Breeders' Cup 2006

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More horses skipping on the BC …

Vacare, winner of the G1 turf-QE2 Challenge Cup and undefeated in her career, will skip the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

On again, off again, and now no Barclay Tagg at Churchill at all …

Showing Up will skip the Breeders’ Cup Mile after all and will instead go out to California for the Hollywood Derby at the end of November.

Nobiz Like Shobiz will skip the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and will instead point to the G2 Remsen Stakes at the end of November.

From across the pond: George Washington is a confirmed starter for the Classic; Ad Valorem, Ivan Denisovich and Aussie Rules are confirmed for the Breeder’s Cup Mile; Scorpion confirmed for the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

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Shirocco will pass as well. The stud deal mentioned above was with Darley. He’ll stand at Dalham Hall next year.

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One of my clients owns Film Maker, who will run in the Filly and Mare Turf.

What are the thoughts on her, and how competitive that field will be? Its fun to have a connection, no matter how slight, to a horse who will be running…

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One of my clients owns Film Maker, who will run in the Filly and Mare Turf.

What are the thoughts on her, and how competitive that field will be? Its fun to have a connection, no matter how slight, to a horse who will be running…[/QUOTE]

From watching an early preview on the BC this might be one of very few divisions that won’t be oversubscribed. Undefeated - but young - Vacare will not be going to the BC, she will instead be sold at auction. And Europe’s top notch Pride (FR) won’t be shipped over either.

In the current NTRA rankings for the Filly/Mare Turf division Film Maker is 5th. The probelm will be for her connections is that one of the best older mares in recent history will be there: Ouija Board. Lord Derby’s 5-yr old champion gal can drop kick the boys, older ones too, and I won’t be betting against her. Although Film Maker has finished just behind her twice.

Also tough as nails with a final kick 3-yr old Gorella with Julien aboard will be in there as well.

The three make for a very nice trifecta pick

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With Gorella going for the BC Mile[/QUOTE]

Still not a guarantee - there is the 3% chance of still doing the F/M Turf hence my inclusion of her in that group I like her a lot but I think her last outting (Gorella’s) wasn’t impressive as before accordingly I think its a risk [to not win] putting her in the Mile against the boys.

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Take a look at the pre-entries received: Breeders’ Cup Pre Entries - October 24, 2006

What stands out is Godolphin’s attempt to squeeze out at least one other horse from the BCC field by listing Discreet Cat yet having no intention of running him in the Classic. Only 14 can start. So who gets dropped/bumped? I doubt Lawyer Ron and Flower Alley will both start, and it seems Todd is leaning towards FA going over the two.

The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Division has a whopping 24 pre entries!

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Flower Alley and the BC Pre-Entry

I guess after some review by the selectors your man, Flower Alley, was rudely shown the alley …

Pletcher Calls Flower Alley Classic Exclusion ‘A Joke’
by Leslie Deckard of The BloodHorse
10/25/2006

Trainer Todd Pletcher called the exclusion of Flower Alley from the body of the Breeders’ Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I) ‘a joke’ during a National Thoroughbred Racing Association/Breeders’ Cup media teleconference Oct. 25 to announce the pre-entries for the eight-race $20-million event.

Flower Alley, who finished second in last year’s Classic, was excluded from the body of the race and placed on the also-eligible list. He will not be eligible to compete unless another horse is withdrawn from the field before entries are taken Nov. 1.

“I think it is an absolute joke he did not get in, and I will leave it at that,” said Pletcher, who has a record 18 horses pre-entered for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs. “It’s close to a moot point because I do believe he will get into the race.”

The top seven Breeders’ Cup point earners in each division gain automatic berths, while the remaining seven horses are selected by the Breeders’ Cup racing directors/secretaries panel. Horses not selected into the body of a field are then ranked in order of the panel’s preference. If a horse defects from the field, horses fill the vacancy in order of their ranking until entries for the race are taken Nov. 1.

“There are seven of us who look over the data and the races,” said Ben Huffman, Churchill Downs racing secretary and a member of the selection panel. “Flower Alley did not have any graded earnings this year (later revised to correct that the Salvator Mile was grade III). The thought was his race in the Salvator Mile was mediocre and then two poor races after that. It came down to a vote, and we did not vote him in.”

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Looking very good Friday morning, albeit on poly …
DRF Clocker Report FRI 10-27-06

Lava Man (six furlongs in 1:15.56) - Drew plenty of attention from railbirds as he warmed up and made his way past the grandstand and around the turn to begin what was obviously designed to be an easy maintenance work eight days prior to the Classic. Set the tone with an opening furlong in :14.22 after which Romero even reached down to take a little more hold. Lava Man settled into an easy stride and after reaching the halfway mark of the work in a relatively slow :39.81 was given a glimpse of the stick and responded with a final three-eighths in a crisp :35.75 while cruising to the wire in hand and with his ears pricked. Galloped out extremely well before finally pulling up midway down the backstretch. Looks to be maintaining his terrific form entering the Classic.

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I love it - Old School Promotion!

Come on kids print this out

Breeders’ Cup Poster Bernardini vs. Lava Man (pdf file)

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P Val returns to the irons for the BC!

As I’ve said many times before, like him or hate him the guy is productive while riding and never has there been a suggestion his riding was questionable owing to drugs …

ESPN 10-29-06 “Valenzuela rebounds again with Breeders’ Cup mounts”

excerpt

And these days are again successful.

Valenzuela finished near the top of the jockeys’ standings at Santa Anita’s meeting that ended Sunday. Through Friday, he ranked 13th nationally with purse earnings of more than $8.85 million. He has booted home winners at a 19 percent rate while finishing in the money 48 percent of the time.

Business has “rebounded pretty quickly, better than you would expect,” said his agent Jim Pegram, who previously worked for Valenzuela in the mid-'90s.

“I haven’t heard any negativity,” Pegram said. “It doesn’t mean it’s not there.”

Valenzuela has always possessed a mix of cockiness and confidence, spurred by his victory in the 1980 Santa Anita Derby, when he was 17. Even while he was derailing his career with drugs, alcohol, unexplained absences and run-ins with the police, Valenzuela’s engaging smile and riding skills charmed those offended by his misdeeds.

Trainers have been eager to use Valenzuela, with Doug O’Neill and Hall of Famer Neil Drysdale among them.

“Every time he comes back, all is forgiven,” Pegram said. “The fans love him. The owners love the guy. He’s very charismatic.”

Trainer Todd Pletcher is considering Valenzuela for one of his two entries, Lawyer Ron or Flower Alley.

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From Invasor’s Sunday (Oct 30) workout:

Invasor (five furlongs in company in 1:01.76, training track): Though off since winning the Whitney on Aug. 6, Invasor continues to show trainer Kiaran McLaughlin all the right signs. In this work, Invasor broke alongside stablemate Paullinus, backed off him a bit entering the far turn, drew on even terms at the quarter pole after running three furlongs in 37.26 seconds then ran away from that one by eight lengths in recording his final quarter in 24.50 seconds. Continued to gallop out well under exercise rider Barry Downs.

“He could not be training any better; as the rider said that’s his best work ever, but the competition is stiffer than he’s ever faced too,” McLaughlin said. “But we’re very happy and maybe it was a blessing to miss the Jockey Club Gold Cup.”

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One fewer for the BC sprint …

Commentator out of Sprint
By DRF STAFF Oct 30, 2006

Commentator will not be entered Wednesday for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint, to be run Saturday at Churchill Downs.

According to a Breeders’ Cup release, trainer Nick Zito said Commentator had aggravated a previous shin injury in his left fore. The defection of Commentator will allow Areyoutalkintome to draw in to the race from the also-eligible list.

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A great prelude to the BC is today’s “Talking Horses” with nw BC race caller Trevor Denman. Folks on the west coast are simply spoiled with Trevor’s calls mated with his enthusiasm. I only marginally enjoy Tom Durkin and only then when he seems to care about the race and takes up the calling a notch from his bland as paste commentary.

Talking Horses 10-30-06, Guest Breeders’ Cup Race Caller Trevor Denman

excerpt

Denman
Being a comment maker, or as they are called in Europe, commentators. It is not just a matter of “joining the dots” and naming the horses in a race. One must paint a picture. Distances behind the leader are vital for a listener. Pace changes in the middle of a race are crucial. Types of trips and unexpected movements must be instantaneously spotted. From the quarter pole home, don’t waste time on horses who are going nowhere, concentrate on the contenders. Think like a jockey in a race. And, of course, make it exciting. Every race is someone’s Kentucky Derby.

The above couldn’t be any more true!

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Amazing that one of the biggest days in racing is just days away with perhaps one of the strongest fields of contenders across the board, likely to break the all time in-person attendance records, the most comprehensive television coverage ever, the biggest purses for the Cup ever, and the coveted horse of the year time on the line for no less then three contenders and yet seemingly almost zero interest on this BB.

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We can only hope that will liven things up.