Johnny D.

[1] That same year he was named the country's top grass equine by being voted 1977 American Champion Male Turf Horse honors.

The French import Crow took the early lead in the mile and a half race, but entering the backstretch, Johnny D. surged to the front, opening up a lead on the field by as many as ten lengths, before easing up towards the finish and defeating Majestic Light and Exceller over a soft turf course.

The two horses dueled throughout the final half of the race, before Johnny D. pulled clear in the last quarter-mile, winning by almost 4 lengths.

For his grass racing successes that fall, Johnny D. was named Champion Male Turf Horse at the Eclipse Awards.

[4] Finally, on August 3, 1981, Johnny D. returned to the track at Saratoga, for his first race since his win in the 1977 Aqueduct Turf Classic.

Now trained by Laz Barrera, Johnny D. was off slow in his return, made up ground on the backstretch, then tired and faded to last of nine horses.