Owner Ken Ramsey has decided not to send reigning turf champion KITTEN’S JOY
(El Prado [Ire]) to France for the October 2 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1)
and will instead point the four-year-old colt toward the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic
Invitational (G1) on October 1 and the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) on October 29,
both at Belmont Park, before a scheduled final career start in the November 27
Japan Cup (Jpn-G1).
Unbeaten from seven lifetime attempts over firm ground, Kitten’s Joy has
dropped three of four attempts when encountering yielding conditions, including
runner-up finishes in the Arlington Million (G1) most recently and the Breeders’
Cup Turf last fall. Ramsey said the decision made sense because of the
likelihood of less-than-firm turf conditions at Longchamp in early October.
“If I had my choice of running in the Arc d’Triomphe or Breeders’ Cup, I
would have preferred the Arc because it is a challenge,” Ramsey explained. “I
talked with Jerry Bailey, who rode Kitten’s Joy on soft turf, and Edgar Prado,
who rode him on firm and yielding turf. It is the opinion of the professionals
that he is a better horse on firm turf.”
Ramsey also got some advice from two-time Arc-winning conditioner Patrick
Biancone.
“I had dinner with Patrick Biancone last night, and he told me there was an
exceptional crop of American horses over there, as well. Then I started thinking
that if we went over there, we would have to get a French jockey, no medication,
have to run on an up-and-down course; then factor in the trip over, quarantine
and the trip back, and he would be a knocked-out horse for Japan.”
Kitten’s Joy is eligible for a hefty bonus if he wins the Japan Cup.
“When you put it all together, the smart and logical thing to do is to stay
and train at Belmont Park,” Ramsey said. “My daddy always said that a smart man
changes his mind and a fool never does. This was a decision (trainer) that Dale (Romans) and I both slept on. Based on what happened with Roses in May yesterday
(retired due to a torn tendon), we felt making this announcement this way was
the right thing to do.”