10/30/05
Last updated: 10/29/05 6:15 PM
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It took a year, but Artie Schiller finally earned a Mile win
(Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com) |
Timber Bay Farm & Mrs. Thomas J. Walsh’s ARTIE SCHILLER (El Prado [Ire]) was
three parts of a length up on Leroidesanimaux (Brz) (Candy Stripes) at the
finish of Saturday’s $1,856,925
Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Belmont Park,
overtaking that one in midstretch and pulling away to complete eight furlongs on
the good turf in 1:36 under Garrett Gomez, who earned just his second Breeders’
Cup race.
“This horse always runs his eyeballs out,” trainer James Jerkens said. “The
horse has a strong run but it’s a short one and you have to time it just right.
He saved ground and he got out just at the right time and everything worked
out.”
Settled in fifth by Gomez, Artie Schiller patiently waited as the mare Sand
Springs (Dynaformer) set opening fractions of :23 2/5 and :46 3/5, with
Leroidesanimaux not far back in third. Entering the turn, Artie Schiller started
his rally, moving up just a head back of Leroidesaniamux, who got a mile in
1:36. Not long after, the eventual winner moved past his rival and continued on
to improve 11 spots over last year’s Mile, where he ran 12th.
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“He left the game a little flat-footed and I was a little worried because
when I looked outside, half the field was in front of me,” Gomez said. “I just
had to wait and at the top of the lane I finally got out a little bit. When he
went, he really went and did what he had to do.”
Unfortunately, the race was marred by the breakdown of FunFair (GB)
(Singspiel [Ire]) soon after the start. According to Dr. C. Wayne McIlwraith of the AAEP,
the six-year-old gelding suffered a “catastrophic” open fracture of his right
hind cannon bone and was euthanized.
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Artie Schiller (outside) gave Gomez his
second BC win on the day
(Uli Seit/Horsephotos.com) |
Artie Schiller was sent off the 5-1 second pick in the 12-horse field and
returned $13.20, $5 and $3.90 while on top of the $38.80 exacta and $504
trifecta. Leroidesanimaux just held off the second filly in the field, Gorella
(Fr) (Grape Tree Road [GB]), by a nose at the wire to pay $3.80 and $3 as the
6-5 favorite. Gorella, herself, was just a head up on Whipper (Miesque’s Son) at
the line to give back $6 at 13-1 while the 2-11-8-3 superfecta was worth $7,021.
Majors Cast (Ire) (Victory Note) was another length back and followed by
Limehouse (Grand Slam), Host (Chi) (Hussonet), Singletary (Sultry Song), Ad
Valorem (Danzig), Valixir (Ire) (Trempolino) and Sand Springs.
Artie Schiller was the favorite in last year’s Mile, but waited a year to
give trainer James Jerkens his first Breeders’ Cup victory. The four-year-old
colt pushed his earnings to $2,003,853 with this win, which improved his record
to 19-10-4-2. Some of his other wins came in the Maker’s Mark Mile S. (G2),
Bernard Baruch H. (G2) and Jamaica H. (G2) and he’s also placed in the Manhattan
H. (G1) and Kelso Breeders’ Cup H. (G2). Artie Schiller set a new course record
at Belmont in the Jamaica, getting nine furlongs in 1:45 2/5.
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Bred in Kentucky by Haras du Mezeray SA, the bay is out of 1986 Santa Anita Oaks
(G1) and Hollywood Oaks (G1) queen Hidden Light (Majestic Light), who is also
the dam of an unnamed yearling colt by With Approval as well as a weanling filly
by Elusive Quality. Artie Schiller brought $67,000 as a Keeneland September
yearling in 2002.
