My apologies for taking such a long time in returning to post once again. Computer issues kept me from finishing my Breeders’ Cup postings and coving the Cigar Mile and Clark Handicap but I think the computer problems are behind me…or at least the majority of them I hope!
In what has become a yearly tradition a slew of champions and some of the nation’s most talented runners were retired soon after the Breeders’ Cup Championships were over. Leading the list of high profile retirees was dual Older Champion Female Zenyatta who is a cinch to win the Championship title for a third consecutive year. She is now dead-locked in a heated Horse of the Year battle with Breeders’ Cup Classic victor and arch nemesis this year, Blame. During her undefeated 2008 and 2009 campaigns Zenyatta lost the coveted title mainly due to almost exclusively racing in California. This year was beyond a doubt the year of Zenyatta but her chances are once again teetering on a precipice after a somewhat conservative 5 race campaign prior to the Breeders’ Cup Classic. For what it’s worth I am in her corner this year, after the things she achieved both on the track and in the hearts of millions of racing fans across the globe she deserves this special award. Blame may have the better record this year but more than just the black and white should be taken into account this year.
This weekend seemed to fall victim to long shots and disqualifications. Both the Clark Handicap and Japan Cup were won by solid favorites who were both taken down from the top spot for interference, while the Cigar Mile was won by a streaking Jersey Town at odds of 34-1 and the Citation was won by Victor’s Cry at odds of 11-1. On the other hand favorites ruled the board in Remsen, Gazelle and Golden Rod. To Honor and Serve served notice with his easy front-running Remsen victory that he could be a force to be reckoned with on the 2011 Triple Crown trail. Kathmanblu, fresh off a close third place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf absolutely toyed with field in the Golden Rod at Churchill Downs, romping home a winner be more than 8 lengths. Her goal for next year has already been set, the Kentucky Oaks and after her Golden Rod performance you have to think she is going to be a huge threat. Trainer Cindy Jones received the fairy tale send-off she had been dreaming of when No Such Word won the Grade 1 Gazelle as the final runner in her short, but brilliant, training career. In 2011 husband Larry Jones will come out of retirement and begin training again after a lengthy break.
More to come soon.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
2010 Breeders’ Cup: Part 2
Here we are for part two of the Breeders’ Cup results, but before I get into the races themselves I would like to cover some of the post Breeders’ Cup news.
Goldikova, three time Breeders’ Cup Mile winner and the greatest filly in Breeders’ Cup history, will remain in training in 2011 with her goal being a 4th consecutive Breeders’ Cup Mile victory. The word “unprecedented” doesn’t even come close to doing this feat justice. This is just plain brilliant and one of the greatest gestures of modern thoroughbred horse racing sportsmanship ever displayed. Brothers Alain and Gerard Wetheimer, who bred Goldikova as well as race her, made the announcement two days after the 5-year-old mare's dazzling Mile win.
“We decided to keep her in training because she’s in great shape,” Alain said. “The other reason is that if more older horses are kept in training, it’s good for the public because they get used to seeing them and there’s a good chance of it bringing people to the racetrack. If you only keep them one year, people don’t see them enough; they don’t get attached. I think it would be good if more people were able to do that.” He continued, “When you have a big stable and have a good mare, there’s no reason not to try to keep her in training.”
Let the praises roll, I for one am beyond just excited and thrilled that Goldikova will attempt to enhance her already sparkling reputation more by winning a 4th consecutive Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic:
Blind Luck was the filly to beat entering the Ladies Classic but it was Unrivaled Belle that stole the show. After a banner year for Unrivaled Belle in which she defeated Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra by a head in the La Troienne (gr.2) in late April, Unrivaled Belle put the icing on the cake with a powerful victory in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic over a stellar field of fillies and mares.
Breaking from the gate like a shot Unrivaled Belle sat just behind the three leaders, head bobbing with Milwaukee Appeal down the backstretch for 4th and 5th position. Havre de Grace sat just behind those two while Blind Luck trailed the field with a seriously compromised Life At Ten well back in last. Entering the far turn Unrivaled Belle moved to the lead with effortless strides as Havre de Grace surged forward on the outside and Blind Luck began to come alive from the back of the pack. Into the stretch Unrivaled Belle quickly began to distance herself from Havre de Grace with little urging from jockey Kent Desormeaux as Blind Luck came widest of all under a full head of steam. In the end it was Unrivaled Belle an easy winner by 1 ¾ lengths over a gallant, but late, Blind Luck with Havre de Grace third.
The winner was great in victory but I have to admit that my heart was with Blind Luck on this one and it was a shame to see her come so close and lose. She easily sewed up three-year-old filly honors with yet another gutsy performance here. Life At Ten was the real shame in the Ladies Classic this year. After being "unusually quite" according to trainer Todd Pletcher in the saddling ring and failing to warm up according to jockey John Velasquez, Life At Ten broke sluggishly from the gate and trailed the field all the way around. It has been speculated by Todd Pletcher that she may have had an allergic reaction to Lasix and began to tie up. It's easy to criticize when you aren't the one in the position to make decisions but in this case Life At Ten should have been scratched as soon as they realized something was wrong with her. It was just sheer dumb luck that she came out of the race unscathed.
Breeders’ Cup Sprint:
The Breeders’ Cup Sprint is always one of the most exciting races of the year, simply because of the fantastic energy the contestants explode from the gate with that continues all the way to the finish line.
In a year where both leading sprint candidates, Majesticperfection and Discreetly Mine, were sidelined by injury, Big Drama turned what was supposed to be an evenly matched contest into an absolute rout.
Bursting from the gate in the field of 12, Big Drama aggressively rushed to the lead and the race was over from there. Cruising through rapid fractions of :21.34 for the opening quarter and :44.58 for the half with Atta Boy Roy and Cash Refund in close pursuit, Big Drama continued into the turn looking strong under jockey Eibar Coa. Flying into the stretch three-wide, Big Drama gradually eased away for a 1 ½ length victory. Finishing second by a head over Smiling Tiger was Hamazing Destiny.
Big Drama's record for the year now stands at 4 wins in 6 tries which should be enough to win him an Eclipse Award as top sprinter.
Goldikova, three time Breeders’ Cup Mile winner and the greatest filly in Breeders’ Cup history, will remain in training in 2011 with her goal being a 4th consecutive Breeders’ Cup Mile victory. The word “unprecedented” doesn’t even come close to doing this feat justice. This is just plain brilliant and one of the greatest gestures of modern thoroughbred horse racing sportsmanship ever displayed. Brothers Alain and Gerard Wetheimer, who bred Goldikova as well as race her, made the announcement two days after the 5-year-old mare's dazzling Mile win.
“We decided to keep her in training because she’s in great shape,” Alain said. “The other reason is that if more older horses are kept in training, it’s good for the public because they get used to seeing them and there’s a good chance of it bringing people to the racetrack. If you only keep them one year, people don’t see them enough; they don’t get attached. I think it would be good if more people were able to do that.” He continued, “When you have a big stable and have a good mare, there’s no reason not to try to keep her in training.”
Let the praises roll, I for one am beyond just excited and thrilled that Goldikova will attempt to enhance her already sparkling reputation more by winning a 4th consecutive Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic:
Blind Luck was the filly to beat entering the Ladies Classic but it was Unrivaled Belle that stole the show. After a banner year for Unrivaled Belle in which she defeated Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra by a head in the La Troienne (gr.2) in late April, Unrivaled Belle put the icing on the cake with a powerful victory in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic over a stellar field of fillies and mares.
Breaking from the gate like a shot Unrivaled Belle sat just behind the three leaders, head bobbing with Milwaukee Appeal down the backstretch for 4th and 5th position. Havre de Grace sat just behind those two while Blind Luck trailed the field with a seriously compromised Life At Ten well back in last. Entering the far turn Unrivaled Belle moved to the lead with effortless strides as Havre de Grace surged forward on the outside and Blind Luck began to come alive from the back of the pack. Into the stretch Unrivaled Belle quickly began to distance herself from Havre de Grace with little urging from jockey Kent Desormeaux as Blind Luck came widest of all under a full head of steam. In the end it was Unrivaled Belle an easy winner by 1 ¾ lengths over a gallant, but late, Blind Luck with Havre de Grace third.
The winner was great in victory but I have to admit that my heart was with Blind Luck on this one and it was a shame to see her come so close and lose. She easily sewed up three-year-old filly honors with yet another gutsy performance here. Life At Ten was the real shame in the Ladies Classic this year. After being "unusually quite" according to trainer Todd Pletcher in the saddling ring and failing to warm up according to jockey John Velasquez, Life At Ten broke sluggishly from the gate and trailed the field all the way around. It has been speculated by Todd Pletcher that she may have had an allergic reaction to Lasix and began to tie up. It's easy to criticize when you aren't the one in the position to make decisions but in this case Life At Ten should have been scratched as soon as they realized something was wrong with her. It was just sheer dumb luck that she came out of the race unscathed.
Breeders’ Cup Sprint:
The Breeders’ Cup Sprint is always one of the most exciting races of the year, simply because of the fantastic energy the contestants explode from the gate with that continues all the way to the finish line.
In a year where both leading sprint candidates, Majesticperfection and Discreetly Mine, were sidelined by injury, Big Drama turned what was supposed to be an evenly matched contest into an absolute rout.
Bursting from the gate in the field of 12, Big Drama aggressively rushed to the lead and the race was over from there. Cruising through rapid fractions of :21.34 for the opening quarter and :44.58 for the half with Atta Boy Roy and Cash Refund in close pursuit, Big Drama continued into the turn looking strong under jockey Eibar Coa. Flying into the stretch three-wide, Big Drama gradually eased away for a 1 ½ length victory. Finishing second by a head over Smiling Tiger was Hamazing Destiny.
Big Drama's record for the year now stands at 4 wins in 6 tries which should be enough to win him an Eclipse Award as top sprinter.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
2010 Breeders' Cup Results: Part 1
Breeders’ Cup Mile:
Two mares came into the 2010 Breeders’ Cup world championships each with the opportunity to make history by becoming the first two horses ever to win three consecutive Breeders’ Cup races. One succeeded. On Saturday November 6th, Goldikova climbed the insurmountable pinnacle of greatness and rightfully declared herself the greatest thoroughbred on the planet by right of proof, after performing flawlessly on the world’s biggest stage.
All eyes were fixed securely to the great European champion as Goldikova lined up against one of the deepest fields in history to contest the Breeders’ Cup Mile for an unprecedented third year in a row. After explosive victories in the 2008 and 2009 editions where she proved herself the worlds’ best miler, Goldikova went to a whole new level in 2010.
Breaking from the outside in post position 10, Goldikova was slow to start but quickly placed herself mid-pack with guidance from jockey Olivier Peslier. Floated about 5 wide into the first turn, Goldikova moved to sixth position down the backstretch while up front Sidneys’ Candy flew through fractions of :24.02 for the opening quarter, :47.49 for the half and 1:11.33 for the three quarters. Entering the final turn Goldikova began to slowly move forward while from the rear of the field Gio Ponti and Paco Boy both came to life with a vengeance. Sidney’s Candy roared into the stretch, lengthening his lead to two lengths as the Usual Q. T. moved to his outside from second and began to make up ground quickly. For a few seconds it appeared as if Goldikova would not make it this time and that her Breeders’ Cup 3-peat would crumble to the ground, but with a vigorous shake of the reins from jockey Peslier the titan was unleashed and Goldikova burst forward like a wall of water battering through a dam. Surging past The Usual Q. T. Goldikova kept coming faster with every stride, sweeping past Sidneys’ Candy and powering to a 1 ½ length lead as Gio Ponti and Paco Boy rushed to the fore. It was a no-doubt-about-it win, Goldikova, in a vigorous hand ride, made some of the worlds’ best milers look like children chasing an Olympic runner down the stretch and under the wire.
With the win Goldikova not only becomes the best horse in the world, but undoubtedly one of the greatest of all time, and perhaps the greatest miler of all time bar none. She has become the ruler by which all following generations must be measured.
Breeders’ Cup Classic:
“Things happen for a reason.” That has got to be one of my least favorite sayings, and to the more than 114,000 fans in attendance at Churchill Downs on Saturday night it offered little consolation as they watched their hero and undefeated idol, Zenyatta, go down in defeat after a heartbreaking stretch drive that came up a mere head short.
The 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic will go down as the most anticipated Classic to ever be run in history and all because of one great mare and the field of talented males that helped cement her legacy.
In the weeks leading up to the Breeders’ Cup Classic I was a firm and enthusiastic supporter of Lookin At Lucky. The 2009 Champion Juvenile Male, Preakness, Haskell and Indiana Derby winner and half brother to Curlin was a favorite of mine since his second race in California as a two-year-old. Anyone who would listen got an earful from me about why I liked Lookin At Lucky better than Zenyatta, and while I readily admitted that I loved Zenyatta and knew she had the best chance to win the Classic, I was very confident that Lookin At Lucky could give her a race for her money.
For some inexplicable reason I found myself unable to cheer against Zenyatta as the Classic drew near. The moment I saw her prancing and dancing her way to the paddock amidst the cheers of thousands of fans my heart melted and I began to root for her with all my strength. She seems to have that effect on many people, it is literally almost impossible not to love her and hope that she wins.
As the field broke from the gates, Zenyatta dropped back more than a dozen lengths behind the field the first time past the wire. From there things just got worse for the undefeated super-star as she eventually dropped 15 lengths off the field before moving up on the backstretch. On the front end First Dude led a tightly bunched pack of 4 that included Quality Road, Espoir City and Haynesfield. Entering the backstretch it was more than 5 lengths back to Etched and Lookin At Lucky who led the second half of the field with Zenyatta trailing badly.
Entering the far turn Zenyatta began to move up with Mike Smith angling her to the inside as Blame surged to within 4 lengths of the lead. Into the stretch Blame split horses and seized the lead with Lookin At Lucky right behind, far back Zenyatta found her every move blocked by a wall of horses as she threaded her way through to the outside. Once in the clear the crowd went wild as Zenyatta furiously turned on her patented late run, desperately gunning for Blame who was now 1 ½ lengths clear of Lookin At Lucky. Blowing past Lookin At Lucky Zenyatta continued to close the gap with gigantic strides, Blame running strongly to the wire. Zenyatta frantically closed to within a neck of Blame the 4-year-old colt visibly began to fight back and for about five strides the two powerful athletes were neck and neck, but Blame refused to budge, handing Zenyatta the first, heartbreaking defeat of her career by a head.
There were a million “what if’s” that immediately popped into my head as the gallant daughter of Street Cry galloped out past the wire behind Blame. What if Mike Smith hadn’t had her so far back? What if he hadn’t put her on the inside and blocked by traffic on the final turn? Unfortunately Zenyatta did receive a poor ride from Mike Smith, but in defeat Zenyatta seems to have lost none of her illustrious reputation that preceded her historic journey. In fact, her defeat seems to have done just the opposite and endeared her to the hearts of millions of fans around the world even more. She is still the same great mare she was before and has proved once and for all that she ranks up there with the greats of all time.
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile:
Every once in a blue moon things in horse racing happen exactly as they are supposed to, or at least exactly we think they are supposed to, and few things offer a better illustration of those race scenarios as this years’ Breeders’ Cup Juvenile did.
It was billed as a two horse race between the speedy undefeated Uncle Mo and talented Hopeful Stakes winner Boys At Tosconova and that is exactly what it turned into, though only one of the youngsters really looked like he had to make a race of it.
Breaking from the gate with speed to spare, Unlce Mo raced in second behind Riveting Reason through the first turn, down the backstretch and into the final turn. Racing a couple lengths back, Boys At Tosconova secured a good spot for himself, relaxing nicely while off the pace in his first two-turn race.
As the field entered the final turn Boys At Tosconova moved up quickly into contention, right off the flank of Uncle Mo. It looked like a two horse race as they sped into the stretch but the scene changed in an instant.
Jockey John Velasquez on Uncle Mo came to life as they hit the stretch with a narrow lead, energetically pushing Uncle Mo to take control of the race. And take control he did, effortlessly putting Boys At Tosconova away within a few strides, the handsome bay colt came striding down the homestretch, opening up by more than four lengths as Boys At Tosconova chased him futilely, 6 lengths ahead of the rest of the field. Under the wire in a hand ride, Uncle Mo won by 4 ¼ lengths and instantly became the early favorite for the 2011 Kentucky Derby.
While his talent is absolutely undeniable, there are some questions as to whether or not Uncle Mo will be able to get a classic distance race as a son of Indian Charlie. Indian Charlie offspring tend to run their best races at shorter distances where their natural speed is most effective. I am a huge Uncle Mo fan since his first race and aside from hoping with all my heart that he will handle longer distances I truly believe that he will. He obviously loved running the two turns at Churchill Downs and won by more than 4 lengths in a hand ride, indicating that the margin could have been much more and that he could have kept going had he been required to. He didn’t even look tired after the race, bouncing and prancing his way down the back stretch to the winners circle.
This years’ Breeders’ Cup was pretty good to me. Friday was a complete toss as my picks finished second three times but none won. Saturday was much better, with five of my eight choices winning and two finishing second, one by a nose and the other by a head. The overall economy of the Breeders’ Cup was also encouraging this year as we saw a significant increase in both handle, on track and off, as well as a significant increase in on track attendance.
I will cover more of the Breeders’ Cup results in the next few days so stay tuned and let me know how your Breeders’ Cup experience turned out this year.
Two mares came into the 2010 Breeders’ Cup world championships each with the opportunity to make history by becoming the first two horses ever to win three consecutive Breeders’ Cup races. One succeeded. On Saturday November 6th, Goldikova climbed the insurmountable pinnacle of greatness and rightfully declared herself the greatest thoroughbred on the planet by right of proof, after performing flawlessly on the world’s biggest stage.
All eyes were fixed securely to the great European champion as Goldikova lined up against one of the deepest fields in history to contest the Breeders’ Cup Mile for an unprecedented third year in a row. After explosive victories in the 2008 and 2009 editions where she proved herself the worlds’ best miler, Goldikova went to a whole new level in 2010.
Breaking from the outside in post position 10, Goldikova was slow to start but quickly placed herself mid-pack with guidance from jockey Olivier Peslier. Floated about 5 wide into the first turn, Goldikova moved to sixth position down the backstretch while up front Sidneys’ Candy flew through fractions of :24.02 for the opening quarter, :47.49 for the half and 1:11.33 for the three quarters. Entering the final turn Goldikova began to slowly move forward while from the rear of the field Gio Ponti and Paco Boy both came to life with a vengeance. Sidney’s Candy roared into the stretch, lengthening his lead to two lengths as the Usual Q. T. moved to his outside from second and began to make up ground quickly. For a few seconds it appeared as if Goldikova would not make it this time and that her Breeders’ Cup 3-peat would crumble to the ground, but with a vigorous shake of the reins from jockey Peslier the titan was unleashed and Goldikova burst forward like a wall of water battering through a dam. Surging past The Usual Q. T. Goldikova kept coming faster with every stride, sweeping past Sidneys’ Candy and powering to a 1 ½ length lead as Gio Ponti and Paco Boy rushed to the fore. It was a no-doubt-about-it win, Goldikova, in a vigorous hand ride, made some of the worlds’ best milers look like children chasing an Olympic runner down the stretch and under the wire.
With the win Goldikova not only becomes the best horse in the world, but undoubtedly one of the greatest of all time, and perhaps the greatest miler of all time bar none. She has become the ruler by which all following generations must be measured.
Breeders’ Cup Classic:
“Things happen for a reason.” That has got to be one of my least favorite sayings, and to the more than 114,000 fans in attendance at Churchill Downs on Saturday night it offered little consolation as they watched their hero and undefeated idol, Zenyatta, go down in defeat after a heartbreaking stretch drive that came up a mere head short.
The 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic will go down as the most anticipated Classic to ever be run in history and all because of one great mare and the field of talented males that helped cement her legacy.
In the weeks leading up to the Breeders’ Cup Classic I was a firm and enthusiastic supporter of Lookin At Lucky. The 2009 Champion Juvenile Male, Preakness, Haskell and Indiana Derby winner and half brother to Curlin was a favorite of mine since his second race in California as a two-year-old. Anyone who would listen got an earful from me about why I liked Lookin At Lucky better than Zenyatta, and while I readily admitted that I loved Zenyatta and knew she had the best chance to win the Classic, I was very confident that Lookin At Lucky could give her a race for her money.
For some inexplicable reason I found myself unable to cheer against Zenyatta as the Classic drew near. The moment I saw her prancing and dancing her way to the paddock amidst the cheers of thousands of fans my heart melted and I began to root for her with all my strength. She seems to have that effect on many people, it is literally almost impossible not to love her and hope that she wins.
As the field broke from the gates, Zenyatta dropped back more than a dozen lengths behind the field the first time past the wire. From there things just got worse for the undefeated super-star as she eventually dropped 15 lengths off the field before moving up on the backstretch. On the front end First Dude led a tightly bunched pack of 4 that included Quality Road, Espoir City and Haynesfield. Entering the backstretch it was more than 5 lengths back to Etched and Lookin At Lucky who led the second half of the field with Zenyatta trailing badly.
Entering the far turn Zenyatta began to move up with Mike Smith angling her to the inside as Blame surged to within 4 lengths of the lead. Into the stretch Blame split horses and seized the lead with Lookin At Lucky right behind, far back Zenyatta found her every move blocked by a wall of horses as she threaded her way through to the outside. Once in the clear the crowd went wild as Zenyatta furiously turned on her patented late run, desperately gunning for Blame who was now 1 ½ lengths clear of Lookin At Lucky. Blowing past Lookin At Lucky Zenyatta continued to close the gap with gigantic strides, Blame running strongly to the wire. Zenyatta frantically closed to within a neck of Blame the 4-year-old colt visibly began to fight back and for about five strides the two powerful athletes were neck and neck, but Blame refused to budge, handing Zenyatta the first, heartbreaking defeat of her career by a head.
There were a million “what if’s” that immediately popped into my head as the gallant daughter of Street Cry galloped out past the wire behind Blame. What if Mike Smith hadn’t had her so far back? What if he hadn’t put her on the inside and blocked by traffic on the final turn? Unfortunately Zenyatta did receive a poor ride from Mike Smith, but in defeat Zenyatta seems to have lost none of her illustrious reputation that preceded her historic journey. In fact, her defeat seems to have done just the opposite and endeared her to the hearts of millions of fans around the world even more. She is still the same great mare she was before and has proved once and for all that she ranks up there with the greats of all time.
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile:
Every once in a blue moon things in horse racing happen exactly as they are supposed to, or at least exactly we think they are supposed to, and few things offer a better illustration of those race scenarios as this years’ Breeders’ Cup Juvenile did.
It was billed as a two horse race between the speedy undefeated Uncle Mo and talented Hopeful Stakes winner Boys At Tosconova and that is exactly what it turned into, though only one of the youngsters really looked like he had to make a race of it.
Breaking from the gate with speed to spare, Unlce Mo raced in second behind Riveting Reason through the first turn, down the backstretch and into the final turn. Racing a couple lengths back, Boys At Tosconova secured a good spot for himself, relaxing nicely while off the pace in his first two-turn race.
As the field entered the final turn Boys At Tosconova moved up quickly into contention, right off the flank of Uncle Mo. It looked like a two horse race as they sped into the stretch but the scene changed in an instant.
Jockey John Velasquez on Uncle Mo came to life as they hit the stretch with a narrow lead, energetically pushing Uncle Mo to take control of the race. And take control he did, effortlessly putting Boys At Tosconova away within a few strides, the handsome bay colt came striding down the homestretch, opening up by more than four lengths as Boys At Tosconova chased him futilely, 6 lengths ahead of the rest of the field. Under the wire in a hand ride, Uncle Mo won by 4 ¼ lengths and instantly became the early favorite for the 2011 Kentucky Derby.
While his talent is absolutely undeniable, there are some questions as to whether or not Uncle Mo will be able to get a classic distance race as a son of Indian Charlie. Indian Charlie offspring tend to run their best races at shorter distances where their natural speed is most effective. I am a huge Uncle Mo fan since his first race and aside from hoping with all my heart that he will handle longer distances I truly believe that he will. He obviously loved running the two turns at Churchill Downs and won by more than 4 lengths in a hand ride, indicating that the margin could have been much more and that he could have kept going had he been required to. He didn’t even look tired after the race, bouncing and prancing his way down the back stretch to the winners circle.
This years’ Breeders’ Cup was pretty good to me. Friday was a complete toss as my picks finished second three times but none won. Saturday was much better, with five of my eight choices winning and two finishing second, one by a nose and the other by a head. The overall economy of the Breeders’ Cup was also encouraging this year as we saw a significant increase in both handle, on track and off, as well as a significant increase in on track attendance.
I will cover more of the Breeders’ Cup results in the next few days so stay tuned and let me know how your Breeders’ Cup experience turned out this year.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Two Down: Marathon and Juvenile Fillies Turf
Eldaafer made it two wins in-a-row when he surged to the lead in the first Breeders' Cup race of the day and claimed the crown as 2010 Breeders' Cup Marathon champion. Left in his wake was race favorite Awesome Gem who raced last for most of the trip before failing to fire his nest shot.
The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf was supposed to be all about Winter Memories, but More Than Real had other ideas as the dark bay filly romped in style over Winter Memories. Owned by celebrity chef Bobby Toay, More Than Real swept off the final turn in the Fillies Turf and flew to the wire, winning a visually impressive race.
The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf was supposed to be all about Winter Memories, but More Than Real had other ideas as the dark bay filly romped in style over Winter Memories. Owned by celebrity chef Bobby Toay, More Than Real swept off the final turn in the Fillies Turf and flew to the wire, winning a visually impressive race.
Counting Down to the Cup
It seems like just yesterday the Breeders’ Cup was months away and the spring classics had just gotten under way. Now here we are and it’s Breeders’ Cup day one. Enter the champions and challengers, it’s time to race!
For the sake of time I will go over only a few of the Breeders’ Cup races as I can covering my top three or four contenders in each race.
The Breeders’ Cup Marathon may be the first race of the championships to be run Friday but I’m going to start with
Saturday’s TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (gr.1) and the incredible, international cast lining up to face two-time defending champion Goldikova.
Goldikova has to be one of the most aptly named horses in the world as she has proven over and over again that she is pure gold when it comes to the racing game. Over the course of three years Goldikova has laid claim to both European and American championship titles as well as being only the second horse in history to win the Breeders’ Cup Mile in consecutive years. In 2010 Goldikova has scaled new heights of greatness while winning 4 of her 5 starts, her only loss coming when finishing second over a soft turf course to the best three-year-old miler in Europe.
Goldikova’s biggest threats in the Mile will come from her European nemesis Paco Boy, who has pushed the great mare to some of the slimmest margins of victory in her career, American champion Gio Ponti and talented speed-ball Sidney’s Candy. Paco Boy has thrown his best shot as Goldikova time after time this year, and every time the gifted colt has crossed the finish line second, always behind the great champion. There is no doubt he has the ability and the talent to win the big ones but when you run into a giant like Goldikova it really doesn’t seem to matter how good you are. Gio Ponti turned in one of the most visually impressive turf performances of the season in his last start when he won the Shadwell Turf Mile with laughable ease. He is beyond a doubt the best hope America has of defeating the power-house duo of Goldikova and Paco Boy. Sidneys’ Candy has only raced once on the turf but once was enough, in the La Jolla Handicap (gr.2) Sidney’s Candy set a course record while winning easily by more than 5 lengths. A duck should take to water as well as Sidney’s Candy takes to turf. He looks like the kind of colt that could be brilliant enough to pull off a huge upset in the Mile if all the cards fall into place.
Bottom line in the Mile is that this race is all about Goldikova, it’s her show and her crown on the line. From all appearances it would seem the queen is ready to defend her title.
The Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (gr.1) is yet another race in the championship series that seems chock-full of talent. Blind Luck leads the cavalry charge in Ladies Classic as the deserving favorite after wins in the Kentucky Oaks, Delaware Oaks and Fantasy Stakes this year to mention just a few. A small package with a huge late kick, Blind Luck embodies the greatest traits of courage, determination, toughness and will-to-win in thoroughbred racehorses that make these athletes so special. If nothing else Blind Luck is certainly the most competitive and well traveled filly in the field.
Her greatest threats come from older female Life At Ten, whose only 2010 blemish came in a third place finish behind Persistently and Rachel Alexandra in the Personal Ensign Stakes (gr.1), and 3-year-old nemesis Havre de Grace who turned the tables on Blind Luck in their last meeting after finishing runner up to Blind Luck two consecutive times. Life At Ten has been training lights-out since winning the Beldame Stakes and looks as ready as she has ever been to run a big race. Havre de Grace looked fantastic when testing the Churchill Downs surface for the first time after arriving for the Ladies Classic and should come into the race strong and fit. This could easily turn into another Blind Luck-Havre de Grace showdown at the wire but there a many classy fillies running who could easily step up and steal the prize if Blind Luck fails to fire her best shot. I don’t think that will happen.
The Breeders’ Cup post time is just hours away now and questions we have been asking all year long will finally be answered. Choose your runners and cheer for all your worth, it’s the Breeders’ Cup Championships, a golden day in the life of horse racing fans and one well worth celebrating. Best of luck to everyone and may the best horses win.
For the sake of time I will go over only a few of the Breeders’ Cup races as I can covering my top three or four contenders in each race.
The Breeders’ Cup Marathon may be the first race of the championships to be run Friday but I’m going to start with
Saturday’s TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (gr.1) and the incredible, international cast lining up to face two-time defending champion Goldikova.
Goldikova has to be one of the most aptly named horses in the world as she has proven over and over again that she is pure gold when it comes to the racing game. Over the course of three years Goldikova has laid claim to both European and American championship titles as well as being only the second horse in history to win the Breeders’ Cup Mile in consecutive years. In 2010 Goldikova has scaled new heights of greatness while winning 4 of her 5 starts, her only loss coming when finishing second over a soft turf course to the best three-year-old miler in Europe.
Goldikova’s biggest threats in the Mile will come from her European nemesis Paco Boy, who has pushed the great mare to some of the slimmest margins of victory in her career, American champion Gio Ponti and talented speed-ball Sidney’s Candy. Paco Boy has thrown his best shot as Goldikova time after time this year, and every time the gifted colt has crossed the finish line second, always behind the great champion. There is no doubt he has the ability and the talent to win the big ones but when you run into a giant like Goldikova it really doesn’t seem to matter how good you are. Gio Ponti turned in one of the most visually impressive turf performances of the season in his last start when he won the Shadwell Turf Mile with laughable ease. He is beyond a doubt the best hope America has of defeating the power-house duo of Goldikova and Paco Boy. Sidneys’ Candy has only raced once on the turf but once was enough, in the La Jolla Handicap (gr.2) Sidney’s Candy set a course record while winning easily by more than 5 lengths. A duck should take to water as well as Sidney’s Candy takes to turf. He looks like the kind of colt that could be brilliant enough to pull off a huge upset in the Mile if all the cards fall into place.
Bottom line in the Mile is that this race is all about Goldikova, it’s her show and her crown on the line. From all appearances it would seem the queen is ready to defend her title.
The Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (gr.1) is yet another race in the championship series that seems chock-full of talent. Blind Luck leads the cavalry charge in Ladies Classic as the deserving favorite after wins in the Kentucky Oaks, Delaware Oaks and Fantasy Stakes this year to mention just a few. A small package with a huge late kick, Blind Luck embodies the greatest traits of courage, determination, toughness and will-to-win in thoroughbred racehorses that make these athletes so special. If nothing else Blind Luck is certainly the most competitive and well traveled filly in the field.
Her greatest threats come from older female Life At Ten, whose only 2010 blemish came in a third place finish behind Persistently and Rachel Alexandra in the Personal Ensign Stakes (gr.1), and 3-year-old nemesis Havre de Grace who turned the tables on Blind Luck in their last meeting after finishing runner up to Blind Luck two consecutive times. Life At Ten has been training lights-out since winning the Beldame Stakes and looks as ready as she has ever been to run a big race. Havre de Grace looked fantastic when testing the Churchill Downs surface for the first time after arriving for the Ladies Classic and should come into the race strong and fit. This could easily turn into another Blind Luck-Havre de Grace showdown at the wire but there a many classy fillies running who could easily step up and steal the prize if Blind Luck fails to fire her best shot. I don’t think that will happen.
The Breeders’ Cup post time is just hours away now and questions we have been asking all year long will finally be answered. Choose your runners and cheer for all your worth, it’s the Breeders’ Cup Championships, a golden day in the life of horse racing fans and one well worth celebrating. Best of luck to everyone and may the best horses win.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Breeders' Cup Friday: The First Half
The clock is ticking and I am running out of time. The Breeders’ Cup Championships will begin in three days on Friday November 5th. I have only covered one race and I have quickly realized that I will not be able to go over even half the races as thoroughly as I would like. Starting with the Friday card of races I will cover both days of racing and highlight some of the biggest contenders that I feel have a good chance at winning or performing well.
The Breeders’ Cup Marathon will kicks things off on Friday and favoritism in the long-distance test falls to one of the most recognizable names in American racing. Awesome Gem has long been a favorite runner of mine after seeing his fine third place performance in the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Classic behind Curlin and Hard Spun. For four straight years now Awesome Gem has been a jewel of shining consistency, a 7-year-old gelding with career stats of 38 lifetime starts. With 7 wins, 13 seconds and 4 thirds Awesome Gem has accumulated earnings of more than $2 million. He has never run past 1 ¼ miles distance in his career but West Point Thoroughbreds president Terry Finley believes the 1 ¾ mile distance is the best Breeders’ Cup fit for Awesome Gem.
Facing Awesome Gem are graded stakes winners Atoned, Eldaafer, Alcomo, Giant Oak and Prince Will I Am. Prince Will I Am enters off an impressive win in the Grade 1 Jamaica Handicap at Belmont Park on the inner turf course. Eldaafer also enters off a win in the Grade 3 Turfway Park Fall Championship Stakes. He finished 7th in the Breeders’ Cup Marathon in 2009 when the event was held at Santa Anita. Alcomo just missed by a nose last out in the Greenwood Cup when losing to A. U. Miner but enters the Marathon in excellent condition.
My choice, purely as a fan, goes to Awesome Gem. It would be wonderful to see such a tough old campaigner win such a high caliber race at the ripe age of 7.
The Juvenile Fillies Turf is all about Winter Memories for me. To be quite honest I really am not as knowledgeable about this field as I should be so I will not bore everyone with my assumptions and instead focus on the facts that I know.
Winter Memories enters the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf undefeated and untested in just two lifetime starts. The striking gray/roan two-year-old filly, who appears almost pure white while running, broke her maiden by 1 ½ lengths in early September at Satatoga and then exploded late in the Miss Grillo Stakes (Gr.3) at Belmont Park to win easily the best by more than 5 lengths.
Jessamine Stakes winner, Kathmanblu, at odds could prove to be a very live longshot. Canadian filly Wyomia enters off two consecutive wins, her last coming in the form of a front-running victory in the Mazarine Stakes (Can-3) at Woodbine. Her 12-1 odds are just as alluring as Kathmanblu and she would seem to have more than just a long-shot chance at hitting the board.
The Filly and Mare Sprint has always been one of my favorite Breeders’ Cup races and this year one of the most evenly
matched fields in recent history has been entered, setting the scene for a very contentions and exciting running.
Rightly So, winner of the Grade 1 Ballerina in a 4 length romp in her last start, has earned favoritism in a field that includes 2009 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Informed Decision. Rightly So is a deserving favorite but I am not convinced that she is the best in this field.
Informed Decision has lost some of her luster of last year but still sports a consistent and winning record in 2010. She last finished second by a nose in the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (gr.2) to Dubai Majesty. In her previous race Informed Decision defeated Dubai Majesty by a head in the Presque Isle Downs Masters (gr. 3) proving that she still has some of her old spark left. As a big fan of hers I am willing to give her another chance and say that I hope she runs away with the Filly and Mare Sprint.
Sara Louise is perhaps the most mouth-watering runner in the field at odds of 15-1. In her first and only start of the year, Sara Louise finished a respectable third in the Gallant Bloom Handicap (gr.2), a race that she lost be a head to champion Indian Blessing after a stretch duel of historic proportions in 2009. She is as classy as they come and I wouldn’t be a bit surprised to see her return to her fantastic 2009 form on Friday and turn in an impressive performance.
Evening Jewel is one of the best 3-year-old fillies in the country as well as being one of the most versatile and consistent. A graded stakes winner on both turf and synthetics while finishing second by a nose over the Churchill Downs dirt surface in the Kentucky Oaks (gr.1) to Blind Luck, Evening Jewel enters the Sprint off a third place effort behind Harmonious in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (gr.1). This will be her first time returning to dirt since her spectacular runner-up effort in the Kentucky Oaks earlier this year.
Gabby’s Golden Gal and Champagne d’Oro are two other standouts in the field with Champagne d’Oro being the more accomplished having won the Test Stakes (gr. 1) in early August at Saratoga.
I will cover the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, Filly and Mare Turf and Ladies Classic on Thursday Morning. What are your thoughts, picks and opinions on the Breeders’ Cup? Do share all!
The Breeders’ Cup Marathon will kicks things off on Friday and favoritism in the long-distance test falls to one of the most recognizable names in American racing. Awesome Gem has long been a favorite runner of mine after seeing his fine third place performance in the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Classic behind Curlin and Hard Spun. For four straight years now Awesome Gem has been a jewel of shining consistency, a 7-year-old gelding with career stats of 38 lifetime starts. With 7 wins, 13 seconds and 4 thirds Awesome Gem has accumulated earnings of more than $2 million. He has never run past 1 ¼ miles distance in his career but West Point Thoroughbreds president Terry Finley believes the 1 ¾ mile distance is the best Breeders’ Cup fit for Awesome Gem.
Facing Awesome Gem are graded stakes winners Atoned, Eldaafer, Alcomo, Giant Oak and Prince Will I Am. Prince Will I Am enters off an impressive win in the Grade 1 Jamaica Handicap at Belmont Park on the inner turf course. Eldaafer also enters off a win in the Grade 3 Turfway Park Fall Championship Stakes. He finished 7th in the Breeders’ Cup Marathon in 2009 when the event was held at Santa Anita. Alcomo just missed by a nose last out in the Greenwood Cup when losing to A. U. Miner but enters the Marathon in excellent condition.
My choice, purely as a fan, goes to Awesome Gem. It would be wonderful to see such a tough old campaigner win such a high caliber race at the ripe age of 7.
The Juvenile Fillies Turf is all about Winter Memories for me. To be quite honest I really am not as knowledgeable about this field as I should be so I will not bore everyone with my assumptions and instead focus on the facts that I know.
Winter Memories enters the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf undefeated and untested in just two lifetime starts. The striking gray/roan two-year-old filly, who appears almost pure white while running, broke her maiden by 1 ½ lengths in early September at Satatoga and then exploded late in the Miss Grillo Stakes (Gr.3) at Belmont Park to win easily the best by more than 5 lengths.
Jessamine Stakes winner, Kathmanblu, at odds could prove to be a very live longshot. Canadian filly Wyomia enters off two consecutive wins, her last coming in the form of a front-running victory in the Mazarine Stakes (Can-3) at Woodbine. Her 12-1 odds are just as alluring as Kathmanblu and she would seem to have more than just a long-shot chance at hitting the board.
The Filly and Mare Sprint has always been one of my favorite Breeders’ Cup races and this year one of the most evenly
matched fields in recent history has been entered, setting the scene for a very contentions and exciting running.
Rightly So, winner of the Grade 1 Ballerina in a 4 length romp in her last start, has earned favoritism in a field that includes 2009 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Informed Decision. Rightly So is a deserving favorite but I am not convinced that she is the best in this field.
Informed Decision has lost some of her luster of last year but still sports a consistent and winning record in 2010. She last finished second by a nose in the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (gr.2) to Dubai Majesty. In her previous race Informed Decision defeated Dubai Majesty by a head in the Presque Isle Downs Masters (gr. 3) proving that she still has some of her old spark left. As a big fan of hers I am willing to give her another chance and say that I hope she runs away with the Filly and Mare Sprint.
Sara Louise is perhaps the most mouth-watering runner in the field at odds of 15-1. In her first and only start of the year, Sara Louise finished a respectable third in the Gallant Bloom Handicap (gr.2), a race that she lost be a head to champion Indian Blessing after a stretch duel of historic proportions in 2009. She is as classy as they come and I wouldn’t be a bit surprised to see her return to her fantastic 2009 form on Friday and turn in an impressive performance.
Evening Jewel is one of the best 3-year-old fillies in the country as well as being one of the most versatile and consistent. A graded stakes winner on both turf and synthetics while finishing second by a nose over the Churchill Downs dirt surface in the Kentucky Oaks (gr.1) to Blind Luck, Evening Jewel enters the Sprint off a third place effort behind Harmonious in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (gr.1). This will be her first time returning to dirt since her spectacular runner-up effort in the Kentucky Oaks earlier this year.
Gabby’s Golden Gal and Champagne d’Oro are two other standouts in the field with Champagne d’Oro being the more accomplished having won the Test Stakes (gr. 1) in early August at Saratoga.
I will cover the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, Filly and Mare Turf and Ladies Classic on Thursday Morning. What are your thoughts, picks and opinions on the Breeders’ Cup? Do share all!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Breeders' Cup Post Coming Soon!
Due to a very busy schedule I am running way behind on my Breeders' Cup postings and I apologize!
There will be a post Wednesday morning covering the Friday Breeders' Cup races so stay tuned and thank you all for your patience.
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