Committed (horse)

In 1982, Committed finished unplaced on her debut, and then recorded her first win in a seven furlong maiden race at Galway Racecourse in July. She won a minor event at Leopardstown Racecourse in August and was then moved up sharply in class for the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh in the following month. Starting a 20/1 outsider for the six furlong race she finished third behind the British-trained Habibti.[5]

Committed improved throughout her three-year-old season in 1983. After being beaten in her first two races she won minor races at Phoenix Park Racecourse and Dundalk Racecourse and then took the July Scurry Handicap at the Curragh. She then returned to Phoenix Park for three weight-for-age wins of increasing importance. She won the Hardwicke Cup over seven furlongs, the Orchardstown Stud Stakes over six and ended her season by winning the Swordlestown Stud Stakes over six in October.[6]

On her four-year-old debut in May, Committed finished second to the British-trained three-year-old Reesh in the Group Three Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh, beaten half a length after making up a great deal of ground in the final furlong. She was then tried over a mile and finished second by half a length to the Vincent O'Brien-trained Argosy in the Kilfrush/What a Guest Stakes at Phoenix Park.[7]

In June Committed was raced outside Ireland for the first time when she was sent to Royal Ascot to contest the Cork and Orrery Stakes in which she was ridden by the Australian Brent Thomson and started the 3/1 favourite against fourteen opponents. She took the lead two furlongs from the finish and won by two and a half lengths from Celestial Dancer, with the Duke of York Stakes winner Gabitat, four lengths back in third. Committed was then moved up to Group One class for the first time since 1982 when she faced an exceptional field which included Habibti (the champion sprinter of 1983), Never So Bold (the champion sprinter of 1985) and Chief Singer in the July Cup at Newmarket Racecourse. She disputed the lead until the final furlong and eventually finished third of the nine runners behind Chief Singer and Never So Bold. The filly then returned to Ireland and won a second Hardwicke Cup, this time as odds-on favourite. In August, Committed ran over the minimum distance of five furlongs for the first time in her career when he ran in the Group One William Hill Sprint Championship at York Racecourse. Ridden again by Thomson, she started at 5/1 against a field which included Habibti, Reesh, Anita' Prince (King George Stakes) and Sayf El Arab (King's Stand Stakes). Committed took the lead approaching the final furlong and drew away from her opponents to win by four lengths in what Timeform described as "a devastating performance".[7]

In September, Committed moved back up to six furlongs for the Vernons Sprint Cup at Haydock Park Racecourse. She had little luck in the race, failing to obtain a clear run until the closing stages and finishing fourth behind Petong, Never So Bold and Habibti. Committed's last race of 1984 was the Group One Prix de l'Abbaye over 1000 metres at Longchamp Racecourse in October in which she was ridden by the American jockey Steve Cauthen. Committed took the lead at half way, accelerated clear of the field, and won by two and a half lengths from Habibti and Anita's Prince. Plans to run her on dirt in the Breeders' Cup Sprint did not materialise and she was retired for the season.[7]

Committed did not appear as a five-year-old until June, when she won the Group Three Ballyogan Stakes over five furlongs at Leopardstown. Two weeks later she started 7/4 favourite for the King's Stand Stakes but finished third behind Never So Bold and Primo Dominie. Following this race she was purchased from Robert Sangster in a private deal by the American businessman Allen Paulson. She was beaten again by Never So Bold in her next race, finishing second to the British five-year-old in the July Cup. At Deauville Racecourse in August she sustained a third consecutive defeat when caught in the last strides and beaten a neck by Spectacular Joke in the Prix Maurice de Gheest over 1300m. The mare returned to winning form in the Swordlestown Stud Stakes at the Phoenix Park but raced lazily and was unimpressive in beating three moderate opponents. In her remaining races she was equipped with a visor.[8]

Rather than travel to England for the Sprint Cup (won by Sangster's colt Orojoya), Committed remained in Ireland and was an easy winner of the inaugural running of the Flying Five Stakes at Phoenix Park. In October the mare was ridden by Mick Kinane as she attempted to win a second Prix de l'Abbaye. Never So Bold was made the 2/5 favourite in a field of twelve, with Committed second in the betting on 8.4/1. Racing on fast ground, Committed took the lead 200m from the finish and held off several challenges to win by a head from Robert Sangter's French-trained filly Vilikaia, with Never So Bold in fourth. She was the third horse to win the race for a second time after Texanita (1963, 1964) and Gentilhombre (1976 (dead heat), 1977).[9] The Abbaye was Committed's last race in Europe: in November she was sent to the United States for the second running of the Breeders' Cup Sprint on dirt at Aqueduct Racetrack. Ridden by Steve Cauthen, she reached fourth place in the straight, but faded in the closing stages and finished seventh behind Precisionist. She was then sent to California and entered the stable of Ron McAnally. She recorded her first North American win in December when she won the Matching Handicap over six furlongs on turf at Hollywood Park Racetrack.[8]

On 15 January 1986, Committed ran for the last time in the Santa Monica Handicap over seven furlongs at Santa Anita Park. She finished eighth behind Her Royalty and was immediately retired to stud.[2]