JC / Railbird

Breeders’ Cup Archive

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

Meet the Candidates

Thoroughbred Daily News has asked Breeders’ Cup board candidates what they think is the biggest issue facing the Breeders’ Cup and have kindly allowed Patrick of Pulling Hair & Betting Horses to reprint their answers. Interesting stuff — promotion and growing the fan base are recurring themes, with Barry Weisbord making a good point about adding “elements of rational and meaningful structure, including schedule and standings, to differentiate our best and most marketable product,” and Chris Young talking up the potential of using technology to connect with fans.

Posted in Breeders' Cup on June 4, 2007

BC Board Vote

Street Sense’s defection from the Belmont shows (again, like we needed the reminder) how much the breeding side of the business affects racing. But it also illustrates how much two races — the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders’ Cup Classic — have come to dominate the sport’s calendar and determine a horse’s stud value. To a horse that’s won the Derby, but lost the Preakness, the Belmont adds almost nothing. (And if he loses the Belmont, it only diminishes.) The only race that means more — to end of the year honors, to stud fees — is the Classic. Given the rising influence of the Classic and the rest of the Breeders’ Cup program, it’s a bit odd that so little is known about the views of the candidates currently up for election to the Breeders’ Cup Board. Byron, at the Pedigree Guru, explains the board’s politics and what’s at stake in this round of voting.

Posted in Breeders' Cup on June 1, 2007