I have to be honest, I completely missed this story when it first broke on Bloodhorse on Tuesday. In fact, I’ll further confess that until now, I wasn’t very familiar with the career of Ira Babe Hanford, or the story of the 1936 Triple Crown season, apart from having seen the horse Bold Ventureon the listings of previous Derby winners, and on the backs of commemorative Preakness and Derby glasses.
My awareness of Babe’s passing, and subsequent research into the story of the 1936 Derby, were sparked by a telephone conversation with, of all people, my parents on Thanksgiving morning. My father having read that a jockey of historical significance had passed became somewhat astounded that I was not aware of either the story or the man in question.
Thirsting for more knowledge, and being somewhat embarrassed at the level of my own ignorance, I decided to do what anyone should do when they find a serious deficiency in their knowledge of a given subject; do a little digging and see what I could learn.
The story of Babe Hanford and the 1936 Derby is really rather interesting. Babe rode Bold Venture, a 20/1 longshot, to victory that Saturday, but was then suspended and not aboard for the Preakness.
The ‘36 Derby itself was viewed as something of a debacle, since the favorite, Brevity, was knocked down coming out of the gate. Another strong contender, Granville, who would play a major role in horse racing throughout ‘36, tossed his rider at the start of the race. Bold Venture was also knocked around at the start, but managed to right the ship and come home on top. As if all of that weren’t enough, yet another contender, Santa Anita Derby winner He Did, purportedly had the whip taken from the hands of jockey Charles Kurtsinger by a fan along the rail and finished out of the money (7th).
Here’s a clip of that 1936 Kentucky Derby. You’ll forgive the audio/video quality as it is from a different era. In this clip, it’s tough to see any of the aforementioned trouble clearly, but you can make out Bold Venture making his move about midway through the backstretch (roughly 1:15 on the video below). He holds that lead into the turn and then holds on through a relentless stretch drive.
Following that Derby victory, Babe Hanford was suspended and not allowed to pilot Bold Venture in the ‘36 Preakness. Instead, the mount went to none other than George Woolf. Yes, that George Woolf, the same one that would ride Seabiscuit following jockey Red Pollard’s career threatening injuries, and who would be immortalized on the silver screen by Gary Stevens in the film Seabiscuit.
Woolf would guide Bold Venture through a markedly different trip than his Kentucky Derby had been, coming from well off the pace, swinging wide on the turn and then locking horns in the stretch with Granville. The two hit the wire in a photo finish that ultimately went to Bold Venture.
I can’t find a youtube clip available, but the replay for the ‘36 Preakness can be viewed here, if interested.
Following the Preakness, Bold Venture was discovered to have had a tendon problem, and was promptly retired. His foe in the Preakness, Granville, would wind up winning the 1936 Belmont by a nose over Mr. Bones, a race that still ranks among the top 3 closest finishes in Belmont Stakes history (along with Jaipur over Admiral’s Voyage in ‘62 and Victory Gallop over Real Quiet in ‘98). Despite having lost both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness to Bold Venture, Granville would ultimately go on to become the 1936 Horse of the Year.
The next year, 1937, a well bred 3-year-old colt named War Admiral would win the Triple Crown, setting the stage for what would ultimately become the greatest match race in horse racing history in 1938 at Pimlico between War Admiral and Seabiscuit. We all know how that one ended.
In an ironic twist of fate, Babe’s replacement aboard Bold Venture, the famed George Woolf, would (like Babe’s brother Buddy) die following racing related injuries in a 1946 race at Santa Anita.
Babe was the first apprentice rider in the history of the Kentucky Derby to have prevailed. He was 91 years old when he passed on Saturday.
As for Bold Venture? He went on to sire Assault, who in 1946 became just the 7th horse in history to win the Triple Crown. He also sired Middleground, who in 1950 would win both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont. That’s five Triple Crown jewels between two offspring, not too shabby.
Not a bad story, eh? Someone should write the Hollywood script for this tale of man and beast.
If, like me, you typically consume enough turkey and tryptophan over the Thanksgiving weekend to be able to induce hallucinogenic dream like sequences involving talking animals, cartoon characters, and eerily fitting sitar music at will, then perhaps what follows will be at least remotely entertaining.
A true psychedelic experience, this admittedly is not. Although do be sure to pass the Wavy Gravy for the mashed taters when you have a chance.
Wavy Gravy wishing you all a granola and organic food filled Thanksgiving weekend, which obviously has invaluable dental benefits.
How quickly the pages seem to turn on the trusty wall mounted calendar with each passing year. Where it feels like just yesterday we were in the midst of a spring and summer of racing for the ages, now we find ourselves preparing for the momentous holidays that bracket the passing of each year, and the arrival of the next.
While the autumn light fades on the careers of renowned champions and heroes like Zenyatta and Better Talk Now, the first light of spring shall soon radiate downward upon the heads of the next generation; specifically the two-year-olds in training at the moment who are about to turn three on New Year’s Day.
What may the future hold? Obviously we can only speculate. It might be asking a bit much to expect 2010 to even come close to the thrill and euphoria which so defined racing in 2009. Still, one gets the feeling after watching this past season that just about anything in the world is possible, if only we will it to be so.
I’m not sure how many were able to catch this, as it was not widely publicized prior to the airing, but PBS ran a phenomenal episode of “American Experience” this week that featured the story of Seabiscuit. One line from that episode stuck with me as I set down to write today. After watching the Biscuit finally conquer the Santa Anita “hundred grander” after multiple unsuccessful tries, one journalist remarked “oh, to have lived to see this day.”
Isn’t that it, really? Thank god we’ve been alive to see these moments, rather than have them as mere references that happened long ago in a time that seems only “real” on the pages of a history book? To not only be aware of the accomplishments, but to have lived to experience them? To have been filled with the rush of victory, to have stood a tip-toe and called on all within you to will your horse home. To have felt the elation of the crowd and to have thought it so tangible that one might reach out and actually touch the feeling?
So, as we prepare to sit down with family and friends and give thanks for all that we have, why not also take stock of the moments we saw this past year that captured our hearts or touched us in such a way as to remind us why it is we care so much about this game. Yes, the year and the moments are gone, fading away with each passing day, but the memory of those moments still burns bright and true, and shall do so as long as we give time for reflection and acknowledgement.
Why stop with just being thankful for memories from this most recent year though? We are, after all, on the precipice of yet another new decade. Out with the “oughts” and in with the “teens”, I suppose. Loosely inspired by a similar discussion over on the TVG Community, here’s a short list of special moments over the past decade that I’d like to give thanks for having experienced.
Sarava upsets the Triple Crown dreams of War Emblem in the 2002 Belmont
It might seem questionable to begin with a memory that involves a Triple Crown dream being shattered once again, but this memory holds personal significance for me. In fact, I almost cannot believe that June 8, 2002 was over 7 full years ago now!
You see, June 8 just happened to be the day that Amy and I were married, and as our guests filed into the outdoor enclosure we were to exchange vows within in a matter of moments, we sat in the car, turning the AM radio to an ESPN station carrying the race call.
The feeling was rather eery, almost like a flashback to days of yore, and in particular to the famed Seabiscuit/War Admiral match race of 1938, when millions of Americans had huddled around radios to hear the call as the two legends finally faced one another.
Sarava would break many hearts that day, taking advantage of a bad break for War Emblem, and powering away through the stretch to pull off one of the biggest upsets in recent memory. I like to think that this race was the first time my wife displayed hints of becoming a racing fan – and while many hearts may have been broken that day, two more were united, for eternity.
Curlin nails Street Sense at the wire to win the 2007 Preakness
I probably don’t need to go into much detail about this one, as those who read these pages have no doubt heard me relive this moment in full, vivid detail time and again over the past few years. Suffice to say, I’d never been more confident in my life that a horse would win a major race, to the point that I actually became angered whenever an “expert” insisted he’d never be able to win (and in particular I seem to recall listening to great Andy Beyer state that Curlin was “too green” to ever catch Street Sense).
In response to that statement, I pictured Curlin standing behind a fence, like Harry Dean Stanton’s character in the film Red Dawn, imploring any who would listen to “Avenge me! Avenge me!”
From our position along the grandstand, we had a perfect view as he willed his chestnut body into position and made his bid to catch Street Sense. Of all the moments, then till now, I don’t think louder sounds have ever emanated from my body – which is saying something, as I’m a fairly loud dude. That first step he took in pursuit of Street Sense, I’d swear I saw that happen in slow motion, as if from a dream sequence that I’d already seen play out countless times in my subconscious.
To this day, I get chills down my spine watching that replay.
Rachel Alexandra wills herself to the wire in the 2009 Preakness
Another special day, and one filled with yet more personal reasons for being so. As many who read the comments here know, Rachel has sort of become my wife’s version of Curlin. I’ve never seen her display such affection for a horse, and I think this started when she returned home from work just in time to see her romp by 20 lengths in the KY Oaks 2 weeks before.
As the news broke that Rachel was purchased by Jess Jackson, and that she was coming to the Preakness, we danced for joy and knew that we would have a front row seat at history in the making.
Preakness Day 2009 was sort of a down one for us early. My handicapping stunk, we weren’t cashing as many tickets as we usually do, but when Rachel came out of the gate looking to “big girl” the boys from her first step all the way to the wire – it wound up being a day like no other.
I remember fielding phone calls from people who were usually uninterested in horse racing exclaiming things like “oh my god, she (expletive deleted) did it!” In fact, I myself made an expletive laced faux pas in trying to message back a friend, and mistakenly “tweeted” to the universe “she (same expletive deleted) did it! She (again, deleted – those responsible have been sacked) did it!”
Rachel Alexandra parting the clouds and running away with the 2009 Haskell Invitational.
What I’ll always remember, beyond the elation and euphoria of the crowd from the moment “she” arrived, was that the day had been filled with torrential rains, which seemed to subside just in time for Rachel to make her presence. It’s like the clouds knew that they weren’t allowed to rain on her parade. Moments later, she became a Haskell legend.
Along the way we also got to hang out with Belmont champion Summer Bird and his trainer Tim Ice. I’ve got to admit that “the other Bird” is now one of my favorite horses in training…although I’m not quite sure about him racing in Japan. He was also Amy’s Belmont pick, so we have some history with him that we’ll never forget.
Of course, I can’t forget Gary Stute and Papa Clem either, nor the world’s most gracious host, Sophia Mangalee of Monmouth Park. Any other point in time this would likely be our top moment of the year, or perhaps the decade, but 2009 was just so stacked with such moments that I can’t help but feel, well, spoiled.
Zenyatta thundering through the stretch and gunning down Gio Ponti in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
I’ve called this the “moment of the year in a year filled with such moments.” I don’t know how else to describe it. The great denouement to a year already dubbed the “year of the filly.”
The central moment of that entire experience that will always stay with me has to be shortly after Zenyatta was led onto the main track and was making her way to the starting gate. The lead pony left her side for a moment, and Zenyatta, in typical fashion, began to do her dance – only she was doing so at a position in the dead center of the Grandstand. Thousands roared in appreciation. Yours truly, who had thought about abstaining from wagering on the race, BOLTED for the windows after seeing this demonstration, convinced that “nobody on Earth could beat her today.”
I should also note here, in tying things all together, that I wore the same clothes, right down to the socks, for Zenyatta’s Classic as I had for Rachel’s Preakness. Superstitious to a fault, eh? Actually, as you can tell from virtually any photo of me at the track in recent years, I’m not the type of guy that likes to switch things up much. I’ve got that lucky shirt, shorts, hat, socks – and that’s usually my “uniform” for the day.
Getting back to our reflection on the race for a moment, once in the gate, Zenyatta then had to sit there for what seemed like an eternity as Quality Road did his own less enthusiastic dance on the track before being scratched, and then found herself having to run down the greatest turf horse on the continent (Gio Ponti) on a Pro Ride surface largely ridiculed for being “turf impersonating” (or at least favoring turf runners) – including (yes, I’ll admit it) by yours truly.
We all know what happened next. A memory of memories – one that will live with racing fans for decades.
That’s just a small sample of the moments I’ll be giving thanks for as the extended weekend begins. With any luck I’ll be adding to those memories with a victory in the Iron Bowl by my beloved Crimson Tide of Alabama, capping off the end to yet another undefeated regular season.
What about you guys? As the end of 2009 draws near and you sit down to contemplate what we’ve seen over the past decade, which memories stick out to you as the most treasured and revered?
We all know how ferociously the Horse of the Year debate is currently running on the net. In stark contrast to that heaviness, here’s an attempt at a little light hearted humor hoping to bring a few smiles to people’s faces. I originally posted this over on the TVG Community, and am now posting it here as well in the hopes that some might enjoy a break from the actual hardcore debating.
What follows are some badly paraphrased and misquoted phrases from political discourse (okay, and one quote that has nothing to do with political debates, although the film the quote is from did contain scenes surrounding a political campaign and candidate) in recent memory. No one is spared parody; Right, left, conservative, liberal (although we did bypass the independent and 3rd party quotes, so I suppose Libertarians and Green Party voters were technically spared, but I digress).
‘Tis all fair game in love and war (and lame attempts at horse racing related humor)!
By order of the 111th Congress of the United States of America, I have been hereby nominated to moderate a series of debates between Breeders’ Cup Classic champion Zenyatta, and 3-year-old filly sensation Rachel Alexandra concerning the 2009 Horse of the Year campaign.
With the nation divided, the people have a right to know who their Horse of the Year should be.
Let’s join the action live.
Good evening, the first question will go to the filly.
Rachel Alexandra, how do you respond to the allegations that you “ducked” Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup Classic?
“You talkin’ to me? You TALKIN’ to me?? You talkin’ to ME??? Well who else are you – you talkin’ to me????”
Yes, we were actually talking to you. The debate has officially started. You know what, fuhgedaboudit, we’ll come back to you in a moment.
Let’s try a question for you, Zenyatta.
How do you respond to suggestions that you enjoyed a significant home field advantage in the Breeders’ Cup?
“I can see Santa Anita from my back yard.”
Interesting. I did not know that. Weird, wild stuff.
Okay, let’s come back to Rachel again for the next question. Hopefully this goes better than before.
Rachel, while your campaign was brilliant, what do you say to those who believe that the Breeders’ Cup Classic is the race that ought to decide the champion?
“That depends on what your definition of “is” is.
Okay…not really sure I understand that answer.
“I did NOT HAVE previous relations with that Pro Ride surface!”
Of course not, although some will offer that you were accomplished over synthetics at Keeneland…
“Read my lips! That is all part of a vast, West Coast conspiracy!”
“Excuse me, If I could just get a word in here edge wise?”
Of course, Zenyatta, we can certainly make time for an undefeated Classic winner. You have 30 seconds to respond to the filly’s statement.
“There is no East Coast domination of horse racing, and there never will be under a Zenyatta administration.”
Wow, emphatic!
Rachel, would you like to respond to that statement?
“Ich bin ein champion!”
Few would disagree with you.
Moving on, the next question goes to Zenyatta.
Some folks have suggested that the campaign of your rival is more significant because she is a mere 3-years-old compared to you. How do you respond to those statements?
“I want you to know also I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit for selfish purposes my opponent’s youth and inexperience.”
“I have as much experience in racing as Curlin did when he ran for Horse of the Year in 2007!”
“With all do respect, I knew Curlin; Curlin was a friend of mine during his stay here for the 2008 Breeders’ Cup. Rachel, you’re no Curlin.”
“There you go again.”
“People have had 2 straight years of Jess Jackson and Steve Asmussen. What they want is change. Change they can believe in. What we need is a uniter, not a divider. Mr and Mrs. Eclipse Award voters – TEAR DOWN THESE WALLS!”
“Oh yeah, well when I look over your races this year, I’m reminded of that ad, ‘Where’s the beef?”
Ladies, ladies, please! Riveting exchange, but let’s get back on track here, shall we?
Oh wait,what’s that? My producers are telling me something.
I’m afraid we’re out of time for the evening and it’s probably best to cut this post short right here.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this mockery of famous political quotes (and one gratuitous and randomly referenced Taxi Driver quote) created as a satire of our current discourse regarding Horse of the Year.
Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.
P.S. Don’t forget to vote in our poll and join the actual debate in our previous post: The Great Debate: 2009 Horse of the Year.
An interesting thing happened in the comments of our post discussing the 2009 Horse of the Year debate. While we went back and forth extolling the virtues and questions about the Breeders’ Cup Classic champion and undefeated mare Zenyatta as opposed to the 3-year-old filly phenom Rachel Alexandra, a suggestion was put forth to consider amending the Eclipse Award voting process.
The idea was one that immediately caught my attention, and has been discussed a bit both here and within the TVG Community forum. In short time it has now attracted the attention of even those within the NTRA, garnering specific mention by CEO Alex Waldrop in his most recentStraight Up blog post.
The suggestion, from regular reader and frequent guest author Mr. Del Mar, was as follows:
“I’d prefer to see something special done for this year’s horse of the year award…how about they have a text vote and online vote from each and every horseplayer or horse racing fan for $1 a vote and the proceeds go to race horse retirement. If we want to argue about nothing… let’s make the byproduct be positive and about something important…more important than a piece of bronze. We as horseplayers are well known for putting our money where our mouth is. Well we never got the race to do just that, but we can do it for horse of the year honors and let the Old Pro (forgotten contenders) profit from our passion.”
Considering the conviction with which so many racing fans are currently arguing the issue of Horse of the Year, this seemed like a no brainer to me. The sport is trying to maintain and build relevancy, as well as to uncover innovative ways to incorporate new and younger fans into the game.
One of the unspoken yet daunting challenges we face is that any fans Zenyatta may have created through her brilliant performance in the Breeders’ Cup Classic will be difficult to maintain given that they won’t be able to see her run again. However, what if they could participate in something like a Horse of the Year selection process? Might that provide an avenue through which to maintain their attention with respect to horse racing? Seems like it might do so. Even for the more established fans, the venerable regulars, aren’t we always complaining that we have no say in things? What a remarkable turnaround something like this could be!
That being said, there are legitimate reasons to be concerned with such a suggestion that are definitely worth discussing. Before getting into all of that, I’ll remind folks that the idea was merely a suggestion, not a finalized proposal that had been thoroughly critiqued and given a chance to evolve through revisions of any sort through a comprehensive analysis or initiative planning process. As anyone who has participated in brainstorming sessions within their own respective lines of business will no doubt be familiar with, one of the more crucial steps in considering fundamental changes to a given process is the generation of new ideas.
During the process of idea generation, it’s often wise not to get too wrapped up in arguing for or against a particular idea, but rather to get it on paper so that it can be further evaluated once other ideas have been similarly generated. Once generated and added to the list of topics to discuss in depth, then and only then should they be championed or opposed. I say this because that’s really where we are right now. We’ve got a suggestion to discuss the merits of and inherent complications/concerns with implementing. It can still be nurtured, altered, and outright amended, but the spirit of the suggestion reads pretty clearly; make the voting process more democratic and inclusive of racing fans, and if possible find some way to benefit retired horses who are often forgotten and need our continued support and generosity the most. Seems fair enough to me.
Looking over the merits of the suggestion, I think allowing fans to have a say in post season awards is actually not that far fetched of an idea. The NTRA/Breeders’ Cup folks already do this with respect to “Moment of the Year” voting – something which admittedly even as passionate a fan as myself has had limited awareness of/participation with. What about other sports? While MVP awards are typically not opened to public voting in the NFL, MLB, and NBA, certainly All-Star (or Pro Bowl) voting is up to the fans – with no concern as to how many times one votes or how much of a collective appreciation for the game as a whole an individual voter may have. Do we wind up with Yankees at every position each year? Well, yes we do – but it’s not like the fans elect a bunch of scrubs (for the most part). I’d say all thing being equal (and given the few quirks in place, such as the MLB’s insistence on having a representative from each team), the All-Star/Pro Bowl voting processes are considered a success.
As for giving everyone an opportunity to vote democratically, I hope the suggestion will not be misinterpreted as some sort of condemnation of those already entrusted with that honor. No doubt they’ve done a fine job over the years in conducting the voting process and selecting the Eclipse Award champions. Rather, think of the suggestion as an opportunity to build upon that and invite more into the process…admittedly many more. We are Americans after all, a people defined by our passion for having a say in how affairs are decided. It’s part of the fabric of our national identity. If we don’t vote on the issue at hand directly, we nominate those whose votes will represent us. I realize of course that the Eclipse Awards are not a “public’ issue to vote on, but there’s nothing set in stone that says that can’t be changed if indeed it would generate more interest and involvement with the sport (not to mention potential publicity).
Still, the element of the suggestion that I find most intriguing is the idea of charging a nominal fee (such as $1) to register to vote, and then using those proceeds to benefit retired race horses through a charitable donation. Who amongst us wouldn’t like to see more done for our (largely) forgotten heroes?
As mentioned earlier, however, there are legitimate concerns that should absolutely be a part of the discussion. Let’s start with the obvious.
Are we really suggesting that everyone would have an equal say in Horse of the Year voting? How could we possibly allow someone who may have just seen their first horse race ever with Zenyatta in the Classic to vote on the year as a whole and have an equal say compared to others with years of experience and more well trained eyes? I know it’s hard to swallow at first, but my answer would be a resounding “Yes!” If we remember that we allow all people in this nation to have a vote in matters of infinitely more important concern, such as Presidential and Congressional elections, then suddenly allowing people to have a say in Horse of the Year voting seems to pale in comparison, doesn’t it? Consider that the average 18-year-old, fresh out of High School, has as much say from an individual voting process in the future direction of the nation as does a combat veteran who has been decorated for multiple tours in a foreign war.
What I’m getting at here is that the right to have a say in things and to have our vote counted and our voices heard is as American as apple pie. It’s been a part of who we are for hundreds of years, and I believe other sports, and indeed other outlets that whether we like or not we do compete for attention with (such as ”reality” television) have already capitalized on this desire far better than we have. I understand the fear in letting the uninformed vote in things, but if it works for electing the leader of the free world, it ought to be acceptable in deciding something as simple as who Horse of the Year should be.
I’ll use myself as an example for the above. Am I a professional? Nope, never been paid a dime for anything I’ve written horse racing related. Do I think my opinion ought to matter just as much as anyone else’s? You bet your you-know-what I do. I was at the Preakness, Haskell, and Classic LIVE and IN PERSON (not to mention the Mother Goose), and I wonder how many of the current voters can say the same? With that in mind, I’d put my opinion right on par with anyone else’s. I’m not saying my opinion is any better or more correct than anyone else’s, but that it’s just as informed (at least in my mind) and as worthy. Doubtless there are numerous others who could say the same.
One other angle to consider with respect to the above is a related concern. I’ve heard folks put forth the logical conclusion that the voting would turn into a popularity contest of sorts. My question in response to this suggestion is whether we know definitively whether this isn’t the case already? I mean on some level, isn’t that inevitable, no matter who votes? Looking over just the comments in response to Alex Waldrup’s post suggests folks are concerned about a perceived bias (real or imagined) in the existing voting contingent based largely on what coast of the country they are more closely associated with.
Further, who exactly is the award “for?” Certainly the horses themselves are unable to understand the designation. It must be for us then, the people. The most obvious and immediate benefactors of the awards are the connections of a given horse. It is they that take pride in winning an award, and it is they who make their way to the podium and bore us into exhaustion with their acceptance speeches (only kidding). There is, however, another group that also cares a whole heckuva lot about the awards; fans. Fans are the ones who make the award matter. We’re the ones who watch the awards show and celebrate when our beloved heroes triumph, and of course threaten defenestrations when our guys (and gals, especially this year) lose. We’re also the ones who will be talking about them years from now as we spout off about the horses that have made us the devotees to horse racing we have become.
“Let the defenestrations commence!”
Thankfully, the suggestion by Mr. Del Mar and the discussion generated in the comments here seems to have caught the attention from some folks in high places. Now that Alex Waldrup has specifically referenced the suggestion in his latest post, it’s time to start talking about whether something like this makes sense for the long term? Admittedly it’s probably too late for 2009, since technically the voting process has already begun, but might something like Mr. Del Mar’s suggestion be worth considering the following year? Might something like this actually spark much needed renewed interest and discussion within our sport?
Personally, I’d like to thank Alex Waldrop, Keith Chamblin, and Fritz Widaman for having the courage to listen to an outside the box proposal and not immediately brush it aside. Even if popular opinion winds up being that the current process is sufficient and needs no alteration, it still feels like a conversation we ought to be having, and they (the folks at the NTRA) deserve to be commended for their open mindedness and the speed with which they acted upon it to include mention in a public blog posting. Far too often it’s easy for us to dismiss those in power as not caring about the voice of the fan or of being totally disconnected from the reality of the situation fans experience. Having met each of these guys individually and spoken at length with them, I can tell you with with absolute certainty that in my estimation such concerns are not at all warranted with respect to these gentlemen. Heck, it was Fritz that I turned to slap high-fives with as Zenyatta crossed the wire in the Classic. My point being that these guys are fans just like you and I, and though they don’t have the power of the centralized authority figures in other sports (NFL, MLB, NBA, etc.), they are certainly great guys to have on your side.
Of course, as Alex mentions, it’s really not within his realm of responsibility to make that kind of change, but I thank him for mentioning it publicly and thereby lending some credibility to the idea. That just might be enough to get the ball rolling. Only time will tell.
I’m curious to know what readers think about the suggestion? I’m not necessarily looking for a definitive opinion here, although doubtless there will be many and they are certainly welcomed if already concluded. What I’m really after is whether you believe, like me, this is something we ought to be talking about for 2010? Would you have any additional suggestions or concerns that should be brought up, if indeed the discussion moves forward?
No sooner had the synthetic dust settled in the wake of Zenyatta’s dominating performance in the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita then the flame igniting the “Horse of the Year” debate was rekindled anew. At question is how to properly award the top honor in U.S. racing when considering the miraculous campaigns of both Zenyatta and the 3-year-old filly sensation Rachel Alexandra.
At this point in time, It’s become a question I’d really rather not address at all if it were not on the lips of nearly all I’ve spoken with these past few days. My personal feeling being that this is still Zenyatta’s moment and that at least one full week should pass before we begin doing what horseplayers do – arguing incessantly with one another over our respective levels of insanity. One can barely get so much as a word in about the Classic right now though without the issue coming up rather directly. Emotions seem to be running high on both sides of the isle as the immediacy of a supreme moment still actively courses through the furiously beating hearts of racing fans the world over.
In many ways, the pendulum seems to have swung almost completely. Where once Rachel was considered (including by yours truly) a mortal lock to have already captured the honor as Horse of the Year by virtue of (most notably) her Preakness, Haskell, and Woodward victories, a new wind has begun to blow. The much whispered “backlash” against team Rachel for having not attended the Breeders’ Cup had been one element of this change. The true spark, however, is a bit more noble in nature and seems to stem from a desire to ensure that Zenyatta is properly awarded for the undefeated career she has blessed us with.
As early as Saturday night, the battle lines were already being drawn. Attending a post-Classic dinner with folks from the TVG Community(the organizers for which I owe a great deal of thanks to for a wonderful weekend, along with those at both the NTRA and the Breeders’ Cup), I was asked for my opinion, and admittedly I balked a bit – attempting to play the classical Switzerland “neutrality defense.” Like many a smaller European nation state in the opening half the 20th century, I ultimately found myself being drawn, however unwittingly, into the great conflagration.
Not to be confused with the famous "French defense" in chess, the "Switzerland neutrality posture" in the great 2009 Horse of the Year debate is ultimately indefensible.
At the end of the day, I suppose someone does have to win the award, right?
So whom do we chose?
As much as I’ve tried to play the Switzerland defense, it’s probably rightly noted that I’m an ever-so-slightly bigger fan of Rachel Alexandra than I am of Zenyatta. I think that’s a fair assessment of my own emotional makeup. That’s not to say I don’t love Zenyatta with all my heart – always have and always will – but my record of pro-Rachel Alexandra coverage is something I cannot deny being consciously aware of.
That being said, I’ve loved Zenyatta since I spotted her profile prior to her maiden debut, noting “hey, that’s the same connections as Giacomo – I might take a shot with this girl!” In time she became my “slow cheetah” – a name and a song that will forever have a special meaning to me.
I care about these two fillies so deeply that I consider it the honor of a lifetime to have been there for the finer moments of each one’s 2009 campaign; Rachel in the Preakness and the Haskell, and Zenyatta in the Classic.
Much like I had been calling for a dead heat had the two ever locked horns on the track, I find myself utterly divided over who I would select as Horse of the Year. I suppose to extract a full answer from me, one might have to subject me to brutal interrogation, straight out of the famed Russian Roulette scene in The Deer Hunter. Tying me to a chair, constantly slapping my face whilst shouting “Mao!” and demanding that I make a selection. I believe what follows is what my ultimate decision would be under such duress (apart from arising from said chair and declaring “3 bullets!!! We play with 3 bullets!” in classical De Niro fashion):
Rachel Alexandra for 3-year-old filly champion
Zenyatta for Horse of the Year
Mao! Robert De Niro in the famous Russian Roulette scene from The Deer Hunter
Truth be told, I actually do believe that Rachel Alexandra had the superior overall year (with “overall” being the operative term), however Zenyatta clearly won the superior race.
Rachel’s year had more than one signature moment. She was the first filly in 85 years to win the Preakness. She was the 2nd filly in 42 years to win the Haskell. She nearly broke the track record in the Mother Goose, coming close to the exploits of Secretariat at the same distance. Then, of course, she became the first 3-year-old filly to defeat older males in a stakes race of more than a mile on dirt since the inception of graded stakes in the U.S.
Zenyatta’s overall campaign for 2009 was a bit less heralded – until her triumph in the Classic that is. I doubt strongly that anyone will think back to her earlier races in the year and point to them as having been signature – but she did remain undefeated, even when carrying ridiculous amounts of weight and when it seemed to all observing that her undefeated record was in it’s greatest peril at the hands of Anaaba’s Creation. Somehow, someway, she ALWAYS found a way to win.
So if Rachel’s campaign is the one I believe to be more accomplished, why make Zenyatta Horse of the Year?
Because at some level, even if it has not historically been the case, the Breeders’ Cup Classic should be the deciding moment. The quintessential test of an overall champion. Moreover, the career that Zenyatta rewarded us with is one that is deserving of top honors. And it’s not like she didn’t race in 2009. She just didn’t race a whole heckuva a lot of times, nor did she put herself in tremendously challenging positions where victory was assumed to be anything other than a foregone conclusion until her date with destiny in the Classic.
I know that technically it isn’t right to attach emotional sentiment to that which she accomplished in 2008 and then factor that into the equation, but how can one not help but do so? In all likelihood she left us with her career defining performance on the sports biggest stage (at least the biggest stage for true fans of racing, as opposed to the Warhol-esque 2 minutes of national attention associated with the annual running of the Kentucky Derby) – a perfect story book ending to a career that will from henceforth be the measuring stick for all older fillies and mares that attempt to follow in her hoofsteps.
Likewise, Rachel Alexandra will go down as the new barometer by which all subsequent 3-year-old fillies will be compared. Make no mistake about it, we’ll still invoke memories of Ruffian as well, who will continue to be the greatest of the great fillies, but my sense of things is that Rachel’s ability to both win a 3-year-old Classic (the Preakness) and then follow that up with repeat performances over 3-year-old males in the Haskell and then older males in the Woodward will cement her legacy for years (if not decades) to come.
The mere fact that Rachel is sometimes mentioned in the same breath as Ruffian speaks volumes for how lofty her star has risen. Just a year ago you probably would’ve been diagnosed as certifiably mad if you dared to publicly compare any filly to Ruffian. Now people do so without batting an eye. I’ve refrained from making any direct comparisons myself, as I think it wise to the let the historical greats stand alone, and if nothing else become larger than the legends they were in their own time rather than replaced by newcomers and diminished in legend, but certainly folks reading this have at least heard those comparisons elsewhere and know what I’m referring to. The point being not whether they are warranted or not, but merely an acknowledgement that such comparisons do exist.
For Rachel, there will be a 2010, and a chance to show she is capable of winning a Breeders’ Cup Classic of her own. For Zenyatta, the Classic was in all likelihood her swan song.
What better way to send off a legend than to allow their final chapter to be an ultimate achievement? It just feels like the right thing to do.
As much as I love them both and am torn asunder in attempting to make a definitive statement one way or the other – I think the right thing to do is to send Zenyatta off to retirement as the 2009 Horse of the Year. After all, she started the year as the top older female in racing, and nobody was able to defeat her. Looking at things that way, and reducing the equation to it’s most simplistic component, it’s a bit hard to justify knocking her from her lofty perch – doubly so in the immediate aftermath of her finest hour.
And you know what? At the end of the day it’s really just a silly award. What these two ladies accomplished on the track will be remembered for years regardless of whether an additional trophy is added to their respective cases.
Respect for each of them has been EARNED on the track, not GIVEN at some awards ceremony.
That’s how I see things at least. What say you? Who do you think ought to receive the Eclipse Award for 2009 Horse of the Year?
The moment Zenyatta crossed the wire and became the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic champion, things went hazy. I vaguely remember searching for people to hug, slapping high fives with everyone around, and letting loose a series of ”rebel yell” style roars that any native Alabamian would be proud of. Once that subsided, I began pondering whether everything we’d witnessed both in the immediacy of the Breeders’ Cup and from the entire year in general could possibly have been real, or if I was about to awake from some deep, REM filled dream? It seems so unimaginably unthinkable that one calendar year could have presented us with such unprecedented historical significance as to have rendered the completely opposite emotions experienced just 17 months ago an almost perfect contrast. And, of course, the ending was capped off in perfect story book fashion.
Close your eyes for one moment (albeit a brief one), and remember that awful, devastating, seemingly unconquerable feeling of grief and agony that cast a pall over all of racing following the 2008 Kentucky Derby. Now contrast that memory with the euphoria and outright elation experienced many times over this year as racing’s dream girls Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra conquered races and dominated the headlines of the sport in a manner never before seen, nor likely ever thought imaginable.
The “Year of the Filly” it most certainly was – and for racing it could not have come at a more opportune time. A veritable 180° turnaround. A phoenix rising from it’s own ashes. A reconstitution of passion, pride, belief, and affection. A reaffirmation of all that can and should be good about the sport we love.
Looking back to the previous year, I recall being plagued following the death of Eight Belles with the thought “where do we possibly go from here?”The obvious follow-up to that question that was even more painful to consider being once we figured out “where” we would go, having to determine “how” we might go about getting there? It seemed a mountain that we might never be able to climb. A hole we might never dig ourselves from. After all, the sport was not exactly in a position of strength from which to deal with such a tragedy, especially having had the same type of nightmare play itself out in 2006 with Barbaro; again while the entire world watched in shock. It was doom and gloom; misery and pain; agony and heartache.
As if on queue, the sports two biggest stars of 2008, Curlin and Big Brown, were defeated in their biggest moments of the season; Curlin failing to sustain his trademarked “giant strides” as Raven’s Pass and Henrythenavigator surged past him in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and Big Brown being pulled up in the stretch of the 2008 Belmontand denied his quest for Triple Crown glory. The collective mood was rather somber. One could find themselves asking not what the morrow might bring, but rather cynically ”what could possibly go wrong next?”
Thankfully, as the old axiom holds, time heals all wounds. Tomorrow, no matter how high or low the previous day may have been, is always another day.
The horse racing gods seemingly took mercy upon us and decided to give fans a little something special for their troubles to help ease the pain. At least that’s how I like to imagine it. Something we couldn’t have possibly conceived we would be blessed enough to behold was about to unfold in 2009, although it’s seeds were first sewn in 2008. As our eyes were largely focused elsewhere, a massive and lightly raced 4-year-old filly based in California was beginning to hit her stride, turning heads and causing people the world over to take notice. Out in Kentucky, a 2-year-old filly with a unique blaze would break her maiden within a month of the Eight Belles tragedy at a rather nondescript 12/1 price on the tote board. It’s hard to imagine that anyone realized what might lay ahead as these two began to lay the foundations for what would become two of the more memorable rides through North American thoroughbred racing history in recent memory.
By the time Zenyatta was being crowned 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic champion, the “Year of the Filly” had become the dominant story in racing for the better part of the year. Zenyatta becoming he first mare in history to win the Classic, finishing with a remarkable perfect record for her career. Meanwhile, the 3-year-old sensation Rachel Alexandra had achieved the distinction of being mentioned in the same breath as the legendary Ruffian by becoming the first filly in 8 decades to win the Preakness, the 2nd filly in 4 decades to win the Haskell, and the 1st 3-year-old filly to defeat older males on a dirt route race in New York since Lady Primrose in the 1887 Manhattan Hand.
Horse racing prints commemorating Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta from artist Fred Stone: http://www.fredstone.com
On a more personal level, the year was indescribably magical. Somehow I managed to be lucky enough to witness Rachel Alexandra’s victories against boys in the Preakness and Haskell as well as Zenyatta’s victory in the Classic LIVE. Talk about the Trifecta of a lifetime, eh? And that doesn’t even count the experience I shared with my wife on her birthday at Belmont as Rachel sped her way to a near track record in the Mother Goose.
For a guy who had always assumed he was born about 3 decades too late to experience historically relevant moments in the annals of horse racing, 2009 has been a veritable feast of unprecedentia (note: I’m fairly certain I’ve just invented that word, but it sounds fitting enough to keep). In fact, the year as a whole has been a reaffirmation of everything that is great about the sport – even with the obvious remaining imperfections.
Searching through my mind for a fitting quote from the ether of the past, I was struck by a question that begins the memoirs from Private Sam Watkinsof Company “Aytch” (H), 1st Tennessee Volunteers as he began to reflect in his middle ages about the experiences he had bore witness to in the Civil War as young man. Watkins had fought in nearly every major battle in the “Western” theater of the war from 1861 – 1865 and had somehow survived relatively unscathed. He had felt the sting of defeat, the rush of victory, the agony associated with the loss of loved ones, the salvation of ultimate survival and the experience of fatherhood that was denied so many of his generation, as well as the struggle to put into terms for others what had happened in his life.
“Were these things real…or are they but the vagaries of mine own imagination?”
Much like Watkins, I struggle with whether all that which I have seen has really happened, or been the figments of some fantastical dream. That somehow this has been too good to be true. That we couldn’t possibly be lucky enough to have witnessed all that we have seen in so short a period of time. The immenseness of it all being almost beyond comprehension.
To the tune of the full quote that was much abbreviated above from Sam Watkins:
Did my wife and I really have the honor of watching Rachel Alexandra become the first filly in 8 decades to win the Preakness at Pimlico? Did I shake with excitement, nearly yelling myself into cardiac arrest as she willed herself through the stretch? Had we shed mutual tears of joy and embraced anyone we could find in the shadows of the old clubhouse at Pimlico where so many of the all-time great 3-year-olds had stood over the years?
Were we really bestowed with the honor of being inside the paddock to see Rachel off to post in the Haskell at Monmouth Park? Had I truly been able to stand with my 5-year-old son and marvel at the majestic beauty before us moments away from her becoming “a Haskell legend?”
Did I watch as my beloved Zenyatta, forever my “Slow Cheetah”, paused in front of the Grandstand to “paw” at and “dance” upon the Santa Anita Pro Ride to the delightful roar of the crowd as she went to post in the Classic? Had I sprung to life in unison with nearly 60,000 other fans as she made her bid for greatness in the stretch? Had I celebrated with friends and strangers alike, faces flushed with joy, hearts spilling with the pride of parenthood and the innocent joy of childhood? Had I led my hotel shuttle from the park in a rousing rendition of “how ’bout that Zenyatta?!?!?!” as we left Santa Anita that magical day?
Surely this must be a dream. To call 2009 the “Year of the Filly” does not give the year proper justice. It was more than that – perhaps a year for all time. A year that we will no doubt struggle to explain as the grandchildren sit on our knees many years from now and inquire why grandpa is so continually fascinated by this peculiar (from their vantage point at least) sport.
“Gather ’round, kids”, we’ll say, “let your grandpa tell you the story of the Year of the Filly way back in two thousand and nine.”
We’ll then reach for some dusty box of treasured keepsakes and begin to remove the momentos we’ve managed to keep (for me this would most likely be my $2 win tickets from the Preakness and Classic).
“Awe, man….do we have to hear that one again, Grandpa?” they will ask (children being honest to a fault at times).
If there’s enough magic remaining for us in this life, we just might be lucky enough to have one grandchild that “gets it” when we talk about horse racing.
“Shhhhhh!” that child might say. “Let him tell the story again. I want to hear about Zenyatta and Rachel.”
Yup, it’s been that kind of year. Treasure it, my friends. These kinds of years only come around once in a lifetime.
Finally – it’s Classic time. The “race of the year” (although not necessarily for Horse of the Year, as evidenced by recent history) for an overall purse of $5 million. Obviously the story of the race is the entry of the undefeated mare Zenyatta – one of the sports biggest stars in North America and a hometown hero that the masses will turn out to support in droves for her first try against the boys.
Last year we had another equally beloved North American horse coming in as the heavy favorite. Of course I’m talking here of my beloved Curlin. Despite a bold move as the field neared the top of the stretchthat at first glance appeared to be trademarked, patented Curlin - he ultimately floundered through the final furlong and wound up finishing 4th, passed by two horses that had shipped in from Europe in both Raven’s Pass and Henrythenavigator.
Will things be different this year? It was supposed to be the “year of the filly” – but the Fighting Phils blew the World Series to the N.Y. Yankees last night. Still, might that be a favorable omen for Zenyatta? Think about it – if her biggest threats are coming from across the pond once again, then is it a good sign that the “Yankees” won? We horseplayers are nothing if not superstitious, so it’s something to think about.
Speaking of which – I’d encourage ALL horseplayers to go to ourTBA homepage right now and play along with our “BC Picks” feature. Basically it’s just a google doc spreadsheet. Contact Handrideif you have any questions about how to enter your picks. I see at least one regular reader (Mark Ripple) is already there – hopefully we’ll see more of you shortly.
Since this post will also be featured until I return from the Breeders’ Cup Sunday evening, I’d also like to point out that I’ve updated the page entitled “2009 Breeders’ Cup” so that you can easily navigate to the selections/analysis for each of the BC races this weekend. Basically it’s the old “2009 Triple Crown” page that used to be in the same spot – only that information has been moved down a few notches. Just trying to keep things as easy as can be for the readers here.
Getting back to the Classic, the field sets up like this:
Mine That Bird (12/1)
Colonel John (12/1)
Summer Bird (9/2)
Zenyatta (5/2*)
Twice Over (20/1)
Richard’s Kid (12/1)
Gio Ponti (12/1)
Einstein (12/1)
Girolamo (20/1)
Rip Van Winkle (7/2)
Regal Ransom (20/1)
Quality Road (12/1)
Awesome Gem (30/1)
“Slow Cheetah come, it’s so euphoric. Looks like it’s on today…” (“Slow Cheetah” being my pet name for Zenyatta)
MINE THAT BIRD – the 3-year-old “little gelding who could” that shocked the world with his stunning 50/1 upset in the Kentucky Derbyback in May. Sadly, that was the last time he found the winner’s circle, although he did come charging well late against Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness. He just hasn’t seemed the same horse since then, and his relatively uninspiring effort over the Santa Anita Pro Ride in the Goodwood (Grade 1) last month does not leave me thinking he’s got much of a chance here. He’s shocked us before – so keep that in mind before you toss him out, but as much as I like this gelding and his trainer, Chip Woolley Jr., I’m just not seeing it.
COLONEL JOHN was my original selection for the 2008 Kentucky Derby. Since then I’ve had a bit of a tough love relationship with him. He’s a Tiznow colt, and I’m nothing if not a Tiznow fan, so he’ll always hold a special place in my heart. It just seems like whenever I expect big things from him, he struggles, and whenever I dismiss his chances, he runs huge. He’s capable of running big here, but I’m going to consider others as more solid selections for win honors. If my Colonel John conundrum continues, that might suggest he’s primed for his best performance. For now, I’ll say he’s a contender and leave it at that.
SUMMER BIRD might be the forgotten colt of the entire field. This is likely due to his lack of previous racing experience over the synthetic surfaces. The son of Birdstone did train over the Santa Anita Pro Ride before joining the barn of Trainer Tim Ice – a man who was beyond awesome to my entire family on Haskell day at Monmouth Park. Since we got to meet Summer Bird that day, and since he was my wife’s Belmont pick, you best believe he’ll be on all my tickets. Am I worried about the synthetics? Nope, not at all – and my gut tells me this guy is one of the better North American horses in racing. Case in point – immediately following the Haskell, our conversations with Ice revealed that he didn’t want to run into Rachel Alexandra ever again, but he’s confident enough again in his colt following his victories in the Travers and the Jockey Club Gold Cup that he now publicly states he wants another shot at her. Not many folks would say such a thing – and Tim is a consummate gentlemen, so don’t mistake that for false bravado. He’s sincere in everything he says, which tells me this colt is poised. Big factor – and expect to see those odd s of 9/2 improve dramatically once the betting windows open up.
ZENYATTA - what’s left to say about my beloved “Slow Cheetah?” The 50-foot woman…the undefeated super star who has been the poster girl for California racing for 2 seasons now. This is her biggest moment, and while she’s facing boys for the first time and taking on a new distance as well, she’s simply one of the classiest animals I’ve had the pleasure of seeing. If this is indeed her swan song (which recent discussions suggest it will not be), then it shall be with a watery eye that I bid her farewell. My love affair with Zenyatta began the evening she broke her maiden in her debut in late 2007. I had just decided to start posting picks online and experimenting with these peculiarities called “blogs.” The rest, quite literally, is history. I’m expecting her finest hour – and that’s exactly what it will likely take to prevail. If this plays out the way she usually does things, expect a heart-stopping photo finish type of cliffhanger ending at the wire. You KNOW she’ll be flying late.
TWICE OVER is the sneakiest of the European invaders by virtue of being 20/1 on the morning line. I’ll say this, given the fact that European shippers ran 1, 2 in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Classic, wouldn’t it make sense to at least take a flyer on a RIP VAN WINKLE/TWICE OVER exacta here? We are, after all, talking about a horse that has won 3 straight overseas, including besting the filly Sariska in the Champion Stakes (Group 1). He didn’t appear to run his best race when he tangled with RIP VAN WINKLE in the Eclipse Stakes back in July, but his running line denotes that he was “bumped’ in that race. Further, he simply might be a better horse now than he was back then. Very interesting and quite usable colt given the 20/1 value on the morning line.
RICHARD’S KID was the upset special for trainer Bob Baffert in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic in early September. The son of Lemon Drop Kid shocked us all by beating EINSTEIN at 24/1, and then returned to run 3rd beaten only a length to COLONEL JOHN and Gitano Hernando. In other words, he doesn’t appear to be a fluke, so you might want to keep him around on your tickets.
GIO PONTI is probably the best North American turf horse at the moment. So what’s he doing here rather than racing in the BC Turf? I’m not entirely certain, although it would appear he does seem to favor the 10 furlong distance. The son of Tale of the Cat did win here in the Sir Beaufort over the Pro Ride when that race came off the turf last December. If you’re a believer that turf form translates well to the Pro Ride, then you shouldn’t have any doubts about his chances. He has to be considered a player in here with a chance.
EINSTEIN is the hard trying son of Spend a Buck that has earned fans from all over the nation the past 3 years. I’ll always remember the first time I saw him live on Preakness Day in 2007, when a spill caused him to toss jockey Robby Albarado just 2 races before Curlin’s date with destiny in the Preakness. Ultimately we lost the colt Mending Fences that day, but since then Einstein has gone on to become one of the most versatile horses in all of racing. His motto, if he could speak, would surely be something along the lines of “any surface, any track, any time.” A rare Grade 1 winner on dirt, turf, and synthetics. He’s run into some hard luck and close finishes this year, so it would be nice to see him fight his way back into the winner’s circle. Ultimately I like him better as an underneath play here.
GIROLAMO is the most lightly raced of the contenders, and a 3-year-old son of A. P. Indy. He’s never been two turns before, but his pedigree suggests he’ll handle it. For me the tougher question is figuring out where he might fit into the equation pace wise. I’m guessing he’ll be right up there trying to go with Regal Ransom. He’s definitely a nice colt that is on the improve and eligible to continue to move forwad, but he’ll be on a new surface, going two turns for the first time, and facing a level of competition he’s never seen before. That might be asking just a tad too much here.
RIP VAN WINKLE is the main threat to ZENYATTA’s quest for glory here in the Classic. The son of Galileo has been very sharp lately, taking both the Sussex Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Group 1 races both) in his last two efforts. Prior to that he was only 1 length behind Sea the Stars in the Eclipse Stakes (and, notably, 4 1/2 lengths in front of Conduit – whom I just made top selection in the BC Turf….hmmmmm). In fact, he lost 3 straight to Sea the Stars, but never finished worse than 4th and was never further than 2 1/2 lengths from the colt considered by many to be among the best they have ever seen in Europe. Trainer Aidan O’Brien and jockey Johnny Murtagh will team up once again here and look to steal the victory from the hometown hero. The obvious question will be how he handles the synthetics, and as always one must take a bit of a leap of faith in backing a runner like this, but he does look tough to deal with here. In fact, he looks tougher than anything ZENYATTA has ever seen. As much as it pains me to do it, he’s going to be the top pick. Don’t “sleep” on this guy (lame, I know, but I couldn’t resist).
REGAL RANSOM is a horse I was admittedly quite enamored with during the Triple Crown season earlier this year. Things didn’t quite work out for him, as he finished 8th over the Churchill slop on Derby day, but he did return to wire the field in the Super Derby last out (Grade 2). He seems to be a legit pace factor here, and that could have him in a favorable position if he were to get loose on the lead. Of course, as mentioned earlier, GIRALOMO appears to want to have something to say about that, and so might QUALITY ROAD, so it’s not enough to make me think upset here. Word is that he has been working extremely well here, so definitely think about using him underneath on the exotics.
QUALITY ROAD was once my top Derby selection for 2009. This means that my top Derby picks for the last 2 years are now here in this race. The speedy son of Elusive Quality has been unable to catch SUMMER BIRD in his last two starts over wet surfaces in New York. I’d expect him to be on the muscle early on and looking to press REGAL RANSOM should that one try to waltz away with things untested early on. It’s hard for me to think he’ll win this, but he can still be a factor. One angle to keep in mind is that this is a colt who had some issues with his feet earlier in the year, and quite a few horses with similar problems have really taken to the softer synthetic surfaces.
AWESOME GEM was the third place finisher in the 2007 Classic behind Curlin and Hard Spun. Last year he finished 6th in the BC Mile. I’d give him a shot if we were on a true dirt surface and rain was in the forecast, but his 1 for 12 record on synthetics leaves me thinking he’s an outsider here.
How do I see this race playing out? I think REGAL RANSOM, QUALITY ROAD, and GIROLAMO will contest things early on . As the field nears the turn, ZENYATTA will start to uncoil and swing wide (like she always does) and start mowing down horses in front of her. RIP VAN WINKLE will be a bit more forwardly placed along with SUMMER BIRD, EINSTEIN, and TWICE OVER. This group will actually get frist run at the leading trio, with ZENYATTA, COLONEL JOHN, RICHARD’s KID, MINE THAT BIRD, and GIO PONTI further back.
I like RIP VAN WINKLE and ZENYATTA to rise to the top, due to their respective class, and leave us with a finish for th ages. I’m calling a photo finish that could go either way depending on the head bob. Two gutsy, world class competitors leaving it all on the line. No quarter shall be asked, and none shall be given. God bless ‘em, this ought to be a good one.
Selections:
#10 Rip Van Winkle (7/2)
#4 Zenyatta (5/2*)
#3 Summer Bird (9/2)
Best of luck to all! May this be a Breeders’ Cup to remember. Don’t forget that we’ve got all 13 of the previous Breeders’ Cup races for the weekend covered as well. For quick access, you can locate those posts here.
The 2009 running of the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf has come up extremely intriguing this year, thanks to the presence of the lightning quick Presious Passion, the classy European filly Dar Re Mi, fellow invader Spanish Moon, and the presence of defending champion Conduit. A cool $3 million will be on the line as the horses go to post on Saturday for the 1 1/2 mile run over the Santa Anita turf.
The field sets up like this:
Telling (20/1)
Conduit (7/5*)
Red Rocks (20/1)
Allegre (50/1)
Dar Re Mi (3/1)
Presious Passion (4/1)
Spanish Moon (5/2)
Monzante (30/1)
TELLING is a son of A.P. Indy who took many horseplayers by surprise when he suddenly broke out as a Grade 1 winner in the Sword Dancer at Saratoga this summer. Prior to that race, the 5-year-old had struggled to find the winner’s circle for quite some time. He wasn’t able to repeat that effort when he returned in the Grade 1 Turf Classic Invitational at Belmont last month, and has now drawn the dreaded rail post position. This will be the toughest competition he’s ever seen, so he’ll need his absolute best to contest for win honors.
CONDUIT is the defending champion from last year’s BC Turf. A year ago he was coming into this race off of consecutive victories at the Group 3 and Group 1 levels, respectively. This year he’s got a Group 1 victory in the King George, and a very respectable 4th place finish to Sea the Stars in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe behind him as attempts to defend his crown. If the Conduit we’ve come to know and love shows up, the others could be running for place and show. In particular, the presence of Presious Passion in this field ensures he’ll have a target to run at. Now the question will be whether he can run that target down. With 12 furlongs to work with, he’ll have plenty of time to do so (although to be honest, the longer the race the slower the anticipated pace usually is).
RED ROCKS will forever be the “horse that spoiled my trip to see Curlin in the Man O’ War back in 2008. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to forgive him for that day. Here’s a guy who is a previous Breeders’ Cup Turf winner, something you certainly have to respect. I’m just not sure he’s capable anymore now at 6-years-old as things seem to have turned slightly southward this year.
ALLEGRE is the longsthot of the field at 50/1, and a 4-year-old son of Orientate that would need to both move forward significantly and run his absolute best to factor here, although trainer Brian Koriner is usually good with turfers.
DAR RE MI is the European shipper I’m most fond of here. The daughter of Singspiel was 2nd to Zarkava (2008 Arc de Triomphe champion) in the Group 1 Prix Vermeile last year and ran a respectable 5th (beaten by 3 1/4 lengths) to Sea the Stars in the 2009 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe – the richest turf race in the world. In between she’s bested a filly that I’m extremely fond of named Sariska, as well as the talented Stacelita (although she was ultimately disqualified and placed 5th). A major player in here for sure who could keep the filly and mare mojo flowing on Saturday with a brilliant performance.
PRESIOUS PASSION is the lightning in a bottle speed of the speed in here. Remember that effort of his in the United Nations when he was 20 lengths clear of the field the first time around the track? I don’t think he’ll go that crazy, but he will be looking to open things up quite comfortably in the early going in an attempt to build an insurmountable lead and then hang on for dear life as DAR RE MI, CONDUIT, and SPANISH MOON come charging. Always dangerous if loose on the lead.
SPANISH MOON is a very intriguing European shipper that has run 6 straight solid races – with 4 of them being victories – most notably the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. Coming off back to back wins (including a defeat of Youmzain, the runner-up finisher in the 2009 Arc de Triomphe) signals that this son of El Prado is ready to run a big one in his first visit to the U.S. Respect his chances.
MONZANTE rounds out the field for trainer Mike Mitchell, who will return the son of Maria’s Mon to the guiding hands of jockey Rafael Bejarano. The pair teamed up for two of this horse’s better performances last year at Del Mar, and will look to recapture some of that previous magic. Finished 7th, though only beaten by a collective 4 lengths to Colonel John and Gitano Hernando in the Goodwood last out. Rates as an outside possiblity on his top stuff.
Overall I think CONDUIT is still the guy you’ve got to get passed here, and I’ll give the defending champ the nod. You won’t hear any argument from me though to those who side with DAR RE MI, PRESIOUS PASSION, or SPANISH MOON as all 3 seem quite capable of winning. In my mind, PRESIOUS PASSION leads the field into the stretch, when these 3 come charging home. I like CONDUIT getting home on top by a very slim margin, with PRESIOUS PASSION holding on to finish 2nd or 3rd, and either DAR RE MI or SPANISH MOON taking the other slice.
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