CLASSIC DIARY
JUNE 25, 2009
by James Scully
The Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) picture is muddled due to a lack of quality in
the older horse division. EINSTEIN (Brz) (Spend a Buck), an authoritative winner
of the Santa Anita H. (G1) in his lone attempt on a synthetic track, rates as
the leading contender among older horses, and he wouldn’t even be considered for
the Classic on a dirt track; he would be pointed to one of the turf events.
But the Classic will be held over the Pro-Ride at Santa Anita for the second
consecutive year, and three-year-olds will have the opportunity to make a
serious impact. Synthetic stakes winners MINE THAT BIRD (Birdstone) and
PIONEEROF THE NILE (Empire Maker) merit respect, and Belmont (G1) winner SUMMER
BIRD (Birdstone) and Florida Derby (G1) hero QUALITY ROAD (Elusive Quality)
could prove formidable if they remain healthy and make a successful transition
to the artificial footing. The three-year-old filly RACHEL ALEXANDRA (Medaglia
d’Oro), who recorded an impressive allowance victory over the Polytrack at
Keeneland last year, is a longshot to show up at Santa Anita (co-owner Jess
Jackson doesn’t like synthetic tracks), but she could make her presence felt if
her connections change course.
It reminds me of 2007 when the older division was in shambles after Horse of
the Year Invasor (Arg) was retired early in the season due to an injury.
Eventual champion Lawyer Ron came on very strong, winning the Oaklawn H. (G2),
Whitney H. (G1) and Woodward S. (G1) prior to a head second in the Jockey Club
Gold Cup (G1), but he was the only legitimate older horse in the Classic field
as the three-year-olds Curlin, Street Sense, Hard Spun and Any Given Saturday
commanded most of the spotlight.
The big difference is the possibility of another European assault. The
Pro-Ride played right up their alley last year as turf horses Raven’s Pass and Henrythenavigator dominated
in a one-two finish, and Aidan O’Brien, who has saddled both Giant’s Causeway
and Henrythenavigator to runner-up finishes in the 1 1/4-mile Classic, will
likely point four-time Group 1 victor MASTERCRAFTSMAN (Danehill Dancer) toward
the November 7 event.
“He’s just one of those great horses,” O’Brien said following the
three-year-old colt’s 4 1/2-length romp in the prestigious one-mile St James’s
Palace S. (Eng-G1) on June 16. “He’s becoming very like a Giant’s Causeway, the
sort of horse that doesn’t mind a mile or a mile and a quarter.”
Mastercraftsman is a very exciting prospect.
Fillies were faster — Credit MACHO AGAIN (Macho Uno) with a solid win
in the June 13 Stephen Foster H. (G1), but he ran slower than the four-year-old
filly Miss Isella (Silver Charm) one race earlier in the Fleur de Lis H. (G2).
Einstein, who was looking to become the first horse to win Grade 1 races on
synthetic, turf and dirt in succession, was probably best in the nine-furlong
Foster, but he suffered a terrible trip. Julien Leparoux got stuck on the inside,
blocked behind horses from midway on the far turn until deep stretch, and the
seven-year-old horse surged toward the front, only to come up a little short in
third, once clear. He quickly galloped out past the top two finishers past the
wire, but dirt isn’t Einstein’s best surface anyway. He favors turf/synthetics.
Macho Again recorded his first Grade 1 victory, but his form is marked by
inconsistencies. He finished eighth in the Travers (G1) following a game score
in the Jim Dandy (G2) last summer. After posting a runner-up in the Super Derby
(G2), he recorded unplaced efforts in the Woodchopper S. and Sunshine Millions
Classic. He turned things around with a good-looking victory in the March 14 New
Orleans H. (G2), but then delivered the Alysheba clunker as the favorite. His
100 BRIS Speed rating in the Foster was a season-best, but it doesn’t compare
favorably with recent Foster winners Curlin (104), Flashy Bull (107), Saint Liam
(109), Colonial Colony (110) and Perfect Drift (109).
Filly favored in Gold Cup? — Who is the horse to beat in the upcoming
Hollywood Gold Cup (G1)? It’s Grade 1-winning filly Life Is Sweet (Storm Cat).
There’s no reason for owner Marty Wygod to bang heads with Zenyatta (Street Cry
[Ire]) in distaff races when his four-year-old is more than capable of knocking
off a woeful group of older horses on the West Coast, and I don’t understand
what the connections of Zenyatta are afraid of. They should be dreaming big, but
Zenyatta instead appears destined to go through the motions against overmatched
female competition.
The improving PARADING (Pulpit), winner of the Dixie S. (G2) and Ben Ali S.
(G3) in his last two outings, looks like the stiffest competition for Life Is
Sweet if he ships in for Shug McGaughey. TIAGO (Pleasant Tap) and COLONEL JOHN
(Tiznow), who are both based in Southern California, aren’t being pointed toward
the Gold Cup, and that leaves horses like INFORMED (Tiznow) and MAST TRACK
(Mizzen Mast) as top local contenders. A $25,000 claimer last summer, Informed
registered a dismal 92 BRIS Speed rating when notching his first career stakes
win in the June 13 Californian S. (G2). Mast Track, who is in training at Santa
Anita for owner/breeder/trainer Bobby Frankel, is winless in five starts since
last year’s Gold Cup upset, including two unplaced outings this year.
WELL ARMED (Tiznow), a record-setting 14-length winner of the 10-furlong
Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) on March 28, is based in Southern California but will
skip the Gold Cup in favor of the 1 1/16-mile San Diego H. (G2) early in the Del
Mar meet. After Well Armed won the 1 1/8-mile Goodwood last September, his
connections thought so little of his chances in the Breeders’ Cup Classic that
they decided to run him in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, where he struggled home
ninth. The six-year-old gelding opened his 2009 campaign with a fourth in the San Pasqual H. (G2) and a second
in the San Antonio H. (G2).
Bird strikes — IT’S A BIRD (Birdonthewire) has taken advantage of
similar conditions in the Midwest/East Coast where there isn’t much quality,
winning three stakes races so far this year, including the Oaklawn H. The
signature event for older horses in Hot Springs, Arkansas, couldn’t have come up
much softer, with RUNFORTHEDOE (Brz) (Our Emblem) dropping a couple of starts
versus conditioned allowance/optional claiming foes at Santa Anita prior to his
runner-up finish. Winless in the United States, Runforthedoe was last seen
finishing sixth in the Metropolitan H. (G1)
After winning the Oaklawn H. by six lengths, It’s a Bird eked out a narrow
victory over JONESBORO (Sefapiano)
and SONG OF NAVARONE (Sultry Song) in the May 25 Lone Star Park H. (G3). Song of
Navarone recorded a non-threatening fourth in the California most recently.
Jonesboro will contest Saturday’s Prairie Meadows Cornhusker H. (G2).
New York — There’s little excitement for the upcoming July 4 Suburban
H. (G2), which could attract It’s a Bird and Foster runner-up ASIATIC BOY (Arg)
(Not for Sale), and the August 8 Whitney H. (G1) shapes up as COMMENTATOR’s (Distorted Humor)
race to lose. An impressive 4 1/4-length victor last year at the Spa, the Nick
Zito-trained gelding appears set for a third Whitney title, tuning up with a
sharp seven-length score over New York-bred rivals on June 12, but Commentator can’t carry his two-turn form elsewhere.
Other Classic contenders — Hollywood Turf Cup (G1) victor
CHAMPS ELYSEES (GB) (Danehill), eighth in the 2008 Classic, recorded a
fast-finishing second to Einstein in the Big ‘Cap and will likely pointed toward
another another Classic bid this fall. GIO PONTI (Tale of the Cat), who exits a
pair of outstanding turf wins in the Manhattan H. (G1) and Frank E. Kilroe Mile
(G1), was successful over the Pro-Ride last December in the off-the-turf Sir
Beaufort S. (G3) and has the class to be a factor if he can transfer his grass
form. He faltered when fifth as the favorite in February’s Strub S. (G2), but
trainer Christophe Clement could elect to test the Classic waters in the coming
months by running him in a prep race over a synthetic track.
Tiago hasn’t been seen since finishing third in the February 8 San Antonio
and Colonel John is unraced this year, but they both appear to be in serious
training and could make some noise later this year.
Upcoming — The July 18 Swaps S. (G2) is up next for Pioneerof the
Nile, and I’m looking forward to his possible first start against elders in the
$1 million Pacific Classic (G1) on September 6. Runner-up in the Kentucky Derby
(G1) over a muddy track, the Bob Baffert-trained colt was no factor when trying
a fast track in the Preakness (G1), beating only two horses in 11th, but he’s a
different animal on synthetics, sweeping the CashCall Futurity (G1), Robert B.
Lewis S. (G2), San Felipe S. (G2) and Santa Anita Derby (G1) in succession
before shipping to Kentucky.
Trainer Bob Baffert won the 1999 Pacific Classic with three-year-old General
Challenge, but the Breeders’ Cup wasn’t on his home ground that year and the
gelding didn’t like to ship, checking in 10th at Gulfstream Park. Pioneerof the
Nile runs his best races on the Pro-Ride at Santa Anita, so I’m excited to see
what he can do the rest of the season.