Breeders' Cup Opening Day
There are many high-level race meets all over the world, but there is only one Breeders' Cup. It is the ultimate raceday for the Americas at end of the U. S. racing season.
There are 14 races on two days - six on Friday and eight on Saturday with no more than 14 entrants per race. No race is Graded lower than 3 and most are Grade 1s.
There are 184 horses entered with 26 from overseas. Races for international horses are chosen with the Breeders' Cup as the ultimate objective.
Horses are aimed at it not just to win for prestige, a breeding record or a share of the generous $27 million purses, but to get higher prices at the weekend sales.
Two winners of Friday's races are in the Fastig Tipton sales with a higher reserve now that they have won.
The races and commentary will be broadcast on ABC/ESPN in 130 countries.
It is one of the most popular betting meets in the world.
The Breeders' Cup Committee actively recruits the best horses all over the world in their "Win And You're In" program.
Among the recruits are two outstanding females: Midday from Great Britain and Goldikova from France who are defending their titles from last year.
They are joined by Workforce who the winner of the English Derby and the Arc de Triomphe.
UPDATE: Workforce has been scratched as his connections feel the Turf course is too firm despite nightly watering. It is officially classified as Good.
Interestingly, Churchill Downs has four races on the Friday of Breeders' Cup Ladies' Day and the Breeders' Cup officially takes over with the final six starting with the 1-3/4 mile Marathon (Grade 3) on Dirt.
This is the race that became notorious, because of the jostling followed by a fight in the Winner's Circle
(See Focus for the story).
Nothing to do with the winner. It was won decisively by Eldaafer (A. P. Indy USA), a five-year-old gelding, who was sold by Shadwell Farms for $20,000 as a claimer to Mansour Albaroudy. He arranged a partnership with IEAH Stables so that he could afford the BC entry fee for the race.
It was a first BC victory for the owners and the attractive young trainer, Diane Alvarado, and one of many for jockey John Velazquez.
Albaroudy is so excited by the victory of the horse he so yearned for that he does not know what to do next with the gelding.
Eldaafer means conqueror or gladiator in Arabic and he proved worthy of the name.
An enquiry was held after the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf (Grade 2) for two-year-old fillies, 1 mile on Turf, when More Than Real cut sharply by the favourite, grey Winter Memories. WM took time to recover and never could never make up the two lengths for second. Kathmanblu was third by a head.
Garrett Gomez, who had taken a bad fall on Thursday, wore a shoulder guard, but that did not stop his forceful riding on the chestnut streak.
The victory of Dubai Majesty, five-year-old black/brown mare, in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (Grade 1), 7 furlongs on Dirt, was never in doubt.
She's a tough campaigner who can run on any surface and has competed 34 times in her career. Her trainer W Bret Calhoun thought the 7 furlong BC trip was worth a try despite 6 furlongs being her specialty.
She stayed on beautifully to beat Switch by 2-1/4 lengths with Evening Jewel a further 3 lengths behind.
Local jockey, Jamie Theriot, was thrilled to win his first Breeders' Cup on his home track of Churchill Downs.
Dubai Majesty will be in the Sunday Fastig Tipton sales.
Another for the sales is Awesome Feather who won the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (Grade 1) for two-year olds, 1-1/16 m on Dirt, an easy 2-1/4 lengths.
Second was H Heat Lightening and Delightful Mary third by the same lengths.
Awesome Feather is a Florida homebred by Jacks or Better Farm by their sire Awesome Of Course and dam Precious Feather.
It is their policy to breed and train racehorses with Stanley I Gold until they are ready to move North for better opportunities.
Gold made the best opportunity for AF by training her up for the prestigious BC race that will raise her reserve price. He was more than sad about losing her, but said "That's business."
Jeffrey Sanchez, twenty-four-year old from Puerto Rico, said through his interpreter/agent that he had never had a horse put outside of her who could outrun her. He knew she could win.
Never in the history of the Breeders' Cup has there ever been a $94 payout on a winner, but Shared Account went out as a 46.1 longshot in the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (Grade 1), 1-3/8 m for three-year olds and upward.
Midday, Juddmonte winner of last year's race, was 4/5 favourite, competing against Japan's outstanding Red Desire, France's Plumania and John A Shirreffs' Harmonious (Zenyatta's pal) among the most betted.
One had to wonder what experienced jockey Olivier Peslier had in mind when ran Plumania out front on the worst ground along the rail, but he guaranteed her last position in 11th.
The ground is good, but tricky making this a waiting race.
The favourite did just that under Tom Queally for trainer Henry Cecil.
Kent Desormeaux, on Red Desire, admitted later in a press conference that he stalked Midday and repeatedly closed every pocket that opened for her complaining that "the European horses have such a turn of foot" that it is hard to beat them.
When Queally finally got her out, she just could not pick up sufficiently to run down the fast-closing winner Shared Account with another outsider Keetana in third. Red Desire was fourth.
Shared Account seems like a four-year old progressing in stages and was a worthy winner. Now, she has won four of her eleven races and beat Red Desire who ahead of her in an October 2 race.
Edgar Prado showed Peslier how to use the rail at the right time for a stunning close.
Trainer H Graham Motion said she is the sweetest, easiest filly to train. Both he and her owner, Kevin Plank of Sagamore Farm (the former Vanderbilt farm), always had the BC as her target. She will rest before racing next year.
Plank was thrilled with their team's success as a starter for their long-term plans to help rejuvenate Maryland racing.
The impending closing of Laurel Park for development cut deep.
The highlight race of the day is always the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (Grade 1) which was won two years ago by Zenyatta. The race is 1-1/8 miles on Dirt for three-year olds and upward.
Another controversy for the day was 3/1 second favorite Life At Ten being pulled up for a likely allergic reaction to Lasix.
Both her trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey John Velazquez were aware that she had problems, but the vet released her to race. She should never have been sent out.
There was no doubt who was the winner when everything came right for the beautiful grey/roan mare Unrivaled Belle. She defeated one of her nemesis, Blind Luck, who was favourite, under lights.
Trainer William I Mott said she had been training early mornings at Churchill under lights and it was nothing new for her.
Desormeaux said she settled well and was full of running as soon as he let her go. No filly was going to beat her.
Her owners have a strange policy of putting their winners in sales and buying them back. She was sold for $260,000 in 2007.
Gary Seidler and Peter Vegso would not confirm that she is for sale again, but took time to plug their Chicken Soup Racing books.
Mott, one of racings most forthcoming communicators, could only grin and bare it.
His filly has won six of her 11 starts and deserves a bit more respect.
The BC meet had a record 41,614 attendees on the Friday and will open Saturday after Churchill's three races with the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (Grade 2).
So far, it is a win-win meet for the United States horses.
Racing International http://www.racingint.com
There are 14 races on two days - six on Friday and eight on Saturday with no more than 14 entrants per race. No race is Graded lower than 3 and most are Grade 1s.
There are 184 horses entered with 26 from overseas. Races for international horses are chosen with the Breeders' Cup as the ultimate objective.
Horses are aimed at it not just to win for prestige, a breeding record or a share of the generous $27 million purses, but to get higher prices at the weekend sales.
Two winners of Friday's races are in the Fastig Tipton sales with a higher reserve now that they have won.
The races and commentary will be broadcast on ABC/ESPN in 130 countries.
It is one of the most popular betting meets in the world.
The Breeders' Cup Committee actively recruits the best horses all over the world in their "Win And You're In" program.
Among the recruits are two outstanding females: Midday from Great Britain and Goldikova from France who are defending their titles from last year.
They are joined by Workforce who the winner of the English Derby and the Arc de Triomphe.
UPDATE: Workforce has been scratched as his connections feel the Turf course is too firm despite nightly watering. It is officially classified as Good.
Interestingly, Churchill Downs has four races on the Friday of Breeders' Cup Ladies' Day and the Breeders' Cup officially takes over with the final six starting with the 1-3/4 mile Marathon (Grade 3) on Dirt.
This is the race that became notorious, because of the jostling followed by a fight in the Winner's Circle
(See Focus for the story).
Nothing to do with the winner. It was won decisively by Eldaafer (A. P. Indy USA), a five-year-old gelding, who was sold by Shadwell Farms for $20,000 as a claimer to Mansour Albaroudy. He arranged a partnership with IEAH Stables so that he could afford the BC entry fee for the race.
It was a first BC victory for the owners and the attractive young trainer, Diane Alvarado, and one of many for jockey John Velazquez.
Albaroudy is so excited by the victory of the horse he so yearned for that he does not know what to do next with the gelding.
Eldaafer means conqueror or gladiator in Arabic and he proved worthy of the name.
An enquiry was held after the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf (Grade 2) for two-year-old fillies, 1 mile on Turf, when More Than Real cut sharply by the favourite, grey Winter Memories. WM took time to recover and never could never make up the two lengths for second. Kathmanblu was third by a head.
Garrett Gomez, who had taken a bad fall on Thursday, wore a shoulder guard, but that did not stop his forceful riding on the chestnut streak.
The victory of Dubai Majesty, five-year-old black/brown mare, in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (Grade 1), 7 furlongs on Dirt, was never in doubt.
She's a tough campaigner who can run on any surface and has competed 34 times in her career. Her trainer W Bret Calhoun thought the 7 furlong BC trip was worth a try despite 6 furlongs being her specialty.
She stayed on beautifully to beat Switch by 2-1/4 lengths with Evening Jewel a further 3 lengths behind.
Local jockey, Jamie Theriot, was thrilled to win his first Breeders' Cup on his home track of Churchill Downs.
Dubai Majesty will be in the Sunday Fastig Tipton sales.
Another for the sales is Awesome Feather who won the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (Grade 1) for two-year olds, 1-1/16 m on Dirt, an easy 2-1/4 lengths.
Second was H Heat Lightening and Delightful Mary third by the same lengths.
Awesome Feather is a Florida homebred by Jacks or Better Farm by their sire Awesome Of Course and dam Precious Feather.
It is their policy to breed and train racehorses with Stanley I Gold until they are ready to move North for better opportunities.
Gold made the best opportunity for AF by training her up for the prestigious BC race that will raise her reserve price. He was more than sad about losing her, but said "That's business."
Jeffrey Sanchez, twenty-four-year old from Puerto Rico, said through his interpreter/agent that he had never had a horse put outside of her who could outrun her. He knew she could win.
Never in the history of the Breeders' Cup has there ever been a $94 payout on a winner, but Shared Account went out as a 46.1 longshot in the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (Grade 1), 1-3/8 m for three-year olds and upward.
Midday, Juddmonte winner of last year's race, was 4/5 favourite, competing against Japan's outstanding Red Desire, France's Plumania and John A Shirreffs' Harmonious (Zenyatta's pal) among the most betted.
One had to wonder what experienced jockey Olivier Peslier had in mind when ran Plumania out front on the worst ground along the rail, but he guaranteed her last position in 11th.
The ground is good, but tricky making this a waiting race.
The favourite did just that under Tom Queally for trainer Henry Cecil.
Kent Desormeaux, on Red Desire, admitted later in a press conference that he stalked Midday and repeatedly closed every pocket that opened for her complaining that "the European horses have such a turn of foot" that it is hard to beat them.
When Queally finally got her out, she just could not pick up sufficiently to run down the fast-closing winner Shared Account with another outsider Keetana in third. Red Desire was fourth.
Shared Account seems like a four-year old progressing in stages and was a worthy winner. Now, she has won four of her eleven races and beat Red Desire who ahead of her in an October 2 race.
Edgar Prado showed Peslier how to use the rail at the right time for a stunning close.
Trainer H Graham Motion said she is the sweetest, easiest filly to train. Both he and her owner, Kevin Plank of Sagamore Farm (the former Vanderbilt farm), always had the BC as her target. She will rest before racing next year.
Plank was thrilled with their team's success as a starter for their long-term plans to help rejuvenate Maryland racing.
The impending closing of Laurel Park for development cut deep.
The highlight race of the day is always the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (Grade 1) which was won two years ago by Zenyatta. The race is 1-1/8 miles on Dirt for three-year olds and upward.
Another controversy for the day was 3/1 second favorite Life At Ten being pulled up for a likely allergic reaction to Lasix.
Both her trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey John Velazquez were aware that she had problems, but the vet released her to race. She should never have been sent out.
There was no doubt who was the winner when everything came right for the beautiful grey/roan mare Unrivaled Belle. She defeated one of her nemesis, Blind Luck, who was favourite, under lights.
Trainer William I Mott said she had been training early mornings at Churchill under lights and it was nothing new for her.
Desormeaux said she settled well and was full of running as soon as he let her go. No filly was going to beat her.
Her owners have a strange policy of putting their winners in sales and buying them back. She was sold for $260,000 in 2007.
Gary Seidler and Peter Vegso would not confirm that she is for sale again, but took time to plug their Chicken Soup Racing books.
Mott, one of racings most forthcoming communicators, could only grin and bare it.
His filly has won six of her 11 starts and deserves a bit more respect.
The BC meet had a record 41,614 attendees on the Friday and will open Saturday after Churchill's three races with the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (Grade 2).
So far, it is a win-win meet for the United States horses.
Racing International http://www.racingint.com
Posted by susan trevelyan-syke at 11/6/2010 5:00 PM 
Categories: Breeders' Cup 2010
Tags: Breeders' Cup Awesome Feather Midday Racing International Eldaafer Churchill Downs Goldikova Workforce More Than Real Zenyatta Dubai Majesty Shared Account Unrivaled Belle
Categories: Breeders' Cup 2010
Tags: Breeders' Cup Awesome Feather Midday Racing International Eldaafer Churchill Downs Goldikova Workforce More Than Real Zenyatta Dubai Majesty Shared Account Unrivaled Belle
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