Random Thoughts on Breeders’ Cup 2011

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While this Breeders’ Cup certainly provided two excitingdays of racing, more than ever I’m left convinced that claiming it is both a “worldchampionship” event and vital to determining end-of-year honors rings hollow.All that it did prove is any good horse can step up and win a big race on anygiven day—and it’s definitely not always the best horse. I’m only half-kiddingwhen I suggest that Rapid Redux shouldwin the Eclipse award for Horse of the Year. Setting aside the issue of whetheror not a claiming horse could actual defeat any “top” horses on the racetrack,the fact is no other horse in America was so tested, nor rose every time to thechallenge, than Rapid Redux. He’s 17for 17 this year, racing at seven different tracks, from 5-furlongs to9-furlongs, and with six different riders. I know I’m in the minority here, butwith no other clear-cut candidate, if I had a vote, it would be for him. Letthe flame fest begin!
In retrospect, other than Perfect Shirl’s whopping upset inthe F&M Turf, the restricted-gender races were quite formful. JuvenileFilly Turf winner Stephanie’s Kittenhadn’t missed a placing in four starts, including a Grade 1 victory in theAlcibiades last out. F&M Sprint winner MusicalRomance had placed in eight of 13 starts this year, including a narrowsecond-place in the Grade 1 Princess Rooney in July, a win in the Grade 2 PIDMasters’ followed up by another close runner-up finish in the Grade 2Thoroughbred Club of America at Keeneland. Juvenile Filly winner My Miss Aurelia, undefeated in threestarts, had won the Grade 1 Frizette last out, while Ladies’ Classic (Distaff)winner Royal Delta had won three ofsix starts, including the Grade 1 Alabama before her runner-up finish behindHavre de Grace in the Grade 1 Beldame. Interestingly, none of those BC winnerssaw a jockey change, except PerfectShirl. That filly had run six times this year without a victory, but was inthe money four times including a narrow second-place finish in the Grade 2 Canadianmost recently.
The juveniles also provided little in the way of surprises.Juvenile Sprint winner Secret Circleremained undefeated, as did Juvenile male Hansenwhile Juvenile Turf winner Wrote hadnever missed a placing, including a third in the Group 2 Royal Lodge atNewmarket. None of the juvenile winners had raced too early in the year either:Stephanie’s Kitten (four startssince July 9), My Miss Aurelia (threestarts since July 22), Secret Circle(two starts since July 23), Wrote(four starts since August 15), and Hansen(two starts since September 9).
While those stats are understandable, the other results inopen company races defied logic in some instances. Marathon winner Afleet Again hadn’t won in eight startsthis year; his last victory was back in April 2010, in the Grade 3 Withers—14 startsago! Mile winner Court Vision wonlast year’s Grade 1 Woodbine Mile, but had been unplaced in four starts thisyear including a seventh-place finish last out. Far more seemingly qualifiedand formful horses just couldn’t pull it together, perhaps just indicative ofhow poor in quality racing has become at the highest level in this country, regardlessof surface and distance. Why? In many instances I’m convinced it’s poor oroverly-ambitious placement, chasing the Derby dream or aiming for all the wrongevents. Or perhaps the Breeders’ Cup races themselves have become too diluated…
Other random thoughts:

• Mile winner Caleb’sPosse ran arguably the most impressive BC race, closing like a freighttrain to snatch victory from a game Shackleford,the latter looking amazing fresh making his 10th start of the year. If theyreturn as 4-year-olds, I’d love to see them hook up again in the Grade 1 MetMile and other events between 7- and 8.5-furlongs. Please, avoid the temptationto stretch them out.
• Running Uncle Moin the Classic was not brave or gutsy; it was pure selfish egotism and nothingmore. Not only did he have to overcome a serious illness this year, but alsotake on more battle-tested older horses going a distance he had neverattempted. It was a ridiculous thing to ask of him—and someone should haveknown better. A start in the Dirt Mile would have been far more appropriate,although I’m not sure even he could have defeated Caleb’s Posse or Shackleford.
• Talk about a powerhouse prep race for the Breeders’ Cup! Since its inaugural running five years ago, the Presque Isle Masters’ Stakes has produced 3consecutive F&M Sprint winners: InformedDecision (2009), Dubai Majesty(2010) and Musical Romance (2011).Kudos to PID’s Tapeta surface for providing just the right amount of fitnessconditioning, and to the trainers wise enough to make this out-of-the-way tracka key stop on the road to the Breeders’ Cup.
• While at the time the Grade 1 Travers looked good, turns outthe Grade 1 Haskell was even better, with runner-up Shackleford second in the Dirt Mile and Ruler On Ice third in the Classic behind older horses. Travers winner Stay Thirsty and runner-up Rattlesnake Bridge finished well-back in the Classic.
• Who would have thought that another key race this year wouldhave been the 5-horse Grade 2 Brooklyn Handicap? In addition to Marathon winnerAfleet Again who finished dead-last,the winner Birdrun ran second in theMarathon, while runner-up Drosselmeyercaptured the Classic.
• And joke all you will about D’Tara, but the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes provides just the type ofstamina test our best horses need. 2010 Belmont winner Drosselmeyer and fourth-place finisher Game on Dude fleshed out this year’s Classic exacta, while Ruler on Ice justified his Belmont winthis year with his third-place showing in the Classic—not to mention Belmontthird-place finisher Brilliant Speedturned in a spectacular appearance capturing third in the Turf, and fifth-placefinisher Shackleford ran second inthe Dirt Mile. All hail, Big Sandy!