Breeders Cup 2005

[Seabiscuit]

I have not paid close attention to the Breeders Cup so far this year but will have a look at them next week. The favourites in the Classic Saint Liam and Borrego look the ones to beat at first glance but I need to see if I can split these two or if any others are contenders. Saint Liam appeals as the best off the top of my head.

I see Rock Hard Ten is up there in some markets but on past form he is not quite good enough. Don't know if he has improved rapidly of late but I doubt it.

Starcraft is interesting but you have no idea if he can handle the dirt or not.

[imaufo]

Unbeatens highlight Breeders' Cup pre-entries

By Richard Rosenblatt, The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Jerry Bailey has won the Breeders' Cup Classic four times: Saint Liam could be No. 5 for the Hall of Fame jockey. "It won't be easy," Bailey said Wednesday, "but I think on his game Saint Liam is better than the rest."

Saint Liam was an easy winner of the Woodward Stakes with Bailey aboard for the first time. So it's no surprise the 5-year-old horse was the early 3-1 favorite when an overflow field of 16 was pre-entered for the $4 million Classic.

A total of 117 thoroughbreds were pre-entered for the eight Breeders' Cup races at Belmont Park on Oct. 29, the most since 2000. Final fields will be completed at next Wednesday's postposition draw.

Saint Liam's top rivals are Rock Hard Ten, winner of the Goodwood Handicap, and Borrego, winner of back-to-back $1 million races, the Pacific Classic and the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

"I know Rock Hard Ten was very impressive in California, and Borrego was always a runner-up who put two very impressive races together," said Bailey. Saint Liam, he added, "has been as impressive as anybody."

Also pre-entered for the Classic are Travers Stakes winner Flower Alley, A Bit O'Gold, Choctaw Nation, Jack Sullivan, Oratorio, Perfect Drift, Sir Shackleton, Starcraft, Suave, Sun King and Super Frolic. Pre-entered, but not selected into the field, are Lord of the Game and A.P. Arrow.

The Classic usually holds center stage on racing's biggest day. But with racing's brightest stars missing, unbeaten sprinter Lost in the Fog and undefeated 2-year-old First Samurai, plus Ashado and three other defending Breeders' Cup champions could share top billing.

Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo and Preakness and Belmont Stakes winner Afleet Alex are sidelined with injuries, and 2004 Classic winner and Horse of the Year Ghostzapper has been retired.

"It's the nature of the game to have horses on occasion get injured," said Todd Pletcher, who will saddle Ashado and seven others in the Breeders' Cup, the most of any trainer. "When it's the stars of the game, like Afleet Alex and Smarty Jones, it gets a lot of attention."

Fields are limited to 14 starters, and each race drew at least that many, with the Juvenile, Mile and Turf joining the Classic as oversubscribed. In the previous 21 Breeders' Cups, there have never been full fields for all the races.

"These will be very, very hard races to win," Pletcher said. "Every field, at this stage, is full, and all the good horses that are in training are in."

There promises to be a few classic matchups before the real Classic, especially in the $1 million Sprint and $1.5 million Juvenile.

The sensational Lost in the Fog — at even-money — puts his 10-for-10 record on the line in the Sprint against the likes of Roman Ruler, Lion Tamer and Taste of Paradise. In the Juvenile, which usually determines the early favorite for next year's Derby, Champagne Stakes winner First Samurai (4-for-4), the 8-5 top choice, takes on tough 2-year-old rivals Henny Hughes, Stevie Wonderboy and Private Vow.

Lost in the Fog, who has won eight races at seven tracks this year, might have a chance to capture three Eclipse Awards — as champion sprinter, champion 3-year-old and Horse of the Year.

"I think there's all kinds of possibilities," said Lost in the Fog trainer Greg Gilchrist. "It depends on the way some of the races turn out."

Ashado, winner of the Beldame in her last start, goes for a second straight victory in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff, the final race of her career. The 4-year-old filly, the 5-2 favorite, takes on the likes of Ruffian Handicap winner Stellar Jayne and Alabama Stakes winner Sweet Symphony, owned by Yankees boss George Steinbrenner.

Others looking for repeats of their 2004 Breeders' Cup wins at Lone Star Park in Texas are Singletary (8-1) in the $1.5 million Mile, Ouija Board (5-2) in the $1 million Filly & Mare Turf and Better Talk Now (8-1) in the $2 million Turf.

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas goes after his fifth victory in the $1 million Juvenile Fillies with Matron Stakes winner Folklore. Frizette Stakes winner Adieu is the 3-1 favorite.

The 117 pre-entries, including 22 foreign horses, are the most since 2000, when 135 were pre-entered at Churchill Downs. Total purse money for the eight Grade 1 races is $14 million.

"We're delighted to be back at Belmont," said Breeders' Cup president D.G. Van Clief Jr. "It is one of our best venues. It is perhaps our most horse-friendly, and certainly it is our most international-friendly with the sweeping turns you see out there. We expected a large European contingent and we got it."

Waiting for Singletary in the Mile will be early 5-2 favorite Leroidesanimaux, winner of eight in a row for trainer Bobby Frankel.

Ouija Board, plagued by injuries this year, comes over from Europe off a victory last month to take on the likes of Frankel's Megahertz, winner in four of five starts this year.

Better Talk Now, longshot winner of the '04 Turf, might be a big price again when he goes against unbeaten Shakespeare (5-for-5) and five European horses, including 4-1 favorite Azamour.

NOTES:

The order of the races has been changed this year.

The Juvenile Fillies opens the Breeders' Cup program (the Distaff used to), followed by the Juvenile, Filly & Mare Turf, Sprint, Mile, Distaff, Turf and the Classic. ... The races will be televised by NBC Sports (1 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET). ... The Breeders' Cup was last held at Belmont in 2001, six weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks. ... Ashado and Adieu are two of eight horses pre-entered by Pletcher, the most by any trainer. His others are Flower Alley (Classic), Capeside Lady (Distaff), Lion Tamer (Sprint), English Channel (Turf), Limehouse (Mile) and Host (Mile).


http://www.usatoday.com/sports/horses/2005-10-19-breeders-cup-preview_x.htm

[imaufo]

I have a feeling that Starcraft would handle the dirt OK. Wether he is up to the best USA horses on dirt in a big race such as the breeders cup......that is another question. It would be a hard ask. Im sure the owners would be looking towards a turf race for him?

[Seabiscuit]

I have studied the Breeders Cup juvenile lead ups and I am tipping Sorcerer's Stone (currently $8 on BF) to my army of followers out there. I really liked this horse's last run. Looked like the run of a champion. Not even hurricanes Wilma and Katrina could slow this horse down it is so strong.

In the BC Juvenile Fillies I would lean towards Folklore although I don't like this one as much as the champ Sorcerer's Stone.

[imaufo]

Makin takes expensive gamble on Starcraft in Classic

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/photos/Starcraft2.RP.jpg

STARCRAFT

Racing Post photo

Paul Makin, the managing partner of the syndicate that owns Starcraft (NZ), made his fortune as a professional horseplayer on races in Hong Kong and Japan.

Makin jokes that his decision to supplement the multiple Group 1 winner to the $4-million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at a price of $800,000 is the worst bet of his life.

The only other $800,000 supplement was Gentlemen (Arg), who finished last in the 1998 Classic at Churchill Downs. But Makin is enough of a gambler and enough of an optimist to focus on the potential payoff should Starcraft produce a winning performance in his first career start on dirt.

"It’s a lot of money but I’m an old guy and this is not a dress rehearsal," Makin said on Tuesday at the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships media luncheon in midtown Manhattan. "If you've got a really good horse, you should try to excel. He's won all the races he can win on turf. He's won five Group 1s from seven furlongs to a mile and a half, so he’s a versatile horse. I just think that I’d like to give him a last challenge, to transit from turf to dirt. He’s never been on it so everyone who has a bet on him is taking a big risk. I’m taking a big risk and I’m getting about even money for my money. … I’ve had a terrific battle with common sense and finally stupidity won."

Makin said he overruled trainer Luca Cumani’s vote for the conservative route of starting the son of Soviet Star in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1).

"I would like to race against Leroidesanimaux (Brz) [in the Mile], but I don’t achieve anything if I beat him except that I achieved to beat him," Makin said. "That’s not a big deal to me. It’s a much bigger deal to race on dirt for the first time and make history."

Makin also joked that he did not consult with his wife, Lyndall, on the costly supplement.

"I don’t have those sorts of conversations," Makin said. "I make the decisions, and she wears the diamond rings."

Makin said Starcraft galloped regularly over a sand track when he was based in Australia, which was one factor in the decision.

"The work rider said he was a three-length better horse on sand," Makin said. "Sand isn’t dirt. It’s a bit like your dirt and I know now that a horse can train well on dirt and not necessarily race well on dirt. So that’s the unknown to me. I don’t know. We took him to an all-weather in England and put him behind horses because Luca wanted him to experience kickback, but he said it wasn’t a very good test because the horse was so tall that he didn’t get any kickback at all."

Jockey Patrick Valenzuela will have the mount on Saturday.—Jeff Lowe

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=58499&subsec=2

[imaufo]

Posted: 10/19/2005 10:01:00 AM ET


Breeders’ Cup attracts 117 pre-entries

With full fields in all eight races, a total of 117 runners were pre-entered for the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships program on October 29 at Belmont Park, the largest number of participants for the event since a record 135 horses were pre-entered in 2000 at Churchill Downs.

The number of pre-entries is up from 101 in both 2003 and ’04. The 2001 edition at Belmont attracted 104 runners at the pre-entry stage.

This year’s total includes three runners cross-entered in two races, including multiple Group 1 winner Starcraft, who is pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) with first preference in the Mile.

Four of the eight races oversubscribed with more than 14 pre-entries. The $4-million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) attracted 16 pre-entries, led by multiple Grade 1 winners Borrego, Rock Hard Ten, and Saint Liam. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) attracted the most participants with 17 pre-entries, topped by undefeated Champagne Stakes (G1) winner First Samurai.

This year’s pre-entries include four defending winners: Ashado in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), Better Talk Now in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), Singletary in the Breeders’ Cup Mile and Ouija Board (GB) in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1).

This year, 22 foreign-based horses have been pre-entered, compared to just 13 last year at Lone Star Park.—Jeff Lowe


The complete list of Breeders’ Cup pre-entries by race:

Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) (16)

A Bit O’Gold, Borrego, Choctaw Nation, Flower Alley, Jack Sullivan, Oratorio, Perfect Drift, Rock Hard Ten, Saint Liam, Sir Shackleton (second preference Mile), Starcraft (first preference Mile), Suave, Sun King, and Super Frolic. Also eligible, in order of preference by the Breeders' Cup racing directors/secretaries panel: Lord of the Game, A. P. Arrow.


Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) (15)

Ace (Ire), Alkaased, Azamour, Bago, Better Talk Now, English Channel, Fourty Niners Son, Gun Salute, Laura’s Lucky Boy (second preference Mile), Leprechaun Kid, Motivator, Shakespeare, Shirocco, and Silverfoot. Also eligible: Shake the Bank.


Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) (14)

Ashado, Capeside Lady, Happy Ticket, Healthy Addiction, Hollywood Story, In the Gold, Island Fashion, Nothing But Fun, Pampered Princess, Pleasant Home, Society Selection, Stellar Jayne, Sweet Symphony, and Yolanda B. Too.


Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) (17)

Brother Derek, Dawn of War, Dr. Pleasure, First Samurai, Henny Hughes, Ivan Denisovich, Leo, Jealous Profit, Private Vow, Set Alight, Sorcerer’s Stone, Stevie Wonderboy, Stream Cat, and Superfly. Also eligible: Sharp Attack, Bear Character, and Diabolical.


Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) (16)

Ad Valorem, Artie Schiller, Funfair (GB), Gorella (Fr), Host (Chi), Leroidesanimaux (Brz), Limehouse, Majors Cast, Sand Springs, Singletary, Starcraft, Three Valleys, Valixir, and Whipper. Also eligible: Laura’s Lucky Boy (first preference Turf) and Sir Shackleton (first preference Classic).


Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) (14)

Angara (GB), Favourable Terms, Film Maker, Flip Flop (Fr), Intercontinental (GB), Karen’s Caper, Luas Line (Ire), Megahertz (GB), Mona Lisa (GB), Ouija Board (GB), Riskaverse, Sundrop (Jpn), Wend, and Wonder Again.


Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) (14)

Adieu, Along the Sea, Ann Summers Gold, Diamond Omi, Dressed to Kill, Ex Caelis, Folklore, Keeneland Kat, Knights Templar, Miss Norman, Original Spin, Sensation, She Says It Best, and Wild Fit.


Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) (14)

Attila’s Storm, Battle Won, Elusive Jazz, Gygistar, High Fly, Imperialism, Lifestyle, Lion Tamer, Lost in the Fog, Pomeroy, Roman Ruler, Silver Train, Taste of Paradise, and Wildcat Heir.

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=58340&subsec=2

[imaufo]

Starcraft aims to be best on planet when stars align

By Brough Scott

October 27, 2005

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2005/10/26/paulmakin_wideweb__430x271.jpg

World-class … owner Paul Makin with Starcraft.

Photo: Vince Caligiuri

Pitch high, punt big, travel far. Paul Makin made his millions backing horses in Hong Kong but, as he packed his bags in Sydney last Thursday for the long flight to Los Angeles and on to New York, he was contemplating his most spectacular throw of all - $US800,000 ($1.05m) to enter his massive Starcraft for the Breeders' Cup Mile at Belmont Park on Saturday.

"It's big money but I had to do it," Makin said in his rapid-fire way. "I am not going to say it will be easy because he has never gone on the dirt. But the horse is a freak and I owe it to him to try. I am 68 now, I will never have another horse like him. If he wins, he's the best on the planet."

He's certainly one of the biggest. To visit Starcraft in his box at Luca Cumani's booming Bedford House yard at Newmarket is to reel back in awe at quite what a massive beast the mature male thoroughbred can be. Starcraft is not that tall, hardly 16.3 hands (160cm), but he packs so much wide, hard muscle around his chesnut frame that he pulls an incredible 573 kilograms on the weighbridge.

"He's very heavy," said Cumani with those Italian inflections that 35 years in Britain have never completely removed, "but he's very, very good. When I had news last year that Paul might like me to take him, I looked him up and could see he was talented. He had won group 1s from seven furlongs [1400m] to a mile-and-a-half [2400m], but it was only when we began to work him in the spring that you could see he was exceptional."

Before then the horse had to endure the switch from the heat of the Australian summer to the Siberian chill of Newmarket Heath in January.

Despite being ridden out in more rugs than you would get in a saddle shop, he still grew a winter coat on his belly.

It was not until Royal Ascot in June that we first saw what Cumani was witnessing at home: Starcraft's enormously long stride as he closed impressively to be third in the Queen Anne Stakes.

The trainer was then hopeful of a huge run in the Eclipse Stakes in July only for Starcraft to suddenly blow his mind in the paddock to the extent of almost jumping out of it into the startled spectators.

"Afterwards, the Australians said, 'oh sorry, we forgot to tell you he has done that before'," Cumani said.

"So we took him to the Newmarket evening meetings to make him parade and, except for the first time when he nearly went over backwards, he's been fine. He's very calm in the early preliminaries but in the paddock itself he has a short fuse."

Brilliant victories last month in Longchamp's Prix du Moulin and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Newmarket, the latter a memorable out-muscling of the diminutive Dubawi, have confirmed Starcraft's firepower and Cumani's challenge now is to see if the horse will fire on the unfamiliar American dirt on which the Belmont Park race is run.

To that end, Starcraft galloped on the Southwell sand track recently. "He went well," Cumani said, "but there wasn't that much kickback and, anyway, he is so big that it only hit his head and legs. He's an aggressive, mature horse who you think would face the kickback but all my American trainer friends say that you can never really know if a horse will act on the surface until you actually race on it. Only Arcangues [at Santa Anita in 1993] has won a classic [division] from Europe."

Telegraph, London

http://www.smh.com.au/news/horseracing/starcraft-aims-to-be-best-on-planet-when-stars-align/2005/10/26/1130302841645.html

[Seabiscuit]

Sorcerer's Stone 12-1 in the Morning Line so might end up those odds or better on BF. Currently 9.80 on BF in the final fields markets

[imaufo]

http://sports.chron.com/default.asp?c=chron&page=horse/news/BJN3986937.htm

[imaufo]

javascript:launchLink(spt_BreedersVideos);

breeders cup videos


http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9865643/