Breeders’ Cup Notes
– For American racing fans, the Breeders’ Cup peaked with Curlin’s dazzling display of speed and heart as he ran down Hard Spun in the Monmouth stretch, drawing past to win the Classic by 4 1/2 lengths. Final time for the race was 2:00.59, a Monmouth track record, with Curlin running the final quarter in :24.33. His Beyer came back a career-best 119. Thanks to a lot of sentimental money, Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense went off as the 3-2 post-time favorite, while Curlin — who beat Street Sense in the Preakness and Lawyer Ron in the Jockey Club Gold Cup — was sent off at 4-1, creating great value in the Classic if you played it right. Not only did Curlin pay $10.80 to win, but the exacta with Hard Spun came back a decent $70.80 and the trifecta, with longshot Awesome Gem, $645. (I didn’t have any of those — in fact, I went a perfect 0-for-8 on the day. Never have I been more glad to have not posted picks, because some turned out pretty laughable.)
For European racing fans, the Classic was the culmination of not just “one of the more wretched European adventures at the Breeders’ Cup, but one of the blackest anytime, anywhere” (Independent). For the first time since 1998, Euro shippers were shut out, doing no better than second in any race, with superhorse Dylan Thomas throwing the biggest clunker. Sent off at 4-5 in the Turf, the Arc winner struggled with the soft course, finishing sixth. “It was not turf racing,” said jockey Johnny Murtagh in the press conference after, pointing to his mud-spattered silks. “He was spinning his wheels out there. He even hated the warm-up, and this is a horse who loves his racing and everything about it. We had no chance.” That was clear when Murtagh took the whip to Dylan Thomas before the field even turned into the stretch, never a positive sign.
But what made the day truly dark was the tragic end of George Washington at the Classic’s conclusion. Having sustained a “hopeless” fracture of the right foreleg, “one of the most exciting horses to race in modern times” (Daily Mail) was screened from view and euthanized on track in front of the grandstand, only yards from the finish line and the celebratory crowd gathering for Curlin in the winner’s circle. Speculation that the sloppy track condition was a factor arose, as did George Washington’s inexperience on dirt. (The colt had started over the surface only once before, in the 2006 Classic, where he finished sixth, before being retired to stud. Found sub-fertile, he was brought back to race this year.) Asked after, veterinarian Wayne McIlwraith said that running over slop was “always a concern.”
Trainer Aidan O’Brien assigned no blame, and spoke eloquently of his star on Sunday morning. “George being George, if it had to happen, he would have chosen it that way: a big race, a big day,” he said. “He was a special one. He had character, attitude, everything. He was the complete, natural athlete” (Independent).
– Curlin, an unraced maiden at the start of the year, couldn’t have been more impressive in the Classic, surely tying up Horse of the Year and Champion 3YO honors with the win. Whether he’ll race next year is undecided. “With Robby on board and Steve training, I’m sure we can prove that he’s one of the best in the last century or half-century,” said part-owner Jess Jackson, who pointed out that Smart Strike’s sons often improve with age (WashPost).
Jackson admitted though that he’s struggling with the decision to continue racing Curlin or send him to stud. “We’ll see what happens. It is a financial game.” Gary West knows what the owners should do: “If he’s retired … it’ll be a decision his owners will regret forever because they’ll never get another one like him” (Star-Telegram).
– No indecision surrounds Street Sense. The Classic favorite finished fifth and left Monmouth for Darley stud duty at 5:00 this afternoon. It was a disappointing career end for the Derby winner, especially for those close to the colt. “I don’t have any excuses,” said trainer Carl Nafzger. “I didn’t have any going into the race and I don’t have any after the race. I did not win … and I am mad” (Times Union).
– Among the other post-BC retirees: Classic runner-up Hard Spun (joining Street Sense at Darley), Turf winner English Channel (to Hurricane Hall Farm), Dirt Mile winner Corinthian (to Gainesway), Filly & Mare Turf winner Lahudood (to Shadwell), My Typhoon (to Live Oak Plantation), and Balance (undetermined). Discreet Cat, third in the Dirt Mile, is back at Belmont and reportedly came out of the race fine. “We’re trying to figure him out,” said assistant trainer Rick Mettee. “No decision has been made for his future.” [10/30 Update: Discreet Cat retired to stand stud at Darley for $30,000.]
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