Breeder's Cup 2009

[ZephyrHawk]

Well, here's my annual Breeder's Cup post!

For those of you not in the know, the Breeder's cup is the world championships of thoroughbred racing. This Friday and Saturday, Santa Anita Racetrack in southern California will host 14 stakes races featuring the best horses in the world (well sort of). Not a one of the races has a purse of less than $1 million, and the Breeder's Cup Classic this year has a purse of $5 million. For anyone who has watched the Animal Planet show Jockeys, yes, the jocks from that show will be riding...a lot.

Now, for those of you in the know, who are you thinking for the Classic? Personally, I cannot remember a year when there were so many great horses out there who weren't running in the Classic. Rachel Alexandra's taking a pass because Jess Jackson is still angry about what happened to Curlin last year. Sea the Stars was retired at 3 (Why?! Dear God why?! In this economy?!). Macho Again caught a cold and is sitting out.

Then there's the polytrack factor. Can you really bet against one of the foreign invaders after what happened last year at the same track? They're certainly back in force to give it another try.

I don't think Zenyatta has a chance. I think it was a dumb move to put her in the Classic when she could have had her way with the Distaff (sorry, Ladies Classic) field. She's a great racemare, but I don't think she can handle colts.

So, my bets are on Summer Bird, Einstein and Gio Ponti. Any other horseplayers out there?

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Anyone?

 

[Jennasis]

Haven't followed racing in a while, but could it be that this Sea the Stars horse was retired at 3 because they stood to make more money in the breeding shed?

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Yay!!! A reply!

Yes, Sea the Stars was retired because they thought they could make more money breeding him, but here's the kicker...the bloodstock market hasn't been this bad in a really long time. If I had a quality three year old, there's no way I'd retire him right now. I'd at least give him another year to earn some money and prove himself some more. Sea the Stars might not have wanted to come over to America for the Classic so soon after winning the Arc, but who in the world could offer him a challenge were he to enter the Duabi World Cup next spring? No one! Especially not since it will be held at a new track with a synthetic surface as opposed to the traditional dirt which might have thrown him off. It's as close as you could get to a guaranteed $6 million purse.

 

[jrmasm]

Ok, bear with me....whatever happened to huge horse that got hurt before the Breeder's Cup last year? Big grey I think named after a restaraunt in California. He was a Derby hopeful. Pamplemousse or something like that.

Saw him on Jockeys and I really wanted to see such a huge horse run but he got hurt first.....

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Pretty good memory! The Pamplemousse was named after the restaurant owned and operated by some of his owners (curious fact, Pamplemousse means "Grapefruit" in French and the owner studied cooking in France).

I don't believe The Pamplemousse was supposed to be in the Breeder's Cup last year (he was a bit of a late bloomer). On the show Jockeys they chronicled his surprising late scratching from the Santa Anita Derby (a Major Derby prep). He was found to have "a small lesion on the tendon of his left front leg). He was taken off the Derby trail and did not expect to be back on the track for at least 6 months. He always had a "weird" way of running (according to those on the scene, his legs swung out to the side strangely when in full gallop) and it seems it caught up with him. Regardless, we haven't heard anything from him since. Keep an eye out for him next spring in the older horse races.

This year's Derby trail had a lot of late scratches. Most notably I Want Revenge who was scratched as the morning line favorite on the day of the Derby. Some years it happens like that.

However! Horses that were featured on Jockeys that you will see in this year's Breeder's Cup include:

Zenyatta
Mine That Bird
Chocolate Candy

And likely a few others I can't remember right now.

 

[KAMLEM]

I don't follow racing and I certainly don't know much about it, but I love watching Jockeys. The only disappointing part of the show last season was that I had heard about Joe Talamo's horse getting scratched when the Derby was taking place so it was no surprise when it aired. I wish I understood a little more about racing.

Maybe someone here can answer a question that always comes up when I watch the show. How much of the purse does the jockey typically earn?

 

[Jennasis]

Pretty good memory! The Pamplemousse was named after the restaurant owned and operated by some of his owners (curious fact, Pamplemousse means "Grapefruit" in French and the owner studied cooking in France).

I don't believe The Pamplemousse was supposed to be in the Breeder's Cup last year (he was a bit of a late bloomer). On the show Jockeys they chronicled his surprising late scratching from the Santa Anita Derby (a Major Derby prep). He was found to have "a small lesion on the tendon of his left front leg). He was taken off the Derby trail and did not expect to be back on the track for at least 6 months. He always had a "weird" way of running (according to those on the scene, his legs swung out to the side strangely when in full gallop) and it seems it caught up with him. Regardless, we haven't heard anything from him since. Keep an eye out for him next spring in the older horse races.

This year's Derby trail had a lot of late scratches. Most notably I Want Revenge who was scratched as the morning line favorite on the day of the Derby. Some years it happens like that.

However! Horses that were featured on Jockeys that you will see in this year's Breeder's Cup include:

Zenyatta
Mine That Bird
Chocolate Candy

And likely a few others I can't remember right now.

We call that Dishing or Winging. Usually more pronounced at the trot, but can certainly be seen at speed.

 

[jrmasm]

Pretty good memory! The Pamplemousse was named after the restaurant owned and operated by some of his owners (curious fact, Pamplemousse means "Grapefruit" in French and the owner studied cooking in France).

I don't believe The Pamplemousse was supposed to be in the Breeder's Cup last year (he was a bit of a late bloomer). On the show Jockeys they chronicled his surprising late scratching from the Santa Anita Derby (a Major Derby prep). He was found to have "a small lesion on the tendon of his left front leg). He was taken off the Derby trail and did not expect to be back on the track for at least 6 months. He always had a "weird" way of running (according to those on the scene, his legs swung out to the side strangely when in full gallop) and it seems it caught up with him. Regardless, we haven't heard anything from him since. Keep an eye out for him next spring in the older horse races.

This year's Derby trail had a lot of late scratches. Most notably I Want Revenge who was scratched as the morning line favorite on the day of the Derby. Some years it happens like that.

However! Horses that were featured on Jockeys that you will see in this year's Breeder's Cup include:

Zenyatta
Mine That Bird
Chocolate Candy

And likely a few others I can't remember right now.

The Breeders Cup wouldn't have made sense. Doh!

 

[ZephyrHawk]

I don't follow racing and I certainly don't know much about it, but I love watching Jockeys. The only disappointing part of the show last season was that I had heard about Joe Talamo's horse getting scratched when the Derby was taking place so it was no surprise when it aired. I wish I understood a little more about racing.

Maybe someone here can answer a question that always comes up when I watch the show. How much of the purse does the jockey typically earn?

A jockey usually gets 10%. However, sometimes a trainer will put a "tip" on that, or make a bet on the horse on the jockey's behalf.

I remember when they scratched I Want Revenge (I was watching coverage all that morning). My very first thought was "Gee, that will make for a good Jockeys plot." Actually, I find the show kinda silly because I know everything that happened ahead of the airings (except for the minor races) and never feel the tension. It's not really made for the racing enthusiast. Also, the stupid theme song makes me want to bash my brains out. Yet, still, I watch.

 

[Sanchez]

A jockey usually gets 10%. However, sometimes a trainer will put a "tip" on that, or make a bet on the horse on the jockey's behalf.

I remember when they scratched I Want Revenge (I was watching coverage all that morning). My very first thought was "Gee, that will make for a good Jockeys plot." Actually, I find the show kinda silly because I know everything that happened ahead of the airings (except for the minor races) and never feel the tension. It's not really made for the racing enthusiast. Also, the stupid theme song makes me want to bash my brains out. Yet, still, I watch.

Another racing fan here. I have not yet vetted the cards for Friday or Saturday so I cannot add much to the BC discussion.

As to Jockeys, I find it to be disappointing in that it is presented as a drama rather than an insight into the lives of jockeys. Some of the material is informative - for example, this year there was a good segment on claiming races, their structure and purpose. It is also interesting to see that several jockeys were not quite making it on the competitive SoCal circuit and moved on. I could do without the horrible music, the staged dinners and conversations, and the made-up showdowns where it is made to appear that two jockeys are dueling with each other in a race. Most annoying are the fake race calls.

Chantal Sutherland reminds me of the girl in the Seinfeld episode who at one moment is beautiful and then appears to be ugly at another. I cannot seem to make up my mind about her. At least there is that to keep Jockeys entertaining.

 

[KAMLEM]

I can definitely understand how the show would be less interesting for those of you who follow racing. I have learned quite a bit by watching it. The episode about claiming was one of my favorite, I had never heard about that before.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

I agree lots of horse bailed.
ZENY...IS RUNNING ON HER HOME TRACK?
I THINK SHE MIGHT DUE IT.

MINE THAT BIRD HAS BEEN LOOKING BETTER AND BETTER

LUCKY GO LUCKY IS MY PICK FOR THE DAY

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

Sorry I meant Looking At Lucky

 

[ZephyrHawk]

I agree lots of horse bailed.
ZENY...IS RUNNING ON HER HOME TRACK?
I THINK SHE MIGHT DUE IT.

MINE THAT BIRD HAS BEEN LOOKING BETTER AND BETTER

LUCKY GO LUCKY IS MY PICK FOR THE DAY

Yes, Zenyatta does have home court advantage, and many people who believe she can't be beaten on it have made her the favorite. I agree that there's no mare or filly out there right now (with the possible exception of one) who could beat her at Santa Anita. But I think that the boys she'll be facing are several lengths her better. Especially at a mile and a quarter (which she's never run, by the way). She could prove me wrong.

Mine That Bird really tailed off after the Triple Crown trail.

Ummm...who is Lucky? You mean Looking at Lucky, the undefeated favorite for the Breeder's Cup Juvenile? Or Blind Luck, the favorite of the Juvenile Fillies?

 

[PrincessV]

UGH, I've had so much going on lately, I nearly missed the Breeder's Cup altogether! Thanks for the head's up... I'm off to do my homework!

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Just giving this thread a bump since we're at Ladies Day today.

Thoughts for the fillies? I do like Careless Jewel in the Ladies Classic.

 

[Hillbeans]

My father is a handicapper so I know a little about the horses. I'd love to see Zenyatta win. Isn't it now spread out over 2 days?

I think last year would have been great if Big Brown was able to run but it seems as if so many of the good ones are getting hurt so early on in their short career.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

You are correct, the Breeder's Cup is run over two days now. Today and tomorrow. Goodness knows how I will keep from spoilers all day today.

As for Big Brown, he didn't actually get injured on the track. He always had bad feet, from pretty much his first start. They decided not to bother fighting a losing battle with his physical issues and retire him early. It's a pattern you also see in his sire. So, yes, he's now breeding yet another generation of imperfections.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I have been looking for a website that lists post times and the horses all day. Maybe I suddenly grew inept at web surfing, but I can't even find it, not even on the Breeder's Cup website. Does anyone have a good link for me?

I too, am kind of against Zenyatta running. She is undefeated, and to put her in her first race against the boys at such a distance in such a highlighted event seems almost unfair to me.

Sure, she could always win, but I think the odds (certainly not the betting odds), may be against her. I don't want to see her heart broken on tv, because I think she is an excellent mare.

Anyway, tomorrow is going to be very enjoyable flipping back and forth in between college football and horse racing.