On June 27, horse racing lost a legend, and Old Friends at Cabin Creek lost a family member. The great Commentator passed away at the age of 24. The son of Distorted Humor was one of the most accomplished New York-breds of all time. Among his accomplishments were winning the Grade I Whitney Handicap at Saratoga twice (one of only three horses to accomplish the feat), being named New York-Bred Horse of the Year twice, and winning the last running of the Massachusetts Handicap at Suffolks Downs. His earning surpassed $2 million, and he is honored every year at Belmont Park with the running of the Commentator Stakes, a 1 and 1/8th mile test for three-year-olds and upward on the dirt. The past two years, the Commentator has been held at Saratoga while ongoing construction continues at Belmont Park. Aside from his many accomplishments, though, Commentator was a horse with a heart. He began his retirement at Old Friends at Dream Chase Farm in Kentucky before relocating to Cabin Creek, just a short distance from where he won his two biggest races. Tator was beloved by the Old Friends volunteers who got to know him over the years. To say he will be missed would be a gross understatement. In this post, I will share some of my favorite photos I’ve taken of him over the years at the farm.
I first met Tator on November 10, 2018 on a farm tour. He had come to live at Cabin Creek a couple years prior. At that time, he was sharing a paddock with fellow New York-bred This Hard Land.
I saw Tator again a few weeks later on December 29th at the annual Birthday Party. Soon I would learn what a legend he was but I would also get to know him as a horse.
By 2019, I was volunteering at the farm and giving tours. During Covid, I took the year off, but I came by the farm to visit. I took this photo of Tator on one of those visits, and it has become one of my favorites.
Hello! Tator gets nosey, 2021.
Just a portrait of Tator, 2021.
On January 14, 2022, I spent a magical winter evening at the farm taking photos of the boys. It was right around dinner time, so they were very active and excitable. This is one of my favorite photos of Tator from that night. He never used to prick his ears very often, so when he did, you had to strike fast with the shutter to get a good pic!
Here’s another angle from that night, with flurries of snow falling.
Volunteer Dan Milliman gives Tator some grain, 2022.
Volunteer Mary McManus gives Tator a pet, 2022.
Volunteer Heidi Vojt gives Tator a kiss, 2022.
Tator emerges from his run-in shed, 2022.
I took this photo of Tator after tours in October of 2022.
January 25, 2023 was a special evening at the farm, just me and the boys. The snow was falling hard. Tator and the rest of the herd looked awfully cute with a dusting of the white stuff on their coats.
In July of 2023, Tator was moved to a new paddock with Watchem Smokey to make room for a new resident (fellow multimillionaire A Shin Forward). He is pictured being led by farm owner and manager JoAnn Pepper, accompanied by Heidi Vojt (far left) and Rachel Gerik.
Any time you put two horses together for the first time, there’s a lot of excitement. That day, Tator proved he was still fast.
Tator and Smokey became fast friends, although Smokey made sure he knew this was his turf and he was the boss.
JoAnn Pepper feeds Tator some hay stretcher, 2023.
Tator and Smokey walk together on a beautiful fall evening, 2023.
The pair, foaled in 2001 (Tator) and 2000, respectively, were (and Smokey still is) two of the oldest residents on the farm.
In December of 2023, Tator’s former exercise rider, Carlos Correa, came to visit with him.
This black and white close up of Tator that I took last year is one of my favorite photos of him.
My dad feeds treats to Tator and Smokey, 2024.
The Commentator Stakes was held a Saratoga for the first time last year. To celebrate, we had a brunch in Tator’s honor. Old Friends president John Nicholson (right) came to the farm to join in the festivities.
At Tator’s brunch, we auctioned off his halter. Winning bidder Leslie Maddocks (left) was overjoyed to take possession of it.
Heidi Vojt takes some time to snuggle with Tator at our Barn Party, 2024.
Mary McManus (yellow t-shirt) talks to visitors about Tator and Smokey as they feed him treats at our Barn Party.
Tator takes in a beautiful winter evening, 2025.
One of my favorite recent photos of Tator, this was taken at our Birthday Party in April.
When Tator came home from Rood & Riddle after his recent illness, he was on stall rest. JoAnn and Mark took the bars out of the window so he could stick his head out and enjoy the fresh air.
I took this photo yesterday. His replica Whitney flower blanket is currently on display in the doorway of the stall he occupied while on stall rest. The wounds are still fresh, and there is a feeling of shock and disbelief around the farm. Old Friends at Cabin Creek is a retirement farm, so we know we have to say goodbye to these gentle souls eventually, but that doesn’t make it easy when the time comes.
Over the years, I have done several illustrations depicting Tator. This is primarily a photo post, so I’ll just share my favorite with you. This illustration shows some fun facts about him.
Finally, yesterday I shared a video I made which incorporates most of the photos you saw in this post and more, as well as some video footage. Email subscribers, click here to watch the video.
Did you ever get the chance to meet Commentator or watch him race? If so, share your favorite memories of him in the comments.
All photos, illustrations, and videos in this post © Samantha Decker and may not be reused without permission.
One thought on “Remembering Commentator”
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Beautiful post