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THOROUGHBRED BEAT SEPTEMBER 27, 2007 by James Scully Tightener -- ANY GIVEN SATURDAY (Distorted Humor) didn't sail as expected in Saturday's Brooklyn H. (G2), feeling the sting of the whip repeatedly from Garrett Gomez as he drove to a 2 1/2-length decision over the grossly overmatched Tasteyville (With Approval), and it was easy to come away unimpressed with his workmanlike victory. But the Brooklyn was only a prep for the main event five weeks later, the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), and I'm not putting much stock into it. The concept of a prep race is easy to understand: it serves as a set-up for a bigger prize. And Breeders' Cup history shows that winning or losing a prep race isn't important. It didn't matter that Tiznow finished third in the 2001 Goodwood Breeders' Cup H. (G2). Or that six of eight winners in the 2006 Breeders' Cup dropped their previous start. In fact, 14 of 24 Breeders Cup race winners (58 percent) over the last three years lost their final prep race. Any Given Saturday displayed an affinity for Monmouth Park when posting an excellent 4 1/2-length score in the Haskell Invitational S. (G1) two starts ago, and he didn't need to run back to that performance in the Brooklyn. Upset -- GRASSHOPPER (Dixie Union) failed as the 1-5 favorite in Saturday's Super Derby (G2), giving up the lead late to deep closer GOING BALLISTIC (Lite the Fuse), but still managed a respectable second. He remains a candidate for the Breeders' Cup Classic, but the Neil Howard-trained colt will be up against it at Monmouth. The improving colt has never won a stakes race, and he earned only a 99 BRIS Speed rating in the Super Derby. The best two races by far in his career both came at Saratoga, and Grasshopper doesn't look like a 1 1/4-mile horse at this point in his career. One couldn't blame his connections for taking a shot, but Grasshopper isn't ready to knock off the big boys yet. He'll be a much more serious horse in 2008. Iron will -- BRASS HAT (Prized) keeps returning from career-threatening injuries to win major stakes. His first comeback produced a victory in the 2006 Donn H. (G1), and the latest resuscitation yielded a hard-fought win in Saturday's Massachusetts H. The late-running gelding was forced to race close to a slow early pace in the Mass Cap and 3-5 favorite FAIRBANKS (Giant's Causeway) got the jump on him into the stretch. Brass Hat would not be denied, eventually wearing down his opponent with a stout rally that registered a 116 Late Pace rating. The Buff Bradley runner isn't Breeders' Cup eligible, so he will instead be pointed toward races at Keeneland and Churchill Downs this fall. Intriguing match-ups -- With competition from the Brooklyn, Super Derby, Mass Cap, Hawthorne Gold Cup (G2) and Goodwood Breeders' Cup H. (G1), we don't expect to see big fields in either the Kentucky Cup Classic (G2) or Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) this weekend. But the lack of quantity will be made up for with quality. The Kentucky Cup Classic features an exciting rematch between the top two Kentucky Derby (G1) finishers, STREET SENSE (Street Cry [Ire]) and HARD SPUN (Danzig), respectively. Travers (G1) winner Street Sense will bring strong form into the 1 1/8-mile event, but he's lost his only two starts over Polytrack. Hard Spun, who exits a sharp score in the seven-furlong King's Bishop S. (G1), loves the Polytrack at Turfway Park, winning the Lane's End S. (G2) in convincing fashion earlier this year. The Jockey Club Gold Cup will contain the best older horse in training, LAWYER RON (Langfuhr), who will be seeking his first win at 1 1/4 miles, and Preakness S. (G1) hero CURLIN (Smart Strike). Milers -- SHAKESPEARE (Theatrical [Ire]) made his first career start at less than 8 1/2 furlongs when winning a one-mile allowance/claiming event at Saratoga in early August, and the six-year-old has discovered new life as a miler this season. Winner of the 1 1/2-mile Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational S. (G1) in 2005, the bay horse suffered his first career defeat as the 7-2 second choice in that year's Breeders' Cup Turf (G1). He wasn't seen again under silks for 21 months, and the September 16 Woodbine Mile (Can-G1) marked his second start back for new conditioner Kiaran McLaughlin. Shakespeare unleashed a scintillating move up the rail in the stretch to win going away by a length, establishing himself as a top contender for the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) in the process. Runner-up KIP DEVILLE (Kipling) also made a strong impression. Winner of the Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1) and Maker's Mark Mile (G2) earlier this season, the gray colt tailed off in his next three appearances for Richard Dutrow. Kip Deville turned things around at Woodbine, and he looms as a serious factor for the American contingent at Monmouth. Distaff possibility -- Trainer Patrick Biancone developed a Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) contender from out of nowhere last year in Asi Siempre (El Prado [Ire]), and he'll attempt to do the same thing in 2007 with DANZON (Royal Academy). Asi Siempre had raced exclusively on turf prior to the Spinster S. (G1) last October, and she parlayed an upset victory over the Polytrack into a troubled runner-up showing (disqualified to fourth despite being clearly second-best) in the Distaff at Churchill Downs. Danzon, who showed her class earlier this season with a close third versus males in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (G1), will make her first non-turf appearance in Saturday's Kentucky Cup Distaff S. (G3). If she runs big over the Polytrack, Danzon will likely earn a spot in the Distaff at Monmouth Park. Rain report -- The October 7 Oak Tree Mile (G2) is expected to attract SURF CAT (Sir Cat), but California's leading turf horse, AFTER MARKET (Storm Cat), is shipping to New York for Saturday's Kelso Breeders' Cup H. (G2). Owner Marty Wygod made the final decision, and it will be interesting to see what happens weather-wise. After Market shipped to Chicago for the Arlington Million (G1) last month, but he was scratched due to concerns over the turf condition. It rained early that week, but Arlington had been drying out for three days when the Million rolled around. Apparently, any moisture at all is a dire concern for his connections. Thunderstorms are possible Thursday night in Elmont, New York, and there's a 50 percent chance of rain Friday morning. I'm wondering why they decided to ship to New York.
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