Thoroughbred Beat

THOROUGHBRED BEAT

JANUARY 19, 2006

by James Scully

Oaks lore -- FOLKLORE (Tiznow), who will be named champion

two-year-old filly on Monday, returned to the races with a loss at Santa Anita

in the seven-furlong Santa Ynez S. (G2). She only worked three times beforehand

and was asked to carry 123 pounds, but jockey Edgar Prado made no excuses. "She

didn't get tired," Prado said. "She came home running, but she just got run down

today. She did everything right. She was good in the post parade. She went to

the gate good. She did everything but win." Folklore may have needed a race, but

it was hard to believe that she could finish third behind Dance Daily (Five Star

Day) and Talullah Lula (Old Trieste). The race was at the same distance of the

Matron S. (G1), which she won by 14 lengths, and all of her career starts have

come around one turn. She figured to school this bunch even on a bad day.

However, Folklore didn't exactly distinguish herself with only a 98 BRIS Speed

rating in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) (needing more than two seconds

longer to complete 1 1/16 miles than her male counterparts), and she didn't earn

big numbers at any point last season. Bred to easily handle a route of ground,

trainer D. Wayne Lukas had to be thinking Kentucky Derby (G1) with Folklore,

especially considering his lack of male candidates at this point of the year,

but those plans look far-fetched right now. She didn't look like a good future

bet for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on Monday, but that will be the only classic in

early May that suits her.

The Hawk -- On Sunday at Santa Anita, KITTY HAWK (GB) (Danehill

Dancer) made her U.S. debut in dramatic style, mowing down her rivals with a

tremendous rush to win a one-mile turf allowance. She looked hopelessly beaten

turning for home, and announcer Trevor Denman summed it up perfectly. "Kitty

Hawk from out of nowhere," Denman screamed in deep stretch as the chestnut filly

came flying. "Kitty Hawk looking like she just jumped in it at the eighth pole."

Not only did she appear to be moving about five times as fast as her nearest

rivals in the final furlong, but the three-year-old filly continued to stride

out beautifully after the finish. Now 3-2-1-0 in her career, Kitty Hawk is

trained by Patrick Biancone and appears poised for bigger and better things in

the future.

Comebacks -- First it was CLOCK STOPPER (Gilded Time), who re-appeared

on the worktab in mid-December, and then BALLETTO (UAE) (Timber Country) showed

up breezing in South Florida recently. Both horses appear on their way to a

comeback. Clock Stopper was rounding into top form at this point last year for

trainer Dallas Stewart, finishing a good third in the Richter Scale Breeders'

Cup Sprint H. (G2) at Gulfstream prior to his first graded win in April's

Commonwealth Breeders' Cup S. (G2) at Keeneland (earning a 113 Speed rating).

The gelding was set for a major assault on the biggest sprint races in 2005, but

was retired soon after the Commonwealth due to a reported bowed tendon. He's

turned in three drills since returning to training, including a sharp

four-furlong move last Saturday in :48 3/5, the sixth fastest of 34 horses at

the distance. It was even more surprising to see the Darley-owned Balleto

prepping for a return. Winner of the 2004 Frizette S. (G1), she hasn't started

since finishing second to Sweet Catomine in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies

at Lone Star Park and could've easily embarked on her next career as a

broodmare. The four-year-old has resumed training at Payson Park, recording two

workouts this month, and she's potentially a great addition to the distaff ranks

in 2006.

Eclipse -- The Eclipse Awards will be handed out Monday in Beverly

Hills, California, and most of the winners appear to be foregone conclusions.

One category that is up for grabs is the male turf division, and it will be

interesting to see whether voters hold LEROIDESANIMAUX's (Brz) (Candy Stripes)

runner-up finish in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) against him. A brilliant winner

in each of his first three outings, the Bobby Frankel trainee was the best turf

horse to run in North America in 2005. However, he had a bad foot on Breeders'

Cup Day and gutted out second on class alone, three parts of a length behind

Artie Schiller (El Prado [Ire]) and a head better than the filly Gorella (Fr)

(Grape Tree Road [GB]). A sound Leroidesanimaux would've crushed his rivals, and

one can make a valid argument that he should've been scratched by officials

before the race. When wagering for the Breeders' Cup races opened Friday

morning, a lot of money went on the nose and into the exotic pools aboard the

heavy favorite. On Saturday morning, Breeders' Cup officials announced a major

equipment change -- Leroidesanimaux would be wearing aluminum pads. In fact,

Frankel told the media Saturday morning that Leroidesanimaux would be lame if he

took the pads off but, of course, that nugget of valuable information wasn't

revealed on-track, just the equipment change. Those who wagered early on

Leroidesanimaux essentially got burned (most people who wager early do so

because they can't wager during the afternoon and therefore had no chance at a

refund) and those wagering on him after the equipment change were left playing a

guessing game, hoping a injury wouldn't stop the best horse in the race. That's

a bum deal for all in my book. I know, I know -- who cares about the betting

public and why should we be surprised when officials sacrifice integrity for the

mighty dollar?