1997 Santa Anita Derby - Free House

They might not be Affirmed and Alydar, but the 3-year-old colts Free House and Silver Charm have had memorable battles all season long here at Santa Anita. Now their rivalry will go all the way to Kentucky following Free House's narrow victory over his archrival in today's $750,000 Santa Anita Derby.
Free House, after a stirring stretch drive, outfought Silver Charm to win by a head and claim the West's top prep race for next month's Kentucky Derby. Both ran strongly and earned the right to head to Churchill Downs, while the top filly Sharp Cat struggled home sixth as the favorite, dealing another blow to the Derby hopes of her trainer, D. Wayne Lukas.
Free House and Silver Charm finished first and second in two of Santa Anita's important stakes races for 3-year-olds earlier this season. Silver Charm struck first, in the seven-furlong San Vicente Stakes in February, and then Free House evened the score in last month's San Felipe Stakes over a mile and one-sixteenth.
Today they hooked up on the final turn and remained locked through the stretch. Free House, ridden by Kent Desormeaux, poked his head in front with 100 yards to go, and Silver Charm, under Gary Stevens, tried to rally along the inside, but Free House held on to win narrowly. Hello rallied to finish third.
The score is now 2-1, in favor of Free House, but they will meet again. Affirmed and Alydar, rivals in the 1978 Triple Crown, met 10 times.
Free House completed a mile and an eighth on the fast main track in 1:47 3/5.
www.nytimes.com...

[@Jugg3rnut]

Absolutely loved Free House. To this day the rivalry with Silver Charm gives me goosebumps

[@ahsanshaikh786]

Just the beginning of a beautiful rivalry

[@michaelserna5685]

I remember this like it was yesterday. These 2 battled like Affirmed and Alydar. Free House was awesome. Silver Charm was amazing! Miss Trevor calling races at Santa Anita. Thanks for sharing ♥️

[@fuchsiaswing8545]

Miss you every day, Freebie.

[@trackgabe]

I think these two were underrated

[@bobbylinning2348]

Great race from Free House.Racing isn’t the same.I loved all of those prep races back then.g

[@nkv47]

Free House was all Heart without a Doubt...

[@silvercharm]

Awesome video, better than the one posted a few years ago.

[@ramirordz21]

What a beautiful race!

[@gpipeline]

Some race!

[@joeshmoe781]

Interesting to note, now that we all know the truth. Free House would have beaten Silver Charm in every of their races had it not been for Baffert's illegal use, then, of Clenbuterol. Paco didn't dope his horses as we all know that Bob used a nebulizer on every horse in his barn at that time.

[@mrrodgers7313]

Idk why so many jockeys rode Free House ... I remember Flores , Desormeaux , and Mcarron all 3 rode him .

[@libtardlori7487]

Free House!

[@ivanvasquez5348]

Caballo blanco dinero en el banco.

[@Jean0987654321]

Track announcer: Trevor Denman

[@Bigrosty44]

Love that hard knocking Free House. A talented crop that year. I think when it was all said and done. Free House was best!

[@Lisa.G.]

Free House is my horse Free Sammy's Sire. 😊

[@bandovreal22]

I loved Silver Charm. He was the more accomplished of the two. But both awesome gritty never say die horses.

[@gpipeline]

How do you figure that? In this one race yes. But overall no doubt Silver Charm was the better horse. Just look at the results, especially in the biggest races aka Triple Crown series. Silver Charm ahead of Freehouse in all 3 races

[@pugskins]

What

[@fuchsiaswing8545]

@@gpipelineFree House bested Silver Charm at the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and San Felipe (G1). He also got him at the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) in 1999. They had many legendary battles and were truly lion-hearted warriors.

[@josephhale9198]

Never was a Trevor Denman fan