INTERNATIONALS IN THE
BREEDERS’ CUP
OCTOBER 31, 2013
Breeders’ Cup Friday
It’s time for the sixth annual “Internationals in the Breeders’ Cup,” the
scouting report outlining the strengths, weaknesses, and prospects of the
foreign raiding party assembling at Santa Anita. Here’s the first installment,
with the profiles of Saturday’s runners to follow.
MARATHON
EVER RIDER: This Argentinean shipper will naturally be compared to his
compatriot Calidoscopio, who was much the best in last year’s Marathon, but
their resemblance is superficial. Both captured the same “Win & You’re In” event
at home — the Clasico General Belgrano at about 1 9/16 miles on the Palermo dirt
— but the parallel ends there. Calidoscopio had a lengthy record as a Group 1
performer over the years; in contrast, Ever Rider was making his stakes debut in
the June 21 General Belgrano, where he sprang an upset as a 28-1 longshot. Calidoscopio,
a come-from-the-clouds closer, was already proven at marathon trips. Ever Rider
is a confirmed front runner who will be tackling this 1 3/4-mile distance for
the first time, and the evidence from the Belgrano is not terribly persuasive.
After establishing daylight turning for home, he began to tire late and just
lasted by a diminishing neck. The final difference concerns his training
situation. Ever Rider improved markedly this year after stepping up in trip for
trainer Juan Carlos Bianchi. But now Ever Rider is back under the tutelage of
his original trainer, Maria Cristina Munoz. Calidoscopio, who didn’t undergo a
trainer switch before the Marathon, posted seven-furlong and mile works in
preparation, while Ever Rider has had more half-mile breezes in his build-up.
That might turn out perfectly fine for him (and at this writing, his last
published work was October 14, so he’s been galloping in the interim) but it’s just another point of
difference worth noting. Given the dubious quality of this race, however, Ever
Rider might not have to be as good, or compelling, as Calidoscopio to win this.
He must also face a couple of other front-running types in the Marathon, but he does pick up a tactical maestro in Hall of Famer Gary Stevens.
LONDON BRIDGE: English-based handicapper was withdrawn from the St Leger
due to rain-softened ground, and now hopes to become the second three-year-old
to capture the Marathon. The first was also a Euro invader, Man of Iron, who won
for Aidan O’Brien in 2009. Significantly, that edition was staged on Santa
Anita’s old synthetic Pro-Ride. London Bridge faces an entirely new challenge on
dirt, but as a son of Arch, he could adapt to it. From the low-profile yard of
Jo Hughes (who also trains jumpers), London Bridge was on a roll in June,
winning three straight versus modest competition in handicaps. The progressive
colt took a class hike for an Ascot handicap and finished a close third, beaten
only a half-length by The Queen’s useful Bold Sniper. London Bridge ventured to
France to try stakes company in the August 15 Prix Michel Houyvet at Deauville,
where he was prompted throughout on the front end before winding up fourth to a
smart Juddmonte prospect in Destruct. London Bridge will actually be dropping
back in trip off that 1 7/8-mile test. Interestingly, he was cataloged for the
Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale set for this week. But in the
interim, he was acquired by Australian interests (Waratah Thoroughbreds) and
hence withdrawn from the sale. While the dirt is a big question, the Marathon is
not nearly as ambitious a spot as the St Leger would have been. As a dogged type
with plenty of stamina, and possibly still on the upgrade, he’s not out of place
in an open-looking race, and he picks up Hall of Famer Mike Smith.
JUVENILE TURF
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GIOVANNI BOLDINI: Exciting son of the red-hot War Front
has a lot more upside than Ballydoyle stablemate WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, both of whom are
trying to give O’Brien his third straight win in this race. A $675,000 Saratoga
yearling purchase, Giovanni Boldini won his debut over Dundalk’s Polytrack on
raw ability, for he ran greenly. Slow to leave the gate, he was patiently
handled at the rear of the three-horse field, and easily pulled clear in the
stretch. He was unlikely to have learned much from what was basically a paid
workout. Just a week later Giovanni Boldini was thrown to the Group 1 wolves in
the National Stakes, where he was outpaced by Toormore, but still finished a
commendable third in his only turf attempt so far. Giovanni Boldini turned in a
thoroughly professional display last time in the Star Appeal back on the
Polytrack at Dundalk. After breaking alertly, he cruised on the bridle while his
rivals were driven along, and he drew off unextended. Giovanni Boldini is
clearly a serious prospect with plenty of scope for improvement, but it could
be significant that he has raced exclusively in small fields, and the
still-learning colt could experience a trial by fire in a big field here. Being
drawn in post 2 might exacerbate the issue, and jockey Ryan Moore has to avoid
being buried in traffic on the inside (as Sky Lantern and The Fugue found out
last year). It’s also an open
question whether turf will end up being his preferred surface. Although War
Fronts can run on anything, he is out of a mare by Old Trieste, and his
immediate family is crammed with Argentinean Group 1 winners on dirt.
WILSHIRE BOULEVARD: O’Brien pupil has had a busy season, with this being
his eighth race of the year, but he is a typically tough and hardy son of Holy
Roman Emperor. While a cut below the yard’s best, this half-brother to Group
1-winning juvenile Zoffany is genuine and reliable. Even his worst effort, a
10th
of 24 in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot, wasn’t as bad as it looks,
considering his unfavorable post. Since then, Wilshire Boulevard upset his
better-fancied stablemate Oklahoma City in the Anglesey; rallied for a determined second in
the Gimcrack to Astaire (who boosted the form by subsequently taking the Middle
Park); and checked in a one-paced fourth in the Jean-Luc Lagardere. He’d need a
career best to upstage the principals at Santa Anita, but given his admirable
attitude, is not to be discounted from the exotics.
SHAMSHON: Richard Hannon trainee must improve
considerably on his form in the book, but he will enjoy the firm turf. A
$705,776 Tattersalls October yearling purchase, the Invincible Spirit colt pulverized an
iffy field in his five-furlong unveiling at Sandown. He passed his first stakes examination
in the Prix de la Vallee d’Auge over the same trip at Deauville, but not with flying colors, for he
had to work hard to prevail over an uninspiring bunch. (A couple had chased
Juvenile Fillies Turf threat VORDA earlier in the year, but they have since been exposed.) In his only
subsequent start, Shamshon was a lackluster fifth in the Mill Reef at Newbury, which
can be read in two ways: one can give him a pass because the soft ground likely
conspired against him that day, or take a more skeptical view about whether he’s
quite good enough. The abrupt step up from six furlongs to a mile is another
uncertainty, although his pedigree implies that he ought to handle it. Owner
Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al Thani, of the Qatari royal family, is enthusiastic
about having multiple runners at the world’s premier meetings, and this smacks
of his spotting.
JUVENILE FILLIES TURF
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AL THAKHIRA: Marco Botti pupil rates as a
potentially top-class performer after blowing her rivals away in both of her
starts. A convincing, if somewhat green, winner at Yarmouth in the colors of
Mubarak al Naemi, she was promptly snapped up by Sheikh Joaan (the nephew of
Vorda’s owner). Al Thakhira was even more dynamic when upped in class for the
Rockfel at Newmarket. Traveling effortlessly while the others were toiling, she
skipped clear under supremely confident handling. This represents another order
of magnitude, but she looks primed for it. A bigger question revolves around the
ground. Al Thakhira has only raced over softish going so far, a far cry from the
lightning-quick conditions she’ll find at Santa Anita. But if she proves as
adept on firm turf, and can avoid a traffic snarl in post 2, she’s a major contender. By Dubawi and out of a Green Desert
mare, Al Thakhira is bred on the potent cross that has produced the likes of
2000 Guineas hero Makfi and Hong Kong superstar Lucky Nine.
CHRISELLIAM: Charles Hills trainee brings sparkling
credentials, having mowed down Rizeena fair and square in the Fillies’ Mile on
quick ground at Newmarket. Chriselliam was a massive overlay at 28-1 that day,
but she had plenty going for her. She broke the seven-furlong juvenile course
record, albeit at the lesser venue of Warwick, in her maiden win, and was just
outdueled by Hannon’s highly-regarded colt Chief Barker in the Ascendant at
Haydock. Chief Barker, an early entry for next year’s Epsom Derby, subsequently
disappointed in the Racing Post Trophy, but the soft ground makes it hazardous
to draw any firm conclusions from the form. The slight concerns about Chriselliam are that she didn’t negotiate the turn at Haydock well, and that she
did her best work late at the end of a stiffish mile at Newmarket last time. She
could find the two-turn mile at Santa Anita unfolding all too quickly for her,
and it wouldn’t be a shock if she left herself too much to do in the stretch. On
form, she’s perfectly logical, but she’s got to adapt to a scenario that might
not play as much to her strengths. On the plus side, Hills has been happy with
the way she’s taken to Santa Anita in the mornings, including her navigating
around the turn.