Reigning Japanese Horse of the Year BUENA VISTA (Special Week), along with
History is on the line in other ways too for Buena Vista, who has never
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Runner-up in last year’s Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1) on the turf in her
prior visit, Buena Vista will switch to a synthetic surface for the first time
while breaking from post 13.
The about 1 1/4-mile distance, however, suits her to a tee, for arguably her most
impressive performance of 2010 came in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (Jpn-G1) at about
10 furlongs. Buena Vista then concluded the season with a pair of heartbreaking
reverses. She was controversially disqualified from a decisive victory in the
Japan Cup (Jpn-G1), and then failed by a whisker to catch Victoire Pisa over his
favorite course, Nakayama, in the December 26 Arima Kinen (Jpn-G1).
Buena Vista heads into the World Cup without the benefit of a prep run, a
strategy that has worked only once in 15 runnings (Singspiel [Ire] in 1997). She picks up the services of world-class jockey Ryan
Moore, who will have to work out a trip from off the pace.
Victoire Pisa earned champion three-year-old male honors in Japan largely by
beating Buena Vista in the season-finale Arima Kinen, but he had also captured the Satsuki Sho
(Japanese Two Thousand Guineas) (Jpn-G1) last spring and finished third in the
Japan Cup. In the interim, he wasn’t disgraced when
unplaced in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1). Victoire Pisa tuned up for his World Cup
engagement by demolishing the February 27 Nakayama Festa (Jpn-G2), and seeks to
keep his perfect teamwork going with jockey Mirco Demuro here. Drawn in post 6,
he brings a
perfect record at the distance into his synthetic debut.
Transcend, who looms as the likely pacesetter in the World Cup, rates as
Japan’s top dirt performer at the moment. Improving markedly over the course of
2010, he crowned the season with a front-running score in the Japan Cup Dirt
(Jpn-G1), and opened 2011 in the same vein with a fluent success in the February
20 February S. (Jpn-G1). Transcend is unproven on synthetic, and has never raced
past 1 3/16 miles, but his tactical speed makes him dangerous with regular rider
Shinji Fujita. The pair will exit the gate from post 9.
Four horses beaten in the 2010 World Cup aim to make amends — three-time
Eclipse Award winner GIO PONTI (Tale of the Cat), English highweight TWICE OVER
(GB) (Observatory), GITANO HERNANDO (GB) (Hernando [Fr]) and RICHARD’S KID
(Lemon Drop Kid).
Six-time Grade 1 turf star Gio Ponti will bid to improve off his fourth in
the 2010 World Cup. Two things are different for the Christophe Clement charge
this time. On the plus side, he’s reportedly shipped much better; on the
negative side, he didn’t get in a prep run. Yet Gio Ponti’s class and
consistency are not to be dismissed. Runner-up to Zenyatta in the 2009 Breeders’
Cup Classic (G1) in his previous synthetic try, he was most recently second to
another supermare in Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa) in the November 6 Breeders’ Cup
Mile (G1). Ramon Dominguez, his partner for virtually the last two years, will
be in the irons to work out a trip from post 5
Gitano Hernando, a troubled sixth in the last World Cup, has likewise changed
In a late-breaking development, Gitano Hernando has reportedly been sold to Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov.
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Richard’s Kid, a two-time Pacific Classic (G1) winner for Bob Baffert, was
seventh in the 2010 World Cup. Sent to Satish Seemar in Dubai to prepare for
another tilt, he resurfaced in the Maktoum Challenge Round 3 and wound up a
well-beaten 10th, and must progress significantly to take a hand. Richard Mullen
once again has the riding assignment and the duo will break from post 11.
Others exiting the Maktoum Challenge Round 3 are runner-up Musir and
fifth-placer PRINCE BISHOP (Dubawi).
Musir, a champion in South Africa as a juvenile, will attempt to become the first U.A.E. Derby (UAE-G2) winner to land
the World Cup. Sidelined for 11 months following his Derby score, the Mike de
Kock charge finished a terrific second to Skysurfers in the one-mile Firebreak
S., and was expected to stay at that distance until the World Cup. When
stablemate Bold Silvano (Silvano [Ger]) was forced to miss Round 3, though,
Musir was pitched into the about 1 1/4-mile test and did well for second to
Twice Over. With a modicum of improvement in his third start back, he can make
his presence felt with Christophe Soumillon from post 7.
De Kock will also saddle GOLDEN SWORD (High Chaparral [Ire]), who got into
the field upon the withdrawal of Bold Silvano and drew the far outside 14 post. Having plenty of back class from
his sophomore days in Europe, when fifth to Sea the Stars in the Derby (Eng-G1)
and runner-up to Fame and Glory (Montjeu [Ire]) in the Irish Derby (Ire-G1),
Golden Sword has enjoyed a renaissance for de Kock on the Tapeta this Carnival.
He comes off a track record-setting win at the World Cup trip in a February 18
conditions event, but with Soumillon committing to Musir, Kevin Shea takes over
at the helm.
Prince Bishop’s four-race winning streak was snapped in the Maktoum Challenge
Round 3, his synthetic debut, and he rates as Godolphin’s third string in the
World Cup from post 3. Apparently better fancied runners in the blue silks are POET’S VOICE
(Dubawi) and MONTEROSSO (Dubawi).
Yet Monterosso has compiled a 4-2-1-0 career mark on synthetic surfaces, and
Monterosso will clash with his Irish Derby conqueror CAPE BLANCO (Galileo
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Although Cape Blanco faces two big historical obstacles to success — having
no prep run, and coming off a poor performance in the Arc — he has other
factors going for him. The blaze-faced chestnut has run superbly off the bench
before, for he crushed future Derby and Arc winner Workforce (GB) (King’s Best)
in his 2010 bow in the Dante S. (Eng-G2).
Cape Blanco has solid form going longer, as shown by his victory in the Irish
Derby and runner-up effort in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. (Eng-G1),
but he reveled on the cut-back to 10 furlongs to dominate the Irish Champion S.
(Ire-G1) in wire-to-wire fashion. World Cup rival Twice Over never landed a blow
in a distant third. If Cape Blanco gets a forwardly-placed passage Saturday, and
handles the Tapeta from post 4, he could repeat the feat. Jamie Spencer takes over the mount
as the retained rider for Mrs. Fitri Hay, who recently bought a share in the
colt.
The Nick Zito-trained FLY DOWN (Mineshaft) is another trying to stare down
the historical parameters. Better known for his Grade 1 placings last year, he
looks to shed his bridesmaid status while making his first start on synthetic.
Since his romp in the 2010 Dwyer S. (G2), he missed by three-quarters of a
length in the Belmont S. (G1) and by a whisker in the Travers S. (G1). Fly Down
went on to finish third in both the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) and the epic
renewal of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, where he was no match for Blame and
Zenyatta, but caught champion three-year-old male Lookin at Lucky for the show
spot.
Fly Down reappeared in the February 5 Donn H. (G1), a race that has produced
four World Cup winners, but he didn’t run as well as any of them when a
lackluster fifth. The four-year-old must therefore buck a pervasive World Cup
trend in favor of horses who finished in the top two in their prior starts.
Julien Leparoux has the return call on the chestnut, who will break from the
post position 1.