Alysheba - Four-year-old Season

Four-year-old Season

As a four-year-old in 1988, Alysheba won six Grade I stakes. At Santa Anita, he won the Strub Stakes over Candi's Gold. Then he beat Ferdinand in the Santa Anita Handicap and (in another photo finish) the San Bernardino Handicap, with each horse carrying 127 pounds.

Alysheba lost to his old foes Bet Twice and Lost Code in the Pimlico Special, which had been revived for the first time in three decades. He also finished behind Cutlass Reality, who upset both Alysheba and Ferdinand in the Derby winners' final meeting in the Hollywood Gold Cup. Alysheba then defeated Bet Twice in the Philip K. Iselin Handicap at Monmouth Park Racetrack. Alysheba and Bet Twice met nine times. Alysheba defeated Bet Twice in four of those races. Bet Twice won three times, and neither horse won two of the races.

In the 35th running of the Woodward Stakes at Belmont Park Alysheba beat an outstanding field, including 1988 Travers 1-2 finishers Forty Niner and Seeking the Gold, eventual Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Waquoit, and Florida Derby winner Brian's Time. He ran the 1¼ miles in 1:59⅖, setting a track record. He also set the track record for 1¼ miles at the Meadowlands Racetrack in the Meadowlands Cup. Alysheba became the only horse in the modern era to run 10 furlongs under 2:00 three times in one calendar year.

Alysheba closed out his career on a dark, rainy evening at Churchill Downs, winning the Breeders' Cup Classic over Seeking the Gold, Waquoit (one of the most noted off-track runners of the time), Forty Niner, and Cutlass Reality. With the victory, he secured Horse of the Year and Champion Older Horse honors.

Alysheba was ridden in 17 consecutive starts by Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron. He finished his career with a record of 11-8-2 out of 26 starts. His earnings totaled $6,679,242, a record at the time.