Breeders' Cup 2006

[Glimmerglass]

I guess it is about time to get this thread going

The latest confirmation: George Washington Definite for BC Classic (BloodHorse 10-16-06)

“George goes for the Classic,” [Aidan] O’Brien said. “We know he would have been short-priced favorite for the Mile, but winning the Classic would open the whole world to him. The one thing they need to do, to handle the dirt, is travel in their races - and that’s what George has always done, as much as any horse we’ve ever had.”

I still will scratch my head on that one but hey it certainly makes for a more exciting Saturday afternoon!

Also in the Breeders’ Classic at 1 1/4 mi on dirt mix will be:

Bernardini and one guesses Invasor although oddly not mentioned in the article below at all!

Flower Alley, second in last year’s BC Classic, will be back for another try, trainer Todd Pletcher’s assistant Mike McCarthy said on Monday from Churchill Downs.

Other horses with Classic plans include: Lava Man, winner of seven in a row; Invasor, winner in eight of nine career starts; Santa Anita Derby winner Brother Derek; Super Derby winner Strong Contender; 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo; and Andromeda’s Hero, David Junior, Lawyer Ron, Perfect Drift, Premium Tap, Suave, Sun King and Super Frolic.

Source: International Herald/AP 10-15-06 “latest BC Classic probables”

The above is the first mention I have seen of Lawyer Ron being pointed to the Classic! Now under Todd Pletcher and I hope a new jockey it would be another nice hard-grinder to add in the mix!!

Regarding the Breeders’ Cup Mile with George Washington now committed to the Classic and Showing Up repeating his career best Beyer Speed Figure of 107 in the Jamaica Handicap, the door for him returning to the BC is back open!

His exceptionally strong effort was just what Tagg said was required to consider him for the BC Mile.

Tagg is however still firmly on the fence with Nobiz Like Shobiz (2nd place runner in the Champagne) in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He was mugged early then recovered pretty well for a 2nd start in a Grade 1 event against more seasoned runners. I think he should stick with initial plans to aim him for the G2 Remsen Stakes on Nov. 25th and the rest of the way through the Kentucky Derby

[horselips]

Fingers crossed

I’m really really hoping Invasor is entered.

[Slewdledo]

No need to scratch your head. Coolmore’s going to throw the best they’ve got at Bernardini. :winkgrin: Makes for intrigue, suspense, and FUN for us American fans. Lava Man and Sun King just might pick up the pieces and come in for the exacta. That’s who I’ll be rooting for.

I kind of hope they run Quiet Little Miss in the BC Juvenile Fillies. She’s beautiful. I’m not a Point Ashley fan.

Bordonaro’s going to be supplemented to the Spring, which is FABULOUS. He and Henny Hughes’ll be at each other’s throats down the stretch. The Sprint’s my favorite BC race.

Then the Distaff, where you’ve got the mares who just put in clunkers on Polytrack.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

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[Glimmerglass]

Invasor nominated, not entered - yet

$250k put up now, but another $125k required to actually enter him …

Officials of Breeders’ Cup Ltd. have confirmed that the 4-year-old Invasor, a top contender for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I), has been nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program as a horse of racing age.

Pam Blatz-Murff, senior vice president of Breeders’ Cup Operations, confirmed today receipt of a $250,000 payment from Invasor’s owners, Shadwell Stable. This payment places Invasor, whose sire, Candy Stripes, was not nominated to the Breeders’ Cup Program for the 2001 Southern Hemisphere breeding season, into the Breeders’ Cup Program for his entire racing career, including earning full purse monies in Breeders’ Cup Stakes program races.

Should Shadwell enter Invasor in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which will be run at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships on Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs, the owners will pay the standard $125,000 fees to start in the race. Had Invasor not been nominated to the Breeders’ Cup under the horses of racing age program, his supplemental fee to start in the Classic would have been $750,000.
BloodHorse 10-16-06

[Slewdledo]

Lava Man’s connections have already done the same. He wasn’t BC-nominated.

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=Slewdledo;1936625]
Lava Man’s connections have already done the same. He wasn’t BC-nominated.[/QUOTE]

Yep, the Kenly family’s STD Stable and Jason Wood, the co-owners of the 5-year-old gelding, paid $150,000 on Tuesday October 4th. Thus they avoided having to suppliment him in to the race for $450,000, or 9 percent of the Classic’s purse.

[Glimmerglass]

BCC the ‘swan song’ for Bernardini?

No other publication has suggested this except this obscure one that equidaily.com uncovered. I would’ve thought that another stab at the Dubai races with Bernardini would’ve been planned for 2007 or maybe even going to California for the Strub Series.

The spectacular Bernardini is due to be retired at the end of this year, but Discreet Cat will winter in Dubai following the Cigar Mile, and will remain in training as a four-year-old. [Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford] added: “We will look forward to seeing Discreet Cat compete in all the top races in America next year.”
10-12-06 “Breeders’ Cup bid ‘very unlikely’ for Discreet Cat”

[Glimmerglass]

TB Times (10/18): “Shirocco ‘50-50’ for Breeders’ Cup Turf”

It would be a shame if he wasn’t brought to the US to defend his victory in last years Breeders’ Cup Turf divison.

[Slewdledo]

It would be a shame if this was the last we saw of Bernardini. :mad:

Shining Energy and BADGE OF SILVER are apparently going to be contesting some of the turf races!!!

[Drvmb1ggl3]

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[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=Drvmb1ggl3;1939382]
You have to wonder what Frankel has up his sleeve with Badge of Silver. On the face of it he doesn’t belong in the Mile, but it’s not like Frankel doesn’t know how to pull off a turf upset.[/QUOTE]

He’s had plenty of rest! Last start and win on Jan 1, 2006

[Glimmerglass]

as an aside …

No Lava Man hat yet, but they added a very plain jane version of a Bernardini ball cap, which I wish had used the Godolphin blue. Of course he is running for Darley Stable, perhaps Lava Man will get the blue one

[Glimmerglass]

I do believe that Drvmb1ggl3 made this prediction in a prior thread regarding the merits of George Washington running in the seemingly-odd spot of the Breeders’ Cup Classiic

SportingLife (UK) 10-20-06 “George to retire after Breeders’ Cup”

“We’ve been lucky enough to stand a lot of champion stallions over the years,” said Coolmore manager Christy Grassick. “But I don’t think any of them could match George Washington’s range of qualifications.”

[Glimmerglass]

I do believe that Drvmb1ggl3 made this prediction in a prior thread regarding the merits of George Washington running in the seemingly-odd spot of the Breeders’ Cup Classic

SportingLife (UK) 10-20-06 “George to retire after Breeders’ Cup”

“We’ve been lucky enough to stand a lot of champion stallions over the years,” said Coolmore manager Christy Grassick. “But I don’t think any of them could match George Washington’s range of qualifications.”

[Glimmerglass]

Too much funnel cake?

You would’ve thought a Clydesdale named Bernardini had taken to the track

[Bernardini] turned in his first workout since his effortless romp in the Oct. 7 Jockey Club Gold Cup, breezing five furlongs in a pokey 1:04.3 yesterday at Belmont

[Glimmerglass]

No Tin Man in the BC Turf

BloodHorse 10-20-06 “Mandella Decides Not to Run The Tin Man in Turf”

The Tin Man, who has compiled the best seasonal record of his career with two grade I wins at the age of eight in 2006, will miss what would have been his third effort in the John Deere Breeders’ Cup Turf (gr. IT).

Trainer Richard Mandella said he decided on Thursday that the son of Affirmed would not make the trip from his California base to Churchill Downs.

“He just isn’t training back up to his best form and I’m not going to bring him there if he’s not,” Mandella said. “Right now, I’m deciding whether I’ll go ahead and give him a couple of months rest or just take some more time with him between races. But, with the Breeders’ Cup coming up, I don’t have time to have him back where I should in order to go.”

[JER]

“We’ve been lucky enough to stand a lot of champion stallions over the years,” said Coolmore manager Christy Grassick. “But I don’t think any of them could match George Washington’s range of qualifications.”

George won 4 races at 2 and 2 this year at 3. Let’s give him some extra points for character (forgets to leave gate, hissy fits galore) but I think this is slightly exaggerating.

One of the less-“qualified” Coolmore stallions, High Chaparral, won something like 7 Gr1s, including 2 BC Turfs and 2 Eclipse Awards, over distances from 8f-12f. But hey, that was years ago and George is this year’s hype.

To bad we can’t see this horse have an actual racing career.

[Glimmerglass]

Lava Man and his security guard

I thought this was great: Lexington Herald-Leader 10-19-06 “Lava Man primed for Breeders’ Cup”

No disrespect intended, Bernardini. But Lava Man has brought his fighting game east with him for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic. Watch out.

He so fills his Keeneland stall with his A-game that trainer Doug O’Neill has had to hire security guards 24/7.

Their mission: to keep people away. It’s not that Lava Man fails to enjoy his visitors. If he were a human athlete, he’d spend all his time signing autographs.

But when visitors start to leave, Lava Man “is all over the stall,” said O’Neill’s brother and assistant trainer, Dennis. Last week, he got so excited he leapt into the air and bumped his head on the rafters.

That’s A-game aggression. The zone this horse is in has him thinking it’s all about him. He’s feeling that way because he hasn’t lost a race in seven starts this year.

But with the Breeders’ Cup only 21/2 weeks away, Lava Man does not need any more bumps to the head. So now he has security guards outside his stall.

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;1938522]
TB Times (10/18): “Shirocco ‘50-50’ for Breeders’ Cup Turf”[/QUOTE]

Shirocco unlikely for Breeders’ Cup Turf

Although a final decision will not be made until Monday morning, Shirocco (Ger) is unlikely to defend his Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) victory on November 4 at Churchill Downs.

Paul Harley, the racing manager for owner and breeder Georg Baron von Ullmann, cited a pending stud deal and concern that Shirocco would face firm ground at Churchill in the Turf.

Shirocco will probably remain in Europe and be retired, with stud plans to be announced later in the week, Harley said. Von Ullmann will retain a few shares in the Monsun horse out of So Sedulous, by The Minstrel.

TB Times Sunday 10-22