Thoroughbred Beat

THOROUGHBRED BEAT

SEPTEMBER 28, 2005

by James Scully

Preview Weekends - The road to the Breeders' Cup is in full swing as

Belmont will host a "Super Saturday" with five Grade 1 races and Oak Tree's

opening weekend contains six graded events. Across the pond, Sunday's Prix de

l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) could send several top prospects to the Breeders' Cup

Turf (G1). The next two weekends are always among the most exciting on the

Thoroughbred calendar as Breeders' Cup hopefuls receive their final preps.

Gold Rush East - Injuries have had a dreadful impact upon this year's

Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), especially on the East Coast where casualties have

left few locally based runners for Saturday's $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup

(G1), but a Californian quartet figures to greatly enhance the prestigious 1

1/4-mile event (2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft was pointed to the Gold Cup

instead of the Breeders' Cup Classic). Travers (G1) hero FLOWER ALLEY (Distorted

Humor) remains the horse to beat, but BORREGO (El Prado [Ire]), LAVA MAN (Slew

City Slew), ROMAN RULER (Fusaichi Pegasus) and IMPERIALISM (Langfuhr) make the

Gold Cup a much better betting race following a very unappealing rendition of

the Woodward S. (G1) that had only three wagering interests three weeks earlier.

The California defectors leave Saturday's $500,000 Goodwood Breeders' Cup H.

(G2), which has produced three of the last five Breeders' Cup Classic winners, a

seemingly easy prep for comebacker ROCK HARD TEN (Kris S.), who will be making

his first start since winning the Santa Anita H. (G1) in early March.

The Bard - Saturday's $750,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) took a hit

when champion Kitten's Joy (El Prado [Ire]) was pulled from training last week

and retired. That leaves the unbeaten SHAKESPEARE (Theatrical [Ire]), who exits

a course-record performance in the Belmont Breeders' Cup H. (G2) (nine grassy

furlongs in 1:45), as the likely odds-on favorite in a short field. The Bill

Mott-trained four-year-old beat a small group of rivals last time, but at least

there will be a couple of new faces with better credentials on Saturday. ENGLISH

CHANNEL (Smart Strike), whose bubble burst a little with a runner-up placing in

the Secretariat (G1) last out, showed plenty of promise earlier in the season

racking up wins in the Virginia Derby (G3) and Colonial Turf Cup for trainer

Todd Pletcher, and Aidan O'Brien has a dangerous European invader in ACE (Ire) (Danehill).

A Group 3 winner last season, Ace finished only 1 1/2 lengths back when second

to Azamour (Night Shift) in the Prince of Wales's S. (Eng-G1) during the Royal

Ascot meet and exits a close fourth, beaten 1 3/4 lengths, behind Oratorio (Danehill)

and Motivator (Montjeu [Ire]) in the Irish Champion S. (Ire-G1) on September 10.

Dirt females - I'm looking forward to Saturday's Beldame S. (G1) for a

couple of reasons. One is SWEET SYMPHONY (A.P. Indy), the unbeaten

three-year-old who made her stakes debut a smashing success with a 6 1/4-length

romp in the Alabama S. (G1) most recently. The Mott trainee didn't beat the most

accomplished rivals that afternoon so Saturday will be the acid test for the

up-and-coming filly. Seven Grade 1 winners are expected for the 1 1/8-mile

event, including one of the best from California, Apple Blossom H. (G1) queen

DREAM OF SUMMER (Siberian Summer). The Beldame will also serve as an indicator

for champion ASHADO (Saint Ballado), who shrugged off early season losses in the

Apple Blossom and Pimlico Breeders' Cup Distaff H. (G3) with impressive

victories in the Ogden Phipps (G1) and Go for Wand H. (G1) only to suffer a

disappointing fourth-place effort in the Personal Ensign H. (G1). The

four-year-old filly bruised her foot last time and needs an encouraging

performance as she prepares for a title defense in the Breeders' Cup Distaff

(G1).

Turf ladies - Grade/Group 1 winners ANGARA (GB) (Alzao), LATICE (Ire)

(Inchinor [GB]), LUNE D'OR (Green Tune), FILM MAKER (Dynaformer), WONDER AGAIN

(Silver Hawk) and SAND SPRINGS (Dynaformer), as well as the highly touted Bobby

Frankel trainee MELHOR AINDA (Pulpit), offer plenty of appeal for Saturday's

Flower Bowl Invitational (G1) at Belmont, but Oak Tree's Yellow Ribbon S. (G1)

features perhaps the country's best turf distaffer in MEGAHERTZ (GB) (Pivotal).

A 12-time stakes winner, Megahertz has relished the hard turf courses in

California over the past few seasons but showed another dimension when finishing

an excellent second by a neck over yielding ground in the Beverly D. S. (G1) last

out. Belmont's turf could have some give to it on October 29, and Megahertz

appears better capable of handling any conditions this year.

Speed - Bay Meadows will host a race (it ought to be called the Lost

in the Fog S.) for the nation's leading sprinter on Saturday, but we get a good

preview of his main challengers in Saturday's $500,000 Vosburgh S. (G1). Named

after the famed handicapper, author and racing secretary, the six-furlong

contest is expected to draw Grade 1 victor POMEROY (Boundary), multiple Grade 2

winner WOKE UP DREAMIN (Holy Bull), Forego (G1) and Bing Crosby (G1) runner-up

BATTLE WON (Honour and Glory) and Triple Bend H. (G1) hero UNFURL THE FLAG (Bertrando).

With the exception of LOST IN THE FOG (Lost Soldier), we haven't seen many

notable performances from sprinters this year. Perhaps the Vosburgh will be

different.

Belmont attractive for Euros - OUIJA BOARD (GB) (Cape Cross [Ire]) and

O'Brien (saddled five starters for Tabor/Magnier) provided a European presence

last year in Texas, but two races, the Canadian International (Can-G1) and E.P.

Taylor (Can-G1), drew almost as many overseas shippers a week earlier at

Woodbine as did the eight-race Breeders' Cup. That won't be the case this year

at Belmont Park, which like Woodbine is a much more favorable locale due to the

weather and track configuration. Many of Europe's leading horses, including

SCORPION (Montjeu [Ire]), HURRICANE RUN (Montjeu [Ire]), Motivator, Oratorio, DUBAWI (Dubai Millenium), GEORGE WASHINGTON (Danehill), STARCRAFT (Soviet Star)

and Ouija Board, are confirmed or being seriously considered for a trip to the

friendly confines in Elmont, New York.