Funny Cide Biography

A chestnut gelding, Funny Cide won the first two legs of horse racing's 2003 Triple Crown. Funny Cide was the first gelding to win the Kentucky Derby since Clyde Van Dusen did it in 1929, and the first New York-bred horse ever to win the race. He won the Kentucky Derby by nearly 2 lengths over the favorite, Empire Maker, in a time of 2:01.19, on 3 May 2003. Just two weeks later, on 17 May, he won the Preakness Stakes by 9.75 lengths with a time of 1:55.61. The win set him up to run in the Belmont Stakes on 7 June, in an attempt to become the first horse since Affirmed (in 1978) to win the Triple Crown. But he finished third at the Belmont, being beaten by Empire Maker and Ten Most Wanted. Funny Cide raced until he was 7, winning $3.5 million in his career. He has since been retired to Kentucky, where he makes occasional nostalgic public appearances.