JC / Railbird

Breeders’ Cup Archive

Breeders’ Cup Notes

This Saturday offers a preview of Breeders’ Cup day with five grade one stakes races scheduled at Belmont (New York Daily News). In addition to the Jockey Club Gold Cup, the Beldame, Vosburgh, Flower Bowl, and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic are on the card. Flower Alley, Ashado, and Sand Springs were among the expected starters in next weekend’s races putting in workouts on Sunday (NYRA).
Saturday is more than a preview — it’s a day to get big questions answered: Is Wonder Again ready for tougher competition? Are Flower Alley and Roman Ruler ready to take on their elders? And what about Ashado? (Daily Racing Form — sub. req.)
From across the pond: Despite Dettori’s ill-judged ride in last Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, beaten favorite Dubawi is still on track to run in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (Guardian).

Posted in Breeders' Cup on September 26, 2005

Breeders’ Cup Report Card

Election numbers may not be final, but Breeders’ Cup numbers are: Ghostzapper earned a Beyer of 124 (“The biggest figure ever run in the Classic”), Roses in May pulled off a 119, and Azeri matched her best with a 109. (Daily Racing Form)

Posted in Breeders' Cup on November 3, 2004

The Day After

“Demonstrating the kind of decisive superiority seldom seen at the highest level of thoroughbred racing, Ghostzapper thrashed the $4 million Breeders Cup Classic yesterday to stamp himself not only the best horse in America but maybe the whole universe. He was, in a word, stupendous!” (New York Post)
More: Ghostzapper’s performance leaves “no doubt as to Horse of the Year” (Daily Racing Form); trainer Bobby Frankel “gets bonus points for his ability to strategize” (Times Union); and Ghostzapper was the best horse in the Classic but, “Is he better than Smarty Jones?” (Boston Globe)
Related: It wouldn’t be a Breeders’ Cup without a few surprises. British shipper Wilko shocked in the Juvenile (LA Times); the “unheralded gelding” from Maryland Better Talk Now held off favorite Kitten’s Joy in the Turf (ESPN); and trainer Todd Pletcher gets not one, but two wins in the Breeders’ Cup (New York Times)
Complete results (Equibase)
Watch the races (MSNBC)

Posted in Breeders' Cup on October 31, 2004