What a Pleasure 1967 Hopeful Teapot
This simple yet elegant sterling silver teapot trophy is from the personal collection of jockey Braulio Baeza and was presented to him as the winning rider of What a Pleasure in the 1967 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. While the prestigious Hopeful Stakes has always maintained its importance as one of America’s premier races for 2-year-olds, its Aug. 26, 1967 running had extra significance in terms of the race participants’ historical impact on Thoroughbred racing.
The winner, What a Pleasure, was an accomplished runner with $164,935 in career earnings; however, he is best remembered as the sire of champion Foolish Pleasure, winner of the 1975 Kentucky Derby and runner-up in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes; and as the sire of champion Honest Pleasure, winner of the 1976 Travers Stakes in track-record time and runner-up earlier that year in the Kentucky Derby.
The third place finisher in the 1967 Hopeful was Exclusive Native, who later sired 1978 Triple Crown winner and two-time Horse of the Year Affirmed, as well as the 1980 Kentucky Derby winning filly Genuine Risk. Then there was the fourth-place finisher Forward Pass, who would go on to win the 1968 Kentucky Derby (on the disqualification of Dancer’s Image) and Preakness, then finish second in the Belmont and Travers. Forward Pass was also the eighth and final of Calumet Farm’s Kentucky Derby winners. If that were not enough, among the undercard entrants featured in the companion race-day program were: Sweet Tooth — the dam of Alydar, and Understanding — the dam of Sunday Silence, with both their heralded sons noted for becoming famed stallions and progenitors of the sport.
The impressive sterling silver teapot stands 9" tall, weighs 1 lb. 7 oz., and is engraved: "New York Racing Association, The Hopeful, Saratoga, 1967, Won by Wheatley Stable’s What a Pleasure, Jockey Braulio Baeza.” Also included in the lot is a hand-signed official winner's circle composite photo that shows this very trophy and its presentation to Baeza.