It was a chaotic Monday morning on the Belmont work tab, with 21 Breeders' Cup horses having their final tune-ups for the World Thoroughbred Championships. And over at Aqueduct, Rick Dutrow worked his two Breeders' Cup horses, Saint Liam and Silver Train.
With trainer Tom Tomillo looking on, Lord of the Game put in his final major prep for the Breeders' Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I) by working four furlongs in :46 Monday morning at Belmont Park.
Since the pre-entries were announced Oct. 19 for the eight races on the Oct. 29 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships program, there have been seven that have officially been declared scratched.
Saint Liam, the probable favorite for Saturday's Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I), had his final work before the $4 million race Monday morning at Aqueduct.
With a narrow window of opportunity between the rain that fell over the weekend and a forecast for another deluge within the next 24 hours, trainers of nearly two dozen horses pre-entered in the Oct. 29 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships put their charges through their final paces at Belmont Park Monday.
The recent rash of injuries and withdrawals from the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships continued Sunday when Fog City Stable's Roman Ruler was declared out of the TVG Sprint (gr. I) with an injury to his right front foot.
Martin Cherry's 5-year-old mare Pampered Princess was declared from the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) Sunday afternoon because she's suffering from an upper respiratory infection.
There was quite a thunderstorm on Long Island Saturday night. The site of the Oct. 29 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships was hit with loud thunder and bolts of lightning accompanied by an inch of rain.
With the New York area receiving more than an inch of rain Saturday night, there were a paucity of works at Belmont Park Sunday morning, none of which were by horses pointing toward the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships.
Doug O'Neill stood in the Belmont trainer's stand Sunday morning trying to figure out when to work his 2-year-olds Stevie Wonderboy and Jealous Profit for their final tuneup for the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I).
Though two big European names, Powerscourt and Motivator, will not be running on Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships day, the contingent of foreign-based horses is quite strong, Nick Clarke, retired head of the International Racing Bureau, said from Belmont Park Sunday morning.
Imperialism has spent much of his time racing at longer distances, but a look at the Langfuhr colt's record indicates he should be pretty comfortable in the TVG Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I).
The horse that more people are talking about than any other in the eight Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships races arrived safely at Belmont Park Saturday night.
"Tom the Bomb" unlocks the secrets of Belmont to help find those elusive longshots and live Europeans.
High Fly was injured at Belmont Park Saturday morning and will miss the Oct. 29 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships. He was to have started in the TVG Sprint (gr. I).
Perfect Drift, pre-entered in the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic, Powered by Dodge (gr. I), breezed five furlongs at the 'sloppy' Churchill Downs Training Center in 1:01 1/5 Saturday morning.
Rock Hard Ten, one of the favorites for the Oct. 29 Breeders' Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I), has had his shipping plans to New York delayed because of a small bruise on his left front foot.
The Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships lost one of its European stars Saturday when Vodafone Epsom Derby (Eng-I) winner Motivator came up lame following a workout.
Despite the driving rain that inundated Belmont Park Saturday morning, trainers continued to work their horses in preparation for next Saturday's Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships.
Roman Ruler worked four furlongs Friday morning in a bullet :46 1/5 in his final local blowout before the TVG Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) on Oct. 29 at Belmont Park.
HorseRacing TV will present live coverage of Belmont Park's post position draw for the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships on Wednesday beginning at 8 a.m. (PDT).
Cigar created an enduring link between the Breeders' Cup Classic and the Dubai World Cup by winning both races, a feat attempted by many but matched only by Pleasantly Perfect.
Hunch bettors will not have to look further than Borrego for a play in the Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered By Dodge (gr. I). The name "Borrego," after all, is the Spanish for a sheep's or ram's horn--and as fans of the Dodge Ram line of trucks say, "If you can't Dodge it, Ram it!"
In his first serious workout since finishing second to First Samurai in the Champagne Stakes (gr. I), Darley Stable's Henny Hughes sizzled a half-mile in :47 Friday at Belmont Park as he continues to work toward the Oct 29 Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I).
Jockey Richard Migliore, scheduled to ride Artie Schiller in the NetJets Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT), sustained a broken leg in a paddock accident at Belmont Park Thursday.
J. Paul Reddam's Ann Summers Gold, a group III-placed 2-year-old filly, has been dealt a setback and will be scratched from the Alberto VO5 Juvenile Fillies (gr. I).
Four years ago, when he was the farm trainer for Frank Stronach at Adena Springs South near Ocala, Fla., Danny Vella had the satisfaction of seeing former pupils Perfect Sting and Macho Uno win Breeders' Cup races. At this year's Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, Vella is seeking an even bigger thrill--training a winner of his own.
Rock Hard Ten, winner of his last four races, worked seven furlongs in 1:25 3/5 at Santa Anita before the first race Thursday, in preparation for the Breeders' Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I) Oct. 29.
One day after pre-entries for the Oct. 29 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships were announced, there were two defections Thursday. Dressed to Kill, a maiden pre-entered in the Alberto VO5 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I), has been withdrawn from the 1 1/16-mile race after sustaining a fracture of the left front pastern bone.
Undefeated 3-year-old Lost in the Fog worked five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 handily Thursday morning at Golden Gate Fields in his final drill for the $1-million TVG Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I).
The 2001 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, held only 45 days after the World Trade Center attack, came to symbolize the human spirit and the courage and determination of the Thoroughbred...
Since the inception of the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships in 1984, some horse owners have long debated whether to suffer the slings and arrows of high entry fees for non-nominated horses and seek out the competition--their chance at glory on racing's crowning day.
SIRIUS Satellite Radio, which provides sports radio programming, broadcasting the play-by-play of more than 350 pro and college teams, announced Thursday that it will be the exclusive radio broadcaster for the 2005 Breeders' Cup World Championships, Oct. 29 at Belmont Park.
Equine veterinarians representing the American Association of Equine Practitioners' "On Call" program will assist NBC Sports with horse health information during the Oct. 29 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships at Belmont Park.
Arrowfield Stud announced that it had negotiated the purchase of an interest in Australian champion Starcraft. While terms had been agreed upon after Starcraft's win in the Sept. 24 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Eng-I), the ownership change will not take place until after Starcraft's Breeders' Cup appearance.
With the morning sun rising in the distance, trainer Stanley Hough sent 2-year-old filly Sensation to the track at Belmont Park Thursday morning in her final serious workout for the Alberto VO5 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr.I).
Just before the running of the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) at Lone Star Park last year, owner Paul Reddam confided that his horse was a longshot bomb set to explode.
At 6 a.m. sharp Wednesday and undetected by the official clockers, trainer Kristin Mulhall worked Steve Taub's Imperialism on the fast main track at Belmont Park. Not only did she work the 4-year-old Langfuhr colt, but timed him herself and then caught a flight back to the West Coast.
Jerry Bailey, the leading Breeders' Cup jockey with 14 victories, will have mounts in every Breeders' Cup race next Saturday. He could be on four favorites with First Samurai (Bessemer Trust Juvenile), Shakespeare (John Deere Turf) Oujia Board (Emirates Airline F&M Turf) and Saint Liam (Classic Powered by Dodge).
Trainer Todd Pletcher, who broke through with his first two Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships victories last year with Ashado and Speightstown, has eight horses pre-entered this year.
Everyone loves a rags-to-riches story, and among this year's Breeders' Cup horses, few fit that label better than Choctaw Nation--though the rags are perhaps not as ragged as for some of the sport's legends.
Hunch bettors will not have to look further than Borrego for a play in the Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered By Dodge (gr. I). The name "Borrego," after all, is the Spanish for a sheep's or ram's horn--and as fans of the Dodge Ram line of trucks say, "If you can't Dodge it, Ram it!"
It is time to forget who is not running in the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships and concentrate on the wealth of talent from both sides of the Atlantic that will be competing at Belmont Park Oct. 29.
Trainer Richard Dutrow is not tipping his hand when it comes to the strategy he will employ when Saint Liam faces a full field in the Breeders' Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I) at Belmont Park Oct. 29.
It is still too early to make final selections for the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships. Most of the important works are finished, and the majority of the mounts have been assigned. So, basically there is nothing much to do but wait for the shippers to arrive and concoct lists that may or not prove helpful.
As far as the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships is concerned, repeat customers are more than welcome. But while many Breeders' Cup winners have tried to repeat their glory, only a select few have succeeded.
Training activity among Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships contenders at Belmont Park was not nearly as hectic Tuesday as it was Monday, with only four main track works and one grass work. One of the most impressive works of the day was a five-furlong breeze by TVG Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) contender Wildcat Heir, whose clocking of :59 2/5 was the best among 21 horses working that distance.
Aidan O'Brien has sprung a surprise in announcing his team for the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, with Powerscourt, the Arlington Million (gr. IT) winner, missing his intended assignment in the John Deere Turf (gr. IT), and 3-year-old Oratorio, winner of two prestigious group I races this season in the Coral Eclipse and Irish Champion Stakes, lining up for the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I).
One of the most exciting horses scheduled to run in the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships on Oct. 29 is First Samurai. Undefeated in four races, the son of Giant's Causeway is his division's leader heading into the Bessemer Trust Juvenile (gr. I).
When Lord Derby's Ouija Board seeks to defend her title in the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) Oct. 29, she could have the services of Jerry Bailey, whose 14 wins is first among all jockeys in World Thoroughbred Championships history.
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