JC / Railbird

Breeders’ Cup Archive

The Worst of Racing

That I lost all but one bet at the Breeders’ Cup isn’t what has me feeling so down today. Nor is it that Lost in the Fog didn’t win. What has me so out of sorts was watching the Mile yesterday afternoon and then hearing the news last night that jockey Michel Lapensee died on Friday from injuries he suffered in an accident at Suffolk Downs last Monday.
Accidents happen in racing. Horses break down; jockeys are paralyzed or killed. It’s the ugly side of the sport, what we don’t mention when we’re talking about getting people out to the track or how to promote racing. And no wonder — when accidents happen, when there’s a death, it can horrify even the most devoted fans and make them want to turn away.
I didn’t see the accident at Suffolk last week, but I’ve seen enough to imagine the scene on the far turn. The rider lying motionless in the dirt, the wild-eyed horse fighting to right itself on the track. Michel Lapensee was much like other Suffolk jockeys, a journeyman who loved to ride, took the mounts he could get and did his best. That he died doing what he loved is small consolation for the horror of those moments.
What happened to Funfair in the Breeders’ Cup Mile was hardly less shocking. Halfway down the backstretch, the horse was pulled up with what very quickly could be seen as a catastrophic injury to his right hind leg. Jockey Edgar Prado struggled to still him and then slipped off the panicky animal, who broke loose from his hold and ran toward the outer rail, bucking and trying to shake away the pain. His leg flopped in the air. As the rest of the field ran to the finish, Funfair limped back toward Prado and an outrider. They caught the horse and the vet approached. The crowd cried out — the results were posted, favorite Leroidesanimaux was second by a nose — and Funfair slumped to the ground. The tarp went up.
I meant to write today about the best in racing — there were plenty of such moments yesterday — but I’m pausing instead to confront the worst, to mourn what was truly lost this weekend.

Posted in Breeders' Cup on October 30, 2005

Finally, the Breeders’ Cup

Breeders’ Cup post positions and a morning line are up.
Although the Daily Racing Form’s BC preview has accompanied me all about town this past week, I haven’t handicapped the races as much I’d hoped. I’m consoling myself for the lack with the story of the CIA study that showed the more information handicappers had, the less accurate they were likely to be even as their confidence increased, and with the gloomy knowledge that I have a dismal Breeders’ Cup record. Blink handicapping can only improve it.
As an experiment, I’m posting my hunch/quick plays …
Juvenile Fillies: Along the Sea
Juveniles: Ivan Denisovich
Filly & Mare Turf: Wonder Again
Sprint: Lost in the Fog
Mile: Funfair
Distaff: Healthy Addiction
Turf: Shirocco
Classic: Perfect Drift
We’ll see how this method fares. Or, maybe I’ll just play the Equidaily way …
And the results are: One winner, Shirocco in the Turf, for $19.60. Well, there’s always next year.

Posted in Breeders' Cup on October 27, 2005

Looking for Mudders

Hurricane Wilma is working its way up the East Coast, drenching New York and New England this morning. Everything is supposed to clear up on Thursday, and Saturday should be partly sunny, with only a 40% chance of rain. Even if not another drop falls until after the Breeders’ Cup, the Belmont turf is sure to be soft, which is another reason for me to leave the three grass races to others.
As for the dirt, reader Victoria emailed to say she was “handicapping with an eye toward mud” and I think she’s probably right in doing that. If the rain does go away on Thursday, the main track should be fast on Saturday. It’d be folly to count on that, though. So, who are the off-track standouts? One that really popped out at me in going over the Daily Racing Form Breeders’ Cup preview is Capeside Lady (30-1 morning line) in the Distaff. Trainer Todd Pletcher is understandably talking up stablemate Ashado, who will be retired after the BC and is the likely Distaff favorite. On a fast track, Capeside Lady isn’t likely to upset. On an off-track, she could win at a big price. Some of her most impressive performances and biggest Beyers — which equal Ashado’s — have come on muddy surfaces. She’s definitely one to consider if the conditions are right.

Posted in Breeders' Cup on October 25, 2005

Shrinking Fields

Lost in the Fog will face a little less competition next Saturday. The Breeders’ Cup Sprint lost two starters this weekend: High Fly is out with a condylar fracture, as is Roman Ruler owing to a developing foot problem. “It’s not a quarter crack, but something is brewing in his heel,” said Baffert (Blood-Horse). Roman Ruler was plagued with quarter cracks last spring, which kept the colt out of the Triple Crown races.
Other recent withdrawals from next week’s races include Spinster Stakes winner Pampered Princess from the Distaff and Motivator from the Turf. The English Derby winner was retired after returning from a workout lame. Graham Motion, trainer of last year’s Turf winner, Better Talk Now, found a silver lining in that news: Motivator’s absence means Better Talk Now’s rabbit, Shake the Bank, can start. “Much as I hate to see one come out, this really helps our cause,” said Motion (Guardian).

Posted in Breeders' Cup on October 23, 2005