Corinthian dominates Dirt Mile

Last updated: 10/26/07 9:41 PM

Corinthian was all alone for the final furlong of the BC Dirt Mile
(Charles Pravata/Horsephotos.com)

For a time earlier this year, Centennial Farms’ CORINTHIAN (Pulpit) was
considered as a candidate for the 1 1/4-mile Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on
Saturday. After two subpar efforts in the Suburban H. (G1) going 10 furlongs and
the 1 1/8-mile Woodward S. (G1), trainer James Jerkens decided to point the
four-year-old for Friday’s $916,000

Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Monmouth Park, a move that paid handsome
dividends as the mud-spattered chestnut accelerated down the stretch to post an
easy 6 1/2-length score in the inaugural running of the event.

Jockey Kent Desormeaux expertly guided Corinthian through the sloppy, sealed,
mile and 70 yards, run at that distance due to Monmouth’s track configuration,
taking him back after breaking from the 7 post and tucking him away on the rail.
Content to stay in that spot as Gottcha Gold (Coronado’s Quest) set splits of :22
2/5, :45 4/5 and 1:10 1/5 while tracked by Wanderin Boy (Seeking the Gold),
Corinthian stayed on the inside rounding the turn before swinging out and
splitting rivals to take command. Eventually stopping the clock in 1:39, just
two ticks off the track record for the distance, the 7-2 second choice paid
$9.40, $4.40 and $3.

“Fifty yards out of the gate, I was nine abreast,” Desormeaux explained. “I said, ‘This is ridiculous’ and I just pulled him up and ended up inside
of the whole field down on the fence. It turned out to be the perfect position
to keep his face clean. This colt is a fireball. He just dragged me down the
stretch.”

Gottcha Gold was no match for the winner, but then no other rival was a match
for the runner-up, as he finished 8 1/4 lengths in front of 3-2 favorite
Discreet Cat (Forestry). Sent off the 7-1 fourth pick, Gottcha Gold returned
$6.20 and $3.40 while ending the $60.20 exacta.

“He ran a fantastic race,” said C.C. Lopez, rider of Gottcha Gold. “I
couldn’t be more proud of him. I had a really good trip, and (Corinthian) was
just better.”

Discreet Cat just got third, sticking his head in front of Wanderin Boy on
the line to pay $2.60 and finish the $107.70 trifecta ($1). Wanderin Boy
completed the $496.40 superfecta ($1) (8-6-1-3), and next under the line came
Lewis Michael (Rahy), Xchanger (Exchange Rate), Park Avenue Ball (Citidancer)
and High Finance (Talk Is Money). Forefathers (Gone West) was withdrawn in favor
of Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).

Corinthian broke his maiden at Aqueduct in November 2005, then finished first
in two straight starts at Gulfstream last year, including the Fountain of Youth
S. (G2) in which he hit the wire one length clear but was disqualified to third
for interference. He opened his 2007 campaign with two more victories in South
Florida, including a score in the Gulfstream Park H. (G2), but faltered as
the odds-on choice in the Excelsior Breeders’ Cup H. (G3) after leaping in the
air at the break. He returned to a mile for the first time since breaking his
maiden when taking the Metropolitan H. (G1) in late May, but failed to build on
that one when stretched out in his last two New York starts. Having now claimed
two prestigious mile races, Corinthian has
accumulated $1,267,273 in earnings and boasts a 12-6-1-2 mark.

The winner was bred in the Bluegrass State by Gracefield Equine and Hargus
Sexton, and attracted a bid of $385,000 at the 2004 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga
Selected Yearling Sale. He was produced from the unraced Multiply (Easy Goer)
and was preceded in stakes glory by 1999 San Rafael S. (G2) hero Desert Hero
(Sea Hero). Corinthian has a promising three-year-old half-brother named
Vitruvius (E Dubai), a two-year-old full sister named Be Fruitful, who captured
her career debut last Friday at Belmont by seven lengths, and an unnamed
yearling half-sister by Silver Deputy.

Plans call for Corinthian to enter stud at Gainesway Farm in 2008.

“I’m thinking to myself, maybe we can renegotiate and run him again next
year,” quipped Don Little of Centennial Farms.

When asked if Corinthian’s stud fee would be raised in light of his Dirt Mile
score, Little said, “I’d say it went up a few dollars.”