Breeders’ Cup: That’s a Wrap
BAFFERT RUNNERS EXIT BC IN FINE FORM
All six of Bob Baffert’s Breeders’ Cup runners are doing well following their efforts, including GI Breeders’ Cup Classic victor Bayern (Offlee Wild), the Hall of Famer reported yesterday.
After veering sharply to the left at the start and bumping into favored Shared Belief (Candy Ride {Arg}), Bayern seemed to cause a chain reaction that impeded several runners. Bayern survived a steward’s inquiry into that troubled start to provide Baffert with his first ever Classic victory.
“I have never seen so much animosity over a horse race,” Baffert said. “It seems like people forgot how to watch a race. If the stewards had not posted the inquiry, there would not have been one. Mike Smith [rider of Shared Belief] wasn’t going to [claim foul]. He said all the trouble happened a little later when the nine [Toast of New York] came over and by that time, my horse was already gone.”
Baffert continued, “The sad part about all of this is that it distracts from what he did yesterday. It’s not like he is a fluke. He can do it all and he’s a fighter. You could tell he was not going to let that other horse [Toast of New York] by.”
Winning owner Kaleem Shah added, “I just wish it would have come without all the controversy. If he is healthy, I would like [to take a shot at] the [G1] Dubai World Cup. When Bob tells me he is ready to roll, we roll. As long as he stays healthy and sound, he’ll run at 4, 5 and 6.”
Baffert’s other runners finished as follows: Secret Circle (Eddington), second in the Sprint; Indianapolis (Medaglia d’Oro), 10th in the Sprint; One Lucky Dane (Lookin at Lucky), sixth in the Juvenile; Fed Biz (Giant’s Causeway); and Tiz Midnight (Midnight Lute), sixth in the Distaff.
TOAST TRAVELS SET TO CONTINUE
Trainer Jamie Osborne was already busy planning the racing future of GI Breeders’ Cup Classic runner-up Toast of New York (Thewayyouare) yesterday the day after the British-based 3-year-old missed out on America’s richest prize by a nose.
Osborne was upbeat yesterday and told Racing Post, “He has the potential to be one of the highest-earning horses in the world. He’s never going to run for less than a million and I can’t see him running in England. We’ll choose our targets and if he runs three or four times a year for the next two years and every time he runs for a few million in prize money, that would do.”
Michael Buckley’s colorbearer has traveled far and wide this year, kicking off his sophomore campaign with a victory in the G2 UAE Derby on the Dubai World Cup undercard Mar. 29. He resurfaced in the GI Belmont Derby July 5, but could finish no better than sixth. It was discovered thereafter he had picked up a virus, and the bay showed his true colors next out when finishing second to champion Shared Belief (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GI Pacific Classic Aug. 25 after a hard-luck trip. Osborne’s primary targets for next season are the G1 Dubai World Cup and the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland.
“I have been ruing the decision of Meydan to put the dirt down there over the last few months, thinking if only we could go back to Tapeta, as he’d be nearly one of the favorites for the World Cup,” Osborne told the trade daily. “But he looked like a horse yesterday who had been running on dirt all his life. He looked so at ease on it. It did suit his style. It opens up all sorts of things and if we’re lucky enough to still have him and he stays sound he could potentially top and tail the next two years in Meydan and in a Breeders’ Cup Classic.”
‘CHROME’ EXITS CLASSIC WELL
Veteran conditioner Art Sherman was pleased with
GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S. hero California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) following his third-place finish in Saturday’s GI Breeders’ Cup Classic. The Steve Coburn and Perry Martin homebred was shipped back to his Los Alamitos base Saturday night.
“It was a great race for him, and a game race to get beat by a neck,” said Sherman. “Maybe with a stronger race the one before [in the GII Pennsylvania Derby where he finished sixth] he might have won, but I don’t know.”
Future plans for the flashy chestnut have yet to be determined.
“I’ll have to talk to the owners,” the 77-year-old conditioner commented. “It’s been a great run. He’s done everything we wanted…$4 million [in earnings]. It’s been a great year.”
SHARED BELIEF DOING OK POST CLASSIC
Last year’s champion juvenile Shared Belief (Candy Ride {Arg}) is doing fine after suffering his first defeat in Saturday’s controversial GI Breeders’ Cup Classic, where he finished fourth after a troubled start.
“He came out OK,” said conditioner Jerry Hollendorfer. “I don’t have any plans. He will go back to Golden Gate Fields. He needs to be freshened up a bit.”
Both Hollendorfer and his chief assistant Dan Ward refused to comment on the incident at the start in which Classic winner Bayern (Offlee Wild) broke sharply to the left knocking right into Shared Belief.
“We want to make sure he’s OK,” said Ward. “He will walk and rest for a couple of days before shipping back to Golden Gate.”
Hollendorfer saddled two other Breeders’ Cup runners in Parranda (English Channel), who finished sixth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, and Majestic Presence (Majestic Warrior), who was ninth in the
GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Parranda was flown to Kentucky and will sell as hip 120 in today’s Fasig-Tipton November sale. Majestic Presence may make her next start at the upcoming Del Mar fall meet.
“She came back with a lot of dirt in her face,” said Ward of Majestic Presence. “She was covered with mud. It looked like the race had been run in the mud.”
BROWN STILL BASKING IN POST BC GLOW
Trainer Chad Brown was back at his Belmont Park base yesterday following a sensational Breeders’ Cup weekend for his barn. The upstate New York native saddled three winners with Dayatthespa (City Zip) taking the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, Bobby’s Kitten (Kitten’s Joy) capturing the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint and Lady Eli (Divine Park) winning the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. He also sent out Filly & Mare Turf runner-up Stephanie’s Kitten(Kitten’s Joy).
“It was just incredible,” Brown said. “There were so many highlights to the weekend–of course, the three winners. But it was the whole experience all week. So many of my clients came to town for the week. Santa Anita and the Breeders’ Cup were incredible hosts.”
Brown added, “I got to see one of my former mentors, Humberto Ascanio, who worked for Bobby Frankel for over 35 years. On Saturday, Humberto was there when we won with Bobby’s Kitten, who we named after [Frankel]. It was an experience I’ll never forget, winning at the wire and getting to share that moment with Humberto.”
The 3-year-old Bobby’s Kitten came flying late to score a thrilling half-length victory in Saturday’s Turf Sprint following a third-place finish in the GI Woodbine Mile Sept. 14.
“We were taking a shot, cutting him back to the hill,” Brown commented. “He’d never done that before. Joel [Rosario] just rode a beautiful race. I was concerned he was too far back, but he timed it right. Mr. Ramsey mentioned possibly taking the horse to Ascot, so that will be discussed. Longer term than that would be to try to get this horse to the Breeders’ Cup Mile next year at Keeneland.”
Two races prior, the New York-bred Dayatthespa went box-to-wire in the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf with stablemate Stephanie’s Kitten flying late for second.
“It was unbelievable,” the young conditioner remarked. “She was in career form. She had just won the [GI] First Lady. It was just a matter of distance. Javier [Castellano] really deserves the credit for getting her to relax and executing the plan.”
Owned by Jerry Frankel, Ronald Frankel, Steve Laymon and Bradley Thoroughbreds, the chestnut now boasts 11 victories–three of which are Grade Is–from 18 starts and earnings of $2,288,892. She will be offered as hip 184 at today’s Fasig-Tipton November sale.
“She’s scheduled to be offered at Fasig-Tipton,” Brown said of the 5-year-old. “I’m sure the ownership will make the right decision. I couldn’t blame anyone who wanted to go out on top. I could also understand if they wanted to go on with her. She’s in career form right now. She isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. It’s a tough decision, but I’m sure they’ll make the right call.”
Stephanie’s Kitten will also go through today’s sale as hip 141.
Though Brown will be losing two of his stable’s stars, the undefeated Lady Eli (Divine Park) stepped up to take the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
“Just when Dayatthespa is scheduled to go off into the sunset, we get Lady Eli,” Brown said. “She reminds me quite a bit of [Dayatthespa]. I think she’s the best 2-year-old filly in the country, regardless of the surface she’s running on. Hopefully, they’ll both win Eclipse Awards. They deserve it.”
JUVENILE WINNER IN GREAT SHAPE
Trainer Keith Desormeaux reported that his GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile romper Texas Red (Afleet Alex) exited the race in good order.
“All indications are good, but you really don’t know for a couple of days,” the conditioner said. “We are going to put him away for the year and concentrate on the spring.”
The bay overcame odds of 13-1 to register a 6 1/2-length victory in the Juvenile.
“It was impossible to expect something like that against the best horses around,” Desormeaux said.
Texas Red was piloted by his trainer’s brother Kent Desormeaux, who just returned to the track Oct. 26 after being briefly sidelined with broken ribs suffered when he was double-barreled by a horse in the paddock.
“He lives for the Derby dream and it looks like he is going to get to do it again,” Keith Desormeaux said of his brother. “He has had a rough couple of years and it looks like that is behind him now and he can concentrate on what he does best and that is riding races.”
Kent Desormeaux added, “[Texas Red] was just getting into gear. When he got to the wire, he was like ‘Is that it?’ The road to Kentucky leads through here.”
WARD TRAINEES LOOKING GOOD
Though Wesley Ward chose to remain in Florida with his children rather than make the trip to Santa Anita, he scored a career high in Arcadia with his first two Breeders’ Cup wins. Hootenanny (Quality Road) led home a Ward exacta that included Luck of Kitten (Kitten’s Joy) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Friday. The Ward-owned Judy the Beauty (Ghostzapper) gave Ward another championship trophy Saturday with a win in the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, an event in which she was second last year to champion Groupie Doll (Bowman’s Band).
“They came in here looking good and they are looking good coming out,” said Ward’s assistant Blake Heap, who saddled the Breeders’ Cup runners.
Ward was also represented by GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint second and third-place finishers No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) and Undrafted (Purim), and GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf runner-up Sunset Glow (Exchange Rate).
“I don’t know if I could feel any better,” Ward commented. “It was awesome.”
Ward continued, “All of them except for maybe No Nay Never will stay in training. With him being owned by Coolmore, we will see what they want to do. With the Breeders’ Cup being at Keeneland [in 2015] and how well he does there, I would love to give him one more go. All my horses do so well at Keeneland and I think [No Nay Never] definitely has some good racing left in him.”
On his choice to remain in Florida for his son’s cross country meet, Ward said, “My being there wouldn’t have made them run faster and the smile on my boy’s face being here couldn’t make me happier. Everybody’s happy.”
BC ANNIVERSARY FOR MOTION
Graham Motion celebrated the 10-year anniversary of his first Breeders’ Cup win with Better Talk Now (Talkin Man) in the 2004 GI Breeders’ Cup Turf at Lone Star Park with another victory in that event courtesy of Main Sequence(Aldebaran).
“It’s pretty neat,” Motion said. “It’s amazing that it would come around full circle like that, especially since [Better Talk Now] was the horse that kind of put me on the map and is probably the reason I have horses like this.”
The Flaxman Holdings homebred came charging late in his trademark style to capture a half-length victory under Hall of Famer John Velazquez, who was subbing for the injured Rajiv Maragh. This was his fourth Grade I victory from as many tries since coming to the U.S.
“I never could have anticipated these things,” Motion said. “My original plan was to find the easiest race for him. [Previous trainer] David [Lanigan] and I talked about it. We just wanted to get him back on track, and the best way to do that was find the easiest spot possible. When he won the [GI] United Nations the way he did, he was really impressive that day. He showed something that we hadn’t seen before–that turn of foot. With every race, he’s gotten better; he really has.”
Main Sequence will return to Fair Hills, but no future plans have been made as of yet.
“We haven’t decided anything yet,” Motion said. “We’ve been invited to Japan [G1 Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse Nov. 30] and Hong Kong [G1 Hong Kong Vase or G1 Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin Dec. 14]. I don’t know, I just might take him back to Fair Hill and regroup. It’s a good shot we could do Dubai. The world is his oyster at the moment. I’m not sure what to do.”
With four Grade I wins, the chestnut seems to have the Eclipse award for top turf male firmly in his grasp and following yesterday’s victory many think Horse of the Year is not out of the question.
“He has won four Group Is,” Motion said in reference to Horse of the Year talk. “No other horse has done what he’s done. At the end of the day, I’m not going to lose sleep over it. He certainly deserves consideration. I’m sure there’ll be a lot of split opinions because of the dirt and turf. I get that. It’s America, we race on dirt.”
Fellow Motion runners Rainha Da Bateria (Broken Vow), ninth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, and Rusty Slipper (Lemon Drop Kid), 10th in the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, both exited their races in good order.
ALBERTRANI RUNNERS ON THE MOVE
Tom Albertrani returned to his New York base Saturday night and his two Breeders’ Cup runners Better Lucky (Ghostzapper), second in the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, and Twilight Eclipse (Purim), third in the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf, also had post-championship travel plans.
“Better Lucky is going to Kentucky this afternoon and Twilight Eclipse leaves for Florida on Monday night,” Albertrani said. “Better Lucky, that was probably her last race and for Twilight Eclipse, the [GIII] W.L. McKnight [Dec. 27 at Gulfstream Park] is a possibility or we may just freshen him up.”
Godolphin Racing’s Better Lucky is a two-time Grade I winner on grass and is now graded stakes-placed on both dirt and Polytrack.
“I have been saying all along that she can run on anything–grass, Poly, dirt,” Albertrani said. “I was delighted to see her run so well.”
Better Lucky’s impressive runner-up effort to Judy the Beauty (Ghostzapper) yesterday bumped her earnings to $1,278,950 and improved her record to 20-6-5-5.
“She will be hard to replace,” Albertrani said. “She was only off the board once [in the past two years] and that is when she stumbled at the start. She would definitely be right there with a few others [as an all-time favorite]. She was a pleasure to have in the barn and she thrived on racing.”