Breeders Cup News/Updates/Opinions

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=miss_critic;2757657]
Interesting that Xchanger opted for the dirt mile and the 3 you mentioned in Race 1 did not-that’s who X has been racing against.[/QUOTE]

The big difference of course being that Xchanger will run for $1M but an ungraded race, where as the ‘Pegasus Stakes’ on Saturday is just $250,000 but graded - G3. Getting another graded win might be more important then the money for some of the horses that didn’t go the BC route.

With Stunt Man (the favorite at 4-1) in the Pegasus plus those other cited runners it really isn’t any different with the talent level. Perhaps only Xchanger qualified for admission to a BC race unlike say Bwana Bull?

I wonder why the brief wunderkind Jersey local, Cable Boy, didn’t show up in one of these races as that’s his home track.

If not HRTV (yes, TVG will carry them all) I suspect youbet.net might carry the first three races on the internet for free. It will be worth watching all race 1 and 3 for sure. I think this would be (in the Select Stakes) the first return for both Cobalt and Buffalo to the races.

[Timex]

@Glimmerglass;2757228

Here was the article: NTRA/DRF 10-22-07

Tal of Ekati went a half-mile in a sizzling 45.79 seconds

my guess? my dear darling Eibar was being a brat and was ticked off about not being able to go down to his place in Florida for Monday and Tuesday, as is his routine. we’ve been playing phone tag since monday evening, after dealing with Barclay, maybe it’s a good thing i kept missing his calls! nothing like an agitated venezuelan to ruin your day.

edited to add, the breeder’s cup website has all the post positions, plus jockeys. that’s www.breederscup.com

[Texarkana]

[QUOTE=miss_critic;2757657]
Did not know this. Interesting that Xchanger opted for the dirt mile and the 3 you mentioned in Race 1 did not-that’s who X has been racing against. I wonder if HRTV will carry those races (I know, I am sure TVG is, but my cable is not so privledged!:no:)[/QUOTE]

Xchanger has been working well, he likes Monmouth, the shorter distance will probably be to his advantage, and I’m betting Mark really wants another BC starter!

[miss_critic]

@Glimmerglass;2757689

The big
I wonder why the brief wunderkind Jersey local, Cable Boy, didn’t show up in one of these races as that’s his home track.

I haven’t gotten any workout notifications for Cable Boy.

I don’t know if I am confusing another horse…but didn’t Park Ave Ball just run?

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=miss_critic;2757887]
… didn’t Park Ave Ball just run?[/QUOTE]

His last start was September 30th in the Vosburgh Stakes (Grade 1) where he finished 6th. PAB is one of those names that I link with Naughty New Yorker. Relative ‘Old Timers’ stil grinding away.

Heavy rains at Monmouth this afternoon. War Monger, who was faded badly against Nobiz Like Shobiz in the Jamaica Handicap took the win the $100k Rutgers University Stakes. Not so good for J. Castellano on Pays To Dream - he was dumped badly right out of the gate (flipped over Pays head) …

[miss_critic]

[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;2758166]
His last start was September 30th in the Vosburgh Stakes (Grade 1) where he finished 6th. PAB is one of those names that I link with Naughty New Yorker. Relative ‘Old Timers’ stil grinding away.

QUOTE]

Oh, that is TOTALLY what I was getting mixed up on. Spot on.

Re: Today’s ESPN show:
Poor Tiago…poor poor Tiago. Not only did Randy get his sibling info wrong (Randy said he was a FULL brother to Giacomo) then when they showed a clip of “him” walking, it wasn’t even him!!!

[miss_critic]

I found out why our “All American Girl” was not entered anywhere

*Panty Raid (T. Pletcher) - blood work “not perfect”/1st Spinster (9F - Kee poly, 10/7)/Matriarch, Falls City

Odd nothing was written up about it as I know she has some fans.

[jennywho]

TVG just announced that Mandella scratched Dixie Chatter due to a fever. He was on the same flight as Cry and Catch Me who is also scratched due to a fever.

At 10/1 I thought Dixie Chatter was a heck of a play.

[Glimmerglass]

Two more scratches

TVG Breeders’ Cup Sprint - Attila’s Storm

Attila’s Storm has a filling in an ankle, according to trainer Rich Schosberg, who said X-rays were inconclusive.

“I’m sure it’s nothing major, but we’re certainly taking no risks,” Schosberg said.

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile - Dixie Chatter; he like Cry and Catch Me has come down with an elevated temperature. Interestingly both were shipped on the same flight from California so if there was anyone else on the flight there could be further scratches.

[Glimmerglass]

With the rain continuing in Jersey you have to look for horses that love off-tracks or even sealed tracks. I suspect Monmouth will have to seal the track on BC day if the rains are continual.

[Glimmerglass]

Random drug testing all negative

From the Associated Press

Breeders’ Cup Horses’ tests for doping are negative

Associated Press
Oct 25, 2007

OCEANPORT, N.J. - The New Jersey Racing Commission reported yesterday that random blood tests of Breeders’ Cup horses competing at Monmouth Park tomorrow and Saturday were negative.

Under regulations adopted in New Jersey in September, the NJRC can conduct out-of-competition tests for EPO (Epogen) in horses running at any of the state’s tracks. In the past, tests were conducted only in the hours before or after a race.

EPO is a blood-doping agent that enhances the red blood cells in racehorses and can improve performance.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

A quote from Aidan O Brien on George Washington in the run up the Classic, underlying the “we have nothing lose” attitude behind why hes entered in the Classic.

O’Brien was just as confident about ‘Gorgeous George’ in the Classic as he was Dylan Thomas, despite the Irish raider going into the gate alongside American dirt specialists such as ante-post favourite Lawyer Ron, Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense and Preakness victor Curlin.

He said: "George is a great horse for us now because we’re not under any pressure with him.

"He went to stud and everyone knows he wasn’t a success but he’ll be tried again and we’re not under any pressure. We can explore and we were delighted with his run in the Classic last year.

"Mick (Kinane) was very happy that if he hadn’t have been knocked off balance in the straight he might have been placed and that would have been a massive run.

"We feel that last year he was a little bit washed out as three-year-old. We had danced a lot of beats with him and his coat had gone this time last year. So he was looking a little bit washed out and he was entitled to be.

"This year he’s had a very easy time and he might be better in himself. He’s tighter in his coat and he seems better, but time will tell.

"I think it’s going to be a fast race and horses are probably going to follow the pace and I would imagine Mick might follow them.

“We’ll be delighted if he runs well.”

[Glimmerglass]

Hard Spun will run tomorrow shod with calks

Larry Jones, who will send out Hard Spun in the Breeders’ Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I) and Proud Spell in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I), will take advantage of the shoes, as he believes they will provide his horses with more confidence as they move across the track.

“If you can keep the slip away from them and give them the confidence to go ahead and keep running, then that’s what you’ve got to do,” Jones said.

Jones’ Kentucky-based farriers are brothers Todd and Chad Boston, who have been shoeing horses together for about two decades.

Source: BloodHorse 10-26-07

[Glimmerglass]

So close but denied …

Had only Achill Island (IRE) taken the win in the JV Turf race today I would’ve nailed the late Pick Three. Also also would’ve had the daily double with races 9-10.

It killed me that I had Corinthian, Lewis Michael and Gottcha Gold in the last race for the Pick Three after Johnny Murtagh came up short against Julien on Nownownow At least I had the exacta in the 10th race.

I picked Maryfield in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on the strength of her liking the slop and doing well in it. A bit of a nobrainer. I knew La Traviats has talent but no way she could step up against a more seasoned crew and cope with the soup. It’s a shame Oprah Winney who was well in the picture in the turn for home faded near the bottom of the field.

Lesson from today for Saturday’s racing is terribly obvious: go with the mudders!

Unlike most of the others in the BCC Hard Spun has actually run in the rain and even won on an off track. Starters in the BCC who have run in an “Off track”/“Wet Dirt”; starts and results

Lawyer Ron: 2 starts 2-0-0
Street Sense: 1 starts 0-0-0
Hard Spun: 1 start 1-0-0

Hard Spun has won at 1 1/4 too. So take from that what you will …

Tomorrow should be some great fun for all!

[saratoga]

[QUOTE=dressagetraks;2757644]
Funny Cide must have calmed down quite a bit from his younger days if he’s a stable pony in his retirement. I remember all sorts of descriptions of him as being a handful to put it mildly. Still think that he lost himself the TC. Not jockey error or anybody else error, but horse simply too revved by nature for that race in front of that crowd.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, i saw FC about 4 times on the racetrack and he was pretty revved up. I saw him in the paddock and on the track parading during “Funny Cide Day” at Saratoga this year and he was as calm as could be. I guess probably the drugs he’s getting / not getting or maybe just getting out of his stall more now.

[Glimmerglass]

Not unexpected Wait a While scratched from F&M Turf

Wait a While joins Dixie Chatter and Slew’s Tiznow (Juvenile), Cry and Catch Me (Juvenile Fillies) and Attila’s Storm (Sprint) as horses who were scratched out of Breeders’ Cup races.

To begin the card, the turf course will be labeled soft and the main track sloppy.

Other scratches on Saturday’s card include:

• Race 1 (Pegasus) – Stunt Man
• Race 3 (Select) – Buffalo Man

Looks like we’ll have to wait to see the return of Rick Pitino, et al’s Buffalo Man (winner of the “Spectacular Bid Stakes”) to the track.

[miss_critic]

@Glimmerglass;2762761

Hard Spun has won at 1 1/4 too. So take from that what you will …

Are you sure about that?

[Drvmb1ggl3]

Hard Spun has not won at 10f. Only 2 horses in the field have won over the Classic distance, Street Sense and Curlin.

[dressagetraks]

Hope everybody is making it back safely to the barn at the end of their races today with the bad weather. Have there been any problems anywhere?

[hundredacres]

Man that was an awesome match. Hard Spun turned on the juice at 3/4 but Curlin’ turned it on even more…that was a super match.

Crap…they say there is a “situation”…