Juggling Act – The Castoff Who Became a Champion

Horse racing is full of stories about the bargain buys and rejects that have emerged from obscurity to greatness, returning their purchase price a hundred-fold; and some even rising to champion status.

The great French stayer Dunaden (Nicobar GB), winner of the 2011 Melbourne Cup was brought for just 1500 Euros at the 2006 Arqana Mixed December Sale in France. Snow Fairy, the Champion European 3YO Filly for 2010, was reportedly so weak as a foal she was bottle fed and couldn’t stand to nurse for five days. Later as a yearling she was put through the Tattersall’s Ireland Sale in 2008, where she was considered too small and plain looking and shunned by buyers. She was knocked down for the trifling sum of €1800 Euros.

Another wonderful example of a rags to riches story is the globetrotting Australian gelding Takeover Target, who won multiple Group races from Australia, to the UK, Japan and Singapore. He was a son of Celtic Swing (GB) and had recurring tendon issues; he was brought out of the 2003 Inglis Winter Sale for just $1,250 AUD. Even the great Seabiscuit was overlooked in his early claiming races, where he could have been picked up for as little as $2,500 USD. These are just a few examples; but there are many.

The Philippines likewise has had its share of bargain buys. Like the brilliant Australian mare Crucis who was brought out of the 2012 Magic Millions Broodmare Sale for steal at $10,000 AUD, and went on to be the 2013 Champion Imported Horse Of The Year. There are many more stories of cast-offs that have become local heroes in the Philippines; but none so inspiring and rewarding, as Juggling Act, the dual Champion Imported Horse Of The Year for 2011 and 2012.

When Batangas Governor Armando C Sanchez, went searching for two stallion prospects in late 2009, even he could not have imagined that his quest to improve the bloodlines of his Filipino breeding stock, would pluck a future champion out of obscurity.

The story of Juggling Act starts way back in the spring of 2005, at the world renowned Coolmore Stud, a picturesque showplace that lies nestled beneath the rolling hills of the Hunter Valley, on the lush fertile grasslands of Jerry’s Plains in New South Wales.

In was in that year a Group 3 winning mare named Piccadilly Circus (Royal Academy USA), was covered by the phenomenal sire Giant’s Causeway (USA). Piccadilly Circus herself was already a proven producer of winners including the Champion Group 1 sprinter and later leading sire, Fastnet Rock. Giant’s Causeway was a multiple Group 1 winner in Europe, that went on to be Champion US Sire in 2009, 2010, and 2012.

Piccadilly Circus had missed to Giant’s Causeway in 2003, however, Coolmore, buoyed on by the success of the super sprinter Fastnet Rock, and as well, the success worldwide of Giants Causeway’s, were determined to mate the pair once again.

Piccadilly Circus foaled down on the 28th of September, 2006, producing a splendid looking colt foal. Even as the little foal first stood up on wobbly legs, and took his first steps to nurse, there would have been huge expectations for him. Not only the great aspirations for the him on the racetrack, there was the added bonus in his future worth as a stallion. His half-brother Fastnet Rock had retired and was already a much sought after sire, with full books in his first two seasons.'

The colt was prepared for the 2008 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale in Sydney. As well as the success of Fastnet Rock, the progeny of Piccadilly Circus had previously sold extremely well. His half-brother, Theatre Of Dreams by Danehill (USA), had bought $850,000 AUD at the same sale in 2002. Had this latest colt gone through the sale, there is no doubt he could have realized upwards of $1,000,000 AUD. He was after all bloodstock royalty.

Instead, the colt was sent to Victoria to Champion Hall of Fame trainer Lee Freedman, a man that had five Melbourne Cups on his resume, including two with the great race mare Maybe Diva.

His syndicate of owners must have felt a huge let down when the colt by then named Juggling Act, proved totally unimpressive in his turf gallops. Sure, he had the looks, he had the physique and the moves, but unfortunately, he didn’t move fast enough.

As a last resort Juggling Act was entered for a maiden race at Mornington in May 2009 over 1200 meters on a heavy track. He ended up running an inglorious last out of the eight runners. Another run at Mornington on a soft track over 1200 meters followed in November, and again he was disappointing, finishing last in a field of ten. It was a massive fall from grace; he had gone from the royal Prince to a Pauper in just two runs.

Coolmore Stud is a gigantic worldwide operation that races hundreds of horses, therefore, it’s not commercially viable to keep racing horses that have no future prospect of a return, as a stallion or broodmare. Generally, with their colts they are gelded and sold off locally, with some going off to parts of Asia.

Enter David Chester, who at the time was Managing Director for the Magic Millions Sales Group. David had a client in Governor Armando Sanchez that was looking for two stallion prospects. In a private deal Juggling Act was purchased for $30,000 AUD, a mere fraction of his value as a yearling. That deal saved him from the surgeon’s knife. At the same time, Governor Sanchez also brought a son of Exceed and Excel (Aus) called Gentle Irony from Milburn Park Stud, that had also failed dismally in his only two starts in Australia.

Davis Chester, wanting to spare Governor Sanchez any future embarrassment, strongly advised him not to race Juggling Act, as he would surely disappoint him. His advice was that with his classic bloodlines he should just put him straight to stud.

Juggling Act arrived in the Philippines in December 2009, however, instead of heeding Chester’s advice, Governor Sanchez decided to put Juggling Act into training. The immediate results were nothing short of sensational.

A look at Juggling Act’s pedigree page shows his linage tracing back to some of the great champions of the USA and Canada. His grandsire Storm Cat (USA) goes back to Northern Dancer (Can), and the great Secretariat (USA). On his dam’s side he traces back also to Northern Dancer. In fact, his whole pedigree page is 96% of American bloodlines tracing to some of the great champions of the past. And so it was, the banished one Juggling Act, had finally found his niche, the sand tracks of the Philippines.

Tragically Governor Sanchez never got to see Juggling Act race. He passed away suddenly in April 2010, following a brain haemorrhage at the age of 52 years.

Well known Filipino racing identity Attorney Narciso Morales, who was set to race Juggling Act in partnership with Governor Sanchez, then brought the horse out in full from the Sanchez family.

According to Philracom’s Race Records, it was not until December 2010 that Juggling Act stepped out for his maiden run in the Philippines at Santa Ana Park in Cavite. Trained by the late Nelson A Lorica and ridden by top jockey Fernando Raquel Jr, Juggling Act had no trouble accounting for his opposition. He then proceeded to win his next five races straight, before a narrow defeat by the Australia bred mare Miss Mithy (Mithrander USA). Then Juggling Act set about winning his next five in a row, including an amazing three wins for the month of December alone.

The Filipinos love a hero, and Juggling Act quickly became theirs. He became a great crowd favourite as he continued on his winning way. He stamped himself as a real iron horse, winning an astonishing twelve races in the 2011 racing year. The wins clearly earned him the title of Champion Imported Horse of the Year. And it was the same again for 2012, he produced another string of race wins that clinched his second title as Champion Imported Horse of The Year.

In 2013 Juggling Act was purchased by renowned owner breeder Hermie Esguerra, as a future stallion prospect. He raced only six times in his final year, but still recorded three wins and three seconds, two of those seconds were behind the mighty Australian bred mare Crucis (Southern Image USA).

In his final racing year his duels between Crucis became a massive drawcard for the crowds. Juggling Act met Crucis on five occasions with the scorecard reading two wins apiece; on the other occasion Juggling Act finished second behind the locally bred Azkal (Niello Aus) with Crucis in third.

Without a doubt their greatest showdown was at the Malvar track, in the Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. Cup in November 2013. Crucis was the new girl on the block in that year, she had won eight of her twelve starts. She had become Juggling Act’s great nemesis with her sheer determination and will to win, and had beaten him in the two lead up races to the AEC Cup.

Juggling Act by then a seven-year-old, was sent out second favourite behind the five-year-old mare who was the hot public elect in the 2000-metre event. Their dual was the talk of the town in the leadup, and a huge crowd arrived at the track to cheer on the champions. Juggling Act was to be ridden by the ace jockey Fernando Raquel Jr, whilst Crucis was ridden by his equal in Patty Dilema.

In the run, Crucis under Dilema travelled superbly on the bridle on the speed; whilst Raquel, forever the patience one, was content to sit back near the tail of the field many lengths away. The crowd in the stands let out a mighty roar, when Crucis made her move around the home turn looking like the winner. Then, in the home straight the booming voice of guest Australian race caller Peter Morrison, spurred the fans on further as he called the final stages.

“Crucis on the outside has taken the lead, but Juggling Act is coming home hard, Crucis in front but Juggling Act is gobbling her up, and Juggling Act goes up grabs the lead and wins.”

The crowd erupted wildly, the noise nearly lifting the roof off the Malvar stands, as Juggling Act finished right over the top of the Crucis to win by a neck on the wire.

But that was just the beginning. There was so much more to come out of Juggling Act’s last win, he was the driving force behind owner Hermie Esguerra’s next heart warming act. In a splendid, noble and generous gesture, Hermie Esguerra announced that he was donating the $1.2 million Philippine Peso champions purse to the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda. The typhoon had ravaged the Philippines just weeks earlier, devastating the nation and causing massive destruction, and the loss of life of over six thousand souls.

As well, Esguerra announced that it would be Juggling Act’s final run, and he was retiring him to stud.

It was a fairy-tale ending for the horse that fell from grace, only to find his niche on the sand tracks of the Philippines. He had redeemed himself from obscurity to become a much-loved crowd favourite, but in his final victory on the day, he became the ‘Peoples Champion.’

Juggling Act won 22 races from his 31 starts, with his stats reading 31 starts - 22 -4 -1. He was only ever four times out the frame. He was voted Champion Imported Horse Of The Year in 2011-2012, and won over $7,000,000 Philippine Peso in prize money.

With his stud career to date, Juggling Act has only had around twenty-nine of his progeny to race, for thirteen individual winners, that’s rate of 44% runners to winners, indeed a very noteworthy figure.

His best has been the smart filly Speedmatic (Phi) from his first crop, who is out of the locally bred mare in Lamborghini (Mr. Sutter USA). Speedmatic was a juvenile stakes winning star of four races. From his third crop Speedmatic’s full sister Sky Shot, won six races including the 2021 Presidential Gold Cup, only to be sensationally relegated back to third place after an objection. Wishful Thinking (Phi), has been his most prolific winner to date, with eleven wins. And another newcomer the colt Swift Andri, picked up a 3YO Stakes race just last Sunday.

Presently, Juggling Act is still active at stud; although he is rising nineteen years of age his story is far from finished, there are many more chapters to be written. His classic bloodlines passed down from the time honoured Coolmore Stud, will live on in the legacy he leaves through his offspring in the Philippines.

Contributor: Harry Troy is a former Australian Jockey, International Commentator and Philippine Jockey Club consultant.