Stephen Foster H. (G1) hero MACHO AGAIN (Macho Uno) has been ruled out of the
November 7 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) because of a cough, West Point
Thoroughbreds announced.
The Dallas Stewart trainee, who came within a head of upsetting Horse of the
Year candidate Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d’Oro) in the Woodward S. (G1) two
back, was last seen finishing fourth in the October 3 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1).
Macho Again has worked once since the Gold Cup, breezing five furlongs in
1:03 4/5 on a good track at Churchill Downs on October 17. The gray subsequently
came down with his cough, which has altered his training timetable enough to
cost him a chance at the Breeders’ Cup.
West Point Thoroughbreds will still likely be represented in the Classic by
their veteran AWESOME GEM (Awesome Again), who comes off a driving score in the
October 3 Hawthorne Gold Cup H. (G2) for Craig Dollase.
In other Breeders’ Cup news:
IEAH Stables, co-owner of 2008 Kentucky Derby (G1) hero Big Brown,
has acquired a controlling interest in the Norfolk S. (Eng-G2) winner RADIOHEAD
(Johannesburg) for an undisclosed fee, and will point its new purchase at the
November 7 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), according to Racing Post. Current owners
Carmen Burrell and Jonathan Harvey are reported to have retained a minority
stake in the chestnut, who was a fast-finishing second in the October 2 Middle
Park S. (Eng-G1) at Newmarket in his latest outing.
Trainer Brian Meehan will continue to
oversee the colt’s immediate future, but long-term plans have yet to be
announced. Connections, who will also have to pay a $100,000 entry fee because Radiohead was not nominated to the Breeders’ Cup as a foal, will hope he can
emulate sire Johannesburg, a champion in Europe prior to capturing the 2001
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Belmont.
“IEAH have been keeping a close eye on
Radiohead ever since Ascot, specifically with the Breeders’ Cup in mind,” agent
Andy Smith, who helped broker the deal, told Britain’s trade daily. “He reminds
me of Wilko, the horse Jeremy Noseda won the Juvenile with five years ago — a
feisty, well-built sort who should do well in America.”
Team Valor’s unbeaten JUNIA TEPZIA (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]), who is not
currently nominated to the Breeders’ Cup, is slated
to contest the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita November 6. Produced
by a half-sister to Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) winner Footstepsinthesand (GB)
(Giant’s Causeway), but purchased for just 3,000 guineas at Tattersalls October, the bay filly captured
her August 15 debut at Merano for Stall Litex, which caught the eye of Team Valor.
She went on to land the listed Premio Coolmore in Milan October 3 for trainer Peter Schiergen. Kieren
Fallon will be in the irons at Santa Anita.
Last term’s Prix du Jockey-Club (Fr-G1) hero VISION D’ETAT (Chichicastenango) will sidestep
the Breeders’ Cup in favor of a tilt
at Hong Kong’s International meet in December, trainer Eric Libaud revealed
Thursday. Jacques Detre and Mme Eric Libaud’s four-year-old, who also garnered
this year’s Prix Ganay (Fr-G1) and Prince of Wales’s S. (Eng-G1), will now point to the
December 13 Hong Kong Cup (HK-G1) at Sha Tin, following a last-out 10th in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
(Fr-G1) at Longchamp October 4.
“It was never really our intention to run
in America, so we will run at Sha Tin instead,” Libaud told PA Sport. “The Hong
Kong Cup will be run over 2000 meters, so the shorter trip will suit him. The
Arc distance was probably too far for him, so he should be happier in Hong Kong.
He’s in very good form and has come out of the Arc very well.”