The connections of Falbrav for the past 10 days have been privately kicking around the idea of running in the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic rather than the $2 million Breeders' Cup Turf on Oct. 25 at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting. They went public with it on Thursday, but maintained the Turf is still the first, and most likely, choice.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Eurosilver, the runaway winner of the Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland last Saturday, will not run in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, trainer Nick Zito said Thursday. Zito also said that Phoenix Breeders' Cup Stakes winner Najran has been retired.
Both colts are owned by the Buckram Oak Farm of Mahmoud Foustok.
Eurosilver, who would have been one of the favorites for the BC Juvenile, came out of the Breeders' Futurity with a bucked shin, "So we're going to fire the shin and stop on him," said Zito.
Ruler's Court, whose 14-length victory in Sunday's Grade 2 Norfolk Stakes at Santa Anita would have made him one of the favorites for the $1.5 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Oct. 25, will pass the race, his connections announced on Thursday.
While Ruler's Court ran under Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum's Darley Stable colors this year, he will run under Maktoum's Godolphin Racing banner next year.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Eurosilver, runaway winner of the Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland last Saturday, will not run in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, trainer Nick Zito said Thursday. Zito also said that Phoenix Breeders' Cup Stakes winner Najran has been retired.
Both colts are owned by the Buckram Oak Farm of Monsour Foustok.
Eurosilver would have been one of the favorites for the BC Juvenile, but the colt came out of the Breeders' Futurity with a bucked shin, "So we're going to fire the shin and stop on him," said Zito.
A month ago he was out. No ifs, ands, or buts. Two weeks ago, he was on the fence. A week ago, he put one leg over the fence. And on Wednesday, trainer Murray Johnson took a great leap forward, saying that his top older horse Perfect Drift would indeed run in the Breeders' Cup Classic on Oct. 25 at Santa Anita.
The inclusion of Perfect Drift gives the Classic a much-needed boost. It had been battered by defections in recent weeks, including Candy Ride, Empire Maker, Funny Cide, and Mineshaft, the leading contender for Horse of the Year.
Take Charge Lady might be the most unappreciated filly in this year's outstanding crop of older fillies and mares. Her victory in last Sunday's Spinster Stakes at Keeneland was her second straight in that Grade 1 race, her fifth in as many starts at Keeneland, and her 11th win in 20 lifetime starts. She has been remarkably consistent, having finished in the top two in 15 of her last 16 races.
European runners have captured just one of the four previous renewals of the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Banks Hill's win at Belmont Park in 2001 is the only victory by a European since the race was added to the Breeders' Cup program in 1999.
When an army of sprinters assembled in New York, New Jersey, and Kentucky marches into California for the Breeders' Cup, it is in for a big surprise.
After all, you can't beat California speed. West Coast sprinters take no prisoners. They attack early, middle, and late. Suicidal quarter-miles in 21 seconds are followed by half-miles in 43 seconds. A California sprint race is 67 seconds of pedal-to-the-metal chaos. East Coast sprinters win? They may not even survive.
They haven't run a Breeders' Cup yet without trainer D. Wayne Lukas and they're not about to start now.
Lukas's participation in the 20th Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships was assured when Be Gentle won last Friday's Grade 2, $400,000 Darley Alcibiades by 5 1/2 lengths at Keeneland.
Lukas has won the Juvenile Fillies four times and has started 37 horses in that race since its inception in 1984. Lukas last won the race in 1999 with 32-1 shot Cash Run.
Last weekend was supposed to produce a number of challengers for Cuvee in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. But with Champagne winner Birdstone not running and Lane's End Futurity winner Eurosilver doubtful, only one serious challenger may have emerged.
