Conditioned by Roger Attfield for owners and co-breeders Ronald K. Kirk, John C. Bates and Michael Riordan, Are You Kidding Me won a pair of Grade 2 events on the Polytrack; the Eclipse and Autumn Stakes; as well as taking the Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes over the world-famous E.P. Taylor Turf Course.
Jockey Alan Garcia was aboard for all six of the bay’s Woodbine starts, taking over from Brice Blanc who had guided Are You Kidding Me to a third-place run in the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile Stakes at Golden Gate to open his campaign in April.
“He’s one of my favourites,” said Garcia, a multiple graded stakes-winning rider who took the 2008 Belmont Stakes with Da’Tara. “We’ve won a lot of big races together and this horse has a special place in my heart. I’m very happy to see him named champion older horse and I’m looking forward to riding him again this year.”
Are You Kidding Me won his first two starts at Woodbine in 2015 taking the Eclipse and Nijinsky Stakes in stretch-running fashion. However, the five-year-old Run Away and Hide bay went through a three-race stretch of near misses, finishing third in the grassy Grade 2 Sky Classic, fourth in the Presque Isle Downs Mile and third in the Grade 3 Durham Cup.
However, a stunning performance in a showdown with defending Autumn Stakes champion Lukes Alley put Are You Kidding Me in the driver’s seat for Sovereign honours. Sent to post at odds of 5-1, Garcia knew he needed a perfect trip in the loaded nine-horse field.
“In the Autumn, we saved all the ground and he came with one run. When I asked him to squeeze up the rail, he came through,” said Garcia.
Garcia notes that the ½-length score over the wide-rallying Lukes Alley was also a testament to Attfield’s unique abilities.
“Roger always brings them to the races ready to run. He’s not the type of trainer to put them in the race just to run, he picks the right spot and with this horse Roger picked the right spots and the horse showed up each time ready to roll,” said Garcia.
At the end of 2015, the Kentucky-bred bay owned a career record of 6-3-6 from 25 career starts and purse earnings in excess of $750,000.
