All the comments made about Quality Road being a rogue or crazy are way off base. Dr. Larry Bramlage called him a juvenile delinquent following his meltdown prior to the Breeders' Cup Classic. A juvenile, yes, in many ways, but being scared out of your wits does not make you a delinquent.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Quality Road not only suffered several injuries from his traumatic incident at the starting gate prior to the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), he suffered mentally as well and now will have to van home to Belmont Park from California after refusing to get on the plane.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Officials said all blood and urine samples collected from horses that competed in the Nov. 6-7 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park have come back clean.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Alan Porter recaps the 2009 Breeders' Cup with pedigree observations about the sire lines, dominant female families, and inbreeding of the 14 winners. Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Over the course of the next week, we'll have several wrapups, going over different aspects of Breeders' Cup 2009, but let's face it; this year's event will forever belong to Zenyatta.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
A day after undefeated Zenyatta became a giant of the racing world with a spine-tingling victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), trainer John Shirreffs said she should be Horse of the Year over favored Rachel Alexandra.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Coverage of the Nov. 6-7 Breeders' Cup cards from Santa Anita Park on ABC/ESPN continued to attract just modest viewership, dipping slightly from disappointing ratings a year ago.
Monday, November 09, 2009
Relive the 2009 Breeders' Cup with our collection of photo galleries.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Through Nov. 8, the all-sources handle for the recent Breeders' Cup World Championships exceeded $150.2 million. The total does not include an estimated $24.75 million in exchange wagering handled by Betfair.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
A complete look at the major runners on the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships cards at Santa Anita Nov. 6-7.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Although she was back in her barn at Hollywood Park after her historic Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) win, Zenyatta was the hot topic the morning of Nov. 8 among those gathered at Clocker's Corner at Santa Anita, one day after they witnessed history.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Quality Road, who was scratched out of the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) after fighting to load into the gate, has only minor cuts.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Attendance for the two-day event increased 11%, while the overall handle slipped 7% largely because two less races were run compared with 2008. On-track handle grew 3% compared with a year ago.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Zenyatta made it look all too easy, becoming the first female to win the $5-million Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I). Gio Ponti was second and Twice Over third.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) when he rallied from dead last to overtake pacestting Presious Passion in deep stretch to capture the $3 million event at Santa Anita Nov. 7.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Another favorite falls in the Breeders' Cup, as Furthest Land took the Dirt Mile (gr. I) at 21-1. Ready's Echo is second and Midshipman is third. Heavy favorite Mastercraftsman ran out of steam at the rail in the stretch.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Sensational filly Goldikova defended her TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) title in scintillating fashion Nov. 7 at Santa Anita Park, as she stormed down the lane under Olivier Peslier and caught longshot Courageous Cat inside the sixteenth-pole before going on to a half-length win.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Lillie Langtry, the beaten favorite in the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, suffered a slab fracture in a knee during the race.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Longshot Vale of York, a son of Invincible Spirit owned by Godolphin Racing, grabbed the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) right at the wire. The Irish-bred out-gunned favorite Lookin At Lucky.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Big longshot Dancing in Silks, a 25-1 gelding by Black Minnaloushe, poked his nose out in front to win a four-horse cavalry charge in the $2-million Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) Nov. 7 at Santa Anita Park. Heavy favorite Zensational finished fifth.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
California Flag, a Cal-bred son of Avenue of Flags and the local favorite, claimed a decisive victory in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. The final time of 1:11.28 was a Breeders' Cup World Championships record. In second was Gotta Have Her, who also had a win at the race distance of 6 1/2 furlongs on the Santa Anita turf.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Pounced, a Kentucky-bred son of Rahy, won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IIT) in a driving finish over Bridgetown.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Julien Leparoux and the "all others" field entry have two wins apiece in the new Breedersf Cup jockey bet going into the Nov. 7 program of the Breedersf Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
With all of the major contenders for today's Breeders' Cup World Championships went to the Santa Anita track early to stretch their legs, D' Funnybone, breezed two furlongs in :24 2/5 under the watchful eye of trainer Richard Dutrow.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Pam and Martin Wygod's locally-based Life is Sweet rallied from last on the far turn, engulfed the field in the stretch and drew away to a three-length victory in the $2-million Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic (gr. I) Nov. 6 at Santa Anita Park.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Breeders' Cup announced that the first of the two days of this year's World Championships, Nov. 6 at Santa Anita, showed an increase in attendance and handle.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Informed Decision, Augustin Stable's daughter of Monarchos, rolls in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I). The big gray filly is now seven for seven on synthetic surfaces and improved her record at seven furlongs to 7-6-0-1.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Midday, who was bred in England, gave the Europeans their second win of the 26th Breeders' Cup World Championships. The 3-year-old daughter of Oasis Dream was making her first start in the United States. She is trained by Henry Cecil, a renowned English trainer who earned his first Breeders' Cup victory after many years.
Friday, November 06, 2009
She Be Wild, a daughter of freshman sire Offlee Wild, squeezed along the rail to take the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) over Beautician and favorite Blind Luck.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Jockey Robby Albarado pushed the button on Tapitsfly approaching mid-stretch and the gray/roan daughter of Tapit responded willingly to produce a neck victory over the pacesetting Rose Catherine in Oak Tree's $909,000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita Nov. 6.
Friday, November 06, 2009
The 26th World Championships got off to a thrilling start in the $500,000 Breeders' Cup Marathon when Man of Iron hung on to defeat 9-year-old Cloudy's Knight by a nose Nov. 6 at Santa Anita Park.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Kera's Kitten, one of three horses entered in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IIT) for owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey, has been scratched from the Nov. 7 World Championships card to make room for another of the couple's entrants.
Friday, November 06, 2009
With limited training hours at Santa Anita on Breeders' Cup Day, Friday, Nov. 6, most of the major horses scheduled to run on Day 2 went to the track early under cool and partly cloudy skies.
Friday, November 06, 2009
If there is one thing you can always count on in the Breeders' Cup it's that it will have it's share of longshot winners and mid-price overlays who get lost in the handicapping frenzy that is so much a part of the event.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Great weather is expected for the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will air on ESPN2 Nov. 6, and ABC and ESPN on Nov. 7.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
European trainer John Gosden hopes to stun the racing world with Rainbow View in the Ladies Classic Nov. 6, like he did with Raven's Pass in the Classic last year.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Eagle Oak Ranch and partners' 4-year-old Allegre, the 50-1 outsider, has been scratched from the Nov. 7 Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) at Santa Anita.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
El Gato Malo's owners had entered their Turf Sprint contender in an optional claiming race Nov. 5, fearing they would get shut out of the big dance. But a spot in the Turf Sprint came open and now they feel they have a shot.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
His excitement as a result of Forever Together's stirring win in last year's Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (gr. IT) gave trainer Jonathan Sheppard fits of insomnia. But by all indications, the Hall of Fame trainer is taking things in better stride as his fierce gray mare defends her title as the morning line choice in the $2 million event at Santa Anita Nov. 6.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
If only it always worked this way: buy a horse privately; win a grade I; and head to the Breeders' Cup World Championships. Forget always; for Matt Gatsas, just once is OK. Of course he wouldn't mind also winning the Breeders' Cup race.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Gayego competed in two legs of the 2008 Triple Crown and captured the Arkansas Derby (gr. II) at 1 1/8 miles, but "we think we've found a niche for him in sprint races being a closing sprinter," said Rick Mettee, a key assistant to Godolphin Racing trainer Saeed bin Suroor.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Irish-bred, formerly Bulgarian-owned, German-trained, and Italian-raced Junia Tepzia now campaigned by Team Valor for Breeders' Cup run in Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
When Noble's Promise won the Breeders' Futurity (gr. I) at Keeneland Oct. 10, it seemed too good to be true for some of his owners. Now, they are back at the Breeders' Cup for a second consecutive year.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
With his versatility and powerful turn of foot, Interactif, a homebred son of Broken Vow trained by Todd Pletcher, certainly looms large in the one-mile contest. But anything can happen amongst inexperienced 2-year-olds and there are several starters that look intriguing -- some of them that could be big prices on the tote board.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
On an otherwise routine morning, Lillie Langtry tosses rider and forces trainer to climb aboard.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
If there is one main aspect of the Breeders' Cup that is most fascinating it is the merging of American and British cultures, whether it be terminology, style of racing, or in the way horsemen deal with the media and vice versa.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
It would be an understatement to say that Magical Fantasy heads the California contingent for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (gr. IT) at Santa Anita Nov. 6. After four consecutive major stakes wins locally, three in grade I company, she's nearly all that's left.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Reade Baker, the trainer of Fatal Bullet, has a message for Zensational, the 7-5 morning line favorite in the $2-million Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I), and the rest of the field: We're ready, and we're going to run hard.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Garrett Gomez is the 3-1 morning-line favorite for the new Breeders' Cup Jockey Bet Nov. 6-7 at Santa Anita Park. The line was set based on mounts the jockeys have in the 14 World Championships events.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Augustin Stable's Informed Decision faces a much-anticipated rematch with Ventura Nov. 6 in the $1-million Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Santa Anita Park. When the two tangled back in April on Keeneland's Polytrack, Informed Decision defeated Ventura by a head in the Vinery Madison Stakes (gr. I).
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
