Black Tie Affair

Black Tie Affair was born April 1, 1986 in Ireland. He was sired by Miswaki out of Hat Tab Girl. As a weanling, he did not sell at the Keeneland November sale, but sold for $85,000 at the Fasig-Tipton sale in August as a yearling.

As a two-year-old he won the Malus Stakes and finished second in the Deputy Minister and Allegheny.

At three, Black Tie Affair joined the barn of trainer Ernie Poulos. He won the Bold Favorite Handicap in his debut for the barn. He also won the G3 Sheridan Stakes, finished second in the Cupid Stakes, and third in the Thomas Nash Handicap and Sportsmans Park Handicap. He closed out the last year of the 80's with the Breeders' Cup Sprint where he had a rough trip before being promoted to eighth by disqualification.

The new decade dawned and Black Tie Affair really came into his own. He stayed on one-turn events for most of his four-year-old season, winning the G3 Commonwealth Stakes and the G3 Equipoise Mile Handicap. He was also second in the Island Whirl Handicap, Johnston Stakes, and Isaac Murphy S; and third in the Louisiana Downs Stakes. He returned in the Breeders' Cup Sprint for the second time where he finished a rallying third. To close out his year, he stretched out to 1 1/4 miles for the G2 Hawthrone Gold Cup Handicap where he won going wire-to-wire.

The now five-year-old stallion kicked off his 1991 season with a third in the G2 Razorback, but bounced back to take his second Commonwealth, defeating two-time sprint champion Housebuster. Black Tie Affair finished second to Housebuster next out in the G1 Carter Handicap and went on to finish ninth in the G1 Metropolitan. After his loss, he stepped up to two turns and never looked back.

He absolutely dominated, building a six-race winning streak all in front-running fashion, starting with a 2 3/4 length victory in the G3 Stephen Foster Handicap. Then he went to Detroit, taking the Michigan Mile and G2 One-Eighth Handicap. He romped in the G3 Cornhusker Handicap. He outdueled multiple G1 winner Farma Way in the Philip H. Iselin Handicap and defeated 1990 Preakness winner Summer Squall by 7 1/2 lengths in the G2 Washington Park Handicap. Once again, Black Tie Affair headed for the Breeders' Cup, but this time he was going to the Classic. He broke quickly and took early control of the lead, setting steady fractions. Under pressure from Twilight Agenda, he held on to the lead to win by 1 1/4 lengths going gate-to-wire.

Black Tie Affair was honored as Horse of the Year and Champion Older Male of 1991. He retired after the Classic with a record of 18-9-6 in 45 starts, including 13 stakes wins and 12 stakes placings, and earnings of $3,370,694.

Black Tie Affair sired multiple G1-winning millionaires Formal Gold and Evening Attire; millionaire turf filly License Fee; Brazilian champion filly My Tie; and multiple Japanese stakes winner Washington Color.

He was sent Japan in 1997 to stand at stud and a campaign was created to bring him home after his stud career ended. He returned to the USA in 2004 where he stood at stud for five more years. He was pensioned in July 2009 due to arthritis and moved to Old Friends in Kentucky. He was euthanized July 1 due to laminitis.

RIP Black Tie Affair