NTRA Thoroughbred Notebook

October 27, 2005

News and notes from around the Thoroughbred racing world, compiled by NTRA Communications, (212) 230-9500.

SAINT LIAM, UNDEFEATED LOST IN THE FOG, STAR IN BREEDERS' CUP

Horse of the Year honors and Eclipse Awards in all divisions will be on the line Saturday at Belmont Park in the eight races of the 22nd Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, worth total purses and awards of $15,755,000.

Saint Liam, Rock Hard Ten, Borrego and Starcraft will receive the most attention in the $4,680,000 million Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge, the climax of the afternoon's races, which will be telecast live by NBC Sports (1:00-6:00 p.m. ET) as storied Belmont celebrates its 100th anniversary.

A total of 101 horses representing the best from North America and Europe have been entered, including four defending Breeders' Cup champions from the 2004 edition at Lone Star Park last fall -- Ashado (Distaff), Singletary (Mile), Ouija Board (Filly & Mare Turf) and Better Talk Now (Turf).

Saint Liam, romping winner of the Woodward Stakes here on Sept. 10, looms the probable favorite in the 1 ¼ miles Classic with jockey Jerry Bailey aboard for trainer Richard Dutrow, Jr., facing 13 rival 3-year-olds and up. The son of Saint Ballado drew post 13.

Rock Hard Ten invades from California for trainer Richard Mandella after an impressive victory in the Goodwood Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita on Oct. 1 in his first start since capturing the Santa Anita

Borrego is the 'now' horse in the field after a hard-fought victory in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar in August and a dominating performance to capture the Jockey Club Gold Cup by 4 ½ lengths over the course and distance on Oct. 1. Jockey Garrett Gomez gets a return call for trainer and co-owner Beau Greely.

Thanks to a bold and sporting challenge by his owners who paid an $800,000 supplemental fee to participate, New Zealand-bred Starcraft will make his North American and main track debut in the Classic with jockey Pat Valenzuela getting the call for English trainer Luca Cumani.

A major player at home in New Zealand and Australia, Starcraft was sent to Cumani for a European campaign this year and the son of Soviet Star comes into the Classic after smashing victories in the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Newmarket, victories likely to earn him European champion miler honors.

Ashado bids for a repeat victory in the $2 million Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff as she closes out a brilliant career for trainer Todd Pletcher. The daughter of Saint Ballado was acclaimed Eclipse champion 3-year-old filly as she gave her trainer his first Breeders' Cup victory.

Regular rider John Velazquez will be aboard Ashado leaving post position 3 and a victory or a second-place finish would push her earnings past Azeri's record total of $4,079,820. Ashado won the Beldame Stakes over the course and 1 1/8 miles distance of the Distaff in her last start. Win, lose or draw on Saturday, Ashado will be sold at the Keeneland November Sale on November 7 to dissolve a partnership.

Better Talk Now posted a 28-to-1 upset to capture the $2 million John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf at Lone Star Park last year, but will likely be no better than third choice Saturday, despite major victories in the United Nations Handicap at Monmouth Park and Man o' War Stakes here last out on Sept. 10. Trained by Graham Motion, the son of Talkin Man drew post 4.

Last Year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Bago and Azamour, winner of the Prince of Wales's Stakes at York and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Newbury, lead a powerful team of European raiders in the Turf.

Singletary won the $1.5 million NetJets Breeders' Cup Mile last year at 17-to-1 and is listed at 8-to-1 on the morning line for Saturday's renewal. Trained by Don Chatlos, Jr., the son of Sultry Sun has won two of five starts during a spotty season this year, but appeared to be hitting top form winning the Oak Tree Breeders' Cup Mile on Oct. 8 at Santa Anita. His chief foe is Leroidesanimaux, winner of his last eight starts.

The undefeated 3-year-old Lost in the Fog bids for his 11th victory as the even-money morning line favorite in the $1,060,000 TVG Breeders' Cup Sprint going six furlongs. The Florida-bred is making his seventh cross country trip from trainer Greg Gilchrist's Golden Gate Fields headquarters near San Francisco.

Lost in the Fog is a contender for Horse of the Year honors, particularly if the favorites in the Classic fail to fire.

Ouija Board will be the 5-to-2 favorite to defend her title in the $1,060,000 Emirates Airline Filly & Mare Turf, which attracted a very strong field of 14. Jerry Bailey will be aboard the daughter of Cape Cross for the first time as they break from post 13 in the 1 ¼ miles turf test.

First Samurai has won his first four starts for trainer Frank Brothers and was made the 8-to-5 favorite in a full field of 14 2-year-olds entered in the $1,590,000 Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile at 1 1/16 miles.

Folklore and Adieu will vie for the favorite's role in the $1,060,000 Alberto VO5 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at 1 1/16 miles, the first Breeders' Cup race on the card.

EUROPEAN INTEREST IN BREEDERS' CUP CONTINUES TO SOAR

When the Breeders' Cup comes to Belmont Park, European interest in the World Thoroughbred Championships hits a peak.

Horsemen respond by sending runners over in bunches (there are 21 European-raced starters in this year's races) and English bookmakers respond by rubbing their hands together in gleeful anticipation of record wagering.

"When the races are at Belmont," said Simon Clare, who represents Coral bookmakers, "everyone has a more optimistic attitude toward the chances of the European horses. And European success in the Breeders' Cup increases the popularity of betting on the Breeders' Cup."

Clare estimates that between 10 and 15 million British pounds will be wagered on the Breeders' Cup just during the five hours when the races are being televised - which is during the night in Europe. Total wagering on the Breeders' Cup races is expected to hit a record 50 million British pounds.

"There's no doubt betting on the Breeders' Cup is getting more and more popular," Clare said. "This year the races will be televised on both racing networks and there will be a huge audience, even at night.

"And as for the New York factor, European horses have had success at Belmont," he said. "European bettors view Belmont as a neutral site. The wide, sweeping courses are more similar to European tracks, and the weather in New York at this time of year is just the same as that at home. In fact, we tend to think our horses have a better chance than horses coming from warm-weather areas."

Clare said that British bookmakers tend to give European runners lower odds than the American morning line.

"We get more play on the Europeans," he said, "and the American line often underestimates the chances of the Europeans."

The British bookies are delighted this year to have European representation in the Juvenile (Leo and Ivan Denisovich) and the Classic (Starcraft, Oratorio and Jack Sullivan). And as an added bonus, jockey Frankie Dettori - a European favorite - has a mount in the Distaff on Godolphin's Stellar Jayne.

"If there are no European runners or jockeys in a race, our punters tend to dismiss it," Clare said. "By having runners in the Juvenile, Classic and Distaff, we get a great deal more interest in those events."

British players have a further bonus in that they can choose their price on the Breeders' Cup races.

"When they make their bet," Clare said, "they can stipulate that they want whatever odds are best, the bookmaker's price (fixed price) or the starting price on the tote. It gives the punters a little bit of an edge."

The bookmaker's edge is setting the price to attract more betting on a favorite who might lose. Thus it is that Leroisdesanimaux is 7-5 on the morning line here, and 7-4 on the Coral line.

"We think he can be beaten, so we as bookmakers try to attract more wagering on him by offering a better price," Clare said. "However, Lost in the Fog is even-money on the morning line and 4-5 on our line. We expect him to win."

CALDER ON HOLD UNTIL AT LEAST SATURDAY DUE TO HURRICANE WILMA

Calder Race Course has cancelled its live race cards through Friday, October 28. The Miami-area racetrack has closed temporarily as it awaits the restoration of electrical power and begins on-site repairs related to Hurricane Wilma.

Calder sustained some damage to its stable area and clubhouse as a result of Hurricane Wilma, which passed through South Florida on Oct. 24.

"The clean-up and repair process is underway," said Calder President Ken Dunn. "We appreciate the patience of our customers and horsemen as we work to reopen our facilities."

SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO TO AIR BREEDERS' CUP LIVE

Starting this Saturday at 10:00 a.m. ET on SIRIUS Sports Action //channel 123, SIRIUS Satellite Radio will devote eight hours to Breeders' Cup coverage from Belmont Park. This special edition of SIRIUS' weekly horse racing program, Down The Stretch, will feature regular host Dave Johnson anchoring the day's coverage alongside co-host Bill Finley.

"The Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships is one of the most anticipated events of the year," said Steve Cohen, SIRIUS' Vice President of Sports Programming. "From the track to the jockey room to the paddock, we will offer unprecedented coverage of the Breeders' Cup with our team of horse racing experts."

DODGE HOLDING AUDITIONS FOR NEW "HEMI" TV STAR AT BREEDERS' CUP

Dodge will extend its search for a "HEMI Star" by holding open auditions for the role at the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, Saturday, October 29 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. Whoever is ultimately selected will co-star in a national advertising campaign that will help launch the new 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 Pickup Truck.
"The response to HEMI Search from the public as well as our dealers had been very strong," said Steven Landry, Vice President, Dodge. "Given the enthusiasm, we really had no choice but to extend the deadline for entry."
The talent search officially kicked off with print advertising on September 26, featuring the new Dodge Ram 1500 pick up truck and Jon Reep, the HEMI Guy No. 1, who is best known for his famous "That thing got a HEMI?" line. In the ad, Reep's picture is placed next to a cutout white space where his ex-side-kick once stood that reads "YOU ARE HERE."
"We are looking for a co-star that has a real passion for Dodge, Dodge trucks and HEMI engines," said Landry.

Continued

RACING ON THE AIR (all times Eastern)

October 27 Wire to Wire, 2:00-3:00 p.m., ESPN2

October 28 Wire to Wire, 2:00-3:00 p.m., ESPN2

October 28 World Thoroughbred Championships Special, 5:30-6:30 p.m., ESPN2

October 29, Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, 1:00-6:00 p.m., NBC

November 1 Wire to Wire, 2:00-2:30 p.m., ESPN2

November 2 Wire to Wire, 6:00-6:30 a.m., ESPN2

November 8 Wire to Wire, 2:00-2:30 p.m., ESPN2

November 9 Wire to Wire, 6:00-6:30 a.m., ESPN2

RACING TO HISTORY

Oct. 27, 1870: Preakness won the Dinner Stakes at the newly opened Pimlico Racecourse. In 1873, the first Preakness Stakes, a race was named in his honor, was held at Pimlico.

Oct. 27, 1990: Bayakoa (ARG) became the second horse to win two consecutive Breeders' Cup Championship races. Both of her victories came in the Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Oct. 27, 2001: Tiznow, 2000 Breeders' Cup Classic champion and Horse of the Year, won the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic for a second straight year, outdueling European sensation Sakhee in the stretch at the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships at Belmont Park. Total wagering on the 10-race program was $104,145,186, the second highest Breeders' Cup total in history, just behind the 2000 total of $108,603,040.

Oct. 27, 2001: Participants in the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships donated more than $2.7 million from their purse earnings to the NTRA Charities - New York Heroes Fund, established to benefit the children and spouses of the firefighters, police officers, emergency workers and other victims who perished in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Sheikh Mohammed's Dubai-based Godolphin stable, which pledged 100 percent of its Breeders' Cup earnings to the Heroes Fund, donated approximately $2.5 million on the day, thanks in part to wins by two of his horses, Fantastic Light and Tempera.

Oct. 27, 2001, Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel saw his 0-for-38 streak in Breeders' Cup races come to an end when Squirtle Squirt won the Penske Auto Centers Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Oct. 28, 1972: Secretariat won the Laurel Futurity by eight lengths, sent off at odds of 1-10, at Laurel.

Oct. 28, 1973: With jockey Eddie Maple substituting for Ron Turcotte, who was sidelined by a suspension, Secretariat concluded his racing career with a 6 1-2-length victory in the Canadian International Championship Stakes at Woodbine Racecourse. It was his second victory in as many tries on the turf.

Oct. 28, 1983: Jacinto Vasquez had his 4,000th career winner, aboard Sunshine O'My Life, at Aqueduct.

Oct. 28, 2000: Laffit Pincay Jr., the world's winningest rider, gained his 9,000th career victory aboard Chichim in the $150,000 California Cup Distaff at Santa Anita Park.

Oct. 29, 1948: Calumet Farm's three-year-old Citation entered the Pimlico Invitational Special Stakes unopposed and won in a walkover, earning $10,000 for galloping the 1 3-16 mile course in 1:59 4-5. Another great Calumet runner, Whirlaway, also won the Special in a walkover in 1942.

Oct. 29, 1955: Charlie Whittingham and Bill Shoemaker scored their first stakes victory as a trainer-rider team with Mister Gus in the William P. Kyne Handicap at Bay Meadows.

Oct. 29, 1998: Triple Crown winner and 1970s icon Secretariat was selected as one of 15 subjects to be honored with a commemorative postal stamp in 1999.

Oct. 30, 1937: Sir Barton, the first American Triple Crown winner, died at age 21. After an undistinguished career as a sire, Sir Barton was sent to the U.S. Army's Remount Division in Nebraska, and then to a ranch in Wyoming, where he remained until his death.

Oct. 30, 1988: After the blinkers on his mount, Roaring River, worked loose, jockey Francisco Torres grabbed them and placed them between his teeth to keep his hands free for riding. Roaring River won the race, at Hawthorne, by three lengths.

Oct. 30, 2004: Ghostzapper set a stakes record and capped an undefeated, four-for-four season by winning the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge. Ghostzapper's final time for the mile-and-a-quarter was 1:59.02. An all-sources Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships betting record of $120,863,117 was set on the day's races, which were held at Lone Star Park in Texas.

Oct. 31, 1944: The saddle cloth numbers of the first five race winners at Jamaica corresponded to the number of the race in which each horse started.

Oct. 31, 1964: Seven-year-old Kelso won his fifth consecutive Jockey Club Gold Cup, a record. In each of those races, Kelso was the odds-on favorite.

Oct. 31, 1987: Jockey Chris Antley became the first rider to win nine races in a single day. He rode four winners from six mounts at Aqueduct and five winners from eight tries during The Meadowlands' evening program.

Oct. 31, 2002: Hall of Fame jockey Julie Krone returned to race riding after a two-year absence. She finished fifth aboard both of her mounts on the day at Santa Anita Park.

Oct. 31, 2003: Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel broke D. Wayne Lukas' North American single season earnings record of $17,842,358 set in 1988 after saddling Golden Rahy to victory in the seventh race at Santa Anita.

Nov. 1, 1944: Racing returned to Hollywood Park after a three-year hiatus, which followed the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Nov. 1, 1938: Before a crowd of 40,000 spectators, Seabiscuit, under jockey George Woolf, defeated odds-on favorite War Admiral in the Pimlico Special, run as a winner-take-all match race with a purse of $15,000.

Nov. 1, 1947: Man o' War died at Faraway Farm, Lexington, Ky. He lay in state for three days before being ceremoniously buried on Nov. 4.

Nov. 2, 1968: John Nerud-trained Dr. Fager, carrying 139 pounds, won the last race of his career, the seven-furlong Vosburgh Handicap at Aqueduct, by six lengths. Dr. Fager was subsequently named champion handicap horse, champion sprinter, turf champion and Horse of the Year.

Nov. 2, 1985: Trainer D. Wayne Lukas won his first Breeders' Cup race, the Juvenile Fillies, with Twilight Ridge, whose entrymates Family Style and Arewehavingfunyet finished second and eighth, respectively.

Nov. 2, 1991: Dance Smartly won the Breeders' Cup Distaff and passed Lady's Secret as racing's then all-time leading female Thoroughbred money-earner, with $3,083,456.

Nov. 2, 1991: The Breeders' Cup Pick 7, a wager linking the seven Breeders' Cup races, was inaugurated. Wagering on the Pick 7 alone, excluding wagers made on the individual Breeders' Cup races, was $8,526,985.

Nov. 2, 2001: The National Thoroughbred Racing Association and Breeders' Cup Limited announced that the Oct. 27 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, held at Belmont Park, raised approximately $2.5 million for the NTRA Charities - New York Heroes Fund. In total, more than $5 million was been raised by the international horseracing community for the Heroes Fund, created to aid the families of the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Total contributions by the horseracing community to all Sept. 11-related funds exceeded $10 million.

Nov. 3, 1923: Tanforan, in suburban San Francisco, opened for a 25-day, non-betting meet.

Nov. 3, 2003: Cash Run, winner of the 1999 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, sells for a world record broodmare price of $7.1 million at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale in Lexington, Ky.

Nov. 4, 1927: Bateau was disqualified from her third-place finish in the Pimlico Futurity after her jockey, Earl Sande, used the filly to ram the future Kentucky Derby winner, Reigh Count, into the rail. Sande subsequently was suspended for his action.

Nov. 4, 1998: Michael Rowland became the 88th rider in North America to reach 3,000 career wins when he piloted Bells Gladiator to victory at Thistledown.

Nov. 4, 2000: Total wagering on the 10-race Breeders' Cup Day program at Churchill Downs was a record $108,598,136.

Nov. 5, 1988: Miesque became the first horse to win two consecutive Breeders' Cup Championship races when she won the Breeders' Cup Mile at Churchill Downs.

Nov. 5, 1988: Julie Krone became the first female jockey to compete in the Breeders' Cup when she rode Darby Shuffle to a second-place finish in the Juvenile Fillies race.

Nov. 5, 1988: Ogden Phipps' four-year-old filly Personal Ensign concluded her racing career with a 13-for-13 lifetime record when she edged Winning Colors by a nose to win the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs. She was the first American racehorse to retire undefeated in major competition since Colin in 1908.

Nov. 5, 2004: Trainer Dale Baird became the first trainer to reach 9000 wins when Frazee's Folly captured the eighth race at Mountaineer Park in Chester, W. Va.

Nov. 6, 1946: Three fillies from Argentina arrived at Newark Airport, having made a journey of 8,250 miles, the then-longest flight ever for horses.

Nov. 6, 1973: Secretariat was paraded before 33,000 fans at Aqueduct, as his final appearance at a racetrack before retirement to stud at Claiborne Farm.

Nov. 6, 1993: The Breeders' Cup was simulcast to England for wagering purposes for the first time.

Nov. 6, 1993: Lure became the fourth horse to win consecutive Breeders' Cup events when he won the Breeders' Cup Mile. The three other runners with consecutive victories were Miesque, Bayakoa (ARG) and Morley Street (IRE), the latter a two-time winner in the steeplechase division.

Nov. 7, 1998: Skip Away finished sixth to Awesome Again in the Breeders' Cup Classic and was denied the title of racing's all-time leading money earner. Skip Away was retired after the race with earnings of $9,616,360, second to Cigar, whose earnings total $9,999,815.

Nov. 7, 1998: Jockey Richard Migliore gained his 3,000th career victory, winning aboard Belle's Appeal in the second race at Aqueduct.

Nov. 8, 1997: Favorite Trick won the Breeder's Cup Juvenile, concluding an 8-for-8 two-year-old campaign. Favorite Trick would later be voted 1997 Horse of the Year.

Nov. 8, 2000: The New York Racing Association announced that it would begin using the color-coded saddlecloths adopted by many other racetracks around the country.

Nov. 9, 1957: Wheatley Stable's Bold Ruler, with Eddie Arcaro aboard, won the Trenton Handicap in a wire-to-wire victory over Gallant Man and Round Table in a three-horse race. Bold Ruler was subsequently named Horse of the Year off this performance.

Nov. 9, 1972: Secretariat worked seven furlongs in 1:25 4-5 at Garden State Park in preparation for the final race of his two-year-old season, the Garden State Stakes on Nov. 18.

Nov. 9, 1988: Laffit Pincay Jr. became the second jockey in history to win 7,000 races when he won the seventh race at Hollywood Park aboard Phone Bid.

WEEKEND STAKES RACES (unrestricted stakes worth $75,000 and up)

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27

Jessamine County Stakes, 2yo fillies, $100,000, 1 1-16M (T), Keeneland

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28

Nashua Stakes, 2yo, $100,000, Grade III, 1M, Belmont Park

Bourbon County Stakes, 2yo, $100,000, 1 1-16M (T), Keeneland

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29

Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge, 3&up, $4,000,000, Grade I, 1 1-4M, Belmont Park

Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff, 3&up (f&m), $2,000,000, Grade I, 1 1-8M, Belmont Park

John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf, 3&up, $2,000,000, Grade I, 1 1-2M (T), Belmont Park

Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile, 2yo, $1,500,000, Grade I, 1 1-16M, Belmont Park

NetJets Breeders' Cup Mile, 3&up, $1,500,000, Grade I, 1M (T), Belmont Park

Alberto-VO5 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, 2yo fillies, $1,000,000, Grade I, 1 1-16M, Belmont Park

Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, 3&up (f&m), $1,000,000, Grade I, 1 1-4M (T), Belmont Park

TVG Breeders' Cup Sprint, 3&up, $1,000,000, Grade I, 6F, Belmont Park

Emirates Airline Discovery Handicap, 3yo, $250,000, Grade III, 1 1-16M, Belmont Park

Emirates Airline Sport Page Handicap, 3&up, $250,000, Grade III, 7F, Belmont Park

Fayette Stakes, 3&up, $150,000, Grade III, 1 1-8M, Keeneland

Morvich Handicap, 3&up, $100,000, Grade III, 6 1-2F (T), Oak Tree at Santa Anita

Dave's Friend Stakes, 3&up, $75,000, 5 1-2F, Laurel Park

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30

First Flight Handicap, 3&up (f&m), $150,000, Grade II, 7F, Belmont Park

Knickerbocker Handicap, 3&up, $150,000, Grade III, 1 1-8M (T), Belmont Park

Ack Ack Handicap, 3&up, $100,000, Grade III, 7 1-2F, Churchill Downs

Carleton F. Burke Handicap, 3&up, $100,000, Grade III, 1 1-2M (T), Oak Tree at Santa Anita

Tempted Stakes, 2yo fillies, $100,000, 1M, Belmont Park

Miss America Handicap, 3&up (f&m), $100,000, 1 1-8M (T), Golden Gate Fields