ROAD TO
THE BREEDERS’ CUP
OCTOBER 13
Breeders’ Cup hopefuls tune up for main event
by James Scully
AZERI (Jade Hunter), NOTHING TO LOSE (Sky Classic) and PROUD
ACCOLADE (Yes It’s True) were among the leading Breeders’ Cup
hopefuls to race over the weekend, and we’ll take a look at the
preps by division.
Distaff – Azeri overwhelmed her opposition in
the Spinster S. (G1) Sunday with an easy three-length win and
will be a heavy favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) if
she starts. Owner Michael Paulson and trainer D. Wayne Lukas will
likely cross-enter the six-year-old mare to the Distaff and
Classic (G1).
Azeri earned a strong 107 BRIS Speed rating in the 1 1/8-mile
Spinster, and distance has to be a consideration for her
connections. She doesn’t want any part of 1 1/4 miles, losing two
starts back to STORM FLAG FLYING (Storm Cat) in the 10-furlong
Personal Ensign (G1) while earning a pedestrian 94 Speed rating.
The chestnut has tested males already at the wrong distance this
year, finishing up the track in eighth in the Met Mile (G1). Why
make the same mistake twice?
SIGHTSEEK (Distant View) wrapped up a stellar career with a 2
3/4-length romp in the Beldame S. (G1) and one can understand
trainer Bobby Frankel’s decision-making even if you don’t agree
with it. The five-year-old mare runs her best races at Belmont
Park and the Breeders’ Cup isn’t held at Belmont this year.
What is difficult to understand is Frankel’s campaigning for
championship honors. He’s bypassing Thoroughbred racing’s
championship because he doesn’t want to see Sightseek get beat.
The sport suffers from an image problem of losing its best
performers prematurely, but Sightseek isn’t being retired due to
injury. Instead, she’s ducking the competition, namely Azeri. How
could Eclipse Award voters reward that can kind of sportsmanship?
Mile – NOTHING TO LOSE stamped
himself a top North American-based contender for the Mile (G1)
with an outstanding 4 1/2-length score in Saturday’s Shadwell
Turf Mile (G1). Winner of the Fourstardave H. (G2) in his
previous start, the four-year-old rolled past a strong group of
rivals at the top of the stretch on Saturday and earned his
second straight 105 Speed figure.
The Frankel trainee traveled four or five wide most of the way
and flew home with a final quarter-mile in :23 2/5. Nothing to
Lose has gotten very good presently and looms as a serious threat
for the Mile.
Another good-looking performance was turned in at Belmont on
Saturday from MR O’BRIEN (Ire) (Mukaddamah), who rallied from
just of the pace to win the Kelso Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) by 1 1/2
lengths. The five-year-old will be supplemented to the Breeders’
Cup.
Trained by Robin Graham, Mr O’Brien has tackled top company on
the turf all season and all of his losses have come at distances
longer than nine furlongs. Four-for-five at the distance, the
Mile is a perfect fit for the tractable gelding and Mr O’Brien is
one to consider for the exotics.
MUSICAL CHIMES (In Excess [Ire]) took on males in Saturday’s
Oak Tree Breeders’ Cup Mile (G2) and rallied gamely in deep
stretch for a nose decision. The top three finishers were
separated by less than a head, and runner-up BUCKLAND MANOR (Bien
Bien) and third-placer SINGLETARY (Sultry Song) will also likely
be entered for the Mile.
A multiple Grade/Group 1 heroine, Musical Chimes owns terrific
BRIS Late Pace ratings and has run big in her last three outings,
winning the John C. Mabee H. (G1) and then missing by only three
parts of a length in the 1 3/16-mile Beverly D. S. (G1). She’s at
her best in middle-distance events and will bring strong present
form into the Breeders’ Cup.
Buckland Manor may have difficulty getting into an
oversubscribed Mile and it’s difficult to envision him carrying
his form forward outside of California. Singletary is a much more
intriguing candidate. After displaying top-class form earlier
this season, the four-year-old was freshened following a head
setback in May’s Shoemaker Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). He needed
Saturday’s race off the layoff and ran well from off the pace to
just miss. Val Royal (Fr) took a similar path as Singletary when
capturing the 2001 Mile.
Juvenile – Saturday’s Champagne (G1) will
likely produce several Juvenile (G1) starters, and PROUD ACCOLADE could give trainer Todd Pletcher his first
Breeders’ Cup race winner. The dark bay entered the 1 1/16-mile
Champagne unbeaten from two starts, commendable maiden and
allowance wins at Saratoga, and held AFLEET ALEX (Northern Afleet)
at bay in deep stretch for a half-length victory.
The dark bay colt advanced four wide on the far turn to reach
the lead in upper stretch and finished quickly to earn a whopping
108 BRIS Speed rating. ROMAN RULER (Fusaichi Pegasus) was
considered the leader of this division in mid-August, but his
last two performances have been far from overwhelming. Proud
Accolade has moved to the fore of the division with a much more
impressive showing in his route debut and better Speed figures
than Roman Ruler.
Hopeful S. (G1) winner Afleet Alex suffered his first career
loss but remains a serious threat for the Juvenile. After rating
off the pace on Saturday, the Tim Ritchey charge offered a good
rally for second, recording a 111 Late Pace rating. Two turns
remains a question, but Afleet Alex looks as talented as any
juvenile in the country.
SUN KING (Charismatic) ran well in his stakes debut and has
earned a shot at the Juvenile. Last year, Zito refused to run
leading two-year-olds Eurosilver (Unbridled’s Song) and Birdstone
(Grindstone) in the Juvenile, costing each one a chance at
championship two-year-old honors, but he says he’ll consider
sending Sun King to Lone Star.
Sun King rallied from off the pace for a strong maiden win on
September 17, earning a triple-digit Speed rating, and was
flattered when the runner-up from that event, PATRIOT ACT (A.P.
Indy), returned to finish second in Saturday’s Breeders’ Futurity
(G2). In a change of tactics, Sun King was up close from the
start in the Champagne and was beaten less than two lengths at
the finish. He looks like the type that will keep getting better
and better, and could be much more dangerous reverting to rating
tactics on October 30.
CONSOLIDATOR (Storm Cat) received a perfect trip stalking
Cradle S. (G3) winner Bellamy Road (Concerto) in second through
the opening six furlongs of the Breeders’ Futurity and when the
favorite quit on the far turn, he assumed the lead and coasted
home to a two-length decision. The Breeders’ Futurity came up
much weaker than the Champagne and may not have much effect upon
this year’s Juvenile.
Runner-up Patriot Act doesn’t figure to win the Juvenile as a
maiden, but the Neil Howard-trained colt could be any kind in the
future. Now 3-0-2-1 in his career, he left himself with too much
to do from far off the pace in his stakes bow but rallied gamely
to be a clear second. Look for him to keep improving.
Juvenile Fillies – SENSE OF STYLE (Thunder
Gulch) brought an unbeaten record and was considered the division
leader entering Friday’s Alcibiades S. (G2), but the Patrick
Biancone lass was bottled up on the rail through the far turn and
into the stretch, and eventually faded to fifth. It was a major
disappointment for her backers, but this might be a race to draw
a line through with the trouble she faced.
RUNWAY MODEL (Petionville) closed from off the pace for her
first stakes win, defeating a game SHARP LISA (Dixieland Band) by
a head. The former had shown good promise finishing second in the
Arlington-Washington Lassie (G3) and Bassinet S., and she earned
a solid 97 Speed figure for the Alcibiades. Sharp Lisa was
coming off a 6 1/2-length debut maiden win at Calder and ran a
huge race in her first start for trainer Doug O’Neill.
The Frizette (G1) produced a major player for the Juvenile
Fillies in BALLETTO (UAE) (Timber Country). The Tom Albertrani-conditioned
miss rallied boldly to win by three parts of a length and figures
to appreciate the added distance for the Juvenile Fillies.
Balletto owns a fine late kick and has suffered only one setback
from four career starts, finishing second by a length to Sense of
Style in Matron S. (G1).
Sprint – CHAMPALI (Glitterman) doesn’t get
much respect, but he’s an honest, top-class sprinter who loves to
win. On Friday, he turned in another first-rate performance to
win the Phoenix Breeders’ Cup (G3) by three parts of a length. A
winner of four of his last five starts, the Greg Foley
representative recorded a superb 110 Speed figure and figures to
be overlooked on Breeders’ Cup day. He could carry his form
forward with another strong performance at Lone Star.
LADY TAK (Mutakddim) earned a Breeders’ Cup berth with
a two-length tally in Sunday’s Gallant Bloom H. (G2), and
distaffers have performed very well against males in the Sprint.
Trained by Steve Asmussen, Lady Tak has posted Speed ratings of
110 and 106 from her last two starts. The speedy miss is peaking
at the right time of the year.
PT’S GREY EAGLE (Pleasant Tap) surprised his rivals at
nearly 30-1 to win Sunday’s Ancient Title Breeders’ Cup H. (G1),
and he’ll be a big outsider once again in the Sprint. It’s
difficult to make a case for the three-year-old there, but note
Craig Dollase trained another three-year-old who came on the end
of the year to win the Sprint from practically out of nowhere.
Just like Reraise in 1998 (he won the Kentucky Cup Sprint [G2]),
Pt’s Grey Eagle earned his first graded stakes win in the race
before the Breeders’ Cup.
Classic/Turf – BALTO STAR (Glitterman) held
off the late-running DYNEVER (Dynaformer) for a half-length
victory in Friday’s Meadowlands Cup (G2) and will now head to
either the Turf (G1) or Classic (G1) for Pletcher. A six-year-old
gelding, Balto Star is probably better suited for the grass.
Dynever has been highly rated all season, but things haven’t
come together as expected for the four-year-old. He didn’t finish
quickly in the Meadowlands Cup, but it was his first start off a
layoff and he could continue to show more next time. Last year’s
Classic third-place finisher, Dynever gets part often and could
come running late again this year for a small prize.
MUSTANFAR (Unbridled) took to the 1 1/2-mile distance well
with an authoritative three-length victory in Saturday’s Sycamore
Breeders’ Cup (G3), overhauling his rivals at the top of the
stretch with a powerful finish. The three-year-old colt will face
a titanic class hike in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, but he looks like
a grass horse with a bright future.
Most of the Breeders’ Cup prep races are over, but the Queen
Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) at Keeneland and Hawthorne Derby
(G3) still remain. Both will be held Saturday.