Showing Up (horse)

American bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Showing Up (foaled February 6, 2003, in Kentucky) is an American thoroughbred race horse. Foaled near Wilmore, Kentucky, in 2003 at Peter Taafe's Taafe Farm, he was bred by Nellie M. Cox of Rose Retreat Farm. Showing Up spent the first year of his life on Cox's Goochland, Virginia, farm. The chestnut colt was sold as a yearling for $85,000 at the Keeneland September sale in 2004 and was later acquired as a two year old in training by trainer Barclay Tagg for the owners of the 2006 Kentucky Derby winner, Barbaro, for $60,000 at the Fasig Tipton Midatlantic sale in May 2005.

Showing Up is owned by Gretchen and Roy Jackson's Lael Stables in West Grove, Pennsylvania. He was trained by Barclay Tagg (who also trained the dual classic winner Funny Cide) and was ridden by Cornelio Velásquez. Since he was bred for the turf on both sides, Tagg believed the colt would come alive on the grass. "He's small", said Tagg. "He's not that good looking; he's not a robust horse by any means. He just goes out there and gets it done." His sire is Strategic Mission, a son of Mr. Prospector. Racing as a homebred for Charlotte Weber's Live Oak Stud, Strategic Mission won or placed in all five of his graded stakes starts on turf, including a victory in the 2001 Grade III Fort Marcy Handicap. Miss Alethia, Showing Up's dam, was the daughter of T. V. Commercial, himself the son of successful turf racer T. V. Lark. In 1961, T. V. Lark won the Washington, D. C. International, a prominent turf race. Showing Up is a half brother to six time stakes winner and Grade 3 placed Gimmeawink (Elusive Quality), also bred by Rose Retreat Farm.

On April 16, 2008, Tagg announced that Showing Up would retire sound. In 2009, he will stand at Frank Stronach's Adena Springs South near Williston, Florida, for a fee of $7,500 as the property of Adena Springs and Lael.