Posts Tagged ‘forever together’
Thursday, November 12th, 2009
By Ray Paulick
There is no question who the biggest star was at the 26th Breeders’ Cup world championships, held at Santa Anita Park Nov. 6-7. It was Zenyatta, who thrust herself squarely into the Horse of the Year debate by becoming the first filly or mare to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic while putting the finishing touches on a perfect career of 14 victories from as many starts.
The Classic gave Zenyatta, a daughter of Street Cry, her fifth American Graded Stakes victory of 2009 and her third G1 triumph. This was her first attempt against colts. Rachel Alexandra, the favorite for Horse of the Year leading into the Breeders’ Cup, had already registered seven American Graded Stakes victories, including five G1, in 2009, three of them against male opponents. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro ranks No. 1 in AGS wins for 2009 but was left on the sidelines by her owner, Jess Jackson, as the big dance approached because of his disdain for synthetic surfaces.
There is another very accomplished filly who has been racking up AGS victories all year, but who was overshadowed by Zenyatta at the Breeders’ Cup. That would be Informed Decision, whose victory in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint was her sixth American Graded Stakes victory of 2009 and third in a G1 race. The daughter of Monarchos, who races for the Augustin Stable of George Strawbridge (which campaigned 2008 female turf champion Forever Together and a third AGS winner of 2009 in Winter View), beat the top-class Ventura, winner of the 2008 Filly and Mare Sprint.
No one will be talking up Informed Decision as a Horse of the Year candidate, but what an outstanding year she has had for Strawbridge and trainer Jonathan Sheppard, winning six of seven starts, with a third-place showing in Saratoga’s Ballerina her only blemish. It’s true that she has performed best on synthetics (winning AGS races on Pro-Ride at Santa Anita, Polytrack at Keeneland and Arlington, and Tapeta at Presque Isle Downs), but she also won the G1 Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs on good old-fashioned dirt.
No individual had a better Breeders’ Cup than trainer John Shirreffs, who put the saddle on both Zenyatta and Life Is Sweet, a daughter of Storm Cat who won the Ladies’ Classic. Those two fillies gave Shirreffs a total of nine AGS wins for the year, and the Mizzen Mast colt Madeo made it an even 10 when he won the Inglewood Handicap earlier in the year.
None of the leading trainers of AGS winners of 2009 (Todd Pletcher, Kiaran McLaughlin, Steve Asmussen, Bob Baffert, Bill Mott) won a Breeders’ Cup race this year, and only two of the top owners of AGS winners (Godolphin and Juddmonte) earned a victory in one of the championships races.
Tags: American Graded Stakes Standings, bill mott, Bob Baffert, Breeders' Cup, forever together, george strawbridge, Godolphin, Informed Decision, jess jackson, john shirreffs, juddmonte, Keeneland, kiaran mclaughlin, Life is Sweet, medaglia d'oro, Paulick Report, Ray Paulick, santa anita park, steve asmussen, Street Cry, todd pletcher, zenyatta
Posted in American Graded Stakes Standings, Keeneland | 5 Comments »
Friday, July 31st, 2009
(UPDATED)
If you can’t get to the track this weekend, there will be plenty of outstanding races to watch on television both Saturday and Sunday, headlined by a pair of important races for 3-year-olds: Saturday’s West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park and Sunday’s Haskell Invitational.
The Grade 1 Haskell Invitational, with its $1,250,000 purse, is the richest race of the weekend and the highlight of the big 14-race program at Monmouth Park. Rachel Alexandra will try to extend her winning streak to eight as she takes on colts and geldings for the second time in her last three starts. Though the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro comes off a 19 π-length victory in the Mother Goose at Belmont Park, the nine-furlong Haskell will not be a walk in the park for the Steve Asmussen-trained filly. She’ll have Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird to contend with, along with Munnings, an impressive winner of the Tom Fool Handicap recently. For good measure, there are two other Derby winners in the race, Papa Clem, who won the Arkansas Derby, and Iowa Derby winner Duke of Mischief.
TVG will provide coverage of the Haskell, which has an estimated post time of 6:15 p.m. Eastern.
The Kentucky Derby winner, meanwhile, goes in Saturday’s West Virginia Derby, which will be shown on Fox Sports Net, where Chris Lincoln, the former host of so many ESPN racing telecasts over the years, will make his return to the airwaves. TVG will also show the West Virginia Derby.
Mine That Word’s trainer, Chip Woolley, chose the West Virginia Derby over the Haskell because he felt the Monmouth Park strip is a speed-favoring track that would be disadvantageous to the late-running gelded son of Birdstone. It is a shame that the three Triple Crown race winners—Mine That Bird, Rachel Alexandra and Summer Bird—aren’t meeting at Monmouth, put perhaps they will hook up in the Travers at Saratoga later in August.
The appearance of a Kentucky Derby winner at Mountaineer Park is historic, but that won’t keep the competition from trying to knock him off. Big Drama, the disqualified Swale Stakes winner who set the pace before finishing fifth in the Preakness, is the only other graded stakes winner in the field for the nine-furlong West Virginia Derby. Steve Asmussen sends the quick Soul Warrior to Mountaineer in hopes of pulling off an upset.
Post time Saturday for the West Virginia Derby is approximately 5:43 p.m. Eastern.
That’s just a start of this weekend’s major races. There’s the Grade 1 Diana Handicap on TVG and HRTV at 5:14 p.m. Eastern Saturday featuring Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Forever Together and the hard-hitting Criticism, followed a half-hour later by the Grade 2 Jim Dandy for 3-year-olds. Kensei and Charitable Man headline that field. Sunday’s Saratoga program includes the Grade 1 Go for Wand Handicap. Cocoa Beach, second to champion Zenyatta in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic, tops that field, which goes to the post at 5:30 p.m., also on HRTV and TVG.
Out west on Saturday, the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap at Del Mar goes off at 8:30 p.m. Eastern on TVG. Sunday’s Grade 2 San Diego Handicap features the return of Dubai World Cup winner Well Armed against 2008 Hollywood Gold Cup winner Mast Track and a horse named Kelly Leak. Who is Kelly Leak, you might ask. That’s the horse that won this year’s Sunland Park Derby, a race where Mine That Bird finished fourth. This will be Kelly Leak’s first start since that March 29 race Well Armed’s win in Dubai was March 28. The 1 1/16-mile San Diego Handicap goes at 8:30 p.m. Eastern.
UPDATE: TVG sent the following note regarding its coverage of the Haskell on Sunday: TVG’s coverage of the Haskell will also be simulcast on FSN Prime, FSN Ohio, SUN Sports, Comcast Sports Illinois and Altitude Network, making the total reach of the race through SN Prime, FSN Ohio, SUN Sports, Comcast Sports Illinois and Altitute Network, making the total reach of TVG’s coverage of the race to over 70 million homes across the U.S. This is made possible through the local affiliate relationships that TVG has made with various networks. This is often the case with many of the bigger races TVG covers as well as some regional tracks in areas where TVG is not offered.
Tags: arkansas derby, Birdstone, Charitable Man, chip woolley, Diana Handicap, Duke of Mischief, forever together, Fox Sports Net, haskell, HRTV, Iowa Derby, KBC Horse Supplies, Kelly Leak, Kensei, medaglia d'oro, Min That Bird, monmouth park, mountaineer park, Papa Clem, Rachel Alexandra, San Clemente Handicap, San Diego Handicap, steve asmussen, Summer Bird, Tom Fool Handicap, tvg, Weekend Stakes: Where to Watch, well armed, West Virginia Derby
Posted in Weekend Stakes: Where to Watch | 8 Comments »
Saturday, April 11th, 2009
By Ray Paulick
10:30 P.M. UPDATE …..Daily Racing Form’s Mary Rampellini is reporting from Oaklawn Park that beaten Arkansas Derby favorite Old Fashioned came out of his second-place finish to Papa Clem with a slab fracture in his right knee. Trainer Larry Jones described the injujry to Rick Porter’s son of Unbridled’s Song as possibly career-ending but not life threatening. He is due to ship to Lexington Monday, where he may have surgery at Rood & Riddle equine hospital.
Live blogging of today’s Toyota Blue Grass Stakes card from Keeneland and the Arkansas Derby from Oaklawn Park kicks off around 4 p.m.
In the meantime, today’s Lexington Herald-Leader front-page sports article on the Blue Grass Stakes (“Polytrack coincides with drop in class: Blue Grass Stakes winners haven’t fared well lately”) is sure to win reporter Alicia Wincze some icy stares from Keeneland officials, led by Rogers Beasley, the track’s director of racing who may still harbor resentment against the paper for its Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative series 23 years ago that led to sanctions against the beloved University of Kentucky basketball team. Some UK basketball fans know how to carry a grudge!
But Wincze is right: the ol’ Blue Grass ain’t what she used to be. Perhaps it’s the Polytrack installed in 2006 or maybe it’s the three weeks between the Blue Grass and the Kentucky Derby, which some horsemen now consider to be too little time between races. The three weeks hasn’t seemed to hurt the same day’s Arkansas Derby, which has had more high-profile winners in recent years than the Blue Grass, among them Curlin, Lawyer Ron, Afleet Alex and Smarty Jones.
The Blue Grass still retains its Grade 1 ranking from the Kentucky-based Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association’s Graded Stakes Committee (of which Beasley is a member), while the Arkansas Derby is Grade 2. It’s a sore subject down in Hot Springs, and for good reason.
The Blue Grass lost its top Grade from 1990-98 when the committee downgraded it to Grade 2, a year after the Arkansas Derby was stripped of its Grade 1 status. Until 1988, the race was run not three weeks before the Kentucky Derby but just nine days before the Run for the Roses, on a Thursday afternoon. Track management recognized the need to give horsemen more time between races to attract better fields, and eventually got its Grade 1 ranking back.
In the 1990s, there were nine Blue Grass starters who went on to win one or more Triple Crown races (Unbridled, Summer Squall, Strike the Gold, Sea Hero, Prairie Bayou, Thunder Gulch, Editor’s Note, Louis Quatorze and Lemon Drop Kid). But since 2000, Street Sense, the 2007 Blue Grass runner-up who won that year’s Kentucky Derby, is the only Blue Grass starter to win a Triple Crown races.
This decade has been the leanest ever for the Blue Grass in terms of producing Triple Crown race winners. The 1940s produced four winners, there were two in the 1950s, eight in the 1960s, six in the 1970s, three in the 1980s, and the aforementioned nine in the 1990s.
But that will all be forgotten if this year’s winner goes on to Triple Crown glory.
4:00 p.m. … Keeneland’s big stakes day got under way a few minutes ago in the Shakertown, a 5 1/2-furlong turf spring won in off-the-pace fashion by Heros Reward and jockey Javier Castellano. Cannonball, who chased early pacesetter Mr. Nightlinger (last year’s winner of the Grade 3 event), finished second, beaten a head, with with Chamberlain Bridge another head back in third and Due Date fourth.
My exacta of Hellvelyn and Hewitts tanked.
The winner is a hard-hitting 7-year-old Maryland-bred gelding by Partner’s Hero who’s won 11 of 29 starts. Trainer Dale Capuano trained Heros Reward up to the Shakertown off a more than five-month layoff, his last start coming with fifth to Desert Code in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Final time was 1:04.24 for 5 1/2 furlongs after fractions of :22.25, :45.87 and :57.89. The course was rated good on a sunny day with temperatures in the low 60s, a welcome relief following Friday’s torrential storms.
Shakertown chart.
4:15 p.m. … Eternal Star got the job done in the Grade 2 Commonwealth, coming from just off the pace under Eibar Coa to beat defending champ Rebellion bythree-quarters of a length. My Pal Charlie and Ravalo were third and fourth, respecitvely, after battling on the lead for the opening five furlongs of the seven-furlong contest.
Eternal Star, trained by Michael Trombetta, was winning for the 10th time in 21 career starts for Harry and Tom Meyerhoff. The 5-year-old Kentucky-bred is by the Carson City stallion Five Star Day out of Retsina’s Princess, by Eternal Prince. He was coming off narrow loss to Ah Day in the Toboggan at Aqueduct March 7, closing from well back to just miss at the wire.
Time for the seven furlongs on Polytrack was 1:21.17 after fractions of :23.16, :46.12, and 1:09.37.
Commonwealth chart.
4:25 p.m. … Morning linemaker Mike Battaglia hung even-money odds on female turf champion Forever Together for the Grade 2 Jenny WIley, but in the early betting the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner wasn’t even the favorite. Early action was on Paul Pompa’s Backseat Rhythm, who recently switched from the Pat Reynolds barn to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. Backseat Rhythm is coming off a nose win in the Grade 3 Hillsborrough at Tampa Bay Downs. Forever Together hasn’t raced since the Breeders’ Cup.
Lady and Visit have been scratched from the Jenny Wiley, leaving a field of seven fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on a turf course rated good for the earlier Shakertown.
4:30 p.m. … Love the ShamWow! ads on TVG, especially now that I know a little bit more about Vince Shlomi, the pitchman for the spongy product. You can read about Vince’s recent run-in with the law here.
4:40 p.m. … Maybe Battaglia’s estimated odds will be on target. As post time approaches for the Jenny WIley, the odds are dropping on Forever Together and they’re going up on
4:45 p.m. … That’s what I like to see! A champion coming back to run like a champion. Forever Together, confidently ridden by Julien Leparoux, won the Jenny Wiley by a length in a most impressive performance. Not sure what trainer Jonathan Sheppard’s been doing with this daughter of Belong to Me all winter, since she only had two published workouts in her past performances (what’s that all about?), but she was ready to run.
Leparoux allowed Forever Together to fall back near the back of the field as Kiss With a Twist set slow fractions. He urged Forever Together to pick it up entering the far turn, she swung wide at the top of the stretch, then won without really being seriously asked down the stretch by her rider, who never uncocked his whip. Rutherienne tried to make a race of it, finishing second, with Kiss With a Twist hanging in for third and Rustic Flame fourth.
Battaglia nailed the odds perfectly, as Forever Together paid $4 for her eighth win in 15 starts for the Augustin Stable of George Strawbridge. Call me a sucker, but I went for the early money play, betting on Backseat Rhythm to win.
Final time was 1:46.93 after fractions of :25.92, :51.83, 1:17.12 and 1:40.80 on a track labeled good.
Jenny Wiley chart.
5:00 p.m. … No major early money odds swings in the Blue Grass. A little action on Mafaaz, bet down from 12-1 morning line to 8-1, but everyone else is pretty much in accordance with the morning line. Hold Me Back looks like a million-dollars in the paddock, a fact confirmed on TVG by Jill Byrne, who knows a bit more about horseflesh than I do.
For what it’s worth, I’m taking a stab at Patena, who was a big disappointment in the slop at Fair Grounds in the Louisiana Derby last out, his first start for trainer Rick Dutrow. A cough may have interrupted or compromised his training up to that race, and I like his chance to run much bigger today. But he will be up against it with Hold Me Back looking like a legitimate favorite off his 3-for-3 record on different Polytrack surfaces at Arlington, Keeneland and Turfway Park for trainer Bill Mott and WinStar Farm.
5:05 p.m. … It’s a great accomplishment for any breeder to have a horse in a Grade 1 race, but for a small breeding operation to have two horses in the same race is really something. Hats off to Carrie Brogden and her family’s Machmer Hall for having two starters in the Blue Grass, Join in the Dance and Loch Dubh, bred in the name of The Answer.
5:15 p.m. … TVG did a nice feature on the NBA star Rashard Lewis, one of the owners of Join in the Dance. Overall, the TVG coverage has been quite good, though Frank Lyons seems underutilized in the coverage. He’s always seemed to be one of the stronger parts of TVG’s big-race coverage.
5:20 p.m. … Perhaps dreams do come true. Tom McCarthy, the owner and trainer of General Quarters, is on his way to the Kentucky Derby after the son of Sky Mesa gave him the biggest win of his life, taking the Blue Grass over favorite Hold Me Back.
McCarthy, a 75-year-old Army veteran and retired high school principal who has trained a small string of horsers for 45 years, has attended every Kentucky Derby in his home town of Louisville, Ky., since 1959. This year he’ll be there to saddle the only runner in his one-horse stable. He claimed General Quarters for $20,000 out of his first start at Churchill Downs last May 30, from Ken and Sarah Ramsaey and trainer Wesley Ward. Most recently, after General Quarters had won the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in February, McCarthy turned down some seven-figure offers for the colt, saying, "You can’t sell a dream."
General Quarters got a great trip from Eibar Coa, racing in mid-pack early, then moving toward Join in the Dance, the early pacesetter, as the field approached the far turn. He hit the front around the three-sixteenths pole, opened up by several lengths, and under aggressive handling held off the late charge of Hold Me Back to win by 1 1/2 lengths. West Coast invader Massone was third, a length and a quarter back, with Terrain fourth and Join in the Dance fifth. Theregoesjojo had to be one of the bigger disappointments in the Blue Grass, finishing ninth as the second wagering choice behind Hold Me Back.
Coa is also the rider of Musket Man, who defeated General Quarters in the Tampa Bay Derby and then went on to victory in the Illinois Derby at Hawthroen last weekend.
McCarthy earned $465,000 from the Blue Grass’s $750,000 purse, and backers of the colt were rewarded with a $30.60 mutuel. Time of the Blue Grass was 1:49.26 for 1 1/8 miles after fractions of :24.40, :49.06, 1:13.31, and 1:37.32 for the mile. General Quarters ran a strong final furlong under 12 seconds after racing wide much of the way.
My pick, Patena, beat one horse.
Blue Grass chart.
5:45 p.m. … As much as I love the feel-good story of Tom McCarthy, I think it’s extremely doubtful General Quarters will win the Kentucky Derby. This wasn’t a particularly strong Blue Grass Field. Nevertheless, when the pack of sports columnists and turf writers arrives on the Churchill Downs backstretch for Derby week, the saga of General Quarters and McCarthy will give them something to write about that fits the romance and tradition of America’s most famous race. And if he does win, well, won’t that be quite an inspiration for all the dreamers and small-time stables, giving them hope that they too might someday stand in the infield winner’s circle under the shadow of the Twin Spires.
6:05 p.m. … Good news for all you college lacrosse fans out there. ESPN2 will show the Duke-Virginia game to its conclusion. Duke is pounding Virginia 15-9 with less than 4:00 minutes to go. Not good for people tuning in to expect horse racing, but, hey, that’s the breaks. Actually, a scroll says the Arkansas Derby/Blue Grass (tape delay) has been shifted to ESPN Classic. Duke lacrosse…aren’t they famous for something?
6:10 p.m. … This lacrosse game is fantastic. Duke is ranked No. 8 in the country and they are on the verge of upsetting No. 1 Virginia. My only question is, is a touchdown in lacrosse worth six points? There appears to be hundreds of people on hand at the lacrosse stadium, probably similar to an average day at Aqueduct, but there are probably hundreds more tuning in on ESPN2 to watch these two great lacrosses rivals.
6:15 p.m. … Duke is playing keep away as the clock winds down. Great strategy.
6:16 p.m. … Do you believe in miracles? Yes! The lacrosse game is over. DUKE WINS!
6:35 p.m. … Jeanine Edwards asked good questions of Larry Jones in the ESPN2 interview, and he didn’t blink in his responses. Sounds like he really will retire at year’s end, at least for a short spell. Post parade for the $1 million Arkansas Derby, with Old Fashioned rightly the heavy favorite. I think Papa Clem is going to run a big race for trainer Gary Stute, going right to the front in a manner that would make Gary’s dad, trainer Mel Stute, proud. Mel’s won all kinds of races over the decades, but he’s always been one of those "speed is king" kind of trainers. Papa Clam is owned by Bo Hirsch, son of the late Clement Hirsch, a California racing icon for many years.
6:45 p.m. Even money on Old Fashioned. Win Willy, the late runner who upset Old Fashioned in the Rebel Stakes, is 4-1, as is Papa Clem.
Uh-oh….Hank Goldberg likes Papa Clem. I’m running back to the windows to see if I can refund my ticket on the horse.
6:50 p.m. … Wrong again….Old Fashioned gets the lead…. but Papa Clem gets the win. He came from off the pace, as new rider Terry Thompson sent Old Fashioned to the front and set pretty quick fractions (:22.65, :46.19 and 1:11.15). Old Fashioned tried to spurt away at the quarter pole, but he was under pressure from Flat Out and Papa Clem, who rallied wide under Rafael Bejarano.
Old Fashioned proved a stubborn rival down the stretch, even after it looked like Papa Clem would roll on by. Papa Clem won by about a half-length, with Summer Bird a non-threatening third. It was just the second win from six starts for the Smart Strike colt out of Miss Houdini, by Belong to Me. He was coming off consecutive seconds, to Friesan Fire in the Louisiana Derby and to PIoneerof the Nile in the Robert B. Lewis at Santa Anita Park.
Papa Clem covered the 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:49.01.
Gary Stute said to Jeanine Edwards the difference between the Louisiana Derby and Arkansas Derby was that Papa Clem had a chance to trainer over the Oaklawn strip for several weeks, unlike the Louisiana Derby, where he arrived just two days before the race.
The win, coupled with I Want Revenge’s dominance in New York in the Gotham and Wood after losing twice to Pioneerof the Nile, suggests that the West Coast horses this year may have the upper hand in the Kentucky Derby. Papa Clem and I Want Revenge, who began their careers on synthetic tracks in California have made a smooth transition to dirt. Will Pioneerof the Nile be able to say the same thing three weeks from today?
7:00 p.m. … One last thought: Hank Goldberg, you’re the man! Great pick.
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Tags: Alicia Wincze, american graded stakes committee, arkansas derby, blue grass stakes, commonwealth stakes, eibar coa, eternal star, forever together, General Quarters, heros reward, jenny wiley, Keeneland, machmer hall, oaklawn park, Paulick Report, Ray Paulick, rogers beasley, shakertown, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, TOBA, tom mccarthy, toyota blue grass
Posted in Derby Prep, Horse Racing, Keeneland, Live Blogs, Triple Crown preps, kentucky derby, oaklawn park | 18 Comments »
Monday, January 26th, 2009
Hank Aaron hits number 715…Secretariat wins the Belmont by 31 lengths…Brett Favre starts 269 games in a row at QB…and now Ray Paulick liveblogs from the Eclipse Awards without a computer! That’s right, Ray will be entering the pantheon of the unlikely as he attempts to bring you the Paulick Report reader unprecedented coverage of tonight’s awards ceremony. We will be operating here at Paulick Report Command Central giving the play by play results of tonight’s event while Ray will be the color commentary via text message.
What are the stars wearing? (We knew Larry Jones would be in his black-tie cowboy get-up, but were taken aback by the Scottish fellow in kilts standing nearby — pictured below.) How many people are sporting Zenyatta for President T-shirts? How many licks does it take to get to the candy center of a Tootsie-Pop? These and other questions will be answered below. Enjoy and keep the comments flowing!
6:56CC…Alright folks, Brad here at Command Central. I will be receiving messages from Ray throughout the night and keeping up to date with the things you won’t be privy to on the telecast. My comments will have a CC for Command Central after the time and the ones from Ray will have a RP after the time.
6:58RP…closest thing to a celebrity I’ve met so far is former WI Gov. Tommy Thompson, who has been hired by the NTRA to oversee the health and safety alliance. Tommy seemed happy to hear that I grew up on the Illinois side of the Wisconsin border.
7:00CC…and the telecst begins. Something about Frank Sinatra and a cocktail party.
7:01RP…Many of the guests were lamenting the passing of Joe Hirsch, the longtime executive columnist of the DRF. The PR learned that NYRA is preparing a memorial for Hirsch the week of the Belmont Stakes in June.
7:04CC…Interviewing Jerry and Ann Moss, they ask if they think Zenyatta could pull Horse of the Year. Gives a solid if not predictable answer.
7:05RP…Good line from Cot Campbell during the blustery cocktail hour outside of the Fountainbleu Hotel. "My hair’s getting all messed up," Campbell said patting down his gray locks. He glanced over his shoulder and saw the shiny pate of Mike Smith and commented, "Mike’s in pretty good shape with the wind."
7:06CC…Who thinks Eight Belles should win 3 year old filly? I’m a Proud Spell guy myself.
7:07CC…Iavarone looks shiny. And the interviewer mispronounced his name. Thinks that it’s the competition was so strong and that’s the reason Big Brown isn’t going to win the HOY award. Either that or maybe it’s because he finished last in the Belmont and bowed out of the BC Classic.
7:10CC…Frank Stronach isn’t there. Wonder why?
7:15CC…Asmussen being interviewed. Sure, it’s good to hear from him but I wonder what his facial hair has to say. And he looked a little scary on screen. Just saying.
7:16CC…announcer just made an interesting observation. Asmussen has more wins than Dutrow and Frankel combined.
7:19CC…I don’t know about you but nothing is more interesting than insurance talk…
7:20RP…Dinner is served! Ceremonies starting soon.
7:22CC…just pushed the new Jockeys show on Animal Planet. Said it was The Hills or Real Housewives of Orange County only with jockeys. Decided jockeys have more drama. Scandalous!
7:24RP…Jess Jackson is here with a new look…a nifty goatee. (Only two bodyguards according to an associate. I don’t have a count yet on the number of bodyguards for Iavarone of IEAH…see earlier post on Eclipse predictions for further explanation)
7:26CC…NTRA Moment of the Year of course is Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup. Sounded like six people clapped for the clip.
7:28CC…TWO MINUTES TO POST!!!
7:29CC…Darby Dan with a big ad buy during the break. I hear there’s a website that’s much cheaper than what TVG charges…
7:30CC…Privman starts off the ceremony with a Joe Hirsch memorial.
7:33CC…Faith, I’m efforting a response on your important request…
7:33RP…Nice touch to dedicate the awards to Joe Hirsch. There are several hundred folks here tonight and I’d be hard pressed to find one person who didn’t love Joe.
7:35RP…(FAITH UPDATE) The vine ripened tomato salad was excellent, the seared tenderloin tender (tho a bit overcooked) and the roast garlic shrimp outstanding. I could have used a bit more of the curried sweet potatoes, but I did just squeeze into my tux pants.
7:37RP…Kenny Rice don’t give up your day job to become a stand up comic
7:38CC…and our first technical glitch of the evening!
7:39CC…first (non) surprise of the night, Midshipman wins 2 year old male
7:40RP…more food update…Kendall-Jackson wine is being served to all (whether or not they supported Curlin)
7:41RP…A dinner companion staying at the Fountainbleu rated the dinner "four stars" compared to other restaurants at the hotel
7:42CC…and now 2 year filly goes to…
7:42CC…Stardom Bound!
7:44RP…Even though IEAH now owns Stardom Bound, the award was rightly given to Charles Cono. Fifteen years ago when Kotashaan won HOY, the Eclipse wasn’t given to his longtime owners, the Werthemer brothers, but to the Japanese stud farm that bought him to run in his final start, the Japan cup. They got it right this time.
7:47RP…Bob Baffert isn’t at the awards. Times are tough. He tells me he can’t afford to fly his family from LA. Guess Baffert doesn’t get those Southwest Airlines special fare emails.
7:50CC…John and Brad Henegan from First Saturday in May accept the award they already got.
7:51RP…From one of the Hennegan brothers the first ever Eclipse award shout out to Payless Shoes.
7:54CC…Did you know that WAVE 3 TV won a media Eclipse Award? You did? Oh, I must have slept in that day.
7:54RP…They need more journalism awards…you think? That’s my favorite part of the Academy Awards…best movie review!
7:56RP…The podium reminds me of a Barack Obama press conference when several women advisers were introduced to the media and only the top of their heads showed. Same with the jockeys and Jennie Rees of Courier Journal
7:58CC…the photog award is so embarassing with that misspelled background. Junenile…unreal
8:00CC…Vinnie Perrone just asked for a step stool. No, actually, he demanded one and asked "what kind of operation are you running here?"
8:01CC…and this is why
8:03RP…Anyone remember the Grammys when the band started playing because Sinatra went on too long…Sinatra!!!
8:04CC…And he’s finally finished. Four minutes later. Did anyone not tell him to keep it pithy? I mean, he seems like a nice guy, but honestly everyone is here for things besides Vinnie’s award.
8:07CC…Kenny Rice just bombed like three jokes in a row. Literally no response from the crowd. Love it!
8:09CC…Oooh! An award I’m not 100% sure of the outcome on! Male Turf
8:10CC…The winner is Conduit.
8:11CC…More importantly, this just came in from Ray. Dessert!
8:13CC…Female Turf goes to…
8:14CC…Forever Together
8:15RP…George Strawbridge defines grace and class. He gave a very elegant acceptance on behalf of Forever Together.
8:15CC…If you are watching both the TVG telecast and this blog, apparently Ray is in the future. That’s why he already knew about Strawbridge’s speech.
8:17CC…Apparently Ray was still hungry
8:18RP…Dessert was outstanding…my first roast hazelnut praline, chocolate terrine, coconut bavaroise
8:19CC…Standing ovation for Alice Headley Chandler
8:19RP…Tommy Thompson left his table…I think the media awards got to him
8:20CC…Hopefully Alice will run into Vinnie Perrone in the hallway and talk to him about speech length. That was a perfect acceptance speech.
8:22RP…Weird observation…some people who are seated near the stage are watching the large screen monitor instead. Kind of like the racetrack where we watch the TVinstead of the horses in front of us.
8:23CC…Steeplechase winner Good Night Shirt
8:25RP…Steeplechase owner..time’s up. Where’s the band when you need them? Hostage taker.
8:28RP…Although the acceptance was about as long as a jump race.
8:29CC…And now for Breeder, Adena Springs, Stonerside and WinStar
8:30CC…Adena Springs wins News at 11
8:31RP…Barbara…I saw Steve Asmussen up close and personal and I found him not the least bit scary looking. But he did growl at me
8:32RP…And I did eat the holy cross on the dessert. Yum!
8:32RP…Love the lecture from the handicapper of the year. He’s really good.
8:33RP…Random thought. Chantal Sutherland is mesmerizing Here she is, sitting with Mike Smith while no doubt catching up on my live blog!
8:35RP…I think Steven Crist wishes he had a hook to yank the handicapper off stage
8:37RP…Now I wish I had a hook for this guy. I take my earlier comments back.
8:39CC…and still going….
8:41CC…like the Energizer Bunny. Seriously.
8:43RP…Dayyam. I missed the Conduit wardrobe malfunction. Had my head down thumbing away
8:44RP…What’s with the Joan Rivers remark? No facelifts for me.
8:45RP…The vets do a great job with the on call program but they are making me feel like I’m at a funeral service. How about a little joke fellas?
8:48RP…Rep Cardoza…pandering for votes and political contributions.
8:53CC…and Benny the Bull wins Male sprinter
8:49RP…Wow…Michael Iavarone is redder faced than me after I spent five hours on the beach
8:51RP…Good news from Iavarone that Benny the Bull will race in 2009…
8:56CC…And now Female Sprinter…
8:57CC…Indian Blessing. I love this horse
9:00RP…I doubt many trainers worked harder than Steve Asmussen in 2008. It really was a remarkable year he had. And he’s got the cutest family in the room…hands down.
9:01CC…For those of you watching on TVG, Ray is quite a bit ahead of us (tape delay). If you don’t want to know before the telecast, look elsewhere.
9:03CC…Which is why you already knew that Asmussen won the award. Barbara, thanks. I was starting to feel sorry for myself. Hopefully Asmussen and Iavarone know it was all in fun!
9:05CC…Well, apparently Stonach won for owner.
9:06RP…I wonder how many racing secretaries that work for Frank Stronach voted for him as leading owner and breeder. I’d imagine they might be more inclined to vote against him.
9:07RP I also wonder how many Breeders’ Cup employees vote and how they voted? Seems they have a vested interest.
9:08RP…Racing secretaries and Breeders’ Cup employees have been part of the NTRA voting members.
9:10RP…and Zenyatta wins. Jerry Moss couldn’t drag trainer John Shirreffs on stage to help him accept Zenyatta’s Eclipse Award.
9:11RP…Moss is the west coast version of George Strawbridge…full of class, extremely articulate and one of the game’s very best. Wish we had more like both of them.
9:13CC…Curlin wins older male. in related news, grass is green and the sky is blue.
9:15RP…Good comment by Jess Jackson saying that older horses can race and also make good sires.
9:16CC…Turk, I’m with you. Why wait when you can hear it from Ray first.
9:17RP…His comment about the industry’s movement to eliminate drugs and become more transparent was well received.
9:18RP…"Keep the horse first, and the horse will take care of you." Well said Jess Jackson
9:19CC…Time for a photo. The Jackson clan.
9:21RP…Curlin wrote a note saying he liked racing but likes his new job even better.
9:22RP…Jerry Moss gets a do-over to thank Mike Smith..this could be a first. Told you he was a class act.
9:23RP…I wonder if Mike stormed off. (Just kidding…there isn’t a more humble guy in the jockey’s room)
9:24CC…Apprentice jockey coming up soon.
9:27CC…Faith, I thought he sent it in Horse Code. (I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist)
9:28RP…Winner is Paco Lopez
9:29RP…Someone wrote to say Jess Jackson looks like Don Rickles. That’s not nice you hockey puck!
9:31CC…And now for outstanding jockey, the Eclipse goes to Garrett Gomez.
9:32RP…Garrett Gomez is one tough dude. I said his smile looked pretty good before dinner and he said all his front teeth were temps. Lost em in an ugly spill and he still has a knot on his hand from that spill. To think he was back in the saddle a few days later.
9:34CC…3 year old male goes to…Big Brown
9:35RP…Cash Asmussen presenting with Todd Schrupp of TVG. Hard to believe Cash was a jockey all those years. So tall.
9:36RP…Interesting comment from Anne Campbell about Michael Iavarone. "He looks like Jerry Lewis (a young Jerry Lewis)."
9:39RP…Schrupp gave a very nice tribute to Larry Jones before introducing the 3 year old filly finalists. Second standing ovation of the night.
9:40RP…It was to thank him for facing the media so tirelessly after the death of Eight Belles in the Kentucky Derby. Well done.
9:41RP…But Proud Spell won
9:42RP…Second politicians of the night at the podium, former KY Gov Brereton Jones owner and breeder of Proud Spell. Jones says organizers can forget about the one minute rule for acceptance speeches, acknowledging his political past.
9:44CC…picture time again, featuring the Iavarone party
9:46RP…Jones acknowledged the many great trainers in the room but said no one was greater than Larry Jones, who also trained Proud Spell.
9:47RP…Horse of the Year next…
9:48RP…Alex Waldrop to present Horse of the Year.
9:49RP…Alex said someone in the room was live blogging…"so be careful what you say." Wonder who he’s talking about…
9:50RP…And the winner is…CURLIN!!!
9:51RP…Jess Jackson high fives the table.
9:52RP…Jerry Moss picks up his wine glass raises in the air and thanks John Shirrefs for a great year
9:53RP…The other two nominees were Zenyatta and Big Brown
9:55CC…And the Horse of the Year picture
9:56RP…Jess Jackson says Curlin still wants to run…but will enjoy his new job
10:04RP…After the awards closed Brereton Jones said he was more nervous accepting the award than he had ever been giving any political speech. I guess that sums up what the Eclipse Awards mean to horse people.
10:05RP…Congratulations to all the winners and a big thank you to our hosts, Cot and Anne Campbell of Dogwood Stable and to the dinner companions I wasn’t able to spend enough time talking with.
That’s it from Miami Beach…
Copyright © 2009, The Paulick Report
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Tags: alex waldrop, anne campbell, benny the bull, Big Brown, brereton jones, conduit, cot campbell, Curlin, eclipse awards, forever together, garrett gomez, george strawbridge, IEAH, indian blessing, jerry moss, jess jackson, Michael Iavarone, midshipman, Paulick Report, proud spell, Ray Paulick, stardom bound, steve asmussen, tommy thompson, tvg, zenyatta
Posted in eclipse awards | 89 Comments »
Friday, October 24th, 2008
Ray Paulick will be live blogging Friday afternoon’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships card from Santa Anita beginning around 3:15 p.m. Eastern. To get the latest news on the "Filly Friday" program, including bettings odds and results, along with Ray’s observations and analysis of the ESPN2 telecast (and a scorecard on his own selections), check back frequently throughout the day.
3:15 p.m. … The first "wise guys" horse of the day is Ventura, the Robert Frankel-trained filly who was 5-1 on the morning line but has been bet down to 2-1 in the Filly and Mare Sprint on the synthetic Pro-Ride track. She is the co-favorite with the morning line choice Indian Blessing. Zaftig is another early bet-down, currently at 9-2 from her 8-1 morning line for trainer Jimmy Jerkens. Ventura comes off a strong runner-up effort in the Woodbine Mile on turf. The daughter of Chester House has three synthetic track races, with two wins, one in England and one at Keeneland this spring in an allowance race that served as her U.S. debut.
3:20 p.m. … While we wait for the action to begin, there’s some good news about one of tomorrow’s contenders in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. WinStar Farm’s Colonel John, the winner of the Santa Anita Derby and Travers Stakes, will race as a 4-year-old next year, according to WinStar’s co-owners Bill and Susan Casner. That news came from the notes team collecting information daily on each Breeders’ Cup starter. Click here to read about Colonel John and all the other Classic entrants in Friday morning’s notes. Click here to read today’s "flash notes," a quick daily activity report on every horse entered in the Cup.
3:26 p.m. … Post parade for the Filly and Mare Sprint has begun. ESPN2 telecast doesn’t begin for a few more minutes, so there won’t be much time to set up what the Breeders’ Cup World Championships is all about. "We’re on the air, and let’s go to Trevor Denman for the call of the first race."
3:30 p.m. … ESPN2 is on the air, trying to set things up as best they can. in the few minutes before the first Breeders’ Cup race. There’s a quick money comparison between the Breeders’ Cup purses and other championship events, from the Daytona 500 to Wimbledon. And there are people at Santa Anita! There is a buzz in the crowd. Oh, happy day.
3:35 p.m. … The very capable Joe Tessitore is hosting the telecast, with assistance from Randy Moss and Jerry Bailey. Reporters include Jeannine Edwards, Jay Privman and Caton Bredar. No sign of Hank Goldberg and his piggy bank yet.
3:38 p.m. … What kind of camera angle is that? Where are they….what a great time to use obscure camera angles, at the most important races of the year. "Why is this so hard to follow?" someone said as we tried to figure these bizarre camera angles.
3:40 p.m. … The wise guys were right. Ventura romped, beating Indian Blessing by daylight, with Zaftig third. My pick in the race, Dearest Trickski, set the face pace and then folded like the $10,000 claimer she used to be. Trainer Bobby Frankel’s got that cheshire cat grin working in the post-race interview. Owner and breeder Khalid Abdullah makes a rare appearance in the winner’s circle with one of his horses, even though he’s been one of the most successful owners of Breeders’ Cup horses. He rarely travels to the U.S. for the races. Ventura pays $7.60 to win and the $1 exacta with Indian Blessing pays $12.70. $1 trifecta is $48.70 and the $1 superfecta with Miraculous Miss pays $733.30. Final time is a scorching 1:19.90. Chart.
3:45 p.m. … Tessitore hands it over to someone with an English accent and a made-up name of Nick Luck. I assume that’s just his racetrack name. Nick is the foreign horse expert. Where’s John McCririck? Oops…first bad technical flub. Tessitore is talking about something and some loud music crashes over him.
3:50 p.m. … Privman grabs Dodgers manager Joe Torre for a quick post-race interview. Turns out he and Bobby Frankel are best buddies.
3:53 p.m. … Hank and his bank make their first appearance. "I’m a little bit educated," Hank insists. Kenny Mayne says Hank would bet on giraffes if he had to, introducing a cute feature about Hank, playing himself and a mutuel clerk. This is a nightmare,…two Hank Goldbergs on one telecast?
4:00 p.m. … The wise guys are out again, this time slamming the odds on the horse I picked in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, Consequence. She was 8-1 on the morning and is now 5-2. Former Sports Illustrated senior writer Bill Nack is introduced as the essayist on the weekend telecasts. Good move by ESPN2. Not since the days of the great Jack Whitaker on ABC have racing telecasts enjoyed someone who could comment with intelligence and eloquence. Nack wrote and did voiceovers on the 25 greatest Breeders’ Cup moments that will be sprinkled throughout the telecasts today and tomorrow.
4:08 p.m. … Props on the anchor desk. Tessitore, Moss and Bailey show off a sample of turf from the Santa Anita grass course and the Rose Bowl football field. The point was lost on me. Next up is a Bailey interview with South African horse breeder and golfing great Gary Player (who plugs Sentient jets, a race sponsor). Gary then tees up a golf ball on the grass course and aims it at one of the windows in Frank Stronach’s office. Fore!
4:15 p.m. … Overhead shot of Santa Anita shows dozens of people in the track infield. The infield parking lot looks to be about one-third full. They’re loading into the gate for the Juvenile Fillies Turf. Another horrible directing job….way too many camera cuts to figure where they are on the track. Laragh tried to take this field all the way, but got nipped at the wire by Maram and Heart Shaped. Saucey Evening was fourth.
4:20 p.m. … Maram is trained by Chad Brown, a former Bobby Frankel assistant who went out on his own this year. Johnny Murtagh rode a terrific race, breaking from the outside and getting the Storm Cat filly Heart Shaped into a ground-saving position. Prado took Laragh through some quick fractions, and she was game to the end. Brown’s grandfather died earlier this week and was buried in New York today. Brown said his grandfather would have wanted him to be at the Breeders’ Cup. Talk about the highs and lows of racing. Jose Lezcano rode the winner, who is unbeaten in three starts, including a narrow victory in the Miss Grillo Oct. 1. She’s a daughter of Sahm (beter than a "son of Sahm"). The photo finish shows Maram getting up to beat Heart Shaped by a matter of inches. The winner paid $24.20. $1 exotics were: $175.10 for the exacta; $898.90 trifecta; $5,796.30 superfecta. Our pick, Consequence, finished seventh and was never a threat. Time of the race was 1:35.10. Chart.
4:30 p.m. … C.S. Silk is taking a lot of money in the Juvenile Fillies, bet down to 9-2 from her 15-1 morning line. Stardom Bound is a solid favorite at 8-5.
4:35 p.m. … The obligatory feature on synthetic surfaces shows, guess what? There is no consensus on whether it’s good or bad. Caton Bredar on horse back says the Pro-Ride surface temperature is 145 degrees. Don’t go runnin’ barefoot on that, Caton!
4:43 p.m. … Now seriously, whoever is directing this telecast should try to remember one thing: people who watch horse races are interested in finding the horse they like and following its progress. Constant camera cuts and jumps make it almost impossible.
4:45 p.m. …. Returning from a commercial break, we hear Randy Moss saying he wants to see if someone is perspiring. He can only be talking about the all-time sweat king, Hank "The Bank" Goldberg. Post parade for the Juvenile Fillies. Sentimental pick is Stardom Bound, the favorite, who will be sold by 84-year-old owner Charles Cono in Kentucky after the Breeders’ Cup. Chris Paasch, her trainer, has hinted at retirement because of health problems. He’s a good guy and good for the game. Same reaction I had when hearing that Larry Jones was thinking of hanging it up because of the pressure that followed the death of Eight Belles. I’ll bet Larry just cuts back on the number of horses he trains and will continue. The way things are going it might be my only winning bet of the day.
4:58 p.m. … Stardom Bound will have to win from last place.Betdown C.S. Silk took the lead, followed by Be Smart. A half-mile in :45.92. Stardom Bound makes a six wide swoop around the turn and takes the lead. What a breathtaking performance! Dream Empress finishes second, with Sky Diva third and Dave’s Revenge fourth. Stardorm Bound was ridden with tremendous confidence by Mike Smith. This is what a championship performance looks like.
Quick story about this filly. Mother-in-law Helen touted me on Stardom Bound at Del Mar when she lost her debut July 20. I got to the track shortly after that race was run, and she said "Stardom Bound is a good one. She was unlucky to lose." Helen was right. Hope she stuck to her guns and made a winning bet today. The winner paid $5.20, and the exotics were: $24.50 for the exacta; $77.90 for the tri, and $2,538.90 for the superfecta. Time of the race was 1:40.99. Chart.
5:10 p.m. … Stuart Janney, presenting the trophy for the Juvenile Fillies, doesn’t seem to think Charles Cona has the strength to hang onto the miniature Ecorche horse that is emblematic of the Breeders’ Cup. "This is very heavy," Janney says, "and I’ll give it to whoever would like to hold it." Cona grabs it out of his hands. Cona is asked about whether or not he is going to go through with the sale. "We’re thinking," Cona says to much laughter.
5:14 p.m. … Here comes a Filly Friday feature on life at the track, focusing on female trainers Carla Gaines and Helen Pitts. Wayne Lukas, who’s been married to several females, says he never wanted to hire a woman because he’s afraid someone would fall in love with them. Nice. Gaines was asked what she sacrificed for the racetrack lifestyle. "Children….marriage," she says. Good feature. Uh-oh. Let’s put a little sour taste in it by bringing in Rick Dutrow for words of wisdom. He essentially says, "I have no interest in learning anything from a woman trainer." That’s why we luv ya, Rick. Dirt bag.
5:22 p.m. … They brought some celebrity with too many lip injections to scare the horses in the paddock. Lisa Rinna? I’m told she’s famous for being famous and that’s about it. "Rider’s up…Woo-hoo."
5:26 p.m. … What racing telecast would be complete without a Jeannine Edwards-Mike Iavarone interview? Why did you retire Big Brown and take all that money for breeding him instead, she asks him. Blah-blah-blah, he says. "His life is incomplete and my life is incomplete," Iavarone says. So was mine, Mike, until this interview. Question: Why do you have a bodyguard at the track all the time? Do that many people dislike you? There are billionaires that drive to the track in their own car, walk through the gates on their own, and wander around without a bodyguard. I know you have a nice tan and all, but that doesn’t make you a a celebrity — with or without a bodyguard.
5:32 p.m. … I’m wondering if Hank Goldberg had his sweat glands removed. Or did ESPN2 borrow Sarah Palin’s makeup artist for the telecast? Speaking of sweating, Forever Together drinks a lot of Guinness beer, according to Randy Moss, to make her sweat more. She stopped sweating in Florida, apparently. Hank, were you listening?
Frankie Dettori guns Folk Opera to the lead in the Filly & Mare Turf, gettting the first quarter in a slow :25.46 and half in :50.02. Halfway to Heaven sits in the perfect spot in second and Wait a While third. Slow three quarters in 1:14.78. Out of nowhere comes Forever Together, who sweeps by them all to win, with Sealy Hill second, Wait a While third and Visit fourth. Julian Leparoux gets it done. Forever Together, racing for George Strawbridge and trainer Jonathan Sheppard, comes off a win at Keeneland in the First Lady on Oct. 3 Good thing they don’t do a breathalyzer test for these horses. Forever Together might be DQed because of the Guinness.
Meanwhile, there is a run on Guinness at the nearby liquor store by other trainers.
5:46 p.m. … Bailey accuses the French jockey of being bi-coastal. Good thing Julian isn’t listening. Trainer Sheppard (one of the great jump trainers ever) gets his first Breeders’ Cup win after seconds with Storm Cat and With Anticipation. He hit the lottery with Storm Cat, however, getting a lifetime breeding right in the horse from owner W.T. Young and enjoying a long, profitable run. Strawbridge says he and Sheppard have been friends who have been "forever together." I notice Sheppard is sweating a bit from the heat…or was it the Guiness?
On a serious note, Strawbridge is the second cancer survivor to win on Friday, following trainer Chris Paasch. Part of the decision to have Filly Friday was to raise awareness and research funds for breast cancer in women. Cancer is a disease that doesn’t discriminate.
5:54 p.m. … Payoffs in the Filly & Mare Turf, run in 2:01.58 for the 1 1/4 miles. Forever Together, a 4-year-old by Belong to Me, paid $11.80 to win. Exotics: $224.50 for the exacta; $996.10 trifecta; $13,505.10 superfecta. Hank Goldberg had the winner. I didn’t. My pick, Halfway to Heaven, was in perfect position but had nothing left for the stretch run, finishing eighth. Chart
6:02 p.m. … Crowded paddock for the Ladies’ Classic. Everyone wants a close-up look at Zenyatta, and for good reason. She is spectacular looking. Aaron Gryder’s jockey introductions have been an OK addition to the show. Just got some insight from someone close to the Darley/Godolphin camp. Cocoa Beach is jumpin’ out of her skin, but the filly I picked to upset Zenyatta, Music Note, isn’t on her game. Let’s see how good the inside information is. It may not matter. If Zenyatta runs her race, the only contest is for second.
6:08 p.m. … Great feature on Zenyatta…little about the filly, a little about the music business that owner Jerry Moss has been such a big part of. Sting, the Police. But how come no one has asked Jerry why he failed to sign the legendary Captain Beefheart to a contract? Just realized that the Downbeat winning exacta would be Zenyatta-Music Note.
6:16 p.m. … Bear Now sprints to the lead in the Ladies’ Classic, with Zenyatta dropping back to last. Opening quarter in :23.71. Malfunction on the timer for the half mile (it said :58.08). Zanyatta on the move as the field makes the final turn. She’s good, sweeping by the on the far outside, but this was no gimmie. Cocoa Beach got an inside trip and ran hard, making the daughter of Street Cry work for the victory. Music Note gets third, with Carriage Trail fourth and Hystericalady fifth. Big day for Sheikh Mohammed, who stands Street Cry and owns the second and third place finishers.
Zenyatta’s jockey Mike Smith tells Jerry Bailey while on horseback: "Jerry, I’m in awe. Those are the best mares in the world right there. She’s just amazing. … She was there at any time that I wanted her." Let the Horse of the Year debates begin."She just makes things happen," trainer John Shirreffs tells Jeannine Edwards."She is so special and we are so blessed to have her in our barn." Randy Moss tells us that Jerry and Ann Moss intend to race Zenyatta next year when she’s five. Would that be cool, or what?
Prices: $3 to win, $6.70 on the $1 exacta; $34.30 on the tri; $116.80 for the superfecta, and $254.50 for the Super High 5. Chart.
6:30 p,m. … Nice touch: Joan Gaines, the widow of Breeders’ Cup founder John Gaines, presents the winning trophy to the Mosses. "This is our first Breeders’ Cup win, and she’ll be our first champion," Moss says. "It’s pretty amazing, pretty fantastic." Moss is fighting off tears. "I can’t help it. Applause makes me pretty emotional, somehow. I’m sorry."
A good way to end a very fine day of racing. It was mostly formful, accident free, and definitive in all of the applicable Eclipse Award divisions: Ventura in the filly and mare sprint division; Stardom Bound, 2-year-old fillies; Forever Together, filly and mare turf; and Zenyatta, older filly and mare and possibly, just possibly, Horse of the Year.
We’ll be back for more tomorrow. I hope my selections for Saturday are better than today’s 1-for-6.
Copyright © 2008, The Paulick Report
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Tags: betting the breeders' cup, bill nack, Breeders' Cup, breeders' cup results, Breeders' Cup World Championships, carla gaines, chris paasch, eight belles, espn2, filly and mare sprint, filly friday, folk opera, forever together, Frank Stronach, frankie dettori, Gary Player, george strawbridge, guinness, hank goldberg, helen pitts, IEAH, jack whitaker, jerry bailey, jerry moss, joe tessitore, joe torre, jonathan sheppard, julian leparoux, kenny mayne, larry jones, lisa rinna, live blogging the breeders' cup, Michael Iavarone, mike smith, Paulick Report, randy moss, Ray Paulick, rick dutrow, santa anita, sealy hill, stardom bound, storm cat, stuart janney, ventura, wait a while, wayne lukas, zenyatta
Posted in Breeders' Cup | 10 Comments »
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