Superfectablog v3.0 » Asiatic Boy

JCGC and Things French

admin — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:37:00 +0000

It’s Super Saturday at Belmont and there are two days of spectacular racing at Longchamp, so let’s get right to it. First up, the outstanding card at Belmont.

The Beldame is suffering somewhat from the absence of Icon Project (I don’t think anyone ever seriously thought Zenyatta was going to fly to New York for the race), but while that leaves Music Note the overwhelming favorite, Captain’s Lover and Unbridled Belle may still have something to say about it. Having seem Captain’s Lover do well in the slop on Haskell day, I think it might be her day tomorrow.

The Vosburgh has drawn a small field, but the three standout entries should find each other good competition. Munnings is stepping out against his elders for the first time, and he is very well-placed to come home with a win. He’s certainly got the speed for it, and his two-pound weight break won’t do Fabulous Strike or Kodiak Kowboy, both very capable sprinters, any favors. Incidentally, a previously-unknown portrait of Munnings‘ namesake, equine artist Sir Alfred Munnings, has recently been discovered.

The Flower Bowl is an ideal spot for Dynaforce to repeat her victory in this race, but she should be pressed by Carribean Sunset and Pure Clan. If the predicted rains do come, that could shake things up a bit, but as with the Vosburgh, the top three in this race are so classy that it should not cause them much trouble.

The Joe Hirsch Turf Classic is an opportunity for Gio Ponti to extend his winning streak. It will be his first effort at a mile and a half, but he’s won four G1 races in a row; if he were running primarily on dirt, he’d be getting a lot more well-deserved acclaim – which is perhaps the reason he is likely aiming for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. However, this is no walkover – Presious Passion and Grand Couturier and both very dangerous, and I like Musketier and Ready’s Echo as longshots.

And so to the big race – the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Summer Bird (pictured) is aiming to join Easy Goer as a Belmont-Travers-JCGC winner, and he has a great shot to do so – if he can get past Macho Again. It will be the first time these two members of the Second to Rachel Alexandra Club have met, but the weight break for 3-year-olds Summer Bird and Quality Road should give them both a bit of an edge. I’m still not convinced Quality Road wants to run this far, and the consistent but often-overlooked Dry Martini is a threat as well. Asiatic Boy will likely get a piece of the action as well, but I anticipate seeing Summer Bird and Macho Again battling it out at the wire.

And so to France – while Sea the Stars in the Arc is the big story, the entire weekend is packed with quality racing; we’ll hit a few highlights.

Saturday’s highlight has to be the Prix de la Foret, in which Goldikova is aiming for her seventh G1 win – and the best news is that if she continues her winning ways here and in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, she may remain in training next year. It’s hard to argue there’s a better miler in training anywhere – and the fact that US fans will, if all goes well, get another chance to see a mare who continues to stamp herself as one of the greats is even better. Here’s hoping for a win tomorrow – and another one at Santa Anita.

On Sunday’s card, Fleeting Spirit is the star in the Prix de l’Abbaye; she was a bit unlucky last time out, but has been facing and often beating the world’s best turf sprinters for the past two seasons. She faces a challenge from 2-year-old Monsieur Chevalier (yes, that’s right – a 2-year-old against older horses) who has six wins already this year – although this is a step up in class for him.

While it takes place after the Arc, we should not forget the Prix du Cadran – it will be the final race for the great Yeats. If he goes out on a win, it would be his eighth G1 win – although he’s already so loaded with laurels that simply a good effort would be enough of a reward for his many fans. Here’s hoping he’s equally popular at stud.

Finally, of course, there’s the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe itself – a chance for Sea the Stars to underline his much-discussed all-time-great status; indeed, a win on Sunday after a long season would be ample proof. But it’s going to be no easy task; Vision d’Etat has been aiming for this race all year, Conduit (already beaten by Sea the Stars previously) may relish the distance, and fillies Dar Re Mi and Stacelita have their own scores to settle in the Arc. Fame and Glory will try to turn the tables on Sea the Stars – but it’s more his race to lose than anyone else’s to win at this point. He’s essentially already had his coronation, so just getting to see another race while he’s still at the top of his game should be excitement enough.

For those who like to complain that racing was better in the past, this weekend’s lineup is an antidote – we’re seeing three great European horses in Goldikova, Yeats and Sea the Stars, while Summer Bird seems to have taken a few steps in that direction; a win on Saturday would certainly advance his cause if he can keep winning this year – and next year as well. The future is equally open wide for Gio Ponti; a little recognition of his achievements would not go amiss.

Rachelmania

admin — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:57:00 +0000

It’s a rare year in which the Woodward could determine Horse of the Year; we are lucky enough to be living through one of them now. While some have scoffed at the level of competition Rachel Alexandra (pictured yesterday in the paddock at Saratoga – courtesy of NYRA) will be facing in the race, others have continued to note how unusual a win would be – Jeremy Plonk cites Lady’s Secret and Shuvee, who each had a single victory against males in multiple starts. Bill Finley points out how impressive those horses dispatched by Rachel Alexandra have proven in their next Rachel-free outings – and it’s a strong list.

The Woodward field may not be quite as strong as the Pacific Classic field this year, but it’s still got plenty of firepower – recall that Past the Points really made Curlin work for his victory in this race last year. And Macho Again is no slouch – although you have to respect West Point’s Terry Finley’s attitude toward the horse’s participation in the race:

“How many times do you get a shot to really be part of history?” said West Point president Terry Finley, who estimates the 17 partners in Macho Again will bring about 500 friends and family members to the race. “I would hope that in 50 years people would talk about the 2009 Woodward.”

and

“He hasn’t really garnered a ton of attention to this point,” Finley said. “So what do you do to market a stallion? One way is to be in a race that the whole world is going to be looking at.”

I like the fact that ‘Second to Rachel Alexandra in the Woodward’ could appear in the Stallion Register at some point down the line – and that it would be a selling point. Summer Bird can use his second in the Haskell and Musket Man should feel no shame in listing his third-place finish in the Preakness.

Bullsbay has also come into his own of late – the Whitney winner has been improving against the tougher company he’s been facing recently. Asiatic Boy may not have been able to maintain his Dubai form Stateside, but he’s talented – he just seems to prefer to express that talent in second-place finishes. I’m presuming that Da’ Tara is in here as a rabbit for Cool Coal Man – I wouldn’t be surprised to see Cool Coal Man hit the board, but I think that honor will more likely go to Macho Again and Bullsbay. It’s a Bird has had ups and downs lately, but he seems more like a solid G2 contender.

Even the DRF has Rachelmania; they ran a nice article on her exercise rider, Dominic Terry. And Gary West proclaims that seeing her is ‘as close to greatness as we will see’ (a notion which my fellow Haskell attendees would agree with).

But perhaps nothing is more telling than Andrew Beyer’s take on the race – it seems rare enough for Beyer to praise a modern horse, so his words about Rachel Alexandra should not be taken lightly:

Rachel Alexandra can lock up the horse of the year title with a victory, but she can also earn an even rarer distinction. While other members of her sex have won the sport’s top honor without beating the best males, this will be the first time in the postwar era that a filly, running on dirt, will be regarded as America’s best racehorse, regardless of gender.

It almost seems unfair that she gets a weight break (for both age and sex). That’s not to say she’s unbeatable – any horse can have an off day – but here’s hoping for another decisive victory on Saturday.

The Woodward Field – Where to Watch?

admin — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:04:00 +0000

The Woodward field is set, and it’s larger than I had thought it would be:

1) Da’ Tara
1A) Cool Coal Man
2) Bullsbay
3) Rachel Alexandra
4) Macho Again
5) It’s a Bird
6) Asiatic Boy
7) Past the Point

It’s interesting to see Asiatic Boy in, since trainer Kiaran McLaughlin had previously indicated he’d be skipping the race if she entered – and what an odd spot for Da’ Tara to pop up in! Rachel Alexandra (pictured, courtesy of NYRA) was installed as the 1/2 morning line favorite (rather unsurprisingly). As it seems I won’t have a chance to get to Saratoga to see her again this time around, I began casting around for interesting places to watch the race – at home? At a local track? Neither really fit in with the family’s weekend activities.

Planning out where to watch the Woodward got me thinking – are there any horse racing bars in the US? We soccer fans complain often enough about the lack of footy-friendly bars, but it’s really not that difficult to find one (although finding one that has good beer and/or isn’t a fake Irish pub is a taller order – but it can be done), regardless of how obscure the friendly you’re hoping to catch might be. Sure, you can go to the Turf Club or OTB, but they tend to be pretty unpleasant (even those with ‘food’) – and good luck bringing a child with you to most. (This spurs a side note to the management of such establishments – if your businesses are so disgusting even fans of the sport don’t want to venture in, you may want to re-evaluate what you are doing.)

There are a few OTB-affiliated bars in New York that are better (e.g. The Playwright, which still doesn’t offer much in the food or family-friendly department), but I can’t think of any equivalent in Philly. I’m told the Whip Tavern shows a few races from time to time, but something in the city itself would be handy. It’s difficult enough that the race will only be on TVG/HRTV, but the lack of any public place to watch makes it even harder to market the sport as a whole – watching a simulcast at Philly Park or at the Turf Club isn’t exactly an appealing option. It seems local sports bars will be busy with ‘college football’ (which mystifies me – I can’t understand the appeal of watching professionals play the sport, much less largely dumber-than-legacy kids who should be studying for their Rocks for Jocks exam) – and I doubt they receive TVG anyway.

It’s true I’ll be TiVoing the race no matter what, but lack of opportunity for a more communal experience on big racing days is a major drawback; it’s hard to convince someone who isn’t already a fan that this is fun when there’s no decent off-track venue to catch a dinnertime sporting event.

But I’m happy to be proven wrong – if you know of a bar that shows racing, post a comment!

Einstein, Zenyatta et al.

admin — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:56:00 +0000

If you go by Google News, you may think the only races taking place this weekend are the Arlington Million and the Clement Hirsch – but there’s a lot more going on beyond those two (and I think you’d be hard-pressed to support the notion that anyone beyond the usual suspects would be watching the Clement Hirsch if it did not involve Zenyatta).

Back in the day, people beyond hardcore racing fans used to care quite a bit about the Whitney as well and it’s got an interesting field this year that should make it worthy of wider general appreciation. Commentator is back to try to win the race for the third time; whether the 8-year-old gelding has another one in the tank is the question. He’s always flown slightly under the radar, which is a shame – he’s been nothing if not consistent at the highest level, beating Saint Liam in the 2005 Whitney and earning last year’s highest overall Beyer in his repeat victory. He seems equally comfortable going longer or shorter distances, he can run in the mud or on a fast track and he beats up on his fellow New York-breds like Rachel Alexandra does her agemates. He’s got some competition, though, on Saturday – Macho Again and Dry Martini are both coming in off recent wins, and Smooth Air and Asiatic Boy are looking to overcome their perennial runner-up status. Of course, Commentator has been in this position before – he may simply turn on the afterburners and leave the rest behind.

Heading to Arlington Park (but before we get to the Big Race), we have the Secretariat Stakes and the Beverly D on the card. The Secretariat features Giant Oak and Take the Points as the larger American names, but there are a few European 3-year-olds who have made the trip as well. Chief among them is Black Bear Island, who was unlucky last time out, but he’s been running with rather stellar competition and one assumes that Coolmore would not have summoned Johnny Murtagh for the ride if they weren’t quite confident about his chances – even though the plan is for him to stay in North America going forward.

In the Beverly D, we see jockey Julien Leparoux reunited with favorite Pure Clan; the DRF notes that although she was swept up in the Great IEAH Horse-buying Spree of 2008, her breeder bought back the fraction he’d sold them later in the year – an interesting side note. She’ll have to contend with Black Mamba and the improving Tizaqueena, plus a few more foreign invaders. The biggest Irish name is Mad About You, trained by Dermot Weld; the Independent ran an interesting feature on her groom, Jeff Byrne. It should be a good one.

And so to the Arlington Million – regular readers will know we’re pulling for Einstein (pictured), especially after his troubled trip in this race last year. There’s a feature article (again in the Independent) on trainer Helen Pitts-Blasi and what Einstein means to her barn (although it would have been nice if they’d run a picture of her actually aboard the horse in question, rather than a stablemate). His task is made harder by the inside post, with speedball Presious Passion to his outside. Gio Ponti will also be a very tough opponent and the international horses are no slouches – globetrotters Cima de Triomphe and Gloria de Campeao have both done exceptionally well throughout their careers. A good effort here from Einstein will likely send him to the Pacific Classic – which will be lacking the presence of Well Armed, who is back in the shop (as it were) with an ankle chip – but naturally we’re hoping for a win.

There’s another big, dark bay horse running this weekend, but she won’t be facing anything near the caliber of competition mentioned above. It’s always a pleasure to see the wonderful Zenyatta take the track, but it’s becoming increasingly frustrating for fans to never see her challenged. The Clement Hirsch has a field of nice fillies and mares looking to take her on, but it’s hard to give them any more enthusiastic accolades. As per usual, Zenyatta should sweep by them with little effort. While it certainly makes sense as an owner or trainer to place your horse where they have the greatest chance of success, one hopes this may act as a stepping stone to the Pacific Classic or something more ambitious; she’s got the talent, let’s see it on display. For all we know, she’s getting bored with her current competition, too. While naturally I’d love to see her face off against Rachel Alexandra at some point, I’d be happy with a simple move toward tougher competition – Einstein and Zenyatta together in the Pacific Classic would make a fantastic photo opportunity.

We’ll be going on hiatus next week while your faithful author heads to Austin, TX for some conferences – all food, beer and music suggestions for the area are most welcome! Expect normal business to resume on Monday, August 17th (although there will be the odd check-in via Twitter in the meantime).

Weekend Roundup & Royal Ascot, Day 1

admin — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:13:00 +0000

Today is the first day of Royal Ascot; before we get to the racing across the pond, we’ll have a quick update of the past weekend’s goings-on stateside. The was naturally disappointment in Camp Superfecta over Einstein’s tough trip in the Stephen Foster (and let’s give credit to Macho Again for putting in a fine performance), but the fact that Einstein still managed to get up for third after finally getting some racing room was heartening. Asiatic Boy definitely showed he’s looking to make an impact on American racing as well with a nice second-place finish.

Off the track, Quality Road continues to work toward a return to the races, but it will be under a different trainer – he’s been taken from Jimmy Jerkins and sent to Todd Pletcher (along with five of his stablemates, although not all went into a Pletcher barn). Make of that what you will. Friesan Fire is also recovering well from injury, although his return to training seems further in the future.

And so, to Ascot – first, the Queen Anne Stakes will likely produce a few Breeders’ Cup Mile entrants; it featured Gladiatorus, whose effort in the Dubai Duty Free earned him the world’s top racehorse ranking, as well as Paco Boy, who ended up winning despite doubts about his ability to handle the distance. It’s difficult to know what to make of Gladiatorus after such a lackluster performance – perhaps he just doesn’t like Royal Ascot. In case you are keeping track, the next set of rankings comes out on June 24th – in the last edition, Paco Boy was just under Mine That Bird (and two ahead of Rachel Alexandra). Clearly some serious number crunching is going to be taking place this week.

The King’s Stand Stakes again proved that the Aussies produce great sprinters; favored Scenic Blast (pictured) easily defeated tough Irish filly Fleeting Spirit and the rest of the field. (You may recall Fleeting Spirit finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint last year). This marks the fourth time a horse from Down Under has captured this race. Clearly, the 4-year-old gelding is ready to take on the mantle – if Takeover Target wants to give it up. (He’ll be running on Saturday in the Golden Jubilee Stakes – and it’s possible Scenic Blast will as well – but so far only Takeover Target is having a film made about his life).

The St. James’s Palace Stakes was won last year by Henrythenavigator; this year, Mastercraftsman rewarded his many backers when the heavy favorite took the race. There would seem to be something of an iron-bound convention that an Aidan O’Brien trainee must win this race – Mastercraftsman is the sixth. Whether he will want to contest the Breeders’ Cup Classic remains to be seen, however; one mile seems to be his ideal distance. His victory today was exciting, but very close – I would imagine he’d be sticking with the Breeders’ Cup Mile come the fall if he makes the journey.

The Coventry Stakes was won by Canford Cliffs; it’s a bit early to say where the 2-year-olds will all fit but it’s no bad thing to remain unbeaten – even if it’s only in two starts. Some are already labeling him a freak, though, so he bears watching.

American-bred Judgethemoment won the 2-mile Ascot Stakes – who says we don’t breed distance horses any more? That said, Judgethemoment is by Judge T C – the same Judge T C who went from a modest stud fee in New York to an even more modest $2500 in Pennsylvania (via a brief high spot in Kentucky) – he’s now in Saudi Arabia. Someone got a deal. But there’s some speed in his bloodline somewhere as well – his half-brother Olympic Express (also known as Ecclesiastical) won the Hong Kong Mile, the Hong Kong Derby and the Hong Kong Classic Mile. And just because this is the internet, I managed to scare up some pictures of Judgethemoment as a foal. And if you wanted to see his 2-year-old half sister by Street Cry, be my guest. Judgethemoment’s trainer, Jane Chappel-Hyam, is doing awfully well, considering this is only her fourth year training on her own.

And finally for today, the Windsor Castle Stakes; while not quite as prestigious as the other races on the card, we can be proud that an actual American-based horse won – Strike The Tiger is a 2-year-old gelding trained by Wesley Ward. Given that there hasn’t even been an American-trained runner at Royal Ascot since 2005, it’s quite a coup – even if it’s just in a listed stakes and not one of the Group 1 events scattered throughout the meet. John Velazquez was the winning jockey, so it’s an American triumph all around. The second-place finisher, Fratellino, had quite an experience jump on the winner – today’s race was already his eighth lifetime start. Ward has a number of other runners giving Royal Ascot a go (Cannonball already finished behind Scenic Blast earlier today) – it’s a very good beginning.

Tomorrow’s highlights should include the Jersey Stakes with Gallagher and Donativum, the Windsor Forest Stakes with Lush Lashes, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes with Tartan Bearer and Vision d’Etat and the Queen Mary Stakes featuring Capercaillie – or perhaps you’ll want to back another Wesley Ward trainee in Jealous Again.

Check back Wednesday for more!

Team Einstein Revisited

admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:16:00 +0000

As we discussed earlier in the week, it’s almost Einstein time. Saturday’s Stephen Foster presents the perfect excuse for my favorite Brazilian-bred to finally get a little corner of the media spotlight, and some publications have duly obliged. There are two great articles about trainer Helen Pitts-Blasi and her ‘best friend in the barn’ and both stories include a few Einstein factoids I had not been previously aware of. To wit:

Einstein will not actually turn 7 until October (although of course by North American reckoning, he’s been 7 since January 1).

He gets cooked oats for lunch and dinner.

Last year’s 9-start season was his fullest so far (after previous years had been interrupted by injury – most notably after his accident in the Dixie, detailed here previously). To put that in perspective, that’s as many starts as Smarty Jones had in his entire career.

Should he win on Saturday, he will be the first horse to win a G1 on dirt, turf and synthetics in the same year – Lava Man accomplished the feat over three seasons.

And perhaps the biggest surprise:

He is still not Breeders’ Cup nominated.

One hopes that the court-appointed receiver overseeing his finances sees fit to allow him to head to California this fall (and that he isn’t stuck in another legal morass of the sort that prevented him from running on Belmont day last year) – he and his trainer deserve to be there on racing’s biggest day.

But Arson Squad and Asiatic Boy have both come from Dubai (one returning, one debuting) to make Einstein earn it this weekend – while neither one made much of an impact in the Dubai World Cup (finishing a very, very well beaten in 11th and 12th, respectively), Arson Squad did look more like his old self pre-Dubai in the Donn Handicap – where he finished a few lengths behind Einstein. He’ll get a break in weight this time, though – it’s certainly a factor in his favor – but the Dubai trip remains an issue for him.

It’s impossible to predict how Asiatic Boy will take to Churchill Downs (although it’s hard to see him regaining his previous top form Saturday after the World Cup as his last outing) and it’s always possible that Macho Again and Researcher (with the still-quite-hot Calvin Borel aboard) will make a move in the race; I also find Bullsbay very interesting and could well see him hitting the board.

But we’re confirmed Einstein fans around these parts – here’s hoping he completes his own G1 treble on Saturday.

End of Part One

admin — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:23:00 +0000

While the dust settles from the Triple Crown and many of the 3-year-olds take a little break (literally, in the case of Dunkirk, who is having surgery for a left hind fracture – although with luck he should be back in the fall – although it still adds fuel to the Unbridled’s Song = ‘soft bones’ thesis), the focus shifts back to the older horses.

This coming weekend’s big feature is the Stephen Foster, in which Einstein (pictured) has been assigned the high weight of 124 pounds. You may recall that Einstein finished second to ex-stablemate Curlin in this race last year, so I am very much hoping he finally wins it. There should be some serious competition from horses such as Arson Squad and I’m curious to see where Macho Again stands in relation to his elders (even if it occasionally seems he’s the only horse still in training from last year’s Triple Crown series). But perhaps the most interesting (non-Einstein) entrant will be Asiatic Boy in his US debut. He’s been sent from Dubai after a miserable finish in the Dubai World Cup but previous success in the desert under the care of Mike de Kock – will the Dubai bounce affect a horse who has never raced in the US before?

We will have more later in the week on Einstein and the other Stephen Foster participants, as well as a little bit of catching up with the 3-year-olds across the pond, so do check back.

Finally, Dana has clips of some amazing Super 8 footage of Secretariat, Seattle Slew and Affirmed in their respective Belmont post parades – check it out!

Dubai World Cup Day: Initial Thoughts

admin — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:05:00 +0000

The post positions are set for Dubai World Cup day. Here’s our quick race-by-race rundown (including links to the handy interactive racecards from Emirates Racing).

Godolphin Mile
Gayego seems to be thriving since his purchase by Godolphin and his subsequent move to the UAE; he won over the same track earlier this month. Godolphin also has Two Step Salsa in this race. Art of War finished third behind Asiatic Boy earlier this month, but the shorter distance may suit him here. California-based Informed is looking to build his profile as well. While it’s an interesting field all around, I like Gayego’s chances.

UAE Derby
This is, on paper, Desert Party’s coming out party; a win here sends him to Kentucky. Looking to spoil the his day are Regal Ransom and Redding Colliery, both horses who finished behind him last time out. I should know more about the rest of the field, but alas, I do not. I wouldn’t be entirely surprised to see Desert Party beaten, though.

Golden Shaheen
Indian Blessing was a bit unlucky to draw the outside post here; I don’t think that bodes well for her chances, but I also think Diabolical is not quite the threat he might have been in the past. Hammadi is coming off a win here and he may be one to watch. I do hope Indian Blessing gets to pick up a check.

Dubai Duty Free
This may be the most competitive race on the card – there are so many horses I like in this race, including Archipenko, Tuesday Joy, Niconero, Paco Boy, Lady Marian and Jay Peg hoping to defend his title. Kip Deville seems outgunned here. I’m thinking Archipenko might pull it off, but Lady Marian has Frankie Dettori aboard…

Sheema Classic
Another very interesting international field; Youmzain may be past his best, and I’m curious to see where Red Rocks fits in this picture, but I confess I’m chiefly watching Front House (a winner here recently), Doctor Dino and King of Rome. Quijano could give Germany a Dubai win.

Dubai World Cup
Asiatic Boy is looking to win after finishing second last year, and trainer Mike de Kock has again enlisted the services of Johnny Murtagh. Happy Boy is another strong contender, although the outside post position could be detrimental to My Indy. Albertus Maximus is the toughest US-based entrant and is doing everything right, but I’m not sure I love his or Well Armed’s chances on Saturday (and the same goes for Japan’s Casino Drive). Asiatic Boy just may pull it off this time.

Dubai World Cup Day Wrap-Up

admin — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:39:00 +0000

Curlin was hardly only horse running in Dubai (although it certainly seemed like it by the time he took to the track); now you, lucky reader, can play the exciting new game called ‘Did Superfecta Mention the Winner?’

Godolphin Mile
Rick Dutrow’s Very Good Day began early; Diamond Stripes was certainly a worthy victor, but Elusive Warning had a terrible trip. I don’t think he would have beaten Diamond Stripes, but it was likely not what his connections were hoping for. Still a nice paycheck, though.
Winner mentioned? Yes.

UAE Derby
I was right that Honour Devil and Royal Vintage would be sequential; what is perhaps most interesting is that while many of Mike de Kock’s horses are off to Hong Kong and then the UK, Honour Devil will be heading to the US and aimed at the Breeders’ Cup — some sources say for the Classic, others for the Dirt Mile. Royal Vintage is to come along as well so that they can continue their back-and-forth victories. Cocoa Beach proved capable against the boys as well, a very creditable third.
Winner mentioned? Yes, should have bet a tri box.

Dubai Golden Shaheen
Dutrow and Edgar Prado strike again; assistant trainer Michelle Nevin must have been thrilled to be in Dubai with Benny the Bull (even if it meant missing out on the big event back in Florida). Idiot Proof ran a good race as well, but it seemed that Diabolical just didn’t show up. Cobalt Blue might shine in G2 company in the states, but was apparently very much outclassed.
Winner mentioned? Yes, albeit along with no-threat Calrissian.

Dubai Duty Free
Poor Jay Peg is saddled with one of the worst names I’ve ever heard for a horse, but despite his jockey nearly losing his saddle and a tough challenge from Darjina (who was apparently ‘at 85%‘ for this race), he goes down in history as a winner on Dubai World Cup day. Archipenko seemed boxed in and was probably the best horse in the race, but couldn’t quite prove it; I’ll be looking out for his next start. Vodka and Finsceal Beo didn’t quite have it on the day, and the distance might have been a little much for Seachange. I was still very pleased to see all of them in one race. American challenger Notional had nothing.
Winner mentioned? Ha! No, just had Darjina.

Dubai Sheema Classic
This was my second-favorite race on the card, obviously finishing a bit behind the feature race. The Australian-bred, South African-based mare Sun Classique schooled a talented field. She has an interesting pedigree; Sunday Silence nearby on the top half and her only significant inbreeding (still a ways back) is to blue hen mare Milan Mill. She will also have a busy schedule ahead of her — off to Sha Tin for the Queen Eizabeth II Cup, then off to the UK for Royal Ascot or Goodwood if she has time. Highly-regarded Viva Pataca simply couldn’t catch her; ditto for Doctor Dino. As predicted, Better Talk Now didn’t have a great day, but I was hoping for more from Youmzain. I’m always in the market for a top turf mare to support; I think I’ve found one.
Winner mentioned? Not remotely, but hey, I got Better Talk Now having an off day.

Dubai World Cup
Finally, the big one. I’ve already commented on Curlin’s outstanding performance, but what about his rivals? It would seem that ‘inexperience’ was at the heart of Jalil’s uninspiring effort:

Frankie Dettori, who rode Jalil, remarked: “The horse is too young – this race has come a year too early for him. We will have to wait for next year.”

So, mark your calendars – Jalil (like Curlin, born in 2004), should be all ready next year – or maybe he’ll hold out to compete at Meydan in 2010. That said, he does seem to be improving, but this level of competition was clearly too much for him. Asiatic Boy was second as predicted, and I was pleased to see Well Armed in the mix, but it was clear they were running for (a distant) second. A.P. Arrow surprised me by staying in for fifth, as did Great Hunter just behind him – given his recent form, I would not have placed him ahead of horses like Premium Tap, Kocab or Vermilion — but none of them ran much of a race. The fact that Curlin hardly seemed to be working should be a worry to the rest of the racing world.
Winner mentioned? Um, yeah, got this one.

All told, it was a great day of racing — top-class horses from all around the world got to shine in a way that one wishes they did at the Breeders’ Cup, which seems every year to be further eclipsed by the event in Dubai. If anyone wanted to spring for airline tickets and a hotel, I’d be happy to confirm that suspicion next year!

Dubai World Cup Day

admin — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:16:00 +0000

As per usual on the Dubai World Cup undercard, most of the American entries who are not Curlin (pictured) seem outclassed (excepting, of course, the sprinters in the Golden Shaheen). I’d planned to do a real run-down of each race, but circumstances intervened; instead, here are a few horses I’ll be keeping my eye on throughout the day.

Godolphin Mile
Elusive Warning – Seems to be improving, but has a very wide post position
Diamond Stripes – The best American horse in the race
Watch What Happens - Interesting Hong Kong star should make it fun

UAE Derby
Cocoa Beach – One of the toughest mares around (and was champion 3 year old filly in Chile last year) – she’s got a great shot
Numaany – Lest we forget this
Royal Vintage/Honour Devil - Hard to choose between these two Michael de Kock entries
My Indy – If Frankie Detorri chose this horse over Cocoa Beach, he might know something — but he’s a very lightly-raced colt

Dubai Golden Shaheen
Cobalt Blue – Whenever I overlook him, he wins.
Diabolical – He seems to like his new surroundings at Nad al Sheba
Benny the Bull – Always does well, has Edgar Prado aboard
Calrissian – OK, this one really is just for his name. I couldn’t resist. Smooth!
Idiot Proof – Another top-class US sprinter

Dubai Duty Free
Seachange – I am a big fan of this New Zealand-bred mare
Finsceal Beo – She seems to beat all comers, male or female, everywhere she goes. I am very much looking forward to seeing her
Darjina – Hey, she’s beaten Finsceal Beo
Vodka – Tough Japanese mare deserves respect

Dubai Sheema Classic
Youmzain – He’s always finished just behind the best of his generation (e.g. Dylan Thomas); in their absence, he should run a big race
Spring House - One of the most under-rated US horses running today could spring an upset
Oracle West – Another Mike de Kock entrant worth watching
Better Talk Now – Must as I admire him, I’m don’t think it’s going to be his day
Doctor Dino – Interesting winner of the Hong Kong Vase
Gower Song - She seems to love Dubai; quality mare

Dubai World Cup
Curlin – He can only beat himself
Jalil – While I don’t think he’s in the same class, given an off day for Curlin, he could be right there
Asiatic Boy – Bad race last time out, but was it a throwout?
Kocab – André Fabre wouldn’t be here if he didn’t think he had a shot of hitting the board
Happy Boy – Always-impressive Brazillian star could get up for second
Vermillion – The Japanese star has been working well in Japan and could wind up in the money All in all, it should be a good day – and I’m thrilled I finally have TVG and HRTV so that I can actually enjoy it.