Tales from the Crib: Helium

Apr 28, 2021 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

If Helium can extend his perfect record in the Kentucky Derby (G1), he would represent the pinnacle of achievement for Bernardo Alvarez Calderon’s Teneri Farm. Sadly, the Peruvian horseman passed away last August, and his family now carries on the legacy of his beloved mares, including the “Emilia” line responsible for Helium.

Alvarez Calderon’s breeding operation has had an impact on the Derby trail before, with Mucho Gusto a prominent hopeful in 2019. Although the Bob Baffert pupil ended up being freshened and missing the Triple Crown, Mucho Gusto would go on to score a lucrative victory in the 2020 Pegasus World Cup (G1).

As noted in Mucho Gusto’s “Tales from the Crib,” Alvarez Calderon competed successfully on the international show jumping circuit in addition to his half-century labor of love in Thoroughbred racing. His scholarly approach is encoded in the very name “Teneri,” a combination of the Italian genius Federico Tesio and his homebred legends Nearco and *Ribot.

Teneri’s stateside mares, a smaller band than their holdings in Peru, reside at Shawhan Place near Paris, Kentucky. Shawhan is likewise carraying on after the recent loss of a patriarch.

Gus Koch, the legendary manager at nearby Claiborne Farm, passed away in March. Son Matt Koch, a fellow Marine Corps veteran, co-owns Shawhan Place, where brother Gus Jr. is an integral part of the team.

Shawhan’s director of sales, Courtney Schneider, explained the farm’s longtime relationship with the Alvarez Calderon family.

“Bernardo was introduced to Matt when he was first starting Shawhan Place by Vicente Portaro. This turned into one of the most valued client relationships to Shawhan Place. They helped to get our feet on the ground and to keep the farm going early on,” Schneider said.

“Teneri Farm has had a huge impact to make Shawhan Place what it is today. For us, to be able to reward Teneri Farm for raising horses such as Mucho Gusto and Helium is an incredible honor.”

Helium descends from Alvarez Calderon’s first U.S. broodmare, Redwing Blackbird, bought for a proverbial song ($9,600) at Fasig-Tipton in January 1986. In utero was Proud Amelia, who would produce Peruvian Group 1-winning champion Domingo as well as Group 3 queens Lucky Emilia and Saint Emilia, the granddam of Helium.

Helium’s dam, Thundering Emilia by 1995 Derby and Belmont (G1) hero Thunder Gulch, is herself a Group 3 scorer who placed at the Group 1 level. Also a stakes winner at Delaware Park, Thundering Emilia was responsible for Grade 3-placed Mighty Scarlett and Peruvian classic victress Emilia’s Moon prior to Helium.

“Thundering Emilia has been a brilliant broodmare for the Alvarez-Calderon family,” Schneider said. “Bernardo spent generations building the pedigree line behind Helium. This family was very near and dear to his heart.”

In another poignant twist, Helium’s sire, Ironicus, stands at Claiborne. As Schneider recalled, the late farm manager had expressed his faith in the well-bred but inexpensive stallion whose stud fee is a mere $5,000.

“Gus Koch was quoted in a Claiborne ad for Ironicus talking about how much he loved the horse and believed he would go on to be not only quick and athletic, but that he would also be able to carray that for a distance. He was certainly right!”

Thundering Emilia was among Ironicus’ first book of mares. She delivered a bay colt on April 1, 2018.

“He was born on Easter Sunday morning,” Schneider said. “We were thrilled with him physically when he was born. 

“Helium was always a very curious foal. He had a lot of personality and was very friendly.”

After the weaning stage, Helium grew up in the same field as Senor Buscador, who would himself emerge as a Derby hopeful. A Joe Peacock homebred, Senor Buscador rolled from last to first in the Dec. 18 Springboard Mile, only to be knocked off the trail by injury. That presented a bad case of déjà vu after his older half-brother, 2018 Sunland Derby (G3) winner Runaway Ghost, had likewise met with a setback that cost him his chance at the roses.

As a yearling, Helium was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency to Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October. He’s one of three Taylor Made alumni in Saturday’s Derby, along with Arkansas Derby (G1) hero Super Stock and Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) runner-up Sainthood.

Helium was sold for $55,000 – if a modest price overall, it’s significant in the context of his non-commercial sire. Selling for 11 times the stud fee, Helium brought by far the most of 11 Ironicus yearlings sold in 2019.

Winning bidder Cool Hill Farm is the pinhooking partnership of Randy Miles; his wife, veterinarian Lisa Casinella; and Bo Hunt. As that buyer profile indicates, the idea was to train the yet-unnamed colt toward a two-year-old sale in 2020. Only in what’s become a familiar refrain, COVID-19’s wreckage of the sales calendar changed plans, and the juvenile instead was sold privately.

Named Helium, he made his debut for the Green family’s D.J. Stable and Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse at Woodbine Sept. 27. Helium outperformed his 7-1 odds when drawing off by 3 1/4 lengths.

Bettors did not make the same mistake next time, sending Helium off as the 7-5 favorite in the Display S. over the same track and seven-furlong trip. He again ran out by a decisive 4 1/4-length margin. Helium was set to stretch out to two turns in the Nov. 22 Grey S. (G3), but adverse winter weather forced the cancellation of racing midway through the card. Thanks to impending COVID restrictions, that was the last day of the Woodbine meet.

Helium shipped to the historic New Orleans Fair Grounds, where Casse had penciled him in for the Jan. 16 Lecomte (G3). Unfortunately, he wrenched an ankle and went to Casse’s Ocala training center to regroup.

Once ready, Helium launched his campaign in the March 6 Tampa Bay Derby (G2). It wasn’t the way Casse had originally designed his two-turn, and dirt, debut. Considering the hardly ideal preparation, his trainer kept expectations in check. So did the market as he was let go at 15-1. But Helium handled everything thrown at him, including a very wide trip and a bold challenge from Derby rival Hidden Stash, to remain perfect in three starts.

Casse told Woodbine’s Chris Lomon just how big an effort that was in the circumstances:

“I would say in all my time training, I’ve never seen a horse overcome so many different variables that said he shouldn’t have won. From not running in 4 1/2 months, to first time on dirt, to first time around two turns, and his wide trip… I just never thought in a million years he could win running so wide.”

Helium has not raced since Tampa, with Casse believing the fresh angle suits him best. He has plenty of sentimental angles going for him too.

Helium baby photo ⁦@ShawhanPlace⁩ pic.twitter.com/eEZ7bGhMqX

— Gabriela Alvarez-Calderon (@acc_gabriela) April 29, 2021

Schneider summed up what it means for Shawhan Place and his Teneri Farm family, united as they are in the excitement of the occasion as well as the poignancy of the timing:

“It’s extremely meaningful to all of us at the farm. We came so close to having a Kentucky Derby runner a few years ago with Runaway Ghost, and our dreams were dashed again earlier this spring with Senor Buscador. Then Helium came in and swooped us back into this crazy ride. We foal less than 40 foals each year, so to have a horse that we’ve foaled and raised make it to this level is extremely special.

“Though both Shawhan Place and the Alvarez-Calderon families were left with huge losses within the last year, having lost Bernardo and Gus Koch, we know that they will be there smiling down on all of us and rooting him home. Hopefully they can help carray him across the finish line and into the winner’s circle so he can wear the garland of roses this Saturday.”