Stallion (Gelding) Stories: Funny Cide

By Margaret Ransom

Fourteen years ago, a humble New York-bred gelding named Funny Cide burst onto the national racing scene with his mild upset victory in the 2003 Kentucky Derby (GI), becoming the first gelding to accomplish the feat since Clyde Van Deusen in 1929. Though Mine That Bird would go on to win the Run for the Roses six years later, Funny Cide has maintained his position as one of the poster boys for talented geldings, and especially their ability to achieve success in the Kentucky Derby.

Longtime Kentucky horseman Wes Lanter spent virtually every day with Funny Cide, or “Funny” as he called him, from 2009 to 2015 in his duties an equine section supervisor at the Kentucky Horse Park’s Hall of Champions and remembers fondly the time he spent with New York’s most beloved racehorse.

 

Funny Cide
Sex: Gelding
Color: Chestnut
Distorted Humor—Belle’s Good Cide, by Slewacide
Foaled: April 20, 2000
Owned by Sackatoga Stable
Bred by: WinStar Farm (New York)
Trained by: Barclay Tagg
Ridden by: Jose Santos/Alan Garcia

Career Record: 38-11-6-8, $3,529,412

• Champion 3-year-old colt, 2003

Notable Victories: 2003 Kentucky Derby, 2003 Preakness Stakes (GI), 2004 Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI).

The Golden New York Apple

Lanter is no stranger to the popularity of a Kentucky Derby winner, having spent time in his career around several different ones, including Seattle Slew, Affirmed, Silver Charm and Grindstone, just to name a few, so getting to… (m0re)