MULA GULA IN THE NEWS These articles are reprinted below: Daily Racing Form, August 14, 1999 Thoroughbred Times, October 2, 1999 The Blood-Horse, October 30, 1999 Thoroughbred Times, October 30, 1999 Los Angeles Times, November 25, 1999 Seattle Times, May 7, 2000 Chicago Tribune July 22, 2000 Chicago Tribune, July 23, 2000 Chicago Daily Herald, August 19, 2000 Eastside Jounal, August 19, 2000 Chicago Daily Herald, August 20, 2000 Chicago Sun-Times, August 20, 2000 Eastside Journal, October 4, 2000

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bargain hunter struck gold with Mula Gula

by Steve Andersen, Daily Racing Form, August 14, 1999

"He's the best he has ever been," Gula said. "I was very impressed with the performance in the Oceanside. He has quite a kick and if we end up with Domination and a few others on the lead, the race sets up well for us."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gula in the Mula at Bay Meadows

Owner's first horse scores easy victory in Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Derby

by Chuck Dybdal, Thoroughbred Times, October 2, 1999

SEATTLE horseman Steven Gula has made a lot of money by ignoring conventional wisdom.

And he earned another $82,500 more or less the same way on September 25 when his Mula Gula, racing at least three wide every step of the way, captured the $138,750 Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Derby (G3) by a length over late-charging Miss Chryss (Ire).

Mula Gula, who went off at 9.20-to-1, won the turf race of about 1 1/4 miles in 1:45.34. His fourth victory in 12 starts lifted his earnings to $250,000, about $200,000 less than Gula was offered for the three-year-old colt on August 14.

"The person who made the offer had already had a certified check cut," said Gula, an aviation fuel distributor. "I asked 56 people, and 55 said take the money, but I've always gone against the grain, and it's proved to be pretty lucky."

Gula ran his colt as a two-year-old at Emerald Downs near Seattle. After placing third in a pair of maiden races, Mula Gula captured the WTBA Lads Stakes for his maiden victory. He then ran a troubled second in the Gottstein Futurity.

"I talked to Jim Plemmons, who bred Mula Gula, after the Lads because I knew we had a horse," said Gula. "He said to get out of Seattle and come to California."

Plemmons suggested Gula contact trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. "He told me if the horse was any good, the trainer would let me know. I sent him down this spring, but there was a lot of opposition to it at Emerald. There were a lot of people booing when I put him on the van."

Hollendorfer, Northern California's dominant trainer, said he liked Mula Gula from the start.

"He's just a real solid horse. I like route horses who can also win sprinting," said Hollendorfer, who had to rush the colt a bit to get him ready for the California Derby on May 29 at Golden Gate Fields where he finished second to Red Sky's.

Mula Gula finished fourth behind General Challenge in the Affirmed Handicap (G3) at Hollywood Park on June 26, and then won a division of the Oceanside Stakes on the turf on Del Mar's opening day, July 22. In his last start, Mula Gula was fourth in the La Jolla Handicap (G3) at Del Mar on August 15.

A son of 1992 Kentucky Derby winner Lil E. Tee out of the Ascot Knight mare Night Tan, Mula Gula has no apparent turf breeding, but two of his three stakes wins have come on the grass. Mula Gula, a $6,000 weanling purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky mixed sale in November 1996, was much the best in the Derby against a talented field of ten.

The field in the Breeders' Cup Derby was so strong that Incitatus, the longest shot on the board (93.20-to-1), had a $100,000 turf stakes victory to his credit.

Mula Gula's stablemate Final Connection, one of three colts in the race from Hollendorfer's barn, set the pace before running out of gas after a half-mile.

"We didn't want to be in front," Final Connection's rider Russell Baze said. "He wouldn't relax and just ran himself into the ground." The beneficiary of Final Connection's ill-fated early run was Red Sky's, who was expected to set the pace.

"We were going awfully easy," Red Sky's rider, Dennis Carr, said. "I was content to track the other horse."

The pace was not particularly fast: :23.45, :47.34, 1:11.50. Red Sky's seemed strong, but when Mula Gula headed him in the lane, he offered little resistance, fading to fifth.

But the way Mula Gula finished, everyone else as running for second.

"I could have asked for a better trip," winning jockey Rafael Meza said. "He ran good, even though we were a little bit wide. I had so much horse, I just wanted to let him settle."

Mula Gula, breaking from the outside number ten post, was a little rank early as Meza tried to get him in to save ground. "He was going to run over horses so I just stayed wide," Meza said. "He could have taken the lead at any time.

"I must have had the best horse. He cirlced the field and stayed wider all the way around. He was just playing around."

Mula Gula will be pointed to the Oak Tree Derby (G2) and Hollywood Derby (G1) before the Strub Series to start his four-year-old season. Runner-up Miss Chryss, the only filly in the field, was knocked sideways heading into the lane.

"It took three, four, or five strides to get her going, and she finished very strong," her rider, Victor Espinoza, said.

Fighting Falcon, the 11-to-10 favorite with Corey Nakatani aboard, placed third by 2 1/2 lengths after clipping heels at the start and again heading into the lane.

Gula said when his father, Ben, got into racing 23 years ago, he named his first horse after himself. Gula said he vowed to to the same if he got into racing.

"I wanted to follow in my father's footsteps," he said. When he purchased Mula Gula, Gula said, "I wanted to keep the family name, and I thought, 'What do you go to the track for? Money.' I named him Mula Gula because mula (moola) means money, and it rhymes and is catchy. I guess you can say today, Gula is in the mula."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Discount Days

By Craig Harzmann, The Blood-Horse, October 30, 1999

Six thousand bucks may seem insignificant these days, when our world is dominated by millionaire athletes and billionaire executives. It can still get you something, though. A high-performance, albeit used, vehicle, for example. A vacation to your fantasy destination. The complete Pokemon card collection.

Steven Gula will say you can get quite a few gallons of jet fuel for that kind of money. Or maybe, just maybe, if you're in the right place at the right timme, you can get your hands on a dream.

Gula has spend a great deal of time supplying fuel to major airlines worldwide, but now he's going full-throttle himself with the suitably named Mula Gula. His flight of fancy climbed to another level on Oct. 23 at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting, as Gula's big, bad son of Lil E. Tee bounded home to take the $250,000 Oak Tree Derby (gr. IIT) over the reliable Eagleton.

"I wanted that so bad," said Gula, shaking with excitement. "To have this horse win this race the way he did--driving--what can you say? I'm on a cloud nine. Maybe a cloud 10, if there is one."

Gula and 'Gula, man and horse, are the latest in the long line of unsuspecting personalities, another feel-good story about a bargain-basement buy turned golden. This one, however, comes with a twist.

"I never really wanted to get into horse racing because I never met anybody who made any money in this," explained Gula. "I gave an agent friend of mine, Dana Halvorson, a budget of $25,000 at Fasig-Tipton in '96, hoping to never hear from him again."

Fortunately, he did. Halvorson astounded Gula by dropping just a portion of the funds for a handsome bay colt, the son of a Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner no less. From there, the tale took wing.

Gula fondly recalls those weekend trips to the farm with his son, Bryan, watching together as the youngster grew into a full-fledged athlete. Mula Gula began competing at Emerald Downs, a short drive from Gula's residence near Seattle, and gave his owner quite a thrill when he chose to break his maiden in a small stakes. Eventually, he made his way into the Northern California barn of Jerry Hollendorfer, who gave him the once-over and liked what he saw.

"I called the owner right away and I told him I really liked the looks of this horse," Hollendorfer explained. "I told him I didn't know what kind of a runner I could make him, but he did look like a runner to me, and he had all the attributes of a horse that could run."

It was a switch to grass a few months later that truly allowed Mula Gula to burgeon. In the nine-furlong Derby, he met a capable bunch, and Team Gula's concerns of a counterfeit pace were legitimate. They were also eliminated instantly by Fighting Falcon, as the Manila colt stole away at the start, building a sizable advantage through an opening quarter in :23.40.

Gary Stevens, in his first collaboration with Mula Gula, felt his colt relaxing nicely beneath him, and they followed along in third, just off Outstanding Hero.

Fighting Falcon's lead began to dwindle after a :47.35 half, as Outstanding Hero and Mula Gula began a simultaneous attack from the outside. Behind them, ready to join the hunt, came Eagleton and 5-2 favorite Prime Timber.

Oustanding Hero was the first to crack, bowing out when the real running commenced. Mula Gula fiddled around until Stevens found the colt's massive stride passing the eighth pole. There, he pulled away powerfully, leaving Eagleton to deal with European newcomers Super Quercus and Manndar. Under the wire a little over a length clear, Mula Gula covered the distance in 1:46.67, the quickest running since In Excess carried Stevens to victory in 1990.

"He's got brilliant acceleration for a big horse, but he gets a little but lost when he gets in front," smiled Stevens. "He's only going to get better. He's a Breeders' Cup-type for next year, most definitely."

This assessment promptly sent Gula into fits of giddiness. "That made my heart pound about 300 beats a minute," he laughed. In the near future, however, Santa Anita's Strub Series is an option. But Hollendorfer is inclined to move at a conservative pace. Mula Gula has been defeated just once on turf, his triumphs so far including a division of Del Mar's Oceanside Stakes and a smashing effort last time out in the Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Derby (gr. IIIT).

"He did the race last month really easy, and I was very proud of him," Hollendorfer said. "That's why we considered this one. I wouldn't say he did this easy, but he did it well, and I'm very pleased with the way he handled himself."

The praise also cascaded from Stevens.

"He reminds me a lot of Ladies Din at this time last year," said Stevens, comparing the newest model to the '98 Oak Tree Derby Winner. "Tons of ability, a long-striding colt that's going to mature with time. He really doesn't know what he's doing right now."

When it comes to racing, the same could be said of Gula a couple of years back. Now there's no doubt.

"This is my very first horse," he said. "I'm just learning the business. What do you want for $6,000? I can honestly say that I am having a lot of fun.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

More Mula for Gula in Oak Tree Derby

Mula Gula, a $6,000 sale purchase, continues to reap rewards for first-time owner Steven Gula

By Steve Schuelein, Thoroughbred Times, October 30, 1999

STEVEN GULA wore a sheepish expression as he left the Santa Anita Park winner's circle on October 23 and said to a battery of reporters, "This is my very first horse. I'm just learning the business. What do you want for $6,000?"

Another chapter in the improbable story of the reluctant owner and the willing horse had been written after Mula Gula scored his most important victory to date in the $250,000 Oak Tree Derby (G2), cover 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:46.67 on a hot and sunny afternoon.

"I'm on cloud nine, maybe cloud ten," said Gula, an aviation fuel distributor from Seattle, after the three-year-old Lil E. Tee colt had continued his ascent up the ladder with his third victory in four starts since being transferred to the grass in July.

"I flew 20 people down here today," continued Gula. "I kept telling them in the Directors' Room, I hope we're not embarrassed. There were so many good stakes horses in here. I would have been happy to be fourth."

Ridden for the first time by Gary Stevens, Mula Gula stalked the pace in third before challenging around the far turn, taking the lead in mid-stretch, and drawing off to a 1 1/4-length victory as the 3-to-1 second choice.

Eagleton finished second in a three-horse photo finish over fast-closing Super Quercus (Fr), who was a neck back, and French invader Manndar (Ire), another head back.

Fighting Falcon, who set the pace until the stretch, faded to fifth, followed in order by 2.50-to-1 favorite Prime Timber, Good Fellow Robin, Rhapsodist, and Outstanding Hero.

Gula repeated the story of his unlikely entry into ownership and striking gold in his first try with a bargain colt. "I was reluctant to get into the business because, frankly, I never knew anybody who made any money," said Gula, a racing fan for many years in Washington state.

He finally yielded for what he considered a token fee. "Dana Halvorson, a bloodstock agent who knew my father, said he was going to a sale in Kentucky in 1996," recalled Gula. "I gave him a $25,000 budget for the Fasig-Tipton (November mixed) sale.

"A few days later, he called me back and said, "You've got a new son." I asked him how much he spent, and he said, "$6,000 for a weanling.'" The Oak Tree Derby victory, Mula Gula's fifth in 13 starts, raised his earnings to $400,230.

The Kentucky-bred colt, out of the Ascot Knight mare Night Tan, should provide hope for any newcomer contemplating entry into ownership with limited funds. "After we bought him, I brought him out to a woman in Enumclaw for seven months," said Gula.

Mula Gula began his career as a two-year-old at Emerald Downs and capped a promising season with a second-place finish in the Gottstein Futurity for trainer Steve Bullock. He was transferred to Jerry Hollendorfer in Northern California last winer and finished second in the California Derby in May before reaching new heights on the turf with victories in a division of the restricted Oceanside Stakes at Del Mar and the Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Derby (G3).

"When Gary got off the horse, he looked into my eyes and told me this was a Breeders' Cup horse," said Gula. "That made my heart beat even faster."

Hollendorfer, however, suggested a more cautious course and indicated the Breeders' Cup would be asking too much too soon. "We really don't have a plan, but I don't think you'll see him in the Breeders' Cup," said Hollendorfer, who will weigh the $500,000 Hollywood Derby (G1) on November 27 among his options.

"He reminds me an awful lot of Ladies Din," said Stevens of the multiple stakes winner aboard whom he won the Oak Tree Derby last year. "He is still green and looking around and does things so easily that he just loses focus."

Runners-up Eagleton, Super Quercus, and Manndar all probably will return in the Hollywood Derby.

Super Quercus, a European import making his first start in 11 months, closed like a shot from ninth, bringing a smile to the face of trainer Bobby Frankel. "He should win the Hollywood Derby anyway," said Frankel to Alex Solis as the jockey dismounted. Super Quercus, a listed stakes winner in France last year, recently was sold to Charles Kenis's and Audrey Skirball's Three Plus U Stable.

Manndar, who finished third in the Prix Eugene Adam (Fr-G2) and Prix du Prince d'Orange (Fr-G3) in his previous two starts, arrived in C. Beau Greely's barn four days before the race after being purchased from the Aga Khan for Andrea Pollack's Columbine Stable, Merrick Jones, and Tom Nichols. "I thought he would show more speed; he just doesn't know the American style yet," said Greely, otherwise pleased with Manndar's effort.

Darley Stud Management's Rhapsodist, another European horse with encouraging form after a third-place finish in the Prix la Rochette (Fr-G3) on September 22 at Chantilly, never threatened and finished eighth. Trained by John Gosden, the colt will remain in California and be transferred to Neil Drysdale.

Val Royal (Fr), who would have been one of the favorites in the Oak Tree Derby after winning the Del Mar Derby (G2) in his United States debut on September 6, suffered a torn tendon in his right foreleg prepping for the race and will be out indefinitely, according to trainer Julio Canani.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some Mula Gula Can't Help but Change Owner's Mind

by Bob Mieszerski, Los Angeles Times, November 25, 1999

Although Steven Gula has been a racing fan for most of his life, he never had any desire to be a Thoroughbred owner.

Gula's lack of interest wasn't because he didn't have the resources. For 25 years, he has owned Seagull USA, Inc., a Seattle-based supplier of aviation fuel to major airlines and several large corporations. At one time, Seagull was the largest independent distributor in the country.

What tempered any enthusiasm was remembering how things were when his father, Ben, owned horses.

"He had four horses in six years and he lost enough money in the business," Gula said. "I had never seen anybody in racing make any money or show a profit."

Since becoming an owner almost by accident, Gula has had a sizable  return on his investment.

A $6,000 purchase by bloodstock agent Dana Halvorson for Gula at a sale three years ago turned out to be Mula Gula, the likely favorite for Sunday's $500,000 Early Times Hollywood Derby. The Derby, which could have a full field of 14, is one of six races in Hollywood Park's three-day, $2.15-million Turf Festival.

With a victory in last month's $250,000 Oak Tree Derby at Santa Anita, Mula Gula, a son of 1992 Kentucky Derby winner Lil E. Tee, has won five of 13 and earned $400,230.

Already, Gula has turned down a sizable amount of moola--the first part of the colt's name is a variation on that slang term for money--for his multiple-stakes winner. A California-based group, which Gula declined to name, offered $1.6 million for the 3-year-old, who with a win Sunday, would become the first Grade I winner for his sire.

Usually, people can only dream about having such success with the first horse they own. What makes it all the more remarkable is how Gula became involved.

"Halvorson is a friend of my dad's and he called him in 1996 and asked if he would be interested in purchasing a horse [at the Fasig-Tipton sale]," Gula said.

"My dad said he didn't want to be involved, so he suggested that Dana call me. He did and when I asked him about what kind of budget he would need, he said between $30,000 and $35,000.

"I didn't really want to spend that much, so I gave him a budget of $15,000. I was trying to be courteous, but I didn't really want to get into the business. I didn't ever expect to hear from Dana again."

Gula was shocked when Halvorson did call and informed him that he was now a horse owner. "My first response was, 'OK, now what do I do?" remembered Gula.

After being broken at a farm in Washington state, Mula Gula was sent to trainer Steve Bullock. He began his racing career by finished third against maidens Aug. 8, 1998, at Emerald Downs.

Mula Gula won a $39,000 stakes in his next start as a 10-1 shot, then was a very troubled second in the $90,000 Gottstein Futurity, a race his owner says he should have won. Because there was no disqualification in the Futurity, Gula appealed to the Washington Racing Commission, but his appeal was denied.

After the Futurity, Jim Plemmons, who had bred Mula Gula, recommended Gula send the colt south to trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, the perennial leading trainer in Northern California.

In eight starts for Hollendorfer, Mula Gula has won for, and besides the Oak Tree Derby, his other grass wins include the Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Derby and a division of the Oceanside Stakes at Del Mar. Wherever he has run, Gula has been there, along with his father and mother, Beatrice. The colt will have a large fan club Sunday, including Halvorson and Plemmons.

"I'm really enjoying this and so are my parents," Gula said. "[Mula Gula] is the focal point of their lives right now. He is special to so many people. It's remarkable to think about how far this horse has come.

"After he won the Oak Tree Derby, [jockey] Gary [Stevens] said he wouldn't take anything less than $2.5 million for this horse. He said I'll go anywhere to ride him and he's a Breeders' Cup horse. My heart was pounding 300 beats a minute."

Stevens, who was aboard Mula Gula for the first time in the Oak Tree Derby, said the colt compares to another horse with whom he has had stakes success.

"He reminds me a lot of Ladies Din [the 1998 Oak Tree Derby winner] at this time last year," Stevens said. "He's got tons of ability and he's a long-striding colt that's going to mature with time. He really doesn't know what he's doing right now."

Mula Gula is no longer Steven Gula's only horse. A bit more than two months ago at Keeneland, the owner paid $30,000 for a yearling son of With Approval. "He's gray, like his father, and he's a beauty," said Gula, adding the horse will go to Hollendorfer and make his debut sometime next year.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mula Gula delights owner in near miss

by Dick Rockne, Seattle Times, May 7, 2000

AUBURN - The Mula Gula phenomenon, heretofore a West Coast tale of financial fortune, took on national significance yesterday when Steven Gula's bargain-basement colt just missed winning the $150,000-added Winnercomm Handicap at Churchill Downs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inside Horse Racing

by Neil Milbert, Chicago Tribune, July 22, 2000

Saturday Special: Saturday's main event will be the Arlington meeting's top dirt race for older horses, the Grade II $250,000 Washington Park Handicap.

The field of eight includes horses from California, Florida, Kentucky and Iowa, plus Tucuman, a member of the South American Thoroughbred Inc. stable that trainer Tom Tribolet has brought to Arlington for the summer from Argentina.

Mula Gula, a rags to riches son of 1992 Kentucky Derby winner Lil E. Tee from the barn of Northern California trainer Jerry Hollendorger, is projected as the 3-1 favorite.

Owner Steve Gula unintentionally bought the 4-year-old colt as a weanling for $6,000. He has gone on to earn $434,070, and Gula recently was offered $1.6 million for him.

"This will be essentially a prep race," Gula said. "If he wins or runs an enormous race, he's coming back Aug. 19 for the big race on the grass, the (Grade I $2 million) Arlington Million. If he doesn't run up to his capabilities, he will go back to my home in Seattle and run Aug. 20 in the Grade II Longacres Mile."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blazing Sword finds an opening, streaks to Washington Park victory

by Neil Milbert, Chicago Tribune, July 23, 2000

Mula Gula and Nite Dreamer were locked in a fight to the finish line when Blazing Sword found the key to victory in Saturday's Grade II $250,000 Washington Park Handicap at Arlington International Racecourse.

The key was an opening on the rail. Jockey Jose Rivera II sent Blazing Sword charging through and he went by the other two nearing the wire to emerge a one-length winner in Arlington's top dirt race for older horses.

"I thought I had enough to hold on," Mark Guidry, Arlington's leading rider who was aboard California invader Mula Gula, the 8-5 favorite in the eight-horse race.

"We were battling, battling, battling with Nite Dreamer, and Blazing Sword just sneaked in on the inside.

"I was outside Nite Dreamer and there was nothing I could do."

According to Rivera, normally Blazing Sword doesn't operate on the inside.

"He usually wants to run outside," said the jockey who accompanied the 10.40-to-1 longshot from Calder.

"But I was behind a wall of horses and got pushed inside so that's where I stayed."

The triumph was the 6-year-old gelding's fourth in seven starts this year for owner-breeder Gilbert Campbell and trainer Kathleen O'Connell.

He ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.59 and paid $22.80 to win.

Mula Gula was second, a neck in front of Nite Dreamer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Guidry finally gets his chance in Million

by Mike Spellman, Chicago Daily Herald, August 19, 2000

Mention Arlington International, and the first jockey most people will mention is Mark Guidry.

Mention the Arlington Million, and the jockeys that come to mind are Willie Shoemaker, Cash Asmussen, Gary Stevens and Jose Santos.

Guidry would like to change that. The dominant jockey on the Chicago circuit the last 11 years and Arlington's leading rider again this year, Guidry will get his first shot at it today when he rides the Jerry Hollendorfer-trained Mula Gula in the 18th running of the Arlington Million.

A field of seven will go to the gate in the first Million in three years and the first one to feature a $2 million purse--with $1.2 million guaranteed to the winner.

Taking home the centerpiece race of the Arlington season won't be easy with a field that includes the likes of Manndar, Bienamado, Asidero, Slickly and Chester House, but Guidry says you can't win the game if you're not playing.

"I'm tickled to death just to be in it. I'm very grateful," said Guidry, who also rode in te Kentucky Derby for the first time this year aboard Deputy Warlock. "When you ride for $2 million . . . man, hopefully we'll do good. The connections, they have to like their horse to ship him in from California."

Mula Gula's last race was at Arlington on the dirt in the Grade II Washington Park Handicap. Guidry guided that mount to a second-place finish, a length behind Blazing Sword.

"It looks like he might have a little plus the grass compared to the dirt," Guidry said. "And you don't have all that many standouts in the field and I'm sure the turf is still going to be a little yielding by Saturday, so anything can happen."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Worldly Mula Gula goes for the Million

by Jay Maebori, Eastside Journal, August 19, 2000

Steven Gula got into the hotel elevator with members of the British press and thought he could remain anonymous. The Mercer Island horse owner's face is not yet recognizable, but his name clearly is.

"Oh yes, Mula Gula, we've been following that horse," the London scribes told Gula."We've been watching him."

Apparently, Mula Gula has gone global.

The former $6,000 yearling purchase will run in one of the world's richest horse races, today's $2 million Arlington Million at Arlington International Racecourse near Chicago.

Gula, a life-long Eastsider, never imagined this fate for the first horse he ever bought.

"Not in a million years," Gula said on Thursday. "It's strange to have people from around the world know of a horse from the Pacific Northwest. I was really amazed by the international recognition this horse as achieved. Who would have thought this Lil E. Tee colt who started his career at Emerald Downs would be running in one of the feature races in the world?"

Two years ago, Mula Gula won the WTBA Lads at Emerald Downs. The race is today's co-feature at the Auburn racetrack -- the same day he's running for the $1.3 million winner's share.

Mula Gula was nominated for tomorrow's Longacres Mile. But the horse had been working so strongly that trainer Jerry Hollendorfer suggested Gula take a shot at the big prize. Today's 18th running of the Million, and first since 1997, will be covered by more than 250 journalists and over a billion people will be able to watch it on TV.

"I can honestly say I have a very calm disposition," Gula said, "but for this particular race, I've been pretty restless."

Breaking from the extreme outside, Mula Gula completes a seven-horse field going 1 miles on the immaculate Arlington turf. The 4-year-old colt, who will be ridden by Arlington's leading jockey, Mark Guidry, was made the longest shot on the morning line at 12-1, a distinction he shares with Kentucky-bred Running Stag.

Interestingly, Mula Gula is the only horse in the field to have beaten Manndar, the Arlington Million's 5-2 morning-line favorite.

"We're looking good. Mula's ears are perked up," Gula said. "Mula Gula likes the outside spot. I think it works in his favor. There's some front speed in the race, so we'll sit back and relax and enjoy the ride, and come running the last two furlongs. He's a happy camper."

Gula said the turf course at Arlington is in such good shape that "the groundskeepers could work for the Seattle Mariners." Guidry certainly knows how to negotiate the grass there with a 113-69-71 record in 456 mounts at Arlington. The second-place rider has just 48 wins.

ESPN will begin its coverage at 1 p.m. A crowd of nearly 40,000 is expected at Arlington.

"It's just an incredible scene here," Gula said. "It's similar to what you would see at Seafair. It reminds me of the hydroplanes."

Today, Gula can only hope his horse skims over the turf and turns into Miss Bud.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Guidry, longshot Mula Gula nearly pull big surprise

By Mike Spellman, Chicago Daily Herald, August 20, 2000

As he reached the top of the stretch in the 18th running of the Arlington Million, images of grandeur crossed jockey Mark Guidry's mind as he swung 24-1 longshot Mula Gula outside and headed down the lane to the finish line.

"Turning for home, I thought we had it," said Guidry, who competed in the Million for the first time. "He tried real hard."

Mula Gula made a big move down the stretch, but he couldn't chase down eventual winner Chester House or hold off the late running Manndar, settling for a third-place finish. Not bad for a horse virtually ignored by the betting public.

"I kept him clear and kept him in the running," Guidry said. "I really thought I had it."

Guidry is hoping he'll get plenty more chances of reaching the winner's circle in the Million.

"It was great," he said. "I'm looking forward to the next one."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arlington's big day

Jim O'Donnell, Chicago Sun-Times, August 20, 2000

In a box seat under the clouds, Bobby Frankel was talking to himself Saturday afternoon.

Within the hour, most of the 26,664 Million Day fans at Arlington International Racecourse would be talking about the 59-year-old Hall of Fame trainer.

Less than 90 minutes after his heavily favored Happyanunoit was upset in the $500,000 Beverly D., Frankel's Chester House benefited from world-class piloting by Jerry Bailey to win the 18th running of the Arlington Million.

Bailey kept the baffling Mr. Prospector 5-year-old ($9.60) on the rail, off the leaders, throughout the 1 1/4-mile grass classic. He finally got a hold turning for home when the pace-setting Asidero (7-2) drifted, allowing Chester House to storm to the wire. He beat charging runner-up Manndar (3-1) by 3 1/4 lengths. Long shot Mula Gula (25-1), with Chicago ace Mark Guidry in the irons, was a length farther back in third.

"It is an amazing feeling," said Frankel, who was 0-12 in Millions heading into Saturday's centerpiece--along with 0-84 in Breeders' Cups and 0-9 in Triple Crown races. "After Happyanunoit got beat, I sat there by myself telling myself, 'You just can't win big races.'"

Frankel's pessimism seemed well-placed, particularly since Chester House hadn't won this year and had never won a grass race in America. But a strong second in the recent Grade II Eddie Read at Del Mar and a switch to Bailey in the saddle for the $2 million Million appeared to make the horse competitive among the seven entered. Bailey's brilliant tactics made all the difference Saturday on the yielding Arlington turf.

"I was right where I wanted to be, saving ground," said Bailey, who earlier had won the Beverly D. with Snow Polina for Bill Mott and would later get caught in the closing strides of the $400,000 Secretariat aboard Mott's King Cugat.

"The only problem was that I was going to be jammed in. But I also figured that when Alex [Solis] asked Asidero to run coming out of the turn, the horse would likely move off the rail a bit. It's very, very difficult to ask a horse who has been in front to run on turning for home and stick to the rail."

Bailey's anticipatory strategy was precise. Solis--who had moved Asidero out of post-position one through quarter splits of :24.20, :47.73, 1:11.85 and 1:37.30--left a hole as he tried to coax a closing run from the Ron McAnally trainee. Asidero's wobbliness gave Bailey the chance he needed.

"You are in a funny spot at that point," Bailey said. "You can only ask for run from your horse once, so you've got to wait. Ask too soon and the horse may run up someone's behind. As soon as Asidero moved out, I asked. I never asked before the hole opened up."

Down the stretch, Chester House was clearly getting the best of it, although all seven horses were strung across the track, each in his own lane, outside the eighth pole. To the surprise of the pari-mutuel crowd, while Bailey was flying inside, Guidry and the outsider Mula Gula were motoring into second seven-wide.

"At the top of the stretch, I thought we had it," said Guidry, Arlington's leading jockey and a first-time Million participant on the Jerry Hollendorfer colt. "I went wide because out of the turn, there were four across and two behind, so that was automatic. We ran hard to the end."

While Chester House and Mula Gula were moving into the final 100 yards ahead of the pack, Manndar (3-1) and Bienamado (5-2) were also unleashing their money runs, with Manndar getting up for second.

In the smallest Million on record--and the first to offer that $2 million kitty--Frankel and Chester House owner Juddmonte Farms cashed for $1.2 million thanks to Bailey's headiness.

"This game is so much about perceptions," Frankel said later. "The press can make you, the press can bury you. In these big races, I've been getting buried for a long time."

Saturday, the burial stopped. And the clouds lifted. And Bobby Frankel could finally stop talking to himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Going for the Gold: Eastside owner points his super colt to bigger things

by Jay Maebori, Eastside Journal, October 4, 2000

That Mula Gula is at it again.

The 4-year-old colt purchased for $6,000 by Mercer Island's Steve Gula will make another attempt to topple giants of the horse racing industry on Saturday.

Mula Gula will enter the $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (Grade III) at Chicago's Hawthorne Race Course at 1 miles on the dirt. If he performs well there, the next step could be the biggest leap America has to offer.

"This is the most important race our horse will run up to this point,'' Gula said. "If we're so lucky as to pull this off, we'll go to the big one, the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic.''

Much must happen before entering the showcase race on racing's biggest day in November. Gula said his horse would have to win the Hawthorne Gold Cup or "have an absolutely awesome second'' to justify putting up the $120,000 in entry fees and travel costs to make the Classic at Churchill Downs.

"Mula Gula is for real,'' Gula declared Sunday, a day before he left for Chicago to accompany his prized horse. "This should be his best race. (Trainer) Jerry Hollendorfer has him well conditioned, and he's working out better than ever. He's ready.''

A prepared Mula Gula was a game third, closing swiftly in the $2 million Arlington Million, his last race, at Arlington International Race Course. Despite being fanned the widest in the field, Mula Gula still was charging hard under Mark Guidry, who retains the mount Saturday.

That turf effort bolstered the connection's belief that Mula Gula was ready for another step.

Local race fans can watch and wager on Mula Gula and the rest of the Gold Cup field Saturday at Emerald Downs, which will carry multiple tracks, including the entire Hawthorne card via simulcast.

The lightly raced son of Lil E. Tee has just four starts this year but could surpass $1 million in earnings if he wins the Hawthorne Gold Cup. Then, the stakes get much higher. The Classic's winner's share is $2.7 million.

"I'm blown away. I'm totally blown away,'' Gula said of the possibilities.

Golden Missile, owned by racetrack mogul Frank Stronach, headlines the field and has scared off many of the 20 nominees for Saturday's Gold Cup. The winner of the Stephen Foster and the Pimlico Special is expected to be the overwhelming favorite.

If Mula Gula can pull off a huge upset, he will be headed for the elite company of Kentucky Derby-winner Fusaichi Pegasus, a former $4 million purchase who will retire after the Classic, and Lemon Drop Kid, currently the top-rated handicap horse in the country.

Should Mula Gula fare just below the most optimistic expectations, he could still head to the Breeders' Cup Turf, a 1½-mile race preceding the Classic. A subpar effort in the Gold Cup would eliminate consideration for the Breeders' Cup card, Gula said.

Several factors weigh in Mula Gula's favor, however. He is 5-5-3 from 18 career races. Guidry, one of the Chicago-area's top jockeys, won the Gold Cup twice with Yourmissinthepoint (1995) and Buck's Boy (1997). Stronach's Awesome Again won the Gold Cup in 1998 and went on to win the Classic a month later.

"Everyone is very excited,'' Gula said of his jazzed-up connections. "He's really taken us over the edge.''

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please go to the archive at www.barntowire.com to read more about Mula Gula leading up to his races at Arlington Park and Hawthorne Race Course. Chicago Barn to Wire is a comprehensive news service for racetracks in Illinois, and Mula Gula has received numerous mentions on this website.

HOME	RACING	BREEDING	THE FUTURE	PEDIGREE & RACE RECORD	ARTICLES