Thoroughbred Racing Roundup
October 31st, 2011By ROBERT KIECKHEFER
UPI Racing Writer
On-track action took a back seat to anticipation this weekend with the Breeders’ Cup fields to be announced Monday and the Melbourne Cup set for Tuesday.
Many of the Breeders’ Cup races need fine-tuning, with some key horses pre-entered for more than one race. Once the fields are set and post positions drawn, the serious handicapping can get under way.
Decent weather is forecast for the 15 Breeders’ Cup World Championship races at Churchill Downs on Friday and Saturday, with highs in the 60s and only a slight chance of rain.
The Group 1 Emirates Melbourne Cup, still a major national event in Australia, drew a field of 24 to challenge the 2 miles of Flemington turf expected to be good to soft. Defending champion Americain, drawn No. 15, is top fancied in early wagering although he has struggled since last year’s victory. Godolphin, which has found little success in this race, will be represented by Lost in the Moment, who has not won since January in Dubai.
The weekend racing action overseas was highlighted largely by races that point toward future events. Back in the States, Kentucky racing shifted from Keeneland to Churchill Downs.
The details:
Australia
Sangster surged to the lead heading for home in Saturday’s Group 1 Victoria Derby at Flemington, then just held on to win by a head over late-closing Induna. The 3-year-old, New Zealand-bred son of Savabeel, finished the 2,500 meters in 2:40.33 under Hugh Bowman. Bowman didn’t have as easy a task as last year when he won the same race by 6 1/2 lengths riding Lion Tamer. This time around, he was caught wide most of the way and able to conserve just enough energy to get the job done. “I wasn’t looking at the screen this year – put it that way,” he said in comparing the final yards of the two races.
Also Saturday at Flemington: Hurtle Myrtle got home first by nearly 1 1/2 lengths over Sacred Choice in the Group 1 Myer Classic, running 1,600 meters under Damien Oliver in 1:37.50; Glass Harmonium took the Group 1 Longines MacKinnon Stakes by just under 1 length from Mourayan; and Sepoy won the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Ascot Vale Stakes for 3-year-olds in a close finish with Foxwedge.
Hong Kong
A pair of surprises greeted racegoers on Saturday at Sha Tin in the first major run-ups to the Dec. 11 Hong Kong International Races.
In the HK Group 2 Premier Bowl, previously undefeated Entrapment got a bit trapped in traffic and fell victim to his stablemate, outsider Rich Unicorn. Entrapment finished third, edged out for second by Little Bridge. Rich Unicorn got the 1,200 meters in 1:08.82. Entrapment’s owner, Benson Lo, said he was disappointed but not shocked.
“He was boxed up a bit in running,” Los said, “as I thought he might be. But he ran a good race.”
Both Entrapment and Rich Unicorn are trained by John Size, who noted the winner “raced on the best ground down the centre of the track. I wasn’t disappointed by Entrapment because he had valid excuses. He got a bit lit up early in the race when it looked as though another runner was going to cross him and Douglas (Whyte) had to move him up to avoid that. But he still ran on very well considering the ground was not as quick on the rail where he was racing.”
In the HK Group II Sha Tin Trophy, last year’s Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup winner, California Memory, got through on the rail to nip Champions Mile winner Xtension and last year’s Trophy winner, Thumbs Up. California Memory’s ability was never in question. But he was not running at his best distance and the field included some of the SAR’s top runners. With Matthew Chadwick up, the gray horse was near the back of the pack turning for home and the only path forward was on the rail.
“The ground wasn’t as quick on the inside,” Chadwick admitted. “But maybe we saved a length or two by sticking there and he did run on very well. I never thought the drop to the mile would be a real problem for him.”
Trainer Tony Cruz said the 2,000-meter G2 Cathay Pacific Jockey Club and the G1 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup are now on the horizon for California Memory. “It was a great lead-up for those races,” he said. California Memory finished the 1,600 meters in 1:34.75.
France
French Fifteen, with Thierry Thulliez up, rallied from the back of the field in the final 2 furlongs to win Sunday’s Group 1 Criterium International for 2-year-olds at Saint-Cloud by 1 1/4 lengths over Pakal. English invader Bonfire, was caught in traffic in the late going and finished third. French Fifteen, trained by Nicolas Clement, picked up his second stakes win. The French-bred Turtle Bowl colt finished the 1 mile over very soft going in 1:43.50.
Japan
Tosen Jordan came from well back in the field to pull off a big upset in Sunday’s Group 1 Tenno Sho at Tokyo Race Course, getting home first by 1/2 length over Dark Shadow in course-record time of 1:56.1. Pelusa finished third and last year’s winner, Buena Vista, got home fourth. In a star-studded field, 2010 Japan Cup winner Rose Kingdom finished 10th of 18. Tosen Jordan, a 5-year-old son of Jungle Pocket, likely will join stablemate Orfevre, winner of this year’s Japanese Triple Crown, in the field for the Nov. 27 Japan Cup, trainer Yasutoshi Ikee said. “I thought that he would have a better chance of winning if the race development required stamina rather than burst of speed,” the conditioner said. “So I was delighted when the pace became fast.” The race was opened to international runners in 2005 but none has yet accepted the challenge.
Woodbine
Rose and Shine tracked the pace in Saturday’s $250,000 (Canadian) Princess Elizabeth Stakes for 2-year-old, Canadian-bred fillies, took the lead with a three-wide move in the lane and won by 1 length over Dixie Strike. The favorite, Blue Heart, got home third after a troubled trip. Rose and Shine, a Mr. Sekiguchi filly out of the Colonial Affair mare Yellowenglishrose, ran the 1 1/16 miles on the all-weather track in 1:45.56 with Luis Contreras up.
“Everytime she runs, she tries so hard,” said winning trainer Ralph Biamonte. “We had a good trip today and I think it was just a matter of the trip.”
Oregon Lady dropped to the inside in the stretch run of Saturday’s $100,000 (Canadian) River Memories Stakes for fillies and mares, squeezed by the leaders and won off by 4 1/4 lengths. Moment of Majesty was second with an even trip and Hallowe’en hunch bet Magic Broomstick, the favorite, was third. Oregon Lady, a 4-year-old, Irish-bred Shamardal filly, ran the 1 mile on soft turf in 1:39.59 with Patrick Husbands at the controls.
“I just did like Simon says,” laughed Ramsammy, referring to winning trainer Stuart Simon. “Last race she was a bit rank and we had a slow track. We liked her an awful lot going into this race, and she didn’t disappoint us.”
Atlantic Hurricane roared down the stretch like a big wind in Sunday’s $150,000 Ontario Fashion Stakes for fillies and mares, collared pacesetting Waccamaw late and went on to win by 1/2 length over that rival. The odds-on favorite Ariana D, made a move in the stretch but hung and finished third. Atlantic Hurricane, a 4-year-old, Florida-bred Halo’s Image filly, ran the 6 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:09.23 for jockey Emile Ramsammy.
Stormy Lord took the lead early in the stretch run in Sunday’s $100,000 Labeeb Stakes and held off Hollinger to win by 1/2 length. Safety Zone finished third. Stormy Lord, a 4-year-old, Ontario-bred Stormy Atlantic gelding, got the 1 mile on yielding turf in 1:39.94 with Justin Stein in the irons.
“When the gate opens, and the race shapes up the way you want it to and you have good position early, the rest is up to him,” said Stein. “I don’t have to worry about a thing after that, because he’s going to give me his whole heart.”
Keeneland
Wise Dan swooped past the leaders on the stretch turn in Saturday’s $150,000, Grade II Fayette Stakes and worked clear, winning by 4 lengths over Ioya Bigtime. Workin for Hops was 1/2 length farther back in third. Wise Dan, a 4-year-old, Kentucky-bred Wiseman’s Ferry gelding, ran the 9 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:48.72 for jockey Julien Leparoux. He was coming back from a fourth-place finish behind Gio Ponti in the Shadwell Turf Mile on Oct. 8.
“We had a big question about the mile-and-an-eighth,” said winning trainer Charlie Lopresti. “That’s the thing we’ve been afraid of all along. And I just thought, ‘We’ve got to try it. We’ve got to find out how far he can go.'”
Now, he said, he is considering one of the 9-furlong graded events on the Churchill Downs fall schedule.
Churchill Downs
On Fire Baby helped kick off the fall stakes schedule under the twin spires with an off-the-pace upset win in Sunday’s $150,000, Grade II Pocahontas Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. With Joe Johnson up, the Kentucky-bred Smoke Glacken filly, out of the Gilded Time mare Ornate, outfinished And Why Not to score by 3/4 length. Glinda the Good was up for third. On Fire Baby ran the 1 mile on a fast track in 1:37.17. She now has two wins from three starts.
“I’ve trained a lot of good horses and some graded stakes winners and she’s right up there with them,” said winning trainer Gary Hartlage. “She’ll be even better next year when she really figures out what’s going on.”
He said she may start in the Golden Rod on Nov. 26 or wait until next year.
In the Opening Day co-feature, Motor City rallied from last of seven to win the $100,000, Grade III Iroquois Stakes for 2-year-olds, getting by pacesetting Seven Lively Sins late to win by 3/4 length over that rival. Mr. Bowling finished third. Motor City, a Street Sense gelding out of the Danzig Connection mare Shawgatny, ran the 1 mile in 1:37.18 for jockey Calvin Borel. He now has two wins, a second and a third from five starts.
“He ran really well today,” said winning trainer Ian Wilkes. “The race set up like we wanted. Sometimes it works out perfect. We’ll make sure he comes out of the race fine and then we’ll definitely look at the (Kentucky) Jockey Club.”
Borel said Motor City “ran just like his daddy,” who won the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the 2007 Kentucky Derby.
Laurel Park
Trainer King Leatherbury wasn’t successful in finding partners to supplement Ben’s Cat to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint so, instead, he sent the 5-year-old Parker’s Storm Cat gelding out to a 2-lengths win in Saturday’s $50,000 Laurel Dash – which came off the turf in the northeast’s nasty weather. With Jeremy Rose up, Ben’s Cat tracked the pace off the rail, got to the front in the stretch and won driving. Royal Currier was second and Action Andy took third. The 6 furlongs in the slop took 1:11.11. Half of the original 12-horse field scratched after the surface change. Rose, who piloted Afleet Alex to victories in the 2005 Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, said Ben’s Cat is the third-best horse he has ever ridden. “Alex, Havre de Grace and him are 1-2-3,” Rose said. “I have been on some really top horses, including Big Brown and Toccet, but Ben’s Cat is better than them.”
Belmont Park
The weekend card was called off following Saturday’s third race because of the snowstorm that wreaked havoc in the northeast, making everyone really glad the Breeders’ Cup wasn’t scheduled for Belmont this year. It’s bound to be nicer in 2013.
