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THOROUGHBRED BEAT APRIL 18, 2008 by James Scully Okie-bred standout -- Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) winner KIP DEVILLE (Kipling) returned to the races off a six-month hiatus with a sharp one-length score in the Maker's Mark Mile (G1) at Keeneland last Friday, and the five-year-old gray horse is probably the best U.S.-based turf horse in training. Given his pedigree, it wasn't surprising to see the Oklahoma-bred return to the races this year, but trainer Richard Dutrow delivered a curveball when announcing that he'll probably give Kip Deville another five months off, waiting for the Woodbine Mile (Can-G1) in September. A repeat in the Breeders' Cup Mile is the ultimate goal, but Kip Deville's connections will bypass many lucrative prizes with only one more start before late October. We'd love to see him run a little more as well. The Babe -- RUTHERIENNE (Pulpit) can take her game on the road, and all she does is win. She made her four-year-old bow in a tough spot Saturday, facing nine challengers in the Jenny Wiley S. (G2) at Keeneland, and the Grade 1-winning lass gutted out a neck decision, improving to nine-for-11 overall, with a six-for-six mark at 1 1/16 miles. Trained by Christophe Clement, Rutherienne has compiled six of her eight stakes wins over different courses. No wet weather blues -- Rain dampened the first two weekends at Keeneland, and more is predicted for the upcoming final weekend of the Spring Meet. The Polytrack comes in handy on wet afternoons, and the opening-day program of April 4 was a perfect example. Keeneland was deluged by approximately four inches of rain overnight, which would've left the old dirt track a mess with mass scratches, but there were very few withdrawals on the Polytrack, with the top contenders remaining in each race. In fact, all but one entrant in the Transylvania S. (G3) went to the starting gate despite the race being moved from turf to the main track. It was very easy to appreciate the Polytrack surface. SoCal star at Oaklawn -- ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire]) established herself as an up-and-coming member of the distaff division when winning her first three career starts in Southern California, but the four-year-old filly rose to the top with her 4 1/2-length thrashing in the April 5 Apple Blossom H. (G1). Making her dirt debut against Ginger Punch (Awesome Again), Zenyatta rated far off the early pace before beginning to pick up steam as she entered the far turn. She catapulted off the bend in spectacular fashion, humbling the champion mare in a breakthrough performance, and the John Shirreffs-trained winner earned a terrific 107 BRIS Speed rating. Zenyatta is simply a beast, and the blossoming filly has raced only four times. Enjoyable -- It was great to see Zenyatta and the top two finishers in the Oaklawn H. (G2), TIAGO (Pleasant Tap) and HEATSEEKER (Ire) (Giant's Causeway), transfer their synthetic form to a dirt track. Tiago, who captured the Goodwood S. (G1) on Cushion Track last fall, was already a proven commodity on dirt, winning the 2007 Santa Anita Derby (G1) over the old track, but Heatseeker had raced exclusively on turf and synthetic surfaces. The Santa Anita H. (G1) winner delivered a top-class performance in Hot Springs, Arkansas, falling only a head short of Tiago on the wire, and consistency is all racing fans can ask for at the Grade 1 level. Not all horses can do it -- we probably won't see Big 'Cap runner-up GO BETWEEN (Point Given) or third-placer CHAMPS ELYSEES (GB) (Danehill) ever win a race on dirt -- but Zenyatta and Heatseeker are the real deal regardless of surface. Unfavorable scenario -- Breeders' Cup officials will have a horse to root against in the Kentucky Derby (G1) in PYRO (Pulpit). The colt finished an extremely disappointing 10th in the Blue Grass S. (G1) over Keeneland's Polytrack, and trainer Steve Asmussen has suggested that he won't run Pyro in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) due to the likelihood of it being contested over a synthetic track at Santa Anita. Pyro may not be good enough to win the Kentucky Derby and Asmussen already has the leading Breeders' Cup Classic contender in Curlin (Smart Strike) in his barn, but it's still potentially bad PR for the Breeders' Cup if the Kentucky Derby winner opts out of the sport's championship event due to the track surface. Zayat -- Rumors are circulating that Ahmed Zayat is considering adding MASSIVE DRAMA (Kafwain) to his stable of Kentucky Derby prospects, but I refuse to believe it. Winless in three starts this year, the colt was most recently eased in the U.A.E. Derby (UAE-G2), halfway around the globe in Dubai. That race was only 20 days ago. With a win in the Hollywood Prevue (G3) and a third in the CashCall Futurity (G1) last year, Massive Drama likely has the graded earnings to make the Derby field, but that doesn't mean he should run. He would be odds-on to finish 20th and could easily knock a legitimate contender out of the race. Z HUMOR (Distorted Humor) and Z FORTUNE (Siphon [Brz]), who both rank in the top 10 in graded earnings, are already slated to wear Zayat's colors in the Run for the Roses, and RILEY TUCKER (Harlan's Holiday) can earn a berth with a victory in Saturday's Lexington S. (G2). Massive Drama doesn't need to be served up to the wolves.
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