Turf Classic a ‘Main’ Event
The 2002 GI Turf Classic was won by Denon (Pleasant Colony), campaigned in partnership by Edmund Gann and the Flaxman Stable, and the latter’s Main Sequence (Aldebaran)–who will start as one of the favorites in the “Win and You’re In” event for the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf–has family ties to the winner from a dozen years ago.
Denon was a son of Irish Group 1 winner Aviance (Ire), and her daughter Chimes of Freedom (Private Account) produced Aldebaran, the 2003 champion sprinter, to the cover of Mr. Prospector. While that one earned the bulk of his reputation on the dirt, Main Sequence has made a name for himself on the grass. The homebred won the first four starts of his career, including Lingfield’s G3 Derby Trial in 2012, then was 9-1 when finishing runner-up to the all-conquering Camelot (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) in the G1 Investec Derby. That effort marked the beginning of a 10-race skid for Main Sequence, and trainer David Lanigan floated the idea of sending him to the States. The notion has taken hold in a major sort of way. Off nearly nine months after finishing eighth in last year’s G1 QIPCO Champion S., the chestnut showed no signs of rust when outfinishing Twilight Eclipse (Purim) by a neck in the GI United Nations S. at Monmouth Park July 6 and he proved that was no fluke with a head success over Imagining (Giant’s Causeway) and the West Point runner in Saratoga’s GI Sword Dancer Invitational S. Aug. 17, despite a slow break.
“He’s a very good horse, you know,” trainer Graham Motion commented. “He beat a couple of serious horses [in the Sword Dancer] and spotted them three lengths at the start. It tells me that he’s extremely talented, probably more talented than we realized.”
Trainer Chad Brown, former assistant to Denon’s trainer Bobby Frankel, sends out a formidable Ramsey duo by 2004 Turf Classic hero Kitten’s Joy–Big Blue Kitten and Real Solution. The former followed the Main Sequence path last term, winning the U.N. and the Sword Dancer before being denied in this event by a flared nostril by reigning Breeders’ Cup Turf hero Little Mike (Spanish Steps). Only eighth at Santa Anita after falling way out of it, Big Blue Kitten overcame a layoff and less-than-ideal distance when annexing the restricted Lure S. over an insufficient 8 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga
Aug. 2. He gave an excellent account of himself–all things considered–when a half-length second in the nine-furlong GIII Cliff Hanger S. at Monmouth Aug. 24 and gets the added real estate he requires this afternoon.
“For him to really reach down and get up to win [the Lure], when we really weren’t even expecting him to win that day, really goes to show not only how much talent but how much heart that horse has,” Brown said. “It served as a great start to a campaign that got started a little later than we had hoped.” Real Solution, a length behind his entrymate in this event last September, took an oddly run renewal of the GI Manhattan H. on Belmont S. day June 7, but there were no excuses in his most recent effort, a last-of-seven finish in defense of his GI Arlington Million title Aug. 16.
Medal Count (Dynaformer) has made just two appearances on the grass, including a runner-up effort last time out in the Dueling Grounds Derby Sept. 6. He adds plenty of intrigue and should appreciate the trip, but he’ll likely need to register a triple-digit Beyer for the first time and beat some pretty accomplished foes to find the winner’s circle today.
Five winners of the Turf Classic have gone on to double up in the Breeders’ Cup, though the feat has not been accomplished since English Channel in 2007.