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CLASSIC DIARY JUNE 25, 2009 by James Scully The Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) picture is muddled due to a lack of quality in the older horse division. EINSTEIN (Brz) (Spend a Buck), an authoritative winner of the Santa Anita H. (G1) in his lone attempt on a synthetic track, rates as the leading contender among older horses, and he wouldn't even be considered for the Classic on a dirt track; he would be pointed to one of the turf events. But the Classic will be held over the Pro-Ride at Santa Anita for the second consecutive year, and three-year-olds will have the opportunity to make a serious impact. Synthetic stakes winners MINE THAT BIRD (Birdstone) and PIONEEROF THE NILE (Empire Maker) merit respect, and Belmont (G1) winner SUMMER BIRD (Birdstone) and Florida Derby (G1) hero QUALITY ROAD (Elusive Quality) could prove formidable if they remain healthy and make a successful transition to the artificial footing. The three-year-old filly RACHEL ALEXANDRA (Medaglia d'Oro), who recorded an impressive allowance victory over the Polytrack at Keeneland last year, is a longshot to show up at Santa Anita (co-owner Jess Jackson doesn't like synthetic tracks), but she could make her presence felt if her connections change course. It reminds me of 2007 when the older division was in shambles after Horse of the Year Invasor (Arg) was retired early in the season due to an injury. Eventual champion Lawyer Ron came on very strong, winning the Oaklawn H. (G2), Whitney H. (G1) and Woodward S. (G1) prior to a head second in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), but he was the only legitimate older horse in the Classic field as the three-year-olds Curlin, Street Sense, Hard Spun and Any Given Saturday commanded most of the spotlight. The big difference is the possibility of another European assault. The Pro-Ride played right up their alley last year as turf horses Raven's Pass and Henrythenavigator dominated in a one-two finish, and Aidan O'Brien, who has saddled both Giant's Causeway and Henrythenavigator to runner-up finishes in the 1 1/4-mile Classic, will likely point four-time Group 1 victor MASTERCRAFTSMAN (Danehill Dancer) toward the November 7 event. "He's just one of those great horses," O'Brien said following the three-year-old colt's 4 1/2-length romp in the prestigious one-mile St James's Palace S. (Eng-G1) on June 16. "He's becoming very like a Giant's Causeway, the sort of horse that doesn't mind a mile or a mile and a quarter." Mastercraftsman is a very exciting prospect. Fillies were faster -- Credit MACHO AGAIN (Macho Uno) with a solid win in the June 13 Stephen Foster H. (G1), but he ran slower than the four-year-old filly Miss Isella (Silver Charm) one race earlier in the Fleur de Lis H. (G2). Einstein, who was looking to become the first horse to win Grade 1 races on synthetic, turf and dirt in succession, was probably best in the nine-furlong Foster, but he suffered a terrible trip. Julien Leparoux got stuck on the inside, blocked behind horses from midway on the far turn until deep stretch, and the seven-year-old horse surged toward the front, only to come up a little short in third, once clear. He quickly galloped out past the top two finishers past the wire, but dirt isn't Einstein's best surface anyway. He favors turf/synthetics. Macho Again recorded his first Grade 1 victory, but his form is marked by inconsistencies. He finished eighth in the Travers (G1) following a game score in the Jim Dandy (G2) last summer. After posting a runner-up in the Super Derby (G2), he recorded unplaced efforts in the Woodchopper S. and Sunshine Millions Classic. He turned things around with a good-looking victory in the March 14 New Orleans H. (G2), but then delivered the Alysheba clunker as the favorite. His 100 BRIS Speed rating in the Foster was a season-best, but it doesn't compare favorably with recent Foster winners Curlin (104), Flashy Bull (107), Saint Liam (109), Colonial Colony (110) and Perfect Drift (109). Filly favored in Gold Cup? -- Who is the horse to beat in the upcoming Hollywood Gold Cup (G1)? It's Grade 1-winning filly Life Is Sweet (Storm Cat). There's no reason for owner Marty Wygod to bang heads with Zenyatta (Street Cry [Ire]) in distaff races when his four-year-old is more than capable of knocking off a woeful group of older horses on the West Coast, and I don't understand what the connections of Zenyatta are afraid of. They should be dreaming big, but Zenyatta instead appears destined to go through the motions against overmatched female competition. The improving PARADING (Pulpit), winner of the Dixie S. (G2) and Ben Ali S. (G3) in his last two outings, looks like the stiffest competition for Life Is Sweet if he ships in for Shug McGaughey. TIAGO (Pleasant Tap) and COLONEL JOHN (Tiznow), who are both based in Southern California, aren't being pointed toward the Gold Cup, and that leaves horses like INFORMED (Tiznow) and MAST TRACK (Mizzen Mast) as top local contenders. A $25,000 claimer last summer, Informed registered a dismal 92 BRIS Speed rating when notching his first career stakes win in the June 13 Californian S. (G2). Mast Track, who is in training at Santa Anita for owner/breeder/trainer Bobby Frankel, is winless in five starts since last year's Gold Cup upset, including two unplaced outings this year. WELL ARMED (Tiznow), a record-setting 14-length winner of the 10-furlong Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) on March 28, is based in Southern California but will skip the Gold Cup in favor of the 1 1/16-mile San Diego H. (G2) early in the Del Mar meet. After Well Armed won the 1 1/8-mile Goodwood last September, his connections thought so little of his chances in the Breeders' Cup Classic that they decided to run him in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, where he struggled home ninth. The six-year-old gelding opened his 2009 campaign with a fourth in the San Pasqual H. (G2) and a second in the San Antonio H. (G2). Bird strikes -- IT'S A BIRD (Birdonthewire) has taken advantage of similar conditions in the Midwest/East Coast where there isn't much quality, winning three stakes races so far this year, including the Oaklawn H. The signature event for older horses in Hot Springs, Arkansas, couldn't have come up much softer, with RUNFORTHEDOE (Brz) (Our Emblem) dropping a couple of starts versus conditioned allowance/optional claiming foes at Santa Anita prior to his runner-up finish. Winless in the United States, Runforthedoe was last seen finishing sixth in the Metropolitan H. (G1) After winning the Oaklawn H. by six lengths, It's a Bird eked out a narrow victory over JONESBORO (Sefapiano) and SONG OF NAVARONE (Sultry Song) in the May 25 Lone Star Park H. (G3). Song of Navarone recorded a non-threatening fourth in the California most recently. Jonesboro will contest Saturday's Prairie Meadows Cornhusker H. (G2). New York -- There's little excitement for the upcoming July 4 Suburban H. (G2), which could attract It's a Bird and Foster runner-up ASIATIC BOY (Arg) (Not for Sale), and the August 8 Whitney H. (G1) shapes up as COMMENTATOR's (Distorted Humor) race to lose. An impressive 4 1/4-length victor last year at the Spa, the Nick Zito-trained gelding appears set for a third Whitney title, tuning up with a sharp seven-length score over New York-bred rivals on June 12, but Commentator can't carry his two-turn form elsewhere. Other Classic contenders -- Hollywood Turf Cup (G1) victor CHAMPS ELYSEES (GB) (Danehill), eighth in the 2008 Classic, recorded a fast-finishing second to Einstein in the Big 'Cap and will likely pointed toward another another Classic bid this fall. GIO PONTI (Tale of the Cat), who exits a pair of outstanding turf wins in the Manhattan H. (G1) and Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1), was successful over the Pro-Ride last December in the off-the-turf Sir Beaufort S. (G3) and has the class to be a factor if he can transfer his grass form. He faltered when fifth as the favorite in February's Strub S. (G2), but trainer Christophe Clement could elect to test the Classic waters in the coming months by running him in a prep race over a synthetic track. Tiago hasn't been seen since finishing third in the February 8 San Antonio and Colonel John is unraced this year, but they both appear to be in serious training and could make some noise later this year. Upcoming -- The July 18 Swaps S. (G2) is up next for Pioneerof the Nile, and I'm looking forward to his possible first start against elders in the $1 million Pacific Classic (G1) on September 6. Runner-up in the Kentucky Derby (G1) over a muddy track, the Bob Baffert-trained colt was no factor when trying a fast track in the Preakness (G1), beating only two horses in 11th, but he's a different animal on synthetics, sweeping the CashCall Futurity (G1), Robert B. Lewis S. (G2), San Felipe S. (G2) and Santa Anita Derby (G1) in succession before shipping to Kentucky. Trainer Bob Baffert won the 1999 Pacific Classic with three-year-old General Challenge, but the Breeders' Cup wasn't on his home ground that year and the gelding didn't like to ship, checking in 10th at Gulfstream Park. Pioneerof the Nile runs his best races on the Pro-Ride at Santa Anita, so I'm excited to see what he can do the rest of the season.
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