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Dettori shines on Breeders' Cup day
By Tom Krish | 07 Nov 2006 |
There were plots and more plots. There were subplots and more subplots. Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs was punctuated by tremendous anticipation, absolute delight and utter disappointment. Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out 17 runners and came away empty. The mighty Bernardini was conquered. Ouija Board reinforced her pre-eminent position in the distaff ranks. Two favored horses broke down. Invasor continued his winning march with a decisive score in the BC Classic. Feranando Jara, at 18, became the youngest jockey to win a BC race. Frankie Dettori covered himself with glory when booting home winners in two BC events. Through it all, 75,132 fans on site, bet $18,259,971 (Rs.82+ crores) on the BC card. The total money wagered on the eight races was $136,726,378 (Rs.615+ crores).
It was an absolutely gorgeous day. The day was warm enough and with no threat of rain, the dirt and the turf tracks played fair. Front horses were effective and come-from-behind ones had their moments in the sun as well.
Dreaming Of Anna won the BC Juvenile Filles from the word 'Go.' Jockey Rene Douglas made the most of position-1 and had the lead without pressure. When challenged in the last quarter of a mile, she drew away. The winning margin was 1 1/2 lengths and the time was 1 43.81 for the 1 1/16 miles on dirt. Octave, getting a ground-saving trip, made a bid turning for home and found the winner in no mood to yield. Cash Included, a fancied runner, lay in mid-division and had no response when asked. Dreaming Of Anna paid $7.20 on a $2 ticket. She was the favorite.
Dreaming Of Anna gave owner Frank Calabrese`reason for a double celebration. Mr Calabrese was celebrating his 78th birthday on Saturday. I asked Mr Calabrese if the filly should be trained for a running style other than being on the front end. 'Yes, she has won all her (four) races on the lead but she is like a car. I believe she can do anything. We will be back at Churchill next May for the Classics," he said. A delighted Rene Douglas averred, "she's very special. I felt comfortable. She produced extra when there was a threat."
Dreaming Of Anna is by Rahy out of Justenuffheart. Rahy is a son of Blushing Grrom who is by Red God. Broad Brush is Justenuffheart's sire. Ack Ack is Broad Brush's sire.
Street Sense, a 15-1 outsider, had the last laugh in the BC Juvenile. In the hands of Calvin Borel, Street Sense got away 13th in the 14-horse field, stayed inside, began gaining on the leaders 1/2 mile from home, found daylight coming into the lane and found himself leading the pack and widening the margin as the front horses collapsed. Circular Quay, one of the favored colts, was more out of it than in it. He trailed badly. He stsrted circling the field with five furlongs to go. He had the field beat in the last furlong bar one and that was Street Sense. Great Hunter ran on without hope to be third. Scat Daddy showed out early, settled well, charged 3-wide to loom large in the final turn and failed to sustain.
Street Sense covered the 1 1/16 miles on dirt in 1 42.59. He won by ten lengths. He returned $32.40.
"Three days ago, he (Street Sense) impressed me in a workout," Calvin Borel said. My question to Borel was, "the inside opened up for you. Would you have won this easily if you had to go wide into the final turn?" Borel replied, "nothing would have made a difference. He's a high class colt.."
Strret Sense's father is Street Cry who is by Machiavellian. Mr Prospector is Machiavellian's sire. Street Sense's dam is Bedazzle who is by Dixieland Band. Northern Dancer is the sire of Dixieland Band.
Ouija Board made no mistake in the BC Filly-Mare Turf over 1 3/8 miles. Frankie Dettori had Ouija Board 5th and 6th and in striking range as Dancing Edie, a longshot set a strong gallop. Finding room to angle out as the field negotiated the turn for the run to the box. Dettori went four-wide and and hit the front in a trice. Film Maker, always prominent, took second. Honey Ryder salvaged the third spot. Wait A While, a Pletcher trainee and well-bet, tracked the leaders albeit wide and weakened once the heat was.
Ouija Board won the Filly-Mare Turf in 2004. In 2005, she was second to Intercontinental. With this win in 2006, she became a dual BC winner. She paid $4.80 as the favorite. The winning margin was 2 1/4 lenths and the time was 2.14.55.
"She has different gears. All I had to do was push the button. She's a delight. I was somewhat nervous but she settled so well giving me the confidence I needed," Dettori said. I asked Ed Dunlop, the trainer, if the plan to retire Ouija Board would be reconsidered so that she could be showcased to the racing fans next year. "It is not my decision. She goes to Tokyo for the Japan Cup (November 26) and on to Hong Kong." Lord Derby, the owner, interjected, "she deserves retirement. She has been a dream."
It was an easy win for the Corey Nakatani-ridden Thors' Echo in the six-furlong BC sprint. Always handy leaving from post-1, Thor's Echo was steered wide turning for home and the response was electrifying. Thor's Echo left them all standing. Friendly Iasland enjoyed a good trip and had forward position but was no match to the winner. Nightmare Affair was in the midpack and had to swing wide for his bid and finished on. Henny Hughes, the 16-10 public choice, was fractious and was slowly away. He retreated as the race progressed.
Thor's Echo returned $33.20. The winning margin was four lengths and the time was 1.08.80.
Co-owner Paul Suarez said," post-1 had produced two winners and we were excited. When Corey (the rider) went wide, we were worried. "He was going very well. I wanted to give him running room. I had to go wide and when I let him loose, what a race he ran," Nakatani exulted.
"You could see he was going nowhere. He was spinning his wheels. He was in no mood at all," lamented Kiaran McLaughlin, trainer of Henny Hughes.
Thors's Echo is by Swiss Yodeler who is by Eastern Echo. Damascis is Eastern Echo's father. Thor's Echo's mother is Helen Of Troy who is a grand-daughter of Mr Prospector.
The march of outsiders was not halted in the BC mile. Ouija Board's victory was an aberration. Miesque's Approval, winner of four races in six starts in 2006, was dismissed at 24-1. Ridden by Eddie Castro, Miesque's Approval was held up, was wide advancing down the backside, moved only inside the final furlong and accelerated in striking style to win drawing away. Aragorn had a troubled start, worked his way out by going wide, looked menacing early in the lane but could not contain the winner. Badge Of Silver, prompting the pace, held on for third. Gorella, sluggish at start, could never muster a rally. Araafa mounted a three-wide challenge with two furlongs left and weakened.
Miesque's Approval won by 2 3/4 lengths and the time was 1.34.75. He paid$50.60.
"This horse (Miesque's Approval) has a tremendous turn of foot. At the 3/8 pole, I knew he would win. Eddie (Castro, the jockey) did the right thing in going wide in the last turn," trainer Marty Wolfson said. "He loves coming from behind. I knew I had a lot of left with four furlongs to go. I found room at the right time," Eddie Castro stated.
Miesque's Son is the sire of Miesque's Approval. Mr Prospector is the father of Miesque's Son. Win Approval, a daughter of With Approval, is the mother of Miesque's Approval.
Round Pond, another outsider, won an accident-marred BC Distaff. In rear early, she improved along the fence, switched to the out for the run-in, moved inside again and drew away. After an inquiry, the second, third and fourth spots were revised. Happy Ticket was placed second and Balletto was moved up to third after finishing fourth. Asi Sempre finished second and placed fourth after the disqualification.
Pine Island fell and had to be euthanized. Fleet Indian pulled up and suffered ligament damage.
The winning time was 1.50.50 and the margin was 4 1/4 lengths. Round Pond's supporters were rewarded with a $29.80 mutuel.
Michael Matz, trainer of Round Pond, was Barbaro's trainer. "You have mixed emotions. I know what connections of Pine Island and Fleet Indian are going through," Matz said. Edgar Prado, the winning jockey said, "I got a beautiful trip. She settled nicely. She ran very hard when I asked her. Her stretch run reminded me of Barbaro."
Round Pond is a daughter of Awesome Again. Awesome Again's father is Deputy Minister. Gift Of Dance is Round Pond's dam, Trempolino is Gift of Dance's sire.
Red Rocks and Frankie Dettori proved the fastest when it mattered in the BC Turf. Red Rocks got away ninth in the 11-horse field. He was wide all the way. Making a quick move to get into contention turning for home, the Galileo colt had the lead with a furlong to go and had to be ridden out to beat back a strong challenge from Better Talk Now, the winner of the Turf in 2004. English Channel took third. Cacique had every chance as the race was run and was found wanting. Hurricane Run, apparently not happy with Churchill's turns, was a backmarker and did not raise a gallop.
The winning time was 2.27.32 and the margin was one half length. Red Rocks paid $23.60.
Frankie Dettori , in a hurry to catch a plane for the trip to Australia to ride in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, said, "to win one BC is a miracle and two wins go beyond that." I asked Dettori if he felt he had moved too soon when Better Talk Now came to challenge as Red Rocks tends to idle on the lead.. "You are right, I messed up with him a couple of times in the summer. Today, the pace was quick. I knew they could not keep going. I had to move when I sensed they were backing up," he replied.
Red Rocks is by Galileo who is by Saddler's Wells. Pharmacist is the mother of Red Rocks and Machiavellian is the sire of Pharmacist.
Bernardini was the rage in the finale in the BC Classic as darkness fell. Invasor, held steady at 6-1, bobbled leaving, settled down quickly, was held up, moved wide to get into striking range, was six or seven-wide final turn and ran past Bernardini who was shaping like a winner midstretch. The latter, somewhat tentative, was farther back than usual, made a surge to vie for the lead, gained the top with less than two furlongs left and failed to match the winner's finishing burst. Premium Tap took third. An obection against Bernardini for interference (by Brother Derek) was overruled. Lava Man, the California sensation, was a disappointment.
The winning margin was one length and the time was 2.02.18. Invasor returned $15,40.
"At the quarter pole, I thought I had a chance. I asked my horse to give me his all. When he moved, I knew I had the race won," Fernando Jara, Invasor's rider said. Invasor had missed the Jockey Club Gold Cup in October because of a fever. "The highs and lows bother you but you have to keep an even keel. We won the right one," Kiaran McLaughlin said.
"He was banged around a little early. He had more to do than what he normally does. He came on but Invasor was too good," said Bernardini's trainer, Tom Albertrani.
Invasor is by Candy Stripes. Candy Stripes is a son of Blushing Groom, a son of Red God. Invasor's mother is Quendom, a daughter of Interprete. Invasor is an Argentinian-bred.
The Ultra Pick 6 had two winning tickets: Each ticket was worth $1,450,707.
The quote of the day came from Todd Pletcher who drew blank with 17 runners. "There were a couple of disappointments in there, but I really thought overall they ran fairly well."
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