JC / Railbird

Breeders’ Cup Archive

Champagne for Zito

– Looking a little stunned in the winner’s circle following the Champagne Stakes, trainer Nick Zito thanked his help for sticking around “through a long couple of years.” The 1 1/2 length win by War Pass over longshot Pyro was the first graded stakes score for the Zito barn since Wanderin Boy took the G2 Brooklyn Handicap in 2006 and the first G1 win since In the Gold in the 2005 Gazelle Stakes. Zito is now headed to the Breeders’ Cup with the 3-for-3 War Pass, who wired the Champagne in 1:36.12, setting quick early fractions of :22.87 and :45.72 in the first half and running the last quarter in a visually unimpressive :25.88. The colt shortened stride with jockey Cornelio Velasquez scrubbing furiously as they neared the wire, allowing Pyro to cut the margin of victory with a late dash. Whether the front-running War Pass can handle a two-turn route will be a big question going into the Juvenile. [War Pass’ Beyer speed figure: 103.]
Even-money favorite Majestic Warrior and second-favorite Ready’s Image, both graded stakes winners, turned in lousy efforts, finishing sixth and last, respectively. “At the half-mile pole, I was out of horse,” said jockey Garrett Gomez of Majestic Warrior. Trainer Todd Pletcher said immediately after the Champagne that Ready’s Image would not start in the Juvenile. “I wouldn’t expect a horse of that quality to run like that without an excuse” (Blood-Horse).
– Trainer Bob Baffert has two strong contenders for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, with Indian Blessing likely joining Oak Leaf winner Cry and Catch Me in the gate at Monmouth on October 27 following her 4 1/2 length romp this afternoon in the Frizette Stakes. Final time for the mile was 1:37.24; Indian Blessing ran the final quarter in :27.24. Gomez let the filly open up an eight length lead in the stretch, then shut her down in the final sixteenth, saving something for the Breeders’ Cup, perhaps, where she could well start as the favorite. It was only the second career start for the Indian Charlie filly, whose debut win at Saratoga was as much a blowout as the Frizette. [Indian Blessing’s Beyer speed figure: 87.]
– Today’s ESPN Win and You’re In broadcast of the Champagne and Keeneland stakes was bedeviled by audiovisual problems, with sound and picture both dropping out occasionally, and the afternoon was marred by one serious injury and two fatal accidents. In the Phoenix Stakes, Teuflesberg suffered a closed sesamoid fracture while racing third down the backstretch. Jockey Julien Leparoux did an excellent job of pulling up the colt and dismounting and Teuflesberg is now at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, where he’ll have surgery next week on his left foreleg. Before the Phoenix, multiple stakes winner Dream of Angels flipped over, incurring severe head trauma, and was euthanized in the paddock. In the Lane’s End Futurity, Gold Train broke down while pressing pacesetter and eventual winner Wicked Style. The two-year-old colt also suffered a fracture of the sesamoids and was euthanized.
– There’s a pick six carryover of $133,077 at Santa Anita on Sunday, thanks to 61-1 Smokey Route, who knocked out all remaining live tickets winning today’s nightcap. The pick six starts in race five on Sunday, with the Breeders’ Cup Challenge stakes on the card making up the first three legs.

Posted in Belmont, Breeders' Cup on October 6, 2007

Tuesday Evening Notes

– After losing the Adirondack and Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga by a combined 50 lengths, Phantom Income returned to winning form on Saturday in the NATC Futurity at Meadowlands (Blood-Horse). Sent off at 8-1, the two-year-old filly pressed the early pace, then squeezed through on the inside to win by 4 1/2 lengths over New York City Girl. Final time for the six furlong race was 1:09. An impressive debut winner at Belmont in July, Phantom Income was declared a non-starter in the Adirondack after a gate incident marred the break, leaving the second favorite trailing the field by several lengths. Trainer Rick Violette told Thoroughbred Daily News last month that the incident had set the talented-but-temperamental filly back mentally, requiring gate-schooling anew. “It has been a big problem,” he said. “We have had her back to the gate every day.” The conditioner must be hopeful that Saturday’s score is a sign Phantom is feeling good again.
– Undefeated Withers winner Divine Park, out of training since May with an injury to his left hind foot, worked three furlongs in :36.82 at Belmont Park this morning. Divine Park was expected to start in the Ohio Derby and was being pointed to the Haskell; no word yet on what trainer Kiaran McLaughlin might be planning for the Chester House colt in coming months.
– Over on FormBlog, Dan Illman gives a tutorial on spotting lead changes.
– I knew there was a reason I took a shine to Fabulous Strike at Belmont: The Vosburgh winner has Boston connections (Lowell Sun).
– Oh, and there were a few big Breeders’ Cup prep races across the country this weekend. Check out Superfecta, Mann, and Crist for all the details.

Posted in Breeders' Cup, Horses on October 2, 2007

They Won, They’re In

– Did anyone else find Saturday’s first Breeders’ Cup Challenge day as much a yawn as I did? Three of the four horses who won at Saratoga were probably headed to the Breeders’ Cup anyway, although Lawyer Ron was being considered for the Mile, a race perhaps more suited to his running style, and now has a berth in the Classic, a race he finished ninth in last year. Go For Wand winner Ginger Punch will have to be supplemented $180,000 to claim her guaranteed Distaff spot. It was great to see My Typhoon score a well-earned G1 victory following two G2 wins and Diabolical is a fine sprinter, but neither could be considered a “Cinderella” horse capable of whipping up casual fan interest as BC president Greg Avioli talked about happening in an interview before the Diana. The thing is, without standings, a better distribution of graded stakes among the divisions, and incentives for trainers to seek competition rather than duck it, Lawyer Ron’s record-setting Whitney and the other three stakes on Saturday remain just as unconnected and one-off as they did when there was no Challenge. “Win and You’re In” is a good concept, but it needs work.
– Todd Pletcher’s Saratoga slump extends to more than two-year-olds: The supertrainer has won just four of 25 starts in the meet’s first week. Admittedly, two of those wins were the Sanford and Whitney, but Pletcher is disappointed with his record so far anyway (Times Union).
– He wasn’t fully cranked, he got trapped on the inside, but Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense prevailed in Sunday’s Jim Dandy Stakes just the same. “It was a good, solid prep to get him ready for the Travers,” said trainer Carl Nafzger after (Blood-Horse).
– Rags to Riches is back in training (DRF).

Posted in Breeders' Cup, Saratoga on July 30, 2007