BC Preps, Round Two
The weekend is coming up fast and that means more Breeders’ Cup prep races. This Saturday is a big one for juveniles, with the Champagne and Frizette at Belmont and the Futurity at Keeneland, which begins its fall meet Friday with seven graded stakes scheduled for opening weekend (Courier-Journal).
First Samurai and Henny Hughes headline the Champagne. The two colts last met in the Hopeful, which First Samurai won by four and a half lengths over Henny Hughes despite a green tendency to lug in. Trainer Frank Brothers changed bits on the two-year-old for his last workout, and the different equipment seems to brought some improvement (Blood-Horse):
Trainer Patrick Biancone said that Saratoga Special winner Henny Hughes has trained well in the past few weeks (Daily Racing Form):
Six others are entered in the Champagne, including the Tim Ritchey-trained Menacing, making only his second career start (Times-Union):
Ritchey also has a starter in the Futurity: Kid Lemonade, who ran second to Nick Zito’s Champagne starter Superfly at Delaware on September 17.
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Spinaway winner Adieu is the morning line favorite for the Frizette (NYRA). She’ll face the unbeaten Keeneland Kat, who’s demonstrated a pretty strong late kick in both her starts, and Mykindasaint, who comes into the race 3-for-3. The Frizette will be a test for the filly. “I don’t fool myself about horses, and I don’t think she’s beaten a good filly yet,” [trainer Bubba] Cascio said about Mykindasaint. “But she’s beaten everything she’s run against easy. So we’ll just see” (Star-Telegram).
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Volponi used the Meadowland Breeders’ Cup as a springboard into the 2002 Breeders’ Cup Classic. One of this year’s starters may do the same. The six-year-old Alumni Hall is the early favorite, coming off a seven-length win at Saratoga on August 25. Purge, Royal Assault, and Tap Day are also entered, as is Ice Wynnd Fire, winner of two straight at Saratoga. Longshot Itsawonderfulife ships in from Suffolk Downs for a shot at the $500,000 purse.
