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THOROUGHBRED BEAT AUGUST 14, 2008 by James Scully Festival --- Saturday's International Festival of Racing featured a trio of top-class performances, with SPIRIT ONE (Fr) (Anabaa Blue) withstanding the late run of the favored Archipenko (Kingmambo) to win the Arlington Million (G1) and MAURALAKANA (Fr) (Muhtathir [GB]) confirming her dominance over the U.S. distaff turf division with an authoritative 1 1/4-length score in the Beverly D. S. (G1). The quality of this year's races was much better than 2007, but last year's Secretariat S. (G1) winner Shamdinan (Fr) (Dr Fong) completed the 1 1/4-mile distance faster than 2007 Million winner Jambalaya and was the only Festival runner to have an impact in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1), finishing second to English Channel at Monmouth Park. I'm not counting out the chances of Spirit One, Archipenko or third-placer MOUNT NELSON (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]) at Santa Anita, but I like WINCHESTER (Theatrical [Ire]) better. Similar to Shamdinan last year, Winchester garnered his first stakes win in the Secretariat. But the comparisons stop there. Winchester was a powerful winner, blowing off the far turn with an awesome display of acceleration, and cruised to the wire a 7 1/4-length winner. The pace was slower in the Secretariat, but the improving Winchester finished up in 2:01.76. Spirit One, who was under serious pressure the length of the stretch, stopped the teletimer in 2:02.17. Avoidance -- I like the bravado of Jess Jackson, challenging BIG BROWN's (Boundary) connections to a match-up against CURLIN (Smart Strike) in the August 30 Woodward S. (G1), but there was never a chance. Despite Richard Dutrow's boasts of superiority a day after the Haskell S. (G1), they don't want any part of Curlin. At least not until they know that Big Brown is back to his Kentucky Derby (G1)-Preakness (G1) form. The once-beaten colt can improve upon his workmanlike score in the Haskell, but he's got to prove it first. And his connections can easily avoid a beast like Curlin. IEAH Stables wants a turf race created on September 20 for Big Brown and the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (G1) at Belmont Park is available only a week later, but Jackson is now pushing for a match-up in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) on September 27. He should expect another declined invitation. Zenyatta -- Following a less-than-stellar victory in Vanity H. (G1) on July 5, unbeaten ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire]) showed how special she is with a convincing victory in the Clement L. Hirsch H. (G2) on August 2. She can handle any ground, crushing champion Ginger Punch (Awesome Again) and her other rivals on dirt in the Apple Blossom H. (G1) earlier this year, and the four-year-old filly will get feel for the new synthetic track at Santa Anita in the Lady's Secret S. (G1) on September 27. If she wins that impressively, the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) immediately becomes a topic of debate. With the possibility of Curlin, Big Brown and even Commentator (Distorted Humor) skipping the main event, we could be left with a couple turf horses as top contenders. John Shirreffs wants no part of the Classic discussion right now, insisting that the race formerly known as the Distaff (G1) will be Zenyatta's target, but he may not be able to avoid the temptation if the Classic comes up light. Speed -- INDIAN BLESSING (Indian Charlie) smoked her overmatched rivals in the August 2 Test S. (G1), never appearing to break a sweat while winning by seven lengths, and she's registered BRIS Early Pace ratings of 114 and 111 in her recent starts with solid BRIS Speed ratings of 106 and 107 in her last two outings. She'd be a serious threat in the seven-furlong Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, and the six-furlong Sprint (G1) would even be an option with top contenders Street Boss (Street Cry [Ire]) and Benny the Bull (Lucky Lionel) both being one-run closers. Speed kills, but Indian Blessing didn't run her best race over Cushion Track at Santa Anita earlier this year and might not be as effective on synthetic surfaces. The possibility that she could skip the Breeders' Cup is unfortunate. Lemon -- He's known mostly for his daughters, with Grade 1 winners Citronnade, Christmas Kid and Lemons Forever to his credit, and turf millionaire Cosmonaut is perhaps his best son. But Lemon Drop Kid is flush with a couple of promising juvenile colts this year. CHARITABLE MAN turned heads at the Spa on Sunday, winning his career debut, a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight event, by 11 1/2 lengths is spectacular fashion, and the Kiaran McLaughlin trainee looks like a major player in the division the rest of the year. Belmont S. (G1) and Travers S. (G1) hero Lemon Drop Kid, a $3.2 million earner and 2000 champion older male, is also represented by BREAK WATER EDISON, who will make his first stakes appearance in Thursday's Saratoga Special (G2) off an impressive 4 3/4-length score in his career debut at Belmont Park on July 17. The John Kimmel-trained colt figures to face a major test against the likes of Reynaldothewizard (Speightstown), Run Away and Hide (City Zip) and Lyin' Heart (Lion Heart), but he could be the speed of the speed in the 6 1/2-furlont event.
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