Breeders' Cup: The "I Don't Get No Respect" Dirt Mile

No flowery segways - No quotes from Emerson - No creative summer breezes gently carrying the reader down memory lane leading them towards the topic of the day – This subject screams, “Get to the point!” 

Sprinters – n. A type of Thoroughbred horse that is incompetent of handling races that are over a mile.   

Sprint Races – n. 1 . Thoroughbred horses competing in races run at one mile or less. 2.  Races that are used as a filler until the real race of more than a mile is run.

Have I lost my mind?  Have I gone mad?

The answer is absolutely not!  Not yet anyways.  Although my definitions are a bit theatrical, there seems to be a general consensus that sprinters should not garner the esteem that distances horses receive.  

I respectfully disagree on a simple truth that, “A great racehorse is a great racehorse.” If horse racing is to be acknowledged as a true sport, than we must respect all its athletes in every discipline. It does appear that short horses do not get their dues properly paid.  

Known as the mighty “Black Whirlwind”, Domino was perhaps the most significant horse, both on the racetrack, and in the breeding shed, during the late 1800’s, and early 1900’s. This legendary Thoroughbred maintained a ten race winning streak from his first start as a juvenile, until he was midway through his three year old year. The great Henry of Navarre fell to his mercy twice, only having defeated him at four years old when unsoundness struck Domino. The Black Whirlwind won eighteen out of nineteen starts at a mile or less, but only one of which was a dead heat at 1 ¹/₈ miles or more. How would Domino be judged by our modern day critics?

In the 2008 Olympic Games, Usain Bolt, became the first man since 1984 to win three Track and Field sprinting events, and the first man to set world records in all three events at one Olympic. In 2009, he won a race by over 100 meters, which is the largest margin since the inception of digital measurements to Track and Field. Should we consider Usain Bolt any less great because he runs exclusively at sprints?

Usain Bolt was awarded his second straight Track and Field Athlete of the Year in 2009. It begs the question: when was the last time a sprinter was awarded Horse of the Year?  Forty years ago, Ack Ack was presented Horse of the Year along with Champion Sprinter. He was given this prestigious award for the talent he showed throughout 1971, winning all but one start. Ack Ack swept races ranging from 5 ½ furlongs to the Classic distance of 1 ¼ miles. To this day, there has never been a horse that has won Horse of the Year off a campaign strictly run at a mile or less.

Specifically, the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile is a race I look forward to watching.  It is filling up with horses that are extremely talented and should not be dismissed as a “no big deal” race. It will be a great accomplishment for any of them to hold the title as winner of this race.   

CALEB’S POSSE:

This bay son of Posse should be considered one of the top late-blooming three year olds. Caleb’s Posse is coming off two straight wins at Saratoga in the Amsterdam which he won by four lengths drawing away. Most recently, he nosed out champion juvenile, Uncle Mo, for the victory in the King’s Bishop.

Caleb’s Posse’s running style is rather unusual for a horse in shorter races. He relaxes as he trails the field through the early stages of the race, and gets up in plenty of time due to his devastating turn of foot. Caleb’s Posse conserves his energy for when he must pass the tiring horses that have endured a blistering pace.  He will challenge 2011 Preakness winner, Shackelford, in the Indiana Derby at Hoosier Park on October 1. This colt is a rising force, and must be considered as a leading contender when handicapping the Dirt Mile.

JACKSON BEND:

Jackson Bend seems as if he has found his best success at seven furlongs, being unbeaten in his two starts at that distance. He could easily opt to compete in either the Dirt Mile or Breeders’ Cup Sprint because the seven furlong distance sits between the six furlong Sprint, and the Mile. In the Forego, his most recent victory, Jackson Bend came from behind to win by 3 ¼ lengths. I suspect that the Dirt Mile may be the race better suited for Jackson Bend due to his strong finishing kick.  This can be supported by the fact that he passed the leader by the time he had run six furlongs in the Forego.

SHACKELFORD:

Making his next start in the Indiana Derby, Shackelford is likely to compete in the Dirt Mile instead of the Breeders’ Cup Classic. I believe the Dirt Mile is the better race for the 2011 Preakness winner, Shackelford, because he seems to run at his best at a mile. In the Florida Derby in which Shackelford was beaten a head, he ran a mile in 1:36.38 – just over one second slower than Dakota Phone’s winning time of 1:35.29 in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

Since his eighth place finish in the Travers Stakes, Shackelford has been given a layoff at WinStar Farm, which I suspect will refresh his running abilities after a strenuous eight race 2011 campaign. His level of talent at the one mile distance gives him a great opportunity to run huge in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

THE FACTOR:

There are two opportunities for The Factor, who has shown talent in his three year old career. Following his most recent victory in the Pat O’Brien, his trainer, Bob Baffert said that either the Mile or the Sprint is an option for The Factor, who he will keep restricted to one turn races. Regardless of what race his connections choose to enter him in, The Factor will certainly be a leading contender who will likely set a hot pace.

Winning in gate to wire fashion, The Factor has proven that he can hold up well against a challenger in the early fractions of a race. The Factor, a grey son of War Front, dominated the three year old races at Oaklawn Park earlier this year before fracturing his ankle. He was put on the shelf, consequently being knocked out of contention for any of the Triple Crown races. His comeback race was the Pat O’Brien, in which he embarrassed older horses with his best performance yet.

Bunny in the Bluegrass: Auction Picks

Four thousand three hundred nineteen, a dark bay or brown filly by Majestic Warrior, will be the final hip number to close out the 2011 Keeneland September Yearling Sale tomorrow.  Even with the stock market closing yesterday almost four hundred points down and the United States economy on the verge of a double-dip recession, the auction has surpassed the 2010 September Sale gross receipts according to Keeneland resources. 

Vice President of Taylor Made Sales Agency's Public Sales, Mark Taylor, sums up their sales:  “Over all the numbers are positive.  Below the surface it is very polarized.  The horses which vet perfectly clean, have good conformation, and a little pedigree, bring twice their appraisal.  All the others need to be reserved very conservatively, or they won’t sell.”

I was present for the sale of Hips 1 through 834, and examined a great majority of the horses that sold over the first four days.    A common thread I saw throughout the auction was quality from each shedrow.  There were the few obvious standouts, but many of these yearlings were not far behind for a promising career on the track.  The Unbridled’s Song, and Medaglia d’Oro progeny seemed to dominate in quantity out of Book One and Book Two.  It was also exciting to see some of A.P. Indy’s final offspring move through the sales ring. One of which was the sale topper at $1.4 million, a bay colt that was assigned Hip 87.

There were many strong prospects brilliantly being sold by head auctioneer, Ryan Mahan.  If one is able to pull their attention away from the horses for a moment, you begin to realize the mastery it requires to move these high-priced hopefuls through the sales process smoothly.  Not only was his focus incredibly sharp, but had wit to match.  Particularly on the fourth day, while he was in the process of dealing with two bidders that had been going back and forth, one bidder decided to jump out and proceeded to get up from his chair.  Mr. Mahan quickly instructed him to sit back down, “I don’t think you are done bidding yet.”  Subsequently, laughter broke out and the hammer went down.  SOLD!  

Featured below are my top five picks from Book One.

HIP NO. 9:  R.N.A ($375,000)

Hip Nine’s pedigree shows a filly that will likely have her greatest success at two. She is by Tapit, who has sired juvenile stars such as champion two year old filly, Stardom Bound; as well as Hollywood Starlet winner, Laragh. He has sired a top three year old filly in Careless Jewel, but I would like to see more three year old action from him before coming to the conclusion that he can consistently sire leading three year olds. Hip Nine’s dam also proclaims juvenile power, boasting a victory in the GII Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland Race Course.

This filly had the foundation of a solid racehorse, with a robust chest, durable back, and angular rump. Upon feeling Hip Nine’s forearms, I was particularly impressed with the muscle she had already developed. Her legs were rather long, but should grow to be more proportionate with age when taking into consideration her enormous size.

HIP NO. 15:  OUT

A bay son of Unbridled’s Song, Hip Fifteen is well-represented by English heritage with multiple crosses of Nasrullah, and Royal Charger. Ranking among the greatest broodmare sires of all time, Princequillo also plays a role in this dashing colt’s pedigree, being the broodmare sire of Kris S. who appears as Hip Fifteen’s damsire. Princequillo, who was smuggled to America from Germany as a yearling, is also Unbridled’s Song’s third dam’s grandsire.

Princequillo was believed to carry the X-factor, meaning he had an exceptionally large heart which he inherited from his dam, and passed on only to his daughters. It makes sense that he had his best success as a broodmare sire, because his daughters likely passed on that gene to their foals which included Secretariat, who has the largest heart on record for a Thoroughbred at 22 pounds where the Thoroughbred heart normally weighs 8.5 pounds in modern day.

I would not normally feature a horse that had been scratched prior to the sale. However, I felt that it would be negligent not to feature this impeccable powerhouse. I fortunately found this BNB pick at the Lane’s End consignment shortly after arriving at the sale, and was astounded by his commanding presence. Hip Fifteen reached well over sixteen hands when I saw him. His level of maturity ranked far above his peers. The colt’s neck, which attached beautifully into his massive shoulder, closely resembled his sire’s. His rump showed angularity, which will make his stride fluid and powerful. Standing behind him, He stood squarely under his wide body, and had strength in his gaskins. Overall, this colt embodied great proportion and symmetry considering his size at such a young age.  Hip Fifteen became my prototype to measure all others against. The only knees that went weak were mine, when I took my first glance at this boy.  This horse took my breath away!

HIP NO. 48  SOLD TO:  ELI LOMITA  $400,000

 

Hip Forty-Eight’s pedigree proclaims “Distance!” being a son of two time Breeders’Cup Classic winner, Tiznow, and out of the Touch Gold mare, Caroline’s Gold. This colt looks promising in the catalog due to the fact that his second dam, Sweet Damsel, has had success when bred to Tiznow, foaling 2008 Travers Stakes winner, Colonel John, and 2009 Kentucky Derby contender, Mr. Hot Stuff. Physically, this colt is an overall correct horse with potential to perform well on the racetrack. Though Hip Forty-Eight has somewhat long pasterns, he displays a powerful rump, and strong shoulder.

 

HIP NO. 68  SOLD TO:  JOHN FERGUSON  $500,000

Hip Sixty-Eight was a major bargain for bloodstock agent, John Ferguson, selling for $500,000. Considering the purchase price, such a statement is rather bold. However, the dark bay son of Medaglia d’Oro seemed as if he should have gone through the auction ring for nothing less than $1 million. Not only did his pedigree show quality, with crosses of Sadler’s Wells, Gone West, and The Minstrel, but also displayed a powerful female family. Hip Sixty-Eight’s dam, Grand Prayer, has had a successful racing career, being a stakes winner, as well as a breeding career. Grand Prayer is the dam of Grade I winning mare, Malibu Prayer (by Malibu Moon).

Hip Sixty-Eight exhibited astounding confirmation, with a certain elegance which reminds me of the old portraits of Eclipse, and the Darley Arabian.  Not only was this colt a sleek horse, but also had other conformation assets such as depth through the heart girth, and powerful legs.  Hip Sixty-Eight’s legs have short cannon bones, as well as strong gaskins, and prominent forearms.

HIP NO. 98  SOLD TO:  BARRY BERKELHAMMER  $200,000

This yearling was my top pick out of the fillies entered in this sale due to the combination of her promising bloodlines, and build.  She seems as if she will be another horse that will get the distance of both longer and shorter races because of the direct pedigree she presents, being by Unbridled’s Song, and out of Our Seattle Star, by Seattle Song.  Though the Unbridled’s Song progeny has enjoyed sprints, they have also appreciated longer races.  Our Seattle Star adds more quality to the mix, being the dam of GI winner, Seattle Smooth, who ran her best at 1 ¹/₁₆ mile.    Unbridled’s Song has proven success in the form of Zensational when crossed with female family thirteen, the line which this filly is from.  This line’s members cover a broad spectrum of racing: dirt, turf, long, short.  Some very influential horses such as Myrtlewood, Dahlia, and Seattle Slew come from female family thirteen.

Physically speaking, there are some similarities between Hip Ninety-Eight, and Hip Fifteen, also by Unbridled’s Song.  Both have a massive front end, and impressive substance.  Not unlike Hip Fifteen, she was an exceptionally large filly, but was well on her way in development.

Bunny in the Bluegrass: Keeneland September Yearling Sale

“A nobler want of man is served by nature, namely, the love of Beauty,” wrote Ralph Waldo Emerson in Nature. The Thoroughbred breed is indubitably one of nature’s finest masterpieces. Perhaps there is no better place to observe the brilliance of this breed than at Keeneland Racecourse, where the horse racing world gathers together in pursuit of a dream.

Keeneland masterfully embraces a seamless blend of past and present. The sales pavilion possesses modern day characteristics, while the racetrack ambience of bygone years in which Keeneland was created remains preserved. Even Keeneland’s main entrance marries past and present, which neighbors the historic Calumet Farm, and across the street, modern jet airplanes roar in and out of the Lexington Airport.

It was so exciting to return to “my” Keeneland and attend the first few days of the prestigious September yearling sale.  Keeneland, which is celebrating its seventy-fifth anniversary, resides in the soul of horse racing. The volume of Thoroughbreds that pass through its entrance every year is likely the largest in the United States. The high-quality prospects summon a plethora of people from all over the world to the Keeneland sales. It quickly becomes obvious that American-bred horses are a sought after commodity in the international market.  It is not unusual to hear dialects from Japan, Europe, and Australia. Of course, the auction presents an optimal name-dropping opportunity for me by attracting America’s Who’s Who of racing, such as D. Wayne Lukas, Nick Zito, Bob Baffert, Jerry and Anne Moss, John Shirreffs, Todd Pletcher, John Sadler, Dale Romans, Steve Asmussen, and last but not least, Chef Bobby Flay!

In its humble beginnings, over seven decades ago, the facility held its first auction underneath a tent on April 25, 1938, with thirty-one hips. The sales topper was a nine year old mare with a foal at her side selling for $3,500. Interestingly, Keeneland hosted Fasig-Tipton’s 1943 Saratoga yearling sale under a tent due to the wartime shipping restrictions on breeders. The 1945 Kentucky Derby winner, Jet Pilot, was among the graduates of the 1943 sale. When Fasig-Tipton’s yearling sale resumed at Saratoga, the auction in Kentucky stayed in place as the July sale. In 1963, Keeneland would acquire the responsibility of conducting the sale until its end in 2002. Keeneland’s 1985 July sale included Seattle Dancer, who sold for $13.1 million as the highest priced yearling to ever go through the sales ring to this date.

Keeneland currently hosts four auctions throughout the year:  The January Horses of All Ages Sale, the April Two Year Olds in Training Sale, the September Yearling Sale, and the November Breeding Stock Sale.  Keeneland’s January sale usually attracts approximately two thousand horses ranging from yearlings, racing prospects or mares in foal. 

The April sale garners about two hundred juveniles nearing the dawn of their racing career.  In the days before the sale, the horses entered are breezed out from ¹/₈ of a mile to ¼ mile on Keeneland’s main track before buyers.  It is not uncommon to see the April sale horses, such as Lookin’ at Lucky, who won Eclipse Award Two Year Old Male, making headlines later in the year.

Acting as the final yearling sale of the year, Keeneland’s September sale is the Kentucky Derby of horse auctions.  The sale lures the greatest of all yearling prospects, and prominent owners and trainers from around the globe.  A list of graduates includes the winners of all three Triple Crown race victors of this year, as well as fifteen other Triple Crown race winners.  At the September sale, Jerry and Anne Moss purchased Zenyatta who fell short a nose only once in twenty starts spanning just over three years. 

The November Breeding Stock Sale concludes Keeneland’s series of auctions for the year, boasting a catalog of accomplished horses including various Breeders’ Cup winners, and other top racehorses.  Like the January sale, the November sale is an auction open to horses of all ages, but also includes weanlings. This year’s November Breeding Stock Sale will offer a Henrythenavigator weanling half-sister to Zenyatta.

The 2011 Keeneland September sale is ending the annual yearling auctions on a positive note, with their averages already much higher than the previous year’s just as they pass the midway point of the sales catalog.  At the conclusion of Book Three, Keeneland sold 1,325 yearlings for a combined $186,405,000-up 7.2% from last year’s $173,754,700.  Buyers have raised the average price at the September sale 23% greater than last year.

It did not seem as if the sale would end on such a high note while watching Book One go through the ring, and listening to feedback from consignors.  Book One included only three horses that broke the $1 million mark, and nearly fifty R.N.A’s.  The sale topper in Book One was an A.P. Indy colt out of the Deputy Minister mare, Malka.  The colt was purchased by Ameran, Evans, and Co.  The two other bestsellers were Hip No. 63 by Street Cry, and 116 by Unbridled’s Song.  Going through the ring at $1.2 million, Hip 63 was bought by George Bolton, and Hip 116 went to Whisper Hill Farm for $1 million.

However, Book Two and Three reaped high prices and positivity.  Buyers were quite active looking at horses in those catalogs - Lane’s End offered eighty-four horses through Saturday and Sunday in Book Three.  Those eighty-four horses were showed for buyers an astonishing 9,100 times.  That is a lot of walking!

The People of Keene Land

There are the magnificent horses, the excited buyers and sellers, the hopeful hardworking consigners making Keeneland their temporary home while they embark on an uncertain venture for better or worse. However, the one constant you can expect to find any time of year upon visiting this great track – hospitality. I am not speaking of your average “Welcome to McDonalds” hospitality.  I am talking about, “Come on into our home, we’re family” kind of hospitality. Keeneland has always felt otherworldly for me personally. I warmly refer to the Keeneland employees as “The People of Keene Land”.
 
These “People”, whether they are upper management or a cashier, share a common DNA of a genuine caring attitude towards all Keeneland’s visitors. A warm smile, a good morning greeting and a quick, “How are you today?” was something you could count on when you passed by a Keeneland employee. Every day my mother and I would grab a sandwich from the deli in the sales pavilion.  The cashier was particularly charming and spoke to us with complete southern warmth, remembering us day after day, even though she must have seen hundreds of people!

You could say Dorothy McFuer is Keeneland’s pin-up girl of graciousness.  She is the first face you are greeted by upon entering the sales pavilion.  Dorothy will help you with any questions you may have and be of your assistance, if needed.  She was not only kind enough to help my mother and I obtain a couple of seats inside the sales ring, but most importantly made us feel comfortable and welcome. On our last day as we were leaving the sale, she hugged us good-bye and said she will look forward to seeing us again in November. Isn’t it a wonderful thing that someone will be glad to see you again!  I know I will be glad to see Dorothy again, too!  Just another reason why I love Keeneland.        
                                        

***There will be an article to follow detailing specific horses in the sale.

Adoring Wilburn

As I prepare for my upcoming trip to the Keeneland yearling sale next week, I have been whittling away at the thousands of prospects in the sales catalog. I constantly hear a voice in my head reminding me that “There is an eighty percent chance I am choosing the wrong horse”!  

This past weekend was a reminder of how good it feels to be in the twenty percent.  One of my sale favorites has been Wilburn, a son of Bernardini out of the GIII winning mare, Moonlight Sonata.  There were so many obvious professional reasons to like this colt, but my unprofessional thirteen year old heart beat a little faster when I saw this boy!   

My Portrait of Wilburn Drawn Following His Maiden Win  

The April 2010 Two Year Olds in Training Sale garnered 181 promising juveniles.  Prior to the auction, the horses who had not been scratched worked an eighth or a quarter mile Keeneland’s main track.  Buyers watched the juveniles sprint down the historic homestretch, making note of the faster works. 

One horse that caught many of the onlookers’ eyes was Hip Seventy-Three.  Standing exceptionally tall for a young two year old at 16.2 hands, Wilburn was not just a standout on paper, but also physically.  He was so brilliant that his consignors, Woodbridge Bloodstock, planned to race Wilburn shortly before he went through the sale.  In his two works leading up to the auction, he fired bullets.  One was at Turfway Park, and the latter was at Keeneland. 

However, he never made it to the starting gate before the Keeneland sale, because several prominent buyers had come to the Helmbrecht brothers, who run Woodbridge Bloodstock, asking that they not start Wilburn, as they wanted to purchase him unraced.

As I do every year, seated at my computer, I selected my top choices from that sale, which included this stunning colt.  Whenever a major sale was on the horizon, I would go through the catalog, sometimes spanning over four thousand horses, in search of that one special horse. 

I thought Wilburn could be that horse.  I first came upon the mammoth bay in the sales catalog, and was instantly impressed.  Wilburn’s rich heritage is represented by generations of horses that etched their names into the history books, both on the racetrack, and in the breeding shed.

The bay two year old’s pedigree features two crosses of Mr. Prospector and Buckpasser within the first five generations, and other horses such as Teddy and Sweep appear repeatedly within his bloodlines.  His sire, Bernardini, presents the successful Mr. Prospector/Dr. Fager cross.  Another example of the Mr. Prospector/Dr. Fager cross’s prominence is this year’s Preakness Stakes winner, Shackelford. 

This big son of Bernardini frequently traces back to the Nearco line.  Wilburn is a descendant of 1979 Kentucky Derby winner, Spectacular Bid, who traces back to Bold Ruler in his male line.  Bold Ruler’s sire line goes back to the world renowned Nearco.  Aside from this appearance, Bold Ruler graces Wilburn’s pedigree often.

Wilburn’s broodmare sire is Carson City, a stallion that has had a large sum of success as a damsire.  Though his top performances came at shorter distances, he was the broodmare sire of the ill-fated 2006 Kentucky Derby winner, Barbaro. 

The Nearco Effect

Carson City was a strong delegate of Nearco’s legacy, being by Mr. Prospector, and out of a Blushing Groom mare.  I have always loved the Mr. Prospector/Blushing Groom cross due to the fact that Mr. Prospector’s sire line goes back to Polymelus, as does Nearco’s.  Gold Digger, the dam of Mr. Prospector, appears as a great-granddaughter of Nearco.  Blushing Groom mixes well with Mr. Prospector because his sire line also traces back to Nearco.  Adding to this pedigree centered around the Italian phenom Nearco is that Carson City’s second dam is by Nijinsky, who goes back to Nearco on the male line.

Wilburn’s pedigree isn’t only attractive at the surface, but is also a gem back to his foundation.  As I dug deeper into his pedigree, I wasn’t disappointed by my findings.  Wilburn is a member of female family one, which is perhaps the classiest of all female lines.  This line has numerous champions to its credit:  All Along, Allez France, Buckpasser, Dr. Fager, Genuine Risk, La Troienne, Princequillo, Rachel Alexandra, Rough’n Tumble, Spend a Buck, among others.  Female family one’s most recent success comes in the form of fellow Stonestreet star Rachel Alexandra, and the legendary Frankel.  It is intriguing that Buckpasser, Dr. Fager (sired by Rough’n Tumble), and Princequillo appear in Wilburn’s pedigree.    

Female family one has proven to cross exceptionally well with female family four which is represented in Wilburn’s pedigree by his sire, and broodmare sire.  Female family one crossed with four has produced Zenyatta, the only mare to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic; as well as Unbridled’s Song.  However, these two examples are the opposite of Wilburn’s pedigree because Zenyatta and Unbridled’s Song are out of a female family four mare, and by a female family one stallion.

Bernardini to a mare by a female family four mare has also reaped success in the form of this year’s Travers Stakes winner, Stay Thirsty.  It is interesting to note that Stay Thirsty isn’t only by a female family four stallion, but also out of a female family four mare, by a female family four stallion.

Wilburn matched his pedigree by sprinting three furlongs in an eye-popping :33 ⁴/₅ at breeze-outs for the sale, and was the only horse in the auction to work at that distance.  It was clear that Wilburn was likely to bring a big price as he galloped out following that work. 

Going through the ring near the middle of the auction, Wilburn brought with him a storm of bidding which resulted in a $625,000 sale-topping price.  His life path was altered in the minutes he stood in the ring, going to Stonestreet Stables, the farm that campaigned superhorses such as Curlin and Rachel Alexandra.

Following Wilburn’s auction appearance, I have intently tracked his progress on the racetrack, checking his Equibase page daily for any fresh news.

Wilburn first graced the pages of Bits N’ Bunny as my inaugural “Derby Darling”.  I followed up with another article “Watching Wilburn” after his victory in an allowance optional claimer at Churchill Downs in May.

Since the Steve Asmussen trainee crossed the wire first under the Twin Spires, Wilburn started four times.  Three of those races were stakes races, one of which was the GIII Matt Winn Stakes.  Wilburn’s first race following the allowance optional claimer win was the Matt Winn, also held at Churchill Downs, in which he finished fourth, beaten by 4 ¾ lengths.  After his attempt to become a Graded Stakes winner, Wilburn took a shot at Monmouth Park’s Long Branch Stakes which resulted in a fifth place to eventual Travers Stakes second placer, Rattlesnake Bridge.  Approximately a month later, Wilburn was dropped down to an allowance optional claimer, again at Monmouth.  This performance appeared to be one of his best, because second placer, Tempted to Tapit, repeatedly impeded on Wilburn in the lane.  Wilburn pulled out a great finish a ½ length ahead of Tempted to Tapit, with the third placer crossing the wire seven lengths behind Wilburn.

Wilburn’s latest challenge was last weekend in the Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx Racing in Pennsylvania. In this race, he would be facing accomplished horses such as Pants on Fire, Joe Vann, and Concealed Identity, who competed in this year’s Preakness Stakes.  However, Pants on Fire was one of the two scratches in the eight horse field.

Going off at odds of 7-1 with Corey Nakatani in the irons, Wilburn wasn’t in a rush to break from post position five.  Settling into fifth place around the first turn of the one mile, seventy yard event, Wilburn ran about three paths wide.  After the opening quarter mile in :23.3, Wilburn moved up to battle for fourth.  The son of Bernardini reached third after the half in :47.2 set by Joe Vann.  Into the turn, Wilburn challenged Redeemed for the lead as he went four wide.  He had the lead at the ¾ mile entering the homestretch.  Wilburn, under a vigorous hand ride from Nakatani, ran a mile in 1:36.4 as he held off Redeemed for the win by 1 ¾ lengths with a finishing time of 1:40.4.

Wilburn is proving to be a solid horse worthy of respect for running well on tracks playing fast or sloppy, as well as having the ability to overcome adversity.  This is a horse that I believe will continue to age gracefully. Given time, patience and, as always, a little luck, I look forward to seeing him blossom into a competitive older horse and ultimately a force in the breeding shed.   My eyes will remain focused on this beautiful, gentle giant!

“My eyes adored you

Though I never laid a hand on you,

My eyes adored you

Like a million miles away from me you couldn’t see

How I adored you:

So close yet so far away”

-Frankie Valli

Fever Pitch!

There is a special feeling I get when I walk into the mall and see the Christmas decorations beginning to deck the walls.  Even though the holidays are months away, there is that undeniable anticipation of the events to come. 

I have been getting that “special feeling” every weekend watching the horses prep for the Breeders’ Cup.  The Christmas rush has begun; it’s the get-it-done time!  Trainers, owners and jockeys are strategizing at fever pitch to take the right road to Louisville in November, safely and successfully.  Each weekend of racing boasts of new comeback horses to cheer on, or familiar faces that are beginning to fade and some gloriously peeking.

The comeback kids, The Factor and Big Drama made positive debuts.  Jackson Bend with his consistently strong work ethic is proving to be a force.  I think I’m starting to hear Jingle Bells!        

No Spin Zone for The Factor:

The grey son of War Front, The Factor, made his greatly anticipated return to the racetrack after his layoff triggered by a hairline fracture in his hind ankle following his seventh in the Arkansas Derby.  He was one of the leading Kentucky Derby contenders until he was pulled off the track.  I was thrilled to watch this remarkable horse that I had chosen from the 2009 edition of Fasig-Tipton’s Kentucky Select Yearling Sale make such an impressive comeback in the Pat O’Brien, becoming the fourth three year old to win that race.

After The Factor broke from gate four in the five horse field, his regular rider, Martin Garcia, immediately directed him to the rail.  He settled into second a neck behind Smiling Tiger who ran to his outside.  Both horses raced fairly hard on the backstretch, pulling away from the others by three lengths when they reached the first quarter mile in :22.41.  It concerned me to see the two draw away with such quick fractions, hoping that they wouldn’t falter in the stretch run.  Following the quarter mile, The Factor gained a minor lead over Smiling Tiger, running a quick half mile in :44.28, and a ¾ mile in 1:08.6.

At the top of the stretch, The Factor began sprinting away from his opposition.  Garcia went to the whip vigorously aboard the grey colt as Smiling Tiger faded mid-stretch to finish a well-beaten fourth.  Conceivably, Smiling Tiger likely expended too much energy in the early fractions.  His jockey, Joel Rosario, expressed, “I know we went fast early.  Maybe too fast.”

The Pat O’Brien was a dream comeback race for The Factor who completed this seven furlong contest faster than any other horse at that distance at this year’s Del Mar meet.  He finished the race in 1:21.56-less than one second off the Del Mar PolyTrack record set by Lewis Michael in the 2008 Pat O’ Brien.

He paid $5.40 for a two dollar win bet. The Factor, who won by 1 ¾ lengths, carried five less pounds than the heavyweight, Smiling Tiger.  He gave Martin Garcia his first stakes win of the 2011 Del Mar meet.  Following the Pat O’Brien victory, Garcia stated that The Factor may be the fastest horse he has ever ridden.

Representing the Bob Baffert barn, The Factor added his first GI victory in the Pat O’ Brien to his remarkable racing résumé.  Baffert’s barn is bursting with sprinting talent this year, managing both The Factor and Euroears, who is perhaps the best short horse in the country. 

Bob Baffert said, “When this horse is really on his game, he is an extraordinary horse.  I’m just glad to have him back.  He has got the most beautiful stride I’ve ever seen on a horse.  It’s like he barely picks his feet up.”  The Hall of Fame trainer also stated that he would keep The Factor in one turn races, and would point him towards either the Breeders’ Cup Sprint or Dirt Mile-both run around one turn.  It seems that either race would put The Factor in the position to challenge any competitor.

Big Drama's Big Splash:

All year I had been eager to watch the return of last year’s Eclipse Award champion sprinter, Big Drama.  The 2010 Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner was put on the shelf for a six and a half month rest following his track record setting victory in the GIII Mr. Prospector Stakes in January of this year. 

Raced in the silks of his breeder, Harold Queen, Big Drama was entered in Calder Racecourse’s Whippleton Stakes which offered a purse of $72,750.  The field was condensed to a four horse contest following the scratches of three horses, including D’Funnybone, whose greatest success came at shorter distances during his three year old year.

Due to the scratches, Big Drama, assigned to break from gate two, started from the rail.  He was slow from the gates, bumping into the horse on his outside where it is believed he lost his left front shoe.  Running from the back of the pack, Big Drama, with Daniel Centeno in the irons, quickly made up the lost ground by pulling into second by the opening quarter mile in :22.02.  He overtook the leader shortly before the half mile completed in :45.2.  Big Drama’s talent was apparent as he pulled off to win the 6 ½ furlong sprint by 2 ¼ lengths with a time of 1:17.3. 

Racking up $2,746,060 in earnings, the David Fawkes trainee will be pointed towards Belmont Park’s Vosburgh Stakes on October 2.  It will be interesting to see how this gifted son of Montbrook will stack up against tougher opposition.  Considering how he overcame losing a shoe and his impressive running style, I suspect he will give a solid performance in the Vosburgh.

Jackson Bend Supersizes the Forego:

Representing owners Robert LaPenta, and Fred Brei, Jackson Bend shattered the high-quality field of sprinters in this year’s edition of the Forego Stakes at Saratoga.  The four year old Florida-bred who finished third in last year’s Preakness Stakes added this important seven furlong dash to his respectable racing career.  The Nick Zito trainee confirmed that he is best suited for the seven furlong distance in the Forego.

Jackson Bend, bred by Fred Brei, came off of a solid 2 ½ length win over the Saratoga track in the seven furlong James Marvin Stakes.  This win made him a logical strong contender in the Forego, which included the remarkable turf horse, Sidney’s Candy, who, by the way, I have always felt should have been kept on the turf.

Jackson Bend, known for his small stature, broke slowly from the rail in the nine horse field, settling into seventh as 12-1 shot Hamazing Destiny set the pace with a short lead over Sidney’s Candy in second.  With Corey Nakitani aboard, Jackson Bend began gaining on the leaders around the turn, having to weave through the field.  At the top of the stretch, he had the edge over Hamazing Destiny by a head, and drew away under urging.  Jackson Bend, covered in dirt, pulled away to win by an imposing 3 ¼ lengths with his final eighth in :12.88.

Crossing the wire in 1:22.08 for seven furlongs, the $250,000 winner’s share for the Forego bumped Jackson Bend’s earnings up to $1,062,450.  The Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and Sprint seem to suit this horse well.  The Mile is just one furlong more than his preferred seven furlong distance, and the Sprint is only one furlong less.

After the race, LaPenta said, “It’s emotional.  He’s such a great horse and he’s had such bad luck (referencing his three year old year when he finished second in the wake of Eskendereya twice, then behind Lookin’ at Lucky and First Dude in the Preakness by less than a length).  He always tries, every time.  He’s like the little guy that could do it all.  No matter how big they are, he sneaks through.  You just felt so bad for him because he tries so hard.  He’s like a good thing in life, you know?  He’s small, he’s undersized, and he has such an incredible heart that it just makes up for everything.”

'Gracing The Woodward

Fresh off the triumphs of Rags to Riches, Zenyatta, Goldikova, and Rachel Alexandra, the sensation of Girl Power has never felt stronger in my lifetime.  All, excluding Goldikova, retired to broodmare duties, North American racing turns to Blind Luck and Havre de Grace to carry the torch as the next female stars.  Racing against one another, Blind Luck and Havre de Grace add spice to the racing world with their thriller photo finishes lengths ahead of the rest of the field.

In analyzing races, I place considerable weight on “the nature of the race”: how many horses were in the field, how the race was run, who had a perfect trip, who didn’t, what the track condition was, how fast or slow the fractions were, etc.  For example, I have found that some races with larger fields reap slower times, and races with fewer horses have less obstacles to push through, consequently producing quicker times. 

It is challenging to fairly compare horses until they have started in the same race. Every race has its own DNA, its individual fingerprint, so to speak.  Generally filly and colt races are planets apart in their nature. With the Woodward Stakes upon us, I am excited to see Havre de Grace challenge the boys.  She has proven her ability to be a solid contender in any race she runs.

The Woodward will be a great opportunity to watch how Havre de Grace handles her new tasks of facing male runners as she looks forward to the Breeders’ Cup Classic.  Despite my admiration for this filly, I find myself needing a few questions answered before proclaiming her a substantive competitor against the colts in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Havre de Grace’s fastest times have come in races consisting of smaller fields.  In larger races, such as the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic, her finishing times have been considerably slower.  In the Ladies’ Classic, Unrivaled Belle and Blind Luck defeated her by 2 ¾ lengths with a time of 1:50.04 on a fast track.  The 2010 Ladies’ Classic consisted of eleven fillies and mares, and was about three seconds off the track record of 1:47.28 established by Victory Gallop in 1999.

Havre de Grace’s most recent start was the 1 ¼ mile Delaware Handicap for fillies and mares.  Blind Luck edged out Havre de Grace to win the five horse contest in a fast 2:01.28.

It could be speculated that the girls’ Delaware Handicap was a better race than the Hollywood Gold Cup which was held on the same weekend.  The time for the Delaware Handicap, held on conventional dirt, was 0.29 second faster than the Hollywood Gold Cup, ran on an all-weather track, rated fast.

Assuming that synthetics are faster than the conventional dirt surface, the boys should have had a quicker time than the girls. However, eight horses started in the Hollywood Gold Cup, where only five fillies competed in the Delaware Handicap.  The question remains: would Havre de Grace have been able to run as fast in a larger, more aggressive field? 

Particularly looking at the Woodward, Havre de Grace will be competing against a fine group of older males.  However, she will not have the opportunity to face the division leaders such as Acclamation, Twirling Candy, and Tizway.  The high level of talent displayed throughout this division will prove to be a genuine test for any filly.  Havre de Grace has a fair chance of challenging the boys for the win on Saturday.