The final television rating for the nearly six-hour broadcast of the Breeders' Cup on ESPN on Saturday was a 0.8, the lowest rating ever for the event and a 47opercent decline from last year's 1.5 rating.
The broadcast, which aired from noon to 5:45 p.m., was watched by approximately 9.6omillion people, according to Mark Mandel, a spokesman for ESPN. The estimate for the number of people came from ESPN's research department, Mandel said.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A month after running the first triple-digit Beyer Speed Figure of her career, Callmeluckylucy will try to lead gate to wire on Thursday in the race-seven feature at Hollywood Park. Good luck to her.
Eight fillies and mares entered the two-other-than allowance/
optional claimer, and Callmelucky-
lucy faces a tall order trying to stretch her speed 6 1/2 furlongs.
"She loves this track," trainer Vladimir Cerin said, referring to the new artificial surface. "She worked 47 and 1 when it was really deep. I don't know how she'll like it now."
The slots-rich Zia Park will pay out more than $2 million in purses to New Mexico-breds on Sunday, when seven Thoroughbred stakes and four Quarter Horse stakes are run at the Hobbs, N.M., track. Entries for the second annual New Mexico Cup Day were taken on Tuesday.
"Things went real well, a lot of full fields," said Tom Davis, racing secretary at Zia Park.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Veteran jockey Calvin Borel long has been celebrated for his tireless work ethic and a complete lack of pretension. This is a main reason so many people were ecstatic for him when he won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in record fashion aboard Street Sense on Saturday at Churchill Downs.
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.