BC Classic

BREEDERS’
CUP PREVIEWS

The Classic (G1) concludes the 2004 Breeders’ Cup with a
competitive field of 13, including last year’s Classic winner
PLEASANTLY PERFECT (Pleasant Colony), 2002 Horse of the Year
AZERI (Jade Hunter), 2003 champion three-year-old FUNNY CIDE (Distorted
Humor) and this year’s Travers S. (G1) and Belmont S. (G1) winner
BIRDSTONE (Grindstone).

GHOSTZAPPER (Awesome Again) breaks from the rail and rates top
billing in the $4 million event. By the 1998 Breeders’ Cup
Classic winner, his dam’s sire has also produced a Breeders’ Cup
Classic victor and Ghostzapper has shown no distance limitations
so far. He’s never been 1 1/4 miles before, but trainer Bobby
Frankel has pointed the bay colt toward this event all year and
Ghostzapper appears set for a tremendous performance.

He raced at shorter distances earlier in his career, but the
lightly raced four-year-old has developed into a dominant
handicap performer this season, recording a 10 3/4-length triumph
in the nine-furlong Philip H. Iselin Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) before
a gutsy neck decision in the 1 1/8-mile Woodward (G1) last out.
Ghostzapper was pushed extremely wide through the stretch in the
latter but still earned a whopping 114 BRIS Speed rating. He
notched a 117 for the Iselin and has posted fantastic BRIS Late
Pace numbers all year. Jockey Javier Castellano figures to cut
out a perfect stalking trip from the inside before asking for
Ghostzapper’s best.

ROSES IN MAY (Devil His Due) is another who has never been 10
furlongs, but he’s bred to run all day and is unbeaten from five
starts in 2004, the last three at 1 1/8 miles. The Dale Romans
trainee’s main attribute is his speed, and he’ll probably be
sitting second early tracking Azeri. We loved his winning
performance in the Whitney H. (G1) two starts back, and he won’t
be going nearly as fast on the front end Saturday. Roses in May
loves to win (seven-for-10) and has improved all season. He looks
very dangerous.

Funny Cide will likely be right there. He certainly thrives at
the distance, winning last year’s Kentucky Derby (G1) and the
Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) 28 days ago, and the New York-bred
gelding earned terrific Speed and Pace figures in his last start.
Funny Cide enters on the upswing for conditioner Barclay Tagg and
has been extremely reliable for an in-the-money finish this
season, hitting the board eight of nine times while facing top
class company most of the time. We’ll look for nine of 10.

Pleasantly Perfect got a bad outside draw (12) and will
attempt to become the first horse to win the Classic off more
than a 50-day layoff. The six-year-old hasn’t started in 69 days
and prepped for last year’s Classic score in the Goodwood
Breeders’ Cup H. (G2). Trainer Richard Mandella bypassed that
prep this year, but he knows his horse much better than us and
could still have Pleasantly Perfect at the top of his game.

Pleasantly Perfect bounced back from his only setback within
the last 12 months with a solid win in the Pacific Classic (G1)
last out and was still lightly raced entering last year’s Classic
(only 12 starts beforehand). He’s much more of a savvy veteran
now, with a trip to Dubai under his belt, and will be tough to
beat at his best. However, we’ll try to do just that at short
odds from his outside post.

NEWFOUNDLAND (Storm Cat) is probably better at Belmont, but
his present form is appealing and the overlooked four-year-old is
a sleeper at huge odds. Newfoundland earned a 112 Speed rating
for his close runner-up finish in the Jockey Club Gold Cup and a
109 when missing by a head in the Suburban H. (G1). Tactical
speed is usually an advantage at Lone Star and Newfoundland
should be well-placed early and might hang around a long way.

Birdstone came off lengthy layoffs to capture both the Belmont
and Travers, so the 63-day layoff isn’t a major concern, but he
did arrive at Lone Star with a skin rash and has never run well
outside of New York. The classy colt owns the Speed figures to
contend for it all, but we’ll go against him outside of New York
until he proves it first.

FANTASTICAT (Storm Cat) is probably overmatched at this level,
but the improving three-year-old offered a strong rally to
capture the Super Derby (G2) last time and does offer some appeal
for the bottom of the exotics at huge odds. DYNEVER (Dynaformer)
is horribly drawn in post 13 and has been inconsistent this year
for trainer Christophe Clement. He captured the Lone Star Derby (G3)
over the track last year and merits consideration for the exotics
from off the pace on Saturday, but the late runner will probably
be overbet and looks vulnerable from the far outside.

Azeri will likely flash to the front and try to steal it, and
the 11-time Grade 1 heroine is as game as they come. However, she
ran poorly against weaker female company in her only career start
at 10 furlongs, finishing second in the Personal Ensign H. (G1)
while earning a dismal 94 Speed rating, and we can’t envision her
being prominent inside the final furlong against much better
rivals.

BOWMAN’S BAND (Dixieland Band) gets part a lot, but he is
winless from 10 starts this year and probably prefers a little
less ground. We’ll let him beat us. PERFECT DRIFT (Dynaformer) is
a strong late runner at his best, but he earned a poor 76 BRIS
Late Pace rating when giving up the lead inside the final furlong
of the Hawthorn Gold Cup (G2) last time. We don’t like the fact
that the five-year-old gelding is winless from seven starts this
year, and Perfect Drift doesn’t look sharp enough presently to
challenge.

FREEFOURINTERNET (Tabasco Cat) closed from the back of the
pack to win the Hawthorne Gold Cup last time, but he didn’t come
home quickly and has failed to earn a triple-digit Speed rating
this year. We can’t recommend. PERSONAL RUSH (Wild Rush) makes
his U.S. bow off a Japanese Group 1 win, but we’ll just watch to
see how he fares against this company.