“Whodayalike?”
January 12th, 2004by Jude T. Feld
Obviously at this time of year, the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships are the talk of the track. Everyone is walkin’ around askin’, “Whodoyalike?” Here’s what a few famous and not so famous folks have to say about Saturday’s races at Lone Star:
Carlo Campanella (Professional Sports Handicapper -Vegas Experts): “When Midas Eyes enters the starting gate on Breeder’s Cup Saturday, it will have been 56-days since his last race. In case you haven’t seen his past performances in a while, that’s bad news for the rest of the Sprint field. Back on March 15, 2003, he returned from almost a seven-month layoff to make his three-year-old debut, only to win the Swale Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park by more then nine lengths, while posting a 110 Beyer speed figure. Forward to August 25, 2004. Once again, Midas Eyes returns from a seven-month layoff to win back-to-back races and earns 111 and 113 Beyer figures, respectively. Now that he’s a bigger, stronger four-year-old, trainer Bobby Frankel has finally taught this son of Touch Gold to relax and rate just off the leaders…The perfect running style to capture this year’s Sprint!”
Rob Murphy (Former relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres and Florida Marlins, now an active Thoroughbred owner as managing partner of M375 Thoroughbreds.): “I am strictly looking at this year’s BC from the pedigree perspective. Therefore, here goes: Distaff – Society Selection – Indy Groove; Juvenile Fillies – Mona Lisa; Mile – Domestic Dispute – Royal Regalia; Sprint – Gold Storm; Juvenile – Twice Unbridled; Turf – Star Over the Bay; I either have fillies by, or in-foal to the sires of these horses.”
Aron Wellman (Attorney and Thoroughbred owner: “At this stage, I have only one horse that I have a strong opinion about – Special Ring.
Special Ring is a horse I have followed very closely since he came to the United States. When he first arrived, this gorgeous son of the great Nureyev was a real handful. He would often run off in very rank fashion,sometimes opening up double digit length leads prior to the middle of the first turn in his turf route races. Undoubtedly talented, but difficult to control and rate, the powers that be at Prestonwood and his trainer, Julio Canani must have agonized over the decision of whether or not to geld the talented son of Nureyev, depriving themselves of the potential to stand Special Ring at stud if he were to ever run to his ability. The decision was made to make the “ultimate equipment change.” That decision has allowed him to be one of the best turf milers in the country the past two years.
But the real reason I love Special Ring in this year’s mile is that he is what I refer to as a “turn horse.” Special Ring does his best running around turns and his ability to accelerate around turns will give him a tremendous advantage over the rest of the field. Lone Star Park is known for having tight turns on its turf course. Because Special Ring has the natural speed to be close to the pace, either on the lead or rating comfortably just off the leaders, he will be in perfect striking position turning for home. His ability to accelerate around the turn should allow him to open up on his competition into the lane, and the short stretch at Lone Star will make it too difficult for the closers to make up enough ground on ‘Ring before he is able to hit the wire in front.
Canani has been ultra conservative with Special Ring’s campaign this year, targeting the Mile every step of the way. Victor Espinoza is a perfect fit for this horse and at an anticipated 5 to 8-1 price, I love Special Ring to win this year’s Mile.”
Samantha Siegel (Owner of Jay Em Ess Stable with her father Mace Siegel): “In the Juvenile, I like Consolidator. D. Wayne is always dangerous with a good two-year-old and this one has already won around two turns. In the Juvenile Fillies, Sweet Catomine will be tough to beat, but I will take a shot with Sense of Style. Edgar Prado will not get her stuck this time.”
Brian Mulligan (Daily Racing Form handicapper and former “Sweep”): “Julio Canani is as good as anybody getting a horse to a particular race. He has won the BC Mile twice with Silic and Val Royal and of his two bullets in this year’s edition, I would give the edge to the older horse Special Ring. That near millionaire used to be pretty speed crazy early in his career, but he can sit off the pace if need be and still pounce. With the Lone Star course, I expect you would want to be on or near the lead turning for home. You need a horse in form, as 19 of 20 Mile winners were not out of the exacta in their final prep for the race. Two longshots to consider underneath are speedy, but maybe overmatched Soaring Free and the bearish Singletary. Trained by up and coming Don Chaltos, Singletary was not cranked for the Oak Tree Mile and still only got beat 2 noses. He’ll be out to tackle them in the final 16th.”
Tom Bridges (Keeneland Clocker): “You’ve gotta like Sense of Style after that trip she had in the Darley Alcibiades. I think she is going to be pretty tough. Dale Romans has done a great job spotting his horses this year. Kitten’s Joy is the morning line favorite in the Turf, Nothing to Lose looks great in the Mile and I think Ghostzapper and Roses In May are the top two horses in the Classic.”
Susan Ditter (Assistant trainer and former jockey): “I just saw John Sadler’s colt, Our New Recruit, today. Man, is he amazing looking. Mandella’s horse (Pleasantly Perfect) looks as if he shipped very well.”
Sean Feld (Jockey Agent): “I like Cajun Beat. Last time, in the Forego, he drew the rail. He had a weird work pattern going into that race, along with the Dubai curse going against him. Cornelio Velasquez was ding-donging on the rail and the horse spit it out at the 1/4 pole against Pico Central. Pico Central would have won the Breeders’ Cup by many if he had run, but Gary Tanaka didn’t put up the money. I think Cajun Beat needed his last race and the report of him beating Midas Eyes in a work is a good sign. I think you can toss all the West Coast sprinters because the division is very weak, and I think you can toss Midas Eyes because six furlongs is too short. I think Clock Stopper will have too much to make up and it seems Speightstown is off form.”
Cliff Guilliams (Author and Racing Writer for the Evansville Courier-Journal): “I’m not much of a Breeders’ Cup guy. Birdstone and Azeri.”
