TWO-TIME CHAMPION LIDO PALACE
RETIRED

by Lenny Shulman
14 May 2003

Lido Palace, winning the 2002 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs. Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt

"He is a top-quality horse that tried every time out and generated one heck of a lot of money," said John Amerman. "He clearly has been the best horse we've ever had; so consistent. He's done a lot for us and we decided to get on with his second career. We have offers to stand him in Chile, but I would like to place him in Kentucky. We're assessing alternatives."

Lido Palace was conditioned in the United States by leading trainer Bobby Frankel. "He's a very good horse, very correct," Frankel said from Hollywood Park. "He never quit trying on the track. He's sound, and we could give him time and bring him back, but by then he'd be a bit old. He's going to make a very good stallion."

Lido Palace (Rich Man's Gold--Sonada, by Quick Decision) was a grade I winner either in Chile or the United States each year that he raced, from age 2 through 5. He became the only horse to win the Chilean Triple Crown when he took the Gran Criterium, Clasico Dos Mil Guineas, and St. Leger (all Chi-I) in 2000. He was named champion 2-year-old colt and champion 3-year-old colt in Chile, and was that country's Horse of the Year in 2001.

John and Jerry Amerman purchased both Lido Palace and Printemps, who had won the Chilean Triple Crown for fillies. In the United States in 2001, Lido Palace scored in the Whitney Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga and followed that immediately with a victory in the Woodward Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park. In addition, he ran second to Albert the Great in the Suburban Handicap (gr. II) and was runner-up to Duckhorn in the Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (gr. II).

In 2002, as a 5-year-old, Lido Palace placed in the Suburban and was third in the Whitney before successfully defending his crown in the Gr1 Woodward. He ran second to Evening Attire in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I). Lido Palace won his final two races, taking an allowance contest at Belmont, and then gamely defeating Crafty Shaw and Hero's Tribute to win the Clark Handicap (gr. II) at Churchill Downs last November.

Lido Palace finished first, second, or third in 20 of his 23 career races. He won 11 of those, and overall earned $2,705,865. His sire, RICH MAN'S GOLD(USA), stands at Mary Slack's Wilgerbosdrift in Piketberg, near Cape Town. 

A few services are still available for this season.

Contact Ross Fuller on 083-6587804 or Jehan Malherbe on 083-252 8146 or email jehan@aro.co.za

Rich Man's Gold's website:
http://www.aro.co.za/images/sasires/richman'sgold/richmansgold.html