BY BROCK SHERIDAN
JUNE 21, 2003—Florida-bred Hear No Evil won his second black-type race of the year with a gate-to-wire victory in the $100,000 Unbridled Stakes going a mile-and-a-sixteenth at Calder Race Course.
Ridden by Eduardo Nunez for trainer James Hatchett, Hear No Evil broke on top from the inside post and was first among the field of six around the clubhouse turn. He was a length-and-a-half clear of Hackleson’s Cliff and Just Say the Word through a half mile in :47.31 then increased his margin to four lengths around the far turn. He was never challenged in the stretch and won by three lengths in 1:46.72. Florida-breds Who’s Crying Now and King Cassia were second and third respectively followed by Just Say the Word, Hackleton’s Cliff and Florida-bred Mychamion.
He entered the Unbridled as the even-money favorite and paid $4.20 to win.
A homebred for Fred and Jane Brei’s Jacks or Better Farm, Hear No Evil was third at odds of 34-1 in the 2003 Tampa Bay Derby (G3) won by Region of Merit in March then won the $84,150 Dayton Andrews Dodge Sophomore Turf during the first Florida Cup Day card at Tampa Bay Downs on April 6 of that year. Two races later, the 3-year-old chestnut colt was the 8-5 favorite in the $75,000 Simply Majestic at Calder on May 24, but after setting the pace in the mile-and-a-sixteenth test, finished second to Florida-bred The Name’s Bond—setting him up for his victory in the Unbridled.
Following the Unbridled, he would not win in his next 16 races but finished second four times and third once—all in stakes. During that span he was second to Twilight Road in the Grade 3 Memorial Day Handicap in May of 2004 and third behind winner Pies Prospect and runner-up Twilight Road in the Grade 3 Fred Hooper, both at Calder, in December of that year.
He returned to the winner’s circle for the last time on May 7, 2005 when he defeated eventual Florida-bred millionaire Revved Up in the $75,000 Chris Thomas Turf Classic (Listed) at Tampa Bay Downs.
His last race was on New Year’s Day in 2006 when he finished fourth in mile allowance race on the turf won by Florida-bred Milky Way Guy.
Hear No Evil retired with earnings of $499,415 from six wins, nine seconds and three thirds in 37 races, of which 32 were in stakes, 12 in graded stakes.
He was by Carson City out of the unraced Cox’s Ridge mare Nizy, who the Brei’s purchased privately from High Mark Farm in Florida. Nizy also produced stakes winners Florida-bred Home On the Ridge, by Homebuilder and an earner of $340,555; and Dizzy Nizy, by Eskimo and an earner of $158,400. She had 10 foals, all winners.
Hear No Evil entered stud in 2006, standing at Rising Hill Farm in Ocala, Fla. He then moved to Journeyman Stud in Ocala in 2010 where he stood until 2015. He moved to Ocala Stud for the 2016 breeding season. From 13 crops, Hear No Evil sired one graded-stakes winner, eight stakes winners and five stakes-placed runners for total progeny earnings of nearly $8 million.
His leading money earner was Florida-bred Jackson Bend, a multiple Grade 1 winner and earner of $1,806,750. Jackson Bend was a homebred for Jacks or Better Farm Inc. who later partnered with Robert LaPenta in ownership. Hear No Evil also sired multiple stakes winner and stakes-producer Ballet Diva and multiple stakes winners Sing Praises, Best Plan Yet, Hear Ye Hear Ye and Leap Year Luck. He ranks fifth all-time as the sire of eight Florida Sire Stakes race winners. Jackson Bend is one of 11 colts or geldings to sweep the male division of the Florida Sire Stakes.
Return to the June 21 issue of Wire to Wire
