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COMMENTARY JUNE 7, 2013 Beach gives owners beautiful memories by James Trotter How would you explain to an outsider what it is that draws people to horses? What makes successful, intelligent and rational people spend millions of dollars on an animal, never expecting a financial return? It is difficult to put one's finger on it; it is an enduring connection those of us who know horses share and understand. What we do know is this: horses can change our lives. More than that, they have the ability to define our lives. They bring us joy, connect us to friends and create memories for us to share. They reaffirm what we value as important, and remind us of things greater than ourselves. This story is one not about a horse. Rather, it is a story of friendship, of tragedy and of people coming together to rebuild. It is a story about people; people who decided to honor their friend and his memory -- a memory that will now forever be entwined with the little bay filly called Beach Beauty (Dynasty). In 2007, Mark "Shanks" Armitage died suddenly at the age of 40. His passing was a shock to all his family and friends. Mark was described by his friends as having "a heart of gold." In his home town of Volksrust -- a few hours from Durban, South Africa -- he set up a foundation and program to assist children with learning disabilities to help them through school. A loyal family man, he ran his agricultural business off his father's Thoroughbred stud farm, from where he was able to assist in the finances and stay involved and interested in the family affairs. It didn't take long at high school for his fellow classmates to give Mark the nickname "Shanks," for which he was afterward known. In fact, once his friends had made the connection of his surname to the international toilet manufacturer "Armitage Shanks," you could probably guess with the potential names a teenage boy could have come up with, in "Shanks" he came off pretty lucky. A talented sportsman in his youth, Shanks had always been a keen horse racing follower. Although, as told by his close friend Warren Kidd, he had been encouraging his father to reduce the family's racing stock for years, aware of the economic strain smaller breeders have to endure, and so had never owned horses himself. Warren and Shanks had been friends since 1986 and frequently went racing, playing with the idea of one day owning and enjoying horses together. And so it was that when Shanks passed Warren decided that it was time now to do what they never had the chance to do before. He brought together a group of Mark's family and friends with the idea of racing a horse in his honor and memory. Marks's father, Trevor, and widow, Ruth; Anthony Erswell, a friend of Mark's; and John Bescoby -- an old friend who had introduced Mark to Ruth in the days when Ruth worked for John in his travel business -- joined Warren. And so it was that The Shanks Syndicate was born. All they needed now was to find a horse. However, they weren't after something expensive and flashy. They weren't really even looking for something good. All they wanted was a horse with a kind personality, a friendly animal, one that loved humans and that they could all draw close to and share a common bond with. An animal that in many ways personified the values of Mark. And for this, Trevor had just the filly. A cute yearling he had on the farm that was a family favorite. She was by an unproven stallion and was the first and only foal out of a mare called Suncoast (Capture Him). Mark's daughters had taken a real liking to the little filly and one of them, 11-year-old Kate, had named her Beach Beauty -- after her dam and perhaps a little influenced by Anna Sewell's famous children's horse character, Black Beauty. Warren tells how in fact it is the personality of Beach Beauty that makes her so special, so endearing. She has always been a pleasure to train and look after, doing everything so easily and in her kind-hearted way. Even fully grown and race fit in the trainers yard, Warren and Mark's children, some as young as six, would happily go into her stable to give her a stroke, hug or pat and receive a friendly nuzzle in return. On raceday, in the parade ring before a race, Warren believes that "Beach" recognizes the children as she walks by. How Trevor Armitage came to have Beach Beauty on his farm is a story in itself. Trevor has been breeding horses since 1968 and, though a smaller breeder, has bred champions over the years, the two most famous of these being Gatecrasher and Home Guard -- both considered greats of the South African turf. The latter of these, Home Guard, still owns the South African record of longest winning streak undefeated. Trevor purchased the foundation mare to which Beach Beauty traces, a mare called Miss World, in his early years as a breeder. He was so strapped for cash at the time he actually borrowed the cash to buy the mare from his wife (cash he says he's still not sure if he has ever paid back). That little investment in Miss World has proven over the years to be a mighty success, with over 60 winners and counting having been produced by her descendants. Such was the success of the family that Trevor sold the dam of Beach Beauty to a friend and fellow breeder who had been asking for years to buy a member of that female line. Had things stood as they were, Beach Beauty would never have ended up in the hands of Trevor Armitage and the Shanks Syndicate. However, the new owner of Suncoast sadly passed away and when Trevor heard that the mare was up for sale, he promptly purchased her back. And so it was that Beach Beauty would end up with Trevor Armitage at the exact time that the Shanks Syndicate needed their first horse. Broken in at Ambleway Thoroughbred Stables outside Pietermaritzburg and sent to leading Durban trainer Dennis Drier at Summerveld training establishment, it soon became apparent that the little filly had some talent. However, her first start at the racecourse would not go smoothly. It had been raining in the build up to the day and the outside of the track was running heavy. Missing the break over a straight 1000 meters, she found herself four lengths behind the last horses coming out of the gate, scurrying to catch up. With the entire field in front of her she was left with no option but to make her run up the side of the track where the going was deeper. About 400 meters into the race she caught up to the backmarkers. With a furlong to go she drew level with the leaders. And by the finishing post she was three lengths clear of the field. As excited as her owners were, they still could never have believed what was yet to come. Beach's racing colors had been handpicked by Warren Kidd to represent Mark Armitage, his friend and groomsman. Mark had been a keen bird-watcher, whose favorite bird, and the one he most keenly sought after, was the Narina Trogon, a shy forest bird Mark only saw for the first time in his life about a year before his passing. Beach Beauty's silks were designed to be a replica inspired by the beautiful red and green of the Narina Trogon. And these silks would, in the next few racing seasons, become famous on the racetracks of South Africa. The day they realized Beach Beauty was something special, Warren says, was when she stepped up into stakes company for the first time to win her fourth race -- the Umzimhkulu S. (SAf-G3) over 1400 meters. That day she showed that she was able to settle off the pace, and then deliver in the straight what was to become her customary devastating turn of foot. Things weren't going to go all Beach Beauty's way, however, and as much ability as the filly had, the racing gods weren't willing to play fair. It seemed as though that elusive Group 1 she deserved may be kept always outside her grasp. Her first attempt was in the Garden Province S. (SAf-G1), a championship mile event for fillies of all ages held on South Africa's biggest raceday -- Durban July day. Turning for home she found herself hopelessly out of ground with only a short run to the finish. As electric as her acceleration was, she ran out of racetrack, and went down by three-quarters of a length to talented three-year-old Happy Archer (Dubawi). In her next Group 1, the Paddock S., she once again came with her run too late and fell short by a half-length. The J&B Met (SAf-G1) is Cape Town's biggest race, and this duly became Beach Beauty's next primary target. In it she would have to contend with Horse of the Year and race favorite Igugu (Galileo), as well as Group 1 winners The Apache (Mogok) and Bravura (Silvano), amongst others. Once again, however, she found herself too far behind turning for home, and couldn't get a clear run up the stretch, going down by just over a length to Igugu. Upon conclusion of the Met, all racing eyes in South Africa turn toward the Durban July (SAf-G1), the race toward which all others lead, and the race that everyone wants to win. After beating a host of Durban July hopefuls in one of the prestigious lead up races, the Greyville 1900 (SAf-G2), Beach Beauty moved into serious contention to take home South Africa's biggest prize. Learning from past mistakes, she was placed beautifully in fourth turning for home. However, this time a new obstacle came between her and Group 1 glory. Moments into starting the sprint for home, she and race favorite Jackson (Dynasty) bumped each other so hard that Beach's jockey thinks it knocked the wind out of her. Beach ran the worst race of her life, finishing ninth. Jackson's race too was over, finishing behind her in 17th. And so it was that Beach Beauty would begin her five-year old season rated the best female in the country, but through a series of luckless occurrences, never having won a Group 1. The new year, however, would bring with it a change of luck. And it seemed too as though she had stepped her own game up another notch. Lining up in her first Group 1 of the year -- the Maine Chance Paddock S. in Cape Town against some of the country's best fillies -- tensions were high. Starting even-money favorite, it seemed as if ever she was going to have a Group 1 up for her taking, it was that day's test. As things unfolded, there needn't have been any concern. The race unfolded perfectly for her, with regular pilot Sean Cormack placing her within striking distance of the leaders and out of trouble off the fence. Into the straight and it was race over. Beach Beauty put all her bad luck behind her and landed the Group 1 in the manner her reputation suggested she would. Place yourself in the shoes of the members of the Shanks Syndicate. Think of everything they had been through and all that had transpired up to this point. And imagine what emotions would have been flowing through your mind. Up on the winner's podium there wasn't a dry eye to be found. The 2013 season has been a big one for Beach Beauty. She followed that win up with a third place finish in the J&B Met, losing by less than two lengths and under sufferance on weight-for-age terms to both the horses in front of her. Since then she opened up her latest campaign with a demolition of some of the country's best colts in the Drill Hall S. (SAf-G2) over 1400 meters -- historically won by some of the country's all-time greats. And with the Group 1 win beneath her Beach Beauty can now proudly wear the mantle of South Africa's Queen of the Turf. All going well, Beach will likely have six races stand in front of her before she retires from entertaining her growing fan base to settle down to pasture and become a mom. She will continue her Durban Champion's Season campaign this weekend in the Gold Challenge (SAf-G1), where the title of best miler in the country will be on the line in her toughest task yet, for up against her is reigning Horse of the Year Variety Club (Var), who is on a winning streak of seven consecutive races and in none of which did he ever look close to being beaten. Variety Club has proven himself to be too good for anything he has faced in South Africa thus far, and was invited to attend the Breeders' Cup where, if able to attend, would likely take on U.S. Horse of the Year Wise Dan (Wiseman's Ferry) in the Breeders' Cup Mile. If any horse in South Africa has a chance to topple Variety Club, however, it is Beach Beauty. She will then take on her own sex again in the Garden Province S. (SAf-G1) and Gold Bracelet (SAf-G2), both in July, before taking a well needed break before heading down to Cape Town. This final campaign in the Cape will likely include the Paddock S. (SAf-G1) and conclude on the first weekend in February with her swansong in the J&B Met in front of 50,000 people at Kenilworth racecourse. For Beach's owners, however, experiencing her success has merely been a bonus atop the real reason that brings them all together. Every time she comes to the course, win or lose, the owners and their families get together and make a toast in tribute to the friend after whom the syndicate is named, and share a moment in his remembrance. It may be absolute chance that of all the horses in the world this syndicate came to own, it would be the only foal out of a mare, by an unproven stallion, who had the heart and ability to be a champion. To this day at the age of 13, Beach Beauty is still the only foal her mare has been able to produce. Add to all this the story of how the Armitage family came to own Beach, and the odds of such a story ever happening start to become something unbelievable, even magical. As the best-selling book and recent blockbuster movie "Life of Pi" suggests to us -- it us up to us to make the choice over what it is we choose to believe, and how we interpret the events we witness in our lives. However, what is for certain is that through this filly the memory of a friend lives on, and through their common bond the members of the Shanks Syndicate, their trainer, jockey, and all those involved with her, have had their lives changed forever. Editor's note: Watch Beach Beauty in action Saturday as she takes on South Africa's best milers in the Gold Challenge at Clairwood racecourse, Durban. She has a tough task in front of her, as multiple Group 1 winner Pomodoro (Jet Master) and reigning Horse of the Year Variety Club stand in her way. The race is at 8:50 a.m. (EDT) and can be seen live at racingassociation.co.za.
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