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From 'The Making of a
Legend'
by Susan van Dyke
Table Run
In 1971, Dr. John Furukawa, a
Sunnyside dentist, ventured to Kentucky for the Keeneland January Mixed
Sale. In the name of his Riverview Farms, he purchased a newly turned
yearling colt for $39,000. The colt, who was later christened Table Run, was
sired by 1958 horse of the year and outstanding turf runner Round Table out
of the young Fleet Nasrullah mare Theonia. A winner of four races and
$24,475, Theonia was a half-sister to Santa Anita Derby winner Ruken. In
later years, four of her sons would stand stud in Washington: Longacres
Mile-G3 winner Theologist, by Prince John; Drumheller Memorial Handicap
winner Noholme Way, by *Noholme II; winner Grits and Gravy, by Olden Times;
and Table Run.
After placing in his first race, a maiden
special weight at Bay Meadows, Table Run reeled off two wins at Santa Anita
in allowance company. He next finished second to Sham in a February
allowance, also at Santa Anita. This was, after all, the same crop that
produced 1973 Triple Crown hero Secretariat. After a fifth to stellar
performer Linda’s Chief, Table Run traveled north to Longacres where he won
an allowance race on August 11. Sent into the Longacres Derby as the
.35-to-one favorite and 123 race highweight, Table Run outclassed his rivals
to win by nine lengths and came within two-fifths of a second of equaling
the track record. After a three-length victory against older horses in the
Seattle Handicap, the Bill McMeans trainee was named horse of the meet. Sent
back to California, Table Run went wire-to-wire to take the Hayward Stakes
in what proved to be his final victory. He ended the season with a second in
Santa Anita’s Alibhai Handicap and was retired after one start in 1974.
Among the mares booked to Table Run that initial
season who would later produce stakes winners in that first crop were Ocean
Monarch, System Lady and Miss Holanda.
Table Run would lead the state sire ranks in
1980, 1981 and 1989. Before his death in March of 1989, he would sire
additional state champions Run Away Stevie, Sneakin Jake, Lady Marion, A
Little Bit Tipsy, Crystal Run, Table Express, Got You Runnin, Miss Ebony and
1979 Washington horse of the year and multiple grade two stakes winner Table
Hands.
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