Wicked Strong, a 3-year-old colt, won $590,000 in the Wood Memorial race last weekend, earning him a spot in the 2014 Kentucky Derby.
Even more special about this horse is that he’ll raise money for a Boston cause as he runs.
Wicked Strong belongs to Don Little Jr., owner of Beverly, Mass.-based Centennial Farms, which previously had vowed to donate 1 percent of the horse’s lifetime earnings to The One Fund, a Boston campaign originally set up to help those affected by last year’s marathon bombing. Centennial Farms since has upped its donation for the Triple Crown races to 5 percent.
Little recently told Boston.com that his wife and her friend came up with the horse’s name while they were attending a Boston Bruins game.
“This name didn’t come from any promotional angle,” Little said. “We thought it would be great for the people of Boston, and for the victims of the attacks and their families, as well as the sport. This was another way to recognize the victims of the tragedy and keep the message going.”
The Kentucky Derby offers a $2 million reward, and winners of the Preakness and Belmont take home $1.5 million. This could mean big bucks for The One Fund if Wicked Strong does well in the upcoming races.
Wicked Strong will complete his training at Belmont Park in Long Island, N.Y., before the Kentucky Derby on May 3. Wicked Strong’s father, Hard Spun, finished second in the 2007 Kentucky Derby. Perhaps some Boston spirit will push Wicked Strong to first.
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