2023 07 17 Funny Cide Press Release
Press Release
For Immediate Release July 17, 2023
The Village of Sackets Harbor mourns the loss of famed thoroughbred horse and winner of the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, Funny Cide. A New York-bred gelding, Funny Cide was owned by Sackatoga Stables which includes six friends from Sackets Harbor. The ‘Sackets Six’ includes Jack Knowlton, Peter and Mark Phillips, Harold Cring, Larry Reinhardt and former Mayor Jon P. Constance.
Funny Cide was a true hero for the Village – in a fairytale-like story – a horse that a group of residents took a chance on by investing in, and in accomplishing the unthinkable – a New York-bred horse that won two of the three Triple Crown races in
Residents of the Village also took pride in the notion that it felt like this was ‘their horse’ as well. This was best demonstrated when the Village organized a public watch party of the Belmont Stakes on West Main Street in June 2003, which drew thousands of people from all over the region in hopes of witnessing the first New York-bred horse to win the Triple Crown.
While the dream of winning the Triple Crown fell short, the Village of Sackets Harbor continued to exude great pride for Funny Cide. Residents and visitors alike even got a chance to see Funny Cide up close when the horse visited the Village several years Ago.
On behalf of the entire Village, the Board of Trustees extends its deepest sympathies to the owners of Sackatoga Stables, trainer Barkley Tagg and Jockey Jose Santos.