early fractions, set by Brother Bobby, of 24:26, 47:88, and 1:11:66, were fought by Lawyer Ron as he raced second behind Brother Bobby, giving Velazquez an apparent difficult ride.

Jockeys

Through his early racing carer, while Bob Holthus was trainer, Lawyer Ron was ridden by John McKee, who called the colt, "one of the best horses he has ever ridden." McKee was the primary rider for Lawyer Ron's trainer, Bob Holthus. Prior to the 2006 Kentucky Derby, McKee has had two Derby mounts: Greater Good in 2005 and Por Prado in 2004.

Since October 2006 Lawyer Ron has been conditioned by multiple Eclipse Award winning trainer, Todd Pletcher. On February 11, 2007, Lawyer Ron, who has continued rank throughout his career (certainly losing any chance he had in the 2006 Breeders' Cup Classic which went to Invasor), was under jockey John Velazquez for an optional/allowance claiming race at Gulfstream Park. Velazquez kept control of the headstrong colt, forcing him to settle, and then steady behind the field, until finding his opening for the win.

In the $500,000 Oaklawn Handicap held April 7, 2007 Lawyer Ron was ridden for the first time by Edgar Prado. Although previously a headstrong horse, he settled early and effortlessly moved to the lead on the outside passing the three-eighths pole and barrelled into the stretch with a clear advantage, he was pulling away at the end and won by 4 lengths. Prado never used the whip on him.

John Velazquez rode him to a track record time of 1:46.64 in the 2007 Whitney Stakes and then again a few weeks later in the Woodward Stakes (although not a record), he won over a fast track by 8 1/4 lengths in a time of 1:48.60. In late October, he finished seventh in the 2007 Breeders' Cup Classic at Monmouth Park Racetrack on a sloppy track.

In November 2007, Lawyer Ron was retired to stud duty at Stonewall Farm in Versailles, Kentucky.

Races

References

* [http://www.ntra.com/stats_bios.aspx?id=17278 Lawyer Ron's stats and bio]
* [http://www.pedigreequery.com/lawyer+ron Lawyer Ron's pedigree, with photo]
* [http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2006/derby_coverage/derby_entrants/lawyer_ron/ Lawyer Ron Kentucky Derby 2006 Entrant Page]

External links

* [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/more/07/31/lawyerron.whitney.ap/ SI Lawyer Ron's Record Time at the Whitney Handicap Upheld]
* [http://www.ntra.com/content.aspx?type=news&id=28140 NTRA Curlin Reels in Lawyer Ron in the Gold Cup]