Breeder's Cup

The Breeder's Cup is a big day in horseracing, and today some very good horses showed their best. Conditions weren't the best, but the racing was.

This year racing took place over two days at NJ's Monmouth Park. Three races were held on Friday: the Filly & Mare Sprint, the Juvenile Turf, and the Dirt Mile. These three races are not graded stakes races, but might be in the future. For now, they get horses and owners into the Breeder's Cup that might not otherwise be there, and in true horseracing fashion, all three races were upsets. Far back in the field turning for home, Maryfield found an outside path to the finish line and won the $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint. Corinthian raced to a commanding upset in the $1 million Dirt Mile, and Nownownow edged wagering favorite Achill Island by a half-length in the $1 million Juvenile Turf.

The big races were run on Saturday. The first two races of the day, the Juvenile Fillies and the Juvenile Colts, were both won wire-to-wire. Indian Blessing put trainer Bob Baffert back in the international racing spotlight by staying unbeaten when running 12 other 2-year-old fillies off their feet in a wire-to-wire victory Saturday in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Unbeaten colt War Pass rolled to his fourth straight victory in the Juvenile Colts, this time by 4-3/4 lengths, and is certain to clinch the Eclipse Award as the nation's best 2-year-old male of 2007. If he stays healthy, he'll be the early favorite for next year's Triple Crown races.

Lahudood rolled to a three-quarter-length victory in the $2 million Filly and Mare Turf over the extremely soft turf course. Honey Ryder, third in this race last year, rallied to get second by a neck over Passage of Time, the 5-2 favorite. Midnight Lute left little doubt that he's the best sprinter in the country, overcoming a slow start to roar past Idiot Proof and win the six-furlong Breeders' Cup Sprint by a widening 4 3/4 lengths. Midnight Lute's performance gave the son of Real Quiet his second straight Grade 1 win. His win was probably the most commanding and, because it happened in the sprint, surprising performance of the day.

Two supplemental entries repaid their owners' faith with wins. In the Mile on soft turf, Cornelio Velasquez eased Kip Deville off a moderate pace, saved ground while just behind pacesetting Cosmonaut, came out past the quarter pole, and zap - Kip Deville was gone. It was a top performance by any standard - even more so from an Oklahoma-bred son of Kipling who began his career in November 2005 in a maiden race at Remington Park. Favored Excellent Art ran well, but for the third time this year was a bridesmaid in a major Grade 1 race. Trainer Bobby Frankel convinced owner Frank Stronach to take a $180,000 gamble, and it paid off in a big way Saturday as Ginger Punch outfought Hystericalady in a thrilling stretch drive at Monmouth Park to win the $2 million Distaff by a neck.

The Big Horse was in the BC Turf, a 1-1/2 mile race that generally favors the Europeans. Today was supposed to be the day the horse widely regarded as the best racehorse alive, and certainly thought to be the best turf horse, would dominate the field. However, favorite Dylan Thomas didn't even finish in the money. Drawing away to a seven length lead in the stretch, English Channel captured the $3 million Breeders' Cup Turf with apparent ease after stalking pacesetter Fri Guy through the first mile race. Shamdinan edged out Red Rocks by 3/4 length for second. Better Talk Now, another 3/4 length behind Red Rocks, was fourth in the field of eight.

Last but far from least, Curlin, a horse I've followed and supported all year, muscled his way to a dominating victory over one of the best fields in years in the BC Classic. Ridden by Robby Albarado, Curlin was the 4-1 fourth choice in the 1-1/4-mile race. He made a huge move in the turn, overtaking Hard Spun, the front-runner who wound up second in the field of nine 3-year-olds and upward. Awesome Gem, a 28-1 shot, closed late for third, while Street Sense, the 5-2 favorite, finished fourth after making his move at the same time as Curlin but failing to sustain it. It was a somewhat sad end to Street Sense's career, as he will be retired to stud now, but the real tragedy, and the only bad news of the day, came when European star George Washington broke down and had to be euthanized on the track. He was a very good horse who had been brought out of retirement this year. His shattered ankle destroyed the blood supply to his foot, making any surgical intervention unfeasible.

Other than the loss of George Washington, it was a fine meet. We'll see who gets the Eclipse Awards (I'm rooting for Curlin, in spite of his connections).