Monmouth Park Triumphs over Adversity
Monmouth Park Does Its Best to Cope with Atrocious Weather
New Jersey was thrilled when its Monmouth Park Racetrack was chosen to host the 2007 Breeders' Cup. Little did they anticipate they would be pelted with massive rainstorms nearly flooding them out.
Jersey isn't a quitter and staff worked round the clock to drain the ground so that it would be fit to race on. Everyone acknowledges they did a formidable job.
Even so, Europeans think the races should have been canceled on safety grounds. Their governing bodies would not send horses out in dangerous conditions and only race on Turf or All Weather for the protection of horses and riders. Additionally, they deplore the use of drugs in US racing which makes the horses more vulnerable to overreach.
What could the Breeders' Cup Committee do under the circumstances with its very commercial, once-a-year, season topper? They carried on.
As result, there is a growing movement in Europe to stage its own Breeders' Cup to conform with its regulatory drug and safety policies.
It may be my US origins, but I did find the Breeders' Cup races to be thrilling and of the highest standard in spite of the rotten weather and ground.
No horse was injured that I know of except George Washington Ire (Danehill USA) and no Danehill projeny should be allowed to run on that ground. He was in the wrong race in the wrong conditions.
The demanding conditions favoured stamina over early speed and turned up some interesting winners both days.
The addition of the second day offered new categories and distances which showed off six-year-old Maryfield Can (Elusive Quality) in the Filly & Mare Sprint on Dirt, 6f; Nownownow USA (Whywhywhy) in the Juvenile Turf, 1m, slamming Coolmore's Achill Island Ire (Sadler's Wells USA) into second with a surprising late run; and the admirable Corinthian USA (Pulpit) back to form turning in almost record time of l:39:0 (record l:38:3) in the Dirt Mile, lm 1/2f.
Sadly, Godolphin's Discreet Cat USA (Forestry) could do no better than third in the latter race and has been retired.
Saturday turned up two amazing two-year olds and a brilliant sprinter on dirt: filly Indian Blessing USA (Indian Charlie), colt War Pass USA (Cherokee Run) and four-year-old sprinter Midnight Lute USA (Real Quiet).
As mentioned in an earlier column, Europe had its one winner with the four-year-old filly Lahudood (Singspiel) in the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, Grade 1, Turf, lm 3f.
Technically, she raced for the American trainer Kiaren McLaughlin but was bred in Great Britain and raced for Johnathan Pease in France until this year. Lahudood has been retired to Shadwell USA, but there has been no announcement yet of which stallion will cover her.
Europe nearly got its second win with Excellent Art (Pivotal) in the Netjets Breeders' Cup Mile, Grade 1, Turf, until Kip Deville USA (Kipling) from Oklahoma ended that dream in a late run in almost record time. Coolmore's Excellent Art just seems to be unlucky and has been retired to stud at three.
The Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff, Grade 1, on Dirt, 1m 1f, produced an 'awesome' win by Ginger Punch USA (Awesome Again) when she held off the interfering Hystericalady USA (Distorted Humor) with a bump of her own and a quick, assertive recovery.
Unlucky as Octave USA (Unbridled's Song) was in a late run to take third, she got lucky in the sales ring. Never out of place position in her races, both Coolmore and Darley wanted the gutsy little gray three-year-old filly. Darley got her, in part, because the auctioneer did not see Coolmore's contra bid. She was knocked down for $4m at Fasig-Tipton's breeding stock sale. Not bad for losing.
The winner will race next year at five.
The top sire emerged in the final two Breeders' Cup races: Smart Strike USA sired both winners and doubled his fee to $150,000 for next year.
English Channel USA (Smart Strike), trained by Todd Pletcher, was a runaway winner of the John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf, Grade 1, 1m 4f, to beat Shamdinan FR (Dr Fong), last year's winner British Red Rocks Ire (Galileo Ire), Better Talk Now USA (Talkin Man) and favourite Dylan Thomas Ire (Danehill USA) who was eased home in fifth by jockey Johnny Murtagh.
Murtagh said Dylan could not handle the soggy ground and trainer Brian Meehan felt Red Rocks never picked up on the ground for Frankie Dettori.
The best and the worst was last in the Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge, Grade 1, on Dirt, 1m 2f--the US Classic Derby distance. The sun came out and nine stunning three- and four-year-old colts and geldings paraded their powerful virility before the happy crowd. It is the race everyone waits for and never disappoints.
Every horse in the race was worthy with five of US top horses competing to win the race and qualify for America's Horse of the Year Award. There were five three-year olds and four four-year olds.
Europe's sole representative was Ireland's four-year-old George Washington (Danehill USA) who did not survive the race.
The ground was atrocious and sapped the strength of most of them except Curlin USA (Smart Strike) who power housed home beating out speedster Hard Spun USA (Danzig), Awesome Gem USA (Awesome Again who sired Ginger Punch) and, farther behind, the fabulous-looking Street Sense USA (Street Cry) who ran out of gas.
Curlin certainly did not look like the same horse tamed by the filly Rags to Riches.
He was breathtakingly commanding and will no doubt be crowned Horse of the Year. His win has already earned him a 131 Dirt Rating which is the highest for a currently-racing horse and puts him 1 point behind the recently retired Invasor at 132.
Wonder who will buy Curlin when his legal ownership is settled by the Courts.
There is nothing like the Breeders' Cup which races the cream of America's stallions for the one truly international race in the US racing calendar.
There are nothing like US horses as most of the great non-US horses and stud lines are based on US bloodlines. Those lines are still the most desired as proven in recent Sales' results.
There are nothing like American jockeys who make the rest of the world's look like unschooled pussycats or the extraordinary trainers who bring their charges to perfect peak condition for these great race days.
So, despite being an American who prefers the gentile options of Turf/AW and Europe's stricter regulations, I am an unabashed fan of US racing.
I believe the industry will be better served with uniform international regulations to assure the integrity of the sport and protect horses and riders alike.
And, nothing could be better than the Breeders' Cup finding a way to come to Europe, or Europe creating her own version--with or without the Dirt option.
New Jersey was thrilled when its Monmouth Park Racetrack was chosen to host the 2007 Breeders' Cup. Little did they anticipate they would be pelted with massive rainstorms nearly flooding them out.
Jersey isn't a quitter and staff worked round the clock to drain the ground so that it would be fit to race on. Everyone acknowledges they did a formidable job.
Even so, Europeans think the races should have been canceled on safety grounds. Their governing bodies would not send horses out in dangerous conditions and only race on Turf or All Weather for the protection of horses and riders. Additionally, they deplore the use of drugs in US racing which makes the horses more vulnerable to overreach.
What could the Breeders' Cup Committee do under the circumstances with its very commercial, once-a-year, season topper? They carried on.
As result, there is a growing movement in Europe to stage its own Breeders' Cup to conform with its regulatory drug and safety policies.
It may be my US origins, but I did find the Breeders' Cup races to be thrilling and of the highest standard in spite of the rotten weather and ground.
No horse was injured that I know of except George Washington Ire (Danehill USA) and no Danehill projeny should be allowed to run on that ground. He was in the wrong race in the wrong conditions.
The demanding conditions favoured stamina over early speed and turned up some interesting winners both days.
The addition of the second day offered new categories and distances which showed off six-year-old Maryfield Can (Elusive Quality) in the Filly & Mare Sprint on Dirt, 6f; Nownownow USA (Whywhywhy) in the Juvenile Turf, 1m, slamming Coolmore's Achill Island Ire (Sadler's Wells USA) into second with a surprising late run; and the admirable Corinthian USA (Pulpit) back to form turning in almost record time of l:39:0 (record l:38:3) in the Dirt Mile, lm 1/2f.
Sadly, Godolphin's Discreet Cat USA (Forestry) could do no better than third in the latter race and has been retired.
Saturday turned up two amazing two-year olds and a brilliant sprinter on dirt: filly Indian Blessing USA (Indian Charlie), colt War Pass USA (Cherokee Run) and four-year-old sprinter Midnight Lute USA (Real Quiet).
As mentioned in an earlier column, Europe had its one winner with the four-year-old filly Lahudood (Singspiel) in the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, Grade 1, Turf, lm 3f.
Technically, she raced for the American trainer Kiaren McLaughlin but was bred in Great Britain and raced for Johnathan Pease in France until this year. Lahudood has been retired to Shadwell USA, but there has been no announcement yet of which stallion will cover her.
Europe nearly got its second win with Excellent Art (Pivotal) in the Netjets Breeders' Cup Mile, Grade 1, Turf, until Kip Deville USA (Kipling) from Oklahoma ended that dream in a late run in almost record time. Coolmore's Excellent Art just seems to be unlucky and has been retired to stud at three.
The Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff, Grade 1, on Dirt, 1m 1f, produced an 'awesome' win by Ginger Punch USA (Awesome Again) when she held off the interfering Hystericalady USA (Distorted Humor) with a bump of her own and a quick, assertive recovery.
Unlucky as Octave USA (Unbridled's Song) was in a late run to take third, she got lucky in the sales ring. Never out of place position in her races, both Coolmore and Darley wanted the gutsy little gray three-year-old filly. Darley got her, in part, because the auctioneer did not see Coolmore's contra bid. She was knocked down for $4m at Fasig-Tipton's breeding stock sale. Not bad for losing.
The winner will race next year at five.
The top sire emerged in the final two Breeders' Cup races: Smart Strike USA sired both winners and doubled his fee to $150,000 for next year.
English Channel USA (Smart Strike), trained by Todd Pletcher, was a runaway winner of the John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf, Grade 1, 1m 4f, to beat Shamdinan FR (Dr Fong), last year's winner British Red Rocks Ire (Galileo Ire), Better Talk Now USA (Talkin Man) and favourite Dylan Thomas Ire (Danehill USA) who was eased home in fifth by jockey Johnny Murtagh.
Murtagh said Dylan could not handle the soggy ground and trainer Brian Meehan felt Red Rocks never picked up on the ground for Frankie Dettori.
The best and the worst was last in the Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge, Grade 1, on Dirt, 1m 2f--the US Classic Derby distance. The sun came out and nine stunning three- and four-year-old colts and geldings paraded their powerful virility before the happy crowd. It is the race everyone waits for and never disappoints.
Every horse in the race was worthy with five of US top horses competing to win the race and qualify for America's Horse of the Year Award. There were five three-year olds and four four-year olds.
Europe's sole representative was Ireland's four-year-old George Washington (Danehill USA) who did not survive the race.
The ground was atrocious and sapped the strength of most of them except Curlin USA (Smart Strike) who power housed home beating out speedster Hard Spun USA (Danzig), Awesome Gem USA (Awesome Again who sired Ginger Punch) and, farther behind, the fabulous-looking Street Sense USA (Street Cry) who ran out of gas.
Curlin certainly did not look like the same horse tamed by the filly Rags to Riches.
He was breathtakingly commanding and will no doubt be crowned Horse of the Year. His win has already earned him a 131 Dirt Rating which is the highest for a currently-racing horse and puts him 1 point behind the recently retired Invasor at 132.
Wonder who will buy Curlin when his legal ownership is settled by the Courts.
There is nothing like the Breeders' Cup which races the cream of America's stallions for the one truly international race in the US racing calendar.
There are nothing like US horses as most of the great non-US horses and stud lines are based on US bloodlines. Those lines are still the most desired as proven in recent Sales' results.
There are nothing like American jockeys who make the rest of the world's look like unschooled pussycats or the extraordinary trainers who bring their charges to perfect peak condition for these great race days.
So, despite being an American who prefers the gentile options of Turf/AW and Europe's stricter regulations, I am an unabashed fan of US racing.
I believe the industry will be better served with uniform international regulations to assure the integrity of the sport and protect horses and riders alike.
And, nothing could be better than the Breeders' Cup finding a way to come to Europe, or Europe creating her own version--with or without the Dirt option.
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