INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Other than bruised egos and four stitches to close a gash on the 2-year-old Principle Secret, most California-based Breeders' Cup runners came home relatively unscathed. Many will race again soon.
None of the California runners had a tougher trip than Principle Secret, although the race chart of the Juvenile looks like he merely set a fast pace and stopped. But a hoofprint and stitches to the colt's right rear leg shows there was more to the story.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - While a number of Eclipse Award candidates were cementing their credentials on Breeders' Cup Day at Churchill Downs last Saturday, a pair of Canadian champions-in-waiting were spending a quiet afternoon in their stalls here at Woodbine.
Arravale, a Kentucky-bred 3-year-old filly trained by Mac Benson, and Sky Conqueror, an Ontario-bred 3-year-old colt trained by Darwin Banach, both wrapped up titles in their respective Sovereign Award turf categories by putting in strong performances in their last starts here Oct. 22.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Eddie Castro was in the Breeders' Cup record books for a little more than two hours Saturday before he was displaced by Fernando Jara. Castro, 21, became the youngest jockey to win a Breeders' Cup race when he guided Miesque's Approval to a 24-1 upset in the BC Mile at Churchill Downs, but then Jara, 18, rode Invasor to victory in the BC Classic.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Trainers Kay Cooper and John Martin were happy to see there was a race for their horses Thursday at Bay Meadows. But after looking at a tough five-horse field, which includes Marbury for Cooper and Me My Mine for Martin, they are reminded of that old warning: Be careful what you wish for.
Also competing in the race, a $62,500 optional claimer at one mile on the turf, are Ultimato, a last-out allowance winner on the turf; Faulkwood Shores, a front-runner; and In Excelsis, who comes north from Southern California.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Handicappers may be in a quandary when sizing up the chances of Mystic Dash in Thursday's Woodbine feature, a second-level Ontario-sired allowance.
Mystic Dash was arguably best over seven furlongs at this level, in his most recent start. After being blocked behind rivals for most of the stretch run, he finished fourth, just 1 1/2 lengths in arrears.
Both of Mystic Dash's victories were at 1 1/16 miles, which is the distance he will travel Thursday, and leading rider Emma Wilson inherits the mount, another plus.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - A forecast for heavy rain on Wednesday could have an impact on Thursday's $65,000 King Cugat, an overnight stakes for 3-year-olds scheduled for the turf course as race 7. Nine entered the 1 1/16-mile King Cugat, which would become a one-turn mile out of the chute if it is switched to dirt.
Turf or dirt, the one to catch is Silver Prospector. Though his last victory came on turf at the Meadowlands, he is coming off his two fastest races on dirt, each a runner-up finish with a Beyer Speed Figure of 94.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Chris Block declined to bring unbeaten Vacare from Chicago for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, but it's not as if the 17-year veteran trainer has an aversion to Churchill Downs. Four days after the 23rd Breeders' Cup World Championships were run here, Block will have put Reverential on a six-hour van ride from Hawthorne to Churchill in plenty of time for the colt to figure among the logical players in the Wednesday feature, a $52,500 turf allowance.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Bill Morey Jr. and Humberto Ascanio were replaying Sunday's running of the Bay Meadows Derby as they toasted each other after Proudinsky's solid victory over Bold Chieftain.
Morey, who bred and trains Bold Chieftain, was just as proud of his second-place finish as Ascanio, Bobby Frankel's assistant in Southern California, was of Proudinsky's first U.S. victory.
It wasn't the first time a Frankel-trained horse had defeated a Morey-trained horse. In the 2001 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker, the Frankel-trained Euchre defeated the Morey-trained Dixie Dot Com.
Making official what had been telegraphed for weeks, Darley Stud on Monday announced that Bernardini has been retired following the Breeders' Cup Classic and will enter stud duty this spring at Darley's Lexington, Ky., farm.
Bernardini finished second in the Breeders' Cup Classic, completing a year, and a career, in which he won 6 times in 8 starts. His victories include the Preakness Stakes, Travers Stakes, and the Jockey Club Gold Cup. He is the front-runner to be named the Eclipse Award-winning 3-year-old.