Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Commendable and Tiznow, second against older horses in the 1 1/4-mile Pacific Classic (gr. I), head the list of possible starters for the $500,000 Super Derby (gr. I) at Louisiana Downs. D. Wayne Lukas, trainer of Commendable, won both the Belmont Stakes and Super Derby with Editor's Note in 1996.
On Friday, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and Breeders' Cup Ltd. launched a contest in which fans will have the opportunity to win $1-million for correctly picking all eight winners during this year's championship day races at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4.
Woodbine Race Course rescheduled the Atto Mile (Can-IT) to fit a one-hour slot in NBC's Racing to the Breeders' Cup coverage. The ratings were not sterling, but network coverage provided 618,000 more viewers.
By Steve Haskin -- If you're lucky enough to be in New York or Kentucky this weekend, you're in for some super racing, with a good possibility of seeing a Breeders' Cup winner or two.
(continued from Part 1)
Breeders' Cup Limited has released the wagering menu, race order, and post times for this year's championship day races at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4. The race order is unchanged from last year and the wagering menu includes the $5-million Ultra Pick Six and two additional wagering options.
Jockey Jerry Bailey made a rare foray to the West Coast from his New York base Wednesday, and left with his first two victories at Del Mar. Both of Bailey's wins were for trainer Bob Baffert on the closing-day Del Mar card. In the featured Del Mar Futurity (gr., II), Gary Garber's Flame Thrower posted a game victory over Godolphin Racing's Street Cry.
Rize, the nine-length winner of the Philip H. Iselin Handicap (gr. II) in his most recent start, will breeze Monday morning at Turfway Park in a work that will determine his status for Saturday's $500,000 Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II). If he is entered, the 4-year-old son of Theatrical will likely face Golden Missile, Cat Thief, Early Pioneer, and Captain Steve in the 1 1/8-mile race.
The Aga Khan's dual Derby winner Sinndar ran away to an eight-length win over fellow 3-year-olds in Sunday's Prix Niel-Casino d'Enghien-les-Bains Barriere (Fr-II) at Longchamp, France.
Twilite Farms' Gaviola swept by Good Game in the stretch and pulled away to a three-length victory to earn her sixth consecutive win in Sunday's $250,000 Garden City Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IT) at Belmont Park. Under Jerry Bailey, the William H. Turner Jr. trainee completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.89 to earn her first grade I stakes win.
Riviera took a short lead in the stretch and held off the late charge of Arkadian Hero to win the $1-million Atto Mile (Can-IT) by a nose Sunday at Woodbine. With John Velazquez in the irons, the 6-year-old Bobby Frankel trainee completed the mile in 1:33.18 over a firm turf course.
Montjeu rallied from last in the four-horse field to win the Prix Foy Gray d'Albion Barriere (Fr-II) by 1 1/2 lengths over Crillon Sunday at Longchamp, France.
Caffe Latte rallied through the stretch down the center of the Del Mar turf course to win Saturday's $400,000 Ramona Handicap (gr. IT) by 1 1/4 lengths over Tout Charmant in stakes record time of 1:47.16, just 2/5 of a second off the course record.
Giant's Causeway dueled with Best of the Bests through the stretch, edged clear of that rival in the final furlong, and held off the late closing Greek Dance to win the ESAT Digifone Irish Champion Stakes (Ire-I) by a 1/2 length Saturday at Leopardstown, Ireland. The win marks the fifth group I win in succession for Mrs. John Magnier and Micheal Tabor's 3-year-old colt, who completed the 1 1/4 miles in 2:03.1 over good to firm ground.
Despite slow early fractions of :50.94 and 1:16.14, Godolphin Racing's Fantastic Light closed from next-to-last under jockey Jerry Bailey to win the $500,000 Man o' War (gr. IT) by a length over Ela Athena as European shippers filled the exacta in Saturday's Belmont Park feature race.
Last year's champion 2-year-old filly Chilukki worked five furlongs at Del Mar on Friday as she prepares for her next likely start, the $150,000 Kentucky Cup Sprint (gr. II). Flame Thrower, Riboletta, and Super Quercus also worked at Del Mar on Friday.
Godolphin Racing's Noverre rallied from off the pace to win Friday's thehorsesmouth.co.uk Champagne Stakes (Eng-II) by 1 1/4 lengths over CD Europe at Doncaster, England. Noverre is by Rahy and out of Danseur Fabuleux, who also produced Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner Arazi.
Due to a minor injury to his left front leg, Richard Cohen's Running Stag is now considered unlikely for the $500,000 Woodward (gr. I), according to assistant trainer Roger Teal. Meanwhile, Pacific Classic (gr. I) winner Skimming will ship to Belmont Park on Tuesday ahead of the Sept. 16th race.
...continued from part 1
By Steve Haskin -- It's two months to the Breeders' Cup, but it feels like it should be sooner. California and New York are enjoying cool, crisp fall weather, and horses around the country are venturing off on the paths laid out for them by their trainers.
Trainer Carl Nafzger reported Friday that Unshaded came out of his Travers victory with a strained tendon in the left front leg and will undergo surgery at Rood & Riddle Clinic in Lexington, Ky. on Monday.
Godolphin Racing's Muhtathir turned in a sharp five-furlong drill on Woodbine's inner turf course Thursday morning and then drew post position 11 for the track's $1-million Atto Mile (gr. IT) on Sunday.
Trillium Stable's 9-year-old gelding John's Call will take on seven 4-year-olds, including the filly Ela Athena, in Saturday's $500,000 Man O' War Stakes (gr. IT) at Belmont Park. Jean Luc-Samyn, who rode John's Call to a 9 1/4-length victory in the Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap (gr. IT) last month at Saratoga, will guide the Thomas Voss trainee from post position four.
Jockey Jerry Bailey will venture west to ride Gary Garber's Flame Thrower in the Del Mar Futurity (gr. II) next Wednesday for trainer Bob Baffert.
Breeders' Cup Ltd. is in the process of formulating a security plan for its 2000 championship series, scheduled for Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs
The Racing Post reports that the Aga Khan's Sendawar has been retired from racing and that Montjeu has suffered a "training setback" and may miss his scheduled start in Saturday's Irish Champion Stakes (Ire-I). According to the Post, Giant's Causeway may now substitute for Montjeu in the Irish race.
Stronach Stables' turf distaff star Perfect Sting will go to post under highweight of 123 pounds when she returns from a brief layoff in Monday's $500,000 Diana Handicap (gr. IIT).
Both Cat Thief and Golden Missile worked at Saratoga Saturday morning as they prepare for an expected meeting in the $500,000 Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II) at Turfway Park Sept. 15. Surfside went five furlongs in 1:01 over the same track.
1999 Breeders' Cup Mile winner Silic has suffered a recurrence of an old foot injury that will preclude him from defending his crown at Churchill Downs in November.
Brief racing and breeding news items.
Chester House, the son of Mr. Prospector who won the Aug. 19 Arlington Million Stakes (gr. IT) as a homebred for Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms, is likely to enter stud at the farm’s North American division near Lexington in 2001.
John and Betty Mabee’s General Challenge will miss this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs after coming out of Saturday’s Pacific Classic at Del Mar with what trainer Bob Baffert described as a “wrenched” right front ankle.
David and Holly Wilson’s Hollywood Gold Cup (gr. I) winner Early Pioneer, who skipped Saturday’s Pacific Classic (gr. I) after missing some training time due to a minor foot problem, put in a seven-furlong work at Del Mar Friday.
Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Fusaichi Pegasus returned to the track Thursday for his first serious work since he suffered a minor foot injury following his second-place finish in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), covering three furlongs in :39 1/5 over a fast track at Hollywood Park.
Highclere Thoroughbred Racing’s Petrushka, winner of the Irish Oaks, assumed the lead with an eighth of a mile to go and defeated Love Divine by 1 1/4 lengths in Wednesday’s Aston Upthorpe Yorkshire Oaks (Eng-I) at York racecourse in England.
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association and Breeders' Cup Ltd. will will hold a contest in which fans will have the opportunity to win $1-million for correctly picking all eight winners during this year's championship day races at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4. Prizes will also be awarded to fans selecting fewer than eight winners.
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association board of directors expects to have more details of its venture with IBM Global Services ironed out by late September, but not before it addresses the concerns and recommendations of an advisory committee formed earlier this year at the request of racing associations in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Coolmore Stud has finalized its purchase of controlling interest in Fusaichi Pegasus after the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner successfully passed veterinary tests to determine his ability to stand at stud.
