JC / Railbird

Breeders’ Cup Archive

Corrective

What CMO Peter Land said during a Blood-Horse chat when asked about using standard saddle cloth colors in the Breeders’ Cup:

There are some within our organization that support your point of view and others who believe the tradition of the purple saddle cloths is one that separates us out from every other event and is core to our identity. Frankly, the solution is Trakus, which would allow the wagerer/fan to track the horses without worrying about the color of the saddle cloth.

What Brooklyn Backstretch said in response over on Green but Game:

Frankly, the solution is the end of your relentless and ineffective self-promotion at the expense of race fans’ most basic and fundamental interest: where their damn horse is!

I couldn’t possibly improve on that statement, although I will admit that I agree with Land that to have Trakus would be tremendous. Too bad Santa Anita doesn’t have the system installed, though, so using Trakus isn’t an option next week and fans will have to suffer through yet another year of purple saddle cloths. Frankly …

Complete Breeders’ Cup

pre-entries now available (PDF). QEII winner Raven’s Pass joins Euro invaders Henrythenavigator and Duke of Marmalade in the BC Classic, headlined by Curlin; Casino Drive has second preference in the Marathon; and the Filly and Mare Classic comes up with a mere eight starters, including Music Note and Ginger Punch, topped by Zenyatta.

No Walkover Next Out

Music Note points to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Classic following her absolutely effortless win in the Gazelle on Saturday. The 3-year-old filly may turn out to be no match for Zenyatta or Ginger Punch, but with several top horses across divisions iffy for the Pro-Ride BC, it’s nice to see Godolphin state so unequivocally Music Note will get a crack at the competition. (Similar praise for Big Brown and connections, as well. Now, if only Curlin would show up.)
– Caught a Three Chimneys ad for Big Brown while watching the OTB channel this afternoon, which had the intended effect of sending me to the farm’s web site to check out his stallion page. Applications for service next spring are being accepted; stud fee to be determined, of course, depending on how the colt performs in his final race next month and end-of-the-year honors. Winston, don’t get attached.

Ladbrokes Favorite

Here’s one Euro possible for a synthetic Breeders’ Cup:

Henrythenavigator, at 4-11, just held off Raven’s Pass in the Sussex Stakes, adding to his impressive record. “He won’t be beaten this year,” declared rider Johnny Murtagh after, to which Chris McGrath responds in the Telegraph:

That acquired the look of a very bold assertion when John Magnier, his owner, included the Breeders’ Cup Classic among the colt’s potential targets. The Coolmore boss reasoned that the race’s transfer to a new, synthetic surface this year made it even more tempting than when O’Brien had tried his luck with Giant’s Causeway, second in 2000, and, rather less successfully, with Galileo and Hawk Wing. As for the new distance, all concerned seem confident that Henrythenavigator will stay 10 furlongs. Ladbrokes make him 7-2 favourite for Santa Anita, but you can get 6-1 with Coral.

New distance to challenge, but what competition? Curlin may close his career elsewhere, Big Brown may or may not be in training, the remaining 3-year-old male and handicap horses struggle to distinguish themselves (except, of course, for awesome Commentator, also doubtful for the Breeders’ Cup). Henrythenavigator could be the best thing going in the Classic at Santa Anita. As for Sussex runner-up Raven’s Pass, connections are considering the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

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