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TURF DIARY

OCTOBER 14, 2009

by Kellie Reilly

In this issue, we'll analyze the recent Breeders' Cup preps, first for the Turf (G1) and then for the Mile (G1), and take a look at Saturday's Canadian International (Can-G1).

Hermeneutic of rupture: This introductory phrase, for all of its academic jargon, precisely sums up what happened in the October 3 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (G1) at Belmont Park: an "interpretation" that sees an event as a fundamental break from the past. In the Joe Hirsch, the 43-1 longshot INTERPATATION (Langfuhr) threw in by far the biggest effort of his 50-race career, halted the triumphal progress of divisional leader GIO PONTI (Tale of the Cat), and interrupted the smoothly flowing narrative of the season.

As a practical matter, however, the Joe Hirsch should have no bearing on Gio Ponti's standing. The Christophe Clement trainee had already ventured into historic territory by winning four straight Grade 1 turf events, and his chances of extending his streak to five took a hit when downpours pelted the turf. The course condition would not have been a major factor over a lesser trip, but Gio Ponti was making his debut at 1 1/2 miles, and on soft ground, it was a much stiffer test of stamina.

For the first 11 furlongs, everything went according to plan for Gio Ponti. He relaxed off the pace set by the surprising front runner, Interpatation, who broke with all of his past precedent to grab the early lead. Leaving the far turn, Gio Ponti asserted himself and sluiced through the going to take command. The hard-knocking Interpatation looked set to place in the Joe Hirsch for the third straight year.

Then a sea change occurred in midstretch. Gio Ponti began to tire inside the 12th furlong, as if he hit the proverbial brick wall, and his stamina ebbed away. Meanwhile, Interpatation hopped onto his left lead, put his head down and gradually fought back on the inside. The seven-year-old gelding doesn't have a real turn of foot, let alone the turbo speed of Gio Ponti, but the Joe Hirsch demanded something that Interpatation does have: bottomless stamina. In what can only be called a war of attrition, Interpatation prevailed by 1 3/4 lengths and snapped a two-year losing streak.

His unlikely success has the quality of a fable, complete with a moral lesson. Owner Elliot Mavorah, following the guidance of his Orthodox rabbi, instructed trainer Robert Barbara not to work Interpatation on Yom Kippur. For his piety in observing the holy day, Mavorah and Interpatation were rewarded with a fantastic victory.

Neither of the top two is headed to the November 7 Breeders' Cup Turf, for good reason. Interpatation would be out of his element in that environment. Gio Ponti would probably handle 1 1/2 miles on Santa Anita's firm turf, but an assault on the 1 1/4-mile Classic (G1) has much more upside for him. He should have already sewn up the Eclipse Award as champion turf horse, so the Turf wouldn't bolster his case that much. Given the flux of the older male division, however, and the fact that the Classic is contested on the synthetic Pro-Ride, Gio Ponti could enter calculations for champion older male if he succeeds in that spot. Indeed, had Clement not already announced that the Classic was his aim, I would have argued for it. This "nothing ventured, nothing gained" spirit is to be applauded.

As a footnote to the Joe Hirsch, TELLING (A.P. Indy) proved that his Sword Dancer Invitational (G1) upset was no fluke with a solid effort. After making an eye-catching move on the far turn, Telling lugged in, then drifted out, possibly trying to find his footing on the ground, and crossed the wire in third. In his wandering around, Telling compromised defending champion GRAND COUTURIER (GB) (Grand Lodge), and was subsequently demoted and placed fourth. While the disqualification was warranted, Telling was finishing in front of Grand Couturier for the second consecutive time. I think that Telling deserves a shot at the Turf.

Weather refugee: Thankfully, PRESIOUS PASSION (Royal Anthem) was scratched from mission impossible in the Joe Hirsch, where he would have come apart on the ground. The Mary Hartmann charge headed to Oak Tree for the firm turf on offer in Sunday's Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship (G1), and the flamboyant performer took full advantage to score by 2 1/2 lengths. The scratch of the speedy BLACK ASTOR (Black Minnaloushe) ensured that Presious Passion would enjoy an uncontested lead, but it's highly doubtful that Black Astor would have compromised him in any meaningful way.

Without Black Astor to force the issue, Presious Passion got away with relatively moderate fractions. His slowest split was his opening quarter in :24 1/5. Presious Passion reeled off his second quarter in :23 1/5, and after posting :24 for his third quarter, he sped up to deliver the coup de grace. His fourth quarter was achieved in :23 4/5, and he came home his final quarter in :23 3/5 to complete 1 1/4 miles in 1:59. Nor did he want to stop there, for he continued to gallop out vigorously, and regular rider Elvis Trujillo had a hard time pulling him up on the backstretch.

Admittedly, his Clement Hirsch rivals left something to be desired, and Presious Passion was entitled to outclass the usual suspects in Southern California. A far stronger group will await him in the Breeders' Cup Turf, when he must carry that speed another two furlongs. Hartmann believes that the longer distance suits him best, but his most notable victories at 1 1/2 miles have come at the Grade 2 level at Gulfstream and Calder, and the Breeders' Cup is a league apart. On the other hand, the fact that Presious Passion was essentially rating on the front end in the Clement Hirsch, and not running off at a wild pace and hanging on for dear life, suggests that he is learning to harness that speed.

It's (not) just as well: The September 20 Northern Dancer Turf S. (Can-G1) at Woodbine yielded a messy result, clouded by interference and one high-profile disqualification. The Neil Drysdale-trained MARSH SIDE (Gone West) enjoyed the picture-perfect trip, sitting in second off slow fractions, and capitalized on this favorable set-up to cross the wire a half-length in front of the rallying JUST AS WELL (A.P. Indy). Unfortunately, Marsh Side hung to his left across the course during the stretch run. To his inside, QUIJANO (Ger) (Acatenango) also drifted inward, and eventually came over into the path of defending champion CHAMPS ELYSEES (GB) (Danehill), shutting him off just when he was making headway. Champs Elysees was unable to regroup and wound up fourth.

Who was guilty of interfering with Champs Elysees? Jockey Garrett Gomez claimed foul against both Marsh Side and Quijano, the unofficial first- and third-place finishers. The stewards, however, ruled that Marsh Side herded and interfered with Quijano, who was helplessly forced to interfere with Champs Elysees. Convicting Marsh Side, they disqualified him and placed him fourth. Just as Well was awarded the victory, and Quijano was promoted to second.

While this was an extremely tough call, I'm not convinced that Quijano was an innocent bystander. Perhaps his leftward motion was influenced by Marsh Side at first, but later in the drive, Quijano appeared to be drifting in willingly. Rather than being crowded by Marsh Side, and hanging left as a reaction, it looked to me that he was all too happy to drift in himself under Andrasch Starke's vigorous right-handed whip. Indeed, after Quijano crossed over on Champs Elysees, Starke switched to a left-handed stick, to straighten his mount's course. Might that imply that Quijano was hanging of his own accord? If so, then he obviously shouldn't have been rewarded, while Marsh Side was punished, especially since it was Quijano who cut off Champs Elysees. Marsh Side's owner, Robert Evans, is appealing the decision.

Amid the fog of the Northern Dancer battle, two things are crystal clear. First, Just as Well's monumental performance on the step up to 1 1/2 miles must not be overlooked. Despite lagging far off the early crawl, the Jonathan Sheppard charge produced a furious late rush to miss narrowly. Considering that Marsh Side flew his final quarter in :22 4/5, Just as Well must have clocked approximately :21 4/5, at one point altering course to the outside, to make up as much ground as he did. Second, the Northern Dancer paid a handsome compliment to Gio Ponti, for the first three past the post had all been beaten by the divisional leader this summer.

Vivat Ventura: The September 20 Woodbine Mile (Can-G1) was refreshingly unambiguous, as VENTURA (Chester House) was at her brilliant best, despite reappearing from a five-month layoff. After traveling with conspicuous ease near the rear of the field early, on a tight rein, the Bobby Frankel mare exploded through the stretch to win by a cozy length. Ventura thereby ranks as the first distaffer to take the Woodbine Mile in its 13-year history.

Her triumph was not only visually impressive; it stands up to scrutiny on the clock as well. By rattling off her final quarter in a shade less than :22, she set a new stakes record time of 1:32.04, easily eclipsing the old stakes mark of 1:32.72 established by Soaring Free in 2004.

With her outstanding acceleration, Ventura would be a prime contender for the Breeders' Cup Mile. Alas, instead of seeking new worlds to conquer, she's mounting a title defense in the Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) on the Pro-Ride. I understand the argument that she is more effective around one turn, but in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1) in March at Santa Anita, run over the same course and distance as the Breeders' Cup Mile, Ventura was beaten on the wire by Gio Ponti. Is that not enough of a recommendation to press ahead?

FERNELEY (Ire) (Ishiguru), a gallant runner-up to Ventura in the Woodbine Mile, will represent the form in the Breeders' Cup Mile. Originally expected to swerve the Breeders' Cup because he was not nominated as a foal, Ferneley will be made eligible now, for the requisite fee.

Ferneley certainly exceeded my expectations at Woodbine. He had the speed and dexterity to take a gap as soon as it appeared, and although he was outkicked by Ventura, he still drew a convincing three lengths clear of third-placer STERWINS (Runaway Groom). Ferneley turned in a high-class performance, arguably the finest of his career, and vindicated trainer Ben Cecil's belief that he would find Woodbine more congenial than Del Mar. That's the rub, however, regarding his Breeders' Cup hopes. Will he duplicate his Woodbine effort at Santa Anita, or relapse to his less-than-spectacular ways back home in Southern California?

Back in the game: As mentioned in a few diary editions earlier this season, COURT VISION (Gulch) had been an archrival of Gio Ponti last year, but the two had gone in opposite directions in 2009. Court Vision's four-year-old campaign had started out frustrating, and it went downhill from there, prompting a trainer switch from Bill Mott to Rick Dutrow. What no one knew at the time, though, was that the royally-bred dark bay was bothered by an ascended testicle. According to Daily Racing Form, the problem was finally diagnosed, Court Vision had surgery, and the IEAH Stables colorbearer subsequently perked up in his training.

Now healthy, Court Vision rebounded to capture Saturday's Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) in his debut for Dutrow, rescuing his season and putting himself squarely in contention for the Breeders' Cup Mile. Interestingly, he was dropping back to a mile for the first time since his juvenile days, when he landed the Iroquois S. (G3) on the dirt at Churchill Downs. But because the Keeneland turf came up soft for the Shadwell, it may have played to the strengths of a horse who stays farther, so it's difficult to draw any firm conclusions about his preferred trip.

Court Vision was reserved in fourth early, not far off the slow pace set by KARELIAN (Bertrando), who was returning from a 10-month layoff. When Karelian injected a serious dose of speed turning for home, blitzing his seventh furlong in :11 3/5, Court Vision was covering that move and gaining ground himself. The two battled heads apart through a final furlong in :11 4/5, with Karelian all heart to hold on and Court Vision every bit as implacable on the outside. Court Vision proved the stronger by a nose, but Karelian performed heroically in defeat.

The final time for the Shadwell -- 1:38 3/5 -- was virtually identical to that posted by IEAH's new recruit DIAMONDRELLA (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]) in the First Lady S. (G1) two races earlier over the same course and distance. Diamondrella came home in roughly :11 4/5 herself. (Her Breeders' Cup objective is to be determined, as will be discussed in the upcoming Filly & Mare Turf diary).

Conditions will be markedly different for Court Vision in the Breeders' Cup Mile, which will demand razor-sharp speed on a firm course, but he will give IEAH a major player in the event for the third straight year. It is ironic that he should inherit the mantle of his stablemate, the now-sidelined Kip Deville (Kipling), who won the 2007 Mile and finished runner-up last year: Court Vision is a full brother to Kip Deville's sire, Kipling.

Other than marking the bona fide renaissance of Court Vision, the Shadwell is problematic because of the soft ground. Sterwins did not flatter the Woodbine form when running a non-threatening fifth, and more tellingly, JUSTENUFFHUMOR (Distorted Humor) never got involved from off the pace in sixth. The Kiaran McLaughlin charge was suffering his first loss from seven turf starts, and it goes without saying that this race is hardly a reflection of his ability. By the same token, Justenuffhumor may have found a mile a bit too short for him, even in the best of circumstances, and that remains an open question after the Shadwell.

Cowboy's at home out West: While Justenuffhumor was flailing away at Keeneland, his old victim COWBOY CAL (Giant's Causeway) paid him a compliment with a front-running score in Saturday's Oak Tree Mile (G2). The Todd Pletcher trainee had been beaten by Justenuffhumor twice in a row at Saratoga, his second loss coming in the Bernard Baruch H. (G2) last time out, when he was nailed approaching the wire.

Cowboy Cal didn't have anyone of that stature gunning for him at Oak Tree, and on the slight cutback to a mile, he underscored once again how tough a customer he is. Moreover, like fellow East Coast shipper Presious Passion in the Clement Hirsch, he exposed the existential weakness of the Southern California turf set.

After shrugging off initial pressure from MONTEREY JAZZ (Thunderello), who ultimately faded in the stretch, Cowboy Cal kicked clear and was always doing enough to hold off Eddie Read (G1) winner GLOBAL HUNTER (Arg) (Jade Hunter) by three-quarters of a length. He turned in a sharp final time of 1:33 over the same course and distance as the Breeders' Cup Mile. While not the most naturally gifted of Mile contenders, Cowboy Cal is game and genuine, and it would be no surprise if he fights on for a minor award on the big day.

A tale of three trips: At this writing, it's unclear whether last Saturday's Jamaica H. (G1) at Belmont will have any Breeders' Cup implications, and given how the race unfolded, such clues may not be readily decipherable anyway. TAKE THE POINTS (Even the Score) followed up his photo-finish victory in the Secretariat S. (G1) with another narrow decision in the Jamaica, driving to win by a head from STRAIGHT STORY (Giant's Causeway), with COURAGEOUS CAT (Storm Cat) three-quarters of a length back in third.

Take the Points deserves credit for his willing attitude, and the Pletcher colt has been improving since Straight Story defeated him twice at Colonial over the summer. On the other hand, Take the Points was also the beneficiary of the best trip in the Jamaica, courtesy of Edgar Prado. The same could not be said of his opponents. Straight Story, who has done all of his best work up on the pace, flashed speed from the rail in the opening strides, only to be wrangled back under stout restraint. Meanwhile, Courageous Cat went to the front, wound up being engaged by a longshot, eased back, was pocketed turning for home, and didn't deliver his rally until the winner had already flown.

Take the Points was rank early, but Prado got him into the ideal stalking position on the outside, and made his winning move on the far turn. Straight Story tried to play the role of hunter, and he threw down a dangerous challenge to Take the Points, but the winner knuckled down and repelled him. I think that Straight Story wasn't best served by his tactics on the day. Still, Take the Points was spotting him four pounds as the 121-pound highweight.

The November 29 Hollywood Derby (G1) is the logical port of call for the principals, but Pletcher left the door open to supplementing Take the Points to the Breeders' Cup.

Canadian International: The Woodbine turf season reaches its apex on Saturday with this 1 1/2-mile event, which serves up an ever-intriguing clash of North Americans and European invaders. The Canadian International is also the last major prep for the Breeders' Cup Turf, but hardly any of its contenders are contemplating Santa Anita at the moment.

The top four from the aforementioned Northern Dancer – Marsh Side, Just as Well, Quijano and Champs Elysees – will come to blows again, and hopefully the outcome will be decided on the course, not in the stewards' room.

Marsh Side, the defending Canadian International champion, will try to become the first horse since George Royal (1965-66) to win back-to-back runnings. (Majesty's Prince was a two-time hero, but not consecutively, in 1982 and 1984).

The placegetters from last year will try to improve on those performances this time around. SPICE ROUTE (GB) (King's Best), the runner-up in 2008, has not run since his subpar fifth in the July 26 Nijinsky S. (Can-G2) on soft ground. The Roger Attfield charge exited the Nijinsky with body soreness and pulled muscles, but is pleasing his connections in advance of his return, according to the DRF.

Champs Elysees, who finished third to Marsh Side and Spice Route last year, will try to go out in a blaze of glory in his final career start. The Juddmonte Farms homebred is scheduled to retire to stud afterward. Quijano, a disappointing ninth here in 2008, had been a solid third in the 2007 Canadian International.

Of the three newly arrived European shippers, BUCCELLATI (GB) (Soviet Star) looks particularly dangerous as an under-the-radar type. The Andrew Balding charge is only a multiple Group 3 winner on paper, but that obscures a few fine efforts at a higher level. Sixth in last December's Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1), beaten all of two lengths by Doctor Dino (Fr), Buccellati opened 2009 with a third to the classy Tartan Bearer (Spectrum) and Pipedreamer (Selkirk) in the Gordon Richards S. (Eng-G3).

After a front-running success through a risible pace in the Ormonde S. (Eng-G3), Buccellati stepped up in class in the Coronation Cup (Eng-G1) in June, where he was making a good-looking move, only to be badly hampered and practically eased. Injured in the wake of the scuffle, Buccellati was sidelined until September. He returned to finish last of four in the Prix Foy (Fr-G2), beaten fewer than four lengths by the likes of Spanish Moon (El Prado [Ire]) and Vision d'Etat (Chichicastenango) in what was just a tightener for the Canadian International.

The Mark Johnston-trained JUKEBOX JURY (Ire) (Montjeu [Ire]) will try to become the first three-year-old to win the Canadian International since Phoenix Reach (Ire), who scored for Buccellati's conditioner Balding in 2003. The gray colt is a real battler, as illustrated by his photo-finish successes over older horses in the Preis von Europa (Ger-G1) and Grand Prix de Deauville (Fr-G2) in his last two outings. Earlier in the season, Jukebox Jury defeated Godolphin's useful Campanologist (Kingmambo) in the Rose of Lancaster S. (Eng-G3), and he had been sixth to the all-conquering Sea the Stars in the Eclipse S. (Eng-G1).

ALLIED POWERS (Ire) (Invincible Spirit) is the least accomplished of the trio, but the Michael Bell trainee was second to Godolphin's well-regarded Kirklees (Jade Robbery) in the York S. (Eng-G2) three starts back. If Kirklees fares well in the Caulfield Cup (Aus-G1) on Friday night U.S. time (Saturday in Australia), it could boost Allied Powers' stock.

On the horizon: The year's final issue will feature selections for the Breeders' Cup Turf and Mile.

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