Nine Horses That Bear Watching Up To The Breeders’ Cup World Championships
September 25th, 2007By Jude T. Feld
After Market
Benoit Photo
1. HARD SPUN – If trainer Larry Jones opts to run him in the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Mile (Should be a Grade 1), he is a lock. If Jones opts to run him in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) instead, the son of Danzig should be the favorite and will probably win. If Jones runs him in the Breeders’ Cup Classic Powered by Dodge (G1), which is the current plan, he will be running for a minor award. This weekend he takes on Street Sense in the mile and one-eighth Kentucky Cup Classic (G2) at Turfway Park.
2. BIG BROWN – The son of Boundary hails from the Patrick Reynolds stable. He ran like a freak breaking his maiden at Saratoga with underrated rider Jeremy Rose in the irons. What a great year for longtime owner Paul Pompa, Jr. to come up with grass running two-year-old colt with the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (Should be a Grade 1) making its debut.
3. DREAMING OF LIZ – Looks like owner Frank Calabrese and trainer Wayne Catalano have another champion on their hands. ‘Liz won the Arlington-Washington Lassie (G3) at a mile around one turn and is slated to make her two-turn debut in the Darley Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland. If she can carry her speed on the Polytrack, she ought to tear the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) field to pieces on the speedy Monmouth surface.
4. MAJESTIC WARRIOR – I was smitten with the son of A.P. Indy in the Saratoga paddock just before he mowed down the Hopeful (G1) field. The Coolmore boys must have shelled out more than a few shillings for a piece George Steinbrenner’s handsome colt so they could keep pace with Sheik Mohammed’s stallion acquisitions – the battle of titans continues. This colt is the real deal and must be considered the early favorite for the Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).
5. PRICE TAG – Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel did a television commercial for the Daily Racing Form a few years back. His line: “Hunches are for idiots, morons and suckers.†I have a hunch however that Bobby has been pointing this Juddmonte homebred for the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) all summer long. She has been scratched more than a Lee Rossi trainee and if she runs fresh October 27…fuggetaboutit.
6. FIRST DEFENCE – A son of the great racemare Honest Lady by Unbridled’s Song, this Juddmonte colorbearer ran a huge race against Hard Spun in the seven-furlong King’s Bishop (G1) at Saratoga. The six-furlong distance of the TVG Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) might be a tad more to his liking and if Hard Spun doesn’t run against him, he could be long gone.
7. SHAKESPEARE – To steal the Godolphin motto, “All I can say is wow!†This son of Theatrical does things other horses can’t do. He has overcome such advesity, it would not be a stretch to think he is a descendent of the horse St. George rode when he went about dragon slaying. Until more info comes to light on the European contingent, he looks like the horse to beat in the NetJets Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1).
8. AFTER MARKET – Yeah, his Del Mar Handicap (G2) victory was less than stellar – but he still won. It was his first time running longer than a mile and a quarter and he had shipped to Chicago and back – hope he got to the Field Museum – in the interim. By Storm Cat out of Tranquility Lake by Rahy is a pedigree made in heaven. He is the champ until the Union Jacks and Tricolors show up to contest the John Deere Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1).
9. BRASS HAT – Call me a sentimentalist. This horse should be named Brass Balls. He just runs baby. Bradley family owned and trained, the son of Prized showed what he was made of in the Mass Cap. I know Lawyer Ron has beaten him like a drum the last two times they faced each other but unlike his former employer, Pletcher’s horses sometimes don’t show up “when the whole world is watching.â€
