THREE-YEAR-OLDS & UP DIARY
AUGUST 30, 2006
by James Scully
BERNARDINI (A.P. Indy) sprung out of the far turn in Saturday’s Travers S.
(G1) and flew through the stretch to record a 7 1/2-length decision, winning in
hand with plenty left in the tank. The brilliant three-year-old colt has taken
the Sport of Kings by storm.
Bernardini has reeled off five straight victories by a combined 33 1/4
lengths. Dropping only his career debut in early January, he defeated maiden
special weight rivals next out in early March and captured his last four starts
over stakes foes, earning whopping BRIS Speed ratings of 110, 114, 111 and 111
for convincing wins in the Withers S. (G3), Preakness S. (G1), Jim Dandy S. (G2)
and Travers, respectively.
The amazing thing is that he’s lightly raced with room for improvement. And
trainer Thomas Albertrani is well aware of this fact.
“There’s a lot more to this horse than what we’ve seen,” Albertrani said. “He
has never been challenged. Right now, he has been winning by daylight in his
last five races. (Jockey) Javier (Castellano) couldn’t pull him up after the
wire (in the 1 1/4-mile Travers).”
Next up is the October 7 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Belmont Park and then
the November 4 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs. Those dates will
provide Thoroughbred racing fans with the opportunity to see a possible legend.
Older horses theoretically pose a challenge for Bernardini, but I get
the feeling that it’s just a matter of how far he wins by.
If he doesn’t get beat, Bernardini will certainly be hailed as a great one. That measuring stick should be reserved for only the very elite
Thoroughbreds in the history of the sport, and while perhaps a Ghostzapper or
Cigar fits the bill, one can argue that no
American-based runner since Spectacular Bid in 1979-80 meets the criteria. The
70s were a glory age for the sport with Secretariat, Seattle Slew and Affirmed all
establishing themselves as great performers. Now, we’re talking about Bernardini
in the same vein.
He could seal the argument in his next two starts.
The Jockey Club Gold Cup will be no pushover as INVASOR (Arg) (Candy Stripes)
will be waiting for Bernardini. Unbeaten in three U.S. starts, Invasor owns
prestigious wins in the Whitney H. (G1), Suburban H. (G1) and Pimlico Special H.
(G1), and the four-year-old is a top contender for champion older male honors
along with LAVA MAN (Slew City Slew). If Invasor defeats Bernardini in the
Jockey Club Gold Cup, he’ll be the front runner for Horse of the Year.
Lava Man rates a slight edge over Invasor presently. He remained unbeaten
this year with a dominant score in the Pacific Classic (G1) on August 20,
dusting his challengers with a strong move midway on the far turn that propelled
him into a clear lead in upper stretch. He cruised to the finish line under
Corey Nakatani, winning by 2 1/2 lengths, and became the first horse to capture the
Santa Anita H. (G1), Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) and Pacific Classic in the same
year.
Six for six in 2006, Lava Man has delivered a remarkable season so far,
beginning with a victory in the restricted Sunshine Millions Classic in late
January and including a major turf prize in the Charles Whittingham Memorial H.
(G1). The former claimer has earned Speed ratings as high as 110 in those
starts, with four wins at 1 1/4 miles, and the connections of the Doug
O’Neill-trained gelding have indicated that they will supplement him to the
Breeders’ Cup Classic. Lava Man will be seeking his first victory outside of
California if he makes the trip to Churchill Downs in early November.
GOOD REWARD (Storm Cat), a multiple Grade 1 winner on turf, finished a
non-threatening second in the Pacific Classic, and Lava Man hasn’t been facing
the most talented rivals on the West Coast. Santa Anita H. runner-up MAGNUM (Arg)
(El Compinche) is only a Grade 3 winner and finished seventh in the Pacific
Classic. ACE BLUE (Brz) (Coax Me Clyde) had finished off the board in three
straight starts before finishing a nose back of Lava Man in the Hollywood Gold
Cup. Good Reward was exiting a well-beaten fourth in the Prairie Meadows
Cornhusker Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) and was unplaced in his four previous dirt
starts. You’d have to wonder whether any of these horses could’ve hit the board
against Invasor in either the Whitney or Suburban.
However, Lava Man can only beat the horses that show up, and he’s done so
impressively this year. He’ll return to the grass for his next start in the
Clement Hirsch Turf Championship (G1) on September 30 at Santa Anita.
Unbeaten DISCREET CAT (Forestry), who was unraced since winning the U.A.E.
Derby (UAE-G1) in late March, made his first U.S. appearance of the year and
only his fourth lifetime start on Friday, crushing allowance/optional claiming rivals by an
11-length margin in a seven-furlong event at Saratoga. Despite the devastating
ease of his win, which netted him a 108 Speed rating, the Godolphin-owned colt will not be pointed toward any
Breeders’ Cup events this year. Next up is the October 1 Jerome Breeders’ Cup H.
(G2), a one-mile event for sophomores at Belmont Park, and the November 25 Cigar
Mile H. (G1) is also on his schedule.
Saratoga’s final weekend includes Saturday’s Woodward S. (G1), which will be
important test for FLOWER ALLEY (Distorted Humor). Runner-up in last year’s
Breeders’ Cup Classic, the Grade 1-winning colt opened 2006 with a facile win in
the Salvator Mile S. (G3) at Monmouth Park but faded to seventh last time in the
Whitney. Todd Pletcher is looking for a strong performance to catapult Flower
Alley into this year’s Classic.
Multiple Grade 2 hero SUN KING (Charismatic), who finished only a nose back
in the Whitney, will also line up for the Woodward. Last year’s Saratoga
Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) victor SUAVE (A.P. Indy), who exits a sharp five-length
romp in the Washington Park H. (G2), will ship in for trainer Paul McGee, and
Suburban third ANDROMEDA’S HERO (Fusaichi Pegasus), who exits an
allowance/optional claiming victory at the Spa, is a dark horse candidate for
Nick Zito.
The next two months will be very interesting.