Turf Diary

TURF

DIARY

SEPTEMBER 19, 2006

by Kellie Reilly

Had ARAGORN (Ire) (Giant's Causeway) taken part in Sunday's

Woodbine Mile S. (Can-G1), how much would he have won by? That's not to disparage

the quality field that assembled for a key Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) prep, but

considering that horseman Neil Drysdale's second stringer, BECRUX (Ity)

(Glen Jordan), posted a narrow victory, it's a question worth pondering.

The Woodbine Mile brought together several of the logical Mile

candidates from the East Coast -- Fourstardave H. (G2) hero REMARKABLE NEWS

(Ven) (Chayim), Grade 2 winner THREE VALLEYS (Diesis [GB]) and Poker H.

(G3) victor REBEL REBEL (Ire) (Revoque) -- as well as multiple Grade 1

winner SWEET RETURN (GB) (Elmaamul), who's been vainly chasing Aragorn in

California, and two-time Group 1 scorer AD VALOREM (Danzig) from Aidan

O'Brien's Irish stronghold of Ballydoyle.

While the taxing early pace didn't do any favors for the

pressured leader Sweet Return or pace-prompter Remarkable News, it was made to

order for the closers. A riveting stretch drive ensued, worthy of a charge of

Hussars, and several were in with a fighting chance at midstretch. Becrux

deserves enormous credit for capitalizing best of all, displaying genuine

resolve to repel the late thrust of Rebel Rebel by a neck. Ad Valorem also

performed with distinction, not finding his best stride until deep stretch but

finishing like the proverbial freight train for third. He's worth serious

consideration wherever he turns up next.

Remarkable News faded to fifth. The experience of being

embroiled in a bona fide Grade 1 battle will likely do the lightly raced colt a

world of good, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him return with a better

effort next time, especially with a more favorable pace scenario. Three Valleys

was positively disappointing as the favorite, as he had every opportunity in the

stretch and simply failed to deliver, winding up seventh.

Was Becrux's performance, admirable though it was, that of a

Breeders' Cup Mile winner? Not in my estimation. The keys to deciphering the

race are Ad Valorem and Sweet Return. Ad Valorem doesn't approach classic winner

GEORGE WASHINGTON (Danehill) in the Ballydoyle pecking order, and Sweet

Return, who bravely kept on for fourth, was beaten only 1 1/2 lengths by the

winner. In his previous two starts, Sweet Return had finished 2 3/4 lengths and

four lengths, respectively, behind Aragorn in the Del Mar Breeders' Cup Mile H.

(G2) and Eddie Read H. (G1). I freely admit that this kind of extrapolation may

not be the soundest method, as it omits a multitude of variables, but it at

least gives some manner of comparison.

Aragorn had already flashed blinding

acceleration when capturing the Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile S. (G1) and Eddie

Read this summer. In the August 26 Del Mar Breeders' Cup Mile,

Aragorn also showed that he's got real courage. Bottled up on the rail turning

for home, the chestnut saw a sliver of daylight on the inside and didn't

hesitate to charge right through it. The Neil Drysdale charge streaked his final

quarter in an other-worldly :22 2/5, ratifying his position as America's top

Breeders' Cup Mile contender. I'd go even further and say that, unless George

Washington returns to his scintillating best, none of the European

milers can hold a candle to Aragorn on firm turf. Drysdale is using the October 7 Oak Tree

Breeders' Cup Mile (G2) as Aragorn's final prep.

While Godolphin's principal Mile hopefuls are in Europe (more on

them and George Washington in next week's International Diary), their New York-based ASHKAL WAY

(Ire) (Ashkalani) may enter into calculations after a determined neck score in

the August 26 Bernard Baruch H. (G2) at Saratoga. Closing off a moderate pace,

the Saeed bin Suroor charge employed a potent kick to get up in the shadow of

the wire. Interestingly, the Bernard Baruch unfolded much like Ashkal Way's previous start, the August 6 Fourstardave, with the early

fractions identical in both (:24 2/5, :48 1/5 and 1:11 3/5). The Godolphin

colorbearer rallied strongly on each occasion. While his late punch was good

enough to earn the laurels in the 1 1/8-mile Bernard Baruch, it wasn't sufficient to

threaten Remarkable News in the 1 1/16-mile Fourstardave. Accordingly, the Godolphin team has sounded inclined to step Ashkal

Way up in trip, so we may not see him in the Breeders' Cup Mile, but he remains

on the radar screen just in case anything happens to their leading possibles.

One still very much in the Mile picture is the ultra-consistent

MIESQUE'S APPROVAL (Miesque's Son), who remains a persuasive

advertisement for the skill of trainer Marty Wolfson. Not only has Wolfson

brought this seven-year-old veteran to the peak of his powers, but he has kept

him at this perfect pitch since January. In his latest, the September 9 Red Bank

S. (G3) at Monmouth Park, Miesque's Approval collared a stubborn

Hotstufanthensome (Awesome Again) in deep stretch and subdued that course

specialist by a half-length to score his fourth stakes victory of this year.

Since Hotstufanthensome had finished second to Ashkal Way and Three Valleys in

his last two, the form of the Red Bank looks reliable if unspectacular. Still,

Miesque's Approval has that laudable quality of knowing how to win, and that

can't be discounted, whatever the strict form line may suggest.

Turning to the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) set, CACIQUE (Ire)

(Danehill) delivered an awe-inspiring performance in the

1 3/8-mile Man o' War S. (G1) at Belmont Park on September 9. Employing rating

tactics this time instead of attending the early pace, the Juddmonte Farms

homebred unleashed a sparkling turn of foot entering the stretch to seize the

race by the throat, then sprinted his final furlong in a blazing :11 to cross

the wire 1 3/4 lengths in front. I must confess that I didn't think Cacique had

the brilliance of his full sisters, champions Banks Hill (GB) and

Intercontinental (GB), but his career-best effort in the Man o' War proved me

wrong. It will be a far tougher task, however, to duplicate this against a world

class field in the Breeders' Cup Turf.

SHOWING UP (Strategic Mission) didn't run a bad race when

tackling older horses for the first time in the Man o' War, just losing second

in a photo-finish to the more experienced GO DEPUTY (Deputy Minister).

Indeed, Showing Up may have been better served had he been allowed to lead

instead of eagerly sitting off the flank of the pacesetter through a dawdling

tempo. If Showing Up could have used his high cruising speed in the first six

furlongs, I think he would have put his rivals under pressure a long way out, a

set-up that would have played to his strengths. Trainer Barclay Tagg said that

his pupil remains on course for the Breeders' Cup, but he's flirting with the

Mile as well as the Turf.