Birsh Prepares to Take His War Horse into Battle at the Ky Derby

by Mike Kane

Owner-breeder Phillip Birsh and trainer George Weaver crunched some numbers in the days following Tencendur’s (Warrior’s Reward) second-place finish in the G1 Wood Memorial and compared them to the other major prep races for the Kentucky Derby. They liked what the stats revealed. 

The math exercise–showing a jump in speed figures and a favorable decline in the colt’s Thoro-Graph number–made it clear that they really ought to consider taking the New York-bred to Churchill Downs for the Derby. 

“All of that put together told us that we’re in the conversation. So, we’re coming,” Birsh said. 

Tencendur, a massive colt–he measures 17 hands–with a distinctive name, is an absolute unknown compared to the high-profile group of leading Derby contenders that includes American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile), Dortmund (Big Brown) and One Lucky Dane (Lookin at Lucky) from trainer Bob Baffert’s barn; Louisiana Derby winner and qualifying points leader International Star (Fusaichi Pegasus); and trainer Todd Pletcher’s phalanx of standouts headed by Carpe Diem (Giants Causeway), Materiality (Afleet Alex) and Itsaknockout (Lemon Drop Kid). Never mind. Tencendur earned more than enough qualifying points in the Wood, finishing two lengths behind Frosted (Tapit), appears to be improving and will be the first Derby starter for Birsh, 57, and Weaver, 44, a native of Louisville. 

While he wasn’t having a Joe Namath moment and guaranteeing a Tencendur upset was looming, Birsh noted that the best horse in the crowded field doesn’t always win the Derby. He said it is possible that some of the standouts may have already reached their top level, and is quite sure that his colt is still far from the finished product. 

“I think it’s really important that people not write the headline before the story is done,” he said. 

The journalism reference is no accident. Birsh is the president and CEO of the family-owned Playbill, Inc. which publishes the distinctive monthly theatrical magazine that wraps around the programs of many Broadway and off-Broadway productions. The Manhattan resident has owned horses for 25 years. Tencendur was foaled at the 100-acre Birsh Family Farm in Charlton, N.Y., about a 30-minute drive southwest of Saratoga Race Course. 

At the top of the stretch in the Wood, it looked like Tencendur might pull off a shocker at odds of 21-1. Although Frosted ran his colt down in deep stretch, Birsh had a contented smile on his face as he watched Tencendur return to be unsaddled. 

“He ran very well and I expected him to perform at the level he performed at,” Birsh said, “because in several of his previous races, through no fault of our team or jockey, he was just incredibly green in some portion of every race. Yet he would flash enough talent that I sometimes didn’t know that he knew he had. He kept flashing all this talent and kept having legitimate excuses for not winning. I just thought that sooner or later he was going to start putting it together.” 
The Wood was significant step forward for colt, who broke his maiden on Jan. 19. He was fourth in the GIII Withers and, wearing blinkers for the first time, was fifth in the GIII Gotham. Jose Ortiz was on him in the Wood, but he is the regular rider of Upstart, so there is likely to be a jockey change for the Derby. Birsh said he doesn’t know who the next pilot will be. 

Typically, Birsh races his fillies, retiring the good ones to his small broodmare band that now numbers six, and sells his colts. He broke form and kept Tencendur, a son of his mare Still Secret (Hennessy), though. 

“He just was always a very impressive physical specimen,” Birsh said. “His mother produces really good horses with excellent cardiovascular systems and throats. I felt that was a very big advantage. He was always an impressive candidate. He always stood out. He was always quiet and nice. Sometimes a little immature; he’s still immature, frankly. He’s still not fully developed or grown up, but he’ll get there, sooner or later.” 

Birsh purchased Still Secret for $18,000 to support his stallion, Mayakovsky. They produced Mother Russia, who was sold and earned over $500,000 while being trained by Linda Rice. Mother Russia is a broodmare in Japan now and her colt, Golden Barows, was third in the U.A.E Derby on March 28. Still Secret was sent back to Spendthrift’s Warrior’s Reward this year. 

Last summer, Birsh said he received glowing reports from Kentucky horsemen preparing the colt for the track and turned down a $200,000 offer from a bloodstock agent. 

“I decided I wanted a serious name for a serious horse, so I named him Tencendur,” Birsh said. “His father’s name is Warrior’s Reward and I wanted to name him after one of the great warrior horses in history. King Charlemagne is a man who is credited with putting down some of the foundation of modern Europe. His horse was named Tencendur. My wife is French and there is no end to the amount I’ll go to please her.” 

The exploits of Charlemagne and Tencendur in the Battle of Roncevaux in 778 are part of the French epic poem La Chanson de Roland, the oldest surviving major work in French literature. 

Birsh said he let Weaver make the call on whether to try the Derby, but he’s tickled to be going. 

“It is a dream come true to be part of this extraordinary, legendary institution called the Kentucky Derby,” he said. “It is a privilege to be a part of this race. It is a privilege to be associated with this historic moment in the racing year. It’s a true fantasy to be able to think that in decades to come, that your children will tell their grandchildren that their father had a horse in the Derby. That kind of continuity of the history of racing is so joyful for a man who cares so much about racing and wants to succeed if possible at a level like this. 

It’s very hard to do. I’m grateful and I really do understand what it means. I appreciate it.” 

Tencendur delivered as Birsh had hoped in the Wood and the owner expects him to get better with more seasoning. 
“If he stays healthy and continues to mature, maybe in late spring or early summer we’ll see the full creation,” Birsh said. “He’s very young, very green. That’s why I feel so confident about him. Despite himself, he’s here.”