Thoroughbred Beat

THOROUGHBRED BEAT

OCTOBER 12, 2005

by James Scully

Breeders' Cup fever - The Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) is

setting up as a three-horse showdown between SAINT LIAM (Saint Ballado), ROCK

HARD TEN (Kris S.) and BORREGO (El Prado [Ire]), and there is a lot more to look

forward to on the undercard. The unbeaten LOST IN THE FOG (Lost Soldier) is one

of the most exciting sprinters in years. LEROIDESANIMAUX (Brz) (Candy Stripes)

has dominated in every start this season, impressively winning Frank E. Kilroe

Mile H. (G1), Atto Mile (Can-G1) and Fourstardave H. (G2), and will be the heavy

favorite in the Mile (G1). OUIJA BOARD (GB) (Cape Cross [Ire]) will be back for

a title defense in the Filly & Mare Turf (G1), and the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1)

should feature a formidable foreign contingent taking on tough American foes

BETTER TALK NOW (Talkin Man) and SHAKESPEARE (Theatrical [Ire]). ADIEU (El

Corredor) and FOLKLORE (Tiznow) will resume a heated rivalry in the Juvenile

Fillies (G1), and FIRST SAMURAI (Giant's Causeway) has the makings of a budding

superstar entering the Juvenile (G1). I'm excited.

Below the radar again? - SINGLETARY (Lost Soldier) is one

of a quartet, along with Ouija Board, Better Talk Now and ASHADO (Saint Ballado), seeking

back-to-back Breeders' Cup wins in 2005, and the Little Red Feather Racing-owned

horse tuned up for a possible encore with a sharp 1 1/2-length victory in

Saturday's Oak Tree Breeders' Mile (G2). Third in the 2004 Oak Tree Mile, the

Don Chatlos Jr. trainee was dismissed at 16-1 in the Mile 12 months ago at Lone

Star Park and could be overlooked once again this year. Purchased for only

$3,200 as a yearling, Singletary has now won more than $1.7 million, but

Leroidesanimaux, STARCRAFT (Soviet Song), RAKTI (Polish Precedent), FUNFAIR (GB)

(Singspiel [Ire]), ARTIE SCHILLER (El Prado [Ire]) and VALIXIR (Trempolino)

could all draw more support at Belmont. Singletary has been the classic

rags-to-riches story so far, and the opportunity is at hand for a storybook

ending to his stellar racing career.

We'll miss Alex - Dual classic winner AFLEET ALEX

(Northern Afleet) is out of the Classic, making it the third straight year that

a leading three-year-old won't make the race due to physical setbacks, but

unlike Smarty Jones and Empire Maker before him, he'll remain in training with

Tim Ritchey and is expected to return at four. After sustaining a hairline

condylar fracture in late July, Afleet Alex would've been on a tight schedule to

make the October 29 event and might have been a little short at 10 furlongs. He

appeared poised to give older horses all they could handle this fall following

scintillating performances in the Belmont S. (G1) and Preakness S. (G1), but

injuries are a big part of the sport and it wasn't meant to be this year. I just

hope that Afleet Alex returns at the top of his game when he does makes it back.

Two-year-old preps - Adieu chased the pace from the start

in Saturday's Frizette S. (G1), took command on the far turn and withstood all

challengers in upper stretch before drawing off to a two-length decision over

the sloppy Belmont track. She didn't earn an overwhelming BRIS Speed rating

(92), but Adieu has earned better numbers in the past and has taken two of three

starts against Folklore, a 14-length winner of the one-mile Matron S. (G1) in

her final Breeders' Cup prep. Little appears to separate these classy fillies.

First Samurai is on the mountaintop alone in the two-year-old division and

recorded his second straight Grade 1 triumph in Saturday's eight-furlong

Champagne. The Frank Brothers-trained chestnut turned a mile nearly two seconds

faster than Adieu one race afterward and received another strong BRIS Speed

rating of 104. Good luck beating him on October 29. Keeneland also held a pair

of juvenile events over the weekend, the Breeders' Futurity (G1) and Alcibiades

S. (G2), and both races featured upsets. SHE SAYS IT BEST (Stormy Atlantic)

earned her first graded win at nearly 10-1 in the Alcibiades, and the unheralded

DAWN OF WAR (Catienus), an allowance winner at River Downs two starts

previously, recorded an easy 3 1/2-length win at 36-1 in the Breeders' Futurity.

Both horses sprinted to uncontested early advantages and led wire to wire over a

speed-favoring Keeneland track.

Biased - Closers were at a significant disadvantage in

dirt routes during the opening weekend of Keeneland. State of Shock (Prospect

Bay), the logical 2-1 favorite under Rafael Bejarano, was able to rally from

just off the pace in a 1 1/16-mile claiming race in Friday's opener, but the

remaining five dirt routes were all won on the front end, all but one returning

a double-digit payoff. Easy Grades (Honor Grades) shot to the front at 17-1 when

the gates opened and couldn't be caught in a 8 1/2-furlong event on Sunday. She

Says It Best and Dawn of War weren't expected to attain uncontested early leads

in the Alcibiades and Breeders' Futurity, but they both essentially rode a

conveyor belt to victory when that situation materialized. PAMPERED PRINCESS

(Indian Charlie) raced in first or second before pulling clear for a 1

3/4-length win and a $17.80 payoff in Sunday's nine-furlong Spinster S. (G1), a

race that featured plenty of early speed and figured to set up for a late runner

on a non-biased track. Runner-up PLEASANT HOME (Seeking the Gold) couldn't get

there in the Keeneland stretch, but she still ran great from off the pace and

the improving four-year-old lass is one to watch for in the future. Early speed

remains a huge advantage at Keeneland.

Good humor - Bobby Frankel couldn't have been pleased

with the way Three Valleys (Diesis [GB]) and Alinghi (Aus) (Encosta de Lago) ran

in Saturday's Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) (fifth and eighth, respectively), and he

was already in a bad mood before the race. In an interview with NBC's Mike

Battaglia, the Hall of Fame trainer ripped the Keeneland turf course, the Daily

Racing Form and would've probably criticized the pope if the subject had come

up. Tom Hammond joked afterward to Battaglia that it was a good thing he didn't

ask Frankel about his (Battaglia's) handicapping, because Frankel would've told

him how terrible he is. Frankel's widely known for being hot-headed, and October

probably isn't the best time for an interview because it's Breeders' Cup month.

Despite all the glowing accomplishments during his remarkable career, Frankel is

only 3-for-63 in Breeders' Cup races, saddling the beaten favorite on 10

occasions. When Squirtle Squirt won the 2001 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), owner

David Lanzman said he didn't even speak to Frankel in the paddock because the

conditioner was so upset (Flute and You had already lost as heavy favorites in

earlier Breeders' Cup races). Bad behavior may be frowned upon in the normally

reserved theatre of Thoroughbred racing, but Frankel is entertaining when he is

ranting.