NYRA’S Breeders’ Cup Preview Day
October 2nd, 2009By Jude T. Feld
Saturday officially begins “Breeders’ Cup Season.†With five Grade 1 races at Belmont Park, it is time for fans and horseplayers to get out their notebooks and pay close attention, because a “life-changing†payoff could be had at Santa Anita, if a little tidbit of firsthand knowledge separates a player from the rest of the pack.
BEL 6th) A diminutive field of five was entered in the Beldame (G1). It is hard to believe that more fillies and mares wouldn’t want to take a shot at a $600,000 purse, but I guess MUSIC NOTE, who opens at 2/5 on the morning line, scared several entrants away. It is not that she is Rachel Alexandra, but there is plenty to like about her. The Team Valor International entry of CAPTAIN’S LOVER and UNBRIDLED BELLE look like her main competition and both were out of the money in their most recent starts.
BEL 7th) Five more entered the Vosburgh (G1). FABULOUS STRIKE is the Bogeyman man here. He has a nice stalking style and should sit a great trip just outside of lone front runner GO GO SHOOT. The Todd Beattie trainee doesn’t offer much value at his even money opening, but he certainly looks tough on paper. The great speed handicapper Joshua Shelley would shoot me if I didn’t use GO GO SHOOT in all my horizontal wagers. He will be in front early and could be hard to pass if the favorite stubs his toe.
BEL 8th) Fillies and mares who run long on the turf seem to take turns winning. Part of this has to do with trips and part has to do with the current stars being evenly matched. CARRIBEAN SUNSET, PURE CLAN and DYNAFORCE are all reliable for solid performances, with the latter seemingly having the edge when the course is soft. New face, MONEYCANTBUYMELOVE, has been showing steady improvement all summer long, while racing in Great Britain, and probably hasn’t peaked yet. She has better than an upset chance in the Flower Bowl (G1).
BEL 9th) GIO PONTI is the best turf horse in North America yet NYRA got eight victims to line up against him in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (G1). As Vin Scully would say, “Amazing.†PRESIOUS PASSION, the “wise guy†horse who folded like a lawn chair over the rain-softened turf course for the Arlington Million (G1) and GRAND COUTURIER, who won the Bowling Green (G2) over the local course in his last start, look like the ones the big horse has to fear most. I seriously doubt his trainer, Christophe Clement, is having insomnia problems.
BEL 10th) It’s not your daddy’s Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1). Previous winners include Man o’War, Citation, Kelso, Buckpasser, Damascus, Forego, Affirmed, John Henry and Cigar…all legends of the American turf. It would seem that the only entrant in this year’s event that might have a slim chance of making a list like that would be SUMMER BIRD. Winner of the Belmont (G1) and the Travers (G1), the son of Birdstone could be on a path to glory. MACHO AGAIN couldn’t get by a three-year-old filly, ASIATIC BOY has seen better days and QUALITY ROAD comes off a bizarre 6 ½ furlong to a mile and a quarter set of comeback races that don’t make me wanna bet on him.
